Kaleb Hesse's page

"Adding the Beast to our troupe? That would be a great show, but I wouldn't dare to take it along." Kaleb replies. "We're going back to our tour through the towns of Ustalav. There is nothing special now, but we try to be in Caliphas in six weeks for the spring fair."

"But don't worry. Business here was good. We could even get a few laughs out of the beast not getting burned." Kaleb then tells of the play they did. Of the beast beaing tied to the pyre, and then the headsman not having a tindertwig. And once he he got one, the wind blowing it out. And through a whole series of unfortunate events, like the hangman getting a heart attack, and finally rain preventing a fire the beast died of starvation. Lidia Gerod, the Bearded Lady who is nearly seven foot tall reenacts the dying of starvation from earlier for everyone's entertainment.

The Crooked Kin are busy packing up their stuff. The fair is over, the audience gone. Kaleb greets Jominda and whoever came along. "Oh, hello! There are you. We wondered why you didn't come yesterday. Were you busy all night?"

"We're packing up and will leave as soon as the day dawns. You know you're box-office poison. You ended our guest performance here prematurely." Kaleb laughs. "Lucky Beast, unlucky us. But come and celebrate with us the last evening in Lepidstadt."

Harrold, please write your daughter yourself.

"Of course you can stay with us. What little comfort we can offer we'll share with you."

"I've heard almost all. But most of the time it is on account of the telling of the friend of a cousin who got it from the butcher's wife. When do I get the chance to ask a real life adventurer how it really is?" encouraged by Jominda Kaleb starts spinning a story around Kendra that is a bit bigger than she sees herself.

"If you don't mind I would like to hear about the undead in more detail later. Maybe we can make a drama out of that too." Kaleb tells and you see the gears in his head starting to turn how such a thing could play out already.

"So fleeing bad memories?" Kaleb inquires.

"What happened?" Kaleb asks concerned.

"We were in Chastel as we heard of the rumours and travelled through Tamrivena and Courtaud. But we have travelled all over Ustalav over the years. We have never been beyond that as the people of Lastwall don't seem to appreciate our art and we don't dare to go to Belkzen." Kaleb tells.

"But enough of me. Why are you on your way to Lepidstadt?"

"We have done similar things. Little girls dying in dark alleys, murdered in the shadows. But now that Aleece is dead we need to pause that dramas for a while. And as good a horror story this would make - I don't think it would be worth the effort to create such a large spider. We try to work with what we have here." Kaleb replies pointing at hi companions.

"We take what we get. And people seem to be more fascinated by things they have heard of and that they can relate to. We prepared some plays with the beast already."

"I've heard a lot, from it being a giant, a troll, an oger, a mix of all that... if you really want to know you'll have to see it yourself. I'm sure a lot of the people who tell what it is have seen neither the beast nor the things they tell it is." Kaleb replies. "But it will make for some interesting dramas for sure."

"I guess it has to stay true to it's reputation as beast of Lepidstadt. So it isn't allowed to wander too far off." Kaleb jokes.

"I have no clue. So far noone who saw it lived to tell the story." Kaleb explains.

"You haven't heard? The beast lurks around Lepidstadt and kills people wherever it finds them. The people must really be looking forward to a peaceful time, once the beast is burnt. You know the burning man? The special method the town of Lepidstadt executes the perpetrators of mayor crimes?" Kaleb tells.

"The city of Lepidstadt is currently the scene of intense local excitement. The dreaded Beast of Lepidstadt - a terrifying abomination that has terrorized the people of Vieland for years - has been captured. Hundreds of people have flocked to the city hoping to catch a glimpse of the horror and watch it burn for its crimes. And we hope to get our share from the purses of these large crowds." Kaleb tells.

The bearded woman and the large man of the troupe take Aleece and put her in one of the wagons. As the trek slowly starts moving and the wagons are pulled back on the road Kaleb asks Kendra - as she asked for conversation - "Are you too going to Lepidstadt to visit the trial?"

