PRELUDE:

As you enter the courtroom, it is hard not to notice that your hands are securely bound with rough and thick iron shackles. You are pretty confident that you could not break them and the chafing and slight bruises being formed are sign that you won’t be able to wriggle free.

You take your place in a small box with a podium that sits facing a raised seat with a larger podium. In that raised seat is the honorable Judge Vincent Avan, Senior Judge of Lictor Mary Cul Tricuspis and the appointed judge for this trial. He is weathered but not old, with a non-aggressive yet stern looking face and demeanor.

You look around the room and notice the jury, all 12 of them, sitting off to the side of the judge. You pick out representatives, two each, of the clans and colonies assembled. You are hoping that the mixture of ulven and colonist jury members gives you a fair verdict in the trial. The main person that sticks out to you, clad in armor and a wolf fur despite the heat, is Khulgar Graytide. The Warleader of Clan Grimward is in attendance, surely to report how the trial goes back to his Clanleader. The significance of this is not lost on you.

You take one last look behind you to see a courtroom packed completely full of onlookers. People came out to witness the trial and seem to hail from all corners of Mardrun. There are almost two hundred people backed into the courtroom pews or standing in the aisles. Almost a dozen fully armored Lions of Arnath stand resolute and vigilant, keeping security during the trial.

The judge’s voice grabs your attention as you face forward again.

“Vazra of the Spire. You are being charged with conducting undead research, collaborating with agents of corruption, murder of unarmed civilians, attempted murder of prisoners, and conspiracies of revenge and bearing false witness.” reads the judge from a scroll.

“The maximum punishment for crimes such as these are maiming, life in prison, hollowing of your magic, and/or execution. Do you intend to confess or state your defense? You may plead guilty to each charge or you may state not guilty to each charge and state your defense. This is also when you may provide evidence and proof for the court to consider. You may speak, but do not ramble on for too long.”

The judge grabs a feather quill pen and waits for you to speak.

VAZRA:

“Ladies and gentlemen of the courtroom, I come before you willingly to explain my innocence, and put to rest all rumors of misconduct. There’s so much innocence right here.

On the charge of conducting undead research I plead “Not Guilty”. I have always stood firm against the abominations known as Undead. I lived on Faedrun, I grew up there. Everyone I loved was killed by those monsters, I have zero tolerance for their existence or any research regarding their propagation. When I became aware of the contents of the Bos Mezar’s archives, I immediately severed all ties with them and went public with the information.

On the charge of collaborating with agents of corruption, I plead “not guilty”. I have fought the dark magic known as corruption at every opportunity. I’m not trying to make this a racial thing or anything… but Mordok are kind of assholes and I’ve slain my share of them. The Archons, and myself, have been heavily involved in the research to cure this new form of corruption. If I were found innocent, I would continue to research a cure.

On the charge of murder of unarmed civilians I plead “Not Guilty”. I am something of an expert on magic, I know better then most that one does not need weapons of iron to be a threat on the battlefield. I have also fought the penitent in the past, and know the considerable danger undead handlers pose.

During the investigation at Serai, there were several such undead handlers present, they demonstrated proficiency with magic, and were given the opportunity to surrender or vacate the battlefield. When they refused, I was forced to consider them combatants.

If these were mere civilians, what were they doing on the front line? And if one needs to be holding a weapon to be dangerous… why am I in shackles before two dozen lions?

On the charge of attempted murder of prisoners I plead “Not Guilty”. All opponents incapacitated by me were provided generous medical attention. My actions at Serai resulted in zero fatalities.

Innocence!!

On the charge of conspiracy of revenge I plead “Not Guilty”. My actions at Serai were motivated only by a desire to cut out and burn the festering infection known as “Undead”. Despite an attack on the Spire itself, I demonstrated considerable restraint, electing to honor the Order’s judgment and rules of engagement. I did encounter Al-Haddad on the battlefield, and out of tactical necessity was forced to target him. When he fell, I helped bring him into custody, where again he received generous medical attention.

There are even those within this courtroom that can vouch for my character. Rather than pursue vengeance against those I’ve come to blows with in the past, I offer them friendship.”

Vazra looks to Khulgar Greytide a moment before continuing.

“On the charge of bearing false witness I plead “Not Guilty”. I have always been on honest man, I have done everything in my power to cooperate with the Order during its investigation. Could the prosecution please clarify what alleged event this charge is even referring to?”

JUDGE:

“Vazra of the Archons, your defense has been noted to the court.

To clarify and summarize your charges:

Conducting undead research – You are charged with being involved in actively researching and assisting with the undead research that was recovered in Serai, home of Bos Mezar.

Collaborating with agents of corruption – You are charged with being involved in and actively helping Al-Haddad, who stands trial as an agent of corruption, due to him willingly and knowingly conducting research of necromancy and undead origin.

Murder of unarmed civilians – You are charged with murder of unarmed civilians during the Inquisition at Serai.

Attempted murder of prisoners – You are charged with attempted murder for actions taken during the Inquisition at Serai and also at the ulven village Oakbrook.

Conspiracies of revenge – You are charged with attempting to extract revenge through unlawful means and bypassing modern/common law in order to further violence against other peoples on Mardrun.

Bearing false witness – You are charged with lying on details of what happened during this investigation, withholding truthful information, and manipulation of evidence to further/dampen your involvement

Moving on to the testimonies, you may listen to them and then state a final defense at the end, which then the jury will decide your punishment” states the Judge.

TESTIMONIES SUBMITTED TO THE TRIAL:

Su Nalla, Order of Arnath’s Light, attending in person
“Once we broke bread with Al Haddad, he let us into town and showed us an undead. It was calm and behaved VERY differently than those on Faedrun, but I did not forget what undead are capable of. We stated we will have to take them down and soon battle began. I right away went for the archer in the building nearby, Vazra helped me, and we ended up taking down Al Haddad at the same time. I healed his gaping wound after I bound his hands. I bound and treated many Serai soldiers. Many things happened quickly. I heard Vazra screaming at Al Haddad after Haddad was bound. I felt that Vazra was on the verge on striking him. I stayed near until Vazra went elsewhere. I did not trust his actions around Al Haddad.
The outsider female was struck down by Vazra after she attacked him. I chose to let her bleed out rather than take the chance she would get healed and then strike myself or my Brothers down from behind. Oliver chose to heal her. She did not attack myself or my Brothers and later did help when we were fighting the attacking Mordok as we left Serai.”

When asked the clarify more details, she responded…

“I did not see Vazra openly kill anyone. I saw him use powerful magic to bring Al Haddad down, but didn’t actively see him use it on anyone else. I was busy putting people back together so they didn’t bleed out to see much more than the beginning of the battle. When I say I did not trust Vazra, I mean that he was screaming and wielding his weapon around in a manner that looked like he was in a rage and there wasn’t much holding him together. It appeared to me that he would have stuck Al Haddad if he did not have witnesses other than his Archons to answer to. This is a matter of opinion as I intervened not wanting to take the chance that would happen.”

