Darcon nodded his satisfaction of the sum and approval of the Judge's hasty preparations for them. "It will be cutting it close but I believe we can make it; we can split up if needed to save time," he said to the others.

"I want to start off by visiting this 'beast' first and talking to Barrister Kaple, after that we can visit the Library and Morast to investigate the crime scene and talk to any witnesses," the mage added, standing up to indicate he was ready to get started.

Weathered crow's feet sank into deep furrows at the corners of narrowed eyes;  Karamazov scrutinised the judge, his eyes searching her face directly for the first time since he entered the room.

"One hundred generals is a great deal of money," he observed deliberately, as though suspicious of even his own words. "Enough for an old servant of the city to retire, perhaps." He lapsed back into silence.

"You know I will swear this oath again."  Whatever phrenic wheels they were that had been turning behind his brow had reached their conclusion.  Karamazov approached the book of laws, ordinarily heavy footfalls muted by thick pile as he crossed the rug.  He looked to the window and the faint sounds of the city in preparation without.  "Already I am not well-loved, so I lose nothing swimming against the tide." 

SCG shakes his head and makes a mental note to henceforth carry the appropriate writs upon his person to save time and effort in time sensitive matters.  Hopefully the judge will issue his writ if not the defense or prosecution are viable alternatives.

“Let us go and see this great hulking and horrible beast.”

Never split the party!!!

Shade didn't move when the Judge offered them the force of the law behind their actions.  She had an idea of what might need to be done, and some of it was best done without the law looming too closely.  Not that she would cause the Judge any trouble, but it was best to not beholden herself to an oath she couldn't be certain of upholding.

"Let's go talk t' the Beast, then.  If you want to ride out to Morast after we learn what we can, you'd have to tie me to a saddle; I ain't never been on a horse in m'life," Shade says with a shrug.

“Fear not young Shade the horses are gentle and trained for riding, it is mostly balance and not being too rigid nor too limp. The stirrups support you as if you are standing on the ground.  I too am no expert in riding.”

SCG continues to be curious about the nature of the beast

Garland nods in agreement with Darcon before he sets the cup down and stands, though he looks at the judge once more. "May I ask your assistance in securing some steeds while we question the prisoner? It will save us some time while we investigate."

Shade her mouth shut with some effort at Darcon's question.  This was Judge Daramid and he was asking an important official of the city if she could help him get horses like she was a merchant or broker?  His tone wasn't disrespectful, but to her the question was the height of audacity. Certainly between the six of them they had the money and local knowledge to get horses within the hour without having to ask an important city official to do their scutwork!  Just asking a reliable messenger would get the job done without them losing any of their questioning time.

"We c'n get horses easy enough, Your Honor," she says quickly, giving Darcon a sideways glance.  "No need to worry about it."

Attention as much on the tiny sandwiches as on the judge's preparations, the big man hunched by the book where he expected to be sworn in.  Thumb-polishing the steel fastenings on his chest while he waited, Shade's commentary seemed to divert his focus.

"I have a cart, but usually it is me who draws.  I have no time to be troubled with horses, nor they with me, " his face cragged wryly, then his shoulders gave a lop-sided shrug that caused the plates in his coat to clank together.   Quietly, so as not to intrude on Judge Daramid's concentration, he leaned toward the diminutive urchin.

"If you find a horse to pull, that will be faster.  Otherwise I will take you, but we are longer on the road.  To go past the Yard after the gaol, I think, will not be so much more time."

Jonah chimes in, "I know I just got here, but I'd rather see/talk to The Beast first. Practically, I think it would better influence how we would look at Morast. And personally, I'd be better able to tell tales of the Beast having seen him for myself."

The judge quickly and efficiently had our heroes approach the stand and place their left hands on the codex one by one, raising their right and repeating after her the oath of a deputy of Lepidstadt. After the deputies had been sworn in she produced silver plated tin badges from a case behind her desk, palm sized shields with the tower and bramble, and pinned them to every breast except Vadim's. She paused in front of him to perform a quick inspection of his seal to verify that it was still in order and then moved on with a curt nod and a brief, bracing hand on his shoulder.

