Duz Andy Know? Episode 49 - A Walk To Andy's Bedroom

Duz Andy Know? Episode 48 - ILL-Literary

Warhammer: Their Fated Travels...Ch25 (Spoken Word Version)

Their Fated Travels...Chapter 30 - The Fighting Pit Round One

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Their Fated Travels…

RPG Party events as told By Robert James Freemantle

Chapter 30

The Fighting Pit

Round One

The arena the contestents were battling in was a simple circular pit dug out into the earth. The mud floor and walls were hardened solid. Some straw and sawdust lined down there. After bouts if there had been a reasonably large amount of blood or “meat” left behind, it was easier to sweep it up. Then new layering was scattered on the ground before the next fight.

   The spectators were in a viewing position behind a medium height metal runged barricade. It wasn’t tall enough to stop somebody from actually climbing over and into the room. It just served as a reminder, a suggestion to not do it. Several heavily armoured guards who looked as mean as could be stood dotted about the crowd and on the opposite side of the barrier too. Furthermore, a particularly anti-social looking messy bearded dwarf sat cross legged on a high platform nearby, with a rifle in his hand. While fights would take place, he would often sight spectators up, his tongue poking out in concentration of his target finding - almost willing them to step out of line and interfere with a bout. Nobody did.

   The rules for the illegal tournament were simple: Two competetors fight until one is either killed, rendered unconscious and unresponsive to the referee or submits verbally or by way of “tapping out” with their hand. Any weapon is permitted and anything goes. No holds barred.

   The final element to it was the owner of the arena, a long wild haired kooky wizard. He wore robes but they were of no distinctive order. They were more personalized for comfort and fashion. He held in his hand a trumpet looking device connected to a lever. Inside the machine several wheels and pivots interacted with spindles that spun in response. However, the spindles did not weave fibers into thread like one might find in sewing. These spindles spun sound about them and amplified it through the listening end of the strange contraption. Maestro stared at the machine in envy. This was the kind of thing he wished he had invented. An engineered device that was completely original in concept and enhanced by magic. He ached to have hold of it in his hands, so that he might tinker with it.

   The wizard owner of the device would use it by pointing it at a competitor’s left side of the chest and listening. The amplified device would register if a heartbeat was present or not. The audible sound came out quite loud, to Maestro’s surprise.

   This was a truly effecient fighting ring, they observed.

   The competitors came out through a portcullis set off to one side and through a passage that led down into the pit. Once inside, a heavy sliding barrier would be pulled across blocking the way back out.

   First out to fight, funnily enough was Tordrad. The Kislev warrior wore his full armour and brought his great axe with him.

   Maestro’s spluttered at seeing this, realising only now that Tordrad might actually be in danger. If Tordrad died here, what might happen to him? How would he get out? These people in this place were big, brawny and smelly. He commented nervously to Rissandrea, “It looks like they’re trying to kill us off early!”

   The woman turned her head in disgust at this idea. She very much disliked the fact that the others were doing this. Maestro was only making things worse.

   Tordrad’s opponent was then announced: Frederick Wilwart...

   As Tobias heard this from his position in the backrooms he commented, “Wait a minute, did he just say Frederick?”

   Dieter looked at Tobias and replied, “Oh no, not another halfling short arse.”

   Tobias stared in bewilderment, “I didn’t even know my brother was still alive!”

   Dieter commented, “And you always try to dissuade me from saying that you must all know each other, telling me it’s racsist to speak like that. Then what do you go and do but help inforce it?”

   Tobias shook his head in disbelief, “I hope Tordrad doesn’t kill him. I want to talk to him. I need to find out what he did next...I need to...”

   Dieter replied with his usual dark sarcasm, “Oh don’t worry, whatever ails him after this match even death, a couple of pies shoved into his face and he’ll be back to sorts.”

   “Is that your medical opinion, doctor?”

   Dieter replied, “Yeah, why not?”

  

   Frederick was dressed in the dark colours that Tobias tended to favour in his night time mode. Then he drew two daggers and rushed towards Tordrad. His natural swipe was at Tordrad’s leg level as the blades scratched against the armour doing no damage to the man underneath. Tordrad really hadn’t taken his foes speed into account and he was surprised to find him upon him so fast.

   Tordrad wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice as he quickly stepped forwards to close the gap as the halfling tried to pull back. The kislev man went on the offensive, swinging his axe at the halfling in a blaze of multiple strikes. The metal end of the weapon caught the light of the torches many times and at times made it look like he was wielding a firey weapon.

