The gang spend a night in jail and receive visits from a number of people, including a mysterious figure that grants magical feathers. The trial is held; many things are learned, and the group is convicted. The Party must pay a heavy cost.
The clock has rolled back to half an hour after we got jailed.
Jerry and Salris are still affected by the Were-rat curse; it's been two days since the were-rats bit them.
We're all thrown in jail.
In Jail
On the right side of the jail, in order: Tula, Salris, Vurguron, Jerry, Bugfood, Ryltar, Valna. The walls and floors and ceiling are stone; the back wall is the outer wall of the city; the front wall is iron bars. There's one set of keys; the bars are more than a fist's width apart.
One guard stays in the room, walking back and forth. One leaves the room, taking the keys with him. Th
Ryltar asks if it's okay to cast magic. The guard calls in another guard to watch him; he starts playing with Mage Hand to see how well he can control it.
Salris starts Minor Illusioning a rat.
Majorie's Appearance
Down the hall, we hear the clinking of keys, the opening of a door, and around the corner comes Majorie, Jerry's daughter. She's 16, 5' tall, broad-shouldered, Mediterranean of skin color. Basically a human with the build of an Half-orc. She runs to Jerry's cell and asks what happened; Jerry explains what happened. Majorie asks why we were late; Jerry explains the trouble with the kobolds.
Jerry asks after Majorie's health and education; has she met anyone young who caught her eye?
Majorie has been thinking about joining the West Haven Militia. The Militia has been recruiting heavily in recent months, gearing up for an expedition into the desert to the north. She has been inspired by Jerry's war stories and Cato Fenross' stories. She's proficient with the bow now, picking up infused arrows at the Forum.
Jerry gives her a letter to take to Bertram Bell, describing him as a portly round man working in the market.
And with one last hug through the bars, Majorie leaves on her errand.
Bugfood tells Ryltar that he could escape. The guard exclaims in alarm.
"He truly could," says Ryltar. "But we did nothing wrong. Hey, do you want to see a magic trick? I could make it really, really dark. Like my homeland."
The guard calls out for Jalar. The secretary walks in, whispers with the guard, and walks off. The guard says he could if he could;
The Witness List
Hours pass; a guard comes by with gruel.
A short man with pad of paper comes by and asks for people who might want to speak on our behalf. We ask for:
Valna
Kan, asks Valna, who should be near the government housing
Cato Fenross, who runs the Forest Floor, asks Jerry
The priest of Ilmater, asks Tula
Sir Bertram Bell, who works for the Dwarf, asks Jerry
the Beastmaster, asks Jerry
Heward the Elk, asks Bugfood
Marjorie the Sparrow, asks Bugfood
Bugfood starts to describe where to find the sparrow and elk, and is told that it's better that he summon people from within the city.
Bugfood asks if there's a test that could be administered to the guard in the city to check if they're affected by the were-rat curse.
We go on a conversational diversion about rat habits.
Valna asks if we could ask after the boy we picked up on the road; we tell her that he left the temple, heading west the other day. Ryltar hopes that he had given the magical items back to the priesthood.
Vicar
At the mention of the magical items and the priests, the collection of rags in the cell opposite Jerry shifts and sits up: it's Vicar, that acolyte.
Bugfood asks Vicar why he was put here. "Drunk and disorderly conduct within the city." Bugfood is disappointed in him. Jerry asks him why he was being drunk and disorderly in the city.
"When I was thrown out of the cloister, I had nowhere to go. They caught me praying to a false idol…"
"A false idol?" asks Salris.
"Is Tula here?" Tula perks up at this. "You know the medallion that I gave to you?" asks Vicar. She agrees. "It sort of came to me. The night we came back, there was a candle left in my room, and the candle spoke to me. I healed my hands and then the candle vanished. And then I had the medallion in hand."
"The visage of some sort of deity?" ask Ryltar.
"Yes, but not Corellon Larethian." This was the medallion that Tula took from him on the road. She used to have two; now she has only one. Ryltar thinks it was a gift from a god, and says that Vicar and Tula should talk about that.