Kaleb is shocked by Kendra's description. "Are you heading to Lepidstadt too? Because you could travel together with us. S’jeer makes a delicious stew." Besides being really thankful that you retrieved Aleece and spared other members of his group the same fate it is obvious that he would like you to travel with them in case other bad things cross their way.

"Thank you for your concern." Kaleb replies. "What was it that caused the death of our Aleece?"

Kaleb goes into the wagon and comes back out with a dagger. Offering it to Herm he tells. "This is sad news. But despite it has been to late to save her, you took that risk and here is the promised reward. Thank you for trying."

"No, only she heard it." Kaleb replies.

As you are about to pass them a man comes out of one of the wagons and approaches you. "Excuse me Madams and Sirs. We are in a desperate situation and in dire need of help. One of our members the pinhead girl Poppy went into the fens after she heard something and hasn't come back for an hour already. We fear for the worst, but we are simple performers and are ill equipped if there is really a danger there. Would you be so kind to go look for her? We don't have much but I offer you a magic dagger as a compensation if you would do so." His eyes resting hopefully on Herm as the one standing out as the martial type.

Kaleb comes over as you stand in front of the court and wave the Beast goodbye. "Congratulations you did the impossible!" he greets you. "Now the party is over." He is a bit sad because if the beast would have been convicted there would have been another day of good business.

"I can't complain. We made a fair share in these days. But now it's time to pack up and say goodbye. We're leaving town tomorrow morning at dawn. Thank you again for your help with Aleece. If you're interested - her burial is this evening at the local cemetery."

"But if we don't meet again I want to tell you that it was a pleasure to meet you and to get to know you."

"Over there, this large representative building is the courthouse. If you want to know what's really going on you have to check there." Kaleb informs them.

"We are good at improvisation. Just tell me when you have time and we include you as bloody victim into our play." Kaleb replies to Stam.

"We do some circus tricks and have a pair of caged goblin dogs, a morlock, and a giant frog. We do a lot of stuff. But to draw a crowd a play has worked best so far. And as they usually only give some coppers we need a large crowd." Kaleb explains.

"That would be great. You'd be a lonely wanderer through the woods and get ambushed by the beast. And then you make croaking and suffocating noises like if you drown in your own blood."

"You would get some prepared clothes from us. To not ruin your good clothes with out theatre blood.

"You're nice. Looking for the good in everyone. That is a very likeable character trait of yours. But in Lepidstadt we need to make money. The people want to see the beast burn. They don't pay for complex stories or conflicted character backgrounds. And we don't do love stories - for obvious reasons."

"So it will be black and white. The evil beast killing innocent people in a most graphic way. You look like a good hearted man. Want a role in that?"

"The beast fighting a werewolf? No. The beast has to look bad!" Kaleb replies musing over the idea.

"The beast having a pet werewolf and then feeding it's victims to it! That is good."

"That is indeed an interesting story that would make for a great play - if a bit expensive in getting the stage decoration done well. But that will have to wait for another day. It has to be something with the beast. I just can't ask to play Lettie and Poppie to get killed by a monster after reality did that to their sister."

"It's not put together. It's more like we found each other over the years. We're all special in our appearance and if the people are gawking at you anyway you can at least get them to pay for that." Kaleb answers.

"We thought about doing a stage play about the beast. With Trollblood playing the beast as he kills some children, played by Alice, Lettie and Poppie. I guess we have to come up with a new idea now."

"You wouldn't by chance have any good ideas for that?" Kaleb asks.

"Sure. We will try to set up our show on the place opposite to the court if it is possible. It is one of the two large places in Lepidstadt. So you can just come with us there." Kaleb replies.

"No. All I have are rumors and the firm conviction that there is money for us to make. Beyond that you would have to ask someone in town who is more involved in the actual trial." Kaleb replies.