EVENT: The Trial of Bremen - 19 June 2021

[Alethan]

Bandy tries to get comfortable in the witness chair, but this proves to be a futile task on such a hard wooden seat. He unceremoniously tucks one leg under his rear and leans slightly to the side, appearing to be more comfortable than when he first started.

He looks perplexed at the first question, "Yes, yes, of course I went with Markd... er... Stancell and Bremen to the tower, though neither of them was acting like complete arses then. Well... Bremen sometimes acted an arse, but I just figured that was in his nature. Not like what I just saw today, though."

"Don't forget we also went there with Irving and Florin and the two lads, Guaire and Neachdainn, if you need more people to talk to."

Settled in, but still uncomfortable - maybe more so with the proceedings than the chair, now that he thinks on it - Bandy continues, wondering in the back of his mind if HE will end up being the target of the petty bickering he just witnessed...

"We all headed out for the white tower with, unfortunately, no clear and accurate directions on how to get there. So I think it took us a day or two longer than we thought it would. When we finally found the tower, we had the two lads stay a bit of a ways off with the mounts. After approaching closer, we saw it was inhabited by kobolds. But THEN we saw they weren't really living there of their own free will, that there was these other creatures that seemed to be in charge. They was sort of like centaurs, I guess, only they had the body of a scorpion insteads of a horse, with a sort-of human-like chest and arms and head. One of them had a whip and the kobolds had manacles on, so it was pretty clear to me that the kobolds was slaves."

"When someone suggested we approach the centions (that's what I started to call them, anyway, 'cause they were like centaurs and scorpions, so... cention) to ask about the sun symbol of Baudh we were lookin' for, I said I'd stay hidden and sort of guard their backs or watch for treachery. An that's what I did - stayed hidden in the tall grasses while the others tried to talk to the cention."

"Well the next thing I knew, they all up and followed the cention inside the tower! I didn't know if I should follow them or not. If I did suddenly show up, then they might think we was trying to be deceptive, which we weren't, but then if I stayed hidden, then I might get cut off from the others."

"It took me too long to think about it and next thing I knew, the others was all inside and the door closed and I was still hunkered down in the tall grass! So I just waited there, figuring they might not be in there for that long."

"I don't... do you want me to go into any details about what I had to do while the others all made their way to the fountain? Because while they were inside drinking from strange fountains, I was busy outside, killing centions and freeing kobold slaves. I can just summarize it for you, if you like... First I killed the two outside - well, I had help from a small hippogriph, but then the centions killed it - and then I sneaked inside. I found crates of items made out of precious metals - silver and electrum and copper - that looked like they was looted from the tower. I'm not sure how long those centions was there for or how long they intended to stay, but it seemed to me that they was looking to clear out in the near future. Or at least move the stuff they took from the tower. I climbed to the second level of the tower, which I figured would be safe from centions, and found where the kobolds sleep! And there was a bunch of them sleeping in there, so I hollered at them an told them to wake up, that they was free! They just needed to run for their lives! And then a bunch of them all jumped up and grabbed their things and took off! The ones outside working the gardens took off, as well! It was a grand sight and it felt good to know they wasn't slaves anymore."

"I don't remember just how long it'd been, but then I tried to figure out where the others went off to. I found what looked like the body of the cention that had lead them in; it was cut into pieces and poorly hidden behind some wooden crates on a lower level. But before I could explore any further, I saw three more of 'em coming my way, so I scooted back up to the tower and hid in the second story."

"A lot of what happened after that was either boring or a bit of a blur, really. I killed a few more centions - two or three, maybe - before I was wounded badly enough that I just tried to lay low. But it was too late for that. I'dd pissed... er... irritated them enough by that point that they sent a... a priest of some sort - a cention priest, I assume - to deal with me. He tried to talk to me and I told him to piss off... er... I mean... sod off. Next thing I knew it was black as night in a cave, except it was getting hot because they'd thrown burning oil up into the second story room."

"I managed to survive that and one of them busted through the trap door and - we could see again by then - he shot an arrow at me an the last thing I remember is shouting at them to just leave me alone an hearin' fighting down below an hopin' it was the rest of the group come back."

"When I woke up, Florin was standing over me prayin' and I felt a bit better an' the others was all talkin' in hushed tones about the fountain."

