[WFRP] The Waters of Life

[Hemnon]

Valerie cautiously approached the high lord of whatever and his companions. She knew her status as a college mage might keep her out of trouble, even IF she's not in imperial country. However she was very sure that keeping what she was hidden for now would be best.

''Excuse me gentlemen, but why are you taking my employer away? He's clearly innocent here. He knows what would happen if his wares wasn't here and WHY would he be staying here if he would try to cheat you all?'' She asked fluently and courtly, as to not offend anyone.

[ZeltArruin]

Heinrich looked about the room curiously as the others were drawn out by the arrival of Lord Forsard. He approached the liquor bottle and picked it up gingerly, and upon hearing more commotion outside, he quickly grabbed the pack and hurried his way down stairs and outside. As he stomped his way outside, holding his absent co-worker's pack and bottle, he cut himself off from saying anything as Valerie spoke to the frowning rider. Heinrich saw the men-at-arms move to accost his employer, and instinctively, his hand found the hilt of his sword, and unsure of what bureaucratic non-sense was going on, he did not remove it. The Bretonnians were all backwards, blue-bloods with no sense in them, it might serve them well to get a bit of imperial steel in them, should the situation turn worse.

[Thragka]

If d'Abenne looked scared beforehand, he reached absolute terror when Valerie tried to mollify the situation. One hand frantically chopped at the air as she began to speak, as if he could wave the words away, before one of the men at arms grabbed his wrist and yanked his arm behind his back.

The soldier closest to Valerie stared at her as if she had grown a second head. The point of his halberd dipped until it was level with her face as the soldier shifted his weight to a more threatening pose.

Lord Forsard's face was pale, but his eyes were alive with fury. Spurring his horse to draw closer to Valerie, the viscount spoke.

"What wretch dares address me so brazenly? Woman, have you lost your wits?"

"My lord!" Marperic was nearly squeaking. "I beseech you, she is Imperial, uncouth and ignorant of our customs, she means no harm ... oh gods." One of Lord Forsard's hands was hovering by his scabbard. "Please," d'Abenne continued weakly, "somebody ... Sir Abel! Somebody help!"

Behind the men at arms, the spectating villagers suddenly seemed uncomfortable to be so close to what was happening - most of them were slinking back a few paces, and one or two even turned tail and away, gaze kept carefully low to avoid showing or attracting any interest.

[-Sentinel-]

"What wretch dares address me so brazenly? Woman, have you lost your wits?"

Simon fell in by Valerie's side defensively, staring hard at Lord Forsard. He was tempted to say something defiant, but thought better of it; lords from the countryside were known to treat any commoners on their lands as their property. Executions without trial were supposedly common.

"Your lordship, our employer was as upset as you are to find the coach missing this morning," he said, not managing to take the edge out of his tone. "We were about to go looking for it."

[ZeltArruin]

"Yah," Heinrich agreed, getting the gist of the situation. He held up the pack as though it were evidence. "One of ours is gone, too. Perhaps your culprit, yes?" Heinrich said, half shrugging though his speech, not sure what to expect from all of this. His employer, in his eyes was doomed, and being a foreigner, he didn't know what to expect would happen to himself.

[Thragka]

Lord Forsard appeared to relax - his hand went from tensely hovering near the hilt of his sword to hanging limply by his side. His eyes, though, were still narrowed.

"I see," he said, after a few moments' consideration. "You three, however, remain loyal ... and I am sure it was simply your loyalty that prompted that outburst, woman. Let it not be said," he announced at large, turning his horse in a neat circle as he addressed the remnants of the crowd, "that I do not appreciate loyalty! It is the very bedrock of our great kingdom. And so, I shall overlook that one breach of protocol," he concluded, turning back to Valerie. His magnanimity was sickly sweet. "I shall not be persuaded to repeat such generosity."

"Oh thank heavens," exhaled Marperic, before falling back into subservient silence as the noble glanced across at him.