   The halfling dodged many of the attacks, his speed and agility were great, but Tordrad was too expertly martial. His axe began raking the halfling, tearing through his chest and cutting his arm quite badly. Blood violently ran from the wound as he tried his best to pull away.

   Frederick pulled a throwing dagger free from his belt with his good arm he threw it at Tordrad’s face.

   Tordrad watched in surprise as it almost struck him directly. He moved a little at the last moment as it trailed past, scratching a great trail through his cheek. The Kislev warrior had not thought to bring his helmet with him. This wound would definitely scar, it was that bad. All of this though, only served to make the man angry as he charged Frederick with a great battle cry that nearly deafened those closest to the ring. As he connected, he swung the axe at the halfling but instead of going in blade first, he swung the flat of it. It connected with his smaller opponent, impacting head on and knocked him backwards against the built up wall of the ring. There he struck his head against the hard mud and fell forwards, unmoving after hitting the ground.

   Tordrad had pulled his killing blow. He didn’t want to have to kill people if not required. He simply then looked to an official to hint that they should check on the man’s status. Somebody did just that, inspecting his condition. Frederick was declared as unconscious.

   Tordrad was the victor.

   Maestro was another step closer to collecting large winnings. He had bet a good deal on his bodyguard to win the whole tournament contest.

   Next out to fight was a local wannabe, a Nuln man trying to make a name for himself, impress his friends and improve his social standing.

  As his opponent was brought out to the ring, a repeating wave of controversial gasps went up through the crowd. A blonde haired dwarf slave had been tied to a large wooden flat upright platform on wheels, and was being pushed out to the ring while he he made no effort to struggle against his restraints. He barely looked conscious in fact and not in the best of health.

   His handlers were a shady group of cloaked ne’r do wells if ever there was.

   It was clear that the dwarf was their slave, their property.

   Rissandrea noticed that the dwarf’s skin looked far paler than it ought to and he was sweating unnaturally too. She figured that he must have been under the effects of some toxin or drug. Either currently or in withdrawal from it.

   The handlers then surprised the audience a second time as one of them drew a dagger and slashed at the dwarf’s exposed arm, because of the torn shirt he wore. He wore very little in the way of clothing, only this and some torn trousers, that looked more like shorts. He wore nothing on his feet and had no armour.

   “Incredible” said Maestro, “He’s taking damage before the battle has begun.”

   Rissandrea winced and left the wizard’s side to see what help she could offer to Frederick out back. Gaining access to him now he had been eliminated wasn’t very hard – and being a member of the shallyan order gave her easier pass.

   One of the handlers then produced a pallete of strangely bright red and yellow coloured paste then with a spatula smeared it onto the wound! The paste was a compound of crushed mad cap mushrooms!

   The dwarf’s eyes suddenly snapped open, blood red in appearance, almost like that of a goblin.

   The handlers untied most of his restraints but before they could remove the last of them, the dwarf snapped through them on his own. The handlers began running as fast as they could behind the dwarf.

   The slave dwarf began screaming in frustration and went for one of the handlers. Someone within the security section managed to pull him up out of the ring. The dwarf’s head suddenly snapped around towards his opponent and he pulled two large stone battlehammers out from the wide and thick leather toolbelt he wore on his waist. He charged the shocked man like a rampaging bull, his hammers swinging at lightning speed.

   The Nuln man made a futile attempt to parry with his sword as one hammer struck him at the weapon and crashed against his arm on the follow through. The other hammer followed up hard into the man’s chest. Then two more shots did the man suffer. His ribs had broken and punctured inwards into his lung. Various other sources of damage had come about as he dropped his weapon. However, the man did not have the sense of mind to submit as the mad dwarf then grabbed him by his protruding rib, pulling him straight towards him before headbutting him with a force like an Ogre’s club. The sickening crunch sound made many in the audience jeer, cheer or go a bit off colour. He then bit a lump out of the man’s face and spat it back at him.

   It was clear to see the man was dead now and the dwarf simply wouldn’t let up. He kept striking the man so that he remained standing. His body couldn’t fall from the force of the upward blows.

   The officials decided to give up on trying to retrieve the man’s body just yet and instead concentrated on moving the audience back, especially when the dwarf became bored of the corpse that didn’t fight back and walked around the edge of the pit looking for his next victim.

   The winner was announced as Grimdal DalDuraz.

   Eventually the dwarf’s energy was spent and the high effects of the drug wore off. He fell to the floor again, his malnourished body unable to support his newly elevated state of being for too long.

