[WFRP] The Hour After Midnight (II)

[Another_Poet]

Raffy the Sparrowhawk

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"You don't believe it was me, do you?" she said. "I mean - anyone could have had poor Marius' signature. If they didn't forge it."

"Of course I don't believe it was you," he says gently. "I know it wasn't you."

She paused for a beat. "The Witch Hunter knew what he wanted, and he knew where he could find something that would fit the bill. To men like him, inconvenient facts aren't important. The ends justify the means."

"He seemed to think the 'serving girl' assassin looked like your own serving girl. Is there someone else who could have used your letters and servant to kill Pilserier?"

Again, his voice doesn't hold even the rarest hint of accusation. He is solidly on her side, it seems, and only wants to figure out how she has been framed.

[BloodyAngel]

Illiiya + Lothar

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No matter the reason, it was a god-send for her, seeing Lothar again. Time in a cell was not so bad after that. She did not resist as she was led back to her cell... in fact, she almost smiled, knowing that Lothar was there with her. Her wood louse friend had not been as talkative as she'd hoped.

You didn't have to come back for me. She said with the tone of someone touched by his concern, But... thank you. It's been so quiet in here. It's never been quiet before.

Illiiya stepped towards the bars as if she might reach a hand through them for him, but seemed to pause before she could and think better of it. Instead she looked to the floor and gave a soft sigh.

Did Ithelus make it out? Is he all right? She said, concerned, I don't mind.... what's going to happen. As long as he's all right.

[LCP]

Raffy

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Maria shook her head. “No-one.”

[hr]

Pieter

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Boris led the way – winding through the back-streets, they were heading west, into the lower town. Tonight, at least, the presence of the Hounds was conspicuously absent the further they penetrated into the city’s poorer quarters, an uncharacteristic number of lights in windows as uncertain eyes watched them from the houses. Delberz was on edge.

Ducking down a black alley near the Temple of Shallya, Pieter saw Boris standing ahead, holding open a door – warm light streamed out from inside, the sound of a multitude of voices rising out into the cold night air. Hurrying inside, he heard the door shut behind him – and was hit in the face by a wave of heat and noise, a dozen different conversations creating an almost deafening hubbub.

He was in a large, smoky room, a fug of tobacco lingering between the low beams that threatened to brain him if he didn’t stoop. Seated or standing, almost the whole Society seemed to be gathered – twenty or thirty faces agitatedly talking. There was Karl and Klaus’ circle, their commoner contacts – everyone he had met in his time in Delberz and more. The only one of them conspicuous by his absence was Klaus himself.

The meeting evidently had not yet formally begun – the Society were still enthusiastically talking among themselves. He had never seen them this fired up – and considering how fired up they usually were, that was saying something.

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter

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Pieter scanned the room to see if Ilsa was there. Then he quietly stood close to Karl, trying not to draw attention.

"Good evening," he greeted Karl in a neutral tone. "Hey, um... I'm a bit behind on the latest news. I've heard about the baroness' murder, and something about two rioters killed at the Altmarket, but I don't know the details. Can you fill me in?"

[LCP]

Pieter

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"Pieter! Good to see you here," said Karl, raising his voice above the noise. Over his shoulder, Pieter could see Ilsa, sitting alone in one corner of the room and looking as if she wished she were somewhere else.

"The news about the Baroness? Yes, bad business - found in the house where that mutant Puderbrand was killed, not far from here. Told no-one why she was going, and they found her coachman dumped in the cellar. Throat cut, same as her. Authorities are saying the Sparrowhawk did it - that two guards nearly caught him, escaping out of a ground-floor window. He got away, though." He shook his head. "There's something fishy about the whole thing. Now they're saying that old Franz Neurich - her father - is going to cut off the money for the Cathedral. That's bad news for the Lector. The masons won't work for nothing, and they're already due their pay." He clapped Pieter on the back. "They're saying von Kemperbad will have to levy tithes. The people won't stand for it!"

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter

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"The house where Puderbrand was killed?" Pieter frowned. "What was she doing there, I wonder? Anyhow, I'm pretty sure Rafale didn't do it. He's a few cards short of a full deck, but he wouldn't murder an innocent woman in cold blood."

