[IC] Tricksters and Theives: A Warhammer RP

[POOHEAD189]

Neil's breath produced puffs of steam not unlike the Imperial Steamtanks just outside the academy's walls. The last dying struggles of winter were upon them, sending one more cold-front before the lushness of spring. To most, it was time to look forward to future farm work and fertility celebrations. For Neil it meant maintenance, repair, and a shit ton of exams. Luckily, most exams were actual working assessments of his inventions, but he was getting a little impatient for gunnery target practice. Just another month and he could blow up a few stone walls and at the end of the next year, get his degree finally. As of right now, he was attempting to perfect his latest invention; a timed cannon. A cannon that ignited and fired its payload every day at a certain point. He was still working out the kinks, and clocks were a bitch to rig up, but he felt like he was well on his way to making a completely autonomous city 'bell' for noonday.

The room he was in was made of thin wood, just outside the stone workshop his Master worked within. Master Gunter could be said to have Neil both at arm's length and kept him on a short leash. After the last detonation, he didn't want Neil working on anything within enclosed stone walls. Couldn't really blame the old man. Word had it Countess Emmanuel was going to visit within a few days to kick off Black Powder Week. Neil, and most of the other problem engineers were going to assigned far away during that meeting, which was a shame. Neil had wanted to flirt with her ever since he saw her in that parade on Magnus the Pious's nameday two years ago.

The sound of clinking brass filled his ears as he screwed in another bit on the cast iron, the smell of sulphur and gunpowder from the casks set a few yards away from him filling his nostrils. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, bumping into the goggles set on his forehead. He would finish in time, he just had to stay up tonight and keep working on it. In two days he planned on moonlighting a bit more in the Old Quarter. His bills were barely paid from the scholarship he had received in Marienburg, and he could barely afford to eat.

His work and 'recreational' activities gave him a lean, fit body. Even with the black soot on his face, he was boyishly charming, though handsome was going too far. Neil had a youthful gift, always looking a few years younger than he actually was. Technically he could have lied about his age, but in this instance it did well to tell the truth on being in his mid-twenties. Applicants over twenty one were able to get a hold of more volatile chemicals without certain boring tutorials the youngest students had to deal with. If one could prove they knew the literature that was. Neil might not be the most well read, but when he wanted something he practiced enough to be good at it.

Sweat beaded on his nose, and outside the gas from the new forges were creeping in through the cracks of the timber workroom. He hacked up a cough. He leaned back and patted his chest with a fist, wheezing. "Think I've been in here a bit too long," He remarked. He needed a new wrench anyway to finish up the attachment, and cleared his throat as he stood up. He set his stuff down and opened the door into the main gunnery shop where his master resided. Neil had a small hall to walk down, and he heard his master's voice. He wondered who he was speaking to...?

[Penny]

"Get up you lazy scut!" Albrecht called through the stone linteled doorway. There was a groan from the pile of blankets that covered a pallet in the corner. Heartlessly the wizard, an old man with a bald patte covered in liver spots, began to bang his copper wrapped flaggon on the stones with a metallic clang. The groan from the blankets rose in pitch and a moment later a pale hand appeared, snapping like the arm of a trebuchet and launching a wooden soled shoe in the general direction of the door. Used to his student's tactics, Albrect stepped behind the door and waited for first one and then the second shoe to sail past, clattering against the stone wall beyond. When he poked his head around the corner, cautiously in case she had bottles or other such ordinance at her disposal, a young woman had appeared in the center of the mass of bedding, her golden blond hair cascading around her in an untidy mane and a thick blanket pulled up to cover her impressive breasts. She glared at him with blue eyes which were narrowed in peevish irritation.

"If you are quite finished Emmaline?" Albrecht inquired dryly. She spat a curse at him which would have been better suited to the Marienburg docks than to a wizards apprentice.

"That seems anatomically unlikely," Albrecht replied, "now are you going to get up or should I find a bell to ring?"

"Fine!" Emmaline snapped, pressing the heel of her right hand to her eyes and cursing the wine she had been drinking the night before. The rich Ostland vintage was a far less pleasant companion the next day it seemed. Once he was convinced she wasn't going to go back to sleep Albrecht turned and headed back the way he came pausing to call over his shoulder.

"Now get yourself ready, I think today might be the day Von Griffenbach bites!"

The dwelling, it wasn't really proper to call it a house, had begun life as a guard tower on the walls of Nuln centuries ago. As the city had swelled it had outgrown its old walls and they had fallen into disrepair. Vast sections of the old fortifications had been torn down, scavanged for their stones, but here and there vestiges like this remained. It was too cold and drafty to be an attractive dwelling for any but the most desperate. Cracked roof tiles let in the rain and ancient mortar allowed the wind to howl between stones. It had become their dwelling by virtue of being cheap and by appealing to a wizards natural inclination to a tower, though mostly the former. Albrect had used his magic to seal the worst of the cracks, and the fire they kept in the central room went some way towards banishing the chill, but Emmaline hadn't felt really warm since she had arrived in Nuln a month ago.

