[WFRP] The Hour After Midnight

[-Sentinel-]

"Acquaintances," said Pieter noncommittally. "How much does he owe you? If I pay half of his rent for him, will you try to arrange a meeting between us? Tell him I'll pay the other half when I see him."

And everybody wins.

[LCP]

"Well, I'd like to," said the man, "but in honesty, I haven't seen him in five days, and don't know when I will again. Last I heard he was lurking around the old theatre on the corner of Wishbone Street. I heard he had some thespian friends he was leeching off for a while, or something in that vein."

[-Sentinel-]

"Ah, well..." Pieter shrugged. "Too bad. Thank you, sir. If I find him, I'll be sure to mention the rent."

[LCP]

"Then I wish you luck," said the landlord. "You'll need it."

OOC: If no-one has any more questions, he closes the door and goes back to whatever he was doing.

[Another_Poet]

Raffy waits till the door is shut and they're walking away ((others feel free to retcon if you had more to say to the landlord)). "Not bad. I think Lothar would've offered to pay half the rent if we can come in and look at his room, and the other half if he forgot our faces. But we got a lead. Not bad at all."

[-Sentinel-]

"I doubt the room would tell us much anyway."

If there remained any doubts that Felix Lenkster was a mandrake man, they were quickly fading. Initials F.L., like in Pilserier's ledger? Check. Neck-deep in debts? Check. Doesn't pay his rent? Check. Rarely at home? Check. Isn't heard of the rare times he is home? Check.

"Let's take a look at this theatre."

[Another_Poet]

((goes to theater))

[goblinpaladin]

"Aye, I'd've looked about, but this works as well. Them thespian types are often up to no good, so this could lead us somewhere- and it may lead back to the Society." Lothar nodded to Illiiya. "That Kislev playwright seemed a little shady to me."

[LCP]

Wishbone Street was a peculiar place – straddling the boundary between the Castle district and the rest of the town, the broadly-forked road ran through an eclectic neighbourhood of tradesmen and servants, supplying their betters with the goods and services that the rest of Delberz would view as scarce luxuries. It had the air of a border between two worlds – the cobbled streets were clean, and the people respectful, but the ostentatious presence of the nobility was conspicuously absent. Narrow shop-fronts clustered this particular street; barbers, candlemakers, clothiers – and at the fork in the road itself, a faded but ornately-decorated building that advertised itself as a theatre.

The exterior of the building had clearly been painted by an artist of some skill, in a rather old-fashioned vein – in bright blues and yellows that the Middenland weather had slowly leached of their vibrancy, figures of stage and story struck stiff, dramatic poses over the timber and plaster of the overworked facade, while gods and daemons looked on from above and below. At some point in its history, it had clearly been a traditional drum-shaped playhouse – subsequent owners had ‘improved’ it, however, squaring off the front and roofing over the centre, with the general effect of turning it into a quasi-amorphous mass of confused architecture. Its broad doors hung open, but the people passing by paid it little heed, going about their business as if the baroque behemoth simply didn’t exist.

A gangly-looking youth was dusting the steps that led up to the doors with a frayed broom: he would pause every so often to stare up at the post that stood to one side of the gates, which was festooned with brightly-coloured posters - the older ones soiled, faded and tattered by age and the elements. As the party caught sight of him, a slight, pointy-bearded man emerged from inside, and began to talk to the step-sweeper: his words were inaudible from here, but it sounded like an employer giving instructions...

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter strode confidently toward the bearded man and cleared his throat.

"Good day to you, sir. Would you happen to know herr Felix Lenkster? I'm told he's often in these parts."

[Another_Poet]

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This is a bit of a nudge here, as I am assuming Ithelus uses the knowledge LCP gave him, if that's too big a presumption let me know and I will edit this out.

As Pieter distracts the man in charge, Raffy follows Ith's cue and circles around the monstrosity toward the backstage entrance. Perhaps it will be foruitously left open?

[Exeson]

Ithelus stalks after Raffy, Leaving Lothar, illiiya and Pieter to see if they can talk their way in.

[LCP]

Pieter & Lothar

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“Felix Lenkster?” asked the man, frowning. He didn’t seem to have much patience for Pieter’s question. “No. Never heard of him. Why?”