Or would he?

"Besides, he probably left town right after the events of Judge's Square if there's an ounce of sanity left in him. I'm betting the Lector is just trying to discredit him, to stop him from becoming a hero. From what I'm hearing, it's probably a lost cause... The people love him."

There was disgust in his voice: a murderous maniac like Rafale certainly did not deserve to be revered as a shining example of heroism. Still, Pieter resented the smear campaign against him.

"So, what's all this talk about trouble at the Altmarket?"

[LCP]

Pieter

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"Sounds fairly straightforward. Someone got the people on the Fields riled up against the Hounds; mob of them marched in towards the old town. Something about tarring and feathering, I believe."

There was a mischievous light in Karl's eyes: did he know it was Pieter?

"They beat the stuffing out of one poor thug before the Captain's men stopped them dead at the Altmarket road - and then it was halberds against fists, and that never ends well." Karl's face fell. "It's three men dead, not two. They called on Doctor Rasen, but he was too late."

He shook his head.

"They were frightened, and disorganised. That isn't how this is going to happen."

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter

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"Maybe," said Pieter dubiously. "But a revolt is hardly ever well-organized. When the rioters take the streets, there's no sergeant to shout orders and devise tactics: it's every man for himself. I've seen it in Altdorf. Let's not work under the delusion that we can control a mob like an army. They may not even realize we're the ones who've been preparing this moment for months."

He sat down.

"Where's Klaus?"


OOC:

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Pieter never told anyone in the Society that he belongs to the Cult of Ranald. Of course, that doesn't preclude Karl from suspecting him of being the agitator: it was Pieter's openly-stated intention to go to the Fields at about the time a bold, dashing, charismatic young orator raised the refugees against the Hounds.

[LCP]

Pieter

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"Oh, he's gone to fetch Magda and her papers. He should be here soon."

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter

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"Good." He could not wait to finally meet Magda, whom he knew only by reputation. "Oh, and... what news of Maria Samtzunge?" he asked, a lump in his throat.


OOC: I'd have asked earlier, but I forgot that Pieter didn't know she had left town.

[LCP]

Pieter

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Karl's tone was grave.

"No-one knows. The Hounds ransacked her house, but they didn't find her - we heard they caught her servants, though, trying to leave town in her carriage." He met Pieter's eyes. "No-one's heard a whisper of her all day. It's driving Klaus to distraction."

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter

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"I imagine it does," said Pieter glumly.

So Maria's servants had tried to flee. Perhaps some of them were involved in the conspiracy... It would certainly explain how Pilserier's murderer got hold of a scented letter with Marius von Brucker's seal: who better than a trusted servant to steal from a noblewoman?

Then again, maybe Maria's servants tried to leave only because they were scared. It was understandable: the initiate had heard tales of whole households being tried and executed only because of one heretic.

"Perhaps she got away," said Pieter, no longer sure whether it was a good or a bad thing.


OOC: Unless I think of other things to ask, I'll now wait for Klaus and Magda.

[Another_Poet]

Raffy the Sparrowhawk

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Raffy puts both arms around her and says, "We'll win. Don't doubt, we'll win."

With a sigh, he lets go of her. "I guess I should go talk to Magda."

As he goes for the door, he turns back to Maria - almost knocking her over in the confined space. "Fox, when this is all done, do you want to go traveling? I know you love Delberz, but maybe we could see other places." He's aware that she's already seen most of the places he'd like to visit, but: "Two horses, you and me, and no rats?"

((after her answer to that))

"Pardon us, Magda. I can talk to you now if you like..."

((If you want to just summarise that, he'll basically tell Magda the story, holding back certain aspects as Maria requested.))

[LCP]

Raffy

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As he goes for the door, he turns back to Maria - almost knocking her over in the confined space. "Fox, when this is all done, do you want to go traveling? I know you love Delberz, but maybe we could see other places." He's aware that she's already seen most of the places he'd like to visit, but: "Two horses, you and me, and no rats?"

