Chapter 6 - The Trial of Myrna

General Summary

As the party awoke the next morning, they were given an unpleasant surprise: the guards had come to arrest them. Rashida, Ascus, and Creetens were taken away to the local dungeon, but Theden slipped away into the streets. Rashida, Ascus, and Creetens were placed in the dungeon, being told that they were arrested for the charges of murder, larceny, and trespassing. For this, the punishment was death by the gallows. So the three waited in the dungeon, while Theden tried to look for evidence to prove their innocence.
Or, rather, Theden decided to tamper with evidence. He snuck into the court's dungeon and stole evidence, taking the autopsy of some cultists, a receipt of purchase for the magic carpet, and some quill and ink to forge some documents. Meanwhile, Creetens tried to make an escape by taunting the local guard near his cell, stealing the keys and unlocking prisoners. However, he was stopped by the head prosecutor, Julianus Lentullus. Julianus gave them an offer to plead guilty to reduce their sentence, but the party refused.
Theden, meanwhile, began further evidence tampering. He snuck into the morgue and mutilated the dead body of one of the cultists further, but was caught by a cleric. After escaping the morgue, Theden found a forgery master and had him change the carpet receipt and the autopsy report. The last thing Theden did was visit a local lawyer named Titus Memmius, who Theden paid for legal advice. Theden was suggested to find an alibi against the trespassing, which would destroy the entire case. Once leaving, Theden was stopped by Isias, who was sickly but said she was glad to find Theden. She offered to be a witness in the defense of Creetens, Rashida, and Ascus. So Theden told her to arrive at the courthouse and claim as a witness against the party trespassing.
The day of the trial arrived, with Creetens, Rashida, and Ascus being placed in the defendant's stand. A mighty parade went into town as the Military Governor, Publius Statius Gracilis, rode on horseback in front of a carriage containing King Asthenios Orneaus. The citizen tribunal was also established. As such, Creetens, Rashida, and Ascus were placed in front of a court consisting of Publius as the judge, the citizen tribunal as the jury, and King Asthenios watching. The trial did not go well at first. Creetens disrespected the court with his arguments, while Prosecutor Julianos brought key witnesses such as the slave workers at the aqueduct site and one of the cultists named Della. Prosecutor Julianos provided evidence of Della's arrow injury, as well as the forged pass Creetens created, and showed that the party was found with the carpet on themselves. He also gave the judge Lorcan's written evidence. However, with Creetens having access to the evidence, he found Theden's changes and "proved" that the carpet belonged to himself. That, and the stolen gold from the cultists was short on their persons. (Once again, thanks to Theden having some!)
Prosecutor Julianus tried to prove the existence of a "4th person" of the party which he called a "skulker" who was tampering with the evidence and was spotted by a cleric. He showed the tampering of the autopsy report and had an copy of the version. However, Creetens pointed out that the argument was too circumstantial. Creetens tried to use his charming magic against a witness, but the court discovered it and thus threw away the testimony. Julianus ran out of witnesses, with his point being proven. What would the party do? Theden messaged Creetens to call on Isias the Druid. However, the bailiff confirmed to the court that Isias was found dead. They were in deep trouble, until Rashida had an idea: bringing Ascus on the witness stand.
Ascus was placed under a Zone of Truth by the court cleric. He spilled the beans, confirming that he and the party went into the catacombs and killed the cultists. The Tribunal readied their own verdict, but Rashida cleverly pointed out that Ascus was part of the Church of Morganine. Creetens then made the argument of "Holy Crusade", saying that Ascus was legally allowed to wage war against enemies of the church. That would be the cultists who caused the harpies' creation. In this clever legal loophole, the party found legal immunity in joining Ascus in the Holy Crusade defense, allowing their crimes of murder and theft to be nearly excused. But one crime remained: the trespassing.
Court was put on pause again, and Theden ran toward the morgue to check on Isias. When he found her body, he saw her body was stretched to oblivion, covered in marks. He was horrified and figured the death had to be magic related. Eventually Theden put the pieces together, seeing the instructions he collected from the catacombs of creating an owlbear and harpy, and realized that would be crucial evidence. Theden then disguised as a guard and went back to the courthouse.
For that, the prosecution found Lorcan, the Elf, who was trying to leave the city. Lorcan mourned for the loss of his wife (which Creetens figure out he was faking). He explained he left the city earlier to find a ranger to help him find his wife. He then accused the party of forcing him to reveal the location of the catacombs. He revealed to the court that his wife was missing and that the party used it as leverage. However, Creetens soon proved Lorcan was a wizard, and Theden barged into the court with the instruction evidence. Soon, Rashida noticed Lorcan's written testimony and the instructions had the same handwriting. Creetens proved to the court that Lorcan himself was involved in the cultist scheme to create the harpies and monsters.
Getting under pressure, Lorcan finally snapped as Creetens proved that he was responsible for the creations in his laboratory, giving the party justified excuse for trespassing in Holy Crusade. Not only that, but Rashida showed the court the Pegasus Feather, giving them a strong motive for the crusade. Lorcan began to cry, regretting his experimentation for the Cult of Loxelel. Lorcan admitted to the court that he used the party for a revenge scheme to kill the cultists. Isias was forced into becoming a harpy after the cult realized she spilled the beans on the Pegasus, punishing her. Thus, Lorcan sent the party to kill the cultists and rescue Isias, but once he learned Isias was dying despite the transformation being reversed, he tried to pin the blame on Rashida, Creetens, and Ascus while he escaped the city. Thus, Lorcan was promptly arrested for conspiring against the city, and the Tribunal found the party Not Guilty!
After the trial, the party was eyed suspiciously by King Asthenios. However, they shrugged it off. They went back to the Arrow of Lightning Inn, where they drank and partied. Theden was met by Deimos, who commended him for his brilliance and gave him membership of the Thieves Guild. Deimos also prepared a party a ship to Demetria, so they could chase Captain Oranos and the Medusa to keep the empire safe.

Jethro: Wow! What a trial, sister. What a tense trial. I truly thought the party would be sent to the gallows for a second there.

Theodora: They should thank their clever friend Theden. Otherwise, they certainly would have been hung.

Jethro: As for tragedy, as I mentioned last chapter... Well, I'm sad to know where it came from.

Theodora: Yes, poor Isias. We hardly knew her. The evil of the Cult of Loxelel spreads throughout the Coast of Dragoncrest. I pray our heroes can put an eventual stop to it...

In World Date

August 29th-31st, 2003

Report Date

20 Sep 2020

Primary Location

Myrna

Zarrik the Tiefling Monk by Stef Tastan

Creetens, Rashida, and Ascus were prosecuted by an accomplished Tiefling lawyer from Tamay, named Julianus Lentullus.

Characters in this adventure:

• Rashida is a loyal human disciple of Vanu-Am, the hidden goddess of fate, who has saved her from death. Rashida devoted her life to hermitage, walking around the coast of Dragoncrest to secretly assist the misfortunate. She hails from Tamay.

• Theden is an elven acrobat and storyteller, hailing from Potea. He has a strong ethical code, looking out for the little guy and does the right thing more often than not.

• Creetens is a triton bard, one who prefers to enchant his problems away. He is a charlatan and a thief, but as well as a proper performer and musician. He was exiled away from the triton kingdom for his ravaging behavior.

Allies of the Party:

• Ascus the Brave. Once a drunkard, Ascus turned aside that life and found purpose as a hero. He swore his life to Morganine and fights for her honor and glory.