Tula asks him what the voice said. He replies, "I was supposed to be a 'horizon walker', it said." Tula mulls that over. He casts Light on his hand, and Tula is surprised, for that is a cleric spell.
"Look, Victor," says Bugfood. "This is important. Were you attacked by the were-rats?" He indicates no. So we catch him up on our dealings with the priest of Corellon Larethian, and the task that the magistrate set for us.
The Thief of Animals
In the cell opposite Bugfood is a deeply-breathing man lying on the cot, slowly bleeding out. Bugfood calls out to him. "Hey, wheezy person. Are you okay?" "I'll be fine." "I can make you better if you're heart, but if you're sick if you're stuck, I'm sorry." "If you could help…" He casts Balm of the Summer Court and the man heals 4 HP and becomes very much better. The glistening of his shirt continues, but he's healed. He sits up and thanks Bugfood.
Turns out he was booked by the guard, who didn't do anything for his five chest puncture wounds. Bugfood asks if he was a were-rat. He's not. Apparently he got shot up by a kuthrik. "If you open the door, get out of the way," he says.
"Ah, so you set them loose," says Jerry.
"You're better off than me," he says.
Bugfood and Salris argue about Bugfood talking too much. A guard asks Ryltar if he can cast Silence; he can't. He offers to cast the magical darkness spell, and is told not to. So Salris casts Mage Hand above where he thinks Bugfood's cot is in Bugfood's cell, and tries to slap him. Bugfood, curled up on the floor, thinks it's a moth, and is distracted from talking. But then he keeps talking about the moth.
Ryltar asks if he could turn his cell and Ryltar's cells green, mystically. Jalar is called by the guard, and Jalar casts Silence on Bugfood's cell, taking out Jerry and Ryltar's cells, and half of Vurguron and Valna's cells.
It's 2 p.m.
Ten minutes pass, and the silence ends. Tula has been singing.
Jerry writes a letter home, to her wife.
Salris recasts Mage Hand to play with Bugfood; who goes to sleep.
Tula examines the walls to figure out how strong they are. The outer wall is pretty darn solid. The intra-cell walls are carved up some, but the outer wall is pristine. And the iron gate of the wall appears cast in a single piece. Tula asks the guard how much longer it'll be until the trial (tomorrow) and asks if it can be moved up. Nope; the law council is scheduled for tomorrow morning. Nothing that can be done.
So we rest for a bit.
Bugfood thumbs through his diary in an unknown language. It was given to him by a mentor from his university who was a firbolg. It's a blocky language that he doesn't recognize. There are occasional pictures: a tree, a doodled star chart. In the last tenth of the book, there's a chart of the six stars. But he still doesn't recognize the language.
Ryltar rereads his note.
The Robed Apparition
The sun sets.
Just after sunset, Tula hears distant voices coming down the hallway by which we entered the jail. They're one-sided voices. Someone says "fine." There's a clinking of keys and the door to the cellblock is unlocked. A robed figures about Tula's height (tall!) enters the jail. Their faces are obscured by the light from the setting sun, in the east, streaming from behind them. Tula says, "hello?" Nothing happens. "Is there anything I can do for you?"
The figure holds out a hand towards Tula, outside the cell. She casts Lay on Hands for 5. The hood nods, and gives her a feather. In the low light, she sees that the stem of the feather is black, fading towards white on the tip. She has seen a bird before. It turns and goes to the next cell, which is Salris's. Tula puts the feather in her hair.
The figure approaches Salris' cell. He asks the figure, "What do you want?" It holds out a hand outside the cell. Salris holds the hand. The figure turns their hands over, and releases hand. Then it holds out a feather. Salris recognizes the feather somewhat; it's the same black-to-white feather given to Tula; it's definitely magical of the school of divination. The bird is somewhat of a bird of prey, but none that Salris recognizes. "What is this," he asks. The figure walks away. He tucks the feather into his sash.
