"We should ask Charlie a few questions. But first things first. Guard, do you have someone who can send an urgent message to Judge Daramid. And yes, I'm quite aware of the hour. But we are in desperate need of a healer."
The guard blinks, then looks at the Beast in concern. Well...now, that would require one of us to be off shift. Don't know if that'd be such a good idea, what with you coming in here to see the most wanted criminal in the city right now, don't you think? We switch shifts in about an hour, so one of us could run it then. He squints a bit and blankly at a wall. Course, that's when most of us get to see our families an' all...
Leeoli sits in Dura's flat, staring at the array of small bones, his rapier drawn and sitting on his lap. He produces an extract that heightens his alertness and waits for his friends to return.
Inside, Dura is roaring like Daniel. How can this jerk sit here and be so petty when there are lives literally on the line?! Outwardly, she smiles and nods. "There will be a tip in it for you, of course. Say, 5 gold crowns? More if you hurry."
The guard's eyes widen, and he looks around, as if there were a chance that someone may overhear. Of course, he was the lone guard inside, so he turns back with a grin. That can be managed. He holds out his hand for the offered bribe, then simply leaves you alone with the Beast. He returns a few minutes later. My man is on his way. He'll knock till the Judge wakes up; if she has a healer on staff, guess she'll send 'im here.
The Beast sits, slumped in the massive chair, his eyes downcast. He looks resigned to whatever fate he's being given. But, he is awake.
Leeoli sits, ready for whatever may come. Though all he guards is bones, the past few hours had proven that said bones are not always what they seem to be.
Judge Daramid is none too happy about being bothered at the hour, but she does indeed accommodate. A human priest in his middle years enters and begins to work on Gur. Though he shows a bit of a start at Gur's heritage, he still follows the Judge's direction, if a bit roughly. My fees are paid for by the Judge of course, but she may come to you for additional recompense...I cannot guarantee anything in that regard.
Inside the jail, the guards looks from Dura to Zazaria, then to Rufus. [b]Well...not that he seems impatient, but didn't you want to ask him something? I'm not going to stand here all night.[b]
"Zaz needs your ministrations as well... healer." Gur stoically takes the healer's rough handling, being long used to such treatment. His gaze rests on Charlie during the whole of the healing. "Charlie, what happened to the little girl you befriended? Do you know what the shadow thing was?"
The beast looks up quickly at the name of the little girl, his face nearly impossible to gauge given the completely misshapen nature of his features. His deep voice seems to rattle one's teeth as he says her name. Ellsa. My friend, Ellsa. It was possibly one of the most human-like things the Beast had ever said. It's face tightens, the stitching pulling back its jaw into a grimace. It in fact looks to be laughing as it's body shakes, though the sorrow in its words as it quietly mutters the girls name seems to indicate it is crying instead.
Lived by water under trees. Ellsa was my friend; she read to me from books. Shadow thing took her! He nearly breaks his chains as he shows his anger, and the guard takes an involuntary step back. Shadow man make children shadows. I find Ellsa's body and took it back to home, but home man - the men attacked and women cried.
Though not eloquent, it's apparent that the Beast actually has quite a bit to say, given the right situation.
Zazaria sits back in silence, observing the Beast - Charlie - for the first time, whilst trying to keep an instinctive revulsion from appearing on her face. As Charlie speaks, she the revulsion is replaced - or at the least, mitigated - by a sense of pity. Keep your peace, peasant's daughter, until you know more of this poor creature. But this Ellsa: it is good she has been released. She sounds like a kindred spirit! Grant her rest and rightful judgment, O Lady of Graves!
Dura's face falls into her hands for a moment before raising back up. "Oh Charlie. They thought your crying was laughter. I hope you can forgive them for their ignorance. It's so hard for people who are different." She shakes her head sadly.
Charlie doesn't seem to understand the nuances of such a concept of forgiveness, but he does understand being different. He shakes his head in sadness. They think I did it....I never hurt children...didn't!
His massive body heaves a deep breath. I try to protect...try to kill shadowman. Couldn't touch shadowman...he was... He pauses, searching for the right word. ...not there, but there. He looks up suddenly, as if just thinking of something. You see shadowman? You see Ellsa?