Climbing out of bed she crossed the room naked, casting a look to the door to make sure the lecherous old wizard wasn't watching. She was a statuesque woman, blessed with the large heavy breasts and broad hips of the Unborgen archetype and narrow waisted in a distinct hourglass. Her features were beautiful though perhaps a touch softer than what might be considered aristocratic. There was a lushness to her form that would have suited her as a model for a painter like Eichman or Van der Trat. Indeed she had modled for several artists in Altdorf in the last few years when money had been particularly tight. Having come to the College of Magic rather unwillingly at the age of sixteen she had been Albrecht's 'apprentice' for the past four years, though the old man had chosen her for her looks and her utility. Emmaline's magical talents were at best moderate, and Albrecht's instruction was patchy at best, more generally consisting of things he didn't want to do himself that could be fobbed off on his apprentice. The old man was a kindred spirit of sorts. They both had a taste for the finer things which they could not afford, and they both found it easier to use their gifts and cunning to make money rather than commit themselves to serious study. A little bit of magic could be very handy in convincing fools to part with their gold.

"Much as I appreciate the view, don't be all morning about it," Albrecht called from the doorway. Emmaline turned and made a rude guesture, refusing to rise to give her master the pleasure of upsetting her, it wasn't as though he had never seen her naked afterall. In the corner of the room stood a large tub fashioned from a halved gunpowder keg. The water inside was clear and though it hadn't formed a rhyme of ice, was freezing cold. Emmaline took a rock from an improvised shelf and began to chant, gathering the gold wind around her. After a moment she dropped the rock into the tub. At first nothing happened, but then the water began to bubble around the stone, warmth began to radiate from the tub until it was warm enough that Emmaline could step in without yelping.

"Maybe you could make yourself useful and get me some breakfast?" Emmaline suggested, the now hot water easing away the chill in her bones and banishing the last of the alcholic fog which had clung to her mind. Albrecht snorted in disgust.

"Sounds like something an apprentice should be doing," he huffed. He smoothed his trousers removing the evidence that he had indeed been enjoying the view. He tried to haruumph with offended dignity but it was only partially successful.

"Well the apprentice is taking a bath and then she will have to wash her hair, and then squeeze into a corset, and then..."

"Yes, yes by Ranald's Balls," he grumbled, before turning he added, "I think we have some bread and cheese back here..."

____________________________________

The con was, at its heart, a fairly simple one, but then all tricks were simple once you knew how they were done.

"Oh Otto darling, are you sure?" Emmaline asked. She was dressed in a gown of current Altdorf fashion, embroided red velvet over a white underlayer with a long skirt of alternating black and gray. Although she wore several pieces of jewelery, the gown was the most expensive article of the ensemble. Gold they could fake, good quality fabric they had to buy. Her hair was done up in an elaborate series of curls that had taken her most of the morning to achieve without the help of a maid. Otto Von Banstuf, a slightly pudgy man in his late thirties, patted her arm reassuringly.

"If my master engineer here can assure me that we can reopen the mine, then I think I may be able to strike a bargain with this Pendergast fellow," Otto drawled self importantly. Pendergast of Altdorf was a respected member of the Imperial Metallurgical Society, well known in the small circles in which he ran. Of course he would probably be horrified to learn he was being impersonated by a disreputable wizard to swindle the gullible. Emmaline had come to Nuln two weeks earlier than Albrecht, passing herself of as Marguerite von Vissenbach, an entirely fictitious young aristocrat, the the von Vissenbach family was real enough. They had recently been lifted from obscurity by a renewal in their long dissipated family fortune. The source of this newfound wealth was the source of much speculation. Some claimed they had become secret favorites of the Emperor's advisers, others claimed they had made a dark pact with the followers of Chaos. The reality was that they were secretly funding expeditions to Lustria and were growing fat on the gold that came back over the seas, but for an Imperial family of the von Vissenbach's antiquity, openly admitting to 'trade' was unthinkable. There was another rumor going around, in very limited circles in Nuln, that they had been able to make their ancient tin mines turn a profit by producing modest amounts of silver. Emmaline knew of the last because she and Albrecht had been carefully spreading it around for Otto's benefit. When Otto had finally approached her at a rout three nights ago, she had feigned reluctance to discuss it, making on the sparsest of illusions which would convince him of what he wanted to believe. 'Marguerite' and 'Pendergast' where never seen together, though when sufficiently plied with drink and compliments Marguerite admitted that she had heard of such a man calling on her father. When Otto had finally sought out the faux Pendergast, Albrecht had been equally reluctant to deal with the ambitious Von Banstuf, pleading that he was far to busy and had too many other commitments. Finally, 'reluctantly' he had agreed to inspect some of the ore from the ancient and played out mines that Von Banstuf held the title too. Miraculously the ore had turned out to be perfect for Pendergast's new mining technique and he had demonstrated it to Otto. In reality one of the liquids used in the process was a silver vitriol compound which had been used to plate a pebble infront of Otto's eyes. Albrecht had then used simple slight of hand to switch the pebble out for a small nugget of real silver in the same shape. Otto had it tested by a silver smith and had been amazed that it was genuine. Now all that remained was to convince him to reopen the mine and put Pendergast in charge of setting up his new process. Unfortunately, Otto had insisted on consulting an engineer about the project before he would hand over a single Imperial.

"All we need to know, is can the old sawgrass mines be reopened, even partially," Otto repeated to the engineer. Emmaline smiled behind her mask of vapid amazement. He was on the hook, and with any luck they would be able to rob him blind before ever he knew what was going on.