Maria gave a mysterious smile. "One thing at a time, I think. Myself, I've always focussed on the now."

Waving a hand elegantly in the direction of the door, she nodded to Raffy.

"Go tell Magda your tale. I'll be out in a minute."

Outside, in the paper-hung room, Magda looked round with eager eyes as soon as Raffy re-emerged. Seizing up a blank scrap of parchment, she eagerly scribbled down his account of his adventures - from the beastmen to the baroness, she wanted to hear everything. For a commoner, she was an exceptionally deft scribe, the dog-eared quill scratching and dancing across the paper with uncommon speed.

They had just about finished when there came a knock at the door below - jumping up out of her chair, Magda thundered back down the stairs like an excited child. The others looked round nervously when they heard the front door open, a male voice being ushered inside: when Magda returned, however, it was with Klaus Ziemlich in tow.

The young man stopped in his tracks as he caught sight of Raffy, staring unashamedly at the Sparrowhawk: when Maria rose from the back of the room to greet him, his eyes looked as if they might pop out of their sockets.

"I thought you - I mean - the Hounds - how did you -" he struggled, not even seeming sure which of them to address first. Seeing the way the Society man looked at Maria, though, Raffy felt more than a twinge of territorial jealousy.

"We can explain everything later. I believe the Society is meeting tonight?" asked Maria, calmly.
"Yes - I mean, that's why I came for Magda - but how did you -"
"I think we'd like to come too," said Maria. "Rafale and I, that is. Magda, will it be alright if my friends stay here?"
"Oh - of course!" said the girl, currently darting about her cluttered lair in the act of gathering up a stack of dried pamphlets. Dropping a couple by mistake, she gestured sheepishly around to Dmitri and the others. "Um, make yourselves at home."
"Thank you," mumbled Emanuelle, not entirely sure what to make of the situation.
"So!" said Maria decisively, turning back to the still-astonished Klaus. "Lead on?"

OOC: Anything further here, or are you fine following Klaus, Magda and Maria to the meeting?

[Another_Poet]

Raffy the Sparrowhawk

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Recognising Klaus as he enters, thoughts of the man's affections toward Maria seem to rise from nowhere. Swallowing them, Raffy steps forward to the man's sputtering questions and says,

"Klaus.... I think it's you and your brother who foiled my pursuers at Judge's Square today. I owe you my thanks." He holds out a hand to shake Klaus'.

Raffy does have a question as they prepare to depart though. He delays a moment as if hoping for a chance to ask Maria privately; but seeing none, he finally has to blurt out, "Wait. Your friend Johann.... last we heard he was going to meet you at, ah, that other place. Where the Hounds're working on the door. When he gets caught, does he know where the Society is meeting? Or does he know that we might have fled here?"

((After they assure him that no one would ever look for any of them in the most obvious places to check, and that Johann could never get caught by armed men or succumb to torture, he'll keep his peace and go with them. Because someone has to save the fools.))

[LCP]

Raffy

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Maria paused at Raffy's words.

"Actually... I don't think he would know where we've gone," she said. "My friends" - she indicated Dmitri and the others - "haven't really been a part of the Society up until now. It's always just been me."

Emanuelle looked quite distressed.
"How will he find us?" she said.
"Well, as Rafale says," said Maria, "perhaps it's best he can't." Catching her friend's expression, she took on a soothing tone. "Johann's a capable man, Emanuelle, he's been in tighter scrapes before. I'm sure if he sees the Hounds he'll just keep on walking."
"We - well, if it's alright, we do have to go," said Klaus, hesitantly. "Everyone's already there, they'll be waiting."
"He'll be fine," said Maria rapidly to her friend, before turning back to the task in hand. "Come on - as Klaus says, time's wasting."

Down the narrow stairs and out onto the frosty streets, their breath coming in clouds of mist: Magda hurried behind them, Maria pulling her cloak closely around her once more. The snow was not some passing drift, it seemed: still it steadily fell, some beginning to settle on the edges of the roofs.