"The shadowman is gone, Charlie. We made sure. Ellsa will rest now." (Don't we have a little book or something, like poetry or stories?)
After Dura shows the Beast the book, the monstrous creature once again starts his odd sobbing that looks much like laughter. It puts its head down low massive shoulders hunched.
"We're sorry to have upset you. But we've done our best to fix what we could. We'll see you in court tomorrow."
As the leave, Dura suggests they try to get as much sleep as they can muster before morning comes.
As it happens, you are exhausted. The day you had yesterday - in the court, on the road, and then fighting for your life was more than difficult. The little rest that you got will work for a bit, but you are all feeling the effects of the day's literal trials.
You gather once again in the courtroom, and at ten in the morning the great gong is rung by the Herald and a few moments later, a trio of guards leads the Beast into the court room. They shackle it to the large iron chair in the center of the room.
If anything, the crowd is larger today, and is alive with talk of yesterday's events. They are also a bit more boisterous, many hurling insults at the Beast.
Directly after the Beast is seated, Chief Justice Khard asks for the prosecution to outline the details of the alleged events in Hergstag. The prosecutor, Otto Heiger, lays out the facts as they see it - that the Beast murdered six children in Hergstag, formerly a small religious farming community to the north. He gives facts as you've heard them before - that the children were stolen away from their homes, that the Beast even carried one's body back, and even how the villagers chased the Beast away.
After the direct outline of the case, he calls the witnesses for the prosecution. Dura and Rufus immediately recognize the 3 sisters from their conversation yesterday. The sisters go on to tell their tale, how the Beast slew six children and, when caught was driven from the village. The sisters are emotion in their telling, which is quite effective at pulling at the emotions of the crowd.
After the telling, the Chief Justice looks to Gustav. Does the defense wish to cross-examine the witnesses? Gustav, unsure of himself, looks to you.
"Ladies, I know this is an emotionally draining and heart-breaking experience, but we need to continue this line of questioning to get to the facts of the case. Did you actually SEE Charlie here take away any children? Did someone from the village find his large footprints outside their windows or anything like that? Or did you simply assume that based on the fact that he RETURNED one of the dead children's bodies? Were there marks on that child's body? How would he have done it and left no marks? Bruises? Blood? Anything?"
"We went through that village piece by piece. And in fact were attacked by what was left behind. Your honors, those children were murdered by a shadow, an undead creature that creates more of its kind through draining their life forces. The accused in fact returned the body of one of those children, young Ellsa, who had befriended him. She would meet him in the swamp and read Taldan poetry to him. Alas his pain-wracked face and crying looks to those who don't know him like laughter. His face is simply limited in the expressions he can make. Ellsa was his friend and he repaid her kindness by trying to destroy the creature, but these shadows cannot be harmed by non-magical weapons."
"As loathe as we are to do this, we believe that the only true testament to these grisly crimes can come from an eye-witness, one of the actual victims. We found the bodies of the other children and have brought them back here to testify (by magic of course) to what happened. As your judgeships are probably aware, we are limited in the number of questions such a body can answer. I propose we ask the following: Were you killed by the Beast?" she says with an apologetic nod to Charlie. "And something like how did you die?"
The defendant is big and strong. If he had hurt these children, then you'd expect crushed bones, bashed skulls.
Leeoli carries a large sack to the bailiff. I wish to submit as evidence, the bones of the dead children of Hergstag, which we found there in a hidden grave site after withstanding the attacks of a wicked shade, an undead. Please let the court examine these bones. You will note that there that there bones do not bear the marks of crushed bones, of rending and crushing, that a beast might do. There are no marks because these children died unnaturally, by the working of evil wraiths.
Witnesses claimed mmmm, that the children vanished from their homes...erm...they seemed to think it was through uuummmm the windows. When we inspected these homes, that is, the errmmm, homes of the children....we found the window to be fourteen feet up..erm fifteen.. difficult to climb, the hinges, of the windows...bearing internal locks..umm, no damage. At ALL. sss. The beast..erm..sss...did not climb these walls. If the children came out those windows it was...umm . erm they came out, compelled to do so by magic, magic that ha! the Beast does not have the guile to possess or use. erm Charlie that is, not the children. Repeating Rufus's excellent summary. Any number of other Ustalavan horrors could be responsible. Something that can pass through walls with the children. Something exercising mental control over them, compelling them to leave...hmm, what...oh yes.. Far too much room for doubt for any rational mind to reach a damning conclusion!"
