Being slightly less than a week after the reporting of the Black Viper to the Town Watch, in which time little has happened, and I particularly not liking this stagnation.
As I said in the last entry, I reported the Black Viper to the Bree Town Watch nigh on six days ago. Since then I had heard little from anyone, me staying in my apartment most of the time. After not hearing anything for five days, I naturally wrote a complaint to the captain of the Watch, whatever her name is. I have yet to hear back from her, or the Watch at all.
But that is not why I am here to write. I have uncovered corruption in the Watch, and I can no longer count them as an ‘ally’ against the Black Viper. I was in the Pony, minding my own business (I was actually in a rather dull conversation with the refugee Maedred and some other folks that I don’t know the name of), when a few Watch folk came in. They began to talk to a voice that I so well recognized: that of the Black Viper.
I immediately dropped out of the conversation and listened in to them. Apparently some murder occurred and the Watch fellow needed information. Unfortunately it seemed my report had not reached the higher ears of the Watchers, and nothing was done against the Black Viper.
In fact, the Watcher fellow seemed friendly with the Viper. They went into a back room, and Naturally I followed them. The talked for a while about the murder (which was boring to listen to), and I did catch a few names. I suppose someone named ‘Garton’ is one of the suspects, with ‘Oldur’ being another. Never heard of either of them, so I expect they aren’t in the Bandits from the North.
Eventually they made their way out and I stopped them. I told the watchmen of my situation, but they seemed to be so deep on the path of corruption that they simply didn’t care what happened to the poorer folk of Bree such as me. I was deemed a mad man by the Black Viper, and the minds of the Watch were instantly agreeing with him. Unfortunately it was my word against the Viper’s, and the Viper’s word prevailed. He claimed that the woman (who I now completely suspect was either his wife or his girlfriend, and the child his) could press charges against me for threatening her. I said I only did so in self-defense, but I don’t think the Watchers believed me. They didn’t even take into consideration that I didn’t have hands, and they certainly didn’t do much to counter the lies of the Black Viper. I asked him to pull out his poisoned dagger, and he did, but he wiped off the poison. The idiot Watchers didn’t notice, but I did. It seems they were under his spell.
Bah! Terribly corrupted the Watch is. I have now no doubt why so many folks hate them, or why so few rich folk (I don’t doubt the Black Viper has a good amount of money on him), get imprisoned there. The Watchers are gullible chaps who don’t know when to bring a guy to the jailhouse.
If anyone happens to read this, I assure you: I told the complete and utter truth in the Pony. I did not lie once, but the Black Viper spoke with a snake’s tongue. Who here is the right, and who the wrong? It is obvious, but the Watch cannot see past their veil of corruption.
