"There is a connecting thread here." Judah said, tapping his chin in thought. "Those surgery tools we found in the swamp, where all those people were skinned. They lead us to Vorstagg and Grine, and they definitely have connections to someone else we haven't found yet."
"Mister Kappel, which crime did the Beast get accused of first?" Judah asked the Barrister.
"Hmm. Did we ever figured out what he was doing at the university in teh first place," Judah mused. "Seems like a pretty stupid place for him to go under any circumstances."
"Just to clarify, which is the accusation we're defending our client from next?"
To the university then Dylan opines
No rest for the not actually wicked, right? Although a bit of rest would be useful.
Lorant yawns.
"Compared to what we've been through recently, I'd say this next one should be easy. We can perhaps take a look at dawn...Even an insomniac like me is feeling exhausted."
|
I'll go ahead and move things along to the next day. Feel free to retro any RPing that needs to be done.
Dr. Montagnie Crowl is Professor of Antiquities at the university. An eccentric but likeable man, he is prone to waving his arms about enthusiastically. He meets you in the department’s combination library and workshop. The workshop is slowly being cleaned up, but it is still a mess.
Dr. Crowl is saddened to learn of his old friend and colleague
Lorrimor’s death and accepts the bequeathed objects with sad gratitude.
"So Doc, if you have a little time, we could use some help. Professor Lorrimer's last wishes have, uh, snowballed a bit, so now we're the ones who are supposed to be investigating the Beast of Lepisdat."
Judah gestured around the messy workshop. "Do you know anyone who was here when this happened?"
----rest RP
Good Job killing the wraith D-man! The Phantom enthusiasitically perks up as she pops into real space
Since when are you complimenting me for anything?
Dylan replies with a raised eyebrow
Oh come on, the trope where the summoner and his phantom hate each others guts is.... soooooo overused dont you think?
The phantom answers
I am just gonna do some napping, you can chat with the other dudes
Dylan says as he applies the core skill of any soldier, being able to sleep anywhere
Waaaait, if you go to sleep I go back to your subconcious... His phantom vanishes.
Lorant nods at Judah's frank assessment of the Professor's last wishes.
"Would you mind if we took a closer look at the scene of the crime?"
The Professor? Lorrimor? He kind of helped me in figuring what the heck I, I mean, we, actually am/are. Owe him a favor. Thanks to him I also know what my bloodline source is, and that I should stay away from that particular one if I can, which is also really nice to know.
Dylan says before taking a breather.
"Yes, Petros. He was a good friend."
|
|
The trail of the thief is easy to follow—the thief broke in through the back door, and then passed through the auditorium on his way to the workshop. The back door to the Antiquities Department was originally locked with a superior lock, but it is clear that the door was recently damaged. The 1-inch-thick iron door is currently locked with a makeshift padlock and only crude repairs have been made.
The simple wooden door leading from the back door foyer into the auditorium has been broken off its hinges, as has the far door leading to the workshop. Paneled in oak, the auditorium contains a sunken, 5-foot-deep central area lined with books, tribal fetishes, and curiosities. A small stage and lectern stand in the center of this area, which is edged with a low oak rail, worn smooth from the touch of years of students gazing into the Master’s lecture room below.
The high–ceilinged workshop/library is lined with mostly empty shelves, and a trio of great leaded windows looks out over the university lawn. A staggering array of books, scrolls, maps, and curios, including shrunken heads, tribal masks, and bits of pottery, lie scattered all over the floor, apparently pulled from the shelves. The room is otherwise crowded with overturned tables, desks, and cabinets.
"Curiously, only one item was taken-a strange statuette called the Seasage Effigy," Crowl informs you. "I am frankly baffled by events—the statuette was very singular, but it was hardly valuable. Though the statuette has not been recovered, I admit that I am pleased that the Beast was caught. The poor thing is clearly mad and not in control of its own actions."
Lorant looks about the auditorium, memories flooding back of the last time he'd been here, decades ago...a fresh-faced student who'd scraped together enough to make tuition, sitting here listening to Professor Lorrimor's lectures...where private conversations had revealed his dark heritage and a letter of introduction to the Crusader War College had been written...where his whole life had changed.
