Cursebreaker | 21 - The Trial of Englebert F.F. Wisherspoon
Last time on cursebreaker. Holly awoke to some rude as hell visitors knocking on her door. 2 dwarves and a dozen flower sack automatons stormed into her home, demanding Snack's magic lamp and Uli's arrest. The house exploded into chaos. The flower boys searched the house and detained Bert, while the angry dwarves magically reduced Holly, enlarged themselves, and attempted to crush her.
Tim / GM:The house exploded again when Snack loosed a mighty thunder wave, and Holly conquered the dwarves with Uli and Tibio's help. For a moment, it seemed the trouble was over. Then Bert disappeared. So, everybody's positions last we left off. Bert had just disappeared.
Speaker 2:Bert actually dropped the scarf Yeah. When he got
Thomas / Guy:Oh, that's right. Yes. Yes.
Speaker 2:Which I would like to pick up.
Tim / GM:Okay. Yeah. So, Ooby, you are currently altered as the the Scottish maiden
Speaker 4:His scarf lady.
Tim / GM:That produced that scarf. Yeah. Holly, has just been hurt pretty bad, in the basement, which is she's with, Tibia Van Ueli. Snack exploded the stairway in Holly's home.
Tara / Journey:Classic.
Tim / GM:Kind of leaving that, the connection of upstairs and downstairs in pieces. And then 2 dwarves are currently slowed and are trying to escape up the stairway, running kind of in tandem, in slow motion.
Hannah / Eryn:Well
Tim / GM:Holly's front door has been exploded. The stairs have been exploded. There's flour everywhere, and all of the polymorph captives are still in the basement just watching this go down. Brax kind of stands up. He was, sitting on the, workshop table for most of this altercation, and he kinda points at the doors going up the stairs.
Tim / GM:And he says, what are we supposed to do with them? And, where where'd Bert go? Please don't tell me that was a summons.
Speaker 2:I think it was a summons.
Speaker 4:Why would he get summoned right now? I thought his trial was not until Sunday.
Speaker 2:Did he did he go talk to that judge he was gonna talk to yesterday?
Hannah / Eryn:Maybe they moved up his court date.
Speaker 4:How would we find out? Are we all here?
Speaker 7:Snack is, like, covered in, flour and, is like coughing and makes his way to where the stairs are supposed to start. Bert said something about trial being today now.
Speaker 4:Cool. Cool. Cool. Cool. If that's the case, Brax, we need to get you to the courts so that we can prove that he is innocent.
Tim / GM:Yeah. I I agree. I I feel like I'm kind of a irrefutable witness, and I think that might be why they're trying to pull this crap.
Hannah / Eryn:Where where do we go?
Tim / GM:3rd floor, tower of law. That's where we need to be.
Speaker 2:I feel like we should maybe disguise you first.
Tim / GM:Yeah. Maybe for the time being, that's a good idea. I don't suppose you have any extra, like, loads of flour here.
Speaker 7:And I throw some flour on him. Nobody can recognize him if he's covered in flour and water too, and then it gets thick.
Tim / GM:Any alternatives to human bread?
Hannah / Eryn:Yeah. I have a few things. Holly just rummages around real quick to try to find something.
Speaker 2:In the basement? Disguise montage. Hey, Holly.
Hannah / Eryn:Yeah. We gotta take care of these doors.
Speaker 2:I just want to apologize before you go upstairs.
Speaker 4:Wait. Who are you?
Speaker 2:Oh, I dropped the alter self.
Speaker 4:Oh, Uli, why were you? Was that the scarf woman?
Speaker 2:Yeah. I don't know. It just kind of popped into my head. Should we deal with the dwarves? Yes.
Speaker 7:Would it make you sad, Tibia, if we murdered them?
Speaker 2:Yes. Remember the promise you made?
Speaker 7:That was for one day. It is a new day now.
Tim / GM:From near the top of the basement stairs, you hear, we're almost out. Keep going.
Speaker 2:I'm gonna go grapple them.
Hannah / Eryn:It's like we got some rope. I think I have some around here somewhere.
Speaker 2:You got rock rope?
Speaker 7:Yes. Snack comes down with his rock rope and wraps them up into, like, a figure 8, and then says, rock rope, and then it hardens. And now they're, like, in tandem roped.
Tim / GM:You like Yeah. You tie them up, easily. There's almost no resistance, with the They're kind of moving in slow motion. You, bind the rope around them and then set them down. And then, you see one of the doors, turn to the other one, and it says, quick, they almost have us.
Hannah / Eryn:Gotta love slow.
Tim / GM:The the spell fades and they go,
Speaker 2:Can they be summoned?