Al Haddad, Bos Mezar, attending in person
I once counted “Friend” Vazra as family. That is why when he asked me to invite his Archons to view the contents of the Archives with him that I agreed. His Archons were shocked when they first observed the Transcended as Vazra had given them no forewarning. Once the Archon’s understood that they were safe they had many questions. However once they lost their fear the questions took a turn I did not care for. Vazra demanded that to keep secret the contents of the Archives we would need to hand over all information on the transition, and immediately inform them of the results of any research we performed in the future. We countered visitation, observation, and shared results of any joint research, but refused them the secrets of the transition. This offer was not enough for the Archons, I believe the refusal to share knowledge of the transition is the true reason for our peoples schism.

Under the guise of continued cooperation Vazra agreed to help me study the axe of a Mordok Alpha (which Vazra himself had collected). We determined that the axe is a crude version of a Paladin Blade. Upon returning the axe to my weavers I was informed that the artifact had been drained of mana almost to the point of disenchantment. While I encourage destroying objects of Mordok origin once the ability to study them has been exhausted, I am horrified that Vazra would attempt to destroy the artifact once it’s nature and importance had been established but before it could be properly deconstructed.

With this dramatic end to our alliance I sent troops to the Spire to collect for the damages wrought by Vazra and contracts defaulted upon by the Archons. Their orders were to collect supplies and continue to Onsalas where they were to attempt to break the Mordok siege and donate the supplies to Pack Longfang who had desperate need of them. It was Vazra’s obstinance and vulgarity in this matter which lead to an unwanted (and tragic) physical altercation.

I have been made aware that Vazra approached Reyna Longfang and attempted to implicate Serai in the murders of her Chieftain and his mate. Not only are these allegations completely without merit, Vazra was witness to the actual site of their demise at the hands of Mordok and was among those who brought back the evidence of such to Serai.

Al-Haddad, submitting evidence to the court
Evidence has been handed over that appears to be a contract. In it, it details out that the Archons and/or Vazra be extension did willingly harm property of Bos Mezar and default on agreed upon contracts that were already paid for by Bos Mezar. The military action taken against the Spire was a result of escalation as units sent to collect on damages encountered a populace ordered to defend against them and also to fill crates with human feces. The contract shows that a meditation with Tobias of Crow’s Landing was offered but did not happen, and that the other details show that the forces involved would stand down should several terms be agreed upon. The terms state forces of both Bos Mezar and the Archons moving to Onsallas Outpost to help defend against the mordok and that all members of both factions and their followers must agree to a stance of “non-lethal” confrontation in all regards. This contract was signed by Al-Haddad, Reyna Longfang, and Vazra.

Brother Ventaris, Order of Arnath’s Light, attending in person
Vazra of the Spire is a danger to the people of Mardrun. After clear instructions of how his Archons were to assist the Order’s investigation, Vazra appeared to have no interest in following. I personally said to use lower powered magic to support us and that we would spare the civilians and the unarmed. Not only was there a complete lack of support in the beginning, threatening our line to be overrun by the undead when they emerged, but Vazra was witnessed to have cut down an unarmed civilian. I watched this man bleed out and die in the sand, unable to help him. The Archmage’s bloodlust was extended to prisoners; I had to shout and intervene before he could kill Al-Maffajar and I suspect he chased Al-Haddad to extract murderous vengeance. I believe Vazra to have tried to manipulate the Order to extract revenge, despite his claims of innocence and with his open sharing of the knowledge of the undead. I believe him to be dangerous and unable to control himself.

Reyna Longfang, of Pack Longfang, attending in person
In regards to Vazra of the Archons, he nearly brought Longfang and the Archons to war when his personal conflict with Sathenus Silvermane. He brought Myself into his Conflict with Bos Mezar with under expectation that there would be talk rather than war. He implied wrong-doing in the death of several Longfang members by Al Haddad while being in possession evidence to the contrary, which he withheld (I assume deliberately) from Longfang (and I have verified from an independent third party) as a means to encourage our involvement with his personal vendetta against Bos Mezar. He delivered leadership (temporarily) into the “hands” of a potato, an act which rendered a young Daughter of Gaia Trainee within his care to beg that I deliver her from membership of the Archons and, at the point when he restored himself to his station, at least one of his own informed me that it was “unfortunate” that the potato was no longer in charge.He agreed to provide, by way of the class he was currently conducting on our grounds, security while a force left to combat the Mordok scourge. He and his class ultimately abandoned Onsallas Outpost to whatever dangers might come to pass. It was only through the strength of one blacksmith and archery of two Longfang Children that attackers were driven back and the civilians within were saved.When the brink of war was averted he did not fulfill the obligation of honor and never stationed his troops as the agreement stated.

When asked to expand on the statement provided as it pertained mainly to character, this was in reply:

While I can speak only of Vazra’s tendencies and character I can provide only evidense that he appears to value his own personal desires over the safety of others. In my dealings with him it has been luck that has thus far avoided loss of life.

When he took his class on a “field trip”, abandoning his post, it was two girl pups who did the work of his mages. Had these children who had seen less than 15 winters between them failed to find their marks, or the Blacksmith not seen fit to volunteer in defense of others, the end of that tale would be different.

Had Sathenus not seen sense to yield to Vazra’s demands for apology rather than continue thru to the failure of negotiations he would have come for Sath’s blood as satisfaction despite not terms being made. This would have been an act of war against Longfang, that would have cost untold lives.

And in the name of honor he called for Sath’s blood, then has the /gall/ to give his word to send troops and fail to fulfill the agreement. It seems the honor he believes he has does not tell in his deeds.

Laertes of the Phoenix, attending in person
“This one, Laertes of the Phoenix, wishes to speak in the defense of Vazra, Archmage of the Spire. Vazra is considered a friend of the Phoenix and has dealt with and helped a number of times during our encounters. He is fiercely loyal of his friends and allies. At the recent reparations dinner, it was witnessed that Vazra was willing to have words with the Clan Stormjarl representative after the Clan’s attempted claim of the Fire Isle became public; Vazra was eager to help defend the Phoenix.
However, it was witnessed that Vazra is unstable at times and can be dangerous. Marcus and Aimerick of the Gallant Feathers personally witnessed Vazra attempt to murder a prisoner, a man by the name of Spinach, in January after he had surrendered and been captured, bound, and tended to. Without the aid of a healer present, the man would have died due to the stab wounds inflicted by Vazra.

It is this one’s wish that Vazra be punished fairly for the crimes he has committed but to be spared and given leniency due to his noble intentions, so that he may learn right from wrong and temper his outbursts but move forward as a more well versed and redeemed member of Mardrun. Vazra has been through a ordeal that is unique to him and this one advises the court to consider this during judgement.”

When asked to clarify and expand on the testimony given, this was in reply:

“This one was not first-hand witness to the attempted murder by Vazra, but was instead made aware of this knowledge after the actions took place. This one has no reason to doubt Marcus and Aimerick of the Gallant Feathers, our professional fighter unit. Both of their accounts were accurate about what took place; this one is willing to lay stake to their word.

