After the month has passed, you all bid Kendra a safe journey as she boards Adivion's carriage for Caliphas. Adivion stayed in Ravengo for a few days after you met him, and he proved to be an extremely learned individual. He left for his home a week ago to prepare for Kendra's arrival. Before leaving, he reminded you to call upon him if you were ever in the capital, as well as to keep him apprised of anything else you may discover about the Way's activities.
The large carriage rolls away to the south and you glance around Ravengro one last time. Perhaps the serenity of the scene before you will last on your journey to Lepidstadt.
Unfortunately, it's even worse than you can imagine. The weather is terrible, the bugs are bad, and the other travelers are all suspicious and paranoid of everyone they meet. Wisely, you decide to avoid the city of Tamrivena, though it costs you a few days. The city renown for its paranoia is protected by roving cavalry patrols who insist all travelers remain at least three miles away unless they have documented business in their city. All in all, it seems to be a place better left behind.
After two miserable weeks on the road, the spires of Lepidstadt come into view. You all know that most of the taller buildings are part of the University, but Lysa remembers hearing that the tallest spire is part of the Cathedral of Pharasma, known locally as Gravecharge. It is one of the largest churches in Ustalav, and is famous for the pristine white marble used in its construction.
As you get closer, you can see the increased traffic on the Lesser Moutray River to the east as the barges and ships pull into and out of the Lepidstadt docks. To the north, about twenty large rocks stand upright in a huge circle - the famed Spiral Cromlech, a set of standing stones reported to be over a thousand years old.
The road you are on heads north then turns to enter the city from the west, passing close by the Spiral Cromlech. You can enter the city through this gate, or continue on the road and enter through the gate on the north side of the city. The west gate is closer to the University (and likely Dr. Crowl), while the northern gate is closer to Judge Daramid's house.
Which gate would you like to use?
I'd say we go through the West gate.
"Certainly. We should take care of any immediate business before we are noticed by too many watchful eyes."
"Whichever direction divests us of the extra burden is fine with me. It might be an idea to check out the shops here too."
"I agree that we should go through the west gate. Better to get rid of most of our burden at once and then just wander through the city with just one book."
As you enter Lepidstadt, the excitement of people around you begins to intrude on your space. For some reason, nearly everyone in town seems to be full of energy about something. You repeatedly hear references to a trial, a beast, and punishment.
Getting close to the University, you all realize that there are a number town guards meandering about. There are also a number of horsemen moving around, most seem to be heading either north or south along one of the main roads.
Arriving at the University is like stepping into an ant hill. People are running around, all apparently on one errand or another. Guards, soldiers, wizards, and other more mundane tradesmen are all to be seen, most often with extremely serious looks on their faces.
Asking after Dr. Crowl, you are directed to a large building in the south, with more than a curious glance. Arriving at your destination, you begin to understand why there is so much chaos around you - the building you see ahead of you holds a huge glass window that has been shattered. Dozens of people are staring at the window and the ground outside the building, many of whom appear to be making measurements and marking places on the grass below the window.
Finding a page, you inquire about Dr. Crowl again, and are told to wait outside. After a few minutes, an older (human) man wearing the robes of a professor follows the page out of the building. He pauses and looks at the group in puzzlement, finally continuing his walk to meet you, he gives you a brief bow before speaking in a halting voice, "Good day, I was told you needed to see me on a matter of some urgency? Forgive me, but it has been a most hectic few days, and I can only spare a moment."
-----
By the way, it's about four in the afternoon. Sunset is around seven, so you have three more hours of light.
You only have a moment, how would you like to respond?
"Good afternoon, Dr. Crowl. We have just arrived from Ravengro on and errand to deliver some books mostly from the estate of Professor Lorrimor, who recently passed away. His will indicated that you would be the safest owner of the knowledge contained within them."
Firavel looks around as the group enters the gate. "Ahh, Lepidstadt... It's been a while," he says, stretching his fingers.
Later at the university... "He wished to see the books returned safely to the collection here. As mentioned, you would likely be better positioned to put them in the correct places within that collection."
"Petros is dead? Oh my!" He looks very distressed at hearing the news - obviously, this is the first time he's learned of the Professor's death.
He recovers after a moment, "Please, follow me."
He leads the group into the large stone building and down a wide corridor. To the right of the corridor you see a sunken room where the yawning gap of the broken window looms. Several pedestals and cases are located within the room, but many have been overturned or broken.