[hr]

Raffy & the Elves

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Sidling sideways out of sight of the man at the front, Raffy and the elves made their way around to the back of the theatre: there was a stark contrast between its painted front and the back, every cost that had been lavished on its forward ornamentation clearly having been cut from the parts that were out of sight. Here and there, sagging plaster walls were held up with timber struts, a bewildering maze of peeling paint, narrow windows and odd little chimneys swallowing up far more space than seemed reasonable.

A narrow courtyard for the loading and unloading of wagons opened in the west wall, if the concept of ‘west wall’ was defined enough to use in reference to this architectural mess: as a cart pulled out, the three slipped inside, doing their best to look unremarkable. Usually that would be difficult for a pair of elves, but the men and women hurrying about the courtyard seemed to cultivate the look of people who had seen it all, and deliberately declined to gawk.

The cart was carrying a load of cheap timber and paint – carpenters and stage-hands were unloading it, a senior workman who looked like he might be called “Gaffer” or “Skipper” or something similar haggling with the carter over the price of delivery. Three young serving-women were clustered around a water-trough for the horses, talking among themselves: behind them, a narrow, dark door hung ajar, leading into the backstage bowels of the theatre.

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter

"Ah... Must be at the wrong place then," smiled the initiate. "Have a nice day, sir. My, that's a beautiful theater, isn't it?" he murmured as if to himself. "Never seen anything like that before..."

Pretending to admire the paintings (they were rather nice, he had to admit), he casually strolled after Raffy and the others.

[Exeson]

Ithelus and team

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Ithelus walks over to the three young women, 'Excuse me, could you help us, my friend here is looking for a cousin of his, Felix Lenkster, he was told that he might be here?' he says with a pleasent smile on his face as he motions to Raffy.

[LCP]

Pieter & Lothar

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The bearded man watched them go with a puzzled look on his face: shrugging himself, he turned back to instructing the sweeper of the steps.

Following in the direction that Raffy and the others had gone, they found a narrow courtyard with its gate hanging open in the side-wall: the elves and the Sparrowhawk were within, talking to a trio of serving-girls. Behind them, a cart was being unloaded by a bevy of stage-hands and workmen, their senior member seemingly engaged in a vigorous altercation with the carter over the price of his services: a busy scene compared to the stately front the theatre presented to the world outside.

[hr]

All

"Felix Lenkster?" said one of the girls, looking askance at Ithelus. "Never heard of him."
"I have," said one of the others, with a worldly tone. She gave an odd half-smile. "You say your friend's his cousin? Not many nobs that dress like that," she said, tilting her head towards Raffy. "What's it worth?"

[Exeson]

'He's fallen on hard times' Ithelus said motioning to Raffy, 'Man practically owes me his life and he said his cousin might be able to set things straight.' He smiles, 'so you see miss it's worth a fair amount,' he cast a glance back at Raffy and made a show of looking him up and down, 'although perhaps not, looking at his state.'

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter


Oh, Felix's cousin? That's... not a very good lie.

There was nothing he could do about it now, but he made a mental note to give Ithelus a lesson in the fine art of lying.

"What's it worth?" was asking one of the girls.

Pieter rolled his eyes when Ithelus began to answer. "How about this?" With a flick of his thumb he tossed a shilling at the girl, adding a smile and a wink for good measure.

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Charm (51): (d100)[93] (Guess that means I make a fool of myself... )

[LCP]

The serving-girl seemed surprised by Pieter’s arrival – catching the coin, she looked from the youth to the elf and back, clearly disconcerted by the sudden increase in her questioners’ numbers. Nevertheless, she replied.

“He hangs around here sometimes,” she said, carefully. “Doesn’t talk to us, but hangs around some of the stagey types. The actors, and that playwright, Mister Vanya. They seem to know him.”

She shrugged, pocketing Pieter’s coin. “I wouldn’t go looking to him for money, though. Always askin’ to borrow from his friends. Think he’s lost a few of them that way.”

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter


Oh, I can imagine he did. Maybe I should try to help him. Tell him the word of Ranald and show him the way to freedom...

"Ah, thank you."

He turned to the others to make sure they were following him.


(Is a Gossip test necessary?)