"Nonetheless," continued the viscount, "I am sure you understand that a crime has occurred, and I must hold somebody responsible. D'Abenne was negligent in not protecting the proportion of his goods that were rightfully mine from the moment he entered Remy. If you manage to locate the missing carriage, you are at liberty to inform my bailiff. Until such a time, d'Abenne's freedom is forfeit. I bid you good afternoon."

The final sentence spurred the men at arms back into action. Five of them formed up as an escort for their lord, while the one holding Marperic's arm behind his back began frog-marching the merchant in the horse's wake. Gideon spent a few moments staring into the empty stable, scratching his beard thoughtfully, before falling into step with d'Abenne's captor.

The gaggle of onlookers parted silently as the noble and his entourage headed back down the road to the bridge and out of the village.

[BlueMagnusStorm]

As soon as D'Abenne and Lord Forsard were out of earshot Siegfried turns to the others and says "So what do we do now? Our pay and future prospects have suddenly left us. Do we attempt to find the carriage? What are peoples opinion?." Siegfried then falls silent waiting to hear the others response.

[ZeltArruin]

"Leitmann is missing, the carriage is gone, too. Why do I get the feeling both will be found together? That and I would hate to leave Marperic in such questionable company," Heinrich said, using imperial, it wouldn't do well to be eaves dropped by any peasants. There was also the matter of the creature lurking in the woods that they were supposed to deal with today, but after the morning's events, Heinrich was sure that most of the common folk wouldn't be bothering them overly much.

[Hemnon]

Valerie keeps silent in the background, not really knowing wether or not she should voice out her opinion or not yet.

[ZeltArruin]

Though, we also offered to help the locals with their problems. Bah, but it would be wasting our time to hunt creatures in the woods, no? Marperic is of greater import, wouldn't you think?" Heinrich said with a shrug, his indication clear in where his priorities lay.

[BlueMagnusStorm]

Siegfried considers Heinrich's words for a moment before speaking "While I agree that freeing Marperic is a top priority, I also think that we should help look in the woods. Marperic's not going anywhere soon and if we don't help them look a man's life may be lost." Siegfried pauses for a moment and considers his next words carefully. "Though considering what's going on I'd rather we stuck together so that we can be prepared for anything. Due to this if you insist on attempting to free Marperic immediately then I will do that."

[Thragka]

Abel had come downstairs and joined the rest of the group. When he was informed of what had just happened, he frowned.

"I will not break my promise to the good people of this village," he said as Siegfried and Heinrich were discussing the next move. He nodded at the apothecary. "So I will be joining the search, if you are still considering joining. As for Marperic - well, I think you are right, Heinrich. Leitmann and the carriage are the place to start." He looked around. "How do you suggest we go about looking for them?"

The knight paused for a moment, as if he was choosing his words carefully.

"Last night ... did any of you see anything strange on watch?"

[-Sentinel-]

"Last night ... did any of you see anything strange on watch?"

Simon's mouth opened, then closed. He leaned towards Valerie. "Can we have a private talk later?"

[Hemnon]

Valerie gave Simon an odd look before nodding and turned her attention back to the discussion. ''I think our Sir knight might be better able to explain what he and I saw on our watch. Some strange hooded villagers speaking strangely and acting downright creepy.''

[BlueMagnusStorm]

"Can't say that anything unusual occurred during my watch. Though I did discover that the village elder has trouble sleeping and likes to roam the village at night" . Siegfried pauses in thought for a second before speaking again "Perhaps he may have seen something unusual last night. It'd be worth asking him I think."

[ZeltArruin]

Heinrich listened to the others before sheepishly offering his nocturnal encounter. "I, eh, saw a silver fox. It wanted me to follow, and I did to the bridge. But then I returned and found the carriage intact and unbothered," He said, grinning and shrugging at the silliness of his own tale.

[Thragka]

Abel frowned. "As Valerie says - the elder is not the only one to roam the village at night. These people seem to have ... odd customs. But the elder seemed a reasonable man. Perhaps he is the place to start."