[POOHEAD189]

Master Gunter rubbed his hairy chin, not expecting such a visit so early in the year. He was the sort of man that always looked displeased, even when in a fair mood. Perhaps it was the stone shape of his chin or his drab eyes that looked wrought of iron. He could have looked much like a judiciary official rather than a master engineer, though he wore the title well. Otto and he had done business at least a dozen times in the past, but something felt a bit off about this visit. Not that he was going to cause any trouble, this is what they paid him for after all. That and the training of gunnery crews. The air was a tad stuffy and thick from the constant work within its walls, but relatively warm thanks to the distant fires and clever system of rafters they had installed when the building was built. What was less comfortable was this question Otto had presented him. Weren't these mines closed by decree due to the greenskin infestation? He'd heard grumblings on it by the Dwarfs that worked over in their quarter.

"Otto, I'm not sure if I'm the one who could-" He began, but the pudgy man was insistent.

"I've already cleared everything, I just need to know if I have the Master's approval," Otto repeated, eyeing him. That took Gunter back for a moment, clearly unused to being interrupted by the man. His eyes moved back to the woman behind the fellow. Gunter had never been one to be enchanted by a nice pair of legs, but he knew a beautiful woman when he saw one. She looked noble enough, however. Maybe he wasn't giving Gunter enough credit. The man could handle himself.

With a sigh, and he nodded. "Let me get my books and check for you." He said, turning around just as a younger man with a wiley look to his eye stepped out from the backroom.

"Hey, Master Gunter do you have a 3/6 wrench I could borrow?" He began, before his eyes opened wide at Otto and his lovely companion so casually standing before the counter. Inevitable, his eyes focused on Emmaline despite the clear knowledge on who and what Otto Von Banstuf represented. It took the two older men to realize the sudden noise wasn't a steam engine going off, but an appreciative and rather suggestive whistle from Neil. As their less than pleased gazes fell on him, he seemed to not notice. His eyes glinted like agates in the firelight, and he gave pointed at the (to his knowledge) noblewoman without any proper ettiquete. "Is she a student here?"

"No she's not a student here!" the master roared, about to give him a proper scolding before he calmed himself, present company stifling most of his anger. He pinched the bridge of his nose, looking very much like the 'thinking man' statues that lined Nuln's famous library near the palace. Neil had been there before... but not when it was open. He pushed that to the back of his mind so he could face the irate look of his betters. "While you're here, make yourself useful. Go in the back and grab the logs on the eastern mines. Should be on the top shelf to the left, do it before I take your apprenticeship and throw it in the fires."

"Ok, I'm sorry!" Neil replied, holding his hands up and sliding back. One might think he would have bumped into the back wall, but either he had been here enough or had eyes in the back of his head, he backed away perfectly and gave a sweeping bow to the guests. If Emmaline had sharp eyes, she would see he gave a wink under his messy dark hair. Once he had slipped away, his head began to crank like the clock he'd been tinkering with. Somehow he could use what was happening to his advantage. If he could only get the cobwebs dusted off the right side of his brain. His left side had been dominate the past few months thanks to these assignments. Well, he would at least get the book while he plotted. In less than a minute, he grabbed two volumes, not knowing exactly which one was the correct list and brought it back obediently, slamming them on the counter.

"Now about that wen-uh wrench..."

[Penny]

Emmaline watched as the young man returned with a pair of books. Both were heavy crude things bound with coarse twine and wrapped in simply cured leather. The sour faced old engineer grabbed the nearer of the two and pulled it open.

"Never mind wrenches right now Neil," Gunter told the apprentice, some of the earlier animus had left his voice. Not so much because he wasn't irritated with Neil but because he lions share of his attention had been transfered to the book. The parchment fluttered as he leafed through it, turning the hand written pages to reveal columns of figures, maps, schematics of pumps and other records. Gunter picked up a pair of glasses and peered through them.

"Mine closed by order of Master Engineer Grimwold... ah that drunken old sot... on the basis that the yield of ore was no longer profitable and frequent cave ins," Gunter read, following his place with a stubby fingertip.

"Steady decrease in yield over the past decade before closing, looks like they replaced beams shortly before they closed it, several exploratory tunnels dug, probably when they got desperate to find new veins of ore," Gunter looked up from his work.

"I have to say Herr Von Banstuf, Grimwold was a drunk but he knew his business, based on this I cannot imagine that reopening the mine is profitable."

"But would it be safe Master Gunter?" Otto pressed. Gunter blew out a long breath, clearly viewing the whole business as a waste of time.

"If it isn't safe Otto perhaps..." Emmaline began uncertainly. There was an art to being negative, it encouraged the mark to be decisive so long as one wasn't to emphatic.

"And surely ten thousand marks a year isn't worth..." Otto turned and gave her a patronizing smile.

"Marguerite dear, why dont you wait outside while the men talk," he told her gently but firmly. Emmaline blanked her face as though slightly offended and then turned and stepped outside into the chilly afternoon. A slight smirk lifted the corners of her mouth. This was almost too easy.

