Keehnelf wrote: ↑Tue May 07, 2024 8:31 pm "The sounds..." he begins. "Yes, they--they happened on Michaelmas evening, just after dusk." He looks like he would say more, but thinks better of it.
"Hubert, please tell us everything you know, or think. Your insights could be useful to solving your master's problems" cajoles Gertrude, wishing along with Arduin they had interrogated him in private. In response to an earlier comment, I didn't have her deliberately mangle his name. I just have a much poorer etiquette skill level than Gertrude.
Hubert sighs and is quiet for a long time before speaking.
“It was Michaelmas, and we had all been to Mass—Sir Simon, the gardener, the cook and myself. After Mass, the cook stayed behind to ask a question of the priest in regard to his liturgy, and the rest of us returned to the house.
“Some hours later the priest accompanied the cook back to the estate and stayed for a glass of wine with Sir Simon. After that, the priest and the cook went to the cottage because the cook had a question about infernal influence—she had said the stove in the cottage was acting up and worried that a nefarious spirit might have invaded it. They discussed for some time, then the cook returned to the house while the priest remained at the cottage.
“He stayed there until well after dark—and just after sundown I heard the unearthly noises arise. The shrieks almost turned my hair white! They persisted for at least a half hour, howls and wails and such carrying-on, until finally the priest, looking mightily disheveled, emerged without a word and departed for the village.
"I believe that the priest fought with the infernal spirit that had invaded the cottage, and was somehow overcome--and when he went away, he too was corrupted by its influence.”
He appears to be mostly telling the truth, but he seems uncertain or potentially self-conscious (or even dishonest) about the conclusion he offers.
Gertrude listens thoughtfully. "Your information is appreciated, Hubert. One final question...why are you hesitant to share details with us? You can trust us, we will not place you in peril. Or is it embarrassment...or fear?"
Go ahead and make a Presence + Persuasion check (ease factor 9) to convince him to be candid with you.
Introducing a new mechanic you haven't seen yet, which is a limiting skill. You can only use as much Persuasion as you also have Folk Ken to contribute to this roll.
Hubert sighs once again but finally relents, not looking toward Simon.
“I hesitate because many of the details of these events could lead someone to impugn the honor of the cook—and some have. But she is innocent in this matter!”
Curiouser and curiouser… Arduin listened with interest to Hubert’s further confessions. The priest’s apparent involvement was a wrinkle.
“We speak with the cook next. Pray tell Hubert of her innocence, and any other details you recall.” The magus couldn't resist adding: ”For the devil may be in the details .”
Gertrude hesitates to ask, but feels she must. "Hubert, I have an indelicate question for you, but I ask only because it is necessary to get to the truth of the matter. Are you positive the shrieks came from the cottage after the cook left? I understand you wish to protect the innocent cook's reputation and standing. It will go no further than here, as we cannot hold her responsible for falling under the sway of an influential priest."
Hubert frowns at the pair's questions. Be stands straighter and becomes almost strident as he responds. "This kind of question is exactly what I was afraid of. The cook has a fancy for the priest--or had, anyway--but she's a woman of virtue. The shrieks that came from that cottage were carnal ones, aye, you've understood the right of it. But I know of a fact that the cook returned to the house before they started. That lousy priest is on the block for fornication, and rightly so--but it's fornication with a beast from Hell, true enough, and not with our dear cook that is his sin!"
"Thank you, Hubert. Protecting an innocent woman's reputation is important, as is getting to the truth of the matter here. This will remain between us. I have no further questions for you, Hubert. You are dismissed if Arduin has no further questions for you."
Simon, uninvested in the feelings of his servants around this particular topic, assents to the pair questioning the cook alone. He welcomes her in, and then departs to another wing of the house.
The cook is a slightly older woman, perhaps in her early to mid 40s. She is plainly dressed in a canvas dress and apron spotted with grease-stains and a modesty cap. Her face is lined with care and a dour frown dominates her expression, but it is clear that she was once a very beautiful woman and much of that still clings to her despite her obvious wear and modest garb.
She curtseys awkwardly to the pair and awaits the questions, her eyes on the floor.
Arduin thought it wise to proceed slowly with the cook Julia de Childe, letting her offer her story and thoughts before confronting the woman with the tougher questions.
