Heirs to the Final Empire: Roleplaying Thread

[Mailliw73]

"Lord Farrsolin, your plan was foolish and hasty. The attempt to gain wealth off of a double twisted plot was too deranged to succeed and only promised failure. However, I concur with you. Lords Vinid and Erikell are bloodthirsty, power-seeking warlords and deserve swift executions.

"Lord Queade, it sounds as if Anders is requesting you very specifically," Votir said.

[Adamir]

"Lord Zerrung can be... over-hasty," Anders interrupted. "I freely admit that my schemes against House Vinid were to puppet them and therefore use them as indirect Farrsolin agents. I do not call for their execution, by knowledge that they have committed no crimes under Final Empire law. And even if they had, I do not wish to set the precedent that traitors are to be executed; I have no illusions about winning this case, my intentions against House Vinid were purely for my own gain, while my intentions against House Erikell were for the good of the Final Empire as a whole."

 

Anders stretched out his hand, taking a stack of documents from Ebris. "But wait. I do have counter-accusations. Lord Tekiel, I accuse you of attempting to incite civil war by marching an army against Lord Erikell, the murder of Lady Erikell and market scheming to make the Empire poorer as a whole. At least I never planned to murder; I planned to suppress, loot, but not kill. I also have accusations against Lords Erikell and Vinid."

 

A slight Ironpull on the metal piercings embedded in the corners of each page allowed Anders to turn them without moving his arms. "Lords Erikell and Vinid, I accuse you both of sending assassins into Keep Tekiel, and the murder of three Tekiels, alongside whatever thefts you attempted that Lord Tekiel has not yet disclosed."

[Wblk]

The courtroom went silent, as Lord Farrsolin made his accusations. A few of the lesser nobles looked uneasy, worried even. If the accusations that Lord Erikell and Lord Vinid were true, that would mean this entire trial was little more than a farce.

 

Shen waited a few moments, then decided to break the silence. It wouldn't do for House Wair to not at least make a comment.

 

"Lord Farrsolin, you have clearly admitted your guilt and I have no doubt your House will be justly punished for their crimes. However, the points you raised are indeed worrying." He spoke clearly and slowly, so no-one could misunderstand his words.

 

"This...trial...was called by Lord Vinid and Lord Erikell, but if what Lord Farrsolin says is true than not only have they been conspiring against the nobility, but are making a mockery of the Lord Ruler's own rule by abusing the court of law. This trial cannot proceed until both Lord Vinid and Lord Erikell prove without doubt that they have not been acting against any of us."

 

With that said, Lord Wair sat back down beside his wife. Silence.

 

Lord Ruler preserve us.

[Quiver]

Sorry! Been really busy lately...

 

I'll... check this thread and get back here as soon as possible? Sorry!

[Orlok Tsubodai]

