[WFRP] The Bloody Crown XIII

[-Sentinel-]

"Someone... someone like us?"

"We don't know yet," admitted Elsa. "I hear it's someone I've faced before, some kind of cult leader who worshipped the vampire as a god. I've never seen her use magic, but things can change. We have to be ready for anything. What we do know is... there are wolves. That's why we could use you."

[RossN]

Jarla

Jarla laughed. "It would take a very brave vampire to face Irene!"

She looked up at the Tilean mercenary, her large blue-grey eyes shimmering in the reflected moonlight. "I know you are Sforzas friend but what do you really think of the princess?"

OOC:

Spoiler

Show

Charm: (1d100)[40] vs 62

[LCP]

Mondstill

Jarla

"She's a formidable woman," said Carraciolo. "You know her uncle was Tibaldus de Vela? The Prince of Tobaro. And the Captain - the Prince's family, they fell from grace a long time ago." His eyes wandered over the darkened city, as if searching for something. "She could have married anyone in Tilea, and she chose a rootless condottieri. She knows what she wants. You have to admire that, I think."

He looked back to Jarla. "What about you, nobildonna?" he said, with exaggerated courtesy. "What do you want?"

---

Elsa

"You mean I could use some real magic?" said Tatiana, her eyes suddenly alight with the possibility. "Not just watching?"

[RossN]

Jarla

Jarla rested her arms on the wall, looking out over the city for a moment. "That is an excellent question Giovanni. I came here to meet my brother but he was murdered before I got here and I can't even avenge myself on the killers because they are dead or beyond reach. Still, I've not done too badly here. I became a noble and met some very interesting people," she turned to Carraciolo and smiled, raising a suggestive eyebrow as she said that last part. "Very interesting."

She moved in a little closer, allowing the Tilean to breathe in her perfume. "I like money and power Giovanni, and I like beautiful dresses... and handsome men. But I also like some excitement. I know how to handle a sword and handle a pistol." She looked up at him. "Tell me my lord, do you also like formidable women?"

[-Sentinel-]

"You mean I could use some real magic? Not just watching?"

"That's the idea, yes," said Elsa, glad to see Tatiana did not appear to need much convincing. "I can't wield the Amber Wind, but you can. Don't worry, I'll always be close by. I'll deal with the woman myself if possible."


OOC

Spoiler

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Elsa would have let Tattie cast basic spells by this point.

[LCP]

Mondstill

Jarla

"I like all kinds of women," said Carraciolo with a grin. "Tilean women, Estalian women, Arabyan women. They have many things I like." He looked sideways at Jarla. "I have not known many Empire women before, though."

He bit his lip as if in thought, then tapped his fingers against the parapet. "Her highness will be wondering where I have taken you," he said, only half joking. "The Prince will have me back to the north soon. Soldiers to raise and savages to put down. If you feel like some excitement away from the capital, nobildonna, you will be very welcome to visit."

---

Elsa

Tatiana looked a little uncertain - and perhaps a little uncomfortable - as to what 'dealing with the woman' meant, but nodded all the same. "When do we leave?" she asked.

[-Sentinel-]

"When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow," answered Elsa. "Given the last harvest, the farmers down south can't afford to lose any more livestock. Make sure you're well rested, and your horse too. When we get to Painford, we'll get you a sword or spear from the Thorns' barracks, just in case your magic fails you."

She hoped Tatiana had what it took to harm an animal, if need be. Or at least to stand by while others did so.

[Thragka]

Urgrim and Ludo

Urgrim had taken the measure of the direction they'd been travelling, and reached much the same conclusion as Ludo. "The witch woman's village was somewhere in this country, wasn't it?" he checked with the halfling. "Don't know how you're feeling about going back there ... but we'd be fools not to search it at least once, if we're trying to catch her."

[LeSwordfish]

Ludo nodded. "I can't imagine where else she'd be heading, and whatever she wants there, we want to know about it. We can carry on to painford from there if we lose the trail."

OOC

Spoiler

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Also happy to camp out.

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard - 1st Vorhexen

The three of them departed early, leaving the city via the river to make the best time back to Painford possible. Sieghard couldn't help but notice Elsa making a conscious effort to avoid looking at the water and tried to keep her mind occupied.

"I did a bit of asking around," he said. "Do you remember that play we saw in Putbad? Well, the group that performed it is in Alvarran, or at least was last anyone knew. Once we've finished dealing with Mala, how would you like to see another show?"