[Thragka]

The background sounds of the waking village had been gentle, but then the group's discussion was interrupted by the sound of raised voices. There seemed to be an argument underway at the bridge. From outside the inn, a small group of four or five villagers could be seen standing on the opposite side of the Orne. The distance made it impossible to tell who they were - except for Edgard, for as always, the village elder was carrying his long staff.

Standing atop the hump of the bridge, Emilie was unmistakable in her pale yellow robes. She and Edgard were debating something, and the discussion was becoming heated. Snatches of the conversation were audible from outside the inn; Emilie was berating the elder about "cowardice" and his "responsibilities" to the village and to Lord Forsard.

They might have been imagining it, but the priestess seemed to be gesturing rather a lot in their direction.

[ZeltArruin]

"Eh? That can't be good for reputation, no?" Heinrich said with a shrug and a grin before walking towards the bridge. Emilie seemed a good girl, despite her probably having seniority on Heinrich, he would hate to be on her bad side. Or anyone's bad side, really, it made being a sell-sword hard.

[BlueMagnusStorm]

"Agreed, quite poor for it in fact I'd think. I wonder what they are arguing about. I hope it's nothing too serious." Siegfried replied as he proceeded towards the bridge curious as to what was occurring.

[-Sentinel-]

"Bet it's about us in some way."

As a hedge wizard, born and bred in the worst part of L'Anguille to top it all, Simon viewed paranoia as a virtue.

[Thragka]

As the group approached the bridge, Emilie shot them a dark, accusatory look. Edgard was doing his best to stay calm, speaking as slowly as he could make himself - but every so often his voice would waver with irritation, and Siegfried noticed that he kept slipping into colloquialisms, whereas last night his words had been formal and precise.

"I look after this village, mam'selle. I take it seriously." He waved his staff towards her for emphasis. "I been doing it since 'fore you ever came here - "

"Maybe that's the problem," Emilie interrupted coolly. "Edgard, things aren't the same as they were twenty years ago. The shadows grow longer, and the north wind blows more frequently. I feel it, every night these days."

Edgard frowned. "You think I don't know the nights ain't as safe as they used be?"

"No, I'm telling you that I know more, because the Mother speaks to me. In dreams and visions, as is her way."

Edgard began to look a little uncomfortable. He was still angry - you could see it in his eyes - but he was less sure of what he'd been saying.

"So this is ... mystical, then?"

"Edgard," the priestess said slowly. "I'm telling you what I know. There is a witch in Remy." As the onlookers gasped, she continued. "And that means it's your duty to help root them out."

In the uncomfortable silence that followed, Simon got the impression that Emile was very distinctly avoiding looking in his direction.

[-Sentinel-]

Simon turned slightly pale and wondered how much the villagers knew about Valerie's abilities. If fear took hold of them, Valerie's diplomatic immunity as a representative of the Colleges would not protect her.

What game is that priestess playing? he wondered. She knows I'm a spellcaster. Why would she tell them about a witch, and not me? If anyone's in position to do anything, it's Valerie and I.

[BlueMagnusStorm]

A witch, this is not good and a witch hunt even worse Siegfried thought to himself remembering the witch hunts from back in the empire. Most likely they'll accuse the wrong person and the whole town will be turned upside down, the witch will escape and an innocent will be punished he thought.

[Thragka]

Edgard never took his eyes of the priestess. He almost looked calm, but there was something in his eyes that spoke of a seething rage; not a chaotic, fiery anger, but a cold one, as inevitable as a glacier. As the crowd around him began to grow rowdy, he spoke up.

"Nobody in this village is a witch. We all know each other - Remy's too small for one of us to be doing dark magic in secret."

"I agree, none of us is the witch," Emilie said carefully. "But these days many people pass through our village. Strangers. Foreigners. People we don't know. We can trust each other - but do we trust them?"

There was a quiet explosion of murmuring. The locals were nodding, voicing their agreement - and casting dangerous looks about themselves. Searching for those that didn't belong.