The tension in Keep Tekiel was a tangible thing, all pervading, and unrelenting. The storm had been brewing for years, and was now on the verge of breaking. This was evident everywhere; from the supplies stockpiled to survive a siege to new additions to the fortifications - murder holes, gatehouses. Regular patrols arrived - a steady stream, ensuring information was as accurate as possible. The battalions were rotated on the duties, between keeping Fadrex and the villages protected, to manning the ambush positions set up to delay and cause damage to any attacking force, and between the two Keeps.
A force of loaned men, from another Noble House, whilst wearing a distinct uniform, mingled freely with the Tekiel men - they had been serving together for years.
Lord Tekiel lay at the centre of the logistical web, never shirking his duty. The stress, however, had taken its toll. No longer was he the vigorous man of his youth - a life under threat had beaten the energy out of him.
The atmosphere in Luthadel was incredibly flammable, with both sides knowing the attack was coming, and the knowledge that one would be obliterated hung heavy over all.
Lord Tekiel knew the odds were stacked well against him - that much was clear from the number of Houses arrayed against him, and yet he was determined to ensure that it cost the attackers dearly.
Lord Tekiel had been unsurprised by the makeup of the coalition. House Tekiel had had unfriendly dealings with House Farrsolin in the early days of the Empire, and the enmity with Erikell and Vinid was fresher still.
Indeed, Lord Tekiel wasn't quite sure the confrontation had ever ended. Of course, Lord Erikell had come forward with information about a plot against Tekiel, but had charged him dearly with it - demanding the cancellation of all agreed reparations to expose the plot.
House Zerrung, on the other hand, was a fine example of a House fulfilling its duty to the empire - revealing the plot without delay or fee, and aiding House Tekiel in preparing its defences.
Lord Tekiel was therefore unsurprised when Lord Erikell had demanded a significant fee to not flatten Fadrex, alongside Lord Vinid - the two were never seen apart anyway.
And it was this that had forced Lord Tekiel to prepare for the end. He was resolute. No House would extort Tekiel. If the price for survival was his dignity, it was not a price worth paying.
And so, when the messenger burst into his chambers, Lord Tekiel was prepared. An army was marching through Luthadel, comprising those aligned against him.
His resolve unwavering, Lord Tekiel left for the walls, preparing to bolster the morale of his men.
The armies filled the streets, an endless swarm approaching Keep Tekiel.
And then carried on past.
A cheer arose from the walls, before a glare from Lord Tekiel quelled it instantly.
Lady Vinid was a dangerous opponent, and letting down the guard at this point would be foolhardy in the extreme.
----------------------------
A laugh of incredulity burst from Lord Tekiel, before he restrained himself and returned to his impassive demeanour.
Lady Vinid had marched on Farrsolin?
He supposed that she must have got wind of the rather unpleasant plans The Lord Ruler had drawn up, in preparation for one of his generals going traitor. Lord Tekiel had seen them, and it was enough to convince him to never go near the position, lest he make a mistake that brought such wrath upon him.
And the charges? It amused Lord Tekiel immensely to see Lady Vinid attempt to distance herself from the plot. It was unfortunate, however that her story didn't add up.
--------------------------
Lord Tekiel rose to speak to the judge presiding.
A few murmured words, a sharp look, and then a clerk summoned to check procedure.
"Very well" the judge told Lord Tekiel, before announcing to the court that Lord Tekiel would rise to the witness stand, and was laying charges upon Houses Erikell and Vinid, for Conspiracy to commit Treason and Extortion.
Lord Tekiel turned to address the court. "Assembled nobles, it pains me to cause such chaos and muddy the waters further in an already complicated affair, but in the interests of the justice Lady Vinid seems so keen on, it must be done. I am having my servants distribute to you now a copy of all recent correspondence between myself and Lord Erikell. I am of the belief that it speaks for itself. Given, though, the seriousness of the charges I am levelling, I shall ensure that they are properly explained. My counsel and representative during this trial will be Lady Gwynne Wilson, to whom I yield the floor.
------------------------
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Well. This is interesting. You see, I would absolutely love to be able to corroborate Vinid's delightful story. But I'm afraid it's quite a bit more complicated than she makes it out to be.
This doc contains all recent PMs between myself and Lord Erikell: Here

[little wilson]

Lord Tekiel sat down and a number of his men began distributing the messages. Gwynne had already looked over all this. Tekiel had fumed to her about it shortly after he’d received those messages. For her part, she’d been surprised and shocked too. And after hearing Cladent’s claims, she was even more shocked. She was glad she’d recommended Tekiel bring copies of the messages. She’d hoped it wouldn’t be necessary, but one could never be too prepared.

 

Gwynne stood and addressed the courtroom. “First, I want to clear up this matter about Lord Farrsolin’s charges against Lord Tekiel. The first two charges, Attempting to Incite a Civil War and Murder, should be thrown out as not only were they not committed by Lord Nestor Tekiel but his father, but they were also already dealt with by The Lord Ruler. Are we to now say that the Lord Ruler’s punishment is not good enough? For the second charge, that of Market Schemes, this was also something Lord Tekiel’s father did, but I suppose if you want to make the charge upon House Tekiel, it might have merit. However, Lord Tekiel has explained what happened with the pyramid scheme. He was unaware that it would affect any of the Great Houses like it did, thinking that he would gain the money from minor Houses. He has apologized on behalf of his House for this error.

 

“If his apology is not enough for you, and you wish to charge him with something, the most his House is truly guilty of is Negligence. However, if you wish to charge him on that, you’ll be setting an interesting precedent for the future, since most of the Houses here are guilty of Negligence in some form or another, including yours, Lord Farrsolin. Was it not your grandfather that burned the countryside around Seran, not realizing the impact on skaa relations it would have for your House? Charging Tekiel with Negligence would mean that every House from this point on would have to thoroughly think through every move you want to make, considering all the possible implications and effects it could have on the Final Empire as a whole. Tell me, Lord Farrsolin, are you sure want to criminalize negligence?”