When Dr. Crowl speaks, however, his eyebrow rises.
"What makes you say that, Dr. Crowl?"
Not in control of its own actions...depending on what that meant, it could be a mitigating circumstance in the Beast's involvement...
Judah wandered through the mess, eyeing everything on display, and the impressive display of strength it must have taken to batter down the door.
"He was caught here? Red handed?"
The beast seemed more physically strong then me, and this is saying something, how many casulties where sustained from taking him into custody?
Dylan asks
I would have kicked it in different though, you identify where the connecting parts with the frame are, and break these. Less splinters that could fly into your eye, and a bit quieter, and much quicker.
He lift a large part of door and seemingly tries to guess the beasts strength from the position of the part, the weight of it, and the distance to the doors frame, more going by gut and experience in violence.
He uses a burst of insight to get a +4 to that.
|
|
Lorant: "What makes you say that, Dr. Crowl?"
"I honestly don't think the Beast knew what it was doing when it broke in. It showed such care in removing the statue from its resting place, but then completely demolished the room." Indeed, the pedestal that once held the Seasage Effigy is crowded with small fetishes and delicate mother-of-pearl fish carvings that are undamaged. It is the only thing in the room left untouched by the rampage.
Judah: "He was caught here? Red-handed?"
"It was caught in the act of destroying the library. The Effigy was not on its person when it was captured."
Dylan: "The beast seemed more physically strong than me, and this is saying something, how many casualties were sustained from taking him into custody?"
"It took all four University guards, as well as six city guardsmen to capture the Beast. Strangely, there were no casualties beyond minor scratches and bruises."
It would require considerable strength to have torn the door from the hinges, and the evidence indicates that this is what happened.
"We know the Beast IS capable of gentleness, but you're right, that kind of contrast is incredibly strange. We will definitely need to question him about this, see if he remembers anything."
Lorant pauses.
"Come to think of it, our previous two investigations have been in outlying villages, places where the Beast could easily retreat to the wilderness to avoid angry mobs. What reason could the Beast have to come here, to the capital of the county, to arguably the very heart of the city to commit this crime?"
"And why would someone who can do that" Judah said, gesturing to the demolished door, "Let himself be taken in by a few guards, while taking care not to injure them, and not have the thing he supposedly stole on him?"
"Where did that effigy end up?"
I am not going to say that in court, but I am fairly certain that I would overcome 6 guardsmen and 4 university guards, the most likely outcome is 2 heavily injured or dead, and the rest running away. And I am not certain at all that I could take the beast on in a fight.
Like, I would look stronger at first, but my guess is that, after suffering some real damage from my claws, the beast would go into fight or flight mode, and then I would be dancing on the edge of Mhars prison.
A volcano, curious turn of phrase though
Not much of a spell weaver, but can someone like the "beast" be affected by mind control stuff? When I worked for Lady inquisitor "Amberly Veil", she trained me to resist such. Using a "Command" spell to force me to approach her, if I did, a kick in the balls, if I did not, 10 gold coins earned, very effective approach. Could something like that have been the case?
Judah snorted. "So you can be trained."
Only people who a) pay me good money b) have saved my live once more then I saved theirs and c) ideally are female and highly attractive get to kick me in the balls. And this is an "AND" not an "OR".
Dylan gives Judah a pretty toothy smile.
Lorant raises an eyebrow at Dylan's interjection.
"Interesting," he says. "You're both right...we definitely need to know what happened to the Effigy, and just what was going through the Beast's head, magic or otherwise, when it did this."
He turns to Mathus.
"Any thoughts, Doctor? You've been a bit quiet since Hergstag..."
Lorant takes the hint.
"Come, let us away. We've got to interview our client, maybe see about retracing his steps."
Dylan strides towards the guards
Do you require assistance officers?
He gives a very cold glare at the crowd, and tries to spot any ringleaders or instigators.
"What in the name of Iomedae, Pharasma and Andoletta above is going on here?!" Lorant demands.