   The next bout was announced as a competitor who hailed from the moot. A supposed scholar who had taken up arms to compete in this competition. Tobias Wilwart.

   Out came Tobias, wielding a dagger and dressed in his skaven looted black leather armour.

   His opponent was announced. It was a master wizard, Maestro could tell, one who appeared to be conjuring the lore of shadows about him, the grey wind of ulgu.

   Maestro observed that this would be a contest of magic versus an individual highly trained in anti magic. But would that be enough he wondered?

   Tobias dashed towards the wizard, moving from side to side in a zig-zag pattern. All of this movement did not protect him from stepping into a shadow caused by an overhanging beam however...As soon as the halfling’s foot entered the darkened spot he froze to the spot, restricted.

   The wizard smiled and cast a second spell, the first hadn’t even been noticed! This spell made the halfling’s feet begin to smoke and then flame tore up around it, catching the great tufts of hair present on fire.

   With great willpower, the currently rogue minded Tobias managed to tear himself free of the effect but all he could do was hop about in pain even after the flames had been put out. Standing still was difficult for him.

   While the halfling nursed his poor foot with one hand, the wizard prepared another spell by channelling.

   At that moment, Tobias tore into a sprint taking the magister Taros by surprise. Just as he reached the grey wizard it was clear that he had a garrote string in his hands! He had used the moment of nursing his foot to discreetly draw this weapon.

   The sudden appearance of the halfling at great speed left Taros dumbfounded and then Tobias kicked the man squarely between the legs. A low blow that made the audience wince in pain at the thought of it. The wizard screamed his reaction and bent over holding himself in response.

   Tobias ran the garrote around the man’s neck and pulled quickly, a tight hold that made Taros let go of his aching groin and forced him to attempt to tug against being strangled. Blood was already beginning to drip from where the wire made contact with the wizard’s skin.

   Taros couldn’t break free of the garrote. The halfling’s grip was too focused and the human was bent over so couldn’t put his full strength into the counter to push the halfling off.

   Suddenly the wizard disappeared in a puff of smoke, re-appearing on the other side of the ring, trails of smoke leading from where he stood before to where he now stood. Tobias coughed and hacked at the offensive magical taste it left in his mouth. He then wondered how he recognised the test of magic but dropped that thought as Taros once again cast a spell.

   Tobias was doing well to keep away from the areas of shadow around him, however with this spell, the shadows would not wait for him to come to them. The shadows moved in on him from all sides. He saw this and jumped to get over them, but where he landed, only shadows awaited him. They travelled up his body and constricted him about the neck, choking him. The halfling was now having a taste of his own medicine!

   Tobias could not break free. Everything he tried he failed. He tried to take his sling out of his pocket but the binding darkness kept his arm firmly at his side.

   Very soon the halfling became drowzy on his feet and then dropped to the ground. Soon after this the wizard let the shadows recede back to their natural placements as Tobias was declared unconscious.

   Dieter couldn’t help but snigger at the situation. He made no attempt to hide the fact that he hated the moot born team mate.

   The next match saw a convict fighting to win his bail money for release up against a slave who fought desperately with a sword he didn’t seem to be able to use properly. The slave had a hunched back and soon the cause of this was seen. One of the attacks from the convinct had ripped his shirt and exposed something strange growing from the slave’s back. A mutation! This man was a mutant. A pulsing organ could be seen there.

   The audience murmoured disapprovingly. Surely a mutant couldn’t be allowed to live? How was he even being allowed to compete? But then it had to be remembered, this was an illegal tournament.

   The slave somehow managed to get a lucky shot in, striking the convinct to the belly and slicing him open. He submitted and screamed for medical attention. This got the crowd cheering again, at least. But as the mutant was led away, he left to the sound of booing and jeering. The audience were beginning to relax again though and were enjoying the bouts.

   Next up was a sewer jack who had made dirty dealings with the skaven he had encountered. He came out victorious against a Nuln man who fancied his chances as a big shot. The jack was also the bookies favourite for taking the entire tournament prize away with him tonight. The man was unable to stand up to the sewer jack’s crossbow bolt shots and cried for a healer after two impails of his body.

   Next out was a captured doombull! Somehow, a hero minataur had managed to get captured by humans and was now being led by the ring through its nose. It had been somewhat sufficiently drugged to keep it under control.

   His opponent was a professional ring fighter. The doombull had charged and picked the man up over his head and charged him across the ring, into the opposite wall. He was stunned long enough to be unable to defend himself as the doombull began eating the man alive. This made some of the audience vomit in response.