They didn't have far to go at all: in a winding back-alley close to the Temple of Shallya, a door was opened, warmth, light and noise spilling out into the cold night from within. Hurrying over the threshold, they shut the door behind them - Raffy found himself swallowed up by the hubbub on the other side, a dozen different conversations from three dozen different voices making the smoky room in which he found himself ring like an echo-chamber. Low-beamed and broad, it was packed with people - close to the door, he recognised Karl and Pieter, other faces from that first meeting whose names he would be harder put to recall thronging the crowd behind them. In one corner, a young woman in an all-weather cloak and commoner's breeches sat on her own, looking decidedly uncomfortable with her surroundings - a long, thin bundle that looked a lot like a gun was slung over the back of her chair.

Pieter was already staring at him when Maria drew back her hood - within a few seconds, the whole hall had fallen silent, every face turning to look at them.

Coughing awkwardly, Klaus stepped forwards.

"As you can see," he began, "Lady Samtzunge has managed to avoid the Hounds. We are privileged to have her here with us tonight."
A chorus of congratulatory "ayes" and "hear hears" ran around the room.
"I'm also happy to say that we have another guest - who some of you may have met before. Rafale the, um, Sparrowhawk, who as you know... killed the Templar." He stepped aside to let them see Raffy better. "I'm sure he will tell us all about what he has found."

The young man's audience exploded once again in conversation, excited murmuring running around the room - milling about like farmers at a market, they began to settle around several tables that had been pushed together in the centre of the room, Raffy, Maria and the others being drawn into the milling crowd of revolutionaries as the meeting began to take shape...

OOC: Just breaking to give you and Sentinel a beat to react. Obviously, Raffy and Pieter are now under the same spoilers.

[hr]

Pieter

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After about ten minutes' wait, the door opened again: looking round, Pieter saw four figures cross over the threshold, closing it quickly behind them.

There was Klaus, and behind him, a young woman with dirty blonde hair and inky smudges on her face. With them were two other figures: a woman in a rich-looking riding cloak with a deep hood, and... Raffy. Looking considerably the worse for wear, one might add.

Reaching up, the woman drew back her hood - Pieter felt his heart skip a beat in relief as he recognised Maria's face. Around them, the room fell silent, every member of the Society staring in surprise.

Coughing awkwardly, Klaus stepped forwards.

"As you can see," he began, "Lady Samtzunge has managed to avoid the Hounds. We are privileged to have her here with us tonight."
A chorus of congratulatory "ayes" and "hear hears" ran around the room.
"I'm also happy to say that we have another guest - who some of you may have met before. Rafale the, um, Sparrowhawk, who as you know... killed the Templar." He stepped aside to let them see Raffy better. "I'm sure he will tell us all about what he has found."

The young man's audience exploded once again in conversation, excited murmuring running around the room - milling about like farmers at a market, they began to settle around several tables that had been pushed together in the centre of the room, Raffy, Maria and the others being drawn into the milling crowd of revolutionaries as the meeting began to take shape...

OOC: Just breaking off here to give you a chance to react/talk to Raffy directly. Obviously, Raffy and Pieter are now under the same spoilers.

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter and Raffy

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"Rafale?!" exclaimed Pieter, his voice dripping with venom. "Maria?" he said in a considerably softer tone. "Have you gone insane?"

[goblinpaladin]

Illiiya + Lothar

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You didn't have to come back for me. She said with the tone of someone touched by his concern, But... thank you. It's been so quiet in here. It's never been quiet before.

Lothar stretched out his legs; his expression was of a man who had been on his feet a day too long, and was going to enjoy sitting down. He pulled his pipe from the pouch and started filling it with 'baccy.

"I did, actually. They'd have torched you, otherwise, an' you're a friend. More'n that, they'd have torched you, thinkin' you were the murderer and rested easy- only for more to die." He shook his head. "'Snot right."

He lit the pipe, and the aroma of cheap Breton pipeweed began to fill the room.

Did Ithelus make it out? Is he all right? She said, concerned, I don't mind.... what's going to happen. As long as he's all right.

"Seems so, aye. Last I left him, he's with Pieter, us havin' found a stash of... well, a stash of picturesque books while trackin' down Maria." The soldier grinned. "It's been a long day, Illiiya- let me tell you all about it..."