“Julia, thank you for talking with us. My name is Arduin and this is Gertrude. Simon has sung your culinary praises. We hope to sample your cuisine this evening at dinner. We are investigating the disturbance in the cottage and were hoping to hear what you may know.”
“So when did you first hear the strange noises in the cottage and see the unnatural growth? Do you have any theories as to how it came about?”
Julie (I was going to call her Isolde, but Julie works ) looks guiltily around the room before responding, avoiding eye contact entirely.
"Hu--the footman says he thinks it's a demon what got on with Father LeFevre, the priest. I don't rightly know, but surely the sound was coming out from the cottage the evening he and me were in there together. I'll admit what as I have had many urges since my husband, Fabien, Lord rest him, passed on six years ago, but I've never acted on them, nossirs and yer ladyship. I come close that day, tempted I was by the Devil hisself, but when Father LeFevre touched my shoulder and I could feel his sweaty hand I knew the right of what I was doing, and the wrong, and caused a bit of a ruckus giving his greasy palms the slip, so to speak.
"I came out to the house and straight to bed, and was right terrified by the noises. I bethought myself that it was just the rage of the Devil that was in the priest that night, and he went away all in a mess, so the footman says. Only a couple days later did the word get round that the Father had been laying his hands on other ladies, perhaps--not so much widowed as myself, if you understand me--and the Devil that was in him at Michaelmas might have put his demon seed in another wife's belly!"
She stops abruptly, and sobs softly to herself, wiping her eyes with one corner of her apron.
Arduin pondered the connection if any between the unnatural growth and the priest’s allegedly lascivious behavior. The growth seemed indicative of fey magic, while the priest possession or influence seemed infernal in nature. A rural clergyman would know better than to sow his oats in his own field of parishioners. Perhaps he was under malevolent influence. Or maybe a just a drunkard.
“Julie, do you know when is the priest scheduled to hang?”
Last edited by Grognardsw on Thu May 16, 2024 3:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
"Julie. Your name is fitting. Only a single letter away from jolie."'jolie' is french for 'pretty.'
Gertrude smiles at the cook. "Now Julie, I am going to ask you a question. But first, I want to assure you I do not believe you acted improperly. You should be able to assume that a man of God would act accordingly, and you did not invite his advances on yourself. With that stated clearly, can you describe in detail what you were seeking your priest's assistance with? Was there a problem in the cottage?"
Julie casts her eyes to the garden window, where the lengthening shadows show the day drawing quickly to a close. "Sunrise tomorrow, is what I've heard."
She sighs. "Yes, the gardner had told me his stove was acting up and the day before Michaelmas...It's almost hard to describe, though I told the priest about it already so I know what I know. Here it is: I'd tried to cook some porridge on it the afternoon the gardner tole me it was acting out, but in the middle of the cooking the door burst open all on its own, and even though the flames was roaring mightily, things felt queer and dark and cold all around me! I sort of quivered and I don't mind admitting I was quite afraid, and spent a moment covering in the corner until whatever it is passed. When the flames died down and the stove closed up of its own accord, I went back to it, and though the porridge had been boiling away just a moment afore, suddenly it was cold as a stone! With them roaring flames in the stove and all. I tossed it out, of course--nobody wants eating a meal that might be demon-tainted, you know.
"All's the same, I did leave the cottage feeling a bit light-headed, and I blamed it mostly on the fright I'd had. I mentioned it to Hu--the footman, and he recommended chatting with the priest about it on the morrow, while we'd be in town. So I did, and he agreed to come back to the estate to investigate. When we was out at the cottage, though, I felt a bit off. Now, as I said, I've always had a bit of a fancy on the priest, improper though it is, and I'd never do nothing about it. But that afternoon, my womanly parts felt downright wild! Itchy and hot and encouraging me toward sin of the worst sort."
She blushes, then rubs at her nose. "Don't worry none about me--I'm contrite and I've repented myself many times over my unseemly thoughts since that day, though the urges hain't repeated themselves since neither."
"Anyways, that was about the time the priest got a fancy on me as well and made his advances, which I gathered myself enough to push off...mostly...and make my way out with most of my virtue intact."
She sighs heavily. "That enough details for ye, then?"
Gertrude does her best to avoid flinching as Julie mentions her flaming womanly parts. The common tongue can be so uncouth!
"Yes, that is quite enough detail, Julie, thank you. A very curious tale of the porridge. I will not hold you from your duties any longer. Arduin, have you any other questions?"
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