Cassidia shakes her head once and slowly stands, her face as cold as it is unreadable.
"You lie, Grine."It is not an accusation but a statement of fact. "And you lie poorly." She steps to one, then another of the chalk sigils she scrawled onto the floor earlier, walking a circle around Grine not unlike a predator, her word clasped in both hands and held blade out, point down, gleaming in the torchlight of the courthouse.
"From what you have told us, Vorkstag had quite the beneficial set up - an equal exchange of bodies and parts for bodies... and parts. And if Vorlstag was capable enough to kill Brada and burn down his asylum, what purpose is there of keeping you alive if you wanted nothing to do with him?" She keeps circling, each step carefully measured.
"It seems a waste of resources to rely on fear - and only fear - to keep you in line. And as Ser Rufus has demonstrated, you have knowledge of some rather peculiar studies." She stops her circular walk, standing at Grine's head and turning to face him, the tip of her heavy blade making a soft thunk as it comes to rest scant inches away from her suspect.
"You stayed of your own volition. To what ends?"
Grine suddenly looks like the trapped animal that he is, and his eyes dart from side to side as if searching for a way out. He licks his bloody lips, then spits.
Yeah, maybe I was interested in the power he had, but that's it! That, and the coin was good...maybe I coulda' left without him killin' me, but I doubt it. He didn't want "loose ends", as he called them.
Look, I'll tell this all to the judges, or whoever you want. They can figure what to do with all of Vorkstag's skins and what to do about his criminal dealings. If you take me back to the Works, I'll show you all of his notes, and the secret back tunnel he used to get out and do his grim work.
"We should proceed with questioning the dead suspect to see if his story matches that of this wretch." Silas says coldly.
"My magic can call his spirit back from across the gulf."
Leeoli raises an eyebrow at Rufus. It had been a few rough years for Rufus since their time together at the University. Why don't you describe the location of the tunnel for us, eh? And where were the notes?
Grine seems to leap at that thought. No, don't bring that thing back! You'd risk it coming through to this side...bad magic priest...you don't know how powerful he is!
He is a bit more rational when he looks at Leeoli. The tunnel is in the cellar, on the other side of the storage room. As for the notes...they are in Vorkstag's study...he always kept them close.
"Hmmmph..." Silas dismisses Grines raving about the dead man.
"I will see what I can learn from the other and see if it matches against this wretches claims." the grim priest says to the others.
"I will need one of you to accompany me and provide the questions to demand of his spirit."
Silas strides down to the back yard of the townhouse where the body was deposited and prepares his spell.
When one of the others joins him he will cast Speak with Dead and call his spirit from back across the gulf.
Raising his spiral holy symbol on its chain dangling from his left hand he says:
"I command you spirit. Return to us from the afterlife to answer for your actions among the living."
Silas's divine magic shows the power that his patron has over the very grave. The headless corpse seems to stir with breath, and the head seems to let out a slow sigh. It doesn't acknowledge the command, but Silas knows that his magic worked, and the body is ready to comply.
Nodding to Silas as he leaves to interrogate the corpses, Cassidia stares down at the sniveling Grine. She briefly considers making it seem like she's going to force him to join Silas but decides against it - Grine was forthcoming and mostly honest considering the circumstances, no sense undoing a lot of good work.
"Brother Silas can handle the dead - he is strong in Pharasma's faith and teachings, you need not worry about the dead." She kneels down to be mostly eye to eye with Grine to read him better.
"The judge shall be brought back in shortly, once Brother Silas has completed his work. She will decide what to do with you, but I feel it is unlikely you will be allowed to return to the Works with us. So - the tunnel and the notes. A good starting point. What else is there?"
Grine puts his head down and shakes it slowly from side to side. That's it...Vorkstag is the real criminal here, not me. You'll see.
Gur returns to the guardsman's nap that he had been taking against the wall.
Brother Silas focuses his power on the spirit to compel it to speak.
"Spirit, my lady's power has called you back across the gulf to answer my questions." Brother Silas intones in a deep voice.
"Know that you will be held here to answer my questions without rest unless you answer truthfully."
"When these people searched your workshop and residence, they found a collection of skins. Where did those skins come from and what was their purpose?"
He raises his glowing holy symbol, dangling from his left hand on its chain and it pulses slowly with the power of his goddess.
The body of Vorkstag comes back to life...somewhat. It's very odd to see, as the body takes a breath in order to speak, but since its no longer connected to the head, uses the supernatural conduit afforded it through Silas's magic in order to force the breath through the mouth.