Speaker 4:Do they have tattoos?
Speaker 2:I assume so.
Tim / GM:Yeah. You check their hands and they both do.
Speaker 4:Okay. I think we should bring this whole mess to the courts.
Tim / GM:Yeah. The 12 or so people that are also in the basement that were freed from polymorph just go, all all of us?
Speaker 2:The the more evidence, the better, I think.
Hannah / Eryn:We need your help. To save our friend, we need the voice of the people. And you are the people, aren't you?
Tim / GM:Yeah. But I don't wanna get in trouble though.
Speaker 4:Do you?
Tim / GM:It sounds like you guys are in trouble, and I don't wanna be a part of it.
Speaker 4:This whole city is in trouble. Don't you know that what has happened to you has happened to so many others? Look around you at all of these Of course, the courts are corrupt, but it's not my fault. I had to tell everyone you know.
Tim / GM:Of course, the courts are corrupt, but it's it's not my fault. I didn't do that.
Speaker 4:It's not your fault, but this is the city where you live in. It is your responsibility to change it.
Hannah / Eryn:How many have you of you have lost somebody because of the corrupt system?
Tim / GM:You see, like, about half the room, like, raise their hand, And, you see one of the people that's raising their hand, has a curse breaker tattoo on the underside of their left arm. And, they step forward and say, a few of us here, a lot of us here are are curse breakers. And we've been hit by this harder than anybody else. I don't mean to make assumptions, but I think it's true. Those of you who are just victims of circumstance, you are free to go and live your lives and not be a part of it, I suppose.
Tim / GM:But but we do. We have an obligation to help. Don't we? And, he looks down at Samantha Barrow and she nods, and they look at Brax and he nods.
Speaker 2:Who are you?
Tim / GM:My name's, Orb Oh, Orb. Dawson. I'm Orb Dawson. I'm a curse breaker. I I met, Margo Bingo, and she introduced me to Ben Blanc, and and here I am, proud to be 1.
Speaker 2:We might need you then. I think we should send word to Ulrich.
Speaker 4:I think we should send word to everyone. If we need the people to support Bert's claim, if we need the people to stand up against the cuts, we need everyone in the city to know.
Speaker 2:I I think that's a good idea. I'm really reluctant to leave you guys alone.
Hannah / Eryn:We're not alone.
Speaker 4:We're going to run to the courts. If you get your brother and meet us there, we can stop along the way to gather as many as we can. Mhmm. I
Speaker 2:I'll go do that then. Are you guys will be fine?
Hannah / Eryn:We'll be okay? Will you be okay?
Speaker 2:I think I think so.
Tim / GM:Uli, before you go, I if gotta tell you guys something. Everybody, listen close. Okay. I did a fair amount of digging on these judges before I got got. Those judges have more magic than they know what to do with.
Tim / GM:I've been suspicious of them for a while. One time I tried to analyze the magic around Tonberry without him knowing. It shattered my diagnostic wand, which means he has more access to magic than the tool was meant to measure, more magic than anyone should have. I looked into it more and discovered that the judges were abusing the fountain of magic, and then some.
Speaker 2:What a surprise. Do you think they have constant access to it even if they're not in proximity?
Tim / GM:I think they still have to go there. That's their one limitation. But it's not hard for them. Tonberry, he's got the biggest spell book, sure. But Malboro, he's the best portal mage Tildry's ever seen.
Tim / GM:And Judge Flan? She's a flame savant. She literally can't do anything that isn't fire magic. Listen, we need to get me to the court so I can testify. Who knows how long Bert has left?
Tim / GM:There's a good chance some of you might get summoned too, and he looks around the room at each of you and some of the other people. Be ready for that. They're usually savage bastards in arbitration. It's gonna be tough to get the people's vote in Bert's favor. At this point, he's gonna need everybody.
Tim / GM:300 out of 300. Do you think we have enough evidence?
Hannah / Eryn:Holly holds out his her horoscope, and she's like, I tried to get what I could on here. I don't know if it's enough.
Tim / GM:Let me see what you got.
Hannah / Eryn:She shows it to him. She's got a recording of the dwarves.
Tim / GM:Yeah. He he watches the the video, and he sees the dwarf that you recorded kind of, take a step back with this scuffed up, maybe bloodied war hammer, saying that he's just serving a warrant. He says, yeah. That's incriminating. They're not allowed to get violent.
Tim / GM:What else you
Hannah / Eryn:got? The other 2 are more personal, but a waterfall clearing of people relaxing, and we found a magic box.
Thomas / Guy:You just showed him
Tara / Journey:phone videos.
