Dura, we should. However, we first came here because the Caiman killed a creature the village folk chased here. Let us see if there evidence of such.
Brig notes your search, but shrugs if asked about the event. Didn't see it meself. After the fight happened and the Beast bled on our ground, we figured it was tainted and had to set up a new burial place somewheres else.
"And where is that?" Rufus asks. "Perhaps we could pay it a visit as well."
On the other side of the village, a quick trip away. Nothin' there but burial sites though.
Anyone die recently? Leeoli asks pointedly?
Brig seems mildly uncomfortable with the question, but in the end, shrugs and continues. Nah...not for a bit. We're a hardy bunch, ya' know.
Thanks!
Are we done then? Perhaps we should head back.
Dura nods her head. She's had enough of this creepy place. "Brig, can you show us where the people in town were taken?"
Brig shrugs, seeming not to have any agenda in mind save for "show the newcomers around." The group collectively packs up, and Brig leads the small boats through winding paths with reeds and swamp on either side. The trip passes within view of the village, but heads around it before flowing through a natural tunnel of weepy-leaved grayish green trees. Brig grunts as you then hit shore at a small island in the middle of dark swamp.
Only just started usin' this place after the mess with the Beast. He points at a whole three markers of graves...long-lived bunch indeed.
Brig looks at you expectantly. Anywhere's else?
Rufus examines the graves to determine if they look disturbed or "dug up", then he surveys the remainder of the island.
Rufus doesn't see any disturbance to the ground like was evidenced at the previous island. These gravesites appear to be undisturbed.
Having seen nothing of importance on the small island, you head back with Brig to the village proper. He shows you into several of the homes of those who have been lost - some still have loved ones who grieve but offer no new actionable intelligence.
Equipped with what you think is at least a theory, you head back to Lepidstadt on your new steeds. You tether your beasts at the courthouse, and enter between the vigilant guards with only a brief questioning. Within a few moments of your arrival, you are once again in cellar of the Courthouse, Barrister Gustav Kaple at your side, and the Beast viewing you with some trepidation. It doesn't seem hostile, but in fact seems to be eager to hear what you have to say.
Leeoli inspcts the beast for signs of injury from a caiman.
"So, in brief, we did find some very strange... well, clues I suppose. First, the prosecutor's witness claims he saw Charlie here attacked by a large caiman. We see no evidence of that (right?). No scarring or anything. They also say as he was being attacked, he was shouting a string of obscenities. That just doesn't seem like Charlie here. There was someone or some thing out on that island, besides the manticore. We found the remains of a body, including the removed face of a victim, Nan Klebem. Someone intentionally butchered him. And empty graves, perhaps from someone digging for body parts. We also found a bit of an alchemical potion, something that would allow someone to see in the dark, which Charlie doesn't need. These clues simply don't add up to Charlie. We believe there was some other creature out there that is actually responsible for these murders." Dura looks pensive for a moment as if she had a thought occur to her. "But is that enough for the judges?"
Leeoli gets close to the Beast, and the creature issues forth a roar of possible anger, but it seems only a mild precaution, as it allows Leeoli to get closer. It haves a sigh and sits back in its obviously uncomfortable bonds. After a closer look, Leeoli sees no signs of whatever wounds the Caiman would have inflicted, though it's a bit hard to tell with the way the Beast is pieced together
Gustav nods through the explanation, and his eyes grow wider with each claim. Now...we may have some...something there. If n.n.n.nothing else, doubt...we can sow the s.seeds. I w.w.will take the evidence, if you please...I will n.need to log it with the clerk. Are you p..prepared to p..present your case?
"I suppose as prepared as we can be, considering the extreme bias against our client. Are weapons permitted in the courtroom?" The question seems reasonable enough...
Dura snorts reflexively at Rufus' question. "My guess is no."
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My mind is a weapon.
"My weapon is my weapon, and they can pry it from my hands when my job is done."
Gustav begins to shake his head, then looks up to Gur and takes a slight step back. They t...t...typically do not allow w...weapons, no. B...but, maybe they'll make an exception. I'll s...see if I can get one of you r...registered as a guard.
You leave the cell and building, as prepared as you can be for the next day, and return to where you're staying for the night. The next day, you make your way back to the courthouse through the morning fog and a cold mist. A dark haze hangs over Lepidstadt in the morning, as if keeping the sun at bay in protection of those under its light.
A significant crowd gathers around the Punishing Man at dawn, and a carnival atmosphere engulfs the courthouse. The clerks arrive early to prepare the courtroom and chambers, and other members of the court arrive as the time approaches 10:00 AM. The three justices arrive in black coaches with several guards in attendance.