   Another local fighter had attended the tournament and he fought against a noble. No ordinary noble at that, but a cousin to the Countess Emmanuelle. The noble managed to disarm his foe using his rapier against the other man’s shortsword. He held the rapier’s end to the man’s throat and offered him a way out. The local man greatfully accepted it, submitting the bout.

   Next was a Stirland mercenary. He had been passing through the city and heard about the tournament. His opponent was announced: Dieter De’ath!

  Before he even stepped out into the ring, Dieter cast a magical armour about himself and then conjured a new spell. A purple and black magical scythe, the like of which Gabrielle had previously used appeared in Dieter’s hand. He was unused to casting this new spell, a spell he had been given access to thanks to his other’s consumption of an amethyst wizard recently – and as such there was a minor magical backlash too, lessening down his own winds of magic.

   Dieter was wearing his longer coat, and a frilled shirt that came up high about his neck to cover his burns.

   Dieter took his jacket off and stepped on it. His shoe broke the glass container of medicinal alcohol he kept inside it. He then called for the man to attack who did just that.

   The merc charged forward with a maddened glee in his eyes. Dieter managed to duck under the attack and put his now slightly flaming spell hand on the jacket, setting it alight. He spun and slashed the man with the magically summoned scythe. The stirland man touched his hand to the wound and tasted it, with a look of satisfaction on his face. The man slashed at Dieter and just caught his arm as he pulled away. Dieter too smiled at the pain he felt. He considered that together they were sharing something beautiful.

   Dieter gripped the man by the wrist and focused the magical flame from the palm of his own hand to burn the mercenary’s skin. He tried to let go and strained with his might against the trainee doctor, but Dieter would not let go. His grip was for some reason impossibley strong.

   The merc headbutted Dieter, forehead to upper nose bridge. This dazed Dieter but still he did not let the man’s wrist go!

   Then, he suddenly did let the man go. Instead, he dropped his jacket to the floor in front of the man, with the bottle’s contents spilling out further into the slightly smouldering jacket.

   Dieter channeled his magical energy to focus the scythe powerfully and brought the summoned weapon down upon the jacket on the ground, making sure he struck it on one of its rather large metal buttons. This caused a spark which caused an explosion.

   The bottle that had been kept in the jacket had had oil and gunpowder added to their mixture. Dieter ran away quickly as the exposion under the man’s feet caught him in a shroud of flame. His charred body struck the ground suddenly and violently.

   Dieter had somehow gotten away unscathed as the victor. The man was unable to survive his major burns. Even some of the audience had suffered some heat across their skin and a few embers of staying whisps of flaming material that made their way outwards.

   Dieter cheered his own victory in front of a stunned crowd. Within moments they chorused him with cheers of their own. It seemed that he had won them over as a crowd favourite. Not only that, but he was through to the next round!

I Love You Google Chrome!

Oh my! All of this time I've been gnashing angrily, as all of my careful formatting from my writing in word documents was going to waste once I pasted it into the blog page and hit that publish button. Take a look at chapters 1-28 of Their Fated Travels...fan fiction on here. The formatting on it is terrible! Turns out, that is actually Internet Explorer's fault! Now I'm using Google chrome, it PRESERVES the formatting.
I want to just say right now, right here. I love you google chrome, where have you been all my life? Or at least where have you been since chapter 1?   :P

Their Fated Travels...Chapter 29 - Due Consequences

Read it at fanfiction.net here - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5775192/29/Their_Fated_Travels

or below

Their Fated Travels…

RPG Party events as told By Robert James Freemantle

Chapter 29

Due Consequences

In a dark far corner of the Reaver’s Return Inn of Nuln, the party sat around a table with heads hung low. There was a definite feeling of deflation amongst the group. They had hardly spoke or made eye contact. Each just nursed their own drinks, deep in their own thoughts.

   Ulger too picked up on this and  made a debilitated sulking sound as he rested his large head on his front paws. His injuries were still clear to see, but the banadages were holding well. He had not tried to lick the wounds, after Dieter had scolded him once. Once had been enough.

   Finally the one person who couldn’t understand them and who they couldn’t understand was the one to break the silence, as Tordrad said, <“Yes I was bear again. I would know of you now if you hold this power...this curse in my blood against me.”>

   Rissandrea had gleaned somewhat of an understanding from the look in the man’s eyes, plus she had also seen the transformation. Furthermore, what else could he be possibly speaking about? She considered. She spoke and laid a comforting hand on the large man’s shoulder, “Do not worry of this Tordrad, though I see by your face that it pains you so – do not worry. Some of us are granted divine guidance from time to time so that we may do what is right. It is not like you used it for ill, after all.”

