Witchfinder General (Germwaster and Vaiya)
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		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Human Solos =&gt; Topic started by: Vaiya on 30-07-2010, 11:46:27</h2>
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				Title: <strong>Witchfinder General (Germwaster and Vaiya)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Vaiya</strong> on <strong>30-07-2010, 11:46:27</strong>
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				The village tavern was busy, filled with smoke, the sound of laughter and smell of ale. Though dark outside, the taproom was lit with many candles and lanterns, the warm golden light spilling between the cracks in the shutters and under the door. Serving wenches milled amongst the mildly drunken and good-natured crowd. There were mostly working men enjoying a mug of ale after a day of toiling in the fields, merchants travelling through the village on their way to market and the occasional young squire slumming it in disguise. <br><br>There was a false note to the mirth however, as if a pewter mug was being passed for silver, and the laughter was somewhat forced. Another child had died, Farmer Wyckham’s cattle were drying up, and whispers of witchcraft had come to the village. In a country where one could be burnt as a heretic or hung for witchcraft, the populace, and in particular women, walked on eggshells. <br><br>One such woman was Rebecca Taylor, a young, buxom lass who worked in the ale house at night and had a trade as a dressmaker during the day. At twenty-one, she had not yet taken a husband and showed no desire to do so, stating loudly and clearly that she preferred the single state and it was good enough for the old Queen, therefore good enough for her. She smiled at the young and not so young men in the taproom, who frequently pinched her backside or tweaked her dark curls, with a look that promised everything but in reality gave nothing away. Her steadfast desire to live alone in her little cottage in the woods had caused a small amount of gossip in the village, for why would a young woman choose to spend her life alone?<br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: Witchfinder General (Germwaster and Vaiya)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>germwaster</strong> on <strong>30-07-2010, 18:23:37</strong>
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				Tobias Slater entered the tavern with two of the King's guard.&nbsp; Leaving them to guard the door, he approached a table a motioned for its current occupants to vacate.&nbsp; The complied quickly and without question.<br><br>His black suit was that of a witchfinder and right now, only the King himself had more power (and some would argue that point).&nbsp; Slater was not known here, for he much preferred to ply his trade in the richer segments of the city.&nbsp; Villagers had little money and if they had had money, they still lacked the intelligence to know when a bribe was beneficial to all parties involved.&nbsp; So much simpler to work with those used to the way things worked.<br><br>But someone had to respond to accusations and complaints and so here he was in this backwater village.&nbsp; There she was, one Rebecca Taylor.&nbsp; The description he had been given perfect for a change.&nbsp; Foolish girl, likely with romantic notions and waiting for the right man.&nbsp; Instead, she simply aroused suspicion and with the death of the child, had managed to become accused as a witch.&nbsp; It didn't matter to Slater whether she'd been accused by a spurned would be lover, a suspicious neighbor, or a truly superstitious lout who truly believed witches existed.&nbsp; His job was to find, judge, and prosecute witches.<br><br>Tobias Slater was actually one of the more progressive witchfinders.&nbsp; Most of them took accusation and suspicion as truth.&nbsp; Tobias gave the accused the opportunity to 'prove' themselves not to be witches to him.&nbsp; A much more profitable venture.&nbsp; It did mean he had to work twice as hard, because he had to convince the commoners of the innocence of said witch.<br><br>Time for the show.&nbsp; As she hesitantly came over to take his order, he rose.<br><br>"Your best ale, wench."&nbsp; and whispering to her, 'You are accused.'<br>"Hello, citizens of Trenmore."&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;-&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;'You have a choice to make.'<br>"I have come to find and free your city of a scourge."&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;-&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;'I can take you in now.'<br>"Your children will be safe when I leave."&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;-&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;'or you can agree to meet me later tonight.'<br>"I will find the witch responsible."&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;-&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;'and present your case.'<br>"and once again you will sleep in peace."&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;-&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;'but try not deceit'<br><br>There was no applause at his speech.&nbsp; Many were too drunk to hear him.&nbsp; The rest feared him too much.&nbsp; witchfinders were bad business.&nbsp; The only thing the people feared more than witchfinders were witches, which was why they had such power to wield.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Witchfinder General (Germwaster and Vaiya)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Vaiya</strong> on <strong>01-08-2010, 10:07:12</strong>