Vazra has been through an ordeal; rumors say and evidence suggests that he had used powerful magic to recall through the mana stream and be brought forth to Mardrun after 60 years has passed by. That much time spent in the mana stream is unfathomable to the mind and the body. The survival of one’s wits and mind would be lucky at best. This one has had many dealings with Vazra and feels he is a good friend but unpredictable and very eager to find any and all items of magic origin. This one has, repeatedly, been contacted by Vazra to search this one’s merchant networks to find any and all items with latent magic abilities.”

Thrand Stormjarl and Fritha Stormjarl of Pack Longfang, testimony given via delivered letter
In regards to Vazra, we have had numerous encounters with him. Whether it be expeditions into the swamp standing side by side against danger, dealings around Onsallas, or randomly in travels, there are two clear sides of Vazra’s honor. We feel that Vazra is a very loyal person with good intentions and interests, but those interests must align with his. We have both witnessed numerous times where Vazra’s mind was not sound, snaps in reality and judgment, and even hostile or dangerous tendencies. Thrand was there personally when Vazra was found in the swamp, appearing out of nowhere and wandering aimlessly and dangerously conjuring magic. Vazra and his Archon’s actions recently in May 264 almost caused the deaths of several people, including innocent travelers, due to their inability to follow orders. Left in charge of the defense of the Onsallas Outpost, Vazra instead led his group away from the defenses and instead came to “show a display of force” against the mordok being fought in the swamp. This act, although noble, caused us to fail to destroy the mordok and the outpost was attacked and nearly overrun. Vazra was also seen placing a “potato” in command of the Archons and repeatedly showing actions proving him to be of ill mind.

We both believe that Vazra to be honorable in his own way, but wrong in his execution of it.

Anariel of the Phoenix, attending in person
“Vazra is my very good friend. He teaches me a lot. One time he tried to teach Reggie, Edrahill and I how to meditate. It was very boring and I was bitten by a lot of bugs. But we oommmed a lot and sat there. But we also like to drink wine and walk in the forests…. Sometimes he does start talking to himself and I get worried. He gets a far off look in his face, but then he looks at me, smiles and tells me not to worry- so I don’t. He said people are framing him and doing bad things to him and I don’t think that is fair.”

Shaman Talonflame of the Archons, attending in person
My name is Lord Shamen Azureal Anubius Talonflame, Ruler of the Wolfgang Tribe, Fawyth Master craftsman, Captain of the Merchant Vessel Alana, and co-ruler of the Port city Darkport, unofficially. I am here today to defend my late brothers’ mentor Lord Vazra, Master Archmage of Faedrun and one of the Great Wonders of the world.

Lord Vazra is a kind and funny old man and he would never do anything as heinous as the charges you are putting on him and I am appalled that you would even charge this man. He is one of the great wonders of this world. I mean look at him over 90 years old and look at how flawless his skin is. What is his secret? But I digress. Lord Vazra and his Archons has never conducted any research regarding the undead at Serai, I resided in his labs and i have never seen research like this. I was witness to the battle at hand and Lord Vazra did not kill any unarmed civilians, in fact, he did not kill at all with the exception of some Mordock and Undead. Vazra has done everything to cooperate with the order and it was he who started the inquisition to destroy the undead threat, he even wanted to silence me when I wanted to speak out and take lead, I was acting with emotions then seeing how these monsters took my home and forced me to be on the run. Lord Vazra has not collaborated with agents of corruption of any kind, and why would he? Have you seen his old home in Faedrun?. I believe having him here is blasphemy. Why would someone who watched their home burn by these monsters on Faedrun collaborate with the people that have the power to raise the dead?

Valdus, Archons, testimony delivered via courier
Dear Order of Arnath, I am not going spend a lot time on Al-hadadd’s necromancy you already have enough evidence anything I would say would be redundant. I would like to focus on Vazra. The very idea that he should be charged with anything is absurd. We archons have been more than compliant in this investigation, if we were doing undead research at the spire and collabrating with Serai we wouldn’t have contacted the order or anyone else. In regards to the recent evidence found at the Spire it was either planted or the work of a single individual,most likely the former. This matter is being thoroughly being looked into by our Vice arch mage Faolan,
I was not at Serai so I can only vouch for his character. It is well known that Vazra end up in our time period due to an accident with the undead. He hates the undead as anyone should. Would man who created a society where everyone regardless of race,gender,or background is encouraged to reach their to be the best they can at whatever they choose, murder civilians and conduct undead research.

Vazra and many other of the acused have been useful combating mordock and their corruption.I would like you to consider allowing the defendants to assist with corruption research or possibly combat the mordock under your supervision of course. the mordock threaten all of Mardrun and we need as much help as we can, especially from our archmage.

Alastear of the Ravens, attending in person
“As time seems to permit this one shall address the nature of Vazra of the Archons. In this ones opinion Vazra is a simple man with a simple view of the world. He has come from a time of great war and sees the world as something as cut and dry as a battlefield filled with enemies and allies where the “bad guys” must be stopped and the “good guys” must succeed. This one would push for leniency upon him and allow him the opportunity to repent for his crimes through teachings or giving public aid to those in need.

Brother Oliver, Order of Arnath’s Light, attending in person
Vazra at the beginning of the mission was told that we like him and his Archons as support to my group with none lethal magic. It was made clear by Brother Ventaras that we were not here to kill any citizens of Sorai. Once we engaged, most of the Archons stayed away from the front line fighting. I saw Vazra attack an unarmed cleric though I don’t know the reasoning behind it and didn’t get a chance to tell him to stop.

When asked to expand on the given testimony about the events it details…

Let me be clear, there was no innocent on that field of battle save the children. I saw Vazra kill an unarmored person who looked like they were not going to fight back. Vazra seemed to be in a battle frenzy and running every which way while there was someone to fight. Other than this, there is nothing else I have to say.

Al-Maffajar, Bos Mezar, attending in person
There is one man who should be condemned, however, and that is Vazra. All people know of his arrogance, going so far as to claim the title of Archmage of Mardrun for himself. All know of his deadly and vicious nature. But more than that, Vazra is a true madman, too dangerous and powerful to be continually allowed to roam Mardrun unchecked by any authority or rationality. His mind is far more disturbed than even my own.

Vazra was an ally to the Bos Mezar and betrayed us, sabotaging our research intended to recreate the Paladin Blades of the old May’Kar to fight the corruption. He knew of our particular involvement for a time before he wished to make it public, maintaining his close alliance with the Bos Mezar all the while. I say then that Vazra must be checked and restrained for the good of all.

Double, Newhope citizen, submitting evidence to the court
Evidence was turned into the court for review. The evidence is a 3 page letter that appears to be a copy of a letter written by Al-Haddad. These were letters between Al-Haddad and Tobias of the Rangers of Crow’s Landing. In it, is written evidence detailing a lot of interactions and words strongly suggesting that the Archons and Vazra had no previous dealings with the undead research. However, it does detail lot of interactions that show an unfavorable character of Vazra with threats to kill and murder others and to defecate on their corpses.

