Eva covers the other evidence
Zhiden whispered amongst the group, hoping to not be heard by the wrong people, "I'm no good with the truth! Apparently, I'm only sincere when I lie."
As the trial winds to a close, the prosecutor gives his closing speech, then Eva steps up to issue the defense's closing arguments.
It's hard to tell anything from the faces of the judges as they retire to deliberate.
An hour later they return, looking grim. The Chief Justice stands to deliver the verdict.
"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 others 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 it's broken body and terrible form, or is it we, the people of Lepidstadt, with our bigotry and lies? We hereby pronounce our verdict: we find the Beast not guilty!"
The crowd is furious, but the guards quickly bring the commotion to an end. Two of the braver ones approach the caged Beast and begin to free him from his chains.
Both barristers look shocked, for different reasons, of course.
"Weel, done an' done! Grea' job der Eva, but dat crowd don' seem too 'appy. 'Ope we don get a repeat o' last night."
Rova takes a rare moment to relax, then asks, "'Kay, now wha'? Dat's behin' us now, le's collect onna debt."
"Yes, let us get our well earned reward. I would hope to speak to the construct before he leaves. Offer him a place with us, as I do not really trust anyone else to protect him."
Wood is concerned for the creature. Fearful he could be lynched or his naïvete taken advantage of.
Aye, I need some new clothes. These Ustalavians may be bigots, but they're wonderfully fashionable, Vertielle pipes up in an uncharacteristic fit of feminism.
She frowns at Wood. Who's going to protect us? He may not have commited those crimes, but that doesn't make him safe. Who created him, anyways? Someone's giving him commands. Besides, we know he was apprehended as a criminal for something- what was it again?
She checks her journal on her way out the door behind Rova, letting the beacon of glimmmering metal part the crowd for her.
The Beast, somewhat confused, follows you folks out. "What happens now? Am I free? How do I thank you? Maybe father...no, must ask first."
"You are free, and I would prefer you come with us. We can protect you. If you like, we can visit your father."
I would not mind going shopping with you, Vertielle for some new clothes.
Though I doubt they'll have clothes in my size(s).
I don't know about that Eva, Vertielle quips, He found some, didn't he?
She nods to the beast, smirking.
The Beast speaks "Perhaps. Let me speak to father first. Then come to the castle. Tell no one else his name, Caromac. I will await you there."
Vertielle: Alpon Caromarc is the former Count of Vieland. He voluntarily stepped down upon the formation of the Palatinates. Not long after, his wife died bearing a stillborn son. It's not clear why no clerics attended the birth, though the claim was made that the weather at the time made travel to the Schloss impossible. However, after her death, he appealed to the clergy for her restoration. The Palatinate Council at the time, lead by Dr. Henry Moritz, refused to permit either a raise dead or a resurrection. The former Count Caromarc returned to his Schloss and has not been seen regularly since, though he has continued correspondence with many wizards and alchemists throughout the world.
Wood makes the meeting with as many as will accompany him.
The old count, your father?
Must have needed a son.
Vertielle picks up a change of clothes at the market with Eva, ignoring the reaction of the townfolk to her fame (or infamy, as some might claim) from the trial. Afterwords, she meets the rest for the reward that was promised, doing her best to foil any followers.
"What are you all talking about? Caromac? That name sounds familiar." Zhiden said, wondering what he knew of the name.
When the opportunity arose, he quietly questioned Vertielle about the story. "His family died and he made that instead? He was a noble, surely he had money enough to raise them?"
"Sounds like an interesting story. Let's go hear it."
Raising the dead in Ustalav, even with resurrection, is frowned upon I'm sure- suspicion and superstition is rampant here. In any case, I remember reading that the clergy outright forbade the resurrection.
Vertielle nods at Wood.
I'd like to ask him myself, as well. I've many questions for the man- this will make one hell of a chronicle.
She lightly brushes the spine of her ever-filling journal.
We'll need a map to the place, though. We should visit the library after the judge, and see if they have anything to offer.
You visit Judge Diarmid, who pays you quite happily. "I made a good choice, asking for your aid. But, then Petros was always a good judge of character. Perhaps I can find tasks for you in the future, as well. Meanwhile, do stay for dinner."
That he was, she muses sadly.
I would be honored, Judge, Vertielle accepts.
"'K Judge, looks like ya got sum house guests. Hope ya got a good larder..", Rova smiles, "Tha' Gkirkhan's gotta appetite in 'im"
The plain-faced wizard adds:
"We have been successful in all our endeavours. I would encourage you to consider us for any problems."
Looking around: "Some wine would be nice."
The dinner, and the wine, are excellent. During the meal, you are joined by Imrijka and afterward she and Gkirkhan head out for some private business.