[LCP]

Urgrim & Ludo, 29th Ulriczeit

It was a cold night's camping out in the woods. When morning came, the small party of trackers continued on, following Urgrim's nose. It wasn't long before Ludo began to feel unpleasantly familiar with their surroundings.

The ruins of Rivermouth were overrun with a summer's growth of weeds and brambles. The blackened shells of the village's buildings almost seemed to blend into the trees, and crows had built a nest in the now free-standing chimney of the old inn. The Thorns went from doorway to overgrown doorway with crossbows loaded, but found no ambushers lurking in the shadows. A rustling in the undergrowth turned out only to be a starved-looking fox, gnawing on an old bone. It tried to stare them down for a few moments before bolting, as if it thought they might be here for the bone too.

The pack's tracks ran down the dry gulley that wound through the centre of the old village. The prints were not only those of wolves - Urgrim found one or two human footprints among the paws. They had been made by bare feet, certainly small enough to be a woman's - though the last time Ludo had seen Mala, he thought she'd been wearing shoes.

By Urgrim's estimate, the pack had passed through a few days ago. The tracks continued west, into the marsh - but there, where the firmer ground of the forest gave way to mud and reed-banks, they became harder and harder to follow. By early afternoon, the Thorns' boots were soaked and freezing, and Urgrim had lost the trail.

[-Sentinel-]

Elsa did not know if there was such a word as riversick, but right now, that was what she was. She was pale-faced and morose for most of the trip to Ravenskird, though Sieghard's suggestion to see a play together brought a smile to her lips.

"Why, that would be lovely, Sieghard. We'll sure have earned a chance to celebrate once we've dealt with the last of Nahorek's followers."

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

"I had another idea that might be fun if you're up for it," Sieghard continued. "What do you think about dressing simply and pretending to be nobodies for the day? No titles or responsibilities to worry about... We could forget about everything for a while and just enjoy ourselves."

[-Sentinel-]

"Hmm. Well, it's hard for me to be inconspicuous..." Elsa gestured vaguely at her tattooed face. "Other than that, I am more than happy to pretend to be a normal person. It's not something I've ever been able to do."

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

Sieghard shrugged. "You've covered them before and no one recognized you. It's up to you, Frau Ardelean," he teased "I just think it could be fun."

Spoiler

Show

It's been a while, but Ardelean was the pseudonym Elsa used when we were in Putbad the first time we saw Sutter's group perform.

[-Sentinel-]

"It would," Elsa agreed. "Let's do it."

It was only fair that she let Sieghard decide what to do on their next night together, since she had her way the last time. Elsa did like plays a lot. It was one of the things she missed most from Altdorf.

[Thragka]

Ludo and Urgrim

Urgrim sighed, and slowly lifted his left leg. Finding a precarious balance on his right foot, he pulled his left boot off. A fat worm had taken up residence on his mud-sopped sock. Like a bizarre scarecrow beset by a gale, Urgrim jerked his raised leg about while trying to keep balance with his arms until the annelid had plopped back down onto the soggy ground.

"Well," he announced as he wriggled his boot back on, "there's no way a pack of wolves would choose to cross this sump of their own accord. Think we can be pretty sure she led them through the old village and out. But there's no point haring off after them without knowing the good trails. Of which I reckon there must be a secret few." He looked around to the Thorns. "Does anyone know any other hamlets or homesteads on the edge of the mere? Anywhere, up or down this side of the forest. I wonder if we might find any locals of this country who'd know such a thing."

[RossN]

Mondstill

Jarla

"I like all kinds of women," said Carraciolo with a grin. "Tilean women, Estalian women, Arabyan women. They have many things I like." He looked sideways at Jarla. "I have not known many Empire women before, though."

He bit his lip as if in thought, then tapped his fingers against the parapet. "Her highness will be wondering where I have taken you," he said, only half joking. "The Prince will have me back to the north soon. Soldiers to raise and savages to put down. If you feel like some excitement away from the capital, nobildonna, you will be very welcome to visit."

Jarla smiled, and leaned closer, playfully running her fingertips along his arm. "I think that sounds like a fine idea my lord. Perhaps some day I can show you some... Imperial charm."