Although Leeoli's argument was meticulously logical, his oration lacked was marked by frequently mumbling, barking, and various hisses. By the end up of it, he was sure that the court would rather fondly prefer to try Leeoli for mind murder.
Leeoli looks over to Rufus and shrugs.
Dura comes off as caring and at the same time incredulous that an innocent like the Beast...well, at least perhaps innocent of this...is on trial for something he did not do. Leeoli's follow-up, though, is less than inspired, and leaves the gathering murmuring in their confusion.
At the sight of the bones, many hiss or gasp in shock, and more than one in the crowd begins to weep, no doubt at the sight of someone they knew. Otto Heiger shakes his head, as if the act was distasteful. He stands up to interject.
Judges, as I'm sure you know, the use of magic is strictly forbidden in the courtroom; that is why we have a cleric here to ensure the sanctity of the court. I.... He's interrupted by the chief justice. Noted, prosecution...but there is a precedence. However, the need must be great, for this is no small thing. I would not allow it at the request of just anyone... He looks at the gathered defense, waiting...
Rufus stands from his chair, the hem of his coat caressing the polished wooden floor of the grand room. His red-rimmed eyes scan the hall of "justice". The weird sisters and their baseless conclusion, Charlie shackled to his chair, a prosecution determined to mete out vengeance against the easiest prey it can catch. Realizing that Leeoli's logic will fail to sway the strong arm of the law, Rufus instead appeals to emotion.
“Your Honor, I remind you that this is a simple case. If you convict Char--the Beast, you must be sure beyond all reasonable doubt that he is guilty. This case should never have even come to trial. This case is simple.”
“The accusers have not produced any evidence that the Beast murdered these children. The witnesses do not have their stories straight. The Beast did not kill these children. All he did was try to befriend them. Don’t let your prejudices get the better of you and make you think he’s guilty just because he’s different.”
For all his passion, Rufus lacks the heat of a true orator. The feeling is there, but he cannot overcome the gate of words. It was the same problem he'd faced with Kendra. So much to say, yet so unsure how to say it.
I think there is clear need to ask the aid of a holy cleric
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Zazaria watches her friends striving to sway the audience - she knows less of Charlie than they do, but she knows the truth of matters in Hergstag. Reluctantly, she rises to her feet.
Your honor, I am new to this situation: I joined my colleagues in Hergstag. But there, I saw the perpetrator of these foul deeds for myself, I fought to vanquish it in the name of the Lady of Graves, who I serve - she brandishes her symbol at the assembled witnesses and the judge - I and my friends suffered to bring you this truth. It was a Wraith, a foulness spawned in hate and evil that committed these crimes. It is no longer: we have destroyed it. But in Pharasma's name, I cannot bear to see injustice perpetrated in this way. This so-called Beast is innocent of any wrongdoing in Hergstag, and I charge you - on my honour and in the name of my faith - to heed all you have heard here. Do not chasten further this suffering soul!
Leeoli sighs in relief as his friend soothes the crowds anxiety with an earnest discourse.
There is a bit of muttering when Zazaria speaks; being that she was not there yesterday, everyone is suspicious. However, when she speaks, a hush falls over the entire courtroom. Everyone seems to hang on his every word. When she finishes her plea, even the prosecution is silent. After the pause, the Chief Justice speaks up, respectfully. We thank you for your testimony, lady priest, and any peace-loving person would appreciate your fervor. I will allow it; and we have the facilities here to perform this. We will start this process. Now, as we do, please witnesses, answer the defense's questions to the best of your abilities.
The large amount of information and questions brought about by the defense seems to have the witnesses a bit overwhelmed, but Dura guides the women through her questions, taking it one at a time to keep it simple. Garrow, the same sister questioned by Dura before, speaks up. Well...no, there weren't any prints or things like that, but the Beast was carrying the poor girl. He was laughing, like he enjoyed the fact she was dead!