Hannah / Eryn:And then Bella Belmont's interview outfit that I made.
Tim / GM:Okay. Well, yeah. The first one, that should help.
Speaker 2:Yeah. I I have word-of-mouth evidence from my sister that she was gathering information about all of us to feed to the judges.
Tim / GM:Oh, wow. Who's your okay. Yeah. That's gonna help.
Speaker 2:She didn't know she was doing it for the wrong reasons, if that helps.
Speaker 4:But she knew she was working for Tonberry when she started working for the 1st fizzle.
Speaker 2:I don't know where she is currently, but I am sure I could find her.
Tim / GM:Oh, could we have her summoned if there's, like, a chance for us to bring witnesses?
Speaker 2:Can you summon?
Tim / GM:Well, no. But if you request it, the judges will.
Speaker 2:They think she's dead.
Speaker 4:That's perfect. If we ask Malboro to summon her, he has to, and the other judges will think she is dead.
Tim / GM:Yeah. That's gonna come out of left field. That that's good.
Speaker 2:That is that's really good.
Speaker 4:That's perfect.
Speaker 2:I I could be like, summon my sister, and then it'd be like, oh, we can't for some reason, but we don't know why. But really, they think they murdered her. Mhmm. That's really cool.
Speaker 4:Holly, can you track down Marco Bingo and the rest of the curse breakers?
Hannah / Eryn:Yeah. Definitely. And all of the guild people?
Tim / GM:Yeah. It's good to have people behind us, but it's really only the 300 that are, you know, in the court that matter.
Hannah / Eryn:How do they pick those 300?
Tim / GM:They say it's, you know, random selection.
Speaker 4:Don't their families live in the city?
Tim / GM:If they
Speaker 7:threaten their families
Hannah / Eryn:No. Pressure from the outside.
Tim / GM:Rex just points to snack.
Speaker 4:But, yes, we need to bring the city in, and the 300 will see that the city is behind them.
Speaker 2:If we storm the courts with people to put in those seats, what who's to stop them?
Hannah / Eryn:I don't know about if we'll be able to do that with just the magical protections. But if we have a protest outside, hopefully, the 300 witness that
Speaker 4:as well. Know. Yes.
Hannah / Eryn:That they have the city behind them.
Speaker 2:There's a lot of pressure.
Hannah / Eryn:It's okay. You know, if we do it together, I I think we just might be able to come out okay.
Speaker 4:We save lamplight landing. We can save 2 or 3.
Speaker 7:Holly, there's one thing I wanted to tell you about. Bert used this powerful spell and he exploded all the flower people and wrecked your house, I think.
Hannah / Eryn:Yeah. It was
Speaker 2:it was definitely all Bert.
Speaker 7:I'm deeply sorry. I hope this doesn't change our mission to save him.
Hannah / Eryn:That's okay. It's it's fine. I'm really good at mending things.
Speaker 7:Yeah. I don't think we should address him directly because he might feel bad and get defensive. So just we'll let it be. Right?
Speaker 4:What happens
Hannah / Eryn:in battle stays in battle.
Tim / GM:Right.
Speaker 4:Exactly.
Hannah / Eryn:Real quick, Holly is going to while they're making plans and everything, Holly is gonna look around for the chameleon that the genie was like, oh, it's just a chameleon, and didn't transmute back. I'm guessing it's still in the basement here hanging out. Yep. Holly is gonna scoop him up and just say, hey, little guy.
Tim / GM:It's it's so familiar to you.
Speaker 2:You get to just keep having a chameleon.
Hannah / Eryn:Yeah. And so Holly is going to, be like, you're gonna come with me now. Okay? We'll get you some food. And she puts them in her apron pocket.
Hannah / Eryn:And this one's a real damn chameleon. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Are you gonna keep calling it Henri? No. Henri too.
Tim / GM:Okay. Well, the biggest thing working against us right now is time. I have no idea if they're already in arbitration or if Bert's just being held or what. So this is it. We got our marching orders.
Speaker 4:Let's go. Let's go.
Tim / GM:Let's do it.
Speaker 2:As I'm going to find Ulrich, I would like to use the mirror again.
Tim / GM:Oh, okay. What, what expression do you make into the mirror?
Hannah / Eryn:Can you remind us what the mirror is?
Speaker 2:So I have a mirror that I can look at it and kind of see what might happen. It's like a hypothetical thing. But if I say, what if I were you? I can switch my personality for a day. Okay.
Speaker 2:So
Thomas / Guy:Looks like they took a lot of Benadryl. Yeah.
Speaker 7:So
Speaker 2:I'm gonna, like, skip through it, through all my, like, possible options for how the day will go while I'm walking.
