István's off-hand remark on the whereabouts of the "other prisoner" granted the group a mometary respite from the Harmonium's attentions, as the self-described Measure One turned to his subordinates and immediately ordered a thorough search of the premises. There were the sounds of a brief scuffle upstairs and, within moments, the third thug was hauled roughly to the main floor by a pair of officers, sporting a fresh bruise on his cheek and loudly disassociating himself from the other attackers.
With all three toughs accounted for, Measure Listell returned to questioning the small group, a fellow guardsman standing nearby with leather-bound notebook and stylus to record their testimony. Although Listell seemed inherently suspicious of everything and everyone -- interrupting at times to ask for details to a question that had already been answered -- his demeanor mellowed somewhat when he learned that the subjects of the assault were new arrivals to Sigil.
Ultimately, the guardsmen decided that the attack was a random occurance orchestrated by thugs who hoped to find easy marks in the prime newcomers. István suggested that the attackers' belongings be given to proprietor to recompense for the damage done, to which Measure Listell replied that punishment depended on a conviction by the court, and would be dictated by the Mercykillers. He did intimate, however, that the perpetrators would be stripped of all property (most likely, after a trip to the gallows), and he'd suggest that the proceeds return to the boarding house.
All that remained were technicalities; the Measure dispatched one of his men to fetch a carrier for the wounded four-armed brute (whom the officers called a "Reave"). A second officer was dispatched to summon someone called a "Dustman". Within a few minutes, the first guardsman returned with a over-sized stretcher, upon which they loaded the cumbersome body of the reave.
The clatter of a small wooden cart on the cobblestones announced the arrival of the Dustman -- or Dustwoman, rather -- a somber-faced individual who silently wrapped the body of the deceased thug in a crude shroud before heaving him onto a simple wain pulled by a curiously vacant-eyed, sour-smelling man. Despite the presence of a few other like-enshrouded shapes already aboard, the cart-puller gave no indication he noticed the newest addition to his burden.
With that, the death cart clattered off down the street and disappeared into the darkness. With unsubtle threats, the Harmonium officers coerced the surviving thug into bearing the reave's litter, and the entire assembly promptly departed, leaving the primes -- plus two natives and the house owner -- to weather the rest of the night alone.
The proprietoress of the Slumbering Lamb seemed uncertain as to what to do with her guests; on one hand, there was the possibility that they would draw more attacks. On the other, they'd already proved themselves more than capable of defending themselves, and in the end, this -- plus the fact that they had already paid for a full night's stay -- convinced her to allow them to stay the rest of the night, if they wished.
After sweeping up the splintered remains of the door and table, she headed upstairs to rummage for a heavy cloth to hang over the door frame, leaving the primes to acquaint themselves with the two new additions.