She nodded her assent when Shade answered Garland's question.

"You have my support in my capacity as justice of the peace, or rather I should say that you have the support of the Lepidstadt judicial system insofar as you uphold your oaths to the city. I have set you on the path to this investigation, but as presiding justice I must remain impartial on all further matters.

Apart from your retainer I cannot offer more assistance than would be legally due any agent of the court. Barrister Kaple will be your liaison in further matters related to the case."

Time being pressing, Judge Daramid bid a polite farewell to everyone except Jonah, who she pulled aside as he was leaving.

"What I meant, young man, is that you are not to step beyond the boundaries of the law during your investigation. Your father set great store by you, and I have high expectations."

Then, with her brief message delivered, she dismissed him curtly.

---

Shade knew of several stables where our heroes could rent horses or charter a carriage to any of the small hamlets surrounding the city. With transportation easily handled our heroes moved directly to the courthouse down the street from the Judge's home.

It was a large, squat building dominated by an enormous clock tower with spindly, rusty hands. Three stories, build of dark stone, and clearly designed as a fortification, the courthouse presided over a wide square surrounded by offices and shops. In the center of the square a large pyre was being formed, and in the center of the pyre the massive wooden figure of a man was beginning to take shape. It was clear that the onlooking crowd looked forward with relish to the conclusion of the trial.

Presented badges granted swift access, and a grim faced guard directed the party to the prison in the basement where Barrister Kaple was conferring with his "client".

Our heroes were led down a rough stone staircase and into the small prison beneath the courthouse. The scene inside was pandemonium.

Six guards shifted nervously, standing as far as possible from the cell at the far side of the chamber. The rattling of chains and the sounds of shouting echoed over the stone walls. The first sight was Barrister Gustav Kaple, standing with his feet planted wide, shouting up at a much taller guard captain and jabbing him in the breastplate to emphasize his words.

"And fu-furthermore c-c-captain...I e-expect you to k-k-keep your men in line! I won't t-tolerate them t-t-tormenting the b-b-b-be...the c-c-crea...my c-client while I am as-s-signed to defend it!"

While he may cut an impressive figure in his black barrister's robes and his huge court wig, his stutter made him nearly unintelligible and he looked rather pathetic shouting up at a guard captain who was clearly only humoring him as a matter of protocol.

But the truly terror inspiring sight was behind the pair.

A towering abomination twice the height of a man sat in a massive iron chair, bound with no less than a dozen sets of manacles. It was a grotesque patchwork of flesh and bone, beast and man, bound by wire stitching pulled so tight it looked as if it might burst apart at the seams. Its mouth was twisted into a permanent, grizzly sneer and a shock of lank, dark hair clung to its clammy scalp. Despite its grotesque appearance the creature slumped in its chair despondently, its rictus expression staring vacantly at the floor.

SCG looks over the creature and the guards and knows there is no way this specimen was captured.

He strode up to near the prisoner.
“I beg your pardon, I am Sir Constantine and my friends and I are looking to solve some local crimes can you tell me or even write who created and or can control you? It seems to me that person or people should be in here, not a fine traveling companion such as yourself.”

Diplomacy
Sir Constantine Godalming rolled 14 using 1d20+8.  Diplomacy


SCG is very alarmed that the trial just might destroy the evidence of the crime and obstruct the justice being sought

Assuming no response from the prisoner
SCG approaches the defense
“I am almost completely certain that this falls under property law and the owner has strict liability for all actions of the ...”

SCG hesitates
“I refuse to call him that, perhaps one day he will tell me his name he reminds me of a character from a story I read; Solomon Grundy....”

“I have to agree that no one should be subjecting any prisoner to torture or torment, including dehumanizing comments.”

