Sir Rekkart: The paladin's face hardens as he replies He was guilty because all things...all things...all made perfect sense. She was killed with his axe and she was so beautiful and he was so ugly...I mean...and the judge was also persuaded. Rekkart seems a bit desperate now.
Killian: I only knew them like everybody else. He was the famous hangman and she his even more famous beautiful wife. After their son was born, there life was perfect.
Sensemotive for Killian
Listenign closely but mostly staying out of the squabble (and hoping secretly it turns into a brawl for his own sanity) Ragnvald responds to the paladin poking him again before he leaves the room to investigate more of the courthouse. "And because you apparently maintained your paladinhood your word had to be correct."Ragnvald says it matter of factly as if the Paladin can be relieved that the gods know his truth. But jsut as the paladin feels relief he turns back from the door. "On the other hand. If a paladin's judgment was all it took the determine the innocence of men. The gods may as well excise free will from our souls. Perhaps the only reason you haven't fell is because the gods want you to know your sin for what it is first."
Most of the Paladins I knew growing up were good people, and honest. But, they would have been the first to say that even Paladins make mistakes and there is no dishonor in admitting a mistake. The dishonor is not admitting it an allowing injustice to go forward.
Sir Rekkart: Ignoring all the talk about paladinhood, he answers Dream? No, not that I recall.
Patrissa: Neither do I.
Killian: What? Dream? ...no.
Something about this Killian seems strange...something about his mimics.
Ebin: Oh yeah...I dreamt...all the night....of blonde bombshells HAH!
Halgrak No dreams.
@ Ragnvald: As you return into the main hall you are shocked to see that the clock is intact again, it's 5 to 8pm.
It was about ten to 7pm when Ragnvald shattered the clock.
Wis
Oops, just a typo, meant mimic, like facial expression. It's weird and you are unable to tell exactly what it is, but his face does not appear to be "natural".
Wisdom Check:
After seeing that Sir Rekkart was going to continue to be an old curmudgeon, Jez heads back into the main hall to make sure that the crazy northerner was not killing any more furniture. Jez jumps in surprise when she sees the clock standing up.
Hey, did anyone order a new clock? This one appears much better than Ragnvald left it a few minutes ago. Although it is a little later than expected. It seems it was shortly before 7 pm before, now it is just before 8 pm. Strange.
Halgrak: I guess that means our time is running up.
Patrissa: We have to do something, we can't just wait. Maybe we should form small groups and start exploring the court, Attalas what do you think, you are the strongoest of us?!
Sir Rekkart: But Lady Patrissa, he just surprised me when...
Ebin: When he hopped in your face, hah!
Sir Rekkart, lifting you is really not all that difficult, even a little girl like me can do it.
Grapple -
Strength - to lift:
Ragnvald growls and smashes the clock again. Uncharacteristically Ragnvald starts making idle chit chat while he explores the northwestern door. "It's probably telling us we have until midnight or something as droll as that. So Killian, tell us about yourself. You obviously can admire a woman, something I can respect. But we know so little of you. Who are you really?"
Sir Rekkart: As you grab him by the collar, the paladin draws his longsword half out of its scabbard Do not touch me!.
Ebin: Oh yeah, more blood, heh!
Killian: Surprised by Ragnvald's question, the elderly man answers Abolut myself? Oh, what can I say, I'm just an old fellow who likes his women warm and his ales cold, heh.
Halgrak: Ragnvald, do you think smashing it again is a good idea? The last time Malgrim died.
Nymeria has never left the big room.
Hey Mobo, Nymeria says, crouching down to somewhat his level and whispering.
The paladin's face hardens as he replies He was guilty because all things...all things...all made perfect sense. She was killed with his axe and ...I mean...and the judge was also persuaded. Rekkart seems a bit desperate now.
Attalas looks at the paladin hard again, and then his drift to Patrissa the beauty standing by his side, then back to the Paladin. It is pretty clear that his mind is ticking over heavily, and whatever is coming up is causing his face to draw long and sad. He steps away from Patrissa, not answering her question.
His hands seem to open and close reflexively as he stands aside silently. Those beady dark eyes seem to drift towards the Paladins neck.
|
Mobo doesn't get a chance to register the clock as it is once again smashed to bits.