When Dura brings up his state of crying and not laughing, Otto stands up. Now, that's merely conjecture...there's no way to know that.
Dura takes it in stride and changes the subject to the real culprit behind the murders, and Leeoli and Rufus reinforce it with their views. When the opinion of a real cleric (no matter that they didn't check her credentials yet) comes out, the courtroom hushes, and several in the crowd can be seen nodding their heads as if they knew it all along. Others look disgusted, particularly as they look aside at the bones of the children. More than one call of Desecration! can be heard.
Garrow, the witness, looks about, seeing her story in dire straits. Her voice raises a few levels, and she blurts out. That monster is an abomination! It shouldn't be here, shouldn't be living!
Otto is silent, but Gustav turns to you and whispers. Do we have any more evidence, or anything else to present before they cast their spells?
Evidence... Leeoli ponders their mental notes.
Zazaria grimaces...if only I knew more!
Dura's not bad at swaying people but isn't so good at reading them.
Leeoli returns his gaze from his notes concerning Garrow's earlier testimony.
When we questioned you at your home yesterday, this is what you had to say to us: "The first one went missing - a young boy named Maarten. He was just...gone...then a few days later he returned....but he wasn't Maarten. A ghost, and it went like that - one by one we began to lose children. They'd come back a few days later to haunt us! It's like the poor things were trying to tell us about their attacker."
In what way did they seem to communicate that they wanted you to tell you who was their attacker? Did the ghosts speak words?
Garrow seems a bit nervous at Leeoli's thorough nature, and she glances at his notes more than once. No...no, not that I remember. They just came to us in the dark, always trying to get close to us. We...well, no one really had the will to stay and talk to one, and when we could find someone to, they had vanished. Her eyes were wide as she relived the memory. Always seemed...cold...hungry...those poor things!
Gur continues to sit solidly by.
Trying a different tact. It is said that six children were killed. The defendant carried one child to you. We returned here today the remains of four children which we found hidden near the scarecrow in your village. That leaves one child unaccounted for. Also, we found the remains of one individual in the jaws of a bear trap outside your village, and upon his person was a set of thieving tools. Please, if you know anything about the missing child's remains, or this individual, please inform the court now.
Garrow sniffs, and you realize that she's beginning to sob. Her face down, she shakes her head. Karin...the way she died...well, we didn't know what the Beast could do. That poor child died in her bed, two days after the Beast was driven off. Wasn't a mark on her. This revelation, though already suspected by the defense is a very obvious omission from the previous testament of the witnesses. The prosecution is silent, as Gustav stands and addresses the judges.
P..please, your honor...can such an ability to k...k....kill others from afar without a m...mark be found on the Beast?
The priest of Pharasma that is in charge of such things sternly looks at the Beast, no doubt casting some simple detection spells. She shakes her head to the judges, and the Chief Justice speaks up. No such ability is present upon the Beast.
At such a declaration, the gathered crowd bursts into murmuring and discussion.
Rufus looks as dreary as always.
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Cheer up Rufus, you are good at this. If you put your mind to it, I bet you'd become a fine professor of law on day.
After the proclamation from the Chief Justice, the prosecution seems sufficiently cowed. Otto slips into a sullen silence, no doubt seeing that his star witnesses were shown to be dishonest. Even a small omission such as that completely ruins their credibility. Being that the cross-examination turned into the defense's own testimony, the Justice moves on to the communing with the dead.
After everything is set, the cleric of Pharasma looks over the first of the bodies - Ellsa, as it so happens. She casts the spell, and the skeleton of Ellsa animates, squirming about on the table with head lolling to the side. A murmur comes over the crowd as those viewing this differ greatly in opinion. More than one call of Desecration! and Let her be! can be heard by some more vocal members.
Judge Daramid winces as the crowd bursts out, and she looks about in concern. The cleric, for her part, simply looks at you. the Chief Justice calls out for order. Quiet! There is a limit of time, and I do agree that this poor soul should be returned to her rest. Please, you have four questions - two from the defense and two from the prosecution. Defense...if you please.
"Ask her how good of friends she and the beast were. That should be an easy enough question."
Gustav looks at Gur, then nods. He then nods to the cleric, who poses the question. Was this creature you see before you your friend, little one?