[POOHEAD189]

Neil opened his mouth to speak, not once but twice during the conversation, but it was clear they were discussing business. Shrugging, he decided to look around the desks and drawers around the Master to see if he could find what he needed to finish his project, the sliding and closing of the drawers every few moments drew on until his superior gave him a look that told him to leave their presence in no uncertain terms. He might be tonedeaf when he was focused on something, but here he took the cue quickly and bowed out, confused at to what exactly he should be doing at the moment.

"Let's look back at the records before the closing," Gunter reasoned, continuing his conversation as Neil glanced back and saw the woman stepping out. His eyes went from her to his master, to Otto, to the woman, and then behind him. He knew immediately he was going to go and talk to her more candidly. What else was he expected to do? There wasn't a rule against it, even if he'd be scolded for it. He just needed a way to walk past his master without being noticed. So he decided to do what he did best: Went around back and hopped the wall onto the street.

As he clambered up the stone wall, using his dexterous fingers to find the slightest holds before he crested the twelve foot obstacle, he was about to swing his legs over when a voice behind him called up to him.

"Oi, boy! What the hells do you think you're doing?" He heard, the voice about as rough as coal. Neil turned back to see Moradar the Dwarf out in the yard, holding an anvil in his brawny hands. Neil opened his mouth to speak yet again, trying to find the right excuse. A lost wrench wouldn't work. No explosions had just occurred, and nothing had been shot over the wall. The young man had been caught entirely red handed. Where had that Dwarf been to sneak up on him like that?

"I'm doing something I shouldn't be doing!" He called down, which caused the Dawi to erupt in laughter.

"Well, as long as yer honest with me, lad. Go on and go about your business!" He declared surprisingly. Dwarfs were keen on law and custom, but honesty as well it seemed. Neil made a mental note to give that Dwarf some help in the future. Right now, however, he had a golden woman to talk to.

It was Ranald's luck his feet didn't sink into any garbage; the cobblestones beneath his feet wet and grimy, but not entirely filled with waste. A few steps ahead lead him out into the open street, and he kicked his feet on the curb to make sure nothing was on them. Cool, nothing. He longed for the day he could afford to buy new shoes, new clothes, something big to eat. He glanced to his right and noticed his mark, curious on if it was prudent to steal something from her while her back was turned. No, he didn't come out here to thieve, at least yet. Beautiful noblewomen were a bit more rare than a loose purse, after all. This one was also smirking for some reason. Interesting.

"They make me wait out in the cold too." He said to announce himself, sliding up to her. He sported a brown jacket over his usual linen shirt, but even that wouldn't be warm enough once the sun began to fall. He pulled his open jacket a bit further closed as he smiled. "Are you new to Nuln? You've got the look of a Reikland girl."

[Penny]

"Shyalla's..." Emmaline bit back the remainder of the oath as the apprentice from inside suddenly appeared beside her. How he had managed that without coming through the door behind her she couldn't imagine. She took a deep breath and composed herself, trying to think of what a noblewoman would do in such a situation. Probably ignore the impertinence with a lofty sniff, but she was bored and her part in the con already played, or nearly so.

"No one made me do anything," she said in a lofty tone. It hung there for a moment before she softened.

"I am from Altdorf yes," she confirmed, shivering slightly at the chill in the air. It was amazing that beween he peticoat, the dress and corset that she could still be cold.

"Marguerite von Vissenbach."

[POOHEAD189]

"Altdorf? I like it." He said, taking no notice of her playing the part of an effete aristocrat. They said Reikland had the finest wine, richest palaces, and the fairest women. He never paid much attention to the rumors, but he was starting to believe. It was tough being this close to someone he thought had a fair chance of having gold on them, but he kept his hands from any pockets. Anyone that had to be near old Otto deserved a bit of a break. Plus any theft would inevitably lead back to him. "I went through there once, but it was only for a day. It's a lot like Nuln, actually." He looked up at the towering spires above them, and despite the dirtied alleys, the fair smell of the river wafted before every door.

"That's a lofty name. I'm surprised you don't have any guardsmen following you around. Even near the academy, there's a few ne'er-do-wells about." He said, winking. It really was suspicious, but he hadn't entirely guessed what was happening yet. He noticed her shiver again, and wondered if this was entirely frowned upon. She might claim she wasn't sent out, but either way she was out here not by choice, like he was. Without making a show of it, he slid his jacket off and felt the crisp air land on his arms as he slid it on her shoulders. "Here you go." He'd only be out for a few minutes, anyway.

"I'm from Marienburg. Not a bad place if you can toss some cards and play some dice." He said, watching her to see if she noticed the turn of phrase. "Came here for a better life, but so far it's been...fashionably late in showing up."

[Penny]

"Thank you Herr... Neil is it?" she asked. Details were the key to any successful con so she had noted his name when Gunter spoke it, but it almost always paid to appear to know less than you did. It wasn't likely that the contact would amount to anything, nothing good certainly as the most likely outcome was for Otto to take offense at a guild apprentice talking to his supposedly aristocratic date. She wondered if she could use that to her advantage but it seemed a crude and clumsy intrusion into a plan that seemed to be progressing well enough already.

"As for guards, why I am under the protection of Graf Otto Von Banstuf, surely no one would dare interfere with me. The words were delivered with an utter lack of inflection that made it exceedingly difficult to know if they were meant seriously or as a joke. Otto was, no doubt, good at drinking and spending money and perhaps whipping the odd servant, but Emmaline didn't imagine he had any martial talents.