[ooc: feel free to back-read my spoiler-tags]

[Another_Poet]

Raffy the Sparrowhawk, Plus One

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Raffy pulls a bright saffron flatcap off his head and holds it over his heart as he is introduced. Its white and speckled plumage betrays his appreciation of stylish clothing, even though the rest of his outfit is rather pragmatic: a heavy wool winter coat unbuttoned, his sweater and leather vest visible beneath it; and a long, dark scarf which currently drapes loosely over his shoulders. He gives a slight bow to those assembled at Klaus' words, and when people begin to cheer, "Hear hear!" that Maria is free and well, he claps his hands for her.

Never much of a poker face, he grimaces when Pieter approaches.

"Have you gone insane?"

"That seems to be the only question you ever ask," Raffy complains. "The last time you asked it was shortly before you took the Witch Hunter's side and punched me in the stomach."

He leans in to Klays and whispers something:

LCP:

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"I consider this man to be a traitor - he supported the Witch Hunter when he accused Maria, lied to us many times in the investigation, and attacked me during the duel as you saw."

[BloodyAngel]

Illiiya Jaelrae

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What? She said in alarm, pausing Lothar's tale at a very specific spot. I DID tell Jagrun about Maria! I told him that I didn't trust her, and that I thought she was involved! He may even have chosen her as a suspect because of me! In fact, I even told the Lector as much!

She looked about warily to see if others were within earshot. (If so, assume the statement below does not happen)

He does not care who is to blame... he just wants a witch to burn, so he may pretend that he has done well. He is either ignorant and foolish... or lying. She said, worried. Lothar... you need to leave. Leave this town. I did this so no one else would be hurt... but he'll come for you too once he slays me and the killings keep going. Or... or whatever is really doing this will get you. He can't stop it. You need to leave.

[goblinpaladin]

Lothar Fischer

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What? She said in alarm, pausing Lothar's tale at a very specific spot. I DID tell Jagrun about Maria! I told him that I didn't trust her, and that I thought she was involved! He may even have chosen her as a suspect because of me! In fact, I even told the Lector as much!

Lothar frowned, and opened his mouth- only to be interrupted:

He does not care who is to blame... he just wants a witch to burn, so he may pretend that he has done well. He is either ignorant and foolish... or lying. She said, worried. Lothar... you need to leave. Leave this town. I did this so no one else would be hurt... but he'll come for you too once he slays me and the killings keep going. Or... or whatever is really doing this will get you. He can't stop it. You need to leave.

Lothar laughed and nodded. "Oh, that's for sure- the Lector's lookin' for a way to tighten Sigmar's hold over Middenland, or at least Delberz. There's religious conflict afoot here, Illiiya, stuff that you elves probably don' understand." He leaned his head against the wall, puffing contentedly on his pipe. "I'm not leavin', though. There's people bein' killed here, and I'm done with running. Lothar Fischer's fled his last fight."

He paused. "Speakin' in a metaphor, anyway- I'm not about to go toe-to-toe with daemons, or anythin'. I'm staying until I get you free: and then, together, we'll stop the sorcerer. In the name o' Ulric and Shallya and the gods o' the Empire- Sigmar's Hammer, I swear it."

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter and Raffy

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"I was trying to save your life," Pieter snapped back. "I thought he was going to cut you to pieces, but I didn't know he was such a poor fighter. I was never on his side. You know my contempt for the Sigmarites."

He folded his arms over his chest.

"So, let's hear it. We'll discuss your sanity later."

[LCP]

Raffy & Pieter

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Klaus frowned.

"Quite so," he said, not seeming clear on which of them he was speaking to. "I'm sure - I'm sure we'd all like to hear Rafale's story."

Something in whatever Raffy had whispered seemed to have disconcerted him – he looked sidelong at Pieter as he took a seat, Maria moving smoothly between them.

“We’re among friends here,” she said. “Please, let’s not waste time bickering. There are more important things to discuss.”