 

Without waiting for a response, Gwynne turned away from Farrsolin to address the courtroom as a whole. “But to move on to the more important matters. I think we can all agree that Houses Vinid and Erikell have been working together through all of this, whatever this may be. Vinid says that Erikell was acting under his guidance, and as you can see in the missives Lord Tekiel has just distributed, Erikell also agrees that he speaks for House Vinid. Lord Vinid says that he directed Lord Erikell to go along with the plot in order to gain information, their involvement was never going to result in an attack, and they were always trying to bring Farrsolin to justice. However, Erikell’s messages to Tekiel indicate otherwise.

 

“Erikell warned Tekiel about the plot early on, and Tekiel and Erikell worked out a payment for Erikell’s information. Lord Tekiel has informed me that this payment was simply a cancellation of reparations owed for Erikell’s attack on Keep Tekiel years ago. Now, this request for payment by Lord Erikell didn’t seem odd at the time. However, Lord Vinid says that Erikell was working on his behalf, under his instructions. Cladent Vinid is the General of the Lord Ruler’s Army. Putting down rebellions is part of the General’s duties. If word of a conspiracy to oust the Lord Ruler’s chosen steward of one of his cities finds its way to the General, it is for the General to do his job on behalf of the Lord Ruler. The Lord Ruler would not request the Steward pay him for protecting the Empire. It is therefore not within the rights of the General or the General’s chosen delegate to request payment either. If this was just about catching Farrsolin red-handed, Tekiel owes Erikell and Vinid absolutely nothing. Vinid and, by extension, Erikell were both simply doing the job required of them. For them to request payment is for them to say that this was about something other than catching Farrsolin. Yet now they claim that’s all this was. Why would they need money for doing their job?

 

“Erikell demands Tekiel pay him for stopping the attack on Fadrex. He “expects” wealth and allomancers from Tekiel. Again, if this were just about catching Farrsolin, there would be no need for Tekiel to pay up. Furthermore, Erikell’s demand is worded in such a way that indicates this decision to stop the attack is very recent. He says “I have decided to be on your side.” “Your city would have been entirely destroyed (no way out) had I chosen otherwise.” He even argues that Tekiel is trying to make him “reconsider” his choice. If this were always about getting Farrsolin, they would be so deeply entrenched in their mission that there would be no reason to reconsider anything. There would also be no reason to mention sides because they would’ve never been on a different side. Essentially, Erikell as much as says that he was going to go through with the plot. He says and indicates numerous times that he was not always on Tekiel’s side. The only other side in this debacle is Farrsolin’s. If they were not on Tekiel’s side, they were working with Farrsolin.

 

“This is backed up by the very specific amount of military power that would’ve come at Fadrex City. 160+ troops. There is no way Farrsolin and Orielle alone would be able to muster that kind of force. Even throwing Zerrung into the mix wouldn’t be enough, and Lord Vinid knows that none of the Zerrung troops were involved. The only way they’d be able to get a force that size is with Vinid’s involvement, since Vinid controls not only the House Vinid troops but also TLR’s. I’ve no doubt that Erikell’s troops were also in this mix, and both Lords Orielle and Zerrung can back me up on that since Erikell also surrounded their Keeps. Between Farrsolin, Orielle, Vinid, and Erikell, that’s definitely enough to acquire 160+ troops. I would like to further note that Erikell’s statement was no hypothetical, “Yes, they thought they were going to hit Fadrex with 160+ troops, but since Vinid and I weren’t actually going to help them, their true force was significantly smaller.” No, this was “Fadrex would’ve been hit with 160+ troops.” They were going to attack the city.

 

“Basically, Vinid’s statements do not align with anything that Lord Erikell said to Lord Tekiel. There is nothing in his demands to Tekiel that indicate that they were always trying to bring Farrsolin down, which is what Vinid insists is the case. Cladent says that Erikell was always only a mole in Farrsolin’s group, but Erikell’s actions do not back this up. A mole would have no reason to try to extort the would-be victim. A mole would have no reason to insult the would-be victim by calling them a “fool” when they try to stick up for themselves. Erikell’s behavior is not that of a mole. His behavior is that of someone who has recently changed sides and is now trying to get all he can out of the would-be victim. Since Vinid and Erikell are a team, one can only assume that Cladent Vinid supported Lord Erikell in this matter.