You're led into Gustav's office, and he then leads you up into the main courtroom, where people are already gathering and filling the benches. You're briefed by the Barrister, who surprisingly did get Gur's weapons into the courtroom. However, he explains that Gur will need to remain by Gustav's side, and not be seated with the defense witnesses...that is, just you.
The use of m...magic is forbidden in court. There will be a cleric of Pharasma in p...presence to ensure the sanctity of the c...c...court. Chief Justice Amb...brose Khard will l..lay out the l...law and then we will c...commence. I will c...call you when ready.
He then ushers you, save for Gur, into a side room to the north of the courtroom, where a small half door leads out into the main room. You have a view of the trial from there, but there's a guard at the small half door to prevent you from interceding.
The Holy sister of Justice - Pharasman cleric in gray robes watching for unauthorized casting.
The Herald of the Court - clad in black half plate armor with a full face visor, he calls out official announcements with the striking of a gong, calls witnesses, and keeps order.
The Clerks - Five elderly, pale, and bookish clerks with ink-stained fingers accept and record evidence.
The Prosecution - Appointed for the Palatinate of Vieland, Otto Heiger wants to see the Beast burn
The Defense - Barrister Gustav Kaple
Gur will perform his duty with the required amount of decorum and professional detachment.
Rufus hands over his numerous weapons (greatsword, heavy mace, dagger, spiked gauntlet, sling) with no small amount of hesitation.
Rufus van Hildegoath, for shame. This is a court of law! What could go wrong?
He's still glad to see Gur armed with this gargantuan axe.
In the counselor's lounge, he straightens his dark overcoat and smooths his hair.
Leeoli signs over his rapier without compunction. The only battle will be one of wits. Before entering, Leeoli secrets an extract to his lips.
Dura doesn't mind leaving her weapons behind, but she would hope that they'd allow Daniel to attend.
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Daniel is afforded a nice, enclosed, and secured stable for him and him alone...not near the horse stables.
A few moments after everyone is seated, a trio of guards enters, leading the massive form of the Beast into the court. The huge figure hands his head low and submits himself as the guards shackle him to an iron chair in the center of the courtroom.
A perpetual chorus of jeers follows the Beast as he makes his walk through the large room. After several moments, the crowd quiets down, and the proceedings begin. Chief Justice Ambrose Khard commences proceedings by laying out the rules of the court in a lengthy speech, interspersed with gong-strikes by the Herald. After about ten minutes of this, he closes his speech with a statement after a brief pause for effect.
The good people of Lepidstadt have suffered many acts of terror and barbarity at the hands of the Beast for many years, and that while the Beast is doubtless responsible for numerous murders, we must focus on the three recent cases being discussed, and only those.
There is another moment of silence while the Chief Justice sits, then Prosecutor Otto Heiger stands for his opening statements. He alleges that the Beast is responsible for the murder of 10 people in the village of Morast a year ago, in addition to two other horrendous crimes that will be described as the trial continues.
Barrister Gustav Kaple then makes his case for the Beast's innocence, a half-hearted attempt full of stutters and awkward pauses, all the while being jeered and booed by the baying mob in the gallery.
During this time, the Beast sits, solemnly hanging his head and watching his massive, pieced together boots. At exactly 11:00, a gong strike heralds in the witnesses for the prosecution - three locals from Morast. The two young women and one man take the stand and describe events as they saw them. In summary - over a series of nights, the Beast came to the village and took people away; a trap was finally laid, the Beast driven into the swamp and, they assumed, killed.
Otto then calls the village elder, Lazne, whom you know all too well. The lecherous old man sneers at the Beast, and seems ready to attack it, or spit on it at least. He is instead directed to the stand, where he confirms everything said by his fellow villagers, adding expletives and descriptions of his own courage wherever he can.
At 12:30, a gong strikes again, and Gustav stands. The d...d...defense c...c...calls its w...w...witnesses to th...the.... His last words are consumed in the loud jeering of the crowd, as some cry foul or disparage those who would defend such a creature. Gustav seems to drift a bit closer to the protection of the massive Gur as he looks...to you.
When she can take it no more, Dura turns and shouts "Be quiet!" to the gallery. "I thought this was supposed to be a court of law, not a bar-room!"
Dura stands up at Gustav's insistence. "Lazne. You and the other villagers saw a large creature in the swamp, yes? Can you be sure that it was Charlie, here?" She continues. "You will notice that there are no marks on his skin, like he would have had if the caiman had dragged him down." She points out where those bite marks would have been. "Nor is Charlie capable of the 'cussing and carrying on,' that you seem so capable of."