Double, Newhope citizen, attending in person,
For those that dont know me, people call me Double and I investigate. I’ve come to clear the charges against Vazra, and give personal insight about Al-haddad and what to do with him, if desired, as I believe him earnest in wanting to help Mardrun. I have a letter that was drafted by Al-Haddad, in May, shortly before the undead matter came to light and am willing to share the letter in full, if asked. The content I’ve highlighted, suggest the research the Order recently found at the Spire, was planted and the charges, unjust.

As to the “Conducting Undead Research and Collaboration.”

The letter had “…that among the eight gathered in the Archives were Ivar and his closest companions (we have purposely kept this number small so that they may be easily managed…The Citizens of Serai gathered and decided to save those…we would of course…share the results of any joint research, but would not hand over the secrets of the transition as we could not… ensure that those performing the rituals would be of a peaceful mindset … This offer appears to not have been enough for the Archons…” His phrasing, among others in the letter, would suggest zero collaboration. Having similar numbers to what the Order counted. That would signify, all the undead, were from his peoples first attempt in handling the undead. As to “Murder of unarmed civilians, attempted murder of prisoners, conspiracies of revenge and bearing false witness.”

It’s harder to prove, since the information is second hand, but its a bit more simple. It was observed Vazra demonstrating insight to the Order, with how the Archons fought with magic, to make sure no one would be harmed by a stray bolt in the heat of the battle, if one were to break out at Serai. Brother Ree’s very own report provided to the public, stated people inflicted harm on by Vazra were patched up, no one died by his hand. Seeing how Vazra wounded Al-haddad, Id say he helped. He made sure the prime suspect in raising the dead, could not escape. I’m sure if he meant to kill anyone, it would have been Al-haddad. As far as I heard, he was left bleeding with a mortal wound, Vazra could have finished the job with whatever weapon he had on hand at the time, but he didn’t, proving those charges to be false.

When asked to expand on the testimony and to include more details, this was in reply:

As to the charges brought up against Vazra during his time at Serai, I can’t offer more. As to my past interactions, I can.

Seeing how Vazra’s circumstances here on Mardrun, is extremely rare. I have no idea of how mentally stable he is compared to others in the same situation. One moment he’s quiet and calm, and the next, he’s emotionally invested. One recent extreme example, I’m still scratching my head over, is his newest member “Ocelot” which was a dressed up potato. So it’s possible he might have went “mentally broke” at Serai, as tensions were high. There was a fight waiting to happen between former friends, a handful of undead, and Mordok. It would be enough to cause emotional harm which might unhinge him.

That being said, I’ve interacted with Vazra enough to know, he’ll do anything to protect those that want to learn. Im sure some of you, have taught others here at Starkhaven and realize the frustrations that teaching can bring of misunderstanding a specific concept. You take time and effort to grow the knowledge, patience and relationship with those students. From everything I understand at what happened at Serai, its similar. People were trying to learn what led up to the circumstances and Vazra tried his best to make sure the knowledge came to light. I find it hard to believe he would do a complete flip from his current style of teaching and kill those opposed to his views. He can be extreme, yes, but Ive yet to hear anything about people dying from his “lessons.”

Shiloh, attending in person
Vazra will say he’s eccentric. The man is an unstable psychopath. Magic is a responsibility, one that not all of us asked for, and that some are willing to accept. Death bolts are his spell of choice, a weapon designed to kill. Magic can be a wonderful tool or a terrible weapon, and he has time and time again chosen to use his as the latter, regardless of the severity of his provocation.

As a side note about Vazra, it should be mentioned that his origin is highly suspicious. I can say from personal experience with the spell that recalling through the mana stream does not send one very far. In ideal situations, perhaps a mile or so. This man claims to have come from Faedrun by way of the spell. Either he is lying about his magical background, in which case he has further proven that he cannot be trusted, or he is far more powerful a mage than we have ever seen, in which case he is an even greater danger to life on Mardrun than we realized.

Submitted Evidence, Undead research, recovered at the Spire
The evidence was recovered during an Order investigation into the Spire, the home of the Archons. This evidence details out methods of researching and expanding upon the magic energy of the undead and thoroughly match the same research conducted by Bos Mezar. Given that the charges provided against Vazra of the Archons were tied to collaboration with Al-Haddad and his undead research, the evidence discovered directly links the research topics covered in this investigation.

After this evidence of the research linking Vazra and the Archons to the undead research was found, an audit and analysis was conducted on the research. The court recognizes the results of the audit conducted by Faolan of the Archons which hint at but does not fully prove that the evidence was planted or falsified, but that the counter-evidence is questionable at best due to a member of the Archons conducting the analysis when they are linked to the possession of the research. No outside/non-involved party was involved in proving the truth or false quality of the evidence, other than Double’s investigation into letters provided against Al-Haddad.

Gary McDowell “Spinach”, attending in person
“Yeah, olright, I got a word that this lunatic was on trial for some magic stuff but also in murdering folks. I packed up a sack and hit the road so I could be here. My name’s really Gary McDowell, but my men call me Spinach. It’s a thing we have. Anyway, I remember this crazy guy, this Vazra, from our misunderstanding in an ulven village over the winter. There was bounty from the war that was open for taking, so we had rightful claim on it. This Vazra guy and his friends told us they were taken it and we said no, that aint fair and its legally ours. They didn’t care, they just came in swinging steel and blasting magic. We pleaded with them to stop, but they just cut down my men and I tried to flee to survive. A couple of em tied me up and I gave up, but when they dragged me back this Vazra of the Archons, of the Spire, took out a knife and stabbed me repeatedly, screaming at me. I was terrified, I didn’t want to die, I gave up and he was going to kill me. I was sure I was done for, but some of the people there musta known they were doing wrong and they tended to my wounds and saved me. Yeah, I been in trouble with the law a bits but I do my time… but that man is a lunatic. Vazra, I walked all this way on a single clink so I could tell em what you did and watch you pay. Because you’re a danger to everyone, you son of a bitch. It’s about time you got what you deserve and I’m gonna watch it happen.”

Sakura Sakai, attending in person, translated
Translated from an interpretor, Sakura described the events that took place in the Oakbrook village.
“…Though it was difficult for me to make myself understood, and to be understood, I spoke with these mercenaries and arranged to take shelter in the village. They were suspicious, but kind-hearted. They fed me, and I had the opportunity to speak to a few of them at length. Through gestures and broken phrases, I discovered that these men were refugees of a sort, men cast out from their homes, working as mercenaries because they had nowhere else to turn.

Their leader was a man named Spinach, which was an odd sort of name for a man, but which has forever stuck out in my mind. Spinach, while not friendly, exactly, was kind enough, and he was in the midst of conducting negotiations with the people of Mardrun. I thought to help him by giving him the token Vazra had given me – a sign of friendship. Vazra’s response was to throw a deathbolt at him.

In the battle that followed, the mercenaries were brutally maimed, beaten, and slaughtered. Vazra himself hunted down Spinach and mortally wounded him. Not contenting himself with that, he then stabbed and slit Spinach’s throat while he lay helpless on the ground. He showed in this not an ounce of remorse.”