 

“Lord Farrsolin’s testimony adds a further complication to this mess, as he is admitting that he was simply trying to manipulate Vinid and Erikell into attempting to destroy House Tekiel on their own, with his encouragement. According to Farrsolin, he was going to back Tekiel up, but Tekiel received no warning from Farrsolin, nor any show of support from Farrsolin. On the contrary, Farrsolin went to great lengths to contact various Houses to either secure their support in the destruction of Tekiel or their neutrality in the potential ensuing House War. Lord Artorius can verify that, as he swore neutrality. Lord Elariel might also be willing to verify that claim, as Farrsolin claimed at one point to have secured Elariel’s neutrality as well.”

 

“However, this isn’t about Farrsolin. I think we all know he’s guilty of something, whether that be Conspiracy to Commit Treason or some other charge. What I’m concerned about is Vinid and Erikell. I believe that when Lord Farrsolin contacted them, they jumped at the opportunity presented. They then contacted Lord Tekiel to “warn” him about the attack, hoping that Tekiel would trust them enough to ask them to defend his city from his attackers. But they had no intention of actually defending the city, which is made abundantly clear in Lord Vinid’s message to Lord Zerrung about “pulling a ninja move” and attacking Fadrex City with the attacking force. He even would’ve used Tekiel’s own army against him if he’d given him access to it. So why did they turn on the plot? It’s likely because he realized that TLR would be severely displeased with his General if that General used TLR’s own troops to attack one of the Lord Ruler’s cities.

 

“In fact, The Lord Ruler might’ve been displeased enough to lay waste to the entire Vinid House, utterly destroying that House (I have confirmation from Wyrm that this would’ve been the case, along with confirmation that koloss would’ve intervened on the attack and killed a great number of the opposing army. Fadrex City was never in any real danger from the opposing force, with or without Vinid/Erikell’s involvement). The Lord Ruler dislikes traitors, and I believe that the two switched sides to spare House Vinid and House Erikell from the wrath of the Lord Ruler. They then turned on House Farrsolin and all other Houses Farrsolin had named as allies, regardless of whether or not those Houses had actually offered any real support to him.

 

“While Lord Farrsolin may be guilty of conspiring against The Final Empire and against another Noble House, Lords Vinid and Erikell are equally guilty, despite their claims otherwise. They are traitors to the Final Empire and to the Lord Ruler, and the only reason they’re not on trial as well is because they are cowards of the highest order.

 

“I move that we acquit Lords Zerrung and Orielle of the charges laid against them. I also move that we charge Lords Vinid and Erikell with Extortion and Conspiracy to Commit Treason. Lord Vinid should have an additional charge of Perjury.”

 

Gwynne finished and sat calmly back in her seat, staring into the eyes of Cladent Vinid. She knew the man would contest her, but she didn’t care. She spoke the truth, and that was all that mattered. Even if Vinid and Erikell bribed or bullied their way into the conviction they sought, that wouldn’t change the truth. The Final Empire and the Noble Houses wouldn’t be safe until Houses Vinid and Erikell were punished according to their crimes. Gwynne knew that their antics wouldn’t end in this courtroom if they got what they were looking for. No, this would only be the beginning of their tyranny. Lord Erikell had already tried once to invoke the name of the Lord Ruler to give his words and actions additional power. If he’d done it once, he’d do it again, and who knew which House would be next? Gwynne wouldn’t let her House stand idly aside while someone used the Lord Ruler’s name, laws, and forces against His own Empire. His appointed General may be a traitor, but so long as Gwynne led House Wilson--and she hoped her daughter would follow suit--they were loyal to the Lord Ruler and the Steel Ministry, and they would oppose any who dared act against Him.

 

---

 

tl;dr version -- Farrsolin’s charges against Tekiel are a farce. All three of them were completed in the previous generation, and I believe the Statute of Limitations should only extend to the current generation. Beyond that, TLR already punished Tekiel for the marching through Luthadel. The Pyramid Scheme was the result of poor planning on Tekiel’s part, who didn’t realize that he’d gain wealth by making every House lose wealth. He did not discuss this action enough with Wyrm to realize its effects. The most he is guilty of is Negligence, and I highly doubt we want to criminalize that, since the vast majority of us would end up guilty of it at least once in future generations.

 

Erikell admitted he wasn’t always on Tekiel’s side. He tried to extort wealth and allomancers out of Tekiel for payment for protecting Fadrex City and House Tekiel, despite protecting a city of the Empire being the General’s duty (without payment) and House Erikell working under Vinid’s direction. The force attacking Fadrex was 160+ MP, which is far too strong for Farrsolin and Orielle alone, so Vinid and Erikell had to’ve been part of the attack.