She faces the judges. "Someone or something did attack and kill those poor villagers. But there is zero proof that it was Charlie. Seeing that there was a monstrous creature actually on that island , doesn't that seem to be a possible candidate for those disappearances? And, there also seems to have been something else, something that may have appeared human. Something that used a potion to see in the dark, which Charlie would not have needed. Something that saved the faces of its victims." She shakes her head.
Let us lay out the facts. First, the villagers testified that the creature they faced used foul language, yet this creature before you is barely able to speak. Second, the villagers that were murdered, their bodies were taken from their sanctified graves in a manner consistent with building an illegal flesh golem construct. This poor creature before you has not the wit to craft such animated flesh golem, but is in fact a flesh golem. Three, the villagers claimed that the creature that attacked them was bitten and chewed by a giant caiman from the swamp. Yet, you will find not one mark upon him.
On the stand, Rufus nervously sips a glass of water. He tries to recall details to shore up the accounts given by Leeoli and Dura.
"Flesh golems, such as the accused, can see quite well in the dark. Within the swamp, near the location of the alleged caiman attack, we found a night vision extract. This night vision extract would not be useful to him. And I doubt whether he even knows what such a thing is. Someone else has their hand in this incident."
"Building a flesh golem would require fresh corpses. We have a collection of missing persons. It's possible the accused's creator have been the one abducting citizens in order to create him, or even another creature like him."
"A major inconsistency is that Lazne alleges the accused was screaming curses and oaths while being chased. The accused has proven to be quite inarticulate. If you are asking my opinion, I find the proffered evidence wholly insufficient to support a guilty verdict."
Dura's call for silence is at first meant with jeers from the crowd, but the gong sounds - once, then again, then a third time. The third gong silences the throng, and then Dura's words sink in and more than one of those distinguished men and women turn their faces down in shame.
The Herald dips one shoulder and with a sweeping mailed arm indicated the large unadorned chair at the front of the room, in which Lazne had just been sitting. Dura sits, and begins to present her case.
First, she presents the case of the missing marks on the skin of the Beast. Lazne snorts at the accusation, and even dares to roll his eyes in the face of Dura's ire.
At the sight of the lack of the Beast's wounds, many of the more curious onlookers move up to get a better look. The Beast, seemingly deflated and sure of his fate, barely moves as Dura points out his unmarred, if peculiar flesh.
The crowd seems to deflate a bit at the mention of another witness for the defense, but the gong sounds again, and Leeoli take his place on the stand. His reinforcement of Dura's instilled doubt is met with some mild resistance, but not the forceful resistance of before.
At Leeoli's claim about the graves' disturbance, some of the gathered appear to be curious. One man calls out for proof, but many eyes turn to Lazne, and the old man, who was no doubt told of such a thing by Brig, does not deny it.
Rufus's testimony is set up by Gustav, who surprisingly keeps his stuttering mild as he pronounces Rufus as a professional in the trade of alchemy and the creation of artificial constructs.
Though Rufus's claims are well thought-out and professional delivered, he doesn't have quite the same way with people as Dura and Leeoli seemed to. The majority of his description is lost in the raucous jeering and complaints at Gustav's claim of his profession. It's as if they take issue with the fact that anyone in a professional position would dare to defend the Beast.
Dura tries to step in to help Rufus. "The items on the island just don't add up. Charlie has no need to use any sort of potion to see in the dark. He can see just fine. More importantly, he has no need of body parts. We found the expertly removed face of a man, Nan Klebem." She shudders a little thinking about it but continues. "Not only does Charlie not need such a grisly item, I doubt he has the skill to remove it. Lazne doesn't have a shred of proof that he's to blame. We could just as easily claim that Lazne is to blame and is using Charlie to cover up grave robbing and murder."
Look at the the hands of this one. Does he appear a surgeon to delicately remove facial tissue without tearing it? Bah. His fingers are like clubs. Leeoli quips from the bench
Gustav pipes up at this, when his witnesses are done. You'll see the exhibit w...w...we checked w...with the clerk.
One of the clerks does indeed remove the distasteful thing from its sack and hold it up, wincing all the while. A hush falls over the crowd at the macabre sight, and Lazne seems to squirm a bit as some cast glances his way.
After a brief silence, Otto speaks up for the prosecution. Honorable justices, if I may? A single gong ring sounds assent after brief nods from the justices, and Otto stands and moves over to pace in front of the group, before stopping by Rufus.
If we're to understand it, mister Van Hildegoath, you and your fellow adventurers came to us from the south...Ravengro I believe? Pardon my query, but there's been much said of a madness afflicting some in that poor town...rumors perhaps. But, you've quite a history of being in places that suffer from some sort of vileness. Are you certain your past does not color your testimony? Perhaps things you're familiar with are tainted by this malady...have you the necessary background to make the claims you've made?