Vurguron is next on the cell list. When the robed figure holds out its hand, flat, Vurguron grabs it and shakes it forcefully, but the hand doesn't move. The robed figure tips his head, gives Vurguron the feather. With a 12 he recognizes it's a bird of prey.
Jerry is writing a letter. The figure points to Jerry's ink and quill; Jerry gives them to the person. The figure grabs her hand and writes "friend?" on the back. Jerry says, "Sure?" The person gives Jerry a feather, which she doesn't recognize. And gives back her ink and quill.
Bugfood sees the figure, says, "oh, I know what to do here," and reaches for his coin pouch, which he doesn't have. He asks the figure if it's okay. If it needs healing? The figure shakes its head no. It holds out its hand; Bugfood reaches out and points a finger straight down on the hand; the figure reaches out with the other hand and flips Bugfood's hand. Bugfood's fear and panic drain away. He says, "I need that back." There's a sense of hesitancy, of trepidation. Like there's a twitching in the hand that opens Bugfood's hand. He tries to twitch back. The figure gives Bugfood a feather, which is almost like a swan's feather. And then it walks away. Bugfood pockets the feather.
Salris, who has enhanced darkvision, cannot see the robed figure's face. Ryltar approaches the bars; the figure extends the hand; Ryltar lays his hand on top. The figure rotates their hands upside-down, then right-side up, and gives him a feather, which he tucks behind his ear.
The figure passes Valna, but turns around and walks back out of the jail.
Ryltar asks Valna what she makes of it; she says she didn't see anything.
Down the hall, the doors are unlocked and the figure is let out, and the doors locked behind.
Ryltar examines the feather. It holds expendable magic, and the effect can change an outcome.
Salris asks if anyone else got a feather; Bugfood says no. "Boy I sure do like birds," he says.
Jerry asks Vicar if he saw anything. Vicar says, "what?" "Fair enough."
Salris pops Mage Hand and waves around Bugfood, but Bugfood has learned that the invisible moth isn't worth the trouble of trying to play with. He curls up and falls asleep.
The Night in Jail
So we all go to sleep, eventually.
Bugfood's vision
Bugfood curls up on the floor, but sleep doesn't take him. He's lying in a field of grass. The sky is blue with soft clouds and a soft breeze. He stands up, and finds himself in a meadow. There's a vast swelling ocean of grass. It's similar to the Fae Wild. On one side is twilight; on the other is light. There's a balance. He walks towards the lit area.
As he walks away, he sees the grass turn brown. The trees wither. The path that he chose fades away. It gets darker and darker; the twilight takes over. But the light in the distance never goes out. He feels that there's a fight to be had in the distance. And in the twilight, the stars appear, with that six-star constellation among them, and the vision fades. He falls asleep.
Ryltar's vision
He's thrust awake, at the entrance to a cave in the desert. The desert radiates heat; he sees far far out there's a large structure in the distance, with high spires and a large dome in the middle. (The Taj Mahal.) In the cave where he's standing, the tunnel fades back and down into dark coolness. He chooses the hard path, to travel the desert. It's hot and dry; he feels the connection with his essence drain. The structure is a library, full of books.
The vision fades, and he's back into sleep.
Jerry's vision
Jerry wakes up standing, in front of three doors along a wall. The far left door is wooden, with iron bars over the window. The middle door is the door to the Forest Floor, of green-painted wood with leaf-shaped hings. And the door to the right is the door to Jerry's home.
From each door come cries of screams and yells and cries of pain. The voices are different, each, but Jerry's wife's screaming is mixed in. The screams come from each door the same, so Jerry opens the door to her home. And it's her home. It's exactly as she left it.
She turns around, and the open door shows only the vineyards of her home. She chose her family; there's no going back. She goes to hug her wife, and the vision fades to black.
Tula's vision.
Tula comes to consciousness on a hill. To her sides are endless forests. Paths lead ahead and back, in the front to a rising sun. To the rear, the setting sun. Towards the setting sun she sees the priestess of Ilmater, her family, countless followers like shadows, all walking towards the setting sun. Towards the rising sun there are only three: one taller, two shorter. The path cuts between the three figures.