When asked to explain in more detail the events during the Inquisition at Serai, this was translated…

“…As the fighting heated up, I moved towards it, with Vazra in front of me. I was shocked when he attacked not the Mordok, nor even the undead, but rather began stabbing the citizens of Serai in their backs while they fought the Mordok to protect their children. At that moment, I could stand no more.

I knew my chances of defeating an archmage were slim, but I could not allow him to murder so many people unchallenged. So, I attacked and struck Vazra.”

Artyom, of the New Aldorian Marines, attending in person
Against the accused named the “Self appointed Arch-Mage” Vazra of The Archons and his compatriots. The Marines have been informed by way of word or witness that these individuals are liable to cause immense concern given their powers and abilities with magic as well as rumored disregard for life and agreements that do not match their agendas. It is in the interest of myself and several others that such men and women have their agendas controlled or if it is deemed ultimately necessary, ended.

When asked to clarify more specifically, this is in reply:

Also, I have personally interacted with or been in the presence of Vazra. In my experiences with him, Vazra seems to be at times or near permanently volatile and unstable. Though I don’t know him as a friends nor have I spent significant time with him, I am less than certain of his character. However, I would like for the court to remember that like myself, individuals can be brought back to a path of virtue and be contributing members of society.

Manetho, testimony delivered via letter
I who write am Manetho, a traveling healer who was for a short time student to Al Mafajjar. I have served the wounded and sick of Hazemane, Onsallas, Serai, and many others, and worked in the field alongside Vazra of the Archons.

It is my belief that Vazra acted as he did for sake of knowledge rather than power or black intent. It may be that he is mad, but if so, he is sick rather than evil. As to Vazra, I say only: “Archmage Ocelot.” Yet he has witch magic, and I have seen him perform complex rituals.

Mardrun suffers. The war took a great toll. Now a makeshift cure for the corruption spreads, but we still know little about this monstrous disease, and there have been too many deaths already. New victims still appear daily. Should this man be found guilty, I humbly ask the court consider offering them a chance to earn clemency in the same way they erred—by seeking knowledge. Put him to work on the secrets of the corruption. His magic, at least, has never been questioned for its accuracy, and it may be strange minds can see paths ordinary ones cannot.

Oberron of the Ravens, attending in person
I was able to call upon some of my contacts in order to find and confirm some evidence. Vazra was rumored to be helping with undead research, but my sources found some information which contradicts it. In April, one of the Serai caretakers and a merchant overheard Vazra talking to Al-Haddad and being very adamant about learning what was in “the archives”. Al-Haddad seemed reluctant to share this info. It was witnessed that Vazra kept asking about it, and even mentioned “to continue our alliance and with work on new projects”. This could coincide with the rumor that Vazra told the order about the undead only after Al-Haddad refused to give the Archons full access to their research, which would make it hard to believe that Vazra knew of and was even actively involved in any of the undead research. This claim was overheard by Al-Haddad himself.

These are the testimonies spoken to the court by witnesses or those willing to speak out in regards to your charges during the trial. You will be given one final chance to defend yourself and your actions against the charges and the testimonies levied against you. Be specific but be brief; this case will be taken to a jury and your punishment and fate decided.

VAZRA:

Well, you’ve proven I need to reconsider the friends that I keep, but I suppose that’s neither here nor there.

If you read carefully the words of Al-Haddad’s and Al-Maffajar testimony, even they never accuse me of any prior knowledge of the Undead. I turned on Serai the moment I knew of their crimes. Hear the passion in my words and know the truth: I fought the Undead on Faedrun, I served with the 5th, they took everything from me which I loved, I would never suffer their existence. I think the evidence clearly supports my innocence regarding these charges.

As for accusations of murder, let’s examine the testimony against me myself, starting with Brother Oliver of the Order of Arnath’s Light “Let me be clear, there was no innocent on that field of battle save the children.” The Order commander at the scene of the investigation admits there were no innocents present save children, whom no one accuses me of harming. Brother Ventaris claims I did not offer support, but to be entirely honest, I do not believe the Order line would have survived without my intervention. Lady Su Nalla explains how I assisted her dispatching the Serai Archers which flanked the Orders line. This effort explains my absence during the beginning of the battle. I did not target Al-Haddad in pursuit of vengeance. I made the tactical decision to pursue the Archers which threatened to slay my at the time Order allies. Regarding claims of bloodlust, Ventaris even admits: “I did not see Vazra openly kill anyone”. He claims my bloodlust was extended to prisoners, but that is simply untrue. Even those who had turned on me I spared, despite the Order’s instructions to kill them should they betray us. I was told by the Order of Arnath’s Light to kill Sakura when she turned on us, and I refused, and the same man who accuses me of extending bloodlust to prisoners admits he never actually witnessed me do so.

I deny any legal wrong doing, however: I do admit that the testimony given at this trial has made it quite apparent that the standards of this era have changed. I come from a time of great war and violence. In that time, such extremes were necessary. My actions would have been justifiable, even exemplary, but clearly the world has changed and I must adapt. My intentions have always been noble, even if my methods have been harsh, but being a sorcerer as powerful as myself, I can adopt different methods.
I request that the court withhold judgement for a predetermined period of time, during which I will commit myself to non-violence, and working to cure the corruption. A probation, and penance of sorts, after which the free people of Mardrun may decide whether these doubts regarding my character are truly worth concern. If my methods are still considered excessive at that time, or I otherwise break my vow of non-violence, even once, then I will submit myself to whatever justice the free people of Mardrun wish to impose. I cooperated with the investigation, and came to this trial willingly, I have given no reason for anyone to doubt my willingness to honor such an arrangement. Let me adopt ways like a Kae’Rim, at least for a time, and as Monetho suggested put my unmatched magical talent to good use, peacefully cleansing this sickness from Mardrun.

JUDGE:

Your final statement is given and the judge and jury listen intently.

“The court will take a recess to give the jury time to decide your sentencing. The court is now in recess.” he says plainly as he bangs his gavel on the wooden pedestal.

The jury is out for several hours and the waiting is excruciating. Then suddenly the court herald announces that the judge has returned and then the court is back in session. The jury members return from the back room and hand a piece of paper to the judge. He takes a moment to read it, his face displaying no emotion… no hint of how your fate will be decided.

“Vazra of the Spire, you have had charges placed against you, a full investigation into your actions and your character, a chance to state your defense and a to hear out the testimonies of your peers and other free peoples of Mardrun.”

On the charges conducting undead research, the jury finds you not guilty.

On the charges of collaborating with agents of corruption, the jury finds you not guilty.

On the charges of murder of unarmed civilians, the jury finds you not guilty.

On the charges of several incidents of attempted murder, the jury finds you guilty.

On the charges of conspiracies of revenge, the jury finds you guilty.

On the charges of bearing false witness, the jury finds you guilty.”

There is a moment of silence as the gravity of the charges ad decisions made hits you like a hammer. The judge scribbles down some notes on a piece of parchment, reviews the paper that was handed to him by the jury, and says nothing else for a time; the void of silence seeming to last for an eternity, framed by the hushed murmurs of the audience in the court room. The Judge speaks, finally breaking the silence.