Crowl turns back to you as he continues to walk, "Please excuse our mess. Our museum was robbed two nights ago, and we're still working out what happened. Luckily, we caught the... beast... that perpetrated the theft! Strange times we live in..."
He continues down the hall, turning right at a junction, and leads you into a small conference room, closing the door behind you. He reaches over to a lever beside the door and pushes it into the 'up' position. You hear static and a low hum, then silence. "Knowing Petros like I do, I've activated the wards on this room so we may speak in private. What do you have for me?"
"Several 'proscribed' tomes and books best kept out of the hands of... well everyone."
He will then ask whoever was holding the books to let him show one to the professor.
As Crowl looks over the book Sethis holds out for him, Lysa wonders about the phrasing used to describe the robber.
"Excuse me, but when you were speaking of the intruder, did you mean 'beast' in a literal or figurative sense?"
Dr. Crowl reviews the books, but lets out a surprised gasp when he arrives at the flesh golem manual. "My word, I thought I misplaced this book months ago. It's been... let's see... almost four months since I've seen it. It's strange you found it in Ravengro, I'll have to pass along my thanks to Master Alendru!"
Glancing at Lysa, he smiles, "That depends on your perspective, my dear. The creature that was captured is indeed a beast, but it is also 'The Beast of Lepidstadt' - a monster that has roamed the area around this fair city for decades perpetrating all manner of evil deeds upon the populace."
He furrows his brow in thought, "The monster is going to be tried for three crimes he committed, but not the break-in here at the museum. After all, nobody saw him actually break the window and climb inside, and we haven't been able to find the idol he stole, so the prosecutor said the evidence wasn't there to get a conviction. But all of the other crimes have witnesses, so he should receive the Ultimate Punishment."
"The Beast of Lepidstadt is real? I had thought it but a legend. And they captured it?" Firavel asks incredulously. "Wait... the Beast, a creature said to have performed numerous foul deeds over the years, tried to rob the University of an Idol? That seems... a little underwhelming an act for such a dark beast to perform," he says. Not to mention, close to the same act that became my introduction to the professor. I wonder if this "Beast" would have received the far more palatable reception I had were the professor alive and still here.
"Forgive me for asking, but if there were no witnesses and no one has recovered the idol yet despite his incarceration. Then how do you know that someone else didn't just commit the crime and left the beast to take the blame for it?"
"What manner of creature is this... beast? Also, when exactly is the trial to be held?"
"I thought that was reserved for the most hideous crimes, like necromancy."
Dr. Crowl looks at Firavel, "Exactly! This creature, renown for decades for eating children, murdering women, and slaughtering livestock breaks into the museum and steals an idol that is little more than an ugly statue. It wasn't even magical, just strange! And what's more, despite its dark history, the guards didn't even lose a man when they captured it. The monster just stood there as it was restrained, then obeyed the commands given to it as they led it away. The guards are congratulating themselves on their training and fearlessness, but I tell you, they aren't that good."
He glances at Lysa and grins, "Precisely why the prosecutor is not charging him with this crime - only the ones where witnesses saw the Beast."
"And yes, Master Reis, the crimes laid at the Beast's feet are hideous. Murdering 10 people in Morast, 6 children in Hergstat, and the killing of two dozen patients and doctors at the Karb Isle asylum. Almost 40 deaths - all with witnesses. That's enough to warrant the Punishment."
Dr. Crowl fingers the flesh golem manual for a moment before looking at Jean. "Honestly, I don't know. I would say it is some kind of golem, but seeing it... there is something different about it. I would need to study it to be sure, but I have no doubt it is something unique."
"I'm not exactly sure about the timing of the trial, but it would have to start either tomorrow or the day after. Given the excitement in the town and the crowds ready to see the Beast Punished, I expect it to be over quickly."
Jean crossed his arms and looked thoughtful for a moment. "Now my interest has been piqued. I think we should take a look at this trial, once we are finished with our other business. In my experience, a dangerous beast doesn't just become docile for no reason."
"Beasts, rarely if ever are docile when humans are concerned. But that's usually due to our interference or treaspassing into their territories. I too am curious about the nature of this particular beast though. Maybe we can find something out with that Judge we were expected to meet with."
"What manner of creature is this 'beast' then? I gather it is somewhat unusual. It seems odd that a supposed mass murderer would allow itself to be captured so easily. If the trial is to be so quick, then we should waste little time in seeing the Judge."
