"I agree," Talia says. "Better to start back now and get some rest. And pray for no delays."
"Yes, we need to head back, especially if we want to rest at all. Thank you, Headman Lazne. You've shown us quite a bit. We -I- will be sure to notify the Pharasmin church of both your concern about contamination of this boneyard and of the apparent grave robberies."
[00c]I thought we determined they were empty?[/ooc]
"Rest soundly, stranger...not getting up for a glass of water, now!" says Sour Heck, hefting the rusty shovel over his shoulder. He gives the coracle a nudge with his foot. "This must have been the grave robber's boat, otherwise why have a leather sack with digging tools hidden beneath the water line? And it's a little thing, notice. Too small for...Andrew." [/b]
"Nothing more to see here, outlanders! Let's head back."
Assuming that the group will likely be bringing back much of what they have found as evidence, they will eventually find themselves back at Ghoran's.
Gustav will have explained to you that you must present your evidence to the Clerk of the Court before 10AM. You will be sequestered in a chamber for the defense until called upon to give testimony. Your skills in diplomacy may be required to be convincing to the judges.
You were also admonished not to use subterfuge or spells, which are forbidden. Besides, there will be a priestess there to ensure the complete lack of magic involved.
It is quite late in the evening, so you may either attend to the local color or retire for the night and be well rested for your performances at court in the morning.
Eloise will seek her bed after the evidence has been delivered to the court -- and after the group has gotten an official receipt.
"If there is sabotage," she tells the others, "I want us to have a court-signed document proving that we brought in what we did. And now... bed for me. I need rest if I'm to cast any spells at all tomorrow. Not at the trial, of course."
"Good thinking, Eloise. On both counts," says Talia, nodding at the receipt and heading towards a night's rest herself.
Peredur also makes an early night of it. "There's a small magic, I've heard tell, that will clean clothing. Do any of you know it? If so, it's thinking I am that coming to court looking less travel-stained would be a fine thing."
"I know it," Eloise says. "Or rather, I've got it in my book. I'll study it tomorrow morning and clean us all up. No worries."
"I'm understanding that magics are forbidden in th' court, and it's respecting that we're being. What of th' way we usually go? True it is that after what we've come through of late it's naked I feel without armor on my back and a blade to hand. Will th' learned court have aught to say about that?"
“Peredur, why don’t you wait outside the courtroom and watch over all our magic? It’s true, the thieves in a courthouse are mostly in chains, but it’s the ones in powdered wigs you really have to watch out for.”
“Maybe I should do most of the actual witnessing. I was bound to end up in front of a judge sooner or later. At least I won’t be in the defendant’s chair. Not that I’ll be much safer as a witness...I’ve heard of judges throwing witnesses in prison, barristers, bystanders, bailiffs...at least if they decide to burn us with Andrew, we won’t have to live on prison food for long.”
“I’ll tell them how, as a humble bard, I went out to see the site of the Beast’s attacks, hoping to get a blood-chilling story out of it, but found things entirely different from the rumors I heard. The description the local elder gave didn’t match the Beast at all, and he said the person marauding their village was bitten on the shoulder by a blood caiman--that would leave a scar, and the Beast doesn’t have one.”
“Furthermore, we found evidence of grave robbery and worse, unspeakable things. Someone had been carving people up to make things like that mask we found--that’ll stir up the court--and didn’t care if they were dead or living, like the poacher who disappeared, whose face that is. We found the attacker’s boat and shovel and face-carving tools, and they’re all sized for normal people, not the Beast. He’d sink that little coracle if he put a foot in it.”
“I’ll tell them that whatever the Beast has done, we can’t lay these crimes at his door, not as good Pharasmans who expect to be judged by the Gray Lady ourselves one day. If the Beast is found guilty of this crime, the real criminal will be free to strike again. That should make their blood run cold.”
“I should be able to make a good performance of it. What do you think? Am I forgetting anything?”
"I think you should be the one to tell the story," Eloise agrees. "You have the best turn of phrase. Just make sure not to let your... unique... sense of humour get away with you when in front of the judge. I'd hate to have to visit you and Andrew in the same cell."
"Aye, if it's chaining Andrew they did to keep themselves safe, they'd like as not put a gag on you, Sour Heck."
“No jokes? Well, I could try and be less cheerful, I guess.”
As the group approaches the courthouse in the morning, they will be asked to leave their weapons with the guard, as well as any heavy armor or other armaments.