"As for Nuln," she said, pulling the coat around her shoulders, the effect slightly ridiculous with the elaborate gown.

"I haven't been here long but it has its attractions I suppose," she told him, her body all but trembling from the presence of so much iron and steel. It didn't have the effect on her gold did, but the awareness of so much metal was a natural part of being a wizard of the Gold College, even a fairly worthless one.

[POOHEAD189]

Even outside the walls of the Gunny College, the street was filled with labor. Couriers running to send missives whilst men hauled sacks of flour and barrels of what one could only guess onto carts or into various establishments. The only two people out there that seemed to have little to do at the current moment were the thief and the con-woman, or the engineer and the artistocrat. In the distance, shots could be heard. Startling to newcomers, but Neil knew they were dry shots to test various concoctions for Black Powder Week. Unfortunately, he was on probation from last year's debacle, so once he finished this latest project he had little to do.

"Under his protection, of course." He said, as much to himself as the pretty woman. She was either very sheltered, or a very big liar. Both were honestly possible, the former more likely. But for some reason there was an itch he just had to scratch. At the mention of Nuln, he continued. "It certainly does, Frauline...The Palace, the Old Quarter, the River that brings in barges filled with travelers, merchants, materials... gold."

He watched her eyes intently as the word lingered, the barest hint of a smile on his lips. After a moment, he continued so breathlessly nonchalant it would tip off a con artist or breeze entirely past the very ignorant. "To you it might not seem like much but, five hundred pounds of gold every chest is a huge temptation to someone like me. If I were a less moral man that might be something I would try and capitalize on, especially since I found a shipment log on the schedule in the back."

As if he plucked it out of thin air, Neil held up a parchment that at first glance indeed looked like it had shipping dates on it. What it had been doing in the mining logs was another question, or maybe he had been planning it for awhile? Or maybe it was all just a lie. But then again, why would he lie about something like that? Truth be told, it was perfect timing on the shipment's part. It was arriving just when Black Powder week was beginning, which meant even the guards were going to focused on the boom of the cannon and the light show that night, drowning out any sound a thief might make and keeping them occupied until the next morning.

"But pay no heed to a knave like me. I'm certain Otto Von Banstuf and his Sawdust mine are fanciful enough for a proper lady such as yourself."

[Penny]

The mention of gold made Emmaline's eyes light up in spite of her best efforts. She suspected that Neil was simply boasting, perhaps to make her think that he was more than a simple engineer's apprentice. And maybe he was given how he had appeared beside her as if from thin air. Before she could reply however the door banged open.

"Neil get in here!" Gunter snapped. Emmaline followed him inside. Otto saw the coat around her shoulders and then looked at Neil his eyes narrowing slightly. The old engineer thrust out the book towards the apprentice, looking weary and irritated.

"I don't think it is a good idea but Herr Von Banstuf has his heart set on opening the old mine," The engineer began puffing irritably at a pipe and sending stream of smoke into the air.

"Seeing you are banned from Blackpowder Week, I want you to take him out there and inspect the place, should keep you out of trouble," Gunter concluded, his eyes lingering on Emmaline and her borrowed coat when he spoke the word 'trouble'.

[POOHEAD189]

Neil smiled slyly at the twinkle in her eyes, but she didn't bite. Not immediately at least. Ranald saw fit to throw him a tails, because his boss came out and found him right there in the street. He could feel his progress skid to a stop with her. Which wasn't the worst of it, of course. He could feel the weight of Master Gunter's gaze on him, the implication he likely had to look for him out back first before realizing he jumped the wall wasn't lost on him. He would pay for it tonight, but the order had him perking up. He supposed he was qualified...

"Uh, sure. I mean, yes Master," Neil said, bowing to him. He glanced at Otto, who looked at him past his pudgy nose. Neil tried not to notice.

"Good, you leave tomorrow."

---

The next morning.

The South Gate was one the eastern part of the river, and luckily for Neil it was just beside the Industrial Sector, which surrounded the Gunnery School like a protective wall of commerce. Even early in the morn, smoke and steam wafted into the sky and guards were posted, wielding the famous Wissenland Halberds that gleamed in the rising sun. If Neil worked anywhere other than the Gunnery School, he would have been late. The scoundrel had spent all night on his autonomous cannon, and he hadn't even had the time to test it yet. The last few hours of darkness he had some meager sleep, and he popped up just in time for the early morning bell. Usually it was an annoyance, but it served him well today.

Neil walked into view of the small convoy with just his linen shirt and his breeches, along with a small sack which had a blanket he could use if needed. That, and his custom flintlock pistol he had made himself, neatly tucked into the back of his trousers. Carefully he had hid a knife in his sock as well. It always paid to be careful, even for someone as reckless as Neil the Marienburger. Marguerite von Vissenbach had kept his jacket at his offer, telling her she could give it back when she didn't need it anymore. As much to irk Otto and to keep her warm than any kind of flirtation on his part. A dog ran out in front of Neil, looked at him curiously, then scampered off into the next alleyway. Neil smiled at the pup and waved, and kept moving. People walked past him, some even bumping into him and telling him things like "shove off!" or "watch it, herr idiot!" but he paid them no mind.

