[RPG] [FEI] Part 3: The Trial

[Samuel Knowlton]

(OOC: This is not official testimony but rather a personal meeting between 
Galiard and Fredrick. As such, though the bodyguards might spread a few 
rumors, it is unlikely that all the details would make it out as they have 
with earlier segments. This is broken up into RP from Fredrick, followed by 
RP from Galiard.)

(On the road between Ossaet and Semon)

A figure dressed in black steps onto the road in front of Galiard and 
hisguards as they travel. Respnding quickly, the guards weapons are drawn. 
Though the figure is armed, he does not draw himself, he merely laughs. 
Pulling back his dark hood, he bows to Galiard over the short distance.

"I am Sir Fredrick Stormreaver, my Lord. I felt it necassary to conceal 
myself as I crossed the border, make thing a little less problematic. Where 
would you like to carry on these preceedings?" His eyes then focus on 
Galiards guards and he shakes his head slightly and nods to their blades, 
"I'd put those away lads, even if I did mean you harm, they wouldn't do you 
any good. No man has yet bestest a Knight of Alanurs with a blade, and I 
doubt the two of you would be the first."

---
(From Galiard - written as a letter instead of RP, my mistake, so pardon the 
format)

"Good my lord,

 Welcome to Lasanar. That you have come all this way does you justice, 
though I suppose I should have our border guards flogged for not alerting us 
to your arrival.

You ahve caught me at an inopportune time -- there is some nonsense going on 
with a priestess of the Chaos Requiem attempting to have me removed 
(unsuccessfully) and I have also just been appointed Duke of Ossaet and am 
en route to Semon to appoint my successor there. You may travel with me, or 
else await my return, but we shall hopefully be able to conclude this 
business shortly.

At present, there is a considerable feeling here in Lasanar that you should 
be allowed to return. For better or worse, the High Court is not a populist 
institution and the decision I have to make is a legal one rather than a 
political one. To that end, I would put to you the following questions:

- Why, after all this time, did you seek to pursue this matter?
- Do you seek to become a true noble of Lasanar, willing, when so asked, to 
swear upon your family's honor to serve no other? Once again, why now?
- Knowing as you do the ideals of the Republic, what would you do in my 
place? What reason would you have for denying this request? How compare you 
your own charge of treason to that of Sarig's, and that again to the more 
recent Treason of Colasan and the Duchess Menelmereth?
- Do you consider Ser Sarig to be guilty of treason? Do you consider his 
treason to be different in magnitude than yours, and worthy of separate 
sentence, or do you consider your actions and his linked, such that to 
forgive one would be to forgive both?
---

Letter from Fredrick   (11 hours, 15 minutes ago)
(personal message to Galiard)

I will accompany you then, I came all this way to speak with you, I see no 
reason to wait around in Ossaet. As for your border guards, I wouldn't hold 
it against them, I manage to conceal myself fairly well when I wish to and I 
didn't exactly use the main roads... A priestess of the CR you say? What 
exactly is she trying to do?

To answer your questions, in order:

- It is true that is has been a long time since I was banned. With my new 
trading profession and the fact that Lasanar and Soliferum are allies, I was 
hoping to be able to travel the lands our of friends freely. It is hard to 
trade when the border guards (if they catch me) are looking for you. My 
family name is fairly well-known across the island and it makes it difficult 
to hide. I was simply hoping to be able to travel freely and lighten a 
weight upon my shoulders from so long ago.

- It is not my goal to re-join Lasanar, not at this time at least. I am a 
loyal Knight of Soliferum and have my duties there. Should I require a new 
home, however, this is where I would like to go.

- If I were you I'm not sure how I would feel. All I know is that what I 
did, I felt was for the good of Lasanar and it's people. I still believe 
what I did was correct, whether or not it worked out. In life you must 
follow your heart and your instincts, I do not feel I was led astray, my 
path was my own. What I think you need to decide is whether or not I 
genuinly care and have the best interests of Lasanar at heart and whether I 
did then.

- My case and the case of Lord Sarig cannot possibly be compared. While it 
was part of the same incident, it would bel ike comparing Gods to ants. 
While I was a part of his rebels, he was the one that knew what was going on 
above all else. I trully admired what he was doing and wanted to me much 
more like him. I was much younger and less experienced then, he was very 
charismatic and seemed to have the entire realm in the palm of his hand, or 
at least what he (and I) felt the realm should be. Should anyone have the 
best interests of the Republic in their hearts, it was him above all, I was 
nothing more than an inspired youth, but my goal was the same as his.

- I ask that you forgive my ignorance of the succession of Colasan. While I 
knew it was happening and there was some internal political strife over why 
and how, I only know what Prime Minister Conan passed along. I was not 
travelling as much then as I am now so I did not get as much information. 
Perhaps the Lady thought she was doing what was best for Lasanar, but taking 
a city is more likely treachory and treason than an act of helping anything. 
Unless the leadership of Lasanar is so twists that it needs to be taugh 
something I see no reason for that, and at a point like that it would 
warrent a rebellion, not dividing the relam into little pieces.

- One of the most important answers I think.... I do not consider Lord Sarig 
to be guilty of treason. Guilty of wanting what was best for Lasanar? Yes. 
Guilty of raising his voice and arms against a government he thought would 
do more damage and good for the people of Lasanar? Yes. He is also 
definately guilty of trying to do what he could to strengthen Lasanar and 
try to guide it with his best intentions. While many horrible things are 
done with the best intentions, I do not htink this was one of those 
"horrible" things. We are both guilty of the same thing, in spirit and 
prinicple at least. His actions and words were greater and had more 
magnitude, but the goal and desire put behind it all was the same. Should 
only one of us be forgiven, I would suggest it be him over myself as he was 
the first step forward, I just realized the truth of what he was doing and 
followed suit. This does not make him more guilty, it just means he saw it 
first and did more to help and attain the goal. Were things like they are 
now, with the experience I have, I likely would have done what he did.

I do hope that helps to clarify and I am more than willing to answer any 
more questions as wel walk.
---

Letter from Galiard
(personal message to Fredrick)
My lord,

Your answers are more or less as I expected them. Your case would be 
stronger were you actually trying to re-join Lasanar, by the way, as the 
truth of falsehood of your motives and your character should quickly become 
apparent to everyone here.

I loathe having to ask you this final question, but are you, in fact, a 
trader? If I employ the agents at my disposal to investigate you, here and 
now, will they discover caravans of food, or simply a man with a cloak, a 
false identity and a knife?

You have been honest thus far, but it is the entirety of my professional 
reputation I should be putting on the line for you if I end this sentence. I 
enjoy a certain popularity here in Lasanar (less as of late, having just 
banned the Chaos Requiem priestess, whom I shall tell you more of in a 
moment). but some may see ending your exile or Sarig's as a personal means 
of atonement for having executed three nobles, rather than my duty as Grand 
Justiciar -- they will say 'do not fix what is not broken.'

But the Court is not governed by the people. This perplexes me, as I rose to 
this position on the shoulders of a man who would have me make permanent 
your judgment - of Milan. I do not govern as he does, but he is a friend of 
my family, inasmuch as men like myself have friends.


Sir Galiard
Grand Justiciar of Lasanar, Duke of Ossaet
---

(continued in next msg)