"Sooo... no. I don't know what happened at the fountain. I didn't hear any voices talking to Mar... er, Stancell. Or Bremen or Irving or Florin, for that matter. I didn't see... Stancell... get any knife, neither. He sure didn't make a big deal about one, either. In fact, I didn't know about it until much later when we was inventorying things."

Bandy scrunches his face up a bit as if thinking...

"What was the other question?"

[Zhym]

"You fought all those centions and kobold slaves alone?" asks Pendleton, impressed. "You must be quite the fighter!"

"What happened in the chapel of Baudh, where the voice spoke?"

[Rusty Tincanne]

Ablesforth is unable to contain himself at the halfling's testimony. The truth is known, brother! He blushes at his outburst, apologizing to those nearby.

[Zhym]

"It will be," Pendleton responds without turning away from Bandy, "If Mr. Bremen will allow the witness to continue."

[Alethan]

At the outburst, Bandy looks over at Ablesforth with an annoyed glance. Then back to Pendleton.

"No, no. I didn't fight any of those kobolds! I just freed them. And there was a young hippogriph that helped me fight the first two centions; I can't take all of the credit for that. But yes, I did kill three others on my own. Shot one right through the eye from the second story of the tower, even..."

OOC: Will try and post about the chapel tonight; need to go pick up child from school now

[Rusty Tincanne]

Ablesforth is unable to contain himself

That was Able, not Bremen

[Marullus]

It was Ablesforth the Eruannan cleric, NOT Bremen,
who made the outburst. So, just rabble in the gallery.

[Alethan]

Corrected. And the halfling is still annoyed by an outburst like that in a trial.

[Zhym]

Whoops! Pendleton's remarks to Bremen have been stricken from the record.

[Alethan]

Bandy starts recalling the walk down the crooked path...

"We started down the Crooked Path and met with some resistance by a party of kobolds and what appeared to be undead priests who used to be followers of Baudh. I tried to tell the kobolds they were free to leave, but they didn't listen and we had to kill them all. That made me sad, because it didn't have to end that way." He shrugs. "That's the way things go, though, in it?"

"The priests was scary, being reanimated dead aside, because their eyes was removed and you could tell they'd been tortured and such from the scars and marks on the bodies. the others said they had found more like that before they found the fountain. I don't know what happened at that tower, but it weren't good. And it weren't done in the following of Baudh."

"When we entered the altar room, part of the floor collapsed and Bremen and I fell. I was hurt bad, but Bremen stopped the bleeding and then Florin used his skills to heal some of my wounds. By the time I made it out of the pit, Stancel was talking to a... a voice, I guess. He knelt down before the altar and swore his loyalty to Baudh and Baudh alone. And the voice didn't like that, he didn't. He says he's a SERVANT of Baudh and that's good enough and Stancell needed to swear loyalty to HIM. But he, meaning Stancell, wouldn't."

"So the voice asks if anyone else was strong enough to take the power he would give to restore the tower. He asked Bremen if he wanted the power. Bremen asked for more, actually, but the voice said it would be enough as it was!"

"Stancell tried to chime in and say we should take the relic back to Gaul, but Bremen got mad and told him to sod off. The voice, who said we should call him 'Justice', said we could only take the sun after one of us pledged to serve him. When Bremen tried to examine the relic, a wall of flames shot up between the altar and the wall and the voice shouted NO, that a bargain hadn't been reached yet!"

"I remember then warning Bremen about making promises to voices who claim to speak for gods, but he didn't respond. Instead, he argues with the voice about the sort of power he would get. Finally, he kneels and pledges himself to the voice."

"Funny thing is, after that we never heard the voice again, even when Bremen, who then called himself 'Lord Commander', tried to call out for his advice."

"I guess that's about it, at least as far as the altar room goes..." Bandy finishes, in a sudden sort of way.

[Zhym]

As the hobbit tells his tale, Pendleton ruminates on how different witnesses can be from one another. He had to pull testimony like teeth out of the ugly little man who just finished testifying, and who seemed annoyed at having to support his own charges. If anything, perhaps Bandy goes on too long. But too much information is better than too little, grudgingly given.

"Do you know of any willing servants of Baudh who would ask one of the faithful to pledge loyalty to them instead of Baudh?" he asks.

"And do you remember exactly what the voice offered, or what Mr. Bremen said in response? The exact words may matter, if you can remember them."

