[WFRP] The Hour After Midnight (III)

[BloodyAngel]

Illiiya Jaelrae

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Illiiya fell to her knees with a straggled whimper, clutching at her wound. The torch clattered from her hands to the stone, and she looked desperately at her companions as more guardsmen filed into the room. They could not die here. Not for her... Why hadn't they just let her go?

Illiiya tried to move, but the pain was to much. Giving a pained cry, she fell to her side and curled up, as the reality of the situation crept over her, and she became fully aware of her wounds. Everything was ruined. All she could do now... was cry.

[goblinpaladin]

Lothar

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The soldier paused in his fighting and stepped back from his opponent. "Aye, then." He threw down the sword in his right hand. "Let me see to the elf's wound, eh?"

[LCP]

Lothar, Raffy, Pieter & Illiiya

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"Stay where you are!" shouted one of the guards, the others closing in in a circle of halberds. Lowering his sword, the man carrying the petard stepped back from Lothar, wrenching the fuse from the bomb and throwing it aside.

"Axel, get the shackles," said one of the men from outside - nodding mutely, the man who had injured Illiiya turned and headed through the side-door, vanishing from sight. Lothar's path to Illiiya was clear, but the halberd-points surrounding him on every other side made it very clear that the guards didn't want him going anywhere.

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter & Co

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"You won't get much use out of that hand, I'm afraid," Pieter told Raffy, not sure the boy could even hear him. "It's probably best to cut it off, but I'm not a surgeon."

He finished bandaging the wound and turned his attention to the crying Illiiya. Uncaring of the consequences, he unbuckled his sword belt, raised his hands and walked over to the Elf without even sparing the guards a glance.

[LCP]

Pieter, Lothar, Illiiya & Raffy

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"Leave her be," said one of the guards, sternly, the edge of a sword blocking Pieter's path. Re-emerging from the side door, Axel returned with an armful of iron manacles.

"Shackle them," said the guard who had spoken. "Both of them."

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter

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Pieter scowled at the guard.

"You're in my way, friend. Either you let me pass or you get a damn doctor. I didn't go through all this trouble for her just to see her bleed to death in front of me. Listen, I'm a priest..."

He glanced at the wounded Illiiya, his features softening. It was all his fault (and Raffy's). He should have let Lothar handle this. Now they were all going to hang for this.


Edit: I'll roll another Fel test in the OOC thread.

[LCP]

Pieter, Lothar, Illiiya & Raffy

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"Aye? Well, mister priest, I say you're a damn criminal." The voice was familiar - looking round, Pieter recognised the face of the guard he and Raffy had first held up in this very corridor. "And she's a witch, so let her bleed."

Rough hands grabbed Pieter by the arms, making to snap the shackles around his wrists. Opposite him, Lothar was already restrained, the soldier looking glumly at the guards surrounding him.

OOC: Just a pause for reaction to see if you resist. I already have GP's permission to move ahead via gchat.

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter

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Pieter did not resist.

"At my trial, I'll recommend you for a medal," he promised the guard, his face utterly straight. "It was very brave to call for reinforcements."

At least, Illiiya's wounds did not look immediately life-threatening... but they could fester.

[LCP]

Pieter, Raffy, Lothar & Illiiya

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A calloused set of knuckles slammed into Pieter's stomach, winding him severely. A bristly-moustached guard leaned in close to his ear.

"Shut. Up."

The man straightened up.

"Gods-damned lunatics," he muttered to himself. The first one who had spoken nodded.

"Marquand, Tomas, hold the witch down. She might be fakin' it." He looked around. "Someone got something to gag her with? Don't want her casting no spells."

He glanced at Pieter and shook his head.

"'Trial'," he scoffed. "Like you're going to get one, mate."

[Exeson]

Ithelus

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Ithelus remains in the shadows, watching the Hounds, hoping that a moment would come when the Sargent was left on his own. He will tail the man if he moves at all.

[LCP]

Ithelus

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After a minute or two of lively discussion with the Hound who had run back to report, Halbermann and his subordinates headed off into the streets, Ithelus trailing discreetly behind. The murky night made the task of staying hidden from the Sergeant’s eyes all too easy, Halbermann’s voice drifting back like a beacon through the falling snow:

“...’s no good, Torben. Ain’t going to find either of them at this rate, and with the damn rats, half the town’ll be wakin’ up. The whole point of doin’ this at night was so that we didn’t have a riot on our hands.”

Somewhere over the rooftops, another fire blossomed, orange-lit smoke beginning to drift up into the night sky.