 

Vinid and Erikell were only surrounding Fadrex so they could turn on the city and attack it. They were not protecting it. They changed sides when they learned that the attacking Houses would be crushed by TLR and Vinid would be utterly destroyed for completely going against their duties as General. They betrayed Farrsolin and are now trying Farrsolin and the Houses he stated were his allies, even though those other Houses weren’t actually involved in any attack (Orielle’s troops were under the control of Farrsolin and Zerrung didn’t give a single MP to Vinid).

 

Farrsolin is guilty of conspiracy to commit treason (or a similar charge), but Houses Orielle and Zerrung are not (nor is House Artorius, who remained neutral throughout this entire affair). Houses Vinid and Erikell are also guilty of conspiracy to commit treason as well as extortion and perjury.

Edited September 4, 2015 by little wilson

[Adamir]

An honest noble. Anders had to force himself to quell the fits of laughter threatening to burst free. Someone who wasn't aligned with either faction, and with no dealings with either faction. Someone who eviscerated the arguments of both factions equally; his own defense was splintered, with House Vinid's attack faring no better.

 

"Lady Wilson," he finally spoke up, "as a neutral party, would you care to recite Final Empire law under oath that your recitation is unbiased, whether to House Farrsolin or to Houses Erikell and Vinid? I temporarily rest all charges against House Tekiel; it is obvious that Lord Tekiel had nothing to do with this untimely court summons, and I bear him no ill will."

[Curious Anamaximder]

Rowan watched Lady Wilson give her statement, then stepped forward and said, " I, Lord of House Orielle, deny any claims made by House Vinid and Erikell against me, and accuse them of extortion and treason against the Final Empire. I also hereby accuse Lord Farrosolin of treason against the other Houses, and our beloved Lord Ruler. "

[little wilson]

"Lord Farrsolin, while I appreciate you saying I'm a neutral party, let me assure you that I am anything but. It's true that I've had no dealings with Houses Vinid, Erikell, or Farrsolin, but those are not the only parties involved in this matter. There is also the wronged party, and that is Tekiel. Your three Houses have used him in a way to suit your needs, caring naught one whit for him or his House but only your own selfish wants and needs.

 

"If you would like a neutral party to the Final Empire's laws, might I recommend our High Prelan, Lord Benedict? Who better to provide an unbiased recitation than the one who makes sure the laws are followed strictly?"

[Adamir]

"Objection. (Couldn't resist)  Benedict has ties to House Elariel, strongly allied with House Tekiel. Yes, Tekiel is the wronged party, I fully agree, but the slightest remaining fondness for his original House could tip his verdict. May I propose Lord Queade, for his tireless work in the legal system for the past two generations? I am willing to open Farrsolin mercantile records to prove that there has been no interaction between our two Houses, and I believe that he can be trusted to be fair to both sides based on grievances."

[little wilson]

"Lord Benedict cut ties with his House when he joined the Steel Ministry. The Lord Ruler doesn't allow for bias among his highest officials. Are you saying the High Prelan is biased?"

[Adamir]

"I am saying the High Prelan is only human, and that I had sent a request to Lord Queade long before you stepped into the Courtroom. With all due respect," Anders turned to Benedict and gave a short bow, "if we were to maintain a fair trial with High Prelan Benedict as judge, House Elariel would have to be legally silenced, and this would leave Lords Erikell and Vinid without a witness. If, on the other hand, House Elariel were not silenced, then I myself would be at a legal disadvantage. Blood ties are not so easy to break. I have had no dealings with Lord Queade, I swear on my non-existent honor and by the Lord Ruler's name."

[little wilson]

"Would now be a bad time to inform you that Soren Queade married Nienna Tekiel just a bit ago?"

[Adamir]

"It appears I have fallen behind in my knowledge of current events. House Elariel is bound by blood to House Tekiel, but I believe a man who has dedicated his life to the Lord Ruler's service can be trusted to explain the laws and their punishments equal to the crime."

 

ALL HAIL HIGH PRELAN BENEDICT, HE WHO IS NOT MARRIED TO A TEKIEL.