SCG turns towards the guards and captain he glares at them as if they are about to be smited
“Anyone who does, regardless of rank or affiliation will answer to me!”
Sir Constantine Godalming rolled 22 using 1d20+7.  Intimidate.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:55, Mon 11 Nov 2019.

Jonah teases being reluctant about giving his oath, but does it with a quick wink, taking his badge from the Judge.

When he arrives she hows his newly provided badge to those standing around the creature, prepared to deal with them if necessary. He pulls his mandolin from behind his back and sits down upon the ground and begins to play a gentle soothing song, to get the creatures attention, but not to antagonize it in any way.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:11, Mon 11 Nov 2019.

Garland took in the scene and approached the cell with no fear, nearly shoving both his holy symbol and the badge of office in the faces of any guards that got in his way before simply saying. "Official business. Move."

Having seen Constantine address others and be to stringent with the ideas of law for his taste Garland approaches and bows respectfully to the prisoner. Garland would treat him as his own man until he knew different. "Hello, my name is Garland Van Burke. Would you tell me your name or how you wish to be addressed?" he says simply, hoping to extend an olive branch to the prisoner.

Embreth's hand on the man's shoulder had produced a noticeable effect;  Karamazov's chin came up and, insofar as was possible, his posture straightened.  In that moment years fell away from his face and a glimmer of something -- pride, perhaps, or dignity? -- set behind his eyes.

By the time they were back on the street he had subsided into his original mien, keeping pace with the others in a rolling amble.  Aside from introducing himself as 'Vadim', he had very little to say on the walk to the courthouse.

Once in sight of the prisoner Vadim stopped short, ignorant to whatever had been passing between the guards, their captain, or the Counsel for the Defence.  He pushed forward with the priest, taking hold of a worn cell bar in one hand whilst gritting his teeth against the urge to gawp outright in front of everyone.  Perhaps it was his imagination, but an undercurrent of embalming fluid seemed to lurk beneath the smells of lye and desperation which always permeated the lockup.  In a moment of professional indignation, Vadim wondered if any of the parts had been pilfered from his own carefully-tended graveyard.  Pavel the mortician would doubtless have some choice words to say about such treatment of his carefully-prepared corpses.

Simultaneously monstrous and pathetic as it was, Vadim felt ill in the pit of his stomach.  The other side of those bars was a cold and fearful place, especially as an outsider, and there was something about that broken pose which tugged uncomfortably at other memories.  He looked away.

"We come from Judge Daramid to be investigators for the case," he touched his invisible hat-brim at Kaple and did his best to salute the Captain.  "You will give the lists of the witnesses and evidences and victims for the trial tomorrow to..."  Vadim's blunt finger wavered across the group with which he arrived.

"...This man."  Opportunistically he jabbed in the direction of the articulate and, if not entirely confirmed as noble, then at least very clean and scholarly-looking Darcon.  Suddenly aware that he had been drumming his fingers on the cell in counterpoint to Jonah's melody, Vadim forced his hand into his pocket and shot the half-elf a dark look.  This seemed hardly the time nor place for music, however cleverly played.

"Dolgar... Dolgren... What is his name?"  Vadim looked from the Captain to any of the guard whose attention he could attract, which didn't seem to be many.  "The one who makes the wanted posters, he is still with the watch?  You will fetch him also, to make a picture."


OOC: Edited for clarity of finger-pointing.  Also, relying on authority of office and recollection of procedure rather than social aptitude (which is thin on the ground in Vadim's yard...):
20:31, Today: Vadim Karamazov rolled 12 using 1d20+4.  Profession (Bailiff).
This message was last edited by the player at 10:07, Tue 12 Nov 2019.

Shade did not swear upon the book, but only nodded solemnly at the Judge before heading out to secure transport.  A swift carriage would be economical enough considering the stakes, even without the retainer they were being promised.  In the normal course of things she preferred payment first, even half, as her clients were often desperate, poor, or sometimes just stingy, but for this she would set aside that personal rule.