“Right, listen. Torben, you do the round of the lads, see if there are any of ‘em seen any sign of the boy or the lady. They ain’t, you get ‘em to pull back; they have, and you get the rest after ‘em. Dunner, you get anyone you can and head to the river, start organising a bucket chain or somethin’. People start lookin’ like trouble, either of you, what you tell ‘em is that we found the Lady and she summoned the rats to save her skin.”
“What’re you going to do, Sarge?”
“I get to tell His Nibs what’s going on, before someone wakes ‘im up to tell him the city’s on fire,” said Halbermann, sharply. “So you two’ve got it easy. Now jump to it!”

The two Hounds with him hurried away, splitting off in perpendicular directions – muttering to himself, Halbermann turned and headed south-east, striking off towards the centre of town alone.

[Exeson]

Ithelus

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Ithelus smiles slightly and exchanges his dagger for a throwing knife. Ensuring that his hood is up he then shadows Halbermaan until there is a moment when the area is deserted and Ithelus can sneak up to within range, and then launch his throwing knife.

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If such a moment presents itself attack: (1d100)[68]

damage: (1d10)[8]

[LCP]

Ithelus

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Tracking Halbermann through the darkened streets, they were coming close to the Tempelplatz when the sergeant turned down a shadowed alley - seizing his chance, Ithelus scurried forwards, the knife spinning away blade over pommel towards the sergeant. It vanished over Halbermann's shoulder, the militiaman spinning round with a shout...

OOC: If you want to stay hidden, roll concealment, please.

[hr]

Raffy, Illiiya, Lothar & Pieter

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Slinging Raffy’s limb form roughly over his shoulder, one of the guards straightened up, seeming to have the barest minimum of regard for the bleeding Sparrowhawk’s survival: another did the same for Illiiya.

“Arne, go run and tell Halbermann we caught his fugitive.” The guard who had spoken glanced towards the door. “Maybe he’ll call off his dogs before they take the whole town apart.”
“Some chance,” muttered another. “I don’t see the lady here. They’ll still be lookin’ for her.”
“Like it matters.” The authoritative one looked back at their captives. “You make sure they’re bound hand and foot – and gagged, in the witch’s case – and you dump ‘em back in the cells. Double guard. You think one of them’s in real trouble, send for the baron’s doctor – but you don’t let ‘em out of your sight ‘til morning.”

He paced over to Raffy, looking down at the unconscious boy.

“Don’t know who he ought t’be afraid of most... the Lector, or the Baron.” He looked up. “Either way, he’d best be alive to receive ‘em tomorrow. Get to it!”

Rough hands gripping Pieter and Lothar by the arms, the group were frogmarched down the stairs, Raffy and Illiiya carried behind them. Down the spiral staircase, through cell doors that slammed and sealed them one by one, alone, into the dark.

The night had won its peace at last.

OOC: More to follow.

[Exeson]

Ithelus

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Swearing under his breath Ithelus turns on his heel and with one hand keeping his hood up flees back the way he came. His heart pounding, he wasn't going to risk a straight out fight with Halbermaan.

[LCP]

Ithelus

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With a shout, Halbermann rushed to the end of the alleyway, halberd in hand - he did not follow Ithelus far, however, evidently none too keen on coming into close quarters with his hooded attacker if the attacker was willing to run away. Long legs pounding the street, Ithelus quickly distanced himself for the sergeant, fleeing into the shadows of the night.

[Exeson]

Ithelus

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Ithelus stops once it is clear he is not being pursued. Waiting ten minutes or so he returns to the alley, checking for any signs that someone is around. If there is no activity he will attempt to retrieve his throwing knife and then continue on his way to the Crow.

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search check if needed (1d100)[93]

[LCP]

Raffy, Lothar, Pieter & Illiiya

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OOC: You are in four, separate, adjacent cells. You can dimly hear what is going on in the neighbouring cells and the corridor outside, but the cells are windowless and the doors are solid. I spoiler things like this to avoid having four sets of spoilers that are largely copy-pasted with facial expressions &c. cut out – if you roleplay appropriately, all should be well.

Everything except your most basic clothes has been taken away. Those of you with critical injuries (Raffy, Illiiya) wake to find that you have received a bare minimum of medical attention. You are all bound hand and foot, and Illiiya is gagged.

IC:

Raffy awoke to the world’s worst feeling. His throat was parched, his fever running high – he felt as if he could barely move his limbs, the pain of the wounds Jagrun had dealt him stirring wickedly into wakefulness with the Sparrowhawk.

Sitting up, he felt a lance of agony shoot through his right arm – looking down, he felt his stomach turn as he saw the bloody lump that had been his hand. At some point when he was insensible, the crossbow-bolt had been removed – but what it left behind, tightly bound by bandages that by now were soiled red by the creeping flow of blood that still passed through the wound, was not a shape that any hand could naturally assume. Beneath the crusted blood, the skin was a corpse-white, Pieter’s tourniquet still in place: clearly those who had treated him while he slept had no hope of saving the hand.