[Rusty Tincanne]

Bremen tries not to grimace as Bandy makes him sound like a self-centered, power hungry jackass with a chip on his shoulder. What an ungrateful little shit that halfing is being! This is totally uncalled for.

OOC:

[Alethan]

Bandy furrows his brow in concentration as he tries to recall their meeting with the voice...

"Let's see... he told Bremen he could be Lord Commander of the Knights of Baudh. But... other than that, I don't know if he actually offered him specifics. He told Bremen he would, 'grant him the power' to... Oh."

Bandy stops abruptly and a look of anger crosses his face.

"Stupid. He said it right in front of us, and I didn't pick up on it. He told Bremen he would grant him the power to bring justice into this world. But just before that was when he said we could call HIM Justice."

He grows quiet after voicing this revelation out loud.

"Then he said it again later on... he said if Bremen couldn't establish power over the land and bring... and bring back knights and warriors to his service, then he was not the one to restore justice to this world."

"Then he asked if Bremen was fit to command, if he was up for the task. Then they jawed for a while. I... it was just a lot of 'what else are you going to do for me' and 'I've been here for millennia waiting for the right one' and blah blah blah."

"Finally, Bremen said he'd show them. I don't remember who 'them' was, though... family? peers? Sommit like that. And then Bremen kneels and says he pledges himself to Justice so that they can realize Baudh's goals in the north. He said he accepted the position of Lord Commander. And that together they would bring justice back to the world..."

Bandy doesn't say anything more after that.

[Zhym]

Pendleton pauses a long moment to let Bandy's words sink in. He wasn't ready for that revelation.

His voice is full of quiet horror. "So Bremen did not merely treat with the infernal at the risk of his own immortal soul; he released a demon on the world, placing others in danger." Pendleton looks over at Bremen, wondering if he is possessed or if the demon roams free.

"I have no further questions at this time, Your Grace."

[Rusty Tincanne]

Bremen, still reveling in the sunlight and breathing fresh air - and not ready to be returned to his dungeon cell under the Temple of Gwanwyn - rolls his eyes as he rises and faces Bandy. That's a fanciful tale you wove for everyone just now. It's odd though, that in all the time we traveled together, you never mentioned you are a sage, specializing in religion and demons. Bremen feigns surprise. Where was it you studied, exactly?


And your answer had better be "nowhere," or Bremen is screwed!

[Alethan]

Bandy slowly shakes his head. "I feel for you, Bremen, I really do. But I warned you about making deals with voices that said they spoke for a god." He sighs deeply and continues, "I didn't make up anything and it weren't no fanciful tale. I told what happened as best I could remember. If you doubt the word of a Sandybanks, then..." He shrugs. "Maybe you should ask Irving or Florin what they saw and heard. See if what they say is much different from what I said."

He looks at Bremen with pity in his eyes.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Bremen clenches his fists in irritation at the ramblings of this nitwit. He takes a deep breath and forces a smile at the halfling. Mr. Sandybanks, I am sure no one here doubts your word. What I doubt, is your interpretation of the events. I am looking for proof that you might be correct. So. I repeat my simple question and ask for only a simple "yes" or "no" answer.

Have you, Mr. Sandybanks, ever studied in any academy or religious bastion, particularly on the subjects of the infernal?

Again. Only a simple "yes" or "no" answer will suffice, if you please. And if you refrain from a straigth answer, I believe we can all assume the answer is that you have not studied these things anywhere.


I thought the point of witnesses was that they actually answered the questions presented.

[onlyme]

Markd had been listening with a bit of jealousy and self loathing, knowing he was saying about the same things, but no one respects his testimony due to HER. But, when Bandy discusses Justice, Markd visibly gasps. He didnt think about that possibility at all. Bremen may have done much worse than selling his own soul. He may have sold the who region's.

He listens to the weak rebuttal. Even Mr Bremen must now start to realize what he has done.

[Rusty Tincanne]

He listens to the weak rebuttal. Even Mr Bremen must now start to realize what he has done.

Not with a WIS 6, he won't.
Also, that is just Bandy's memory! it isn't like there is a transcript around or anything.

[Alethan]

Bandy smiles and says, "The words is the words, Mr. Bremen. I didn't interpret them; I just said what they were. You don't have to be a sage to understand words."

Then his face goes serious and he says, "No. I've never studied the infernal. Have you?"