Session 38: Trial
General Summary
Outside Greyhawk, Zeke and Vin disguise themselves and Raknian and head to the Redoubt where their friends are being held. But their unwillingness to loose Raknian's bonds or doff their armor make the farce tenuous, and they are stopped by a patrol.
When the guards remove Raknian's gag, he is quick to identify himself and indict the PCs, but Vin is fast on her feet and gladly admits her identity, telling the guards she is turning in Raknian for the heinous crimes he has committed.
The whole gang is taken into custody, and reunites with Lins, Sigvurd, and Nemara at court. But theirs is not the only case on the docket.
Before they face the judge, they see a familiar face - Pollard, the butler and close friend of Eligos the sage. He is on trial for the murder of Eligos only two nights before. He is acquitted, bu the news rocks the party as they take their own places on the floor.
The trial was tense, with the PCs exposing the doppelganger infestation of Greyhawk's authorities, arguing they had no choice but to take the villain into their own hands.
Raknian, for his part, pointed out the blood on their hands, the damage they caused, and the recklessness behind it all. He claimed his hand was forced as well, as he feared retribution from the Ebon Triad if he went against their wishes.
But he lost the favor of the court when the Party tricked him into admitting that, even though he didn't know about the doppelgangers, he didn't trust the authorities of greyhawk to save him. The judge was incensed that this man could be so arrogant as to think the united armies of Greyhawk couldn't save him from a single cleric, and sentenced him to indefinite prison under heavy guard.
The party cautioned the judge not to kill him, that he knew more than he was telling, but quickly determined that this judge was no slouch, and had every intention of using Raknian to weed out the corruption at Greyhawk's upper levels.
The PCs were not fully exonerated however, they did commit great violence and had to make recompense.
Lins, Nemara, and Sigvurd were convicted only of breaking and entering, and were let off with a warning because they had ample excuse under the very special circumstances.
Vin, however, was convicted of murder, kidnapping, and unlawful use of magic resulting in massive property damage. Zeke stood convicted of aiding and abetting the kidnapping.
For their crimes, they were charged to pay a fee of 7,500 GP, as recompense to the greiving families and to cover the repairs to the Arena. Vin Frostkeeper was also banished from the City of Greyhawk, charged to never again come within its walls.
The party was reunited. Significantly poorer, and shaken over the news of their friend Eligos, and with a few chips on a few shoulders. They all agreed they needed to return to Diamond Lake, that clearly their business there was not over.
Their steps only quickened when they noticed the rumours running through the streets of Greyhawk - it seems, while they were out, a Dragon had come to town.