It breathes out an answer. Masks of flesh, the hidden one kills.
Enforcing his will further to maintain control of the spirit, Brother Silas asks:
"Why have you committed these heinous crimes that the Beast is on trial for?"
The body once again shows some semblance of life, and it forces out a breath through lungs that are no longer connected. For....profit...
"And who paid you for your dark acts?"
Many pay, for bodies or parts...
As the spirit flees back to the other side, the body collapses back to being an inert corpse.
The faint glowing light around the disk of Pharasma hanging from a chain around his left wrist slowly fades.
A trickle of sweat runs down Brother Silas's temple showing that while he remained calm and composed through the ritual, the spellcasting and control of the spirit still took it's toll.
He pulls a cloth from his belt and wipes the sweat away, then he returns to the others and the prisoner.
"The dead one ... you said his name was Vorkstag? He spirit was uncooperative but still provided some answers."
"The skin masks you found. It seems he used them to disguise himself through some foul magic. He would use these disguises to hide himself while he committed his crimes. It seems they made their trade in selling corpses and body parts."
Cassidia is surprised at how quick Silas seemed to have been but is more focused on Grine's answer, one eyebrow slightly raised with dangerous curiosity as she watches and waits to see what their prisoner has to say.
Grine doesn't waste time putting in his points. That's what I said; see, I was right! He was a skin-stealer...he used them to keep the heat off of himself while he was selling the goods all across Ustalav.
His bloody face looks around the assembled investigators, searching for some sort of agreement with his plight. It's at this time that Judge Daramid returns. Her face is stone as she looks at Grine.
I hope you have had enough time, for I can't afford any more. It now is time to contact the constable and have this formally filed. It may even be larger news than the mob attack tomorrow, and no doubt will be a centerpoint of the trial.
She looks around the room. I trust you are all ready?
Who was your most lucrative buyer of skins and body parts in this region?
Doctor Brada, from the Karb Isle Santuary here in Lepidsadt. He was buying parts for experimentation before the Sanctuary was burnt down. He was working on different cures for physical deformities.
Cassidia cannot think of any last minute questions for Grine but turns to the motley assembled group.
"I only know what has been discussed here, and even that is lacking. The instigators at the jail may know more, but if there are any last questions for Grine while I sift truth from lies, ask now."
"I could use some sleep if we are to be in court tomorrow."
Nodding in agreement and with a small sigh, Cassidia stretches a little as the interrogation seems to be finished and her persona softens. Just a little.
"I'm not sure what else we can do at this time, save do what we can at the trial. Let's pray it's a fair one." It's clear from her tone she has little confidence in a fair trial for the Beast.
You all retreat to your homes, be they in the city, or at temporary housing establishments among the taverns of the city. The night, thankfully, passes without any further threats to your well being, or that of Charlie.
The next morning, the city of Lepidstadt is a-buzz with activity. Most know that this is the last day of the trial of the Beast, and they fully expect it to end with a fine bonfire at the Burning Man Effigy. That, and the Constabulary is out and about in force, the rioting of last not not forgotten.
You arrive at the courthouse well before the beginning of the trial, and find that a brand new group of guards stands at within. They seem to be just as accommodating as the last, which isn't saying much. You're lead up to the defense's office, and to Gustav Kaple, who brings up the events of the night before.
I...I...heard about l..last night. We can use this...but they will t...too! Do you have anyth-th-thing else for me?
She had fallen asleep during the interrogation on the previous night, so Smaranda had little clue of what the defense had uncovered. So it is with trepidation that she makes her way to the courthouse in the morning, her desire to know what would happen with Charlie overcoming her reluctance to enter the city. With some hastily applied circus make-up concealing her unnatural palor and her clothes as clean and presentable as she could make them, she mills around on the courthouse steps, waiting for the group she had met the previous night. Working for the prosecution had been her subterfuge for gaining access yesterday, but now she was unwilling to continue the deception.
Gur takes up his place in court, still as annoyed as ever about the proceedings and the prosecution involved.
Brother Silas tries to reassure the nervous attorney.
"Calm yourself my friend and settle down."
"We do have news. I will let these other folk tell you the details, but there is further evidence that another villain has been committing murder in Lepidstadt for purposes of body snatching."
Gustav takes a deep breath, and nods.
The defender furrows his brow. When he speaks next, his stutter seems to be more under control. Now, this we can use. So, this Vorkstag, he was murdering people and selling the p...parts. We can start to back-check this, but if you have this witness, this...Grine, then that will corroborate this for now. Now, there's the matter of your going in to their place of business with no w..warrant though.