 

Edited September 4, 2015 by Adamir

[Haelbarde]

Casper Heatherlocke, with Gracia, his daughter, standing beside him, watched the proceedings, content to watch the others battle the issue out. As the discussion turned to whether there existed a neutral party, he nodded to himself as Lord Queade was suggested to be a suitable candidate. But when Lady Qwynne reminded those present of Quaede's recent union with House Tekiel, he felt it was time to speak his part. He slowly got to his feet (with the help of his daughter), and cleared his throat.

 

"If I may have a moment of your time?"

 

He waited until his request was granted.

 

"Thank you." He looked around. "Until recently, you may know I've kept to myself somewhat. Maybe some of you my think me to relatively neutral. Maybe. However, I do not think of myself as such, and I feel that I have existing biases that will make it challenging to keep objective in the face of justice. My daughter would fair better, but for the time being, it falls to me enter this discussion."

 

He looked over towards Lord Tyren Queade. "In the time I have known Lord Tyren, my brother-in-law, I have known him to be fair, and just, and I know that he would not allow his recent alliance with Tekiel to influence any decisions or opinions he had on the matter."

 

He paused, looking around before continuing on. "However, in interest of finding a neutral party, would any here object to Lord Heron? To my knowledge, though my memory is no longer what it was, he has had an interest in legal matters, and has kept himself relatively free from binding alliances, yet in spite of that, is a man for whom everyone here holds some degree of respect."

Looking around once more, Casper nodded, satisfied with what he had said. Returning to his seat, he waited to see what would happen

Edited September 5, 2015 by Haelbarde

[little wilson]

So I probed a little more into Farrsolin's request for a neutral party. Zerrung got a response and gave it to me. Here's the relevant piece from it:
 

My primary motives for requesting that Lady Wilson recite Final Empire law are because she has no direct connection to me or to the accusers. I will leave it to her to decide an appropriate punishment for the various crimes I, Lord Erikell and Lord Vinid have been accused of. The only fruit I reap from schemes is three stone walls, wooden bars and a courtroom summon.

Emphasis mine

 

Farrsolin's quest to find a neutral party is to obtain punishment, but we were not gathered to deliver punishment. We are here to discuss, attack, and defend each other to decide guilt or innocence. To quote Wyrm:

 

In the meantime, we have three players accused of treason and dragged to court, so why not let the players decide whether they are guilty? Until 6 PM on the 3rd of October, you may discuss, attack and defend each other verbally (preferably via RP). At the end of this Interlude, (or rather, just before), you may PM in a vote to me for each player, stating whether you think they are guilty or not on the charge of treason.

 

Attempting to find a neutral party from within the ranks of the Noble Houses only seeks to distract us from what we should be doing. Let's put this behind us and refocus on the task at hand: that of discussing the guilt or innocence of Farrsolin, Orielle, Zerrung, and the recent additions of Erikell and Vinid.

Edited September 5, 2015 by little wilson
lost half of my post

[Wyrmhero]

Benedict banged his steel gavel, calling for a brief moment of quiet. "To suggest that I am compromised in some way due to the circumstances of my birth is offensive, Lord Farrsolin, and does not endear me to you," the High Prelan stated from his chair. "It seems to me that you are not concerned with factual evidence, but more who thinks highly of you."

 

"When I joined to serve the Sliver, as when any go into his service, I was asked to forsake my House, to put duty before all else." He paused to take a glass of water, his throat starting to sound a little raspy at this point. He did not speak loudly either, but relied on the quiet and those burning Tin for himself to be heard. "Everyone else in this room has had constant dealings with the Houses called to here today. I alone am incapable of thinking about this in terms of allies, enemies and profits for my House," he added, a small sneer flitting across his face briefly.

 

"The new allegations levied at Houses Erikell and Vinid are more concerning than this though," Benedict continued. "I must admit to being shocked by the idea that anyone would ever consider waging open warfare on one of the Sliver's appointed and trusted governors. However, hearing that they may have been asked to do so by his own General is even worse. I will therefore be calling an extension to the trial, to contain as well as Houses Orielle, Farrsolin and Zerrung, the Houses Vinid and Erikell."

 

"Again, I will ask you all to vote on the matter of each of these Houses. If two-thirds of those who vote believe they are guilty, swift punishment will be incurred. If two-thirds call for not guilty, they will be left off lightly - Though all will still question their innocence for years to come, considering the nature of this case. If a verdict cannot be reached, either due to split votes or enough people abstaining, then they will be sanctioned against as a precautionary measure and to show what happens to those who attempt to circumvent the laws of The Final Empire in something akin to a treasonous manner."