Tim / GM:Okay.
Speaker 2:Like, what if I do this? What if I do that? And then I go, what if I were you and I pick the most chill Uli I can find? Okay. Just like calm, breezy Uli.
Tim / GM:Okay. Yeah. You, you suddenly don't feel so rushed, and then you kinda remember that you are under the gun, but you could take it easy. Everything's gonna be fine.
Speaker 2:That it's great. Alright.
Tim / GM:Alright. Yeah. You you actually kinda, like, stop in the street and your your gait changes, like, entirely.
Speaker 2:I just start loping.
Tim / GM:Yeah. You're walking perfectly to the beat of superstitious. Meanwhile, in the second court of Tildrey. Bang bang. We probably can't keep that.
Tim / GM:The court chamber is a long hall with high walls on either side that open to a large circular floor. It's surrounded by circular tiers of seating, all finely crafted wood. In the center, there are 2 podiums and 2 benches. Bert is sitting at one of these benches. Looking forward, most of what you see around you, Bert, is shadow.
Tim / GM:A few moments ago you saw people settling into the benches, but even then it was so dim that you couldn't make out a single face. Now the lights have completely gone out for you and only you in the center of the room. You can see the judges and anybody that's on the stand and they can see you. In fact, everyone in the room can see you all the time. You're just not allowed to see those who are passing judgment on you.
Tim / GM:You see Tonberry take his seat and he sort of illuminates as he does. And then you see Malboro and Flan sit on his left and right. Inglebert Wisherspoon. Your crimes include unauthorized use of magic while under investigative probation, including the suggestion spell, guiding bolt, and non detection, all exceedingly suspicious. How do you plead to these charges?
Thomas / Guy:Let's go with not guilty.
Tim / GM:His grin just kind of doubles when you do that. He says, you additionally have been charged with conspiracy to cover up the murder of Samantha Barrow. How do you plead to these charges?
Thomas / Guy:That one's definitely a not guilty.
Tim / GM:His grin doubles again and his head explodes.
Thomas / Guy:Got him.
Tim / GM:And finally, you face charges for the murder of Brax Minnow. How do you plead?
Thomas / Guy:Oh, Brax. I still gotta go with not guilty.
Tim / GM:He rolls his eyes and closes the book he was looking into and he says, perfect. Your sentence amounts to 125 years of imprisonment in service to the city of Childri with an alternative of execution. Finally, you have the option to call upon the people of Tilderie. In your case, with a jury of 300 civilians, you must receive a unanimous vote of 300 to be found innocent. What do you choose?
Thomas / Guy:I briefly turn around and wave. Your honor, I would love to hear the voice of the people on this matter.
Tim / GM:Very well. We will call our witnesses to testify, and then you may call your own. At the conclusion of the examination, your judgement will be dealt. He, stands up and disappears again. And, you see the lights raise enough that you can see motion.
Tim / GM:And, so, like, this is a little bit of, like, an intermission before things begin in earnest. A little time has passed with everyone else. What is everybody kind of settling into for where they wanna be when this all goes down?
Tara / Journey:Tibia's intention is to take Brax and Samantha to the court on foot and bring the dwarves along.
Speaker 7:Snack is going with Tibio for that.
Tara / Journey:One thing I didn't address was maybe we should bring the horoscope.
Hannah / Eryn:I'll be there soon. I'll I'll go the same way just picking up the people from the guild. So yeah.
Tim / GM:So there there is, like, standing room, in this court. So you guys, anybody who wants to be could be present for the entire proceeding. None of you will be counted among the 300.
Speaker 2:Okay. I want to gather my brother and his gang Mhmm. Of farmers. Okay.
Hannah / Eryn:Yeah. Oh, go ahead.
Tim / GM:No. Go ahead.
Hannah / Eryn:Oh, Holly, gathers the guild members, including Margo Bingo, and then, Rosemary and Ivy from her shop and Nina.
Speaker 4:And Benjamin.
Hannah / Eryn:And Benjamin. Yep. All the people and all of their friends and tries to just gather anyone that's around. Okay. And bring
Tara / Journey:me basically ask all the basement people who weren't coming to court directly with us to, like, spread the word.
Tim / GM:Okay. Yeah. So, Uli is probably the last to arrive, being that she had the farthest to go. And when you get there, Uli, it's hard for you to get to the building. There is a crowd building around the outside of the tower of law, and that a lot of them are now on the bridges, just kind of in support of what's going on here.
Tim / GM:However, you, and Ulrich and a small handful of his, most trusted, allies, probably people who are on his triathlon team, are kind of pushing their way into the building.