Dylan bloodrages for one turn and uses his Sphinx Roar ability, which is a DC 14 will save for each individual mob member or be frightenend for rounds
|
|
There are audible grumbles among the crowd, only about a dozen or so townsfolk."This trial is taking too long! We already know that it's guilty!" shouts one person. "Yes," a woman carrying a pitchfork shouts, "Bring us the Beast!" The guard shift uncomfortably, their hands going to their weapons.
The crowd continues to murmur and torches are lit.
"You already know?" Lorant says loudly. "Then you have not been in the courtroom these past few days! It has been proven that two crimes the Beast was accused of were committed by other monsters! Monsters who got away with what they did because people jumped to blame the Beast for them. If you wish to be sure of the Beast's guilt, let it be proven in the court of law before the eyes of Pharasma, the final judge!"
You know? Better then Pharasma, whose court and judgement you gainsay? Not a thing I would recommend, for the Lady of Graves protects this city, and she is mighty, subtle, and easy to... unamuse.
Dylan perks up and touches one of his scars as he says unamuse
Although ammends can be made with her, for vengefull she is not.
In a louder voice
Strictly speaking, the only one who would know who is guilty is the one who did the deed, as such your claim good Sir is quite... interesting. May I perhaps have your name?
He looks one of the ringleaders straight in the eye, smiling faintly.
I would alas suggest that you do not use the word "we" here, for now at least, only you have self incriminated yourself.
Judah made himself scarce. He had no desire to be in the sights of an angry mob. Who know what his terrifying protector would do if they turned on him. It really wouldn't matter what the thing did. Judah would be labeled a monster just the same. It would be far too easy to end up in the same situation as the Beast.
Lorant watches the crowd, looking to see what it would take to get them to disperse now that the momentum of their anger had been stopped short.
Look, I am not actually getting paid to beat you, I mean, I really doubt that most of you have anything to do with the crimes, and I only get paid for beat up criminals, the magistrate was very very firm on that when she hired me. You also sure as hell arent getting paid enough to fight someone like me.
Dylan addresses the crowd openly
Like, these ringleaders are paying you arent they? Because if they dont they should, fighting me is extremely risky. I wouldnt fight myself for anything under 500 gold, and I would demand at least half of that in advance, and the other half in an escrow account.
He says pointing at the ringleaders.
And they dont really look as if they have that money, to be totally honest
He continues, giving many in the mob a way to gracefully retreat without injury to their ego. They can totally tell themselfs, and their friends, that they could take on Dylan, but they opted not to because they arent getting paid enough for this! Yes Yes clearly thats whats happening!
Lorant gives Dylan a bemused look. Being a knightly person, appealing to the base language of commerce and mercenary work was an approach that hadn't occurred to him. It was likely one the common folk would find more convincing than high-flung notions of justice and the distant gods.
|
|
The crowd seems swayed by Dylan's words and begins to disperse. A few try to stir up some more trouble, but by that time, most of them have walked away, not really wanting a fight. The last day of the trial is at hand.
After a lengthy proceeding, the prosecutor, Otto Heiger, makes his case that The Beast is guilty. Otto claims that the Beast is a danger to society, and is a monster that should be destroyed. He recommends punishment following traditional law—-execution by burning in the Punishing Man. Gustav asserts that the prosecution’s evidence is not enough to prove the Beast guilty of any of the crimes of which it is accused. He recommends the Beast be freed immediately. The judges dismiss the court to deliberate, stating that they will give their decision by day's end.
It is almost an hour later when the judges reemerge to give their verdict, looking grim. “We have heard the evidence presented before us, and thank Pharasma that we did so, for without this trial there would have been a most terrible miscarriage of justice. There are many cruelties in the world, but to lie and blame another for one’s crimes is the most terrible of sins. We have asked ourselves a question—-who is the monster here? Is it this creature before us, with its broken body and terrible form, or is it we, the people of Lepidstadt, with our bigotry and lies? The Beast is innocent!”
The crowd, wanting blood, bays and hoots, but does not act. The Beast, after its release from the chains, turns to you and says, "Thank you! You are my bestest friends in the whole world! I think I want to visit my father, at Schloss Caromarc. Father doesn't usually like visitors, but you should visit in a few days."