Turning the corner, he saw the two wagons Otto had procured for their expedition, the Metallurgist and his 'date' sitting at the helm of one of them. Unlike yesterday, there were armed men about with them, though all worked for the city it seemed. Nuln's golden and black colors on their plumed hats and tabards would stand out amongst the brush, but at least they were armored with brigandines. Curious how the lady did not provide her own household guard again.

"Morning!" He announced simply, having slipped up to them without much notice until he leaped onto the siderail of the cart. Otto gasped and squealed like a pig at the sudden appearance of Neil's smiling face right beside his.

"You! Where the hells have you been, boy!? We've been waiting!" He scolded, taking a horse whip and trying to thwap at the engineer, who promptly and easily dodged and leaped off the cart to his feet on the stone street.

"You said sunrise, so here I am." Neil replied, shrugging.

[Penny]

Emmaline concealed a smile at Otto's irritation behind a gloved hand. By nature she was not an early riser but Otto had asked her to come Albrecht had insisted that she accompany him. The previous evening Otto had finally given 'Pendergast' a letter to draw on his account in order to prepare the supplies he would need to set up his foundry. By the middle of the day ALbrecht would have produced a series of fake contracts to cover the fact that he had pocketed the money. So long as Otto wasn't in town to ask around, there was no chance the scam would be discovered. By this evening Emmaline hoped to be on a boat back to Altdorf, hoping to get her share before Albrecht could blow it all gambling and whoring. After some consideration she had opted not tell Albrect about Neil's scheme. It wasn't the sort of job on which he was likely to do anything other than take an unreasonable share of any profit. Besides it served him right for making her come on this stupid early morning wagon ride.

The pair of wagons rolled through the south gate and onto the paved road which lead south to the low hills in the distance. There was little competion on the roads. It was months yet till harvest and what few wagons they encountered were bringing firewood and forage into town. Merchants carting good from Nuln to the outlying hamlets usually left before dawn so that they could avoid paying the gate tolls.

"Have you given any more thought too my offer Frauline Vissenbach?" Otto asked, giving Neil, who had climbed up onto their wagon rather than the one he had been directed to, an irritated look.

"I'm afraid that my father will need to approve of any match dearest," she said mournfully, "but I'm sure when your mine is producing silver he won't object!" The words sounded breathless with excitement at the prospect of marriage to so suitable a man as Otto Von Banstuf. Truthfully, she doubted the real Von Vissenbach's would have anything to do with Otto and his family even if they did strike it rich. They were after all parvenu by the standards of the great families of the Capital. Otto clasped her hand and returned his eyes to the treeline as the road began to rise into the hills. Emmaline caught Neil's eye and, moved by mischief, gave him a very improper wink.

[POOHEAD189]

Neil might be in the wagon, but he wasn't going to interrupt this brilliant theater. Whether she was lying or not, it amused him seeing Otto trying to bag a woman. So out of Neil's experience of the disapproving, ambitious man. For Neil's part, he laid back on some of the bagged material, hands behind his head. He let the sun keep him warm and the short walls of the wagon keep the wind off of him. One look his way and it just screamed 'laziness' to someone like Otto. He kept his ears perked and his eyes on them, however. When Emmaline caught his eye and winked, it was unexpectedly thrilling. He gave a grin and winked back, thinking the trip might be a bit more fun than he originally planned.

"So..." Neil said, settling his crossed arms on the rim just behind them and right between them. Otto scowled and Emmaline stifled a giggle. Neil wasn't a hunk, but the sun in his eyes made him fairly picturesque, even with his messy hair. They were headed east, but the road had to curve which set them just before the western sun. "It's Silver that we're looking for, yeah? Or, that I'm looking for-"

"You are looking for nothing, young man." Otto growled, keeping his voice down so as not to startle his fair guest. "Save to see if the mine is running. I will have you know it would be my right to strip you of your apprenticeship if I see fit, boy. Now go sit back down!"

"Ok, but I just wanted to ask about, boundaries." He explained, clearly ignoring the last order. He gave a vague gesture as if trying to teach a layman his invention for his 'dissertation.' "So what if I'm in there and I happen on some silver, like a nugget of the stuff. Finders keepers, right?" Otto's face turning red and Neil's lip buttoning looked out of an Altdorf Press Comic.

"Absolutely not!" He cried at Neil.

"Well, what if I was to give it to the lady?" He asked, indicating her with his hands, wiggling his brow for a moment.

[Penny]

Emmaline wondered if the scam would still work if Otto burst a blood vessel and died of apoplexy right here. She supposed it would, but it might be a different matter if a noble wound up dead than if he lost a few thousand marks to a con artist. The wagons were slowing now as the horses began to hall them up the stepper incline. The pace was still slow to allow the foot troops to keep up, but even the guards were leaning into their kit.

"We won't find any silver right away boy," Otto declared loftily, "We will process tin ore for the residual silver." The nobles voice was smug and superior for all he was parroting nonsense that ALbrecht had poured into his head. If Neil knew anything about metallurgy he would know that tin and silver were often found together, but that the concentration of the latter was usually quite low.

"It must be so exciting working at the gunnery school," Emmaline broke in, her voice breathless with injected excitement.