"I've made it a point... a life goal, if you will... to avoid courtrooms and jails and the like. Still, I find it interesting how a creature that was seen murdering so many people, would just stand idly by as the guards captured it. What's a golem, anyhow? Considering that book we brought over, it sounds like something a wizard makes. Would that not mean such a thing would be under someone else's control? Where is its controller? Or do they have independant thought?"
"A golem is a magical creation, typically humanoid in shape and appearance, made from a variety of materials. There are golems made from clay, stone, wood, and even flesh. These flesh golems generally are the purview of so-called scientists who find body parts - usually by raiding graveyards - then connect them together. The magical process then binds a spirit to the body, giving the creature some form of life."
Dr. Crowl pauses then continues, "What makes the Beast strange is that for all appearances it is a flesh golem, but it exhibits a tact and guile not normally found in those creations. Golems are built to serve - they act according to instructions laid down by their creator, or a designated 'controller' - but they do not have free will. They are, literally, mindless. This Beast appears to have some capacity to control his own actions. According to everything we know about golems, that should not be possible."
Jean took several moments before speaking again. He appeared to be in the middle of a process of thinking his thoughts through, while quietly muttering under his breath and performing minimal hand gestures.
He looked up. "So if this beast is intelligent with its own motive or if it is controlled by a very careful individual then there must be a reason it allowed itself to be captured. Perhaps it, or whoever is controlling it, wanted to be seen on trial. Either way, this is a strange turn of events. We should hurry on with our business."
"Is there anyway to stick a bodiless soul or spirit inside a golem? Perhaps that could account for its behavior?"
Crowl nods along at Jean's comments, agreeing with his assertion of this being a strange turn of events.
Looking at Lysa, he thinks for a moment, "I suppose anything is possible, but at that point, the creature would not be a golem. That is to say, if one was to seal a spirit inside an inanimate form, and give that spirit control of the form, then it would be free to do whatever it wanted. The creature, at that point, would be more a case of possession than arcane creation."
"At any rate, I thank you for the return of my property, and the books Professor Lorrimor left for me. Though I am not a rich person, I would like to reward you for your efforts. I have a number of students who can provide magical enhancement to a suit of armor, or a weapon, of high quality. If that does not interest you, my class on divination magic needs a challenge or two, and I would be happy to set them to finding a rare an unique item if you have one in mind. It will take a day or two to get everything prepared in either case. Until then, if I can be of any further help, please call upon me at your convenience."
Bidding you good day, he escorts you to the doors and shows you out of the University.
-----
Asking for directions, you eventually find yourself outside a two-story stone house. The exterior is simple, almost plain, and gives everyone a slight sense of foreboding. As you knock on the door, a man dressed as a servant answers, and hearing your names and business, he shows you into a sitting room. The room is richly appointed, and immaculately clean. Every pillow is perfectly arranged, and the chairs and sofa appear to be precisely placed at the same angles on either side of teh space.
A few moments later, a woman in her sixties strides in and greets you. She has gray hair pulled back tightly into a bun and icy blue eyes. Introducing herself, you find yourself facing Judge Embreth Daramid.
She leads you across the hall and into the study. She indicates several seats for you and then sits down behind a huge oak desk. Pulling out a sheaf of papers, she places them down neatly and begins to review them. After reading, she inquires if you have finished all the tasks left for you in Professor Lorrimor's will. Hearing your positive assertion, and accepting the last book in your possession, she opens a desk drawer to retrieve the payment due to you.
She returns to her seat behind her desk, "I confess, I find myself in a position of needing assistance in a matter of particular importance. If Petros trusted you, then I believe I shall ask your indulgence for a few moments."
"I have served as Judge in Lepidstadt for nearly twenty years. In that time, I have seen a cancer growing in this town. For many years, the citizens of this city have laid all their ills at the foot of the Beast of Lepidstadt - murders, thefts, abductions. But I know that most of those stories are exaggerations, or outright falsehoods."
"What you don't hear much of are the tales showing a different side of the Beast. Of its kindness, and humanity. Rescuing a family from a burning house, or returning a child lost in the swamps. As you no doubt know, the Beast is currently in my jail awaiting trial. A shame then, that nobody is willing to stand up now, when it matters, to recount any of the good deeds the Beast is responsible for, only the terror and death."
She sighs once before continuing, "The people of Lepidstadt have blamed the Beast for too much, for too long, and many are blinded to the realities of the situation. Is it possible that the creature committed the crimes it is accused of committing? Of course, but I will not allow the ignorant masses and their penchant for ignoring their own responsibilities to determine the outcome of this case."
