Dietmar of Hauswald
Dietmar is a young friar in the Order of the Leather Belt, also known as the Order of St. Beatus. He grew up in the village of Hauswald. Dietmar learned the healer trade from his father. One day, when his father was away, Dietmar had to try healing a villager, but his case was dire. As he was close to death, a stranger in cleric robes came to the village and offered his help. People sent him to Dietmar's house, and he cured the villager with a simple prayer, within a minute. Dietmar was shocked and asked how he could gain such power to help his fellows. The answer set Dietmar on his path as a Friar.
Dietmar went to the village of Blauhorst, and joined the local priory as a lay brother. As he prepared to take his vows, he was assigned duties as a sexton at the sacristy, and witnessed the first outbreak of the Plague close up. When people began to die all around him, Dietmar could not attend to the burials fast enough. He had the misfortune of watching a number of those who were being stored a a plague-stricken house, waiting to be interned, rise from the dead, and join the Totentanz. Horrified and stricken by guilt over the fate of his flock, he fled to Rotz, where he completed the process of ordination. Soon after, Eddi , on a mission from the town council of the nearby town of Wunschau, came to recruit him to join her community's efforts to fight a renewed outbreak. Wishing to atone for his flight from Blauhorst, and to make himself useful, Dietmar joined her group of plague doctors and other healers, and went downstream to Wunschau. There, he joined them in investigating the disappearance of Ruprecht, a local sexton, who, it turned out, had also survived death, and using magic, brought his assistants back beyond the grave as well. Basil's efforts to rebuke Ruprecht were for naught, and he nearly died trying to flee the crypt, breaking several ribs in the process. But after being rescued by his companions, he had several local residents escort him back into the center of town, where he obtained an audience with Udo , the local bishop. He turned over the reliquary from the sacristy that he had requisitioned, and told the bishop that he had witnessed signs of witchery in the house (in the form of defiled crucifixes, and a wax effigy of the bishop himself, that he feared Ruprecht was putting to ill use). He also told him that the sacristy was on fire (to stop any walking dead from escaping), but that the fire had spread to surrounding structures. Udo accepted the relics, but told Dietmar that as the senior representative of the order, the relics would be turned back over to him once the priory had been cleaned out and rebuilt. He also told him that he had always disliked Ruprecht, and passed him over for ordination because he suspected him of foul deeds - that was likely the reason Ruprecht tried to wreak his dark vengeance upon him. Then the bishop proceeded to the city walls, calling upon God's mercy to extinguish the fires.
Ruprecht is a slight young man of nearly average height. He wears simple robes as a display of humility fitting to his calling. Armed with a simple staff and a book, he does not look threatening or unusual in any way. Yet, his firm gaze shows he is driven in his purpose. Though generally reserved, he shines when someone needs help.
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