She spent a few more moments enjoying the Tilean's company before making gentle excuses and gliding away. As on the stage always leave them wanting more. Besides if she was to help in the hunt for Mala she'd have to get up early. Before departing however she did give Carraciolo a single soft kiss on the lips. "Farewell my gallant Tilean soldier, until we meet again."

[LeSwordfish]

"There's the manse," Ludo said. "Where they hid out after fleeing Savonne. Maybe we should head through Painford to Rivermouth, and get boats out there."

"Why on earth hasn't she got her shoes on?" he asked, mostly rhetorically. "Not that it's not nice to feel the sand under your toes now and then, but she's not got halfling feet, she'll be tearing her soles to shreds. Maybe she's turning into a Ghoul too. Whatever she was doing to the others... maybe she can't resist it so well any more?"

[Thragka]

Urgrim and Ludo

"That's a good idea, while we're running through obvious hiding spots – somewhere else the Jackal's claque hid before." Urgrim considered Ludo's words about the footprints. He wobbled his head and shrugged in a gesture of ignorance. "Suppose it could be. You'd know more about that than me. Could be she just lost her shoes at some point going over rough ground."

[LCP]

Urgrim & Ludo, 29th Ulriczeit

"Not many fishing huts near here," said one of the Thorns. "People didn't like living too close to the old village."

Tomas nodded. "Most of the marsh folk are north of here, or far south."

OOC:

Spoiler

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It sounds like what you guys have planned from here is more of a wide-ranging search than following tracks/clues - if that sounds right to you, could you give a me a few days' worth of your movements + rolls so I can catch you up to the 1st of Vorhexen?

---

Jarla, Mondstill

Carraciolo could surely only have come out here for one thing, but still seemed surprised when Jarla kissed him in such a forward fashion. He had just begun to return it when she broke it off, leaving him blinking on the battlements. Jarla felt fairly confident that she'd made an impression.

[RossN]

Jarla

With a private smile Jarla took her leave of Carraciolo and returned to her chambers.

---

1st Vorhexen

Having for the essential business of her job to be carried out in her absence Jarla joined Sieghard and Elsa in the quest for Mala. At the mention of theatre she looked interested. "An acting troupe? Wonderful! I was an actress myself once. I played Astrid in The Nuln Tragedy, Cecile in The Altdorf Farce and Gretchen in A Chaste Maid in Marienburg"

[-Sentinel-]

Elsa perked up. "Oh, I saw The Altdorf Farce once. It was hilariously obvious that the author never once set foot in Altdorf," she said, smirking at the memory. "People were laughing, alright, but not at the jokes. They especially liked the part where the guard captain considers four pennies an outrageous price for a meat pie. Or when the maid empties a chamberpot into the Reik from the window of a house that's supposed to be on Magnus' Hill. Now that's a mighty throw..."

Her riversickness all but forgotten, she asked: "Ever played in Altdorf? It's possible I saw you on stage but don't remember it."

[RossN]

Jarla

Jarla laughs. "Well it was written by a Talabheimer. Just be pleased they write plays about your home town. No one has ever written anything about Grenzstadt."

Her laugh turns into more of a wistful smile. "No I've never been to Altdorf. In fact I've never even acted on the Nuln stage though I went often enough. I was with a company of travelling players in Averland and Wissenland and I pulled double duty as a knife thrower and dancer when we weren't acting. I loved the plays the best though. I think I'd have loved to be a proper actress, like Lili Nissen."

[LCP]

Ludo & Urgrim

30th Ulriczeit

The next day, the tracking party made their return to Painford. The first wagonloads of stone had arrived from Selsan, and though the ground was hard with frost, Hegalun’s work was progressing fast. Wisps of smoke rose from the workers’ cooking fires, while the sounds of hammers and chisels echoed through the village.

“Still looking for them wolves?” asked Gavril, when they called in to his hostel. He was busy tapping a new cask of ale, but seemed happy to see them all the same. “We were hearing ‘em in the village a couple of nights ago, howlin’ away. Somewhere out towards the Mere, Karolina reckons.” He straightened up, satisfied with the job he’d done. “Don’t know what time are comin’ to. We haven’t had wolves ‘round Painford since the Mad Duke was up in Savonne.” Wiping his brow with a cloth, he remembered who he was talking to. “Though I’m sure you’ll catch ‘em, no doubt.”