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				So, one of those snivelling dogs who attempted to court her or at least buy her services for the evening had made an accusation against her. Or perhaps it was one of the women of Trenmore, angry that she had bought a bolt of fabric they had wanted, or cut from a wood that a landowner wanted to enclose. There were hundreds of reasons why an accusation of witchcraft could be made.<br><br>Usually, they were spoken by neighbours who desired the land upon which the suspected witch lived, but Rebecca did not own land or property or livestock, and her accusation must have been made by spite or fear.<br><br>Her dark eyes scanned the taproom as the Witchfinder whispered to her and she set the pewter mug on the table. A few met her gaze blandly or continued with their conversations, but a group of three men fixed their eyes firmly on their boots, and Rebecca felt certain they were responsible for she had turned all three down as potential husbands. In a time when women died in childbirth or were taken for witchcraft or heresy, a wife was more difficult to find, and that Rebecca actively desired to remain unmarried grated on their nerves. <br><br>She looked down at Slater, judging him silently. A good-looking man, if one were to be kind, but a witch taker all the same and therefore not to be dallied with or angered. <br><br>‘Aye, later then’ she said softly to Slater. ‘Where?’&nbsp; <br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: Witchfinder General (Germwaster and Vaiya)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>germwaster</strong> on <strong>03-08-2010, 09:09:08</strong>
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				Tobias whispered back to her, "The mayor was kind enough to provide his residence while I get to the bottom of the cause of the child's death.&nbsp; Come by and I will attempt to give you every opportunity to prove your innocence.&nbsp; I certainly wouldn't want your good name to be sullied by a false accusation, in the event you are innocent.&nbsp; The common people are so gullible and susceptible to suggestion and rumor, especially with regards to witchcraft."<br><br>Slater frowned and shook his head negatively, "If you do not come, I will assume you wish to have a public trial."<br><br>He finished half his ale and left a couple farthings, assuming his status paid for the ale and since becoming a witchfinder, nobody dared do anything but thank him for such a 'generous' tip.<br><br>And now it was time to prepare for her arrival.&nbsp; He sent the King's guards to the inn and mixed the knockout drug.&nbsp; It was one of his favorite tools of his trade.&nbsp; It brought unconsciousness fast and left the subject quite alert when she woke up.&nbsp; The later side effects were not nearly as pleasant, but Tobias did not have to deal with those.&nbsp; But the initial betrayed trust would generate even more fear later and he would have a much easier time manipulating her for his own purposes.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Witchfinder General (Germwaster and Vaiya)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Vaiya</strong> on <strong>04-08-2010, 13:21:11</strong>
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				The tavern emptied out and Rebecca was one of the last wenches to leave for the night, after mopping the floor and wiping down the tables. The place still smelt of ale and smoke, for the landlord wouldn’t have the shutters open overnight for fear of ‘things’ getting into the alehouse. Bunches of wild garlic and hawthorn hung from the beams to repel something that the patrons feared in an indefinable primal way.<br><br>Bidding another girl goodnight, the young woman stepped out of the tavern and drew her shawl over her head. It was bright out, the sky clear and filled with stars, the moon approaching full, and Rebecca found her way out of the darkened village, heading for the forest. She lived an easy half a mile into the woods and as she walked along the well-trod path, lifting her skirts clear of the mud, she thought about the Witchfinder.<br><br>Stories always abounded when those folk were concerned, and the general consensus was that the outcome of each case varied very much upon the individual witch taker. Some could be bribed, though Rebecca had no money. Others could have their consciences pricked, though Rebecca was fairly certain that Slater had none. And there were those who were just sadistic bastards and enjoyed torturing pretty young women. <br><br>As she approached her home, little more than a shack patched up here and there, she reached into her pocket and took a few strands of long dark hair. Smiling, she entered the hut, lit a candle and closed the door.&nbsp; <br>
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