"All those big long cannons, and big bangs!" she continued, ignoring the fact that Otto's face had frozen into a rictus of embarrassment.

"Just imagine all that heavy iron," she continued. Nothing in her voice was improper, but anyone looking for it might taste the slight hint of innuendo she applied. Otto clearly did because his face was beginning to darken dangerously.

[POOHEAD189]

There was no innuendo in her voice, but her breathless whimsies caused her great chest to heave, and Neil couldn't stop staring for a good, long moment. Like a trance he had to pull himself out of it with a will. "Yeah there's a lot of heavy iron there." He said, and his love of all things mechanical began to override his thought process. "But you'll need to visit in the summer time. That's when we practice and use our ordinance. You haven't lived until you've shot a sixteen pounder into a three foot thick wall." He said, as wide eyed as she was. "The ball just splatters into a thousand thousand pieces after two feet in. But-" He leaned in to speak to her, placing his arms just on the wooden rim beside her. "What's even more impressive is, we've discovered a way certain layering of wood can cause cannon balls to bounce off harmlessly, so what we're trying to do is to reshape the balls with a certai-"

Otto cleared his throat, and the two of them turned to see him staring daggers at both. At Neil for the most part, of course, but Emmaline for indulging in the 'nonsense.' "You're polite to humor him, my lady. But this vagabond has been given his station at the Gunnery School out of the good will of our Master Gunter. He's a lowlife scum that has never known any of the finer things in life. He is not like you or I," He declared, placing the horsewhip on Neil and pushing him back suddenly and unexpectedly, sending him into the back of the wagon. He nearly hit his head, but he caught himself.

"_{Big words for someone whose mine I could fail}." Neil muttered, but the Graf did not hear him. He was a bit too busy turning back to keep control of the horses, who began to whinny and stamp their feet as the path grew more rocky, the trees dispersing and growing less crowded around them. The chirps of the birds and scuttling of the squirrels had noticeably disappeared, but Neil chalked it up to the thinning of the woodlands.

"Here we are, my dear. Just up the road here. I've been around here before you know, when I was with my father hunting quail. Before I joined the Metallurgists Society. It was just over there I nabbed the biggest one out of my hunting party. How it squirmed." He reminisced, fanciful memories of days long past ignored by Neil and likely Emmaline, as the mine shaft up ahead looked ominous enough to grab their attention.

[Penny]

It felt rather strange to actually see the mine. Having spent the last several weeks working on a scheme to defraud a mine owner, she had learned a little but this was the first time she had actually seen one. It wasn't tremendously impressive to look at There was a large cave carved into the side of a cliffside at a steep downward angle. Rusted iron rails protruded from it like the tongue of a great monster. Wooden works, half rotted now were clustered around large piles of spoil and several run down looking sheds. A wooden fence, still mostly intact circled the area and a large sign of painted timber could barely be interpreted to read: Sawgrass Mine - Nuln Exploration Company.

"Well it isn't very impressive to look at," Emmaline commented, somewhat impoliticly. Otto stiffened at the percieved insult and then regained his control.

"You must imagine it not as it is, but as it will be, as soon as my friend Pendergast, brings his supplies and hires workmen, it will be a river of silver," he declared confidently. 'Pendergast' was almost certainly on a barge up river by now, which was where Emmaline wished she was now, though after all Otto's groping she wished she could stick around to watch his humiliation.

"Alright boy make your inspection," he ordered Neil.

"Lady Von Vissenbach, I have taken the liberty of packing a picnic for us, my men will lay it out for us."

[POOHEAD189]

As the patrolmen went about their public service of setting up a picnic rather than watch the perimeter, Neil pulled himself up and smoothed his shirt and hair as best he could, trying to keep himself from giving a quip Otto Von Branstuf's way. He vaulted over the side nimbly as Otto helped the lady down from the front. If all they needed was Neil to go in alone with no guard, he didn't know why they even came along other than to have a picnic. He mumbled what curses he felt like giving the Graf as he hiked his way up the short incline to the base of the mineshaft. For the first time taking an air of professionalism, gingerly approaching to feel his hand along the wooden supports of the cavern's gaping maw. It would be a bit more complicated inside, but as it stood they needed to know if the opening wasn't going to shatter at the slightest tremor.

As he began his work, Neil caught a strange stench. Not unlike some of the more pungent and less pleasant odors he had to work with, so while he wasn't inclined to wretch, it was definitely curious. Was there methane in this cavern? He stopped inspecting the wood and stepped one good step into the darkness, eyes peeled as he sniffed again. The stench grew stronger, and now he almost felt like wretching. Something must have died in there, he thought. Until he saw two eyes gleaming in the dark, staring right back at him. They were yellow and piggish, with an intelligence he found unnerving. What's more, they eyes suddenly lifted and floated nearly two feet above his own.

"I'm afraid you're on private property." Neil said, though there was little weight behind the words. Stepping back into the light, he saw four more sets of eyes appear, followed by grunts and snorts only a bear could make.

Suddenly, just as Neil made it to the decline to yell out a warning, a bestial, terrible howl erupted from within the mineshaft as booted feet crashed into the dirt behind Neil. With a cry of "Oh fuck!" he turned and saw a group of Orcs, broad shoulders and green like swamp water charging at him with the intent to kill. One, more impatient than the rest, tossed its cleaver at Neil. Luckily Neil dodged it as if he was used to such a situation, but rather than stick around Neil sprinted down the hill towards the less than prepared guard, all bent over to place down a blanket for the lord and lady.