As they drew closer to the prison, she eyed the crowd with wariness.  It would take a minor miracle, which she and her fellow investigators were supposed to provide, to prevent the city from administering justice at the end of a torch themselves.  She hoped the guards feared riots more than they feared the Beast, because riots is what they would get if this wasn't handled right.

As they entered the prison, she shuddered a little, knowing that only the grace of the Judge had spared her the spartan cells and spare treatment of hardened guards.  Laboring amongst the city's poor and injured with her magic strangled hadn't been any more pleasant, but it had provided her the means of salvation.

Salvation that was not forthcoming for this creature.  A mixed-up mountain of a thing, caught in the act... of breaking in to a university.  Four crimes he was accused of now: wholesale slaughter, slow kidnappings, arson leading to death, and a fruitless burglary.  It was wrong, entirely wrong.  A creature that size, with strength to match?  Why start with horrible slaughter and then slowly lessen his crimes?  Violent brutes, in her experience, didn't go from bad to less-bad, it was bad to bad, or bad to worse.

Shade saw the others barge in and start throwing around orders, Sir Constantine with a fine show of using his height to make the others pause, Garland by simply assuming no one was going to stop him and issuing orders to that effect, and Vadim clearly bringing close knowledge of the city to bear.  She smiled with her head down in approval.

After all, someone had to bring order to this rabble, and it might as well be those whom Judge Daramid trusted.

Jonah started playing music, which gave her pause, but this Beast didn't seem to need soothing, subdued as he was.  Perhaps the bard hoped a drop of kindness in this insanity might sway him to talk to them more freely.

Shade stood behind the tall men who were otherwise occupied with the Beast and her shouting companions and did a little adjustment.  Quickly she loosened her belt and let it drop, took a plain gray shawl and tied it about her waist like an apron.  She altered her carriage to someone footsore and weary, and knelt enough to smudge a little grime and wipe most of it off again, like road dirt from a long voyage hastily wiped away.  Then she pressed her hands into the scarf upon her head, her face altering, hair lengthening, height drawing upward, scarf itself changing, until a fresh-faced farm wench with tear-stained cheeks and a maiden's hair pulled back in a traveler's bonnet stood there.

She quickly stepped forward and whispered to Jonah, "It's Shade. I'm being 'Sharla Sheaf'; my sister's child was one of the ones the Beast kidnapped, and if he asks I'm here to ask him why he did it.  Or else I'll ask myself if he doesn't.  Make sure I don't get thrown out."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:23, Wed 13 Nov 2019.

As the others entered with aplomb, Darcon descended the staircase quietly behind them, taking the situation in before speaking. He glanced long and hard at the beast, before
withdrawing an object from a belt pouch and holding it surreptitiously to his forehead and murmuring something unintelligible.

Pocketing the object again Darcon walked slowly towards the barrister (trying not to stare at the ridiculous looking wig) and introduced himself. Before he could say much else Vadim had already spoken and with a raised brow Darcon said, "Ah yes, ofcourse. You can give me the list of any witnesses you may have spoken to, and any statements you received."

The mage's voice a bit distant though, as his main focus remained on the creature as his companions attempted to communicate to it.

---

Standard Action: Cast Detect Thoughts. Duration Concentration/up to 4 minutes)

Note: Darcon will keep the Beast inside the area of the spell at all times while also trying to keep the Barrister and the Captian in its cone of effect (though the beast takes priority)

The guard captain dispatched one of his men to find the sketch artist, and Barrister Kaple's worried face broke into an expression equal parts relief and disbelief when Vadim let him know that the judge had sent them to assist him with the case

"O-of course, I c-can't tell you how glad I am of your assistance. Our time is short so we'll ha-have to prioritize our investigation. We should focus on the Morast af-fair first since the hearing is tomorrow. If you'll follow me to..." He began, but was interrupted as Garland and Constantine moved forwards to question the creature.