"Please, tell me more about your association with Petros, and any further plans you might have. Also, you had some close interactions with the Beast. Do you think he might still be dangerous? I fear that some of our -less satisfied- townsfolk might decide to pursue him it mete out the justice they think failed."
He may not be of dangerous mind, but he is capable of great destruction, if his mind were to be set to it.
Vertielle tries to keep her response unbiased, and meets with only moderate success.
Zhiden had been keeping to himself, listening but not saying much. In truth, he wasn't sure what to say after all of this. Should he speak of his accomplishments? They were few, and not of the sort that he would want to discuss with a judge. He wanted to mention the slaves held by the alchemists', but wasn't sure he should admit to being there. Finally, he found a question that would be acceptable, "What about the Beast? He was found not guilty, but I suspect that means little to a town that was looking to kill him as a scapegoat yesterday."
"I do wish there was some way to bring it's...his creator to justice, or at least force him to keep the creature contained. After all, it's been running wild for almost 20 years. Still, given the usual results of creating such beings, Henri, that is, Dr. Henri Moritz was probably his creator, as well as it's first victim."
"Well, I would like to take the creature with us. I think it is still developing emotionally. We could protect him and give him the needed guidance."
It should be put down. Whose soul is that in there, anyways? There's a family in the boneyard waiting for their loved one. Maybe more than one.
"Eh, eh. 'M not so sure 'e's a problem. Da beast, dat is. Simple t'ing, so's a clever tongue can git 'em ta do bad t'ings. But I t'ink it's..um..set, or trained, or w'aever ya do ta teach dem t'ings, ta be purty gentle, on the all."
Rova leans his head on his hands, resting his elbows on the table.
"An' about jus' 'ho made it, an' why.. I t'ink we got dat story very, very wrong."
Rova looks at the assembled group, looking for signs of disapproval before mentioning their next stop...
Imrijka is still there when Vertielle speaks her mind. "You are mistaken. Such creatures are not undead, nor do they steal or even seal the souls of those whose parts are used. Surely you do not believe that loss of a limb precludes entry to the Boneyard? No. All tests by those of Pharasma's clergy have shown that the souls inhabiting the bodes of such creatures who do attain sentience are new. Some even speculate that Pharasma herself gifts them with souls, as a judgement on those who would usurp the god's privilege of creating life."
She looks at Rova after his statement. "Hm. Really?"
It will never die. That soul will be stuck on this hellish world, and trapped in a body and mind of that thing. If it is a new soul, it is our duty to send it to the beyond.
All of this said in a calculated manner, it nonetheless seems there is a torrent of emotion, and true conviction, behind it.
"I don't think there is any evil or guile in that creature. Like a loyal hound, it can be trained to be good or evil based on the one doing the training."
He pauses and adds using a knife hand for emphasis:
"I would like to make sure he is influenced by our group. We can also make sure he doesn't run into a lynch mob!!"
"Weel, I ain' too big on th' philosophical stuff, so's I'll leave dat arguin' ta deeper t'inkers. Anyhoo, da beast tol' us 'e t'inks 'is father's up in castle Caromac or sumsuch. 'e's convinced o' dat. So's we figger 's a good a place as any ta start lookin' fer tha' missin' statue, an' da folks wha' stole it."
Rova leans back a bit, causing the chair to creak a warning song of strain.
"'sides, I kin use a break from all dis courtly niceties."
to quote a same part from one of professor Lorrimor speeches
"Time will time, Sooner or later Time will tell."
The judge suddenly turns pale. "Caromac? Alphon? It...he said Caromac?"
She turns away, and sets down the glass she was holding.
"I...that doesn't make sens...or..."
She regains control and turns back to face you folks. "Could you please check out his story? If it's true that...the Count is it's 'father', perhaps he can explain how to control it better, or take such actions himself. I'm willing to pay you another 1000 gold if you do and report back to ME."
"Looks like she knows something or is terrified."
"What does not make sense?
and I take it you know of Caromac, what do you know of him."
Judge Daramid sighs."He is...was...my brother-in-law. The four of us, Alpon, Henri, my sister, and I were students of Petros while he taught at the University. Alpon and Henri both courted her, but she chose Alpon. I've always wondered if that was why Henri chose to join the group that deposed Alpon. But, I never understood why he was the one who insisted on refusing to permit her resurrection. I...please look into this. It sheds a whole new light on Henri's death."
"Sounds to me like a noble's a noble, whether from here or Cheliax." Zhiden said through narrowed eyes. "It sounds like Henri saw a chance to get back at a rival and took it. And maybe Alpon did the same."
They're not all the same, slip, Vertielle says defensively.