Judge Daramid requests that you meet at her house the next morning to receive your payment. The Beast is escorted by the town guardsmen to the edge of town and is released into the Dipplemire Swamp. You sleep the sleep of the just, enjoying the first good night's rest in several days.
The next morning, at Judge Daramid's house, she gives each of you a small purse containing 100 platinum pieces. "For a job well done," she says. "You ensured the the Beast had a fair trial."
"But I wonder if I might prevail upon you one more time. I would like for you to go to Schloss Caromarc in search of the Beast and its creator. I am interested in the Beast’s history, and I think the Beast might still be dangerous. If you can find its creator, perhaps you can learn how to control the Beast, or convince its creator to keep a tighter rein on the creature. I have also heard rumors that the townsfolk are planning to track down the Beast and overturn the court’s verdict on their own. If you want to protect the creature, you should make all haste!"
Lorant proudly smiles as their hard work and diligence has paid off. He whispers a prayer of thanks to Iomedae that justice has been served. Maybe now, the people of Lepidstadt would look inward, and things would begin to change for the better. The reaction of the crowd casts doubt on that, but they'd achieved a near impossible feat in humanizing the boogeyman of an entire county's nightmares to the point that he was able to get a fair trial.
He gives a nod to the Beast as he takes his leave.
"May Iomedae shelter you with her shield, Pharasma judge you fairly and Andoletta comfort you in your time of trouble."
The next morning, Lorant wakes from a death-like sleep looking refreshed, restored and ready for action. He bows when he receives his share of the inheritance from Professor Lorrimor's will.
"Thank you, Madame Judge. It was an honor and a pleasure."
When Judge Daramid informs them of the burgeoning mob forming to kill the Beast, he frowns.
"I agree. I doubt a group of angry townsfolk could simply storm a schloss, but those townsfolk would likely get themselves hurt or worse before giving up. We beat them there and resolve this, and it becomes a non-issue."
On her other request, he gets a pensive look on his face.
"Controlling the Beast may be more of a possibility than you suspect, Madame Judge: given how the Beast was in some sort of fugue state when it raided the University, seemingly guided by a will not its own, there may very well be some magic or device that enabled that, and the mystery of what happened to the Seasage Effigy can be solved."
Judah nearly choked when he looked into the bag. He tucked it away with mumbled thanks and slightly trembling hands.
He didn't feel like he was much closer to understanding his own condition, but at least his money problems were over.
"Where's Slosscarmak?" he asked, butchering the pronunciation.
|
|
"Schloss Caromarc lies some 24 miles north and east of Lepidstadt in a rocky gorge at the edge of the Dippelmere Swamp. You can follow the road along the Lesser Moutray River or there is a route that goes directly through the swamp. The road is slightly longer, but the route through the swamp is more dangerous and difficult."
I mean, I for one was looking forward to trial by combat on the beasts behalf Dylan says with a smirk
These guys want to take on the beast when it is in a defensible position, supported perhaps by its unknown master and whatever resources that master has?
He suddenly becomes very serious
that would be one way of improving the average intelligence of the townsfolk that remains. If I may suggest something, spread rumors that you are hiring professional mercenaries, with a wink wink nudge nudge that, if something happens, these mercenaries will take care of things. Gives your average townswoman the abilitiy to say "let f@~$ing people who get paid for violence" deal with that, and thus have better odds in her husband not signing up for a big peseant mob.
Unlikely to stop the mob, but may delay it.
Lorant shakes his head.
"Dylan, the whole reason we got involved in the first place was because Judge Daramid did not want to display bias for or against the Beast. Spreading a rumor that she has hired mercenaries to enforce the court's judgment, or to circumvent it? All her work and ours would have been for naught. No, we need to keep this quiet and resolve it quickly."
He turns back to Judge Daramid.
"Though now that I think about it, there's a question that arises: from how the Beast spoke of his 'father,' it seems like he was welcome in his home...so why HAS he been roaming the County, sleeping rough, knowing the fear his appearance sparks, when he could simply hide in the castle his father owns?"
"And on that note, who IS the Beast's father? Who dwells in Schloss Caromarc? Lepidstadt is a Palatinate County, is it not? You have no feudal lord anymore, correct?"
Lorant thinks on what he remembers from that time.