31st Ulriczeit

On Backertag, the trackers pressed on up to Ravenskird. The village on the edge of the marsh was no longer looking quite busy as it once had. The boats moored up at the riverbank were mostly small, shallow-draughted craft, looking miniscule beside the burnt wreck of the Silver Sow. The water was low, and Ludo could see where the blackened ribs of the big river-boat had settled into the mud. A heron was roosting on the charred stump of the mast.

Finding someone to take them out to the ruins of Gilbertus’ manse proved more difficult than Ludo had expected. The Thorns’ uniforms were well-known, and the locals still seemed to remember what had happened to Rogar and Costin. In the end, though, the colour of their money won out, and for the price of seven schillings, they found a boatman willing to take them out the next morning.

32nd Ulriczeit

The boatman was waiting for them at the crack of dawn, and they piled one after the other into his flat-bottomed boat, pushing aside the fishy-smelling baskets and coils of rope. Pushing off, their guide began to pole them out into the channels of the marsh.

“We’ll have to go a bit of a long ways round, sirs,” he said, pushing off hard against a mud-bank. “Mother Azril’s been running low this year. Need to stick to the deeper channels if we don’t want to run aground.”

The breeze over the marsh was cold, a chill mist breathing from the surface of the water. As they drew nearer the ruins, it grew thicker. Urgrim gripped the side of the boat tightly, watching the reed-banks that surrounded them with sharp eyes - in case he might see yellow eyes watching them back.

At last, with a gentle bump, the boatman guided his boat to shore. Ahead, Ludo could see the crumbled walls of the manse and the twisted willow looming up out of the mist. Clambering out of the boat, the Thorns advanced into the ruins with their crossbows at the ready. The manse seemed deserted, even by the birds that croaked and chattered in the surrounding marsh. Here and there, the bones of the small birds that had once lived in the willow crunched underfoot. Thankfully, the winter cold kept the biting insects they would have fed on at bay.

A thorough search of the island turned up no signs of recent habitation, human or animal. The traces of the Rivermouthers’ encampment were still to be seen, under the summer’s growth and the autumn’s die-back - but it was clear no-one had been here since they had left. Finding a flaking jackal’s head still daubed on one of the ruined walls, one of the Thorns took a piss on it, to the laughter of the others.

33rd Ulriczeit

The next day, the trackers set out south again from Ravenskird, following the boundary of the marsh. The residents of the scattered homesteads between Ravenskird and Painford - Ludo had to tell Tomas not to call them “swamp people” - seemed as wary of the Prince’s soldiers as might be expected, but seemed to warm to them when they heard they were here to deal with the wolf problem. Almost all of them claimed to have heard the pack howling in the night, and one or two claimed to have seen live wolves out in the marsh.

They spent the night of Konigstag in the house of an old man called Silviu, who claimed to have spent his whole life on the Mere. His hands and feet were huge, and his brown-and-grey beard spread over half his broad chest, twined with fishbone charms. He had a slightly manic laugh and still most of his teeth, a fact of which he was inordinately proud.

“Secret paths?” he said, when Urgrim raised the question. “Depends where you’d be going. The Azril, she spreads out into the Mere like so,” he said, spreading the fingers of one hand wide. “You want to find a way across one of the main channels, you need to bring yourself a boat, or else be ready to swim. But in between, the paths shift about.” He gave a sagacious nod. “More of ‘em this year, though you never trust a path you haven’t trod before. That’s how old Marko went down to sleep with the eels.”

Taking a gulp of what he was drinking - some kind of homebrewed spirit made from berries - he sloshed it around his mouth, thinking. “Not much for wolves out in the marsh, ‘less they’ve learned to catch fish. But if you think they’ve run out that way, you should talk to the widow Anca. Her house is the furthest out into the waters.” He took a bigger gulp and nodded to himself. “I can take you out there tomorrow, wish her a happy Mondstill. I’ve got to head up to Ravenskird to pay the taxman the next day anyway.”

Mondstill

Silviu woke them before dawn on Mondstill, standing outside in just his breeches to bellow an old Taalite song imploring the sun to remember to rise. Seemingly impervious to the cold himself, he whistled as he cooked up a breakfast of eggs. He wouldn’t be drawn on what kind of bird had laid them.

“No sense taking the boat,” he said, indicating a rickety raft piled so high with fishing gear that it seemed dubious there would be room for a single passenger. “The water in the short channel’s too low, and if we go around to the south it’ll take longer than walking.” He pulled on a pair of huge, oiled-leather boots that went up almost to his knees. “Hope you don’t mind getting your feet wet!”