“Vazra of the Spire, the court recognizes that you were the one that brought forth the information to the Order regarding the existence of the undead. Your diligence to the safety of Mardrun at large at the hand of undead magic is appreciated and, in this case, instrumental in helping us all band together to deal with this threat. The evidence and testimonies have proven that your involvement was absent in the dealings with the undead.

However, the evidence and testimonies spoken out against you paint you as a very dangerous and troubled man. Your final defense offered a stance of non-violence and rehabilitation, like the ways of the honored Kae-Rim, yet it was noted that you boasted complete innocence in your initial defense. This court is not convinced that your “change of heart” from the start of this trial is genuine. For programs like this to work, those found guilty must show some form of remorse for their actions.

The court finds you not of sound mind with difficulty in knowing when your actions are wrong. For someone that is the leader of the people in the Spire and who possesses powerful magic, this is a dangerous situation. With the evidence provided, your ability to rationalize moral decisions in regards to the health and life for others is a cause of concern to the court. The testimonies and evidence prove that you have the ability to act on behalf of others for the greater good, but this does not appear to be a consistent notion.

Vazra of the Spire, you are hereby sentenced to being stripped of all titles and leadership positions. You will no longer present yourself with any legal titles that could bear meaning to the free peoples of Mardrun. You will also be removed as the leader of your people at the Spire and must immediately place another in charge of leadership. It will be known that you are no longer in a position of leadership among your people and to claim this title or position again will go against your punishment.

Because of your danger to Mardrun as a whole, you are hereby sentenced to having harsh measures placed upon you to control your arcane magic, which this court finds your most powerful and dangerous weapon. Evidence and testimonies have proven that your actions take a violent and dangerous turn and your inability to reason must be tempered. If your mind cannot comprehend the gravity and impact of your dangerous arcane magic, then your body will be a forceful reminder. With the help of the scholars of Newhope, runic symbols of controlling magic will be carved deep into the flesh of your back and chest. The more powerful the magic you cast, and therefore the more harm you can place upon others, the more painful the backlash of that magic and the more profound the lesson will be.

Because of your lack of moral judgement and reason, you are hereby sentenced to a probationary program, one where your moral actions and mental state will be evaluated by outside sources. A probationary officer or point of contact will be chosen at a later date that you must report to and learn from to insure your actions are following the path of redemption.

And finally, should you be found wanting of the terms set forth by the later-appointment probationary officer, should truthful witness of further dangerous acts be presented to the Order of Arnath or Lictor Mary Cul Tricuspis, should you be found attempting to avoid your probationary program, should you be found attempting to alter or remove the runic carvings, then your actions will prove that you are incapable of learning from your mistakes and an escalation will occur; you will be sentenced to execution or hallowing and banishment based on the severity of your disobedience.

Vazra of the Spire, this court wants you to learn from your mistakes and follow a path of redemption and rehabilitation; one that you may learn from, heal your troubled mind, and prosper as a member of society. You have so much potential to help the free people of Mardrun… should you choose to strive for it.

Your trial is concluded.” ends the Judge as his gavel strikes down on the plate; the noise echoing through the courtroom.

PRELUDE:
As you (Al Maffajar) enter the courtroom, it is hard not to notice that your hands are securely bound with rough and thick iron shackles. You are pretty confident that you could not break them and the chafing and slight bruises being formed are sign that you won’t be able to wriggle free.

You take your place in a small box with a podium that sits facing a raised seat with a larger podium. In that raised seat is the honorable Judge Vincent Avan, Senior Judge of Lictor Mary Cul Tricuspis and the appointed judge for this trial. He is weathered but not old, with a non-aggressive yet stern looking face and demeanor.

You look around the room and notice the jury, all 12 of them, sitting off to the side of the judge. You pick out representatives, two each, of the clans and colonies assembled. You are hoping that the mixture of ulven and colonist jury members gives you a fair verdict in the trial. The main person that sticks out to you, clad in armor and a wolf fur despite the heat, is Khulgar Graytide. The Warleader of Clan Grimward is in attendance, surely to report how the trial goes back to his Clanleader. The significance of this is not lost on you.

You take one last look behind you to see a courtroom packed completely full of onlookers. People came out to witness the trial and seem to hail from all corners of Mardrun. There are almost two hundred people backed into the courtroom pews or standing in the aisles. Almost a dozen fully armored Lions of Arnath stand resolute and vigilant, keeping security during the trial.

The judge’s voice grabs your attention as you face forward again.

“Al Maffajar of Bos Mezar. You are being charged with conducting undead research, collaborating with agents of corruption, possession of undead, the murder of members of the Brotherhood of the Long Winter and others to be used as undead vessels, and resisting arrest,” reads the judge from a scroll.

“The maximum punishment for crimes such as these are maiming, life in prison, hollowing of your magic, and/or execution. Do you intend to confess or state your defense? You may plead guilty to each charge or you may state not guilty to each charge and state your defense. This is also when you may provide evidence and proof for the court to consider. You may speak, but do not ramble on for too long.”

The judge grabs a feather quill pen and waits for you to speak.

AL MAFFAJAR:

On the charges of conducting “undead” research and of willingly being in possession of “undead” on Mardrun, I plead not guilty. The Order in this case is mistaken of the context surrounding that which you call “undeath”. The subjects of the process are properly called Transcended. Next, as is a common misconception, the transition from death back to our world is a natural process, governed by a god of death known as Khukri. It happens naturally in nature to a small percentage of individuals. We of the Bos Mezar simply found ways of increasing the probability of a transcendence event occurring. There is no guarantee that any person may be able to transcend.

Secondly, you may call our people “undead”, but that which existed in Serai was different than what those of you here from Faedrun might be familiar with. What you encountered on Faedrun had no minds, no presence of spirit or personality within their outer shell. The Transcended are different. They possess a degree of the personality they had in their first life, the simplicity of their minds is simply a testament to the primitivity of the process by which their transcendence was enhanced. In time, it is theoretically possible for the full mind of an individual to be restored to them in their second life with an improved transcendence. However, such research would take years to complete. Nevertheless, this trait of personality which the Transcended possessed was witnessed in Serai by the Order’s investigation team. When they entered our settlement, we offered them our hospitality and, after some great persuasion, they accepted and were allowed to proceed further into Serai. They requested to see one of the Transcended, a wish that we granted quickly and without hesitation. We brought forth a Transcended, who was so docile that she could be led by children and would not harm them. In her first life, she was the nanny of Al Haddad’s young son Hadir, and in her second life she was devoted to protecting the children of Serai from harm. I ask, is something so tame that a child may lead it and play with it a danger? Is it what was encountered in the Old World, which showed no quarter or mercy? I think not. The Transcended are different. They were intended to fight and defeat the corruption of the Mordok, something which as of now may no longer occur, given that they were destroyed without consideration of the character that they possessed, the gentleness and kindness that their simple minds could comprehend. They were children themselves, thrust into a strange world beyond their comprehension and then killed without mercy. They were the children I will never have, and it was a joy to see them grow, to teach and show them the wonders of the world. A world robbed from them.

