with matters of religion, or with anything involving Chaos.
'What happened?' Alaric asked.
The shipment was sent by barge,' Kleiber explained, accepting the wineskin back and taking a drink before
continuing. 'It came from Nuln, and was heading here, but it never arrived, nor did most of its crew. They were slaughtered by beastmen.'
'Beastmen?' Dietz frowned. 'On the river?' He'd never heard of such a thing.
'We were sceptical as well,' Kleiber admitted, 'but one crew member survived the attack, although he was badly wounded. He managed to ground the barge, where local villagers discovered it the next morning. They sent word back to Nuln, and a boat collected him and returned him there, where he was able to tell the authorities what had happened.' The witch hunter's frown deepened. The beastmen set upon them during the night. They climbed onboard, slaughtered the crew, took the cargo, and then disappeared.'
'That doesn't sound like beastmen,' Alaric commented. 'Normally they attack for food or to defend their territory. They wouldn't leave the bodies behind like that, and they wouldn't target a particular ship.'
'UnlessThey had help,' Dietz pointed out. All three of them remembered the beastmen they'd encountered in the Howling Hills, who had found one of the Chaos statues and were worshipping it. He and Alaric also knew that not all beastmen were stupid and savage; the beastmen they'd faced in Ind had been a different breed altogether.
'That is what I must discover,' Kleiber assured them. 'I have hired a band of mercenaries to accompany me, and Wilcreitz will assist me as well. We leave for Nuln in the morning, to question the wounded sailor. We will examine the barge, the Battered Eye, and search the river where he says they were attacked. If possible, I am to retrieve the weapons and punish those responsible for their theft.'
'Good luck,' Alaric said sincerely, 'but be careful. The thought of beastmen with blackpowder weapons is not something I like to consider.'
'Nor do I,' Kleiber agreed, 'but I shall indeed be wary. Fortunately I doubt the brutes are capable of operating
such weapons. Although that does not explain why the creatures would take the weapons, in such a case.' He nodded at them. 'Now, what do you in this foul city? And on such an inauspicious night?'
'A friend was attacked in Middenheim,' Alaric answered honestly. 'The thieves took something from him, and we have reason to believe they came this way. We're hoping to find them and retrieve it.'
'I see.' Kleiber rubbed his narrow chin absently. 'What did these men look like?'
'Rough,' Dietz replied, remembering Hralifs description. 'Ragged clothes, unkempt beards. At least four of them, one with a nasty scar across his nose and right cheek, one with a strange bent-nail earring. They had a wagon.'
The witch hunter shook his head. 'I have not seen any with such marks,' he admitted, 'though with so many here they could easily escape notice. Nor will you find them tonight, I fear, when everyone wanders the streets like madmen, indulging in all manner of filthy behaviour. I would suggest searching for them in the morning, when the city has returned to what passes for normality.'
'I think that might be our only option,' Alaric agreed, though he clearly was not happy about it. He was also obviously exhausted. 'We'll find some place to sleep and resume our search in the morning.'
Kleiber nodded. 'I would offer you shelter,' he said, 'but our guest quarters are currently at capacity. Even the mercenaries and the tracker I have hired are quartered elsewhere. They are at the Golden Hare, a decent enough place just along the river, between the two bridges.'
'It's all right,' Alaric assured him. 'We understand. Thank you for the thought, however, and for the recommendation.' Such consideration was rare in a witch hunter.
Kleiber bowed and clasped their hands in turn. 'I wish you good hunting, my friends,' he told them, 'and may we
meet again at
'What happened?' Alaric asked.
The shipment was sent by barge,' Kleiber explained, accepting the wineskin back and taking a drink before
continuing. 'It came from Nuln, and was heading here, but it never arrived, nor did most of its crew. They were slaughtered by beastmen.'
'Beastmen?' Dietz frowned. 'On the river?' He'd never heard of such a thing.
'We were sceptical as well,' Kleiber admitted, 'but one crew member survived the attack, although he was badly wounded. He managed to ground the barge, where local villagers discovered it the next morning. They sent word back to Nuln, and a boat collected him and returned him there, where he was able to tell the authorities what had happened.' The witch hunter's frown deepened. The beastmen set upon them during the night. They climbed onboard, slaughtered the crew, took the cargo, and then disappeared.'
'That doesn't sound like beastmen,' Alaric commented. 'Normally they attack for food or to defend their territory. They wouldn't leave the bodies behind like that, and they wouldn't target a particular ship.'
'UnlessThey had help,' Dietz pointed out. All three of them remembered the beastmen they'd encountered in the Howling Hills, who had found one of the Chaos statues and were worshipping it. He and Alaric also knew that not all beastmen were stupid and savage; the beastmen they'd faced in Ind had been a different breed altogether.
'That is what I must discover,' Kleiber assured them. 'I have hired a band of mercenaries to accompany me, and Wilcreitz will assist me as well. We leave for Nuln in the morning, to question the wounded sailor. We will examine the barge, the Battered Eye, and search the river where he says they were attacked. If possible, I am to retrieve the weapons and punish those responsible for their theft.'
'Good luck,' Alaric said sincerely, 'but be careful. The thought of beastmen with blackpowder weapons is not something I like to consider.'
'Nor do I,' Kleiber agreed, 'but I shall indeed be wary. Fortunately I doubt the brutes are capable of operating
such weapons. Although that does not explain why the creatures would take the weapons, in such a case.' He nodded at them. 'Now, what do you in this foul city? And on such an inauspicious night?'
'A friend was attacked in Middenheim,' Alaric answered honestly. 'The thieves took something from him, and we have reason to believe they came this way. We're hoping to find them and retrieve it.'
'I see.' Kleiber rubbed his narrow chin absently. 'What did these men look like?'
'Rough,' Dietz replied, remembering Hralifs description. 'Ragged clothes, unkempt beards. At least four of them, one with a nasty scar across his nose and right cheek, one with a strange bent-nail earring. They had a wagon.'
The witch hunter shook his head. 'I have not seen any with such marks,' he admitted, 'though with so many here they could easily escape notice. Nor will you find them tonight, I fear, when everyone wanders the streets like madmen, indulging in all manner of filthy behaviour. I would suggest searching for them in the morning, when the city has returned to what passes for normality.'
'I think that might be our only option,' Alaric agreed, though he clearly was not happy about it. He was also obviously exhausted. 'We'll find some place to sleep and resume our search in the morning.'
Kleiber nodded. 'I would offer you shelter,' he said, 'but our guest quarters are currently at capacity. Even the mercenaries and the tracker I have hired are quartered elsewhere. They are at the Golden Hare, a decent enough place just along the river, between the two bridges.'
'It's all right,' Alaric assured him. 'We understand. Thank you for the thought, however, and for the recommendation.' Such consideration was rare in a witch hunter.
Kleiber bowed and clasped their hands in turn. 'I wish you good hunting, my friends,' he told them, 'and may we
meet again at
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