Or didn’t think it worth their time, said a dark voice at the back of his skull, as a sound began to approach – footsteps, each clicking footfall echoing against the stone walls of the corridor outside as they drew nearer. A key grated in the lock – with a heavy creak, the door swung back.

Two guards stood there, their broad shoulders blocking the door completely – one held the key, another a torch, the sudden light of the burning brand dazzling Raffy’s dark-accustomed eyes. As the after-images of the dancing tongue of fire in the man’s hand cleared, Raffy became aware of a third figure, standing behind them – the guards made way for it, the tall silhouette stepping forwards as hazy double-images oscillated and focussed onto one all-too-familiar frame.

“So,” came the Lector’s soft, patrician baritone. “The infamous Sparrowhawk, brought to earth at last.” Behind him, the guards waited, their hands on the hilts of their swords. The high priest paused for a long beat, Raffy’s tired eyes bringing his features into focus: the gaunt old man seemed hardly better off, his pale face and dark eye-sockets seeming as if he hadn’t slept a second since the youth had last seen him.

“You have murdered an old friend of mine, boy,” said von Kemperbad, quietly. “You have murdered the Baroness, you have sheltered the wicked, and now Delberz burns because of you.” He paused. “I thank Sigmar that the Baron’s guards did not shirk in their duty, though I can take no pleasure in the capture of such a sacrificial pawn – not when the queen is still at large.”

He straightened up, a harsh edge entering his voice. There was something odd about the way he spoke – as if he was trying to reassure himself of what he said, as much as he was telling Raffy.

“This is the victory of Sigmar’s Church. Your schemes have failed, your strategies are useless. The Cathedral will be completed, and your mistress’ sorcerous reign over this town will be ended. Have you anything to say for yourself?”

[hr]

Ithelus

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Creeping back through the side-streets, Ithelus waited until a reasonable amount of time had passed before returning to the alley where his attack had failed – Halbermann was gone, the knife thankfully still there. Evidently the sergeant had not been minded to rummage for evidence when more attackers might have been lurking in the shadows.

Making the quickest time he could back to the Crow, he paid the landlord’s fee and gratefully sank onto the cheap pallet his coin bought him: though his mind still churned with thoughts of Illiiya’s safety and resentment for Raffy, his aching body longed to sleep. Dotted beyond the rooftops around the tavern, the fires were finally being brought under control, smoke still rising towards the icy sky as Ithelus drifted off into sleep.

[hr]

Slanting in through the room’s sole, narrow window, the first pale light of dawn slowly stirred Ithelus into consciousness – practically falling out of bed, he stumbled out of bed, walking over to the frost-latticed panes of glass to look out over the waking city.

The roofs of the Lower Town were speckled white with snow, glistening drifts of the stuff lying in the streets – the odd flake still wafted down from the thick clouds, one settling on the dirty glass as he watched. Black ribbons of smoke still twisted lazily skywards from the smouldering remains of the fires, around a dozen different sites scattered over the east side of town. Seeing where they lay, Ithelus had a sinking sensation that he knew exactly where to place them on the city map – the rats were continuing their destructive path, turning north around the Tempelplatz as Lothar had predicted.

Outside, the streets had a certain subdued tremor to them – the people who were already abroad hurried through the snow with a quick, wary motion, not stopping to speak to one another. Something big was clearly in the air...

[goblinpaladin]

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Lothar wriggled his way against a wall and the, using his hands to brace himself, into something resembling an upright position. He leaned against the rough stone, listening to the Sparrowhawk get his comeuppance- and found his distaste for the Lector only growing. Delberz burns, he thought. Survived the war, for this?

He badly wanted a smoke.

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter

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Pieter did not bother trying to rise... In his state of weariness, even the cold, hard ground felt comfortable. He just put an ear against the left wall of his cell and listened intently.

Delberz burns.

Had it already begun? Had Klaus and the others rallied their forces earlier than planned when they learned of the Sparrowhawk's capture?

Gods. I wish I could see this.

Waiting in a dark cell while the revolution raged... it was unbearable.

[Another_Poet]

Raffy the Sparrowhawk

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Raffy can't stifle the anguish churning in his stomach and gripping his chest. His mind races like it always does, scrambling to find some kind of plan, some kind of creative way to make this all work. For the time being, the crushing price of his failure is the only thing he can think of.

It's not until the Lector starts speaking that he begins to get a hold of himself. He hates that man so much.... that it's show time.

"Why do you think I came here?" he asks, the sly note unmistakable even in his dry-throated voice.

[LCP]

Raffy &c.