Loading up his pack with three wicker cages full of scrabbling crayfish (“for his highness”) and a couple of bottles of his homebrewed liquor (“for Frau Anca”), he led the way out into the marsh, probing the ground in front of him with a long, knobbly walking-staff. For all that the path they took was slow and meandering, he had a surprising turn of speed over the marshy ground, and several times Ludo and Urgrim lost sight of him among the reeds, only for his hairy head to pop up again somewhere up ahead. At one point, Tomas blundered into a quagmire, and had sunk in up to his chest before Silviu appeared to haul him out.

They reached the widow’s hut around midday. It stood on a strip of stony ground that rose above the reeds, although the channels surrounding it were currently little more than mud-flats. A single goat stood tethered outside, determinedly chewing a mouthful of marsh grass as it watched them with its slot-pupilled eyes.

“Klara!” shouted their guide, hammering at the door with his stick. “Klara, it’s me! Open up!”

After a short wait, the door opened. A small woman in her middle years stood behind it, leaning visibly against the edge for support. She squinted at them as if unaccustomed to the light, and Urgrim caught the strong smell of alcohol wafting from inside the hut.

“What is it?” she said, in a hoarse voice. She tensed as she took in the Thorns with their crossbows. “Are you here to rob me?”

The big man laughed. “Taal, no, Klara! These are the Prince’s men!” That didn’t seem to reassure her. “They’re out here hunting for wolves. Thought you might’ve - and if you had, there was no harm in dropping by to wish you a merry Mondstill.” He produced one of the bottles he’d brought with him, and Klara’s guarded manner finally gave way. Taking the bottle from him, she uncorked it and gave it sniff.

“Sure,” she said, swaying a bit as she let go of the door. “Whatever. Merry Mondstill, Silviu.”

With a little coaxing, she was persuaded to come out of the darkened hut and tell them what she’d seen of the wolves in the marsh.

“Heard them three nights running,” she said, in between swigs from the bottle. The liquor inside was disappearing at alarming speed. “Came from that way.” She pointed back east, in the rough direction they’d come from. “Went that way.” She pointed north-west, over the open marshland. “They were practically sniffing round my door, same as Silviu here.”

“Taal’s breath, Klara, that doesn’t sound safe,” said Silviu. “Where’s Rebeka?”

“I don’t know,” said Klara with an aggrieved shrug. “Probably hussying it up in town. You know she tried to bring a man back here? Under her mother’s own roof.” She downed the rest of the bottle. “Knocking on the door in the middle of the night, asking if they could come in. No shame.”

Silviu still looked concerned. “And she hasn’t been back since?” he asked. “When was that, Klara?”

Klara shrugged. “What day is it?” she asked. When told it was Angestag, she counted on her fingers. “Two… maybe three days ago?”

“You’re not worried? With a pack of wolves about?”

“She’s got the boat, and her father’s spear. I’m not wasting worry on her. She’s the one who should be worrying about me, while she’s living her high life in Ravenskird.” She threw the empty bottle into the marsh, where it splashed and sunk without a trace. “You got any more of that?”

They spent the afternoon in the widow Anca’s increasingly inebriated company, while Silviu caught and gutted a great barb-faced catfish for supper. The inside of the hut was surprisingly tidy, but showed signs of recent deterioration. It was a tight squeeze for all seven of them to fit in around the fire.

“I’m going up to Ravenskird tomorrow,” said Silviu, rattling his cages of crayfish as one of the Thorns turned the spit on which the fish was gently charring. They clicked their claws at him in return, scrambling over one another in a futile attempt to escape. “Paying my taxes to the Prince. I can have a look for Bekka while I’m there.”

“Doesn’t matter to me,” said Klara, assuming an air of exaggerated indifference as she gave the fire a vicious poke. “You do what you like.”

“I’ll have a look for her,” Silviu assured her. “She’s a good girl, you know, Klara. Doesn’t seem like her to leave her mother alone on Mondstill.”

“You’re not her father, Silviu,” said Klara, sharply. She poked the fire again. “Don’t come around here acting like you know her. She’s wanton.”