“Ahem!” said Klaus, trying to raise his voice above the quieting clamour of the Society. “Friends. To business. First of all,”
“First of all,” said Karl, butting in, “how did Rafale and the lady get away?” A murmur of agreement ran round the table, heads nodding. “Did you really kill the Baroness?” he asked, looking in Raffy’s direction.
“He did no such thing,” said Maria, leaning forward to answer Karl’s question. “For my part – I had warning the Hounds were coming. I left early in the morning, and told my servants to take the carriage out of town. I’ve been staying with trusted friends.”
A general chorus of approving noises filled the room – Karl frowned.
“I’m afraid your servants were caught. The Hounds intercepted them trying to leave the house.”
The briefest look of dismayed surprise crossed Maria’s face.
“O – oh,” she said, quickly recovering her composure. “That is... very unfortunate.”
“Von Kemperbad will be fleeing Delberz with his tail between his legs before any harm can come to them,” said Klaus, firmly. “We’ll make sure of that.”
A round chorus of “aye!”s and “hear hear”s rose up again, loud and resolute. Maria nodded.
“Thank you,” she said, quietly. “As for Rafale... I’m sure he can tell his story better himself.”
She gave him a significant glance, leaning back in her chair to give the table an unobstructed view of the new speaker.

[hr]

Lothar & Illiiya

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As Lothar was making his oath, he heard quick footsteps approach from down the echoing hallway outside: the door to his left opened, and a man wearing the white armband of the Hounds came through, shutting it behind him. He had a battered crossbow over his shoulder, and a rusty falchion at his belt: a scraggly, wiry specimen, he looked as if he hadn’t shaved in several days.

“Evenin’,” he said to Lothar, with a casual air. “Sarge sent me. Said we’re to keep watch.” He appeared to be chewing something, whatever it was rendering his words indistinct – walking up to where Lothar was sitting, he stopped and stared at Illiiya.

“Cor,” he said. “This the witch, then? I weren’t there, this mornin’ – it true what she did to Mister Jagrun?”

[goblinpaladin]

Lothar & Illiiya

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"Depends what they say she did, doesn' it?" Lothar returned, equally casual. "Pull up a pew, join us." He gestured to the ground next to him.

[LCP]

Lothar & Illiiya

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"Thanks," said the militiaman, pulling a chair towards him with a scrape of wooden legs against the floor and slumping down in it.

"Meat pie?" he said, producing one of the pastries in question from some mysterious pocket inside his grubby jacket and proferring it to Lothar. "'s fresh. Or however fresh the vendor sells 'em, anyway."

He still had not really taken his eyes off Illiiya.

"Weird, ain't it. How they almost look like people." He gave a theatrical shudder. "Well, 'cept for the eyes, o' course. Gives it away."

[goblinpaladin]

Lothar and Illiiya

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"I always find it's the ears that tell me the difference between elves an' us- but that's me, a bit funny like that." Lothar accepted the proffered pastry, peering at it suspiciously.

"There's not tails in this, is there?"

[LCP]

Lothar & Illiiya

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"I find it's best not to ask," said the man, producing a half-eaten pie of his own and taking another bite. Still staring quite offensively at Illiiya, he put his head on one side. "Y'know," he said, with his mouth full "it's not bad-lookin', if you squint a bit. Bit skinny."

He looked casually across at Lothar. "You one of the Captain's men, then?"

[goblinpaladin]

Lothar and Illiiya

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Lothar poked at the lid of the pie, squinting. He held it high, to peer under it, and his stomach rumbled loudly- it had been a long day, without food. "Her name's Illiiya," he muttered in a level tone. Daughter o' a powerful House from across the sea, you know."

Sighing, the soldier bit into the pie. Surely he'd had worse on campaign.

[LCP]

Lothar & Illiiya

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"What, you on first-name terms?" said the Hound, jokingly. "You'd better watch out, mister. Never tell a witch your name, that's what my mam always told me." He tapped the side of his nose. "Lets 'em put spells on you."

He looked back at Illiiya, munching up the remains of his own pie and licking his fingers.

"Well, she don't look so high an' mighty down here. How'd you get to know all this? Sarge din't say anythin' like that."

[goblinpaladin]

Lothar

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"He didn't? What'd he say?"