[WFRP] The Hour After Midnight

[Another_Poet]

Raffy

Raffy keeps to himself in the rear yard of the theater, waiting for the others to come out. Hopefully with Lenkster, he thinks.

[BloodyAngel]

Not Raffy

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Illiiya paused, turning to look at Ithelus with an even expression. Almost... looking down on him. Then, for a moment, she seemed confused.

Pathetic little thief. He is the worst of them all. Treating you like a pet. Thinking you mad.

W-what? Ithelus? Ithelus takes care of me.

He keeps you around to feel better about himself. Does he not pawn you off on others whenever you become inconvenient?

I...

You can only trust yourself, girl. Least of all, that wretch.

But he loves me.

He only loves himself. You? No one loves you. All of them will betray you if given the chance.

Illiiya looked at Ithelus for a moment... her expression very, very unsteady. She blinked at him once, before she stood back upright and gave him an indignant expression.

I'm all right. I've just grown tired of his prattling. We're getting nowhere. She said calmly, Kray is becoming intolerable.

... wait. No. That... that's not whom we're talking about? Is it? She said in confusion, I... I don't know where that came from. Something just.... built up and broke.

They wouldn't hurt me. You'll see.

We'll see. This isn't over.

Illiiya's haughty bearing faded, a more gentle expression crossing her face. She stepped forward and hugged Ithelus with a soft smile.

I'm... I think I'm all right. She said to him softly, I still don't... remember. But I don't feel so helpless anymore. I feel... different.

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter was the first out of the building.

"Where have you been?" he asked Raffy. "We met a playwright who knows our friend Felix. He didn't want to tell us about him, but Illiiya..." His voice trailed off and he threw a nervous glance over his shoulder at the Elven girl. "Uh, bottom line is, we'll be able to meet Felix tomorrow."

[BloodyAngel]

Illiiya Jaelrae

Might be a trick. I think he's in with them. Illiiya said with a lot less nervousness than one might expect, We should come ready for the worst.

[Another_Poet]

At first Raffy tries to keep up his "down and out noble cousin" facade asd Pieter jumps on him, but looking around he figures the stage hands are far enough away and too busy with their work to notice. He drops the blank look and....

We should come ready for the worst.

...and smiles. "Ready for the worst is what I do best," he says.

Raffy goes to put an arm around Illiiya but then he senses that she does not seem nervous. He drops the arm and figures he'll let her walk on her own then.

"Tomorrow? Who should we stalk until then?"

[-Sentinel-]

"I'd look into the Pilserier matter," said the initiate thoughfully, "but now that Jagrun's in charge, it's going to be difficult to access the body or the food. We could try to track down the serving girl, if we can find out more about her..."

[BloodyAngel]

Illiiya Jaelrae

Illiiya gave Raffy a strange look as he approached her, and then stepped back. Her entire demeanor seemed more assured and normal. She took a step back from Raffy, watching him for a moment.

See how nervous you make them? Once they learn you're not their helpless little pet, they'll turn on you.

Shut up.

That's fine. She finally spoke, looking to Pieter, One more chance for something to convince me otherwise, and then I'm going to see the one I know is involved with this.

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter blinked at her in confusion.

"What... what are you talking about?"

[BloodyAngel]

Illiiya Jaelrae

No one will listen to me. She explained in irritation, But I know. I know that Lady Maria is involved. The honey of her tongue... how men swoon and swarm about her, giving her everything she wants, while seeking to defend her from blame at every turn. How she's avoided the stigma a woman who acts as she does should have. She's how old and unwed? She spends her days in galas, or with a society of men who speak against the lords and constables. No one seems to care. In fact, they laud her for it. She's blessed in all things, and in all ways... and I know why. She has sold her soul. I'm certain of it.

She looked to Raffy for a moment, apologetically.

He'll be first. He'll sell you to defend her.

She took a deep, shaky breath... and continued.

Even... a few of us are swayed. But I'm not. I felt magic about her twice. Both times before she entered a public place to her coven of worshipful hanger's on. If this lead doesn't come through... I'm talking to her directly. Even if I have to go alone.