She turns to walk towards the forest, stepping off the path, and she falls, falls, falls into darkness.
Salris' vision
He is awoken by the rising sun, in a different cell. Iron bars surround him on three sides; the door is open. On the cell next to him, he sees himself, but different. This clone sits on the bed, propped up, powerful in feel. This Salris is more charismatic, richer, better-clothed. Outside the cells, beyond the open door, the sky fades to darkness.
"So what brings you in here," asks the other Salris.
"Not sure."
"I remember when I was like that."
"A crime I didn't commit."
"Did you now."
"Perhaps it's my past catching up to me. All my avoided crimes. Perhaps I'm blamed for once. Could be that, could be something else."
The other figure waits. The shadows deepen. A figure forms in the darkness; smaller shapes behind them.
"I remember when I was that arrogant and naive," says the figure. "And we're all in cells here. Join me?" The other Salris reaches through the cell bars, and Salris clasps his hand.
Vurguron's vision
Vurguron wakes up in a busy bazaar. He's hit by a cart and falls down. He gets up and sees a squad of dragonborn soldiers form up and start to walk away; the sergeant tells Vurguron to get back in line. But in the carriage is the dragonborn that Vurguron saw a couple days ago. That one opens the door and offers his hand, saying, "I can help you."
Vurguron falls in line.
The squad goes to the community senate, where many elder Dragonborn are met, including Vurguron's father and green, silver, copper dragonborn.
The Day of the Trial
It is now Pené, the first day of the sixth week of Tarsakh. It is five days until the solstice.
We wake up.
Our feathers are still in our possession. Ten guards come to our cells, unlock them, and take us out. We walk out, in order Tula, Salris, Vurguron, Jerry, Bugfood, Ryltar, Valna. We're put in loose chains (except Tula, who's already manacled) and we're led out the back door of the jail to the court building, which is to the northeast of the jail. We're led through back alleys and underground tunnels.
We come through the back entrance to the courthouse. There's low muttering in the halls of different people saying different things. And at once, things go quiet.
We're led into the courtroom. It's got a balcony of rows of benches for spectators. There's a dais in the front of the room, with a table with seven figures. And there's a dais in the middle, bordered in silver.
The Courtroom
At the table at the front of the courtroom, from the left:
The priestess of Ilmater
The magistrate of Corellon Larethian
A heavyset male elf in emerald robes with gold trim and the looped-flowers signal of the Woven Council
A male elf weraing blue robes lined in silver, sitting behind the gavel. In white hair and piercing blue eyes, with a face that indicates a long life.
A half-elf in light green robes lined in purple, who gives off a wizardly presence.
A wizened female elf, who is the center of attention of everyone else in the room.
Jalar, the captain of the guard, wearing a half-cloak with the pauldron and symbol of the West Haven.
We're led into the circle in the center of the dias. The circle lights up, and a line of light connects it to the high table.
Ryltar bows to the table; Bugfood mimics his bow. Salris tells Bugfood to not talk.
Jalar, captain of the guard, stands. "These stand accused of murdering three of our own city, guard, as well as three other members of our society, brutally on the East road. If the verdict is guilty: death."
A column of grey light rises form the circle in which we stand.
"With these charges, who will speak on your behalf?"
Bugfood says to Salris, "Seamus, not you. But I should not speak." (Vurguron moves as if to speak, but is hushed by everyone.)
Salris speaks for the group. "We plead not guilty. We were attacked on the road by people who behaved like common highwaymen, saying they would relieve us of your items."
The elf in the center says, "Very well. Now we are to hear testimony from those guards who saw the result of the accused actions."
A half-elf comes forward and stands on the witness stand. "We came at the request of the accused. We were sent out to look for activity of goblins; we used the opportunity to exchange the east guard. We came across two burnt carriages and six graves, two of which had been filled, and tracks leading north. Two followed the tracks north, and the rest of us six went to relieve the guards.