"Smash the clock a hundred times,
We'll still hear a hundred chimes.
As the Big Folk anger climbs,
We still pay for Mordy's crimes."
Mobo whispers back to Nymeria,
Wisdom check
"But we not paying for Mordy's crimes, we paying for the wrongness done to him"
"Mordy never done the crime
but liars made him do the time
The guilty man he got away
So now we gotta come and pay
The pally man he thinks he's right
Says to trust him, he's a knight
I've never met a bigger fool
Hes nasty rude and unfit for rule
The Hob gob had his swinging chain
So Mordy hung him to explain
That Mord was shafted by a fixed up Jury
So work out who, or face his fury"
|
|
Mobo walks over to Attalas.
"This guy gets it. He smart and ryhme good. When Mobo finds his tribe and becomes leader with his Boomstick, Attalas be my big advisor. Nobody talk back or they get thumped."
"We know Mord killed people for job, had pretty mate, though it sound like her head too small and not sharp teeth..."
"Did Mord kill somebody's family for his job? One of jury have reason to see him swing?"
The goblin paces around the ogre while he talks, tindertwig in mouth, deep in thought.
Nymeria whispers back to Mobo.
She stands and looks around the room. How about we try to find the way out? But let's all stick together... she says, following Ragnvald towards the northern door. She stops and turns back to the old jurors. But wait, you all have been here before! You must know the way out, right?
"Reckon if we workout whodunnit then Mordy will just let us leave. Sounds like Rekkart didn't like the man having a good looking mate, Rekkart likes calling names and deciding who gets to do what, Mord just victim to Sir Bully-pants thinking. Don't think Rekkart was the one who did the lying, or he no be a Paladin, but he was happy to agree to giving Mordy a stretchy neck"
"So wonder who else was guilty of hangmanning the hangman for cobblestone reasons eh?"
"People have jealous that the ugly man have good life and good wife, decide to wreck it. Maybe get that wife and life for themselves, maybe just to kick sand in it to make themselves feel better... people in town sometimes threw rocks at Attalas and act mean just to feel better about themselfs. That idiot sailor hit Attalas first, he get hit back and never get up again, somehow that my fault. Then I get dumped. Special Mission they said, wait here they said, we come back for you soon they said...then never came back"
"Mordy lost wife, Mordy lost life, I think Mordy think it all very unfair and want's getting even. I just hoping Mordy not getting me back for somthing I didn't do. That not fair. My real Ma and Pa got killed to bits, but not me, I did nothing wrong, was just a baby. Paladin looked after me and raised me right to be good person, I no do wrong thing to Mord. I no should have debt, same as me not upset that Pa killed my Pa and Ma, otherwise I'd have to killing his brother, but that not right, he family"
As Ragnvald finishes his work in unleashing the AClockalypse he continues chatting with Killian. "Truly? No profession? No tales of valor? OF a simple life. Come man the gibbering of the others can no more diminish the tale then your own telling of it. No man truly lives an uninteresting life in this world." An edge of suspicion creeps into Ragnvalds voice as he prepare to utterly annihilate the door in front of him.
I walk over to Attalas. While we do not have one of those rack devices, if you grab their arms and I grab their legs, I bet we could stretch some truth out of them.
Malgrim: Dead. But given the nature of these things that just means he's the least suspicious. Pretty straightforward fellow.
Sir Rekkart: Douche. Bigot. Has notions of "right" that would make a fundamentalist blanch. But somehow still a paladin. So at the very least he's still good. Has a fragile ego. Getting manhandled by an ogre obviously doesn't bother him as much as getting beat up by a woman.
Halgrak: Shady. Mord did something to this guy. And he didn't like it. At all. He cna only claim mord wasn't responsible. But who was?
Ebin: Least likely. Yeah he's probably a tiny ball of hate for all we know. But right now he's mostly annoying.
PAtrissa: Knows the paladin wants her and quite frankly doesn't care. She's doing it for the dual purposes of pissing off the paladin and getting a big strong protector. She's used to using her charm and wiles for getting her way.
Killian: Damned suspicious. But Ragnvald hasn't revealed just why yet. Doesn't believe in airing out dirty laundry by word. He'd prefer to beat it out of you. Might be nothing. Might be our guy.