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter rolled his eyes when Illiiya went on about how Maria's charisma and independence made her a murder suspect. But as she talked, the initiate grew troubled in spite of himself.

"Magic?" he said in a hushed tone. "Are you sure of this? She can't be from the Colleges, can she? People would know... But if she's not, that would make her..."

...a hedge witch. His mind recoiled from the thought. Calm down. This does not prove her responsible for the murders... except as far as the witch hunter is concerned.

[Another_Poet]

Raffy manages a hungry smile at Illiiya. "You won't have to go alone," he says in a level voice. "Promise."

To Pieter's trailed-off sentence he concludes, "That would make her the victim of witchcraft. Or just as easily a witch herself. But we don't know which it is yet."

With that he is ready to go see about Pilserier's body, if they are allowed any access.

[BloodyAngel]

Illiiya Jaelrae

Still taking odds with you. Still hopeful to believe she's a victim. He doesn't believe you. He doesn't trust you.

He's just confused... she did something to him. I know she did.

Tell yourself that if it comforts you. You're a witch, an elf, and a woman. No one will ever trust you.

Illiiya looked hesitant for a few seconds... her confident demeanor seeming like it might crack at any moment. She was mute for a moment as she seemed to gaze off into the distance, before she finally spoke again.

Well... um... w-we'll see.

[-Sentinel-]

"Maria is not what she seems," mused Pieter. "If you want to speak with her, Illiiya, I'll definitely come along."

He turned to Lothar.

"You know, that thing about the well... We should take care of this before dark. Pilserier's body can wait... I hope."

The smallfolk were always the first to suffer during epidemics. These days, with thousands of ill-fed refugees swarming to a rat-infested city during winter, disease would spread like wildfire.

[Another_Poet]

Once Lothar explains his plan about the well, and its connexion to the plague (something Raffy never learned about in peasant school), the previously haggard Raffy comes to life with renewed vigour in his eyes. "Well let's go dredge it right away!" he says enthusiastically, as if he's forgotten all about Pilserier. However he does remember to keep an eye on the smaller of their two elves to make sure she does not slip off on her own while they gather the needed supplies.

He does not express any fear of the water or sickness, but does make sure they pick up some protective charms as part of their supply gathering.

[LCP]

“Right,” said Lothar, clapping his hands together and rubbing them against the cold – he seemed glad at the change of subject. “Let’s get to it, shall we? Good deeds won’t do themselves.”

Another brief drizzle of cold rain was passing over Delberz as they made their way towards Helstrum’s Ward, picking up the necessary supplies along the way: explaining their purpose, Pieter tried to convince the hard-eyed shopkeeper to part with the tools on a temporary basis for free, but the man was having none of it. Pockets a little lighter for the hire of the gear, they headed towards the muddy square, and its now-familiar well. Along the way, Raffy had managed to pick up a cheap copper pomander from a highly disreputable-looking pedlar - and consequentially had been trailed for the length of several streets by various urchins looking for a soft mark.

A pair of large rats were fighting over a dead pigeon in the corner of the yard – at the sight of the party, they bolted into the shadows, but their presence was enough to send Mr Cat scurrying for cover behind Illiiya’s shins. There seemed to be nobody about at present: shrugging his shoulders, Lothar set about securing the pulley.

“We’re goin’ to have to lower someone down with the net,” grunted the soldier, pulling a knot tight. “Any volunteers?”

OOC: The cost for the hire of the various things you require is five schillings, plus an additional schilling for Raffy for his charm.

[Another_Poet]

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I'll deduct 1 of the 5 shillings from my purse, plus the shilling for my pomander.

LCP, a shilling is 1/20 of a Crown?

Raffy removes the heavy belt that holds up his blunderbuss and broadsword, handing the accoutrements to Lothar. A second, much thinner but equally worn belt holds up his britches.

"Sure, I'll go."

As they get the pully ready he confers with Lothar to make sure he knows what he needs to do down there. When the preparations are complete he goes down....

[goblinpaladin]

@Illiiya back with Vanya

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Lothar gave the elf witch a sideways look as she started to speak... rationally wasn't in the soldier's vocabulary, not really, but that's the best description. She spoke less like she was fractured, and more like she was dead inside. It gave him the shivers, and he surreptitiously made the sign of the hammer.