"I have reviewed the notes from the museum theft, and I have a number of questions about it. But as I am a Judge, I cannot ask them publicly for fear of being removed from the case due to bias. Given the current situation in town, any show of support for the creature is sure to rouse suspicion from nearly everyone in the city."
"What I need are people who may be my unofficial eyes and ears in this matter. People who are smart enough to ask the right questions, and twist the right arms, if it comes to that. I want the truth of what has happened, at the University, and with all the crimes being laid at the feet of the Beast. As individuals without any local bias or prejudice, you all seem reasonably well-suited for my purposes."
"And rest assured, my only goal in this is to see justice done. If you do accept this offer, and your investigations reveal the creature has in face perpetrated these heinous acts, then I will be the first one to condemn it to death. But if the Beast is innocent, then the actual criminals are still at large, and I will not send the creature to the fires of punishment for the acts of others."
"I am prepared to offer you 200 platinum pieces each if you accept this job. You will be paid regardless of what your investigation shows - guilt or innocence. But you must be willing to aid in the creature's defense during court proceedings. Finally, our association in this matter must remain strictly confidential. If word gets out of my involvement, anything you discover will be dismissed, and my reputation will be destroyed."
.
"Curiouser and curiouser. We have heard of the capture of the Beast, and had remarked on how unusual it's actions had been, what with the 'being a horrible and terrible murderer' and then robbing the university and sticking around to be caught. Now you are saying there are also stories of it being some kind of noble creature... Something certainly doesn't add up. I like a good puzzle. I also like cold hard platinum. I can't speak for my colleagues, but I might be up for this little investigation."
"I do have a few questions. First, when will the court proceedings occur, or how much time do we have for our investigations? Second, what can you tell us about the crimes the creature has been accused of? And of the crime he isn't being accused of (the theft)? Finally, can this unusual being speak in its own defense, and is he allowed visitors?"
Jean frowned at the new information that was given by the judge. "I understand animals. The fact that this Beast was said to have compassion for others is a near assurance of it having more than a beastial intelligence. This would also mean that it may at the least understand, if not speak, a language. It could very well have been made to commit crimes against its will. It is part of my duty as a member of the Whitemane family to see that the real culprit be put to justice. Whether it is the Beast, something else or both. I too, would very much like to see these reports and have a chat with whomever sent them."
"Well judge, i always did like a mystery and you've definately got one here. You vcan count me in."
"I agree to assist in this. Though I must admit that it is my curiosity at figuring out exactly what the beast is that make me want to be part of these investigations."
"Hmm. Now that is an interesting case. I've never heard of a golem displaying any intelligence before. I agree to your terms Judge. I would hate to see an innocent put to death for a crime it did not commit.
Yes as Firavel asked, can we see it, does it talk?
Judge Daramid responds, "The trial has already started, and preliminary evidence has been presented. Actual witnesses have not been called though, so you still have time to investigate the crimes, but you must hurry. The court is in recess for a day - tomorrow - then the trial begins in earnest."
"The prosecutor has charged the Beast with three crimes, any of which would result in death if the creature is convicted. The creature is not charged with the museum theft for several reasons: first, there were no witnesses who saw the creature breaking into the museum, and the missing item was not found in the Beast's possession. Even it it was convicted, the penalty for breaking into the building is a fine, so that's not important enough for the City to do all the work to try and get a conviction."
"The specific crimes leveled against the Beast include killing villagers in Morast, a small town east of Lepidstadt near the swamp, murdering children in Hergstag, another small town north of the city, and finally, burning down an asylum on Karb Isle, resulting in the deaths of several doctors and patients. All three incidents have witnesses who will reveal their encounters with the Beast."
She seems relieved to hear everyone agreeing to her request.
"I have not tried to speak with the creature myself, as I need to remain apart from it throughout the trial. That said, I will appoint you as Special Counsel for the Defense, and as such, you will have access to speak with the accused if you so choose. You should speak with Barrister Kaple as soon as possible. He can provide more details about the Beast, as well as some information about the crimes, such as names of the witnesses and their locations."
"Is there anything else you wish to ask before I sign the writs granting you access to the Courthouse?"
"So we only have one day to visit three different villages and gather our evidence? No offense ma'am but if that's the case we had best be going now."