Any who enter to give testimony will be escorted to a small room to the side of the large courtroom - the same room that they met with Gustav earlier. As they are led up the stairs and through the courtroom, they will notice several well dressed people sitting in the seats in the public area. Three large chairs loom over a long, low bench at one end of the courtroom, currently vacant. A tall figure in black half-plate armor stands at attention near the long bench. In one of the public benches sits a rather handsome woman in long robes, sitting placidly and seeming to ignore the current small din that fills the courtroom.
Two desks sit between the large public bench seats and the long bench at the head of the courtroom. At the left desk stands a man dressed in fine clothes who is currently bent over and engrossed in conversation with two other men sitting at the desk. He occasionally looks about the room and smiles to other well dressed people who are entering and seat themselves in the public area.
Any evidence that is checked in will be recorded by any one of five elderly, pale, and bookish clerks who legally accept the evidence and fastidiously record it in a journal. They are currently present in the courtroom, sitting another long desk to the right of the courtroom, opposite the room the party will be lead to.
There is a gallery above and to the back of the court, filled with members of the general public. Those dressed with less finery, and likely representing the lower class.
Almost everyone, save the long robed woman and the figure in armor will be conversing with their neighbors, apparently discussing the upcoming case or perhaps other matters. For the moment, it appears that court is not quite yet in session.
Who will be escorted to the defense room to give testimony and who will be merely watching?
As Sour Heck is escorted to the defense room, he whispers to those headed to the public area, "Keep your ears open. Maybe you can pick up some leads."
Peredur nods and heads for the gallery.
"Sounds like a plan," Talia whispers back. "Good luck!"
Before the group sets out for the court, Eloise assembles them all out back behind the inn they're staying at, and repeatedly casts a spell on everyone - herself included. It's a simple spell, just a Word and a gesture, a negligible cantrip. The effects, however, are not negligible. Dirt, grime and slime turn to dust, which blows away on the slightest puff of air.
After the magic has been concluded, the party is left looking squeaky-clean.
At the courthouse, Eloise's face develops a brief spasm as she is asked to relinquish her weapons. "This sword is special to me," she finally growls at the clerk who is taking in the weapons. "You misplace this, and I'll make so much trouble you'll wish you'd stayed in bed."
The Magus seems slightly less reluctant about handing over her mace and crossbow. If no one asks about the dagger in her sleeve, she doesn't mention it either. If they do point it out, she hands it over without comment.
"Yeah, I'll keep my ears open," she promises. "For all the good it'll do..."
Iesha nods. "You should be best for this, Heck. These folk are a bit backward for such an advanced city. I suspect my race would possible affect their reactions."
She has no issue with leaving her glaive...most places don't appreciate polearms anyway.
While there is some question at the door by the guard regarding daggers, studded armors and chain shirts ("Battle dress?! You 'specting a fight?!"), Embreth will pass through at that moment, pausing briefly to nod to the guards to let the group keep minimal gear. She will will nod to the group and continue onward ahead without pausing for discussion.
"I'll call for you soon as the prosecution's d-d-d-done presenting their ev-v-v-v-idence." are his last words.
The noise of a throat clearing rings out from the front of the court -- the large figure in half-plate booms out in a thick male voice "bring out the prisoner!"
Several men lead Andrew in from a side entrance. They are holding chains which lead to manacles on his wrists and feet. Several other men are carrying a large cage, apparently newly constructed. They place the cage in the center of the courtroom, just behind the plaintiff and defendant desks. Andrew is lead into the large cage, and his chains are passed through the bars and fastened to large hooks fastened in the floors. It's obvious the cage and hooks in the floor were built and placed newly for this prisoner.
A moment later, the half-plate figure shouts again, "Attention! The honorable justices enter!". Three figures enter, dressed in voluminous flowing black robes, with starched ruffs and wearing enormous powdered wigs that tower over their heads. Embreth is at the last, preceded by two other men, both who appear a bit older than her.
Standing to the left of the large judges bench is the robed woman. She appears to be scanning the courtroom, holding one of her hands out in front of her, palm outward, and the other hand clutching a small silver symbol hung on a long necklace at her chest.
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The judge in the center (known as Kasp Aldaar) bangs his gavel and asks for order in the courtroom. He announces, in a very loud, commanding voice, the rules of the court. After each rule, the court herald (the plated man) will ring a gong for good measure. He will conclude his speech by announcing that the good people of Lepidstadt have suffered many acts of terror and barbarity at the hands of the Beast of Lepidstadt for many years, and that while the Beast is doubtless responsible for numerous murders, the prosecution will focus on three recent cases to prove the Beasts guilt during the trial.