At the well...

“Tie this round your waist,” said Lothar, handing him the free end of the pulley. “We’ll lower you down, then you use the net to drag the bottom of the well. Anything what shouldn’t be there, you pull it up, make it fast to the pulley-rope, and we raise it out.” The soldier looked down into the well. “Do your best to stay clear o’ the water, though. We wouldn’t want you catchin’ the contagion.”

[LCP]

Illiiya

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As they began to prepare Raffy for his descent, Illiiya began to feel the disconcerting sensation of being watched. Looking round, she saw no-one in the square – then her eyes lighted on a small, moon-like face in one of the upper windows of the tumbledown houses that leaned out over the muddy yard, a little girl looking down at them with her face pressed up against the glass. She was staring at Lothar and Raffy – if she noticed Illiiya looking back at her, she didn’t react.

“Right, that’s all secure,” said Lothar, giving the ropes a last test. Pulling the cord tight around his waist, Raffy swung himself up onto the lip of the well, doing his best to swallow his fear as he found himself gazing down into a seemingly bottomless shaft of darkness. He could just make out the wet gleam of water somewhere in the shadows down below – far, far below. Behind him, he heard the soldier’s voice. “Lower away!”

The rope went slack, and Raffy practically fell into the well, slipping off his damp perch with a sudden lurch. The rope caught him – descending in sudden repeated jerks as Lothar and Pieter fed the rope through the pulley, Raffy sank down into the darkness...

Raffy

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After what seemed an age, Raffy saw the water clearly beneath him – feet dangling above the surface, he shouted back up to the others to stop, his voice bouncing up the shaft of the well in a cacophony of echoes.

Overhead, the outside world was reduced to a tiny circle of wan light, the claustrophobic darkness of the well swallowing up the universe around him: fortunately, Raffy had always seen well in the dark. Twisting slowly on the end of the rope, the Sparrowhawk took in his surroundings: the well was old, its crumbling masonry furrier and damper with dripping moss the closer to the water one came. He took a little reassurance from the place’s decrepit state – the stones were worn and cracked enough that he might feasibly climb out of her if the knots should fail.

The water itself didn’t seem particularly unpleasant – but there was a certain smell in the air. Pungent and sharp, it seemed to be coming from somewhere on his left. Turning his head, Raffy strained his eyes against the gloom. There was something... wrong with the wall. Swinging himself over, he tried to get a closer look: he frowned as he realised what it was.

There was a hole in the wall of the well, just above the level of the water – a hole that had been shoddily covered with wooden planking. The planks had been painted grey - the paint now blotched and streaked with damp - to make them resemble the rest of the wall, practically invisible from the surface.

The wooden cover was hinged to swing upwards, like a hatch – under a crack at the bottom, a thin rivulet of yellow fluid was trickling into the well, unmistakeably the source of the smell...

OOC:

LCP, a shilling is 1/20 of a Crown?

Yep - you have the currency conversions on your character sheet

[BloodyAngel]

Illiiya Jaelrae

Illiiya looked about nervously, before settling her gaze on the small girl, staring at her just as intently as she watched them. She didn't feel the twinge of magic, but the entire place felt dark and looming... like the air itself was heavier here. In the distance she swore she heard voices. Shrill, inhuman voices chattering on the wind.

No no no no no. They're here. They're watching me. I don't want to go back there! It hurts!

Enough of your cowardice! I'm tired of watching you cry and snivel like a child. You humiliate us both.

A shiver passed up her spine for a moment, as she stepped to her side and idly tugged at Ithelus' shirt, as he was the only one not holding Raffy aloft.

<Ith... d-do you see her? She's watching us.> She said in elven, her tone low and slightly nervous. <Maybe she knows something?

[-Sentinel-]

"See anything?" Pieter yelled down to Raffy.

Then Illiiya spoke to Ithelus in Eltharin.

"Uh, is it important?" he whispered to Ithelus. He now knew that Illiiya's grip on reality was not as tenuous as it seemed.


OOC:

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The good news: My hostel has internet access. The bad news: We must pay for it, so my contribution will be rather limited for the days to come.