"Oy! Stay away from there! Don't talk with it!" The guard captain barked, his chest puffed up. He was quickly disabused of any notions he had of keeping our heroes from their investigation. Instantly silver badges were shoved in his face with angry adventurers behind them. Kaple was shouting over the background noise that he and his investigative team had every right to confer with his client. At Garland's cold "Official business. Move." he backed off to glower with the rest of his men.

The commotion didn't seem to faze the Beast at all. It remained slumped in its iron chair, not struggling against the heavy chains encircling it, starring despondently at the floor between its massive feet. It didn't answer their queries, only grunting and turning its horrifying face away when directly addressed.

And then something odd happened. At the first sonorous chords of Jonah's song its head rose slowly, sweeping back and forth over the room as if searching for the source of the sound. Its small eyes focused on the bard. The stretched snarl on its face grew wider, more horrible, taut flesh pulling out and down to show its broken teeth. And it began to gently sway to the tune, chains rattling as they dragged.

"...who created and or can control you?"

"Would you tell me your name or how you wish to be addressed?"

At some gentle prodding the Beast spoke, a low, rumbling sound like boulders rolling down a mountain.

"Dun got no name. Dun need one. Am...me. See?"

Behind the crowd at the cell doors Darcon cast his spell. As he finished the guard captain's attention snapped to him and his chest puffed up with pompous, bureaucratic self importance. He stomped forward.

"Oy! Stop that at once! I'll have none of that in my courthouse." He planted himself in front of Darcon, gauntleted fists on hips.

---

Shade, you're able to disguise and enter without any trouble.

Darcon, you concentrate for one round and detect the presence of thoughts in the area.

“Take ease Captain. We are new in town, what protocol is being broken?”

SCG puts himself between the two men.

Garland looked back at the captain with a raised eyebrow. However he focuses on the beast instead. "My companions and I have been asked to find the truth of the case you will be standing trial for. My only concern is the truth, I preside no judgement in this case so I ask that you be honest. Do you understand the charges you will be standing trial for and could you tell me your account of each of them? "

When the Beast had spoken, so too had Vadim made an utterance.  Hob-nails clattered backwards and a curse cut the air, hissed in hushed tones yet still colourful enough to singe the ear-hairs of those who overheard.

"Beg pardon," he ducked an apology at the nearby farming goodwife, sucking air and shaking his head in disbelief.  Vadim Karamazov had been wrong on many occasions over the years and was as used to being so as any man could be, but this he could not have imagined. And, to boot, mayhap the musician was more than just brightly-wrapped privilege along for the ride. Instinctively Vadim's left hand made a sign against evil, though directed at nothing in particular.

Thrown as he was Vadim paid no heed to the Captain's quibble with the scholarly fellow, whoever Her Honour's out-of-towner expert was.  Embreth lingered fresh in Karamazov's memory, and he tapped Kaple's black robe at the shoulder.

"Judge Daramid will have both our guts for garters if she finds this defendant's statements are not written down from the very beginning."

With that foretelling dispensed Vadim shuffled toward the cell and inched his way along the bars, looming behind Garland and any others as required in the process of getting the best possible look over the creature.  Curiosity or vocational fascination eventually overwhelmed his caution and better judgement.

"What are the regulations to go inside?"

Jonah continues to play, music that keeps The Beast swaying his head moving at peace.

Jonah whispers to Shade, "I can't believe it worked."

Jonah strums and hums along to the song, distracting the creature from Darcon's spell. He plays softer now, so that the creature can hear him over the plucking of strings. When he speaks he speaks in an even rhythmic tone, along with the melody of the song so it becomes more conversational than interrogative. "So, do you like music?... Anyone ever play music like this for you before?... Children like singing and playing music... I know that I love watching children dance and play... I often want to join them, and we could make music together... Have you ever felt that way?... Watching children playing in town?... Wanting to play with them..."

