# Keith Pursuivant — Short Fiction character guide > Keith Pursuivant in Short Fiction by Manly Wade Wellman. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Judge Pursuivant, Pursuivant, Judge Keith Hilary Pursuivant, Judge, Keith **First appearance:** 0028-iii-enter-judge-pursuivant ## Snapshot A judge and occult investigator who reads Blackwood and Bien Boa séances alike, calmly steering a terrified circle toward the truth behind a werewolf killing. ## Who they are Pursuivant sits by the fire with Constable O'Bryant, Dr. Zoberg, and a young woman convinced her own sleeping body murdered her father, and he refuses to let her carry that guilt. He cites John Silence and the Arabic-speaking materialized entity to argue that a spirit may come from without, showing a mind that treats the supernatural as evidence rather than sensation. His suggestion to search the damp woods for footprints, and his insistence on lanterns as the best weapon, make him the story's steadying intelligence as the case tightens around Susan Gird. ## In the story ### [The Hairy Ones Shall Dance](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/the-hairy-ones-shall-dance) Judge Pursuivant reveals werewolf lore and provides exposition on the supernatural. ### [III: "That Thing Isn't My Daughter—"](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/iii-that-thing-isn-t-my-daughter) Mentioned as the only attorney in town, a retired judge living past the Devil's Croft. ### [VII: “Had the Thing Been So Hairy?”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/vii-had-the-thing-been-so-hairy) Appears at the end of the chapter, offering shelter to the narrator after the fight. ### [A Trick That Almost Killed You](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/viii-a-trick-that-almost-killed-you) Retired judge who takes Wills in, discusses the occult, and begins to explain lycanthropy. ### [IX: “To a Terrified Victim He Is Doom Itself.”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/ix-to-a-terrified-victim-he-is-doom-itself) The judge presents evidence from books on psychical research and lycanthropy, arguing for the reality of werewolves through ectoplasmic materialization. ### [X: Bloodlust and Compassion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/x-bloodlust-and-compassion) Hosts and protects Wills, provides logical analysis of the werewolf phenomenon, and clears Wills and Susan of suspicion. ### [XI: "To Meet That Monster Face to Face!"](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/xi-to-meet-that-monster-face-to-face) Leads the group into the Devil's Croft, having gathered information in town and devised a plan to face the werewolf face to face. ### [XII: “We Are Here at His Mercy.”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/xii-we-are-here-at-his-mercy) Leaves Talbot and Susan alone in the forest; becomes the object of their suspicion as a possible werewolf. ### [XIII: “Light’s Our Best Weapon.”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/xiii-light-s-our-best-weapon) Supports Zoberg's theory; suggests searching the woods for clues. ### [XIV: “I Was—I Am—A Wolf.”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/xiv-i-was-i-am-a-wolf) Witnesses Zoberg's transformation and hypnotism of Susan; helps restrain Zoberg. ### [XV: “And That Is the End.”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/xv-and-that-is-the-end) Listens intently to Zoberg's confession, questions him, and later admits he suspected Zoberg from the first. ### [Byron's Lost Play](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/ii-byron-s-lost-play) Expected to arrive to authenticate the manuscript, arrives at the end of the chapter. ### [III: Enter Judge Pursuivant](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/iii-enter-judge-pursuivant) Enters the chapter as a large, tweed-clad occultist and antiquary who authenticates the Byron manuscript and later warns Connatt about the play's paradoxical paper watermark. ### [IV: Into the Country](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/iv-into-the-country) Travels with the narrator, discusses Byron and 'Ruthven', reveals his scholarly and military background. ### [Pursuivant Again](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/viii-pursuivant-again) Arrives for lunch; reveals he came deliberately due to an occult challenge from Varduk, and elaborates on the curse of Byron and its possible effect on Varduk. ### [IX: Davidson Gives a Warning](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/ix-davidson-gives-a-warning) Listens to Davidson's story and receives the warning about Varduk. ### [X: That Evening](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/x-that-evening) Discusses the threat of Varduk with the narrator, reveals his sword-cane to Varduk, and is later found unconscious at the driveway. ### [XI: Battle and Retreat](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/xi-battle-and-retreat) Leads the retreat, wields Saint Dunstan's silver sword, and explains the nature of the non-shapes as elementals or poltergeists. ### [XII: Return Engagement](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/xii-return-engagement) Visits the group but leaves before dark; defends the authenticity of the play in the press. ### [XIII: The Black Book](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/xiii-the-black-book) Examines the 'Grand Albert' and Byron's pact; deduces the play is a ceremony targeting Sigrid. ### [Zero Hour](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/xiv-zero-hour) Reveals the Byron pact and Varduk's plan; devises a countermeasure using the prop sword. ### [XV: “Whither? I Dread to Think—”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/xv-whither-i-dread-to-think) Provides the silver sword to Connatt and addresses the audience after the incident. ### [Fearful Rock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/fearful-rock) Provides wisdom and guidance on werewolf lore and occult matters. ### [The Dreadful Rabbits](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/the-dreadful-rabbits) Investigates the rabbit-greeting custom in Crispinville; walks to town to examine historical records. ### [The Half-Haunted](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/the-half-haunted) Visits Scrope's house to investigate the haunting; leads the exorcism and deduces the house is only half-haunted. ### [Warrior of Two Worlds](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/warrior-of-two-worlds) Potential mentor or authority figure bridging worlds. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/characters/judge_keith_pursuivant - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_37_se/characters