 

So... lots happened over the week that I wasn't here. I'm glad to see a lot more RPing in the thread, which is good. To clarify how voting works: Each player may send in one vote per accused player - This vote may be for guilty, not guilty, or to abstain. A 2/3rds majority in either direction is required for a verdict. If that cannot be reached, the players will essentially be considering to be shifty and not entirely blameless, and a lesser punishment will be enacted.

[Gamma Fiend]

.............Can votes for this trial be bought/sold/bribed/extorted, etc.?.....
 

 

The Lady Urbain sat perched on the top level of the courtroom mezzanine. The handrails were gilded and carved with a majestic, scrawling design, with fine ebony leaves imprinted in a twirling fashion along the length of the rail. The seats were just as lavishly decorated, and with a fine velvet cushion that was actually comfortable. By the Lord Ruler, I might actually enjoy myself here! The trial below appeared to be amusing enough for now, as the accusers and accusees bickered back and forth, the debate not really seeming to go anywhere.

Smoke and ash, I swear this all seems familiar, she thought, frowning, swirling the glass of wine in her hand and taking a small sip. She knew she had never actually been in this building before, and putting people on trial required the drudgery of doing things, which didn't really suit her lifestyle. So she dismissed the idea and snapped her fingers, beckoning a servant forward as he plucked a grape off of the vine and fed one to her.

 

No, she was just going to sit back and enjoy the show, she decided, spitting the pit out. Although she did idly wonder if any of the guilty houses down there were responsible for the attacks against her house in the past. She took another sip of wine, and let the proceedings continue, uninterrupted.

[Wyrmhero]

.............Can votes for this trial be bought/sold/bribed/extorted, etc.?.....

 

Players make their own arrangements between themselves, remember? >>

 

Also, just to clarify - People cannot vote in their own trial

[Adamir]

Players make their own arrangements between themselves, remember? >>

 

Also, just to clarify - People cannot vote in their own trial

 

Does that mean being unable to vote on your own guilt/innocence, or being unable to vote on both yourself and other people called to trial?

[Mailliw73]

You can't vote on yourself.

 

I would like to call Lord Tekiel to the stand to testify that I, Lord Zerrung, was infiltrating this group that was planning to attack to report back to him. He can vouch for my good intentions as part of this group. I never sent any form of help, in weapons or armies, or even plans, to the group composed of Vinid, Farrsolin, and Erikell. 

 

Vinid, do you have anything to say for yourself?

[Wblk]

"It would seem that Lord Vinid has no defense to offer for himself at this time. I suggest that we move this case faster, anyone who has anything to say should just say it. Clean and simple. At the end of this we can each analyse all statements and cast our vote."

[Orlok Tsubodai]

Lord Tekiel rose, and took the witness stand once more. He was glad for the opportunity to acquit Lord Zerrung - whose warnings and aid had proven invaluable in preparing the defence of Fadrex City.

“Esteemed Lords, Ladies of the Empire. Lord Zerrung is innocent of all wrongdoing in this affair. He has been in constant communication with Lady Wilson and myself, and indeed, not only did he warn me about the existence of the plot, he freely, without incentive, warned me of the intentions of Lords Vinid and Erikell, allowing countermeasures to be taken to mitigate the threat of an attack by the combined forces of Farrsolin, Orielle, Vinid and Erikell. Not least among these preparations was the acquisition of a set of Ironbows from Lord Zerrung, granted on credit to my House, as I could not spare the actions to accept a contract. These actions speak for themselves. No Lord intending to act against my House would provide me weapons to use against the gathered opposition, without taking immediate payment. Had he been intending to march, he would have known that I would have identified his men amongst the attackers, and had reasonable grounds to refuse payment."

 

I attach here the transcript of the communications Lord Zerrung has had with myself and Lady Wilson, which will allow you to corroborate for yourselves his innocence in this affair.

Edited September 13, 2015 by OrlokTsubodai

[Mailliw73]

Erikell and Vinid, should we take this lack of rebuttal as a willing defeat?

[little wilson]

Silence reigned as the court waited. Seconds passed, then minutes, as Lord Vinid refused to respond. A few quiet coughs sounded as the hour mark approached; had Vinid fallen asleep? But no, he sat still in his seat, seeming to shrink down and hope he remained unnoticed. Erikell was nowhere in sight, apparently having slipped out at some point earlier in the proceedings. An hour of near silence became two before Lord Zerrung attempted to refocus the court, unable to stand the bemused quiet.