The group that had just walked towards the bridge from the inn weren't the only outsiders watching this little scene - some other travellers were quickly excusing themselves before the scene became ugly. One caught Simon's eye entirely accidentally, and a shiver ran down the hedge wizard's spine. As the pair locked eyes, each of them recognised the other for what they were.

Simon

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Simon saw a man wreathed momentarily in shadow; light moved sluggishly around Lothar, as if the air around him were too thick for it to pass through at speed. He couldn't tell if this other spellcaster had just arrived, or if he'd been in the village all along, simply obscured from Simon's senses by how much the winds were warped around Emilie.

Lothar

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To Lothar, the young hedge wizard shimmered like a heat devil, and a fizzing, crackling sound filled the apprentice's ears for as long as he looked at the hedge wizard. The girl standing beside him had a much calmer, though equally potent, presence - translucent vines snaked up her calves, gently holding her feet to the earth, and the end of her hair waved quietly from side to side, although there was no earthly breeze to move it.

Valerie turned pale as the assembled villagers began to cast long glances in their direction; Heinrich's combat instincts noticed Abel's hand inch towards his scabbard as the knight errant tensed.

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Perius, if you don't mind we won't have Hector join the scene just yet until I see your idea for fitting him in.

[TheSummoner]

I don't want to be here right now. Lothar thought to himself. "Strangers. Foreigners. People we don't know." These were all things that would describe him perfectly. For a moment, he considered heading towards the inn, but seeing the crowd's attention shift that way he decided against it and slowly made his way in the opposite direction, doing his best not to attact attention.

[Thragka]

Lother caught a few foul whispers and unfriendly nudges as he pushed through the crowd - in his overcoat, he was fairly conspicuous among all these peasants in dirty ragged cloaks. Émilie glanced over him, but although her eyes seemed to glimmer when they met his, her gaze passed on, coming to rest on Valerie. The priestess raised a hand, one finger pointing at the young Imperial woman.

Sir Abel wrapped his fingers around the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it in an instant. "She is no witch," he announced, as the villagers began to press in around them.

"No," Valerie added. She sighed. "But I am a magister." The crowd didn't seem to appreciate the distinction, only growing more agitated as she tried to explain.

"An apprentice of the Jade College in Altdorf. Of the Empire!" But her words only seemed to confirm her guilt in the eyes of the locals. Émilie looked triumphant; Abel, shocked, was only staring at his travelling companion with as much disbelief as some of the villagers; Edgard's irritation was still simmering, as he used his staff to get the attention of those around him, trying desperately to calm things down.

Someone delivered a sharp jab to the back of Lothar's leg - whether intentional or accidental, he couldn't tell, but he crashed down onto his knees all the same. Abel, Valerie, Simon, Siegfried and Heinrich were quickly becoming surrounded by a couple of dozen villagers, all of whom were engaged in delivering diverse gestures and threats and demands. From behind, a clod of mud arced over the crowd, only barely avoiding splattering on Siegfried's face ...

[ZeltArruin]

Things had turned from worse towards violent, a field Heinrich was terribly good at. In a flash, he whipped out his great sword, his arms flexing easily as he swung it to the ready, and though he wasn't one for harming the innocent, even if gullible and paranoid, but they didn't know that.

"Get back," He growled as his eyes narrowed. Intimidation was easy when you were bigger than they were, and he seemed to tower over them now.

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I forgot I had this skill!
Intimidate (1d100)[24] vs 40 (and modifiers)

[TheSummoner]

Lothar curses under his breath - in Reikspiel unfortunately - as the pain shoots up his leg. He tries to climb back to his feet and continue on his way.

[-Sentinel-]

Simon hovered protectively around Valerie, though he knew the Altdorf-trained apprentice could defend herself better than he could ever defend her. His mind reached for the ever-elusive Winds, but he could not think of a spell to cast if things took a turn for the worse.

The hedge wizard tentatively nudged the Winds around the black-haired young man at his side, trying to elicit a similar response from him. It was a way to ask: Are you a wizard too?

OOC

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I don't know if this requires a test, but here's a Channelling roll: (d100)[8]