Speaker 2:I definitely wanted him to gather the people he was going to overthrow the government with.
Tim / GM:Yeah. He's got them.
Speaker 2:Okay. You said a small handful of his most trusted.
Tim / GM:Yeah. I mean, he like, everybody's there, but, like, not everybody can push their way into the building.
Hannah / Eryn:Okay.
Tim / GM:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I'm gonna start pushing my way through the crowd and be like, hey. Did you hear the government's, like, super corrupt? Oh my god. I think they have a guy on trial for a murder he didn't commit. Did you know that judge Flan likes to burn babies?
Speaker 2:Oh,
Speaker 4:my god. Jeez.
Speaker 2:God. That Tom Berry guy is the worst. Mhmm. And just, like, start sewing.
Tim / GM:As you're walking away, you hear somebody says, Judge Flan burnt a baby. And someone's like, Judge Flan has burnt 50 babies this year. And somebody says, kill Judge Flan where she stands. Kill Judge Flan where she stands.
Speaker 2:I'm also tongue hurry. Yeah.
Tara / Journey:Does Snack hear this? Uli is actively rabble rousing. Yes.
Tim / GM:Snack and Tibeo are a little more inside the building, but you can hear this chanting from outside. And you hear, Kel Flan where she stands. Kel Flan where she stands.
Speaker 2:Or maybe put her on trial.
Speaker 7:Snack is struggling to stay seated with all this excitement. Oh my god.
Speaker 4:But I
Speaker 2:I love a good riot, so I'm just, like, yelling and pushing people. And I'm I'm basically starting a
Speaker 7:mock up.
Hannah / Eryn:Chill ooied.
Speaker 2:Yeah. No. I'm having fun with it.
Tim / GM:Okay. Gotcha.
Speaker 2:Like, I I have my directive in mind.
Tara / Journey:So I I hear people talking about killing Flan and that mildly upsets me and I want to reroute this protest Mhmm. Out of riot and into protest. Mhmm.
Speaker 4:I just keep shouting, stand up to Flynn. Stand up to Flynn.
Tara / Journey:And I hope that people catch on to that instead kill Flynn where she stands.
Speaker 2:Is it catching on?
Thomas / Guy:Stand by your man.
Tim / GM:A few people kind of that are closer to you are just like, stand up to Flan. And they kinda like turn around to the crowd and they're like, kill Flan where she stands. And then it kinda like meets in the middle and they're just like, kill stand up with Flan. Stand up to kill. And then the whole the whole thing just kinda falls apart and they look back into the building.
Speaker 2:Stand up to plant. Also, I wanna
Speaker 4:go, don't hurt Bert. Don't hurt Bert.
Tara / Journey:I dragged Snack and Rex and Samantha and the dwarves toward the courts.
Tim / GM:Okay. Yeah. You can you can see Bert from where you are now. It's not a comfortable spot that you found. You're kind of standing at the end of a bench, really towards the beginning of the building, but you can clearly see everything that's going on there.
Hannah / Eryn:Holly tries to just find Tibia and snack in the crowd and be close to them.
Speaker 2:Okay. Before I get anywhere near the building Mhmm. I would like to alter self
Thomas / Guy:Okay.
Speaker 2:To look like Ilya, but have a hood on.
Tim / GM:Okay.
Thomas / Guy:And then
Speaker 2:I go in.
Tara / Journey:As we're all standing there, when I see that the group is all together, I shout over the barricade, whatever.
Speaker 4:Mhmm. Excuse me. I am Bert's lawyer. I must be allowed to be present for the proceedings.
Thomas / Guy:Is that my legal counsel, Tibia?
Speaker 4:Yes, Bert. It is I, Your legal counsel.
Thomas / Guy:Surely I'm entitled to my own legal counsel.
Hannah / Eryn:Holly, produces a small thin briefcase and hands it to Tibio so that he looks more official.
Speaker 7:Where
Tim / GM:did you get the small, thin briefcase?
Hannah / Eryn:From my house. Okay.
Speaker 2:She has a private privacy.
Tim / GM:I
Hannah / Eryn:just brought it with me just so you know, I'm ready.
Thomas / Guy:That's a nuclear bomb. Yeah.
Hannah / Eryn:I'm ready for every outcome.
Tim / GM:That would be so sneaky if I gave it
Thomas / Guy:to you
Tim / GM:and you're like, there's a gun in the bridge. Use it, Tibia. There's a long pause when Bert requests his legal counsel. And, judge Tonberry, like, raises an eyebrow and looks back at judge Flynn. And judge Flynn, like, kind of like half smiles and shrugs like whatever.