The prosecution's main lawyer, Otto Heiger, a very handsome middle aged man, begins with some opening remarks. "The prosecution will prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this creature" (pointing at Andrew) "did take the lives of at least 10 people in the village of Morast a year ago, in addition to two horrendous crims that will be described as the trial continues."
Gustav Kaple will also offer some remarks, a half hearted attempt at a defense for the Beasts's innocence full of stutters and awkward pauses. All the while, the crowd in the mob will jeer and boo.
Otto will initially call three witnesses to the stand. Two young women a man describe events as they saw them -- that over a series of nights, the Beast came to the village and took people away. A trap was finally laid for the Beast, and the Beast was driven into the swamp. They assumed the Beast was killed by a large blood crocodile.
Otto will then call the village elder, Lazne, to the stand. He will confirm the events related by the three villagers.
Gustav will call upon Sour Heck to present any evidence that the group has found.
After Sour Heck has taken the witness stand (a small, waist-height rail enclosing a simple chair in front of the judges and facing the court), Gustav will ask, "What did you find on the island regarding the graves there?"
While there is some question at the door by the guard regarding daggers, studded armors and chain shirts ("Battle dress?! You 'specting a fight?!")....
Peredur gives the guard a serious look. "I've seen th' defendant...dagger and leather might not do much, and he escape, but a little's better than naught."
Eloise mutters a quick cantrip before entering the courtroom and maintains the spell while keeping her eyes and ears open. She watches and listens to the crowd. She watches and listens to the officers of law and order. She watches and listens to Andrew, gauging whether his mystery master might be anywhere nearby.
Sour Heck delivers his testimony in a chill voice suited to telling ghost stories around a tavern fire. “We found empty, dug-up graves. Whoever was snatching people out of Morast didn’t much care if they were alive or dead. They were digging up dead villagers and making off with the bodies. There was a little boat abandoned there, too, with a bag hidden under the waterline the way smugglers do it. We found the shovel used to rob the graves in that bag...and worse.”
Iesha sits where directed, hoping that Eloise's spell doesn't violate the rules they were given. She listens to Sour Heck, nodding at each point he makes, checking them off mentally.
Peredur keeps one ear on Sour Heck while looking around the courtroom.
Gustav will present the physical evidence at this time, allowing the judges to view and inspect the shovel, bag, and other items the group has found. A murmur will ripple through the crowd after this.
"Did you find any other m-m-materials at the site, say something resembling a m-m-m-ask?"
Gustav will also ask about the tools, "D-d-did you find any tools nearby, b-b-b-beside the shovel?"
"In your opinion, if the c-c-caiman had attacked Andrew, would it have left lasting scars? Do you see any scars resembling a c-c-ccaiman on the defendant?"
The robed woman, whom you will now know as the Holy Sister of Justice, will turn to Eloise and stare. As she catches Eloise's eye, she will shake her head in a disapproving and warning way.
Iesha sees the reaction of the Holy sister and cringes slightly, embarrassed.
Eloise shrugs semi-apologetically and mouths the words: 'Stressful times, your honour.'
As Gustav presents the evidence, Sour Heck comments, “When I saw that tiny little boat, I said to myself, You’ve been thinking it was that enormous freak who did all this, but there’s no way he could pilot that boat...and if the boat would sink, you must re-think!”
When Gustav asks him about the mask, Sour Heck gives a theatrical shudder. “I don’t want to talk about that. But we end up doing all sorts of things we don’t want to do, don’t we? Dying being number one on the list.”
“Still, there’s dying and there’s dying, and having your face sliced off sounds like a nasty way to go. Cover your ears, children and innocents of Lepidstadt! I found a mask of human skin in that graverobber’s gear. Elder Lazne over there said he recognized it, that it was the face of a poacher who disappeared around the time the abductions were taking place out in Morast. She must have been one of the ones taken. Horrible. Makes you wonder what happened to the other bodies, and if their killer is still out there, ready to strike again.”
Sour Heck nods at the barrister’s tool question. “Aye, those fancy knives. Scalpels, as surgeons call them. Sharp enough to cut your throat and you wouldn’t notice until you had a glass of ale. Sharp enough to peel the face off a skull without marking it, to make a mask. Fancy, like I said, with amethysts in the handles. Can’t see that horror walking into a store and buying them, and can’t see him using them with those great hams he has for hands.”