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"Because Samtzunge sent you," said von Kemperbad, simply. "To free your friend, or to silence her - as her servant did the apothecary. Your will is weak, boy. She has manipulated you as surely as any of her other puppets."

A sneer of contempt curled the corner of the priest's mouth.

[Another_Poet]

Raffy the Sparrowhawk

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"So you didn't figure it out yet," says Raffy with approval. "Huh."

He slumps back against the wall as if completely content with the Lector's answer and his current situation.

[LCP]

Raffy &c.

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The Lector paused, narrowing his eyes at Raffy.

"Do not play games. Your soul is at stake."

He looked his captive up and down.

"What other possible reason could you have had?" he said, semi-rhetorically.

[Another_Poet]

Raffy the Sparrowhawk

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Raffy looks back at the Lector with an are-you-serious expression. Then he chuckles. "You're a scholar, I thought you'd have figured it out already."

He coughs hoarsely and pushes himself with difficulty back into a sitting-up position, to look the Lector in the face.

"You're in a bit of a jam, you see. There are people who know we're here, people waiting for me. I've already missed the rendezvous. Don't you see what's happening out there?"

You bastards better be fighting hard, he thinks.

He slumps back for a second time. "You can't let me go, of course. But if you're holding me, they'll assault the castle. And if you execute me there'll be revenge killings and riots."

Raffy sighs and smiles as if completely content.

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter

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Pieter sank his face into his hands.

Rafale, you're either a narcissistic idiot or the worst bluffer I've ever seen. Rioters with torches and pitchforks are not going to storm a baron's castle just to free you. And the Lector knows it.

He did not like Raffy's association with the revolt, not at all. All because of him and Maria, anyone who defended the common people's cause in Delberz from now on would be branded as an agent of Chaos. Why was Klaus too stupid to understand this? Why hadn't he disavowed Raffy already?

[LCP]

Raffy &c.

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“Storm... the castle,” said the Lector, slowly, staring long and hard at Raffy. “What do you believe is happening ‘out there’, I wonder?”

He leaned over a little, lowering his voice.

“Perhaps I will tell you. Last night, Sergeant Halbermann and his men were dispatched to scour the Lower Town for Samtzunge and yourself. Instead, they found Samtzunge’s rats.”

He paused, watching Raffy’s expression.

“They were too late to prevent the killings, but they did their duty as servants of Sigmar in attempting to destroy the vermin. The fires have taken until this morning to extinguish.”

The Lector straightened up.

“I have Aldric’s notes. I know of your ‘friends’, and I know where I will find them. They say the people are restless. Today the people will see exactly what becomes of those who shelter such vipers in our midst.”

Stepping back, he nodded to the guards. “Have him up.” From the corridor outside, booted feet were approaching, more guards filing into the corridor outside. Lingering on the threshold, von Kemperbad looked back over his left shoulder at the Sparrowhawk.

“The elf witch will burn, and you and your friends will hang.” He glanced down at his hand. “I would have liked to have you questioned further... but the people must see that justice is being done.” He paused, his pale eyes flicking back to Raffy. “Sigmar’s justice.”

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter

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Pieter could not help it... He let out a hearty, almost hysterical laugh. He laughed and laughed uncontrollably until his ribs hurt.

"Oh gods, I can't believe such a halfwit used to be a witch hunter. So you still think there are only two sides in this whole thing? Ha, Sigmarites... I'm not surprised we were always a few steps ahead of your Hounds."

[LCP]

Pieter, Raffy, Lothar & Illiiya

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Von Kemperbad's head snapped round - Raffy saw him scowl as the guards hurried towards Pieter's cell, keys rattling in the lock before the door was thrown open.

Others were going for Illiiya and Lothar - Raffy tried to suppress the pain in his hand as two took him by the arms, hefting him upright and un-shackling his feet so that he could walk. Pulled out into the hallway with the others, he saw Illiiya and Lothar, staring mutely - and Pieter, dragged from his cell and dumped unceremoniously on the ground before the imperious figure of the Lector.

"You find something amusing?" asked the priest, an icy chill to his voice.

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter & Co

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"Oh, not particularly," Pieter smiled, still shaken by chuckles. "Losing what little faith I have left in your Church just before I get executed is probably not good news for my soul. But before you have me hanged, I'll give you a word of advice that you'll probably dismiss until it's too late... Lady Samtzunge is actually the lesser of two evils. You want to stop the sorcerer, the one who actually sends the rats? You'll find him in the tunnels... if you can find an access that hasn't been collapsed."

[LCP]

Pieter, Raffy, Lothar & Illiiya

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Something in what Pieter said had evidently caught the Lector's attention. He glared at the initiate, letting the silence fester - then, finally he spoke.

"Do you think it wise to speak in riddles?" he said, harshly. "Make yourself clear."