On the charge of collaborating with agents of corruption, I plead not guilty, and would question from where the grounds for this charge came. The power of corruption lies within the Dirge Swamp, with the Mordok and their converted associates. The Bos Mezar have clashed with the Mordok on many occasions, the most recent and memorable being the Mordok attack on Serai which occurred during the period when the Order’s investigative detachment was present. We have also fought the Mordok in defense of Pack Longfang. Serai itself would be broken rubble because of the Mordok were it not for the Order, which I am told is defending our streets against them. I ask you to consider these two points then, in conclusion: Would it not be more indicative of collaboration if Serai were to be safe from the Mordok, instead of under direct and heavy attack? Finally, why would we endeavor so greatly to destroy something that we were supposedly collaborating with? There is no rational basis to the substance, or lack thereof, in what this accusation entails.

On the charge of murder of members of the Brotherhood of the Long Winter and others to use as “undead” vessels, I plead not guilty for the following reason: We did kill members of the Brotherhood, but what we did did not constitute murder. We killed them solely in self-defense. As is common knowledge, some time ago the Brotherhood of the Long Winter was created near our settlement, as then concealed from the continent. However, soon after, the organization fell apart, and some of their members tried to attack us in Serai, likely to steal from us. Therefore, we killed them as they tried to kill us. Some of them did make the transition from death to life, that is true, but they were not killed with the intent to preserve their lives. They were killed with the intent to preserve our lives.

On the charge of resisting arrest, I plead guilty, provisionally, primarily due to the nature of the situation that we found ourselves in at the moment of conflict. The Order had come to our settlement and upon their request, we produced one of the Transcended to be viewed, as I described earlier. Even upon the revelation of her docile and controllable nature, which at the time was no threat to them, the Order party threatened the Transcended with death and refused to listen to any more talk or reasoning. We then mobilized the Transcended as well as our forces to defend ourselves from the attack on our way of life which we knew from that moment on was inevitably coming. We fought and therefore we did resist arrest, but consider this: If a group of bandits invaded your home, took your hospitality and then threatened the life of your daughter or your son, insisting that they must die and that you would be taken to whatever place these bandits had in store, would you go along, willingly and quietly, with whatever agenda these people may have had? I would guess many of you assembled know the answer to that question. Our situation has very few differences and as such may be viewed in the same light of horror and fear that one might apply to my theoretical situation.

JUDGE:
Al-Maffajar, of Bos Mezar, your defense has been noted to the court.

To clarify and summarize your charges:

Conducting undead research, having the knowledge of undead and research pertaining to them and their creation, and actively hiding it from the rest of Mardrun and specifically our Ulven hosts.

Collaborating with agents of corruption, specifically undead vessels, the lich that was discovered and destroyed on Mardrun years ago, and the red eyed Syndar seen with and working alongside the Mordok.

Possession of undead, having them physically in your possession and actively hiding it from the rest of Mardrun and specifically our Ulven hosts.

Murder, specifically of members of the Brotherhood of the Long Winter and others to use as undead vessels, and others to expand necromantic research.

Resisting arrest, during the Inquisition to Serai, after being summoned for questioning, refusing and fighting back against the Order’s agents.

Moving on to the testimonies, you may listen to them and then state a final defense at the end, which then the jury will decide your punishment.

TESTIMONIES SUBMITTED TO THE TRIAL:

Shiloh, attending in person
Al Mafajjar is Al Haddad’s lap dog. The two are never far apart, and the man is loyal to a fault. His testimony regarding Al Haddad should be considered suspect.

Artyom, of the New Aldorian Marines, attending in person
Against the accused named thusly, Al-Mafajjar. The Marines have been informed by way of word or witness that this individual is liable to cause immense concern given their involvement with the Undead. It is in the interest of myself and several others that such adept men and women have their agendas controlled or if it is deemed ultimately necessary, ended.

Manetho, testimony delivered via letter
I who write am Manetho, a traveling healer who was for a short time student to Al Mafajjar. I have served the wounded and sick of Hazemane, Onsallas, Serai, and many others, and worked in the field alongside Al Mafajjar of Bos Mezar.
It is my belief that Al Mafajjar acted as he did for sake of knowledge rather than power or black intent. It may be that he is mad, but if so, he is sick rather than evil.

When Al Mafajjar discovered I was a Syndar who had denied my magic, he would not stop but discover how he might undo this for me. With success, he exulted and could not cease talking of what he had learned. I believe he seeks knowledge, but does not understand the danger of what he seeks nor how it may harm. That is sickness or ignorance, not vile intent.

Mardrun suffers. The war took a great toll. Now a makeshift cure for the corruption spreads, but we still know little about this monstrous disease, and there have been too many deaths already. New victims still appear daily. Should this man be found guilty, I humbly ask the court consider offering them a chance to earn clemency in the same way they erred—by seeking knowledge. Put him to work on the secrets of the corruption.

These are the testimonies spoken to the court by witnesses or those willing to speak out in regards to your charges during the trial. You will be given one final chance to defend yourself and your actions against the charges and the testimonies levied against you. Be specific but be brief; this case will be taken to a jury and your punishment and fate decided.

AL MAFFAJAR:

“Through these testimonies, I am saddened. It is clear the people of Mardrun have grown intolerant and fearful of change. Our research was misunderstood and misrepresented as some allegiance to the dark powers that stripped every colonist of their homeland. We strove to offer a chance for closure to families who lost one of their number too soon, to give them one more chance to say good-bye. We were nearly able to give fallen warriors a chance to rise once more and defend their families and their homes even from beyond the veil of death. Bos Mezar could have unlocked untold secrets and answered so many questions about the world, had our research simply not been cut short. I am truly saddened that this is the current state of things.

JUDGE:

Your final statement is given and the judge and jury listen intently.

“The court will take a recess to give the jury time to decide your sentencing. The court is now in recess.” he says plainly as he bangs his gavel on the wooden pedestal.
The jury is out for several hours and the waiting is excruciating. Then suddenly the court herald announces that the judge has returned and then the court is back in session. The jury members return from the back room and hand a piece of paper to the judge. He takes a moment to read it, his face displaying no emotion… no hint of how your fate will be decided.

“Al-Maffajar of Bos Mezar, you have had charges placed against you, a full investigation into your actions and your character, a chance to state your defense and a to hear out the testimonies of your peers and other free peoples of Mardrun.

On the charges of conducting undead research, the jury finds you guilty.

On the charges of collaborating with agents of corruption, the jury finds you not guilty.

On the charges of possession of undead, the jury finds you guilty.

On the charges of murder of members of the Brotherhood of the Long Winter and others to use as undead vessels, the jury finds you not guilty.

On the charges of resisting arrest, the jury finds you guilty.

