Digging through the snow is always a popular pastime in the winter as the penal section of the workhouse can do little more than keep the main thoroughfares open, and this applies equally -- snow falls both on the righteous and the unrighteous. However the latter are more prepared to take advantage of it than an honest man who is likely to consign it to those regions where it would disappear in short order.
Anyway the particular example which came to light in mid-January was of the looting of the cellar of Otto Drebbel, the master mason, of most of his winter food store. Under cover of the snow drifted into the alleyways about his house, a tunnel had been dug, quite large enough for men to walk upright, to a barred and shuttered window in the cellar. This had been removed, the evil doers having plenty of time to work quietly under cover of the drifts, and all but a thin facade of barrels of pickles removed. When all this happened is not certain as the deed was only discovered when a servant found a barrel to be empty and pushed it aside to seek another.
Drebbel has offered a reward for the apprehension of the perpetrators of the theft, however it is a widely held opinion that it is very difficult to prosecute someone for being well fed.
March almost brought a major coup for the Calvinist Guard. Their investigations revealed the existence of a sorcerous coven in the town, and on the 13th they mounted a full scale raid on the home of Manfeld Reiter, a rich landholder in the Riverside district. At first protesting his innocence and lack of knowledge of a dark temple found in a concealed basement, Reiter and all those resident in the house, both family and servants, were taken and put to the question. At some point however Reiter was granted aid by Satan that he might prosper to do yet more evil, and he cloaked himself in the darkness of the pit, escaping his guards in the ensuing confusion, pausing only to rend most horribly by sorcery Calvinist Guard Immanuel Wallenstein who had personal charge of him.
The others were brought in safety to the Temple and throughout the day as they made their confessions under question further raids were made throughout the town to arrest other members of the group. The most interesting raid was that mounted upon the Dragon's Claw, where Peter Breughel, employee and sometime adventurer, had been set by his true master to spy as it was believed that the inn's owners held stores of magic befouled items gained on their trips in the demon haunted wastes outside the town.
This theory prompted a second raid to check its validity, and the inn was thoroughly searched and substantially demolished internally in the process, as is often the case when the Calvinists pursue their duties zealously. Nothing was found (much to many people's surprise) so no more adventurers joined the thirteen doomed souls consigned to the flames of the wrath of God a few days later. Reiter's whereabouts is unknown it is widely assumed that he fled to the wild woods where it is hoped he will perish in a foul manner to match his nature.
The raid mentioned above, and especially the cost of putting right the damage, persuaded Bjorn Gerdson and Bungo Belter (the owners) that innkeeper and adventurer are incompatible professions and soon afterwards they sold up to landholder Adolf Wolf who plans to refit and reopen it as a reputable inn.
The adventuring clique which had based itself on the inn has now moved lock, stock, and barrel to a house in the Merchant district where they have been joined by Greta Garbo, the errant daughter of the preacher Herman Garbo, who refuses to acknowledge her existence any more, since she is openly living in the same house and indeed has been out of town, unescorted. Her shameless conduct will no doubt land her in the stocks on an immorality charge, if she survives her association with her current 'friends''.
The Devil has taken several of the fools who name themselves Adventurers for his own recently. As if by way of an omen both Bungo Belter and Bjorn had to be carried back into town by Greta and Herbert with broken limbs, after an encounter with evil spirits in the northern woods, Herbert selling a trophy of which, calling it a chimaera's head. It appeared to be a large lizard-like creature by the look of the head, which was brought by a merchant's agent to be shipped to the civilised lands where the gullible will pay over their hard earned cash to gawp at it when they should be giving to charity or buying tracts to improve the shockingly sinful state of their souls. It is a good thing that such shows are not permitted in an honest, hard working town like New Jerusalem, and a pity that men like Asche are permitted to take advantage of the folly of others in this way.
While the two invalids were, it is to be hoped, contemplating the good book and healing their limbs, the cull started. Asche set out in late April with two minor adventurers, Fritz Kracked and Adolf Schickelgruber. He returned alone, claiming to have only just escaped alive, by virtue of his superior swordsmanship, from the clutches of a group of demonic mockeries of the human form he described as hobgoblins, which killed his accomplices. After this feat in which he claimed to have fought and killed at least three opponents he started to refer himself as "The Greatest Swordsmen in all of France''. Several minor wits have pointed out what a safe claim this is with the town being on the side of the Germanies from France, with wars in between. Hubris has its reward though, and on the very next expedition his body is brought back by his comrades, Bungo and Greta with the assistance of some new members of their group who will, hopefully, see the error of their ways on this first expedition especially as Herbert's friend Gerdson mysteriously disappeared on the same trip.