"Sigmar's hammer!" One of them yelled, and Otto balked at the sudden appearance of the Greenskins cresting the hill. Just two dozen feet ahead of the host, Neil made it to level ground and spun back, reaching behind his back to grab the hilt of his pistol. With a swift, practiced motion, he whipped the gun out and placed his forearm along his free arm to steady his shot, taking less than a second to aim and fire. The pistol erupted in smoke, the head Orc stumbling and tumbling down the dirt with a ruined forehead, tripping up its allies as they tried to pass its flailing corpse.

It helped the guardsmen prepare, but Neil wasn't going to stick around unless they had an extra halberd and two years training lying around. Otto rummaged in the back of the wagon, leaving the lady to herself until Neil sped over to her, offering a hand. "I think we should have taken my boat idea, yeah?"

[Penny]

Emmaline stared agog as Otto cracked the whip over the rumps of the horses. The wagon lurched into motion and rattled off down the road. The beasts were at least as scared of the orcs as they were the whip and they hauled at their harnesses with far more effort than they had expended on the trip here. Neil helped Emmaline to her feet and she grabbed a bottle of wine from the abortive picture. The guards had just enough time to form a ragged line before the orcs hit them. The greenskins howled their war cries as the smashed into the line, pitching men off their feet with the impact of their hundreds of pounds of angry green muscle. Everything was a mass of flashing steel, screaming men and bellowing orcs. One of the creatures was down, its skull cleaved by a halberd, a second was pinned on a spear and being hacked to death by two of the guards. A wounded orc staggered close to Emmaline and she smashed the bottle down over its head. The heavy glass didn't break and although there was a satisfying 'chunk' the creature didn't fall. Rather it shook its head and staggered towards her. Neil yanked her out of the way and towards the other wagon. She had a momentary surge of hope before a brutish orc in armor of beaten iron plates leaped to the wagon. Its axe slashed down, beheading on of the beasts in a single slash that sprayed blood into the air. The other horse screamed and bolted, trying to drag away its companion as well as the wagon before a back hand blow took the throat out of the second horse.

"Shiz!" Emmaline cursed backing up and turning towards the woods, prepared to make a break for the trees, just in time to see another half dozen orcs, carrying a dead deer across their shoulders emerged from the wood. They took one look at the small battle, dropped their kill and charged towards the humans with an ear shattering 'WAAARRRRGH!' There was no escape.

"Run for the mine!" Emmaline yelled, her voice high and tiny with panic

[POOHEAD189]

"The mine!? That's where they live!" He cried, but ran that way regardless, helping the lady Marguerite up the hill in her dress as the battle raged behind them. Keeping her steady, they made it up in good time and found the opening of the mine. Neil held his nose and told her to do the same as they rushed in, light becoming impenetrable darkness suddenly as they charged in recklessly. Neil could reload his pistol in the dark, having perfected the technique many times, but anything else short of pissing he would be useless, even with his good night vision.

Still, for a time they stumbled and ran. Neil nearly fell over when his foot bumping into something vaguely corpse-like. Thanks to her dress, the lady would have fell head first had Neil not caught her and scooped her up. The pillars of the mine were merely silhouettes now, the floor a sea of night. In the distance, another WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH was heard, hopefully not in victory or they would have to truly travel far within the depths of the mine. Luckily there was some good news and bad news. The good news was that they could keep going, regardless. Neil was so glad he had looked at the old map in preparation for this little trip.

"I have a confession to make," He told her once they were around fifty paces in and catching their breath, realizing he was still holding her. He set her down on her feet politely, making sure she was steady before he began. As she dusted herself, he resumed his thought. "The mine has another way out, but...it's not stable from what I can tell. So we might want to keep moving. The problem is we can't see."

He began to reload his pistol, hoping beyond hope he wasn't going to need to use it again. As he poured the gunpowder and took out the pin, he realized just how right Master Gunter's fears had been when he had spoken of the mine the past night. Neil hadn't paid attention, and truthfully Gunter didn't think much of the rumors. But the scoundrel should have known, rumors always have specks of warning in them.

[Penny]

Emmaline stumbled through the darkness after Neil. The darkness reeked of orcs but it seemed that the whole pack had rushed to attack the humans who had unexpectedly entered their domain. Even this close to the city of Nuln small bands of greenskins were not unknown, particularly in abandoned areas like this.

"Well that is good news," Emmaline agreed. She had noticed that there was an exit marked back in Gunther's office, but there was no guarantee the passage hadn't collapsed and she had no idea how to find it. Outside they could hear the triumphant roars of the orcs outside, indicating that the brief battle had concluded in their favor. Realising she still held the bottle she pulled the cork with her teeth and took a drink to steady her nerves. Reaching down she grapsed around until she found a pebble and lifted it up.

"Don't panic or anything," Emmaline warned as she wrapped both her hands around the stone and began to whisper. After a moment a slight golden glow began to radiate from her hands, growing brighter as she opened her hands to reveal the glowing pebble. It would work as a makeshift lantern at least.

"Lets get the hells out of here," she encouraged.