[Another_Poet]

Raffy does his best to look hopeful when Ithelus makes his inquiry, and crestfallen when he hears the news of his "cousin."

[LCP]

Heading inside, Pieter found himself in a maze of pokey corridors: there was a smell of sawdust, sweat and greasepaint that permeated the air, the sounds of people busily engaged in the business of doing something or other coming and going at the edge of sight. A woman hurried pass carrying an elaborate dress, vanishing through another door without so much as a sideways glance at the newcomer.

“Excuse me,” he asked the next person to pass him by, tentatively, “I was wondering if I could ask –“
“No,” said the man, brusquely, hurrying on his way. Unused to being shaken off so abruptly, Pieter stared after him – as he did so, he saw the gangly-limbed youth from the front coming the other way down the corridor, his broom slung over his shoulder. Not having noticed Pieter yet, he stopped in front of one of the myriad of shabby doors, knocking politely.

“Mister Vanya?” he called. “Mister Ziegberger wants to talk.”

[BloodyAngel]

Illiiya Jaelrae

Illiiya stuck close to Ithelus, as the group wandered into the rear of the building. The bustle of people made her feel crowded and a bit nervous, but she held herself together fairly well. Mobs of people around her were better than being alone. Far, far better.

Ith... this place feels funny. She muttered softly to him as they moved, Not bad. There's just so many people... it's hard to see. So many colors.

She tried to clear her head a bit, holding onto Ithelus' arm as they walked to keep herself steady and not get lost amidst the bustle.

It doesn't feel... like that... here. I think if she was doing things here... these people would seem happier. She said hushedly, They all seem surly or stressed.

[Another_Poet]

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I'm a little confused. Illiiya is staying with Ith, but she's going into the back of the building. That implies Ith is, too. But Ith was posing as Raffy's friend, saying Raffy is looking for his cousin because he's fallen on hard times. But we were told the cousin isn't here, and that he has no money to help Raffy anyway.

So.... why would Ith then go inside? *confused*

Raffy, trying to play the part of a downtrodden nobleman who is too shy to ask his own questions, either walks away with Ith (if Ith departs) or stands around the courtyard fidgetting (if Ith & co. go inside).

[BloodyAngel]

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I'm a little confused. Illiiya is staying with Ith, but she's going into the back of the building. That implies Ith is, too. But Ith was posing as Raffy's friend, saying Raffy is looking for his cousin because he's fallen on hard times. But we were told the cousin isn't here, and that he has no money to help Raffy anyway.

So.... why would Ith then go inside? *confused*

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Oops! Um... that might be MY misunderstanding. Somehow, I got the impression that we were all going around back? I can redact that statement if it doesn't make sense...

[Another_Poet]

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Oops! Um... that might be MY misunderstanding. Somehow, I got the impression that we were all going around back? I can redact that statement if it doesn't make sense...

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We all went around back to the rear yard. Pieter went inside the building via the back entrance after Ith uncovered that Felix isn't here. Of course go wherever you want, I'm sure Ith can find an excuse to go in. Unless pulled along though Raffy will just stand around outside looking lost :)

[LCP]

There was an angry muttering from the other side of the door - opening it, the Kislevite playwright from Samtzunge House stuck his head aggressively out, glowering at the broom-boy.

"About what?" he barked.
"About the, um, play."
"The play," he said, grandly, "is not finished. He can talk when it is."

Pulling his head sharply back into the room, he slammed the door behind him. Looking sheepish, the youth coughed, and knocked again: there was a very deliberate silence in reply...

[BloodyAngel]

Illiiya Jaelrae

Ah! Him! Him! Illiiya said, pointing hurriedly, He's here. Er... there.

She tugged on Pieter and Ithelus' arms, clearly not liking the idea of going to see the man herself... but willing to go alongside the two.

Come on. He knows something... I know it!

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter arched an eyebrow. "Uh..." He looked at Ithelus with a mix of puzzlement and alarm, waiting for him to decide what to do. He was the one who knew how to deal with the loony girl.

[Exeson]

Ithelus chuckled and looked over to Pieter with a shrug and a slightly amused expression. 'Ok Illiiya, don't get too excited now.' and he lets her lead him over.