For a little while after the burial of the adventurer Asche life in our New Jerusalem returned to its idyllic summer norm without the cavortings of wanderlust infected sinners to disturb the faithful at their hard, character building toil or call them from soul improving prayer and bible study with new "wonders'' to show or tell of. The truly wise may resist, and know for what they are, these geegaws of the infernal power set to inflame the hearts of the weak willed and faint of righteous spirit with idle dreams of glory and material reward such as will block forever their entry to heaven, even as the camel shall never pass through the needle's eye. The passing of the person Asche occasioned some debate upon the subject of where he should be buried indeed whether he should be buried. The discussion arose as a result of his chosen occupation, which many hold to be ungodly and thereby barring participants from burial in consecrated ground. As his parents are devout people, his father a lay preacher, mother an elected sub-preacher of the Westgate parish, it was eventually concluded that they would sanctify him sufficiently to allow a proper Christian burial.
The peace referred to above was soon to be broken. Several lost souls set forth in mid July, intending to blast the works of the enemy with powder and shot, and sear with cold steel such abominations as crossed their path. While such a cause is no doubt worthy in some respects, there was little sorrow expressed when two weeks passed without sight of them. Those foolish enough to take an interest in the goings on of the "adventurers'' were heard to opine that the party having been weak on experienced persons, numbering only Gustav Volger as such in the party of six, had perhaps overreached itself and suffered the usual punishment for impious presumption such as theirs.
It was therefore with some surprise,not to mention a degree of resignation, that a returning party of eight was sighted. The story told was that having travelled many leagues through the wilderness some six blasphemies, the accursed hybrid of Man - expression of the form divine - with Bird, commonly known as Harpies, did fall upon them from the sky. While these abominations are not infrequently seen singly over the fields of New Jerusalem whence they seek to pluck victims for their foul purposes, those in groups in the deserted wastes are not so hesitant and did fall tooth and claw upon the travellers. However despite the demonic nature of the enemy they were resisted with stout hearts, and righteousness lending strength to the sword arms of the Lord's work so that all save one of the mockeries were destroyed.
The single survivor had fallen to earth sorely injured. Its captors had put it to the Question whereupon it did reveal the location of its hiding place. The Christian soldiers, inspired no doubt by the Lord - they may yet be redeemed - they did march directly to that place doing summary execution amongst the sundry abominations, monsters and devilish wights as attempted to block their path, impede their purpose, or that just happened to be in the area.
Upon arrival at the foul creature's nest two of its female victims wee discovered and saved from a death worse than fate by the foolhardy bravery of Volger, who climbed up and discovered them and also a foul witch. That she was lost completely unto the lures of the dark one was demonstrated by her resistance to being liberated by the good Volger, rather threatened him with some vile sorcerous device! While protected by the arm of the Lord, as are all who do good works, for the slaying of demons, it was felt that it would be presumptuous to put forth another test upon this protection and, with two Christian women saved, the party did withdraw from the presence of the witch making all speed for the sanctuary of New Jerusalem.
Those rescued were Maybach Schmidt and Felice Schneider, the former quickly departing the town for home, the latter however expressing her gratitude at her rescue by marrying Gustav Volger. The ceremony was held on the 4th of August, and followed by a celebration at The Giant's Head inn. What started as a normal, proper, sober gathering was soon disrupted by the bride and groom's cutting of the cake with a bastard sword, followed by their distribution of it among the onlookers by throwing it. Their targets soon retaliated, and within moments the inside of the inn was covered in the debris and Beren Gerhardt the chief proprietor was upstairs climbing into his full plate armour, by which wise he maintains a reasonable orderly establishment despite its location in the Wallside district. Upon hearing his clanking descent the revelers fled, as have many before them...
After this display of wilful self-indulgence the major culprits were quick to destroy any remaining illusions anyone may have sheltered about Gustav Volger settling down to a respectable married life. The couple left town in the company of friends with Felice Volger now equipped as well as her husband in a manner most unseemly in an honest married woman. While this party returned apparently empty handed a week later, the Volgers set out next day with a reduced company. This intense activity provoked much speculation as to its cause - possibly some treasure has been discovered which the former party wanted no truck with, or at least with the getting of it. Whether this was true or not the new party fared poorly, returning within a week with only Felice Volger relatively whole, her husband and Elijah Richter (of the Richters of the Flying Pig inn, Wallside) both barely able to walk, and Albrecht Durer blinded. The cause of this catastrophe was a dragon, they said, which indeed nearly destroyed them with its venomous sting and wicked claws and bite before they finally slew it, as proof of which they had its head and skin which they proceeded to auction at their favourite inn (the Giant's Head) to pay physician's fees for Albrecht especially. It is not yet known whether he will recover his sight, or whether he is fated to grope his way through life in the benevolent care of the council workhouse where many such crippled of body or mind do reside.
After the severe handling served to the Volger faction of adventurers, within a few days Bungo Belter's group returned from the northern forests bearing with them the earthly remains of on Lars Dvoranski who had joined their number scarce months before. The other members of the party themselves bore many half healed scars