By sunset, there was still no sign of the missing daughter. Out over the marshes, Urgrim thought he heard the thin, distant howl of a wolf, somewhere far away towards the Giant’s Teeth…

---

Wellentag, 2nd Vorhexen

All

The trip down from Savonne had been uneventful, save for the need to unload the boat to get it over the shallows at Arrow Heap. They arrived at Ravenskird late on Wellentag morning. Jarla was just taking in the sights of the marsh village - a far cry from Nuln or even Savonne - when Sieghard noticed Ingwald having a heated discussion in the street with a large man with fish-bones in his beard. The argument seemed to be about whether he could pay his taxes in live crayfish.

Ludo and Urgrim were down by the bridge, watching the slow, muddy flow of the Azril as it poured out into the marsh. They had found no sign of Rebeka Anca, which in a town the size of Ravenskird seemed a solid indication that she wasn’t there. The Thorns with them stood up and saluted when they saw Sieghard approaching, though none of them seemed to know quite how to act towards Jarla. One of them tried to curtsy before another nudged him sharply in the ribs to stop.

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

Sieghard had been talking with Elsa about his plans for the manor as the boat docked in Ravenskird. "And I made sure the plans had a nice big cellar. I plan on filling it up as soon as its done. Casks of wine and ale and any drink you can think of." The whole thing clearly had him excited. "Soon as it's done, I want you to make an excuse to come visit. Tattie's welcome and Jarla too if she can get away. Should hopefully be done right around my name day and I'll need people to drink with."

He spotted Ingwald arguing with Silviu and went to intervene. "It's fine," Sieghard said. "You make your living fishing the mere, right?" he turned to Ingwald "What else is the man going to pay in?" If need be, they could sell the crayfish or put them in a stew. At least alive, they wouldn't start to stink.

He had noticed Ludo and Urgrim in the distance and when the crayfish issue was resolved, he approached them. "Is it done?" he asked. "Is the ghoul bitch dead?"

[Thragka]

Wellentag, 2nd Vorhexen

Urgrim shook his head in response to Sieghard's question. "No such luck. We were damn close to her, though, seems like." He recounted what they'd learned since visiting the ruins of Rivermouth. "I'm convinced she's running with the pack. Curs one and all. But wolves wouldn't be out in the Mere without some unnatural witchcraft. And we heard plenty of folk tell they'd witnessed them. That fella there, Herr Silviu" he said, pointing back, "took us right out into the swamp, where an old woman said she'd been hearing them outside her shack, night after night. And they obviously weren't interested in her goat. Though that thing was only skin and bones – maybe it just wasn't worth the effort of killing."

He scratched his head, and turned to Ludo with a puzzled look. "Not too sure what to make of it, to be honest. Seems like the pack's just scavenging, more'n anything else. Maybe we could set a trap, with some livestock, at one of those homesteads."

[LeSwordfish]

"Asked to come in," Ludo said thoughtfully. "Her daughter comes back to the house in the middle of the night, with "a man from the town"... but knocks on the door and asks permission to enter?"

[-Sentinel-]

"And they obviously weren't interested in her goat. Though that thing was only skin and bones – maybe it just wasn't worth the effort of killing."

Elsa looked skeptical. "Even a lean animal has a lot of flesh. Heart and lungs and intestines and so on. I doubt wolves would turn down an easy prey of any size, unless they were directed by some kind of higher purpose." She turned to Tatiana. "Tattie. This is your field of expertise."

[Thragka]

"Asked to come in," Ludo said thoughtfully. "Her daughter comes back to the house in the middle of the night, with "a man from the town"... but knocks on the door and asks permission to enter?"

"Thought that was a bit odd, m'self," Urgrim said, thoughtful. "And ... if she's to be believed, that Frau Anca heard the wolves more'n anyone else. Could be it was only someone pretending to be her daughter. She might not have realised any different." Urgrim mimed tipping a bottle back in front of his mouth, for the others' benefit. "Course she could've been wrong about the wolves too."

Urgrim scratched his beard, looking back in the direction from which Sieghard had walked over. "Herr Silviu," he called, with a wave to the marsh man. "We couldn't have a few ore minutes of your time, could we?"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Questions for Silviu:

• Should we take the widow Anca's description of hearing the wolves at face value, or is she too sossed to know what's going on? (but said more diplomatickal)
• Does the daughter typically come and go in the fashion the widow described?
• Could she conceivably have mistaken someone with malicious intent for her daughter?