Wood looks at Vertielle with some disapproval:
"I think YOU made a slip there."
He looks somewhat surprised and asks their host:
"What do you know about the lord of Caromac?"
Turning to the others:
"We need to research this family and man."
Smiling at Zhiden, he adds:"Unlike commoners like Zhiden and I, these nobles normally leave a paper trail a long way. Records, deeds, and heraldry. Nobles like to put this stuff on paper."
Vertielle looks confused for a second, before even realizing what she'd said.
I'll find something, she says quickly, and gets up.
Excuse me, she adds belatedly, and leaves.
"No family" Judge Daramid says, sadly. "Alpon was the last. They were so happy about the coming child. They were going to name a boy Petros, after the one who brought them together, or Andrianna, after our mother, if a girl. With Cherese pregnant with a potential heir, Alpon was infuriated about his deposition, and his arguments with Henri over the matter were...unpleasant, to say the least. Things were said that neither could forgive. But, Alpon was no fool and he did -does- care about his people, so he accepted to avoid a civil war and the harm, the deaths, that would bring. He had Cherese, and I think she calmed him, though they did fight, of course. He accused her of betraying his office to Henri, but she forage him. His apology to her was the most humble I'd ever seen him. Then came Cherese's death. And the child's. Alpon shut himself in the shloss, fired his servants, and hasn't spoken to anyone in Lepidstadt since, that I know of."
Zhiden said nothing to Vertielle, though he did glare at her until she left, disgust clear in his eyes.
After the judge offered additional detail, he couldn't help rolling his eyes. "His wife and kid died, and his response was to shut out the world and make a golem? That sounds very typical noble behavior to me. What has he done since then? Have you seen him?"
The judge replies, sadly "No. Perhaps if he'd come to town, met with his old associates...though I do think he kept up some degree of correspondence with some of them. But not here. I don't know if it was anger over seeing what was once his capitol or a degree of practicality, not wanting to cause problems for the current rulers. Still, I suppose some of us could have tried...it just seemed uncomfortable, to go without an invitation, after supporting him being deposed."
@Vertielle: Yes, there's a night staff, the place is being used by students with special permission from the university.
"How about you go in our entourage? We invited you along?"
Wood smiles.
"The good thing about showing up as guests is people have to be hospitable. Especially nobles. Anything else is downright lower class."
The guard looks at you suspiciously, saying "I can't admit..." before he's interrupted by a young man who says "Oh, there you are! What took you so long? You promised to help me with these notes."
The young man grabs your arm and pulls you in continuing to blather about alchemy notes until he gets you away from the guard.
"Hey, you're one of those adventurers who saved the Beast at the trial! I so wanted to meet you folks." He looks down, sadly. "My uncle was one of the people killed and..." he pauses "by those monsters at Vorkstag and Grine. My family owes you big-time for finding and stopping them. What can I do to help you?"
He leads you to a secluded table and clears it off so you can set your things down. "Oh, and what is the Beast really like? I've heard so much about sentient flesh golems, but I've never had the opportunity to actually study one. It must be so fascinating, meeting a whole new, untainted soul in such a monstrous body. That the poor creature would even try to associate with normal people is a testament to his builder's skill."
He sits down across from you and waits expectantly.
@Vertielle: +3 bonus for History, +2 for Nobility (those records are in the restricted section), +2 to Local from the young man's chatter.
Judge Diarmid looks as if she's considering Wood's suggestion, then says "No, I shouldn't go. I can give you a note to deliver to him, as an excuse if you want one, but if he is involved...as a Judge, I'd have to take official notice. If he's really the one responsible, I'd rather he just kept control of the creature and kept it there. Still, as it's creator, if he is, he's accountable for it's actions as well."
She pauses, obviously upset. "I trust you all. Petros did, and his trust seems to have been justified. Look into this for me and let me know if you feel it needs handled officially or unofficially. Please. I don't think I can be fair at this point."
"Well, as long as the creature is good hands. We have earned some say in his future."
Wood meets the greeters with a thin smile.
"We are invited!"
Vertielle smirks at the doorman as she's whisked inside.
I don't know about the saving, and all. I suppose we did... I'm sorry for your loss, I'm just glad we could stop them before they did any more harm to this city.
Perusing the shelves, she returns with a large history compendium, and a brief overview of soul theory.
As long as you're helping, I was wondering if the Beast could be controlled by some means, or at the very least, limited. See, he's not really out of danger yet- he's a danger to anyone around him, by virtue of his nature. I'm hoping to limit that without exile.
She smiles at him disarmingly.
I'm really here trying to write my book on Ustalavian culture and history, though- I just hoped I could avoid as many of the local folks as possible- not all are as understanding as you, see.