"We found Lieutenant Samuel, cut down by swords and magic alike. We found Ingrid next to the tent, which had been looted. Rafael was cut down just to the south of the road. We would not have recognized him if he was not where we had expected his duties to place him. We found three other townsfolk, likewise stabbed, slashed and gone from us. And all their belongings gone.
"I myself rode back to the city to warn of these murders." And that concludes his testimony.
The center elf on the table bows to the guard, and the guard returns to his seat. The center elf, the master of law, continues speaking: "You have been asked to name witnesses. Present them."
Ryltar lists the list: "Valna, Sir Bertram bell, Valna's child Kan—" Bertram pops up, and testifies.
"I was in the car when the attack happened. I did see that Samuel, as you called him, asked us to relinquish our goods. We denied; in response they did attack. As they attacked, there was a giant rat. Apart from that, i didn't get a good look at what was going on.
"But they did help me tremendously when I was attacked by a griffin," (Tula mutters, "it was a chimera.") and the master of law cuts him off and sends him back to his seat.
The master of law says, "So you are good at fighting." The party enumerates that yeah, we're good at fighting. Some claim to be adventurers; Jerry does not.
The next witness is called: Kan. Majorie escorts him up, and tells the court about rat-men and a giant rat that tried to bite him and his mom. He says that the adventurers saved him.
Valna steps forward and tells that these had done a service to her, personally. "My son, Kan, was kidnapped by kobolds. These people took off and searched for him, without asking for payment in return. They delved into a kobold lair and retrieved him. Their bravery and forthrightness allowed me to have my son again." The courtroom murmurs.
The person in the dark green robes asks, "Your son was taken by kobolds?"
"Yes. As I was talking to the Council about raising guards in Hillthorpe to deal with the onslaught of monsters." And she steps back.
The half-elf on the council speaks next. "There was talk of half-men and giant rats."
The party describes that the attackers were were-rats. A robed figure bearing the crest of Corellon Larethian lays a hand across Salris and Jerry's wounds, and verifies that they are fresh were-rat curse marks. The crows (and Majorie) gasp.
Jerry tells of how the party went to the Magistrate of Corellon Larethian, and were offered a cure to the curse in exchange for work for the Beastmaster. Jerry calls for the Beastmaster's testimony.
The Beastmaster testifies favorably, praising the party's will and strength in capturing the ogre and kuthrik.
The priestess of Ilmater has been staring at Tula, who makes a 19 on a Wisdom save. She feels a presence within her memories as she tries to recall the events that happened in the past, which she shakes out.
The priestess speaks, then, to Tula. "Is it true, then, that you traveled with these cursed people, and did these killings?"
Tula replies, "They tried to take my things."
"The guards tried to take your things."
"The guards borrowed my things, and will return them once I am cleared."
The priestess sits back, content.
The master of law says that we have demonstrated the were-rat curse, and that we thought we acted in the right. "But who attacked first?"
Referring to our memories (and the session recap), Jerry testifies that even through Sir Bertram cast Friends to try to prevent bloodshed, the brigands attacked first. (Jalar objects to this characterization.)
The elf with the robes of the woven council says that the Party did only learn of their attack after arriving in the city, and had sought to heal themselves. They brought back an acolyte who had failed his pilgrimage.
The half-elf in old blue robes asks if Tula had personally tried to convert the acolyte. Tula says that she only showed him her holy symbol.
Ryltar and Jerry speak about how we had worked with Vicar to set to rest the bodies from the pilgrimage caravan. And that Vicar, who was held in the same jail as we were, could probably testify as to how he was converted.
Ryltar speaks about how he didn't leave the lawless Underdark to continue unlawfulness. The old female half-elf leans forwards, and Ryltar recalls his past for a moment before shaking off the outside influence. She asks why we came to the West Haven.
Ryltar speaks of visiting the Sky Diamond Academy, and making sure his companions were lifted of the curse.
Jerry speaks of visiting Majorie and her former CO, Cato Fenross. One of the members of the high table calls forward Cato and asks him for details of Jerry's character and past.