   Maestro spoke up next, “But it makes you think though, how long he’s known he could do that. I wonder if he can do it on demand!”

   Though the corner was dark, the halfling Tobias sat nearest the lantern on the wall. He shook his head dismissively and closed the book he was pretending to read then spoke, “I highly doubt that. Humans who transform into animals are a known quality within this world but were he simply of the blood cursed ones he would transform at regular intervals. We have been with him for a long time now. We would have seen it previously, before now at least. No, I believe it came on from stress, the great threat that creature posed.”

   Rissandrea nodded, “I concur on this. I do not think we should consider this a bad thing by any account. The will of the Kislevian Gods are in his veins perhaps. I don’t think he can control it, but at least the beast that emerged wasn’t out of control. It didn’t attack us or innocents.”

   Tordrad stared, his head turning from speaker to speaker. He knew each was talking about him but he didn’t know what they were saying. Anastasia was out visiting the market so she would be no help translating. Plus he knew that she would never be truly honest about what they were saying anyway.

   Rissandrea spotted Tordrad looking at them and quickly said, “Come look everyone, Tordrad is becoming dismayed at being spoken about. Nod your heads and smile approvingly. All he needs is a little security that we don’t judge him badly.”

   The others except Dieter complied in doing this. Dieter simply raised a hand and waved it in a couple of circles to indicate – yeah yeah, blah blah whatever. To Tordrad, the trainee doctor’s actions were most welcoming. For Dieter to not be bothered was a good sign. It was like nothing had changed, for the man was mostly always unmoved by the events of the group.

   Tobias was next to speak, “Recent events have had a sharp impact upon all of us. I still have the matter of my ongoing mental health, or the attempts towards it contined security anyway. I still have no knowledge of becoming an alter ego as you say I do. Though I am starting to remember being this person when I was younger. The things I did wrong then...perhaps the best thing for me to do is to face up to it. If I can revisit some link of the past then maybe I can re-connect my psyche to my existence.”

   Dieter scoffed.

   Tobias looked at him sharply, “What is it Death?”

   Dieter growled his response, “De’ath, how hard is it to say De’ath? You’re doing it to annoy me. Not advisable. I will remember every time you’ve said it and when I punish you for it, it will just be all the worse.

   Tobias shrugged with his usual disdain and Dieter, knowing that he’d do that simply continued, “You have a piece of warpstone in your brain. Nothing will change that, idiot. Now, I suggest you simply let me attempt to operate on it, like I asked before.”

   Rissandrea spoke up, “And I already told you Dieter, the chances of success for such a procedure are slight at the very least. The dangers to his life would be innumerable. Full contingency would be impossible.”

   Dieter raised a hand to silence the woman who was getting on his nerves now, “Well, it would all be positive really, I have had a distinct lack of corpses to practice on since arriving at the city.”

   Rissandrea turned away sickened.

   Tobias used this point as a boarding plank for the next point, “And what of you, Death? The secrets you have kept from us all this time.”

   Dieter stared at Tobias long and silently. There was a sudden intensity at the table, as if the halfling’s life was suddenly in peril, as if Dieter might suddenly act upon some dark desire. His eyes certainly burned with hate for his smaller party companion. Eventually the strained silence was ended as the man spoke abruptly, taking them all by surprise, “That is...complicated...I do not know how to start.”

   Tobias looked up his nose at the human and said, “From the beginning.”

   Dieter scowled at him again and then sighed, “All right, it seems as good a place as any to start. I do not know much of who I am. That is the truth. My father was never known and my mother died in childbirth...so I am told. I have no idea who my extended family are. I was somehow raised on the streets. I heard tale that the homeless would take care of me, like one of their own. I suppose I did become one of them. I have some early memory of being a begging stealing urchin in the streets.”

   Rissandrea nodded with genuine interest, her spectacles reflected a light which drew attention to her kind eyes, “the streets of where?”

   Dieter answered, “Stirland...well, Sylvania really, but yes, Stirland...”

   “Ah replied Tobias, “near to my home then, the Moot.”

    Dieter stared at the halfling disrespectfully, “Yes, don’t remind me please.”