"My apologies, in my line of work, I sometimes forget that everyone is not familiar with court proceedings. When dealing with charges that carry the death penalty, only one crime is presented each day, with the prosecution and defense providing their input and asking questions of witnesses in the morning. The judges, there are three of us, then retire to discuss the matter in the afternoon. Everyone else is excused for the day. If there is another charge, that evidence will be provided the following day. And so on and so on, until there are no more charges."
"So this trial will last for three days. On the fourth day, we - the judges - will meet in the morning and render our verdict for the court at noon."
"I agree, it is not much time in which to investigate the different crimes, but I am choosing to trust that Professor Lorrimor chose his proteges well. If so, I believe you will find a way."
"Would we need to snag this counter-evidence, if there even is any, on or before the day the charge has been presented? If so, can you tell us the order of the proceedings so that we can focus our inquiries in the correct order. Or can it all be presented on the fourth day, or, I guess, the end of the third day?"
"I admit I do not know for certain, but I believe that any counter-evidence would be strongest if presented the day during the trial of each accusation. For the crimes at hand, if we fail to find any counter evidence for even one of the convictions, the beast will be put to death. However, if the evidence we find is helpful in the defense of the beast, others may be more willing to come forth and speak for its possible benevolence. The sooner the better."
Judge Daramid nods, appreciating the insight of your questions. "Very good, I see that all of you seem to be grasping the intricacies of the courtroom."
"The most effective way of presenting evidence would be on the day the crime is presented before the court. That is the only time witnesses are available for questioning. You would be given a chance to speak on the final day immediately before we render our judgement, but to be honest, our minds are usually made up by that point of the proceedings."
"I see... So which crime is on the agenda for tomorrow? Perhaps we can start our investigations there."
"Not tomorrow, the day after that. But in any case, I am not entirely sure, the prosecutor sets the agenda. I believe Barrister Kaple would know though. He has an office at the Courthouse, and I can provide you the paperwork to gain access."
Jean let out a small smile at the compliment. "Then that should be our next stop. Let's hope that the other members of the court are as objective about the case and interested about serving justice as you are."
Jean had been quiet since leaving Lorrimer's estate. His usual jovial demeanor was subdued, obviously caught in the grips of internal struggles.
The plight of Harrowstone was done. The truth of the Professor's death had been uncovered. Now, the weight of it all seemed to finally crash down upon the young man. He was approaching his eighteenth naming day. He had essentially run away to become what he believed in his heart that he was ready for. Now, though, he knew he'd merely been lucky. His family would understand leaving abruptly to attend the funeral of a much loved teacher. They might even understand the need to quickly investigate his murder. They would not understand why he was now getting involved in a new, unrelated mystery in a completely different place.
He hadn't yet admitted to himself the real reason he was staying. He was quiet as he slowly worked through his thoughts. The conclusions he came to inevitably pointed back towards a certain pale priestess.
In the end, his young mind came to the conclusion that a new mystery and possibility of danger was far easier than the prospect of sorting out his feelings. For Leon, the act of doing was the perfect escape from the difficulties of being.
"Thank you Judge, we better get going. The sooner we meet this Kaple fellow the sooner we can get down to the bottom of this."
Sethis will excuse himself when it appears everyone else has exhausted their questions and make his way to the courthouse with everyone.
Once outside the house he will speak quietly.
"Does this seem odd to anyone else? I don't mean this Beast thing, i mean if she really wanted to make sure justice was fair shouldn't she have tried to find someone to investigate earlier or made sure that the town guard responsible for the investigation was someone with a reputation for unbiased work?"
"She mentioned what she thought of most of the locals opinions on the subject. Maybe we're the first ones to come along she thought might have a chance at figuring out the things she's been needing."
"How do we know that she hasn't tried to find someone else before us? Perhaps she simply wasn't willing to tell us about a previous investigation's failure for fear that it would dishearten us and cause us to decline her offer."
"She herself is restricted by her station. If she did anything too overt, such as calling for aid, her judgement could be called into question and she may be forcibly removed from the trial. I'm content in the knowledge that there is at least one judge we know, who is at least willing to look at all the evidence before passing judgement. Regardless however, it doesn't change what we are doing now. For the moment we have to act as though we are interested outsiders and we shouldn't mention her involvement."
"Good idea. Where should we start?"
"Let's find out the order that the crimes will be tried and maybe go have a look at this beast.
"Indeed. I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but we 'need to talk to a lawyer' and ' go willingly to the courthouse'," Firavel says with a grin. "Specifically to visit that Kaple fellow."