The body seems to be aware of the Beast, even though it doesn't turn its skull to view Charlie. It breathes out its words in a labored fashion, as if the effort is a struggle.
Yes, good friend.
It doesn't elaborate.
The cleric conveys the words to the courtroom, as many could not hear. Otto's face is stony, but Judge Daramid nods knowingly, as if she had always been confident in your claims.
The cleric looks again to Gur. Next question?
Who or what killed you?
The cleric relays the question, and the body breathes out its answer.
A ghost with many eyes
After the answer is relayed to the chief justice, he looks to Otto. The prosecution may now ask their questions.
Otto makes a show of honoring the body as he approaches, no doubt working to the part of the crowd that is outraged by the perceived desecration. He asks two questions, and gets two answers.
Did this great and hideous beast before you frighten you?
Yes
At any time did you feel you were in danger from this creature?
Yes
Otto nods, seemingly satisfied, then returns to his seat. The Chief Justice looks at both parties. I would rather see this closed and not bother the dead from their rest any further. Defense, do you have anything else
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Gur looks on sternly. "I have a question if it pleases the honorable Justice."
Gur stands up, walks to where Otto sits. "Would the thought of my axe cleaving though your neck frighten you sir?"
Otto's eyes widen, and he takes a moment to consider, before realizing that he's not being threatened with bodily harm. Clearing his throat, he stands, the glaring difference in size between himself and Gur readily apparent. He looks out to the crowd, perhaps for effect. Indeed, sir, as I am not a practiced warrior, and you no doubt have seen your share of such violence. I would be frightened.
With that proclamation, he looks to the crowd and tries to spin this his way. And think of how a young girl would feel, being confronted by such a beast as this one before you. It's not apparent if he means Gur or the Beast himself. Ladies and Gentlemen, such a creature is a threat to any common man, woman, or child. He looks back to Gur, locking gazes with him before taking his seat. We can't all be powerful warriors to defend ourselves...that's why justice needs to be served...to keep these people safe.
Gur growls loudly for all to hear, attempting to belabor his point loud and clear.
and to Otto directly. "Would you like to be to call me a monster who scares little girls? Do I frighten you because of my countenance, or do you fear you will one day have to meet my axe upon a chopping block."
Otto seems to shrink back in the line of Gur's questioning; he seems to want nothing to do with continuing this particular one.
Judge Daramid watches with interest, knowing full well that Gur's axe had taken the head of many condemned criminals, many of them here in this city.
Wasn't a 1 or a 20
Otto takes his seat. The prosecution rests.
Judge Daramid looks on with a wry smile, and something shows in her eyes - a bit of pride perhaps. She looks to the Chief Justice, who says. If there are no further questions, then we will close this particular case.
Very well, then will will call a recess until tomorrow. Then, the case of the Sanctuary on Karb Isle will be presented, and a final verdict given. The herald rings his gong, and those in the courtroom stand and begin to file out.
As you stand, discussing tomorrow's case with Gustav, Judge Daramid approaches. Well done, defense. She leans in close and speaks in a hushed tone. So, do you believe fully in the Beast's innocence? Was my hunch correct?
I believe he is innocent of these murders, your honor. I do however, wonder about the Beast's origins, as he is not a natural creation.
"I concur with Leeoli in the first part, but not in the second. While the beast may have been created by an intelligent mind, I find him to be...remarkably natural. I would love an opportunity to question the prodigious intellect responsible for Charlie's creation."
Judge Daramid nods slowly and thoughtfully, her eyes narrowed. I see, and I agree. I hope that, after this trial, you may seek out such origins. If there's something here in Lepidstadt that is creating such creatures, we need to at least have it monitored to keep the people safe. As I said before, there is a darkness here, and there are even more cases for which the Beast has been blamed than are addressed here in court. If the Beast is a scapegoat, then who is the real culprit?
She sighs and shakes her head, shuffling away those questions for a later day. I'm certain that Petros would have wanted justice here...and given the strange circumstances behind his death, who's to say that there isn't a common enemy? For now, will you be heading to the Sanctuary on Karb Isle today in preparation for tomorrow? Is there anything you need prior?