   Rissandrea smiled reassuringly at Dieter, this made him shudder inside but he tried his best to hide it as she asked, “Sylvania is a place in much need of the good lady’s aid. The soldiers of that county are braver than most. I respect their desire to end the darkness. What part of Sylvania do you hail from?”

   “Drakenhof” replied Dieter casually.

   Tordrad almost spat his vodka out...almost. He swallowed it quickly and almost choked and said while pointing, “Vampire place?”

   Dieter narrowed his eyes menacingly at the larger man. This didn’t bother Tordrad at all as Dieter replied, “It’s rude to point. No, not the castle...why does everyone always think of the castle? The nearby town of Drakenhof.”

   “I don’t know” began Maestro, “As soon as you say that, it’s pretty hard not to think of that castle. It’s probably just fear. The human condition of survival.”

   “You would know all about that” started Tobias menacingly towards Maestro. The wizard went a little red and buried his face in his tall glass of milk.

   Dieter continued, “There is a great deal of my younger life that too is sketchy. I’m sure you don’t really want to know about my upbringing though do you?”

   Tobias answered bluntly, “Not really, I think the thing we are all concerned about Death, is the black tentacles that came from your mouth as you appeared to be consuming Gabrielle – that and the madness that overcame you in the skaven battle.”

   Dieter sighed and breathed deeply and then he began, ” I suppose I do indeed owe you some explanation of what is going on then. So be it. I will tell you what I understand of it. I have a dark presence inside of me. That is what you saw. It has been there for as long as I can remember. A dark evil spirit that haunts me. It will not let me be truly free. Sometimes if my life is threatened, it will take over. This has only been happening so regularly lately. It’s like...it is becoming harder to hold it in check. I am...truly frightened of this thing. I don’t know what it is or how it came to be inside of me.”

   The man’s words came across even and calm. It sounded like he was telling the truth and they did not believe he was lying to them – even though Dieter was witholding certain other bits of information...

   Tobias’s face switched to an expression of questioning doubt, “But why did you...did it do what it did to Gabrielle’s body? Did you want her dead? Did it know this?”

   The man continued, “Of course I didn’t wish her any harm! I needed her! While we were on the barge, I consulted with her, confided in her about my problem. I told her that something of the realms of the dead haunted me. She was an amethyst wizard, closer to the aspect of death than many, yet skilled in the arts of magic too. It was my hope that she would work with me in uncovering and removing this...entity.”

   Maestro asked, “Are we in any danger do you think? From this thing? Even right now?”

   Dieter sighed again, “Look,” he started and closed his eyes as the muscles in his eyebrows pinched closer together - he continued, “Magister Gabrielle agreed to help me. She said that study of my condition would require me to be observed for at least two weeks solid. I told her that I could not spare the time until this group’s investigation into the final artifact was complete. This of course piqued her interest in the case and led her to investigate the trails of the artifact as well – which of course led her to being present at the final battle with the daemon...”

   Rissandrea made the sign of the holy order at the memory of this event.

   Dieter continued, “So you see, I even forsook my own wellbeing for the furtherment of this group’s cause. So no, you are not in any danger as far as I am aware. Even when it took control of me in a combatitive state against the skaven, did I turn on you? No it did not. It fought them. I have that to be thankful for at least.”

   “Not as much as us” stated Maestro.

   Tobias chimed in, “True enough, I can support Death here in saying that when he was fully posessed by this entity of undeath as he calls it, I witnessed elements of his strange actions before unconsciousness took me. He actually managed to save Tordrad from the rat men, erm I mean beast men assassins.”

   Dieter spoke firmly but with a sense of sadness that was unlike him, “I do not want this thing inside of me. I am am unwilling host. But it doesn’t define me! You’ve seen who I am. I am all of that despite it. It is what it is aside from me. We are not the same. I am sure, if you feel it would be safer to not journey with me then by all means stop. And if you feel you would want to turn me in to the city guard or the witch hunters, for only trying my best to protect this party, to protect all of you then I will not try to force your hand otherwise. But please, do me the kindness of at least considering my plight before you over-react.”

   Dieter waited. As the moments passed and no one spoke out against him he smiled internally, hoping that none of it could be seen on the outside. His powers of suggestion were working strongly. The entire table was at least in some part minorly still under his influence.

   Maestro challenged this somewhat as he asked, “But what of the magical spells you’ve been casting? You did not tell us you were a wizard, albeit a hedge wizard.”

   Tordrad’s ears pricked up at this and he leaned forward intently, gripping his axe under the table.