Honestly Ragnvald wouldn't hack up a woman. He'd give her a sword first.
Malgrim: Dead. But given the nature of these things that just means he's the least suspicious. Pretty straightforward fellow.
Pretty much agree, he got clocked out early which means he was either guilty as sin, or he was unfortunate enough to simply be used as an example to the others to heighten their panic.
Sir Rekkart: Douche. Bigot. Has notions of "right" that would make a fundamentalist blanch. But somehow still a paladin. So at the very least he's still good. Has a fragile ego. Getting manhandled by an ogre obviously doesn't bother him as much as getting beat up by a woman.
Douche and Bigot indeed. Attalas will probably school the fool on defenestration before the end. I can only think that Iomedae was always the 'go to' deity for Paladins who aren't heavy n thinking and concepts of mercy, so maybe it was a combination of Mord having done some bad stuff in life and Sir Rekkart being conned into seeing things in certain ways; had it just been that he was busy chasing skirt and coin then his legit Paladin status would have been stripped, but we saw him heal so he's still a Pally. Even if a douche.
Halgrak: Shady. Mord did something to this guy. And he didn't like it. At all. He cna only claim mord wasn't responsible. But who was?
No dreams he says.... really? He's got the guilts written all over him.
Ebin: Least likely. Yeah he's probably a tiny ball of hate for all we know. But right now he's mostly annoying.
Wouldn't have ever led anything, but the sort of low rent scumbag who might be in for a free kick to a downed man.
PAtrissa: Knows the paladin wants her and quite frankly doesn't care. She's doing it for the dual purposes of pissing off the paladin and getting a big strong protector. She's used to using her charm and wiles for getting her way.
The Paladin is following her around like a bad smell, but then that makes me wonder if the Paladin is just a dodgy old lecher who was happy to see Mord swing leaving a wife and child he could move in on as protector. Patrissa seems keen on having 'protectors', which makes you wonder what she feels so threatened by that shes willing to 'hawk the fork' to an Ogre for protection. That must be some protection she is needing.
Killian: Damned suspicious. But Ragnvald hasn't revealed just why yet. Doesn't believe in airing out dirty laundry by word. He'd prefer to beat it out of you. Might be nothing. Might be our guy.
Dodgy as. Another crusty old man with an eye for the ladies, yet mysteriously seems not to be chasing Patrissa. Crusty old men with no notable pasts don't pull loads of hot birds, yet his actions and talk would paint him as a ladies man... so hes lying about one or the other.
Sir Rekkart: Idle chatting won't solve our problem! I'D say the courageous ones and the beautiful lady Patrissa follow me, I'll find a way out. He ignores Attalas' stare and walks to the door Ragnvald has inspected before.
Patrissa: She looks surprised at Attalas as he steps away, but she soon understands and says I will stay here with Attalas.
Ebin: A pig comes around a corner, what's missing?...The joke, hah!
Attalas seems to lighten up again when Jez makes the comment about stretching out the guilty.
When Patrissa steps close to him again he at first seems happy, but then he looks at Rekkart and his face struggles a bit as though slightly depressed and involved in a mental debate with himself; he steps away from her sullenly, as though slightly ashamed.
When Ebin drops his line the Ogre grates as though he'd like to just punch the man to release some pent up frustration.
Patrissa: As Attalas backs away again, she looks deep into the ogre's eyes and caresses his forearm It's not all about the looks. Forget Rekkart.
He gives her a slight smile, but his eyes are still full of sadness, sort of like a lost puppy. He looks to her then with his gaze nods to Rekkart and then shakes his head with a slight resignation.
"Ogres never allowed to have friends or nice things, I know how Mordy felt"
He sighs with deep disappointment, but doesn't drift away from her.
Patrissa: maybe it's time for a change then?
The Ogre smiles his crooked smile softly and briefly.
"Maybe one day when I'm a chief"
With a wry smile Ragnvald lets Sir Rekkart through and steps close to Killian keeping one eye on him. "By all means."
Perception
I follow behind Rekkart a few steps remembering that the last person to go charging through a door ended up hanged by his own chain.
i am continuously scanning the area for anything unusual like the clock rebuilding itself again which will undoubtably occur shortly.