Tara / Journey:This is a kangaroo court. Might as well let the zebras in.
Tim / GM:Pretty much. So, Margo Bingo is also close to the entrance of the building. Tibiyoshi kind of, like, looks you up and down before you go in, and then she, like, takes a thumb and, like, smooths down your hair a little bit. And then, she says, do a good legal.
Speaker 4:I will do my best.
Tim / GM:And, yeah. It gets real quiet when you, walk into the shadow zone.
Tara / Journey:I'm walking, like, really weirdly. Like, I'm doing too much arms.
Tim / GM:Yeah.
Tara / Journey:Front and back and, like, taking very high steps.
Tim / GM:Swinging the briefcase?
Tara / Journey:Yeah. I've got the briefcase in one hand, and I'm doing really tall bent elbows and, like, moving my whole, like, torso back and forth, and I've got my chin down too far. I'm very
Tim / GM:An animated stick, man.
Tara / Journey:I'm very proud.
Speaker 7:Okay. Is anyone taking Yeah. Taking bets? It's our betting booth.
Tim / GM:I don't think anyone on the jury is taking bets. Maybe some people that are closer to your group that are not, like, part of it. Okay. Yeah.
Tara / Journey:When I make my way up to Burt, I look at the judges
Speaker 4:and I say, a moment with my client, please.
Tara / Journey:And then I don't even wait. I just put a hand up and then I turn to Bert and I go,
Speaker 4:we have many witnesses. You can call whoever you want. We have
Tim / GM:You got them all?
Speaker 4:We have wax. We have cement though. We have, Ilia's summonable. We have the dwarves. Holly has her crystal.
Thomas / Guy:Oh, good work, Tibia. We might just pull this off after all.
Speaker 4:We have so many witnesses. You can call just everyone, except Oli. Does not have a stamp, but I don't think you need her.
Tim / GM:Yeah. That's why.
Speaker 4:That's why.
Thomas / Guy:Tevio, you're the best lawyer I've ever had.
Tara / Journey:I would hope so. We don't need another shot.
Thomas / Guy:Your honors, now that I've conferred with my legal counsel, may I be permitted to make an opening statement?
Tim / GM:One more time. Tonberry kind of references Flan, and they, just kinda, like, raise their eyebrows at each other, and they he says, please. Cool. People
Thomas / Guy:of Tildry, you've heard the charges laid out against me by the judges. Unlawful use of magic, conspiracy to murder, murder. These are all very serious charges and I hope to prove you of my innocence today. However, I realized there's 300 of you, and I have to convince all of you, not half of you, not 2 thirds, but all 300 of my innocence. And I know that's not easy, but I think that proving my innocence is not the most important job I have today.
Thomas / Guy:The most important thing I can do is to show you the truth about this town and the 3 people you see sitting in front of you. Think about your lives here in Tildrey. Think about the arts and the fires, the missing people, the murders.
Tim / GM:Keep it brief, mister Engelbert.
Speaker 2:Let them pack.
Tim / GM:Who is that?
Thomas / Guy:The inability to freely use magic, a gift many of us share here in children. Now I'm here on trial and frankly, I'm scared as hell that maybe I might not walk out of this. I ask all of you to consider your lives here and think about if you have the courage to do what's right. You there in the jury or anyone else who can hear my voice. And I try to look at where Malboro
Tim / GM:Yeah. He sits up straight.
Thomas / Guy:You may lock me up and throw away the key after all of this, but I hope you're at least receptive to doing what's right.
Tim / GM:Well, that was quite a speech. And I assure you, Bert, justice will be done. To that end, the city of Tilderie calls its first witness. Gatekeeper Jason Pigeon to the stand, please. He takes his gavel and slams it against the table and you see a little flash of blue and these kind of, almost like misty triangles kind of form over the, the pulpit.
Tim / GM:Is that where you testify? Yeah. Okay. And, a person you guys, I think, have all seen at some point or another appears there. Says, oh, that scared me.
Tim / GM:I didn't know it was gonna happen so abruptly. Mister Pidgeon, can you tell us, what have you known of this group of people, this Engelbert Wisherspoon and his cohorts? Well, I just met some of his friends that you identified. I think one of them no. 2 of them got the stamp, and then there was one who didn't.
Tim / GM:And, yeah. Yeah. There was one who really didn't want one. And I think the little guy, he was a kobold. He was really little and
Speaker 4:Objection. Relevance to my client.
Tim / GM:He's merely giving his testimony. He can speak
Speaker 4:About what
Thomas / Guy:My friends
Speaker 4:has nothing to do with my client. I have.
