Being less than a week after the writing of Entry 1, but before that meeting I said I would have at some point.
I was standing in the Pony not long ago… you know, confusing folks, amusing myself. Then some watchers walked in. Having not actually done anything illegal yet, I was not worried in the slightest. I can’t say what my friends have done, but surely all I have done was converse with them. And all the more, I’m fairly sure few know that I associate myself with the bandits, and most that know are bandits themselves.
Anyways, I was in the Pony with the watchmen, and I heard one going to socialize with a man. The watchman seemed jolly enough, but the man seemed to be grim and rather in a bad temper, rather like the state you’ll find most Ranger folk in. But this particular man introduced himself as ‘Viper’. Of course, this would be, inevitably, the same Viper that tortured me and such, and a plan hatched. I’m fairly sure cutting off of the hands is illegal, so I went over and STRONGLY SUGGESTED that this Viper fellow brutally cut off my hands and subjected me to other torture.
Naturally, the watchman didn’t seem to catch the hint, and the Viper (or, ‘Black Viper’, as I prefer to call him, as that was how he introduced himself) walked off unhindered (well, except for a pat of the stub by me, but that was more of a ‘I’m onto you’ farewell message than a hindrance). The watchman walked back to his captain lady or whatever, and gave not a second though to the handless man near him.
I spent a day or so sitting around when my left knee began to hurt. Now, this is strange, since I think the right knee must’ve been hurt worse and it hurts more, but I do not lie when I say it was the left one. Anyways, I was walking, and I stumbled upon (or rather, was cut off by) a man that I did not recognize. He told me to get relay a message to ‘Wolf’ (who is apparently Carlsson), that ‘the end is nigh’. Now, I still don’t know who this man is, but he rather reminded me of prophets of Beggar’s Alley that constantly speak of the end of time. Although, his mention of Carlsson disturbed me, since it must mean someone knows that I am with the bandits.
I went on with my walk, but my leg pain grew. I thought I would sit for a while on the Scholar’s Walk, but as I crossed the bridge I saw the Black Viper himself, with a woman and a child. Naturally, I stood there, in the middle of the bridge, watching them. It didn’t take long for old Viper to notice my presence and he accused me of ‘stalking young women’. I’m sure he knew I was there for him, but I decided not to mention it. Anyways, eventually the Black Viper threatened me, and I sat, waiting for his threat to be fulfilled. Why? Two reasons: one, my left leg was hurting, and I can’t run fast with that going on. Two, I wanted to force the Viper into committing crimes.
For a while I talked to the Viper himself, all the while interlacing hints of my torture to both him and the woman there. Eventually the woman stepped up to talk, and we talked awhile about my disabilities and such, and stuff of that sort. I almost let down my guard, but then she offered to help walk me home (since I had mentioned earlier knee troubles). I accepted, and I was quite vulnerable as she walked up through the Scholar’s Stair Archive and offered her hand. Then she attacked me. I really should’ve expected it, but I was in somewhat of a shock. She slapped me… which slapped me out of my shock and I threatened to push her off the bridge. I admit I didn’t really mean to, but the Viper was up there now, and I wished to provoke him.
Well, after laying my stub on her shoulder and applying a tiny bit of force, the Viper pounced. He held my throat and threatened to drop me. I said, basically, “Do it”, and he did. I managed to fall on my hands and knees, thus preventing me from death, but I surely was injured. I was also knocked unconscious, and when I awoke the Viper and his lady were gone. I did then what only the most intelligent and cunning of any bandit gang would have done… I went straight to the jailhouse to report my old friend the Black Viper!
The watchers, I admit were helpful enough. They seemed to know the Viper already, but I do think I will prove a valuable ally in their search for him. I do have a knack for finding him accidently. All the same, I don’t feel entirely confident the Watch will get the Viper, but it’s worth a shot nonetheless.