Tula came to learn of philosophy, religion, magic. The elf in Woven Council garb asks of what magic; Tula says divine. He asks if she's talked to the Magistrate; she says that she would not learn from him.
Salris thinks for a bit. With a wisdom save of 9, we're not sure what happened. He says, "I've said my piece, of what happened in the situation. My only goal is to be rid of this curse, right now. It absorbs all of my other ambitions." "And what are your other ambitions?" "I originally came to Gresh seeking of wealth." "Power, and greed?" "Mainly wealth. To start my life anew, from what I had. But that's not possible if I am a giant rat. Realistically, if I felt I had committed a crime, why would I come into the town I had committed it outside of."
The male elf asks, "So why did you stick around?"
Bugfood steps forward and says, "So none of this, the rats, the beasts, none of this matters. The truth of this is that the world is ending. This is all irrelevant. If this ends here, we're all done." Ryltar cuts him off, explaining, "We're headed to the Sky Diamond academy, where there is an astronomer of greater skill than we found in the Wizards' Forum." Bugfood continues: "There's a fault in the stars!"
The master of law talks to Magistrate Andraste, and Andraste asks, "So you talked to Ren Farlow? Who did he send you to ask?"
From the back of the crowd comes a shout: "Guy!" It's Ren Farlow. "I said they should talk to Guy!"
"We all appreciate Ren Farlow's skill in predicting disaster, and none of his disasters have come to fruition." Ren, embarrassed, sinks back into the crowd.
Ryltar asks if the question could be restated.
"Why did you stay in the city?"
"Because we did not believe we did wrong. We are here to lift the curse, to travel to the Sky Diamond Academy. Along the way to visit an old professor of mine."
"Who is he?"
"He's a scholar, a temple-delver, an archaeologist." Ryltar feels that same presence in his head, and again shunts it off.
The old half-elf says, "Yes, I know of him. Most scholars around these parts have some inklings of one another. Interesting."
The master of law asks if we were going to call any others to stand. Jerry says that we would prefer to ask for Vicar's speech.
The court stands and takes a 10-minute recess.
Recess
Bugfood proposes that Jalar is a were-rat. Jalar had very specifically remembered his guards, and that he'd try to defend his own.
Ryltar points out that Jerry, a soldier, would probably do the same for her unit. Jerry confirms.
The milling crowd mills. Cato comes up and asks Jerry what the plan is. Jerry asks if anyone Cato knows here could detect were-rats from a distance. He doesn't think so. But this is going to be a really large court case, because a member of the Woven Council is here: the old female elf is Thalia Naïlo, a member of the Woven Council who's in town for the solstice celebration.
Tula asks if the warhorses were recaptured, and the wolves. Cato says that the wolves were not, but the horses were.
Cato gives us names for more of the members of the bench, and tells us that Jalar called the case and wanted to be involved on the judgement.
We return to the topic of turning the bench against Jalar. The idea of putting silver to Jalar seems offensive, so Jerry returns to the idea of testing by magic whether Jalar is a were-rat. Cato thinks Ren would be able to determine it, maybe. Majorie, who came with Cato, looks for him.
People begin to reenter the courtroom; Majorie returns with Ren, and we ask Ren if he can detect curses remotely. He says he can, and we try to convince him to intervene in the trial when we can.
Tula says, "Well, it's been an honor," and pulls out her feather and starts playing it like a violin. Salris tells us that the feathers are magical items; Ryltar says they're a one-time-use consumable.
Tula waits for the council to reassemble before using her Divine Sense on the council, to detect fiend, celestial, infernal.
Vicar's Testimony
The council reenters. Jalar is red in the face. Thalia is still stone-faced and reserved. The Dean of the Forum is quizzical. The Master of Law, Fivin, is stone-faced.
The mayor is prideful, pondering things. Magistrate Andraste looks at the party and gives a faint smile. Priestess Calloway of Ilmater looks at Tula.
