Chapter 2: One Bad Apple

The sudden clap and declaration from Tzal grabbed Lauretta's attention effectively, but she wasn't going to forget what R3N-L3 said any time soon. It seemed she had a great many more questions about that strange machine than she even initially assumed. With Wolfram's agreement, she slapped him on the shoulder and followed after the mage.

Seeing the broken man called Ruprecht was certainly an eye-opener to the level of violence expected from the trapped blacksmith.

"By Saint Ejada, he bit off your ear? It looks more like you were savaged by a wild animal than a man. Did you know Victor to be a short-tempered man before this? Or whether there was any ill will between folks?"

Tzal nodded to Ruprecht, "This is indeed strange, and I am really sorry for your circumstance. You better take rest. We will be following your suggestion and talking to Pete's sister. Also, can I talk to your wife?"

Wolfram remained quiet but observed Ruprecht and his wife being questioned.

"Shall we be off to visit Megan then?" he asks the group. "Ruprecht, where can we find her? Sometimes, affairs of the heart can undo any man." For a brief moment, Wolfram's attention wandered away. Anyone looking at him might have noticed. Quickly, he snapped back to reality and made for the door.

Tzal took Maybell aside and asked, "After the incident with Victor, has there been any change in Ruprecht that you haven't seen before?"

Once all the questions were answered, Tzal nodded and took his leave with others.

He turned to his companions and said, "Okay, we can talk to Megan, and then I would like to visit Victor's workshop."

On R3N-L3's part, the automaton had slipped off to circle the shack that Victor was contained within, checking that windows were appropriately sealed, there was no way for the infected to dig themselves out, and that the guards were suitably discomfited by a metal giant poking around the place they were guarding.

No history of violence or anger issues. Well-liked. Sounding more and more like our friendly blacksmith ain't himself at all right now. But that doesn't help us get closer to the truth of what's happened.

Lauretta thought to herself as they left the Allson house. Tzal's line of questioning didn't escape her notice. Neither did Wolfram's wistful gaze. One trying to determine if the blacksmith's state is contagious and the other theorizing an agonizing heartbreak. Could be the green-ish skin has nothing to do with this violence, but that'd be a maddening coincidence. And it seems our bowman has finally shown some scars of his own. Now came the time to question the lover.

"So you wouldn't know anything about what he's been getting up to in days leading up to the attack? Anything out of the ordinary? We don't necessarily think his behavior has anything to do with you, Megan. We're just covering our bases and trying to figure out what could have caused this. If you can't think of anything that sticks out, we'd be grateful for any suggestions on who in the village might know or have seen something."

Wolfram's eyebrows arch as a feeling of empathy and regret almost swallows him whole.

"He took his anger out on Ruprecht, no doubt. But why Ruprecht? Would you be willing to share what your argument was about?"

Lauretta snorts, stifling a laugh. Men willing to commit to picking up a blade rather than a woman's hand were always in great supply in her life. Always willing to wrap themselves in their own ambitions and pleasures without a care for another's.

"Well, I don't expect that will change any time soon. That's a problem as old as time, sister. Your retelling of last night's events are very helpful though. It's much appreciated."

The priest cocked an eyebrow with a look to Tzal, expecting more questions or hypotheses after receiving more details about Victor's apparent illness.

Tzal listened to all the conversation with a silent face. This was getting more confusing with each questioning. Was this a curse then, if not an infection? The fact that Victor didn't have any prior record of aggressive behavior definitely meant that he was not in his sane mind. If it was not an infection, was it something magical? His pondering was cut short by the questioning look of Lauretta which brought him back to reality. "Hmm, Ms. Megan, everyone seems to like Victor, and he had no prior record of aggressiveness. Correct? What do you think about him and Ruprecht? Why do you think he took out his anger on him? Do you have any ideas? How often does Two Forks receive visitors from outside? Does Victor generally work for people of Two Forks, or did he ever take any commission from outside travelers?"

"Idea as good as any. If the man who lived next door that he beat th- attacked didn't know anything and his lover didn't either, I'm not sure who will at this point."

Lauretta stumbled slightly, trying to rephrase what she was going to say to be more... formal. It wasn't just sparing Megan's feelings, although it might have looked that way. The priest was far more frank and blunt with her companions due to the closeness of working together. However, it was important to her that she was able to fit the idealized version of herself in her head when it came to strangers. Her imaginings of what the Saints must have been like was similar.

"Unless we can think of other folk to question, we should follow up on Victor's abode and potentially himself if it comes to it."

Tzal nodded to Lauretta, "Yes, I don't think there are any options left. We need to check on his forge and home."