A thin bead of sweat forms on Rufus's brow, as he remembers the temporary madness that had overcome him at the prison. Temporary, of course. He had been feeling quite well since then, after all. Hadn't he?
But how had Otto known about any of that? Had the man been investigating Rufus? Had he visited upon Mother? Or Kendra? But Kendra had been quite ignorant of the truth. Rufus had tried his best to shield her from it.
It's a trap. He thinks. If I deny his assertion, he will no doubt impeach my testimony to further discredit me. If I am honest, then I discredit myself with the truth of my affliction.
He tries to tread carefully.
"We are driven by curiosity, lured by the promise of possibility. Nothing more. Neither I nor any of my associates have any motive to fabricate testimony or evidence. What we share with the courtroom today is an honest account of our experiences and perceptions. I am..." He coughs, his mouth suddenly quite dry. "I am a man of science, not conjecture."
Whether you should appeal to our authority in such matters is of no consequence. We presented evidence for the court's inspection. It is up to the court to accept to reject their pertinence or validity. Nevertheless, I can assert under oath that I am a trained investigator with a deep background in the alchemical sciences. As to the veracity of our statements, I attest, under oath, that our statements are true as best I can discern. Leeoli pauses As to Ravengro..It was invaded by ghouls and zombies, and other undead things..we were deputized by the local sheriff to drive them out. I am unaware of any connection between that incursion and the events before the court. Perhaps you would like to enlighten us?
Otto doesn't hesitate, but instead bites on one of Leeoli's statements. Ghouls and zombies, you say? He looks at the gathered public and even seems to roll his eyes. I see...
Gustav stands up at that. Objection! The documentation of these specific undead as a threat in Ustalav is well known, even if it isn't typical to many in this courtroom. If anything, the fact that these few have to deal with such creatures regularly should lend weight to their testimony. He sits back down beside Gur, seemingly surprised at himself...he seemed a bit angry and hadn't stuttered with even one word.
The Chief Justice slams down his gavel - a mallet of black ebony and clears his throat before speaking in a deep, commanding voice. Sustained. He looks to the Clerks. Let it be noted that our witnesses are esteemed within their profession, and strike any flippant notes about said profession, as they are irrelevant.
He looks to said defense witnesses. If you've nothing else to add, we will call recess for today.
I've nothing else to add, Chief Justice, save that that it is illogical to doubt the existence of the ghouls and ghosts we encountered in Ravengro when the whole trial is based on another fantastical subject, the defendant, who is clearly not the work of the natural world.
The prosecution apparently has nothing else to add, as Otto simply gives Leeoli a smug look then returns to his seat. Chief Justice Khard signifies an end to the trial for the day, his proclamation given weight by the slam of a gavel.
The Beast is led away from the courtroom to the baying of the crowd, its head hung low and simply watching his giant, mismatched boots as they remove him from the verbal abuse.
After the rest of the crowd is led out, Gustav leads you back to his defense chamber, where he loosens his collar and flops down into his chair with a heavy sigh. He turns to you as he mops his sweaty brow with a kerchief. All things considered...that could have gone worse. You did well out there; I tend to believe that Otto would have been able to cast doubt on anything you put forth, given the initial opinion of the populace.
Tommorrow, the prosecution will be trying the occurrence in Hergstag from seven months ago. There were six children killed about 7 months ago in the small farming town, which is now abandoned. The village lies about ten miles to the northwest.
"Than I guess we must head to Hergstag quickly"
"Agreed. We should move as quickly as we can. If the 'evidence' against Charlie is as flimsy as what we saw today, hopefully we can sow more doubt."
Gustav bids you good luck; if you're right, you sense that he may have a bit of bounce in his step, as if he sees this as a bit less of a hopeless task than he had previously.
You head out to the north, and soon after fine a light, cold drizzle coming at you on a slight angle from a north to south breeze. After you travel a few miles from the city, you find that the farmland has largely fallen to ruin and is completely overgrown.
You can still find a way north, though at times the route seems to be a bit meandering. In the late afternoon, early evening, the "path" turns to the west, and you see the outlines of some small buildings among brush
Gur heads along with his companions, wondering what has come to pass with these lands.
Leeoli raises his hand in hault. Careful. Bear trap. Right on the path.
"Ahh, clearly someone likes to keep outsiders on their toes. Thanks, Leeoli. Best to be on the lookout for more."
Rufus nods in agreement with Dura. "Obviously they hold little regard for visitors."