night like this could provide more victims - sinners - than even the witch hunters could handle. Though judging from that fire and the prisoners, it looked like they were trying their best to keep pace.
Alaric had noticed the banner as well, and Dietz saw the relief evident on his friend's face. 'Witch hunters,' Alaric said. 'At least we won't have to worry about revelry here.'
'Might be a good place to stop and think what to do next,' Dietz suggested, and Alaric nodded. Together they nudged their horses into the plaza, coming to a halt as the
nearest witch hunter approached and motioned for them to stop.
'What do you want here?' The man demanded, glaring at them both. 'Commit your foul celebrations somewhere else, or face the consequences of such sinful behaviour.'
The man accosting them was short and stout, his features hidden by the broad-brimmed black hat of a witch hunter. His hands rested on the pistol and sword at his belt, but he had not drawn them, yet.
'Our apologies, sir,' Alaric replied smoothly, sounding like his old self. 'We are not revellers, but merely travellers from Middenheim. We were overwhelmed by the activities taking place throughout the city, and thought to take refuge here for a moment, where we would not be subject to such depravities.'
The man grunted, but couldn't find fault with Alaric's statement. 'You cannot stay here,' he said finally. 'We must be ever vigilant, and cannot be distracted from our duty.'
'Of course not, good sir,' Alaric answered. 'Nor would we inconvenience you in such a way. We merely ask a moment or two to catch our breaths, and then we will be off.'
The witch hunter started to reply, but was cut off as a second figure approached from the group near the building. This man was taller than the first, with broad shoulders that made him seem taller still, and as he glanced up, Dietz recognised the angular features beneath his broad- brimmed hat.
'Master von Jungfreud. Master Froebel,' the second witch hunter announced, his face splitting into a grim smile. 'I thought I heard your voice. What brings you here, and on such a night?'
'Herr Kleiber,' Alaric replied warmly, dismounting to grasp the witch hunter's hand. Dietz did the same. Oswald Kleiber had travelled with them on their journey to find and destroy a set of Chaos tainted statues, and despite his zeal and religious fervour, the witch hunter had proved to
be a good companion and a staunch ally. 'A welcome encounter indeed. What brings you to Altdorf?'
'Our affairs are none of your-' the first witch hunter snapped, but Kleiber cut him off with a wave.
'Yes yes, Wilcreitz,' Kleiber said, not bothering to glance at the shorter man. Thank you. Perhaps you had best see to the prisoners?' The other witch hunter retreated towards the bonfire, although not without a glare at Dietz and Alaric. 'Do not mind him,' Kleiber assured them. 'Wilcreitz is a good man, a true servant of the Empire. He perhaps takes his orders too much to heart, that is all.'
Dietz glanced at Alaric. Kleiber had also been a stickler for details and rules when they'd first met, although their adventures had forced him to appreciate the ability to improvise when necessary.
'So why are you here?' Dietz asked, accepting the wineskin that Kleiber offered them, taking a quick gulp, and then handing it to Alaric.
We are tracking a stolen shipment,' the witch hunter replied, his expression turning grave. 'And not just any goods, either: blackpowder weapons, both the rifles and the shot, and the powder necessary for their use.'
Alaric whistled. 'A valuable shipment indeed.'
Dietz nodded, thinking the same. He'd had experience of such weapons before, and knew how much such a cargo would be worth.
'Indeed,' Kleiber agreed, 'but it would be a matter for the local authorities, normally. This theft, however, earned the attention of my superiors, who have tasked me to investigate.'
That was unusual. The witch hunters were normally only involved
Alaric had noticed the banner as well, and Dietz saw the relief evident on his friend's face. 'Witch hunters,' Alaric said. 'At least we won't have to worry about revelry here.'
'Might be a good place to stop and think what to do next,' Dietz suggested, and Alaric nodded. Together they nudged their horses into the plaza, coming to a halt as the
nearest witch hunter approached and motioned for them to stop.
'What do you want here?' The man demanded, glaring at them both. 'Commit your foul celebrations somewhere else, or face the consequences of such sinful behaviour.'
The man accosting them was short and stout, his features hidden by the broad-brimmed black hat of a witch hunter. His hands rested on the pistol and sword at his belt, but he had not drawn them, yet.
'Our apologies, sir,' Alaric replied smoothly, sounding like his old self. 'We are not revellers, but merely travellers from Middenheim. We were overwhelmed by the activities taking place throughout the city, and thought to take refuge here for a moment, where we would not be subject to such depravities.'
The man grunted, but couldn't find fault with Alaric's statement. 'You cannot stay here,' he said finally. 'We must be ever vigilant, and cannot be distracted from our duty.'
'Of course not, good sir,' Alaric answered. 'Nor would we inconvenience you in such a way. We merely ask a moment or two to catch our breaths, and then we will be off.'
The witch hunter started to reply, but was cut off as a second figure approached from the group near the building. This man was taller than the first, with broad shoulders that made him seem taller still, and as he glanced up, Dietz recognised the angular features beneath his broad- brimmed hat.
'Master von Jungfreud. Master Froebel,' the second witch hunter announced, his face splitting into a grim smile. 'I thought I heard your voice. What brings you here, and on such a night?'
'Herr Kleiber,' Alaric replied warmly, dismounting to grasp the witch hunter's hand. Dietz did the same. Oswald Kleiber had travelled with them on their journey to find and destroy a set of Chaos tainted statues, and despite his zeal and religious fervour, the witch hunter had proved to
be a good companion and a staunch ally. 'A welcome encounter indeed. What brings you to Altdorf?'
'Our affairs are none of your-' the first witch hunter snapped, but Kleiber cut him off with a wave.
'Yes yes, Wilcreitz,' Kleiber said, not bothering to glance at the shorter man. Thank you. Perhaps you had best see to the prisoners?' The other witch hunter retreated towards the bonfire, although not without a glare at Dietz and Alaric. 'Do not mind him,' Kleiber assured them. 'Wilcreitz is a good man, a true servant of the Empire. He perhaps takes his orders too much to heart, that is all.'
Dietz glanced at Alaric. Kleiber had also been a stickler for details and rules when they'd first met, although their adventures had forced him to appreciate the ability to improvise when necessary.
'So why are you here?' Dietz asked, accepting the wineskin that Kleiber offered them, taking a quick gulp, and then handing it to Alaric.
We are tracking a stolen shipment,' the witch hunter replied, his expression turning grave. 'And not just any goods, either: blackpowder weapons, both the rifles and the shot, and the powder necessary for their use.'
Alaric whistled. 'A valuable shipment indeed.'
Dietz nodded, thinking the same. He'd had experience of such weapons before, and knew how much such a cargo would be worth.
'Indeed,' Kleiber agreed, 'but it would be a matter for the local authorities, normally. This theft, however, earned the attention of my superiors, who have tasked me to investigate.'
That was unusual. The witch hunters were normally only involved
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