He looks down at his fingers, as he plays not looking at The Beast, but glancing up with his eyes, not moving his head, every so often to better understand the emotions of the creature.

"What protocol?! How about extrajudicial use of divination in my jail. How about violating me and my men's privacy. I'll not have your investigation here in my precinct flashing around your fancy magics. I'll throw you out on the street." The guard captain said, planting his fists on his hips and facing down Darcon and Constantine. He tried to look stern but couldn't hide the officious glee that he got from using his authority as a club. He nodded to his men, who quickly moved to flank Darcon, although nobody took any overtly hostile actions.

Behind them the knot of adventurers at the cell bars drew closer to hear the creature's rumbling words.

"Do you understand the charges you will be standing trial for and could you tell me your account of each of them?" Garland asked.

The Beast didn't react much to his words, seeming not to comprehend, but nodded at his last question.

"I kin count. One...two...three...four...five...six..." It rumbled.

Jonah broke in over the guttural, metronomal count.

"Do you like music?..."
"Have you ever felt that way?..."
"Wanting to play with them..."

The Beast continued to sway, calmed by the music wafting through the cell. At Vadim's suggestion barrister Kaple fumbled in his robes for a leather bound notebook and a quill and began furiously transcribing the exchange.

"Big'ns 're scared 'a me. They chase me. Hate me. Little'ns 're scared too. Most 'o the time." The Beast rumbled.

One of the guardsmen looked to the captain for instructions, found him still blustering at Darcon and Constantine, and rapidly shook his head in answer to Vadim's query.

"I...I wouldn't go in there if I were you. Any time anyone goes near the creature it goes berserk. I'll..." He glanced at Vadim's seal. "I'll let you in if you want, but if that creature breaks free there'll be hell to pay."

---

Darcon, if you continue concentrating you detect 13 thinking minds in the range of the spell. That accounts for your five party members, the six guards, barrister Kaple, and the beast. The guards all have 9 int, Kaple has 12 int, the Beast has 7 int.

Vadim, from where you are you can't take 20 but as it's positioned in front of the bars so as to be easily visible to the watching guards you can get a pretty good look at it. With a Profession: Mortician check you can tell that it's stitched together from a variety of creatures, both human and non-human, but it's tough to tell exactly what types.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:19, Wed 13 Nov 2019.

“You and your men are free to wait just outside, we are more than capable of questioning and receiving answers to questions.  It is of great importance to ascertain if he can aid in his own defense and if he understands right and wrong.  Likewise the barrister has confidential information that we need as well.”


SCG faces off against the captain knowing that it is probably true the prisoner gets upset when they approach
“We will ask questions of you and your if it becomes necessary.”

Please continue to play the music; we know that this place should not be one of torment.  Perhaps a music box could be here and kept playing by a guard when it runs down.”

Jonah nodded his head with the music.

"Yes, I've been chased myself too... Some don't like my music... Some don't like my ears... Makes me angry, sometimes... Do you get angry at the ones who chase you?... It's understandable, we all get angry sometimes..."

He looks around at the others, wondering what their thoughts were about what they were getting from The Beast.

Jonah nods at Vadim and looks down at his mandolin, indicating that he will keep playing if he goes inside the bars.

Darcon raised both hands, one of which clutched his staff while the other was clenched, and gave the captain a non threatening smile. "My apologies captain, but I, along with my companions, am here on authority of the Court." The mage opened his left hand and revealed the badge given to him by the Judge, flashing it in front of the captains face.

"Any spells cast are in service to the Court in order to provide a resolution to the horrific crimes that have taken place. That said, since it bothers you I shall avoid casting any magics in your presence without your consent," he added with another (fake) smile. "Now if you will excuse me I would like to get on with the court's work."

Looking past the captain Darcon stared at the beast and asked, "Creature, were you responsible for the murders in Morast and in Hergstag? Did you burn down the asylum on Karb Isle?"

---

Darcon will keep concentrating on the spell