At the question about the caiman, Sour Heck looks at the barrister as if he suspects he’s being made fun of. “Is that a joke? I don’t think the court approves of jokes. Look, if a caiman bit a fellow’s shoulder, there’d be a scar, if there was any shoulder left. That creature’s got plenty of scars, but nothing like that, not on his shoulder and not anywhere else you can see.”
Talia very carefully smooths her face, so as not to betray the occasional smirks, chuckles, and eye-rolling, as Sour Heck delivers his testimony.
Baring any other testimony that Sour Heck will offer, Gustav will conclude with his defense and the Chief Justice Khard will call for a recess for the day at around 2pm.
The Justices leave the courtroom first, followed by the prosecution and the Sister of Justice. Finally, Andrew is led from the courtroom, and at this point, a cacophony of jeers rises up from the gallery, with a large number of insults and curses hurled at the back of the creature's hulking form as he leaves the courtroom.
Gustav will call the group into his chambers afterward.
"Tomorrow is Hergs-s-s-stag, where Andres is accused of murdering 6 children. It's here, in the the Dipplemere Swamp" he says, a look of worry passing over his face. He draws a map for you to follow.
Peredur collects his sundry armaments before the meeting with Gustav, then checks them over to make sure they're all still in good shape. "So it's more walking we'll be doing, is it? How far to th' swamp?"
Eloise likewise collects her weaponry before rushing to meet Gustav. She nods impatiently when he tells the group where to go next.
"We must leave at once," she says. "And we'd be better off getting horses, or even a carriage, to expedite our travels. But before we go -- Gustav, do you have legal room to voice a formal complaint at all the booing and heckling Andrew has to endure? If he's sentient enough to be tried formally, then he should be sentient enough that such behaviour constitutes contempt of court, yes? Or at least to get those people barred from further proceedings. Andrew may be innocent, but he is still a flesh golem. Provoking him is not a good idea and could hurt his chances."
“Hergsstag’s the abandoned village where Andrew said a bad spirit killed a little girl he knew? Not someplace I’d want to be caught dead in. Or undead in. If you heroes are set on going, we should get ready to fight another ghost. We don’t have a secret weapon like the Splatterman’s book this time, so some not-so-secret weapons would be useful. More ghost salts, specifically.”
“Barrister, if the village is abandoned, where can we find those three witnesses you mentioned, the sisters, before the trial tomorrow? Talking to Lazne helped us find holes in his story.”
“And shouldn’t we visit Andrew again, keep his spirits up? Maybe he can tell us something about the village itself, like where we can find the ghost.”
"Aye, let's pay Andrew a visit 'fore we go."
"Yes, we do need to check with him to see if he can tell us anything more about that ghost. Also, are there any witnesses we can speak to as well? We need to know what they saw that made then think it was Andrew who did the killings."
"Agreed. We should gather as much knowledge that we can here, before we leave. That way we can pinpoint or searching."
Gustav will inform you that the three witnesses, the sisters, can be found at a small windmill on the outskirts of Lepidstadt. He will also lead you back down the the jail and cage that you first met Andrew at.
Peredur walks into the cell block and gives the flesh golem a nod. "Hello, Andrew. We're off to speak of Hergstag to th' sisters, and it's after wanting to hear what you have to say of it we are."
"And how are you doing?" Eloise asks. "Those inbred yokels' jeering didn't upset you, did it? You mustn't take such pettiness to heart."
"Please, Andrew, tell us about the children and the ghost."
Andrew will appear unusually dour. The shackles to his wrists and ankles still in evidence, apparently necessary despite the large cage he is currently in.
"No care about jokels. No care about humans. Little swamp man say wrong things about me. Not true."
"Andrew was living near a lake. Then little girl came to visit. We become friends. She was gentle. She was kind. Told girl not to tell anyone about me. Girl's family might not like Andrew.[b]"
"[b]One day saw girl go near small cave outside of town. Saw her go in cave, she was following another child. Other child was white. She went in cave. I went in, too, thought it was dangerous. Saw horrible man. He was also white. Knew he was going to hurt girl. Hurt Ellsa. Tried to stop him, but couldn't touch him. He touched girl and killed her. Took body back to village, to give to father. But they attack Andrew. Think wrong thing. Think Andrew kill girl."
"Little swamp man?" Eloise asks. "What do you mean, little swamp man?"
After hearing Andrew's tale, Eloise shakes her head grimly. "Dash it all! I haven't studied magic missile even once today, just when we need the spell most..."