 

Gwynne listened to Zerrung raise that Vinid and Erikell’s silence must be an agreement to their guilt, and while she agreed, she couldn’t help but note that Zerrung was missing a few key points. When Zerrung stopped and silence fell over the courtroom once again, Gwynne stood. “Thank you, Lord Zerrung, for trying to get this trial back on course. I agree with you that Vinid and Erikell’s continued silence is tacit agreement of their guilt, but I fear it is also an attempt to ignore the charges placed against them in hopes that everything will blow over and they’ll be able to escape this farce of a trial with merely a slap on the wrist rather than the harsh punishment they deserve.

 

“I’d like to address the other Houses--the ‘neutral’ Houses, so to speak. The Houses who aren’t directly involved. Some of you might not want to take sides in this matter. You might be thinking that simply not voting would be better than voting one way or the other. However, if you abstain from voting, you are taking a side. A no vote is the same as a vote of Not Guilty. It’s practically a vote of acquittal. By abstaining from voting, you’re taking Vinid and Erikell’s side. I understand if you’re uncertain of their guilt. They’ve not defended themselves through their own words; you only have the accusations of other Houses levied against them. Think about this though: if the charges are true, and they’re not sufficiently punished for their actions, what do you think they’ll do after this trial? Do you think they’ll continue? Their parents attacked a House unprovoked, simply because they were bored and wanted a little fun. They themselves furthered their parents crimes by planning an attack on one of The Lord Ruler’s own cities, against his chosen Steward. Their antics are getting bigger, and that is a trend that I think we will continue to see. Who will they hit next? The obvious target--Tekiel? Possibly. One of his defenders, like my own House or House Zerrung? Also possibly. Or they could go for an unsuspecting target--someone they deem will be easy to exploit. One of you.

 

“You can ignore the threat they pose to the Noble Houses and the Final Empire right now and continue to wait until they’ve struck again, or we can take action against them here and now, in this trial. We can punish them for what they’ve done and that punishment will deter them from seeking to further harm our House and The Lord Ruler. As long as they feel they have free reign to act as they please without fear of retribution, they will continue to use their power against us. Against all of us. I ask you all to vote Guilty when the time comes.”

 

---

 

I know there are Houses that wish to remain neutral in this. But what I’ve said above is true. You’re not neutral if you abstain from voting. You are taking a side.

 

Each player may send in one vote per accused player - This vote may be for guilty, not guilty, or to abstain. A 2/3rds majority in either direction is required for a verdict. If that cannot be reached, the players will essentially be considering to be shifty and not entirely blameless, and a lesser punishment will be enacted.

 

That ⅔ is based on all the players. If enough of you abstain to create a ⅔ majority for abstaining, they’ll get off with very little in terms of punishment (probably. I’m not actually sure what Wyrm is going to do with an abstain majority). And if a ⅔ majority isn’t reached, they’ll escape with a lesser punishment, and I guarantee that that lesser punishment will not be severe enough to deter them from further actions. As for who those actions will be against, I’ve no idea, though I have my guesses.

 

Now, if you don’t feel you’re likely to be a target of their attacks, you might be disinclined to vote against them. If you’re not allied with a House that is likely to be attacked, you have no motivation. Except this: Vinid and Erikell are only loyal to themselves and each other. Alliances matter not to them. After all, Vinid is the General of the Lord Ruler’s armies. Who would dare oppose her? They don’t have to worry about petty alliances when they can trust each other implicitly because they’re siblings. I doubt they’re focusing much at all on forming alliances and much less on even keeping alliances. And the alliances other Houses have matter even less. After all, Tekiel was able to muster a force of 50+ MP by the end of Gen 2 to retaliate against Erikell for Erikell//Vinid’s attack on Keep Tekiel. I’m not going to lie--some of my own forces were in that number. I also had troops at Fadrex. I’m not the only one either. Tekiel has allies, and Erikell and Vinid know it, even if they don’t know who. But they don’t care. Because they have the bigger force. They’re the biggest bully on the playground and they’ve no problem throwing their weight around and forcing others to capitulate to their whims. If they come after you, will you capitulate? Will you want to? Or will you fight back?

 

If you wish to let them continue, abstain or go all-in with them and vote Not Guilty. If you wish to swear only to the tyranny of The Lord Ruler and no one else, vote Guilty. You leave yourself open to them if you do not.