The court is called back to order by the Master of Law, and a chained Vicar is presented. He's been dusted off in an attempt to make him look cleaner. We're asked why we want him here. Jerry replies that she wanted him to testify of his own conversion story, to hopefully clear us of any suggestion of improper influence."
Magistrate Andraste glares daggers at the former acolyte.
Vicar says: "I was traveling with the pilgrimage caravan as I should. We were jumped by goblins and hobgoblins. The caravan was set ablaze, and I was rescued by these people here. They helped me, healed me. I was worse off than you see me now," he says, gesturing to his dirty robes.
"They took care of the fallen at the crash. They were worried about my safety; they cared about those who passed. They took off in search of the goblins, to see if they could track them or take care of them. During that time, I searched the wreckage to find a medallion that another traveler was wearing. It seemed to be of importance to him. I noticed she," gesturing at Tula, "had one similar. Or she noticed I had it, and it was similar to hers. I gave it to her because it wasn't mine, and if it belonged to someone she knew, it should be hers."
"I returned to here and my room, and there was a candle set. It spoke to me that I shouldn't be afraid. That I should help. The candle spoke to me, taking the shape of a hooded figure. It was green? It spoke that I should change, that I can heal. I was a horizon-walker." He looks to Tula for reassurance, she makes an encouraging gesture. "I wanted my hands, where I was burnt from the wreckage, to be healed. I felt warmth around my hands, and they were healed. The candle went out, and in its place was the medallion. I knew after that my place wasn't with Corellon Larethian. But I don't know."
Again Magistrate Andraste: "So it just happened of your own free will."
"Yes."
"Or divine intervention."
"I could say that they didn't convert me."
And then the Magistrate says, "Very well," and sits back.
Vicar is led away. Bugfood calls out, "Thank you, Vicar" as he leaves.
The Master of Law sighs. "The allegation that the guards were were-rats, is that what you were saying?"
"Yes."
"What proof do you have?"
"The wounds were fresh."
"You could have had them from before."
"Vicar saw them when they were fresh."
Tula calls out, "Can anyone in here cast Zone of Truth?"
The Dean of the Forum sits forward, and asks, "What use would you have of it?"
Tula replies, "It would solve this dispute."
The Dean casts; we repeat our testimony. "Who attacked first?"
Bugfood says, "And the world is ending."
The magistrate nods to the mayor. The mayor asks Salris, "So why are you here?" He repeats himself: "I am here in the city. We originally came with Jerry to visit her daughter. We were attacked, we got bit, we came here to get cured."
"And where will you go after?"
"Well, I think I might go with this group, to the Sky Diamond Academy, to see this story through. And there's been good money on it. Enough to buy a house somewhere."
The mayor says, "This will be my last question. How much money were you offered?"
"Four thousand. I was never offered money to kill the guards. It was —"
"Adjourned," calls the Master of Law, and they leave.
So we turn to Salris, and ask what was up with the money. He says, under our questioning, that it's what he was offered to do on the other continent. "Fleeing that continent is why I came here."
The verdict
The Magistrate of Law comes back in after a few minutes. He announces that the verdict is that we are guilty of killing the guards and the folk. "But this killing was under just means. They are telling the truth that the guards and townsfolk in question were were-rats. This does not lessen the gravity of the situation. We do have six dead people who will be put to rest. The sentence is seven hundred fifty gold per guard dead, and 500 gold per townsfolk slain, to be paid within the month. If this amount is not met, they are to be killed on sight. Adjourned."
That's 3750 gold.
The grey field fades; the guards approach and undo the manacles. We are mobbed by our supporters; we're led back to the jail to retrieve our stuff.
Tula jibes that Salris has 4000 gold; Salris says that he never received that gold. "So we back to that place, collect the gold, and then come back." "We don't want to go back there."
We retrieve our stuff from the jail's impound lot. Jerry hands the guards the next three shortswords she took from the dead were-rats.
Next steps
The Party levels up to 4 at the end of this session.
We want to:
Visit the magistrate to get the curse lifted.
Talk to the Beastmaster.
See if there are any quests to finish on the way to Sky Diamond, or maybe stay around in town.