He looks at Gur with a bit of trepidation. That was...w...well, it may not look too good on our end. What c...cause did you have?
Leeoli looks at Gur, who'd charged the front door down. Well Gur?
"Damerich did move my heart and call me to pull the offense to justice out in to the light. The men had to be apprehended to be brought to justice and the door was in the way of the Law."
"Do you think you could argue probable cause, or perhaps the necessity of a more heavy handed approach? The Beast has made a convenient scapegoat for Vorkstag's crimes among others - if the prosecution only cares about burning the Beast and not the crimes committed, these crimes will continue." Cassidia says in her usual monotone, hoping only that she doesn't sound like she's making basic - and baseless - accusations.
She wished there was time to interrogate the instigators from the night before.
A sigh comes from Gustav. Th...this may be a tough one. Though there is a right for search and seizure, that applies to the town Constabulary. P..perhaps we could say you were d...deputized, but I don't have the power to do that, simply as chief defender.
The evidence is a game changer, should we be able to get the prosecution to accept it. He walks behind his small desk and carefully fingers through the spines of some books before selecting two. Th...these are regarding local law; two are up to date, but one is very old. Perhaps is there's nothing r...recent we can argue, we'll find precedent in tradition. We have a few minutes before we start, so please help me dig through these and find something to help us
"Let me look..."
Silas starts to take a look and, though he doesn't have any professional credentials in Gustav's field, the Barrister could learn a thing or two from the Cleric about filtering information. After a few minutes of searching for contextual clues, Silas comes up with something.
An excerpt from the articles created when the Palatinates were formed does have a precedent for something akin to "Citizen arrest." In a case wherein the common folk should think that a fellow commoner poses a threat to the County itself, these common folk can take it upon themselves to detain or reprimand the source of said threat. Such cases are considered on a separate basis by the Palatine Council, based usually upon the severity and nature of the threat to the Council itself.
"That sounds like it should be applicable. Don't you think, barrister?" Brother Silas suggests.
I th...think it should work...as long as we approach it properly. N...now, b...be aware of course that the prosecution will try and p...portray you as vigilantes...Otto w..will try and discredit you.
Silas strokes his chin in thought for a moment.
"While I just met these others, I believe mine and Cassidia's position in the church should grant us credibility." Brother Silas responds to the barrister.
Cassidia simply raises an eyebrow slightly but doesn't refute Silas.
"It's possible - it might help our case further that nobody died last night, despite the best efforts of the instigators. Have we learned anything useful about them yet?"
Having finally found where the others were, Smaranda had been listening to the discussion from just inside the doorway, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot and looking around uncertainly.
As the stuttering man talks about discrediting, the girl mutters. "I'd better go, then. They'll have nothing good to say of me."
Gustav nods at that. I...I...I hope that's the case. No...nothing of n..note. They were just frightened citizens, led by ex-soldiers. Unfortunately, their fear is shared by many in the city.
The Barrister looks at Smaranda, then sadly shakes his head. I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that's impossible. Since you were directly involved in the defense of the courthouse last night, for you to not be th...there would be even more inc...criminating. W...we need to discuss how best to spin what you f...fear.
He looks at Smaranda anxiously, awaiting more details. He doesn't seem to want to bring up the subject.
Rufus considers Smaranda. In truth, he knows virtually nothing about her. "What do you mean? Is there an existing warrant for your arrest? Do you have a history of prior convictions?"
Gur waits patiently and listens as the others talk strategy.
Smaranda shakes her head. "No, not like that. But... people don't like me. They chase me out of towns. Tried to kill me a few times." She raises her gaze to look Rufus in the eyes, allowing him and anyone else a good view of her unnaturally pale and sunken features.
She drops her gaze again, shuffling her feet and sighing heavily. "My... my f-father, he was a vampire."
Gustav takes a careful step back, but has nowhere to go behind his desk. W...well...while th...that c...c...complicates things, it's not unh...heard of here in Ustalav. Of c...course...it's not as if it usually c...comes with good c...c...connotations.
He winces, then looks sadly at Smaranda. I'm s...sorry....I know how that s..sounds. Is there anyone who can s...speak to your c...credibility?
"My goddess is the greatest foe of undeath in our universe. I was aware of Smaranda's nature from the moment I laid eyes upon her. If I have not found evil in this woman, then I do not believe that anyone else will."
