Zhenor told me today about a guardsman’s horse that was found cut up with surgical precision. I’m checking the horse out right now. It is indeed very finely cut. And all the best meat-bearing parts were taken. It was taken by something strong, sentient and with a taste for horse flesh. Must be the oni.
The horse’s owner asked me why do I keep writing while examining the body. It helps me concentrate. It’s better than talking to yourself.
It looks like the oni wasn’t even trying to mask the scent of the horse meat. Getting sloppy, old chap?
So… I followed the scent of horse meat and was led into a shop in the destroyed portion of the city. With the meat hanging from hooks. I was jumped by a group of ruffians who were absolutely convinced I was “the monster who killed their friends”. Witch hunters. They decided to take revenge on the oni… by luring it to themselves. Idiots. I got rid of them. Too bad I can’t stand back and let the monsters kill each other.
Hmm… I think there’s someone here. Footsteps. Quiet, like a human’s, but put pressure like something much heavier.
I just had the most interesting conversation with the monster I’m hunting. The oni was trying to convince me it’s just trying to live in peace. He was caught by some strange priests in his homeland and brought here to serve Barrack like a slave. He refused and escaped, and was just trying to survive. He says his first humanoid form in Novigrad looked like an Emishi – a nationality where he’s from. The men in the warehouse apparently thought the perfectly human ethnicity was some kind of non-human hybrid and attacked. So he claims it was self-defense. The witch hunters detected he was a monster with a stolen witcher medallion and attacked him as well. He claims he didn’t kill anyone else here and asked me to let him live. Even told me where to find him if I doubt his version of events.
After some consideration, I decided to let him live… for now. He even cut off a horn so I can use it as a proof of his demise. I won’t tell Barrack or Zhenor I found him just yet. I need to wait some time to verify if he doesn’t kill anyone else.
I did learn the Novigradian witch hunters are led by a man called Donald. Possibly the famous patrician who executed failed apprentices. If they came down to the level of accepting leadership from these types, they have really fallen far. If I recall correctly, and I always do, that Donald person used to work for Whoreson Junior. I should ask him about the patrician.
Journals of Addar of Toussaint 