   Dieter became nervous at this and tried his best to hide it as he responded, “I suppose you could call me a hedge wizard yes, but not by choice. I don’t know I am casting these spells. In fact, I do not believe I am casting them at all. I think the creature inside of me is doing it. He is the caster! Everything I have ever witnessed him do though has been to the benefit of the group. I assure you, were he to do anything that I felt went against any of you, threatened any of you in any way I would remove myself from you at once, permanently if need be.”

   Tobias rubbed his chin in thought, “Well, there is some support for this, as I have never seen Dieter’s lips move to incant the winds of magic as one might. Nor have I seen any gestures or weavings on his part.”

   Maestro made a face of realisation at this and bowed his head in agreeance then spoke, “And my empathic channel never picked up on a lick of it either. I’ve never once had some spooky bizzare shadow or ghastly black tendrils come out instead of my own spell. That is the reason I do not travel with a wizard after all, for I would be influence by him after long enough. I am not with you.”

   Rissandrea nodded inteligently to all of what was being said and finally spoke to the rest of the party, “I truly do not believe Dieter is the enemy of this group. In fact, when I see him in battle, fighting side by side with all of you, I see how eager he is to protect his team. I truly believe what he says.” She then turned gratiously towards Dieter so as to not be rude and not leave him out as she spoke, “It is clear that you are the victim. We must be sympathetic to your ordeal. Were the witch hunters to get involved, you would probably be put to death. A victim of a crime, in this case a spiritual crime should not be the one punished. The victim should be supported. The best place to gain that support is the church. We must let the divine powers attempt to heal him before we discard him to the wolves. How does that proposition sit with you all?”

   Tordrad looked at the others of the group, starting to get the gist of the topic.

   Maestro spoke first, “No problem here. Like we figured, this thing is inside of Dieter, it isn’t who he is. We owe it to him to help him get rid of it. Though I do think you should have said something before.”

   Dieter lowered his head and replied, “And for that I apologise. I did not have faith in all of you enough to know for certain that you would try to help me rather than turn me in.”

   Maestro piped up cheerily in response, “Plus If there’s any sign of chaos that Tordrad doesn’t like, he will probably kill you himself or turn into a big bear and bite your head off.”

   “Thankyou for the comforting words” came Dieter’s reply. Everyone axcept Maestro couldn’t tell if the man was being sarcastic or not, as was usual with Dieter. But Maestro simply didn’t pick up on it in the first place, as was usual with Maestro.

   Tobias answered next, “Your dog is not scared of you. An animal has senses far keener than any halfling, so I will judge by Ulger’s example thus far and simply continue to watch your actions carefully.”

   At the mention of his name, Ulger looked up with a thoughtful look, instinctively knowing they were talking about him.

   Tobias continued, “Though I will add, if I see something I do not like, I will report it to the authorities at the first chance I get. Are we clear, Death?”

   Dieter paused long enough to stop himself making an angry remark at his name’s wrong pronunciation then finally said, “crystal clear Tobias...”

   Rissandrea smiled and added, “I will lead the investigation to root out what is wrong with you Dieter. As soon as I have the resources and position to instigate an appropriate investigatory procedure within the church establishment. I say appropriate because this particular case would require a number of resources that I would not be able to gain access to without alerting suspicion. Even the church of Shallya if it feared your actions may alert the city watch to stand on guard to protect themselves. That though is not the way of the Vhor sub-sect. And it is to that end that I have news for you all.”  The others looked at Rissandrea intently as she continued, “I will be leaving this party.”

   This created a number of shocked faces. Even Dieter’s mouth dropped open.

   The shallyan devotee continued, “I have returned to the place of my birth, having followed the will of my lady here. I have re-united myself with friends that I knew years ago. They are now members of the church here. But the vhor sub-sect holds no sway over this place. I believe that when Shallya gave me her insight, that she was giving blessing to the Vhor principle of thinking. I feel she has tasked me to create a vhor sect church here in Nuln, just as there is one in Altdorf. To do this, will take time, money and a lot of hard work. Therefore I must remain here to achieve this goal. While doing this, I can continue to persue my learning too and discover what power might lay within these hands, so that I may one day gift upon another, life and hope in the darkest of encounters where previously I would have been able to offer neither. I do not want to lose another living person again, knowing that Shallya willed his life essence to continue but that I am not up to the task.”

   Maestro spoke quickly, “But who will heal us on the road? In all of the bloody dangerous scrapes we get into?”

   Dieter replied, “I am a doctor in training too you know...and I will even throw in a nice shave at no extra cost.”