Gustav nods. W...we can only hope that the j...justice feels the same way. I... A knock comes at the door, and one of the guards pokes his head in. They're ready for you.
With no more time to dally, you head up the stairs and into the courtroom. This grand room is paneled in dark oak and its vaulted ceiling is 25 feet high. Three thronelike chairs with built-in lecterns for the presiding justices stand in front of the east wall. The witness stand is directly in front of them. Two polished mahogany desks, one for the defense and one for the prosecution, stand facing the justices' chairs. An iron restraining chair with six sets of manacles for the accused stands in the center of the room, specially created for this trial. Behind the accused, two rows of a dozen seats each face the front of the court. To the west, the public gallery overlooks the room from 10 feet above.
A trio of guards leads the Beast into court and shackles it to the large iron chair in the center of the courtroom, to the jeers of the crowd.
The atmosphere on this final day is frenzied, with the local determined to see the Beast urn. At 10:00, the trial begins, as Chief Justice Khard takes to the lectern, slamming his gavel down once for silence.
I will remind you all that I will clear this entire courtroom if we don't have peace. Mobs do not rule Lepidstadt, and should anyone threaten violence to any of the defense, I will have them whipped out of town, or hanged. Now, Prosecution, please describe the alleged events at the Karb Isle Sanctuary, for which the Accused stands trial.
Prosecutor Otto Heiger then outlines his case. This case alleges that the Beast attacked the asylum of Sanctuary on Karb Isle, which resulted in the deaths of Doctor Brada and all of his patients, and the blinding of Brada's assistant, Karl. He then accuses the Beast of burning the Sanctuary to the ground to "cover his tracks." This attack occurred 4 months again...allegedly.
Heiger then calls his lone witness, one Karl, the assistant. Karl does indeed confirm that a Beast attacked the Doctor in his office and set fire to the place, burning it down. He claims to have seen the Beast fall upon the Doctor, but then the blast of fire took his sight. The prosecutor does not let him elaborate much beyond that, and seems quite satisfied.
The Chief Justice then looks to the defense...which is not quite the assemblage of peculiar men and women. Defense, do you wish to cross-examine?
Gustav seems willing to let you take the lead, since Leeoli, Rufus, Gur, Zazaria, and Dura had met Karl at his home.
Justice Aldaar
Justice Daramid (your employer)
The Herald of the Court (strikes a gong for official announcements)
Five elderly clerks
The Prosecution Otto Heiger
The Defense Gustav Kaple
Cleric of Abadar (no spellcasting is allowed, so the cleric constantly casts detect magic to ensure the sanctity of the trial)
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Rufus carries a small cache of loose-leaf parchment, scribbling notes and questions with a raven quill. He circles a few lines and passes the paper to Gustav.
1) It must have been quite traumatizing to witness these events first hand, and to lose your eyesight. If I were you, I'd be angry. Are you angry, Karl? You must be eager to lay the blame on someone, anyone, right? To seek...retribution?
2) Karl, you stated that the doctor was working later all the time. Weren't you yourself affected by these extended working hours? Weren't you tired that night as well?
3) Please describe your surroundings at the time you observed the doctor. You have testified that it was late at night, and that by the time you reached Dr. Brada's office the fire was already burning. Was there smoke? Was your view of the office in any way impeded by the dark, the flames, and/or the smoke?
Gur whispers to the group questioning the man. "You should ask him to describe the beast..."
Although you may have your own impressions of Barrister Kaple's competence, there is a reason that the man is in his position, and he does prove so after reading through Rufus's notes. Gustav clears his throat, and stands, and begins to question Karl in the same manner as laid out by Rufus and Gur. He doesn't stutter once.
1. Karl nods at first, then seems a bit perplexed. Angry? Well, yeah, I mean who wouldn't be...considering this didn't have to happen to those people in the sanctuary, or to me, I guess. But, no...I don't want someone to suffer...I just want to make sure it doesn't happen again.
2. Oh, certainly...I'll admit that. The doctor seemed possessed with fixing his patients! And, well I didn't want him to toil by himself, so I was always there at the Sanctuary when he was.
3. It was dark, yes...we'd been working late that night as you said, and when I heard the commotion, I rushed towards the Doctor's office. When I opened the door, I saw the Doctor, blood, smoke, and the Beast retreating through the back doors. Then, my opening the door must've released a vaccum of air, because the flames then blew out of the office and everything went dark.
4. [b]The Beast was huge...a towering figure! He was covered with sores and fur.