This room contains one long oval-shaped wooden table and twelve rickety wooden chairs. A heavy layer of dust lies on all surfaces.
This room contains one long oval-shaped wooden table and twelve rickety wooden chairs. A heavy layer of dust lies on all surfaces.
As he looks inside Ragnvald understands the room immediately. "And here is where twelve angry men held their thing. And at each one a life was decided. I'll never understand why southerners find it so easy to sentence men to an early grave. Ulfen don't do this. My uncle must not have been a very agreeable man."
Sir Rekkart: Then please enlighten us, what means do the Ulfen have to decide if a man is guilty or not?
Ebin: Maybe they just ask him? HAH!
In a wise society, such a decision would be made by several impartial people skilled and knowledgable in the ways of the law, not in this barbaric method whereby ordinary citizens are compelled to find their fellows guilty based upon feeling and hunch.
As I say this I am staring at Sir Rekkart.
Intimidate:
Sir Rekkart: The paladin flinches only slightlly and responds I'm no ordinary citizen, I'm a paladin of Iomedae, a champion of law and order!
Ebin: Whatever, can we now check the other rooms?
Killian: I nearly forgot you are able to say anything sensible, gnome.
Sir Rekkart: Then please enlighten us, what means do the Ulfen have to decide if a man is guilty or not?
Ebin: Maybe they just ask him? HAH!
Ragnvald shrugs as he walks into the room speaking calmly. "Nothing so dissimilar. Depends on the situation. The clan. The realm. The distance. In simple cases a mediator would discuss thigns between wronged parties. Tributes would be levied. Debts would be paid. And thigns would be well. Other cases their may be a blood feud. Lives would be lost in all likelihood. That's rare these days we can ill afford prolonged clan war. Most times their will be a formal duel with rules blessed by Gorum with the loser or his family paying a fine to the winner. In the most grievous cases such as the murder of one's own child or" Ragnvald hesitates clearly not wanting to continue but presses on. "...or treason against the clan a thing would be held with every adult clan member who can attend. From there it's decided whether the accused deserved punishment and whether or not he would be placed in thralldom or exiled from the lands of the clan. He would never be forced to live in a cage and never would his death be made a spectacle. Every Ulfen has the right to defend themselves whether by word, by deed, or by blade. We do not decide a man's fate behind his back and then enact that fate in front of all."
Looking from face to face.
Just how were you all chosen to be on this jury? It seems very strange that twelve people, or at least six people, with ties to a person accused of murder would have been selected to sit on a jury bound to determine whether the accused was guilty of murder. Who chose you all? Or did you volunteer?
Sir Rekkart: No, you can't volunteer. Silman Trabe, the judge, was entitled to choose twelve people from more than 200 applicants. The judge was a very wise man, so it was assured that no one with a grudge a gainst Mord was chosen. Rekkart smiles and is obviously proud of the legal system of Absalom. Then he turns to Ragnvald and after a moment of thinking he adds Well, that does not sound too bad...honesty is a high goal of my church.
Ebin: Yeah hah! You're so lame Rekkart...now let's get going, kay?
Ragnvald explores the room ignoring the gnomes pleas.
As you walk around the table, you suddenly spot a short message someone has carved into it, it reads: F.uck off Mord - who has now the last laugh?! E.B.
Watching Ragnvald foolishly storm into the room: Anything in there? So far you do not seem to have become something's lunch, or trophy.
As he stares down at the table he replies in a mocking tone. "Why would he bother? This is where his fate was decided. This is an uncompromising and incorruptible room of so called "law" and...oh wait." Ragnvald makes an exagerrated rubbing motion on the table removing years of caked dust and gently blows it away. "Ah, it appears some vagrant's carved into the table." As Ragnvald stands his hand is clearly revealed a carved message upon it. He looks up and his stare burns into the gnomes very soul.
F.uck off Mord - who has now the last laugh?! E.B.
Intimidate
The Ogre looks at Ragnvald looking at the gnome, "Whats the matter?"
The Ogre looks at Ragnvald looking at the gnome, "Whats the matter?"
The Ogre moves toward the Gnome to see whats wrong with him and if he is ok.