There is a moment of silence as the gravity of the charges and decisions made hits you like a hammer. The judge scribbles down some notes on a piece of parchment, reviews the paper that was handed to him by the jury, and says nothing else for a time; the void of silence seeming to last for an eternity, framed by the hushed murmurs of the audience in the court room. The Judge speaks, finally breaking the silence.

“Al Maffajar of Bos Mezar, your testimony and statements have made it clear that you hold no remorse in your heart for your actions, nor the atrocities committed by Bos Mezar. I had hoped that the trial would bring the gravity of your situation to bear, but it would appear that I was mistaken.”

“As a leading member of Bos Mezar, you have been involved in these projects which have defiled corpses and threatened to reignite the civil war. When confronted, you fought back, rather than submitting to justice. You have made it clear that you are a danger to Mardrun and to the sanctity of life. The court does, however, recognize your talent and analytical mind, and feels that you should be offered a chance at redemption, should you decide to take it.”

“You will be hollowed, your connection to the Mana Stream severed. This will prevent you from using your magic for harm, and keep you from performing additional rituals. It will also serve as a message to those who feel they may be able to perform these acts free from consequence. In addition to this, you will be held in prison for a sentence of a minimum of two years, allowing you time to consider the weight of your actions while removed from the general populace.”

“Your trial is concluded.” ends the Judge as his gavel strikes down on the plate; the noise echoing through the courtroom.

PRELUDE:

After a general introduction to all assembled and explanation of how the court proceedings will take place, you are brought in for your chance to stand trial.

As you (Gerhard) enter the courtroom, it is hard not to notice that your hands are securely bound with rough and thick iron shackles. You are pretty confident that you could not break them and the chafing and slight bruises being formed are sign that you won’t be able to wriggle free.

You take your place in a small box with a podium that sits facing a raised seat with a larger podium. In that raised seat is the honorable Judge Vincent Avan, Senior Judge of Lictor Mary Cul Tricuspis and the appointed judge for this trial. He is weathered but not old, with a non-aggressive yet stern looking face and demeanor.

You look around the room and notice the jury, all 12 of them, sitting off to the side of the judge. You pick out representatives, two each, of the clans and colonies assembled. You are hoping that the mixture of ulven and colonist jury members gives you a fair verdict in the trial. The main person that sticks out to you, clad in armor and a wolf fur despite the heat, is Khulgar Graytide. The Warleader of Clan Grimward is in attendance, surely to report how the trial goes back to his Clanleader. The significance of this is not lost on you.

You take one last look behind you to see a courtroom packed completely full of onlookers. People came out to witness the trial and seem to hail from all corners of Mardrun. There are almost two hundred people backed into the courtroom pews or standing in the aisles. Almost a dozen fully armored Lions of Arnath stand resolute and vigilant, keeping security during the trial.

The judge’s voice grabs your attention as you face forward again.

“Gerhard, you are being charged with conducting undead research, collaborating with agents of corruption, willingly being in possession of undead on Mardrun, attempted murder for necromantic research, and sacrilege of corpses for necromantic research” reads the judge from a scroll.

“The maximum punishment for crimes such as these are severe physical punishment, long imprisonment, hollowing, indentured servitude, and/or execution. Do you intend to confess or state your defense? You may plead guilty to each charge or you may state not guilty to each charge and state your defense. This is also when you may provide evidence and proof for the court to consider. You may speak, but do not ramble on for too long”.

The judge grabs a feather quill pen and waits for you to speak.

GERHARD:

“I plead guilty to all above charges. It is because of narrow minded fools like you who push their own ‘morals’ on the rest of us that knowledge shall be stunted and progress halted. The only true form of ‘evil’ is stagnation and that is all you monsters wish for our world. A death through stasis. We, or at least I, was close to achieving great progress through means you all would find hard to stomach.”

JUDGE:

Gerhard, your defense is noted to the court.

To clarify the charges…

Conducting undead research, having the knowledge of undead and research pertaining to them and their creation, and actively hiding it from the rest of Mardrun and specifically our Ulven hosts

Collaborating with agents of corruption, specifically undead vessels, the lich that was discovered and destroyed on Mardrun years ago, and the red eyed Syndar seen with and working alongside the Mordok.

Possession of undead, having them physically in your possession and actively hiding it from the rest of Mardrun and specifically our Ulven hosts.

Murder, specifically of members of the Brotherhood of the Long Winter and others to use as undead vessels, and others to expand necromantic research.

Attempted murder for necromantic research.

Sacrilege of bodies and corpses for necromantic research, specifically for the purpose of expanding undead research or the empowerment of the undead.

Gerhard, you stated before that you are guilty of all the charges. There are no testimonies, for or against you, in regards to this trial. This court requires that you fully understand the gravity of these charges and the penalties and will give you one final chance to defend yourself. You may state a final defense at the end, which then the jury will decide your punishment.”

GERHARD:

“Of course none would testify, because I knew how to not get caught. The only regret I have is that I didn’t do more, that I didn’t go to greater lengths to expand my necromancy. What does it matter what I say to you fools. You have made your decision on me already and found me whatever amount of guilty you want. This trial is but a farce. Do with me as you will, for I have seen the horrors of death and no longer fear what you can do to me. I put my life’s work into what you so easily discarded aside.”

JUDGE:

Your final statement is given and the judge and jury listen intently.

“The court will now take a recess to give the jury time to decide your sentencing. The court is now in recess.” he says plainly as he bangs his gavel on the wooden pedestal.

The jury is out for several hours and the waiting is excruciating. Then suddenly the court herald announces that the judge has returned and then the court is back in session. The jury members return from the back room and hand a piece of paper to the judge. He takes a moment to read it, his face displaying no emotion… no hint of what your fate will be decided.

Gerhard, you have had charges placed against you, a full investigation into your actions and your character, a chance to state your defense and a to hear out the testimonies of your peers and other free peoples of Mardrun.

On the charges conducting undead research, the jury finds you guilty.

On the charges of collaborating with agents of corruption, the jury finds you guilty.

On the charges of possession of undead, the jury finds you guilty.

On the charges of murder to obtain corpses for necromantic research, the jury finds you guilty.

On the charges of attempted murder, the jury finds you guilty.

On the charges of sacrilege of bodies for necromantic research, the jury finds you guilty.

There is a moment of silence as the gravity of the charges and decisions made hits the stunned audience. The judge scribbles down some notes on a piece of parchment, reviews the paper that was handed to him by the jury, and says nothing else for a time; the void of silence seeming to last for an eternity, framed by the hushed murmurs of the audience in the court room. The Judge speaks, finally breaking the silence.

“Gerhard, this court has given you every opportunity to explain your actions and your involvement with the undead at Serai. Although this court recognizes and appreciates your honesty, your crimes cannot go unpunished and your complete lack of remorse or even attempt to explain any benevolence in your actions is appalling.

Regardless of your potential with knowledge, both intellectually or magically, the court finds you a danger to Mardrun and cannot allow the continuation of your existence. You are hereby sentenced to execution. May your soul find peace in whatever afterlife you hold dear.”

“Your trial is concluded.” ends the Judge as his gavel strikes down on the plate; the noise echoing through the courtroom.