Thomas / Guy:Friends are not on trial here. I
Tim / GM:am. We wish to know more about the people you associate with, Bert. You may continue, mister Pigeon. I'm so sorry for the interruption. Yeah.
Tim / GM:Good job, W. Anyway, I was just gonna say I'm sorry because the Kobold I didn't stamp his hand so good, and I don't know, it kind of got sloppy and I'm not sure if it even works or I'm sorry. It's quite quite alright, mister Pigeon. What can you tell us about the character of the people you saw come through? He says, this seemed alright.
Tim / GM:1 of them one of them asked me how I was, and that was really nice.
Speaker 4:Excuse me, but, yes, that was me, and I hope that you are doing well.
Tim / GM:He he just gives, like, a half smirk, and he says, hey, That's quite enough, mister Pigeon. Thank you for your appearance today. Slam. And he slams the gabble to count.
Speaker 2:I'm gonna just grab Snack's hand now
Thomas / Guy:Okay.
Speaker 2:Before they attempt to summon him.
Tim / GM:Okay.
Speaker 2:Don't worry about it.
Speaker 7:Yes. Both of us will ambush them when they summon me.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Yeah. That's that's the idea.
Tim / GM:Let's see here. Next, witness we have. Oh, yes. Auk, the bugbear.
Speaker 4:Oh, bless you.
Tim / GM:Oh, it's a person's name. How rude. Auk, the bugbear, to the stand, please, and slams the gavel. You guys see a bugbear from which you previously bought a bottle of essence of midnight from. The bugbear is, kind of abruptly saddled into the seat and looks around sort of nervously.
Tim / GM:Mister Aug, what can you tell us about this group of people? You saw them purchase something from you. Yes? And he says, I did. And, what is it they purchased from you?
Tim / GM:They purchased 6 ounces of Essence of Midnight. I was very hungover at the time and I feel like I acted very much not myself.
Tara / Journey:Sorry to lose your love.
Tim / GM:I feel we may have swayed opinions of each other. Oh, no. Tell me, essence of midnight, if someone were to, say, slip that into someone's drink, what would happen? I assumed something terrible. It's deadly poisonous, but not very often used.
Tim / GM:That's quite enough from your testimony, mister Auk.
Speaker 4:I request a cast examination.
Tim / GM:If you must, please, keep it brief. Mister Ahl is a busy man.
Speaker 4:Yes. Thank you so much for your time, mister Ahl.
Tim / GM:Of course. And, again, let me apologize for how we met. I was very much not myself.
Speaker 4:No. You were perfectly fine. I'm so glad to see that you're in better spirits now. I only have one question for you.
Tim / GM:Yes.
Speaker 4:What are the most common uses for Essence of Midnight?
Tim / GM:Well, most people use it as a magical reagent. It works with glamorous and illusionary effects better than any other substance.
Speaker 4:So if, say, a cobbler was to purchase this essence, you would assume that it was for
Tim / GM:shoes. If the cobbler was a sort of magic cobbler, I suppose Let's
Speaker 4:say holy hyacinth, famed cobbler in Tildry. Perhaps. No more questions.
Tim / GM:And Og disappears immediately. Well done, Tabia.
Speaker 4:I've got your back.
Tim / GM:Let's see here. Just 1, 2, 3, 4, 4 more witnesses. Maybe a few more. Stylo cool mate to the stand, please. Dope.
Speaker 2:You're stealing too many good potential D and D characters.
Tim / GM:Yes. My name is Stylo Coolbait. I, I I led these fine people through a tour of the the 4 L Brewery. They were they were quite enthused. A great tour group, if not a little disruptive, but I think that Cubs shrub, that's quite enough.
Tim / GM:Just tell us, what exactly did they get up to while they were in the brewery? I I did lose track of one of them for a little bit, I'll be honest. But they came back for the end of it. I thought they just went to the bathroom. They said something about peeing, in the bathroom somewhere, so I think that's where they went.
Speaker 2:Not in the corner.
Tim / GM:Interesting. So fair to say, mister coolmates, that, this group, has a a pattern of deception. Would you say that's true? Hard to say. I potentially.
Tim / GM:I I don't know. I don't
Speaker 4:really Objection. This witness has no basis for presenting a baton as they only saw 1, if any, instances of deception.
Tim / GM:Sustained. And, Judge Tonberry kind of whips around to see Marlborough. Tonberry says, sustained very well. Thank you, stylocoolmate. Woo.
Tim / GM:He says, do I just exit out of here or do I and he just disappears. Next we have, G Quinn. A bouncer from the live life love laugh juice bar. Fire Genasi, appears in the stand and says, right. Forgot about this.
