River Rats and Something More..

The young woman shifted slightly so that she could shoulder her way through the afternoon crowd without being elbowed in the face; all these vendors were hawking their wares and making the best hustle they could out of their goods. She had to respect them for their hard work and dedication to making a full coin purse today; what she couldn’t respect them for was their lack of care towards those who were uninterested in the goods and were simply trying to get from point A to point B.

Heaving a sigh much too big for her little frame, the young woman cocked a brow at the scuffle going on just ahead of her. A bulky baker and a young beggar, sharing words; rather the baker was scolding the young’n for stealing bread from his cart while the youngster defended his position and pleaded that his Ma and Pa were near starved to death. The scene tugged her heartstrings but she had a meeting to get to! Damnation couldn’t this crowd just mo—her thoughts cut completely shy of finishing when a gloved hand gripped her elbow to lead her to the side and out of the way of the busy street.


“ Best to be careful, little’n. You’ll get lost in the crowd if you’re anything but..” The man had a smooth voice, much different than the features of his scarred face. Young Jezebel McLane could only blink in horror when she realized the man who had ahold of her was the same men that her pa preached about staying away from.

River Rats.

It was too late for her to even scream in fear, his hand closed down on the heavy coin purse at her side, ripping the thing free from it’s ties. There had been something else in his eyes, a malice that was only fueled by the close proximity to the Nachtwald. His silver blade rose and slid silently along the tender, young flesh of her throat.

Jezebel McLane, only a few years shy of marriage, collapsed to her knees with her hands to her throat where blood poured through her little fingers, there was no stopping the bleeding and no making a sound for help. She was left to fall face first into the dirty cobbles of the street’s alley; sightless eyes staring forward, face frozen in shock and death.

-----------------------------------NEWS REPORT FOR LOCAL PAPER------------------

Just a few short hours ago we've received word that there is a possible band of River Rats.. or River Bandits that have invaded Seedorf. Sources believe that the bandits have docked on the portion of the River that runs through the Nachtwald, thus making their trek through the forest itself. Witnesses say the girl that was found earlier this afternoon had her head sliced nearly clean off and was missing only what appeared to be a coin purse.

The Lady Abendroth sends out immediate warning to Villagers and Travelers to be mindful of the roads at night and to travel with as little coins as possible, no further details are available at this time, nor is there any idea who or how many bandits/river pirates that Seedorf is dealing with.

More to come..as it develops.

-----------------------------------Breaking News------------------------------------


Early this morning before dawn, the body of a woman was found located in an alley near the Bawdy Bard; an establishment in the more seedy districts of Seedorf where boozing, gambling and prostitution are at it's highest. By the lack of coin purse and valuables, it has been ruled a murder by the River Rats that had been reported in Seedorf by means of traveling through the Nacht. The woman was murdered in such a vile, gruesome way that she could not be identified by appearances. Local officials have stated that they will have to do thorough investigating to find the name and family of the woman. Until the problem with the bandits is under control, patrols have been increased by the Lady Abendroth both around the city proper and the Nachtwald. No further details are available at this time.