   This did not convince the wizard at all. Firstly because he was starting to become rather attached to his beard, or rather it was becoming attached to him at the very least, like beards usually would. That and the thought of Dieter with a cuthroat razor in his hand hovering over him...it just didn’t sit well with him somehow. It seemed these new revelations would be hard for him to completely swallow. But he would go along with Rissandrea’s wishes, for now at least, or at least until it looked like Dieter might actually become a danger to him.

   Tobias’s face fell, “We will miss you, m’lady.”

   Rissandrea put a hand on the halfling’s face, “Oh Tobias, I hate to leave you too. I implore you to stay with me and let me heal the scars you have endured. I am sure the others can go on without you. My assessment is that you need therapy. If we are staying put, I will be in a strong position to give just that.”

   Tobias answered, “I go where I am sent ma’am. The Emperor willed me here...because of Maestro. There is still a great matter I must preside over and it will affect the world. That is the will of the Emperor and the highest magisters of the Celestial College Seers. My wellbeing comes second to the needs of the world.”

   “Oh poor brave Tobias”, I will not be able to convince you, I see that now. But as soon as you are free of your shackles, come to me. Do you promise me that? Even your wife can stay in Nuln while I treat you here”.

   Tobias smiled at the thought of a future far removed from the neccasities of duty, “Of course. I will oblige you gratefully when that day comes.”

Extract from the diary of Maestro:

Day 119

I am uncomfortable with this. As a full magister of the order, it is my duty to tell the College of any hedge wizards I encounter, so that the correct enforcers might be summoned to apprehend them.

Hedge wizards are dangerous, they tell us. Being one is a dangerous offence indeed. The counter argument is that Dieter is not a magical caster at all. The point they are making is that the thing inside of him has the power. Tonight I saw an example of this, to verify it.

I saw Dieter exhibiting aura essences of the amethyst order. I know for a fact that a hedge wizard would not be able to summon that energy about his person. Then I remembered where he had encountered the lore of death...Gabrielle. Yes, the creature inside has feasted on her in some way, I truly believe that, and now it has absorbed some of that power. This goes some way to making me believe him now...

I will follow the advice of Tobias. If that meddlesome halfling isn’t going to turn Dieter in, I’m sure as heck not going to be considered more uptight than him!

Extract from the diary of Rissandrea:

Day 119

The others have stumbled upon an illegal gambling and fighting arena. One of the city watch showed them it and now it seems they want to attend. It also seems they want to take part...If I go with them, it will be to heal those who are wounded...what a foolish idea. I can understand that they want to let off some steam, but this surely cannot be a good idea, at any time!

Extract from the diary of Maestro:

Day 119

Now, I wouldn’t normally go along with this sort of thing, but the guards are even in on this so there’s no winning. In fact, running away now might cause suspician...oh my. It looks like I will have to put a few bets on then...to not stand out of course...Of course I’m not going to take part myself. I wouldn’t stand inside a fighting arena letting someone beat my face in.

Exctract from the diary of Tordrad:

Day 119

This is good! I want to fight in this. I have signed up for fighting tournament. I want to see how strong men of this Empire are.

Extract from the diary of Tobias:

Day 119

We discovered the fighting pit inside a warehouse on the docks district. When you go into the warehouse, you lift a section of the floor up to reveal stairs that lead down. There is no chance of anyone finding it down here.

I will be taking notes of all of this of course, then I will tell the authorities about it...

Extract from the diary of Dieter:

Day 119

I have surprised everyone by saying that I am signing up for the tournement. I don’t see a reason why this is unusual, although I suppose based on what they know of me I can see why they would be. They don’t really know what I’m about, this group.

I went to test myself against the others of this city. I want to feel the good honest taste of blood in my mouth, be it my own from being struck or my opponent’s if I bite him.

The others do not know what is going to hit them. Even if I don’t win, I will make them remember me...

Extract from the diary of Tobias:

Day 120

The night of round one is finally here...Yes, at first I thought I could pick their pockets while they watch, but no. They have given most of their money up as bets. Damn. There’s only one thing left for it. I’m pretty handy with my fists. I’ll just have to compete in this fighting arena too!

((Thanks for staying with the story. Why not vote for your fav character on the poll at fanfiction.net or the following warhammer forum sites: Chamber of the Everchosen, Da Warpath, The Herdstone, Bugman’s Brewery, The Daemonic Legion and Warseer. Remember, to vote in the poll on fanfiction.net, you can even access it via my user profile. Winners announced when the story as a whole concludes soon.))