I'll spend 2 shillings for the equipment.

[LCP]

Looking round at Illiiya’s prompting, Ithelus’ head turned – following the elf’s eyes, Pieter saw the pale face of a child pressed up against the lead-latticed glass of an upper-storey window in one of the ramshackle houses that leaned overhead. As the initiate and the thief turned to look at her, the child shrank back, vanishing into the darkness behind the dirty window-panes.

“I saw her,” said Ithelus to Illiiya, carefully. “Just a little girl. Probably curious about us, is all.”

[BloodyAngel]

Illiiya Jaelrae

Voices... distant, murmuring voices. She swore she heard them now. She couldn't understand a thing they were saying, but they sounded mocking. Shadows flitted at the edges of her vision, and she shut her eyes tightly.. struggling to block it out.

It won't stop, you know. Never. Not until you remember.

No! I don't want to remember! It hurts!

Illiiya put her hands to her head, clutching her ears in a desperate attempt to block it out.

I am tired of waiting. You cannot keep me locked away forever!

But I don't want to go back!

Then you'll suffer. Every day. Every night. Until you give me what I want!

ShutupshutupshutupshutupShut up!

Her sudden yell rung out through the alley, as she seemed to curl up on herself for a moment. Then, things sunk back into focus, and she looked about at Pieter and Ithelus, red in the face.

Oh... I... I, um... I-I'm... She muttered, tears in her eyes as she broke down, Something's wrong with me. I... I can't think... things keep... coming and going. Ith... I... I don't know who I am! I keep... hearing things... and seeing things... and they look so real! But... but...

She fell onto Ithelus, sobbing and clinging to his shirt.

[LCP]

Ithelus kept hold of Illiiya – it was unpleasant, but at least this was the Illiiya he knew. Sort of.

“Hey – I saw her. The girl’s real. I promise. There’s nothing else here.” He looked around, glancing up at the window. “It was just a little girl. Nothing to be afraid of.” He paused. “You’re safe here.”

The elf glanced sideways at Pieter and Lothar. Right now they were presenting their spectacle to an empty yard, but that was only going to last as long as coincidence allowed.

[goblinpaladin]

Lothar glanced at the elves uneasily, then up at the now-empty window. "Well, it looks a mite odd I guess, a bunch o' folks gathering 'round a poisoned well." He paused a moment, stroking his beard- "Here- I'll wager she's never seen an elf before! You were in the circus right, Ith? Maybe you can, I dunno, eat some fire or something. Show her that yer harmless."

[LCP]

Ithelus looked askance at Lothar at the suggestion of fire-eating: before he could reply, there was the click of a door, and the little girl in question poked her head out into the yard.

Silently extricating herself from behind the door without opening it more than a few inches, she stared up at the group with wide eyes, not saying anything: barefoot and clad in pauper's clothes, she held her grubby hands behind her back, as if afraid to appear uncouth in front of the strangers. At last, she overcame her reticence, and blurted out a sentence:

"Are you looking for the raggedy monk?"

[goblinpaladin]

Lothar almost swallowed his pipe in surprise. Coughing, the soldier shook his head, then nodded it. "Uh. -ack- Hi!" He smiled at the girl in as friendly manner as possible, given his scarred cheek. "We sure are!"

[LCP]

The girl looked solemnly up at Lothar.

"He lives down the well," she said. She paused. "Mother says I shouldn't tell stories."

[goblinpaladin]

Lothar looked down at the little girl, then solemnly up at the sky, blowing a smoke ring, then another through it. He grinned down at the girl. "I like stories. Especially true stories. Would you like to tell me the story of the ragged monk? I can tell you a really scary one in return. Which is also true."

[LCP]

"The raggedy monk lives down the well," she said, pointing at the object in question. "He comes out at night, when people aren't looking. But I see him, sometimes. From my window." She looked up at Lothar. "Are you the Guard?"

[-Sentinel-]

"Down the well, uh? Strange..." Pieter smiled at the girl encouragingly. "My friend indeed has a lot of very good stories, and so do I. Now, I wonder what's a monk doing down here? Is he a hermit of some sort?"

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Charm (51): (d100)[59]

Edit: Ninja'd.