Tim / GM:What was this about again? You've seen these people before? Yes. But their clothing was much more fantastic when we met.
Speaker 4:Oh, thank
Thomas / Guy:you. Yes. Thank you.
Tim / GM:Tell us what happened that night when you saw them. Tell me what they did to you. Well, I I got sort of caught in the crossfire. Right? I did get knocked down.
Tim / GM:I'm not sure what hit me, but there was some grease involved and, I gotta say, it's a good thing I didn't burn the place down. That stuff is flammable. They're a rowdy bunch, but I think maybe they mean well.
Thomas / Guy:Sounds like, if anything, we're guilty of having too much fun at your establishment.
Tim / GM:That, I think, is the case. I mean, you guys know how to party, but and he just disappears.
Speaker 4:Objection. I would like to cross examine the witness.
Tim / GM:He reappears.
Speaker 4:Excuse me. Could you please tell me who employed you at that club?
Tim / GM:He's kinda, like, looking around. He says, woah. Really dizzy. Who employed me? Yeah.
Tim / GM:Frankie Fizzle.
Speaker 4:And how long did you work there?
Tim / GM:Oh, 3 3 and a half years.
Speaker 4:And did you notice any personality changes?
Tim / GM:Yeah. Like, a year ago or so. He got real serious, real about the business. He just kinda lost everything that was fun about him, but I stuck around. I like the place.
Speaker 4:Thank you for your time.
Tim / GM:Do I just wait for Next we have a victim of this group. Those of, faint heart may not want to hear this next tail. And you see Jinx appear in the seat. And, he's like got his arm in a sling and he's got like a big bandage around his head and, he's got like a crutch and he like, he goes, oh, oh, sorry. It hurts to sit down.
Tim / GM:Oh, and it hurts to breathe. Oh.
Thomas / Guy:Oh, boy. Here we go. Bullshit.
Tim / GM:Poor boy. Tell me, what did they do to you? Well, I was I was just having a great night at the 4 L Juice Bar and and I don't know, I was in one of the private rooms and they just happened upon me. They beat me mercilessly.
Speaker 4:Objection.
Tim / GM:Let's hear it.
Speaker 4:This witness is not telling the truth. I request that a truth spell be cast.
Thomas / Guy:I I got one if you need one.
Speaker 2:Zone of truth. Zone of truth.
Tim / GM:The court will contain itself. Zone of truth is permissible. Law majors. And, somebody comes by and pauses up a zone of truth. He says, like I was saying, I got hurt really bad that night.
Tim / GM:We fought. I lost, obviously. And they they took me back to their place, and they turned off my magic forever. And you can hear, like, a little, like, kind of like ripple through the crowd. And he says, don't don't feel bad for me.
Tim / GM:Just just make sure that justice is done today.
Thomas / Guy:Well, could you state your name for the court, please?
Tim / GM:My name is Jinx.
Speaker 4:And when we met, who were you pretending to be?
Tim / GM:Oh. Oh. The pain, it's coming back. And he you can see him look up towards judge Tonberry, and he says, we really mustn't trouble him longer than we need to. He's in so much pain.
Speaker 4:We know exactly how much pain he is in, but he must tell the truth.
Thomas / Guy:Can can you tell us more about this magic that supposedly was switched off?
Tim / GM:Oh. Oh. It just hurts so bad to even speak anymore at all.
Speaker 4:Oh, you know what? We can we can heal you. We can help with that so that you can answer my questions.
Tim / GM:Mister Tibeo, can't you please take pity on a poor, injured boy?
Speaker 2:Oh, I'd like to hear what he has to say.
Speaker 4:Yeah. Come on. Let him let your chick guy speak.
Tim / GM:Unfortunate. Can we silence the audience, please? A lawmage stands up and you just kinda see this blurry, like, go over the room. And, you guys can continue to speak. However, they can't hear you.
Tim / GM:Fuck. At the same time, your alter self, is now disappeared.
Speaker 2:Has it been an hour?
Tim / GM:No. It didn't wear off. The whatever they just did wiped it off. Shit. The witness is dismissed.
Tim / GM:This is uncalled for.
Speaker 4:I, turn to Bart and I say, we'll have to summon the, the Polymerft people to combat his testimony.
Thomas / Guy:Yeah. That one was a little bad for us, but I think we got it.
Tim / GM:Next we have Ilya Niss, an important witness indeed. She knows the party better than most. Could we summon miss Ilia, please? And, he kinda like stands up and does his, like, gavel thing and then he says, oh, something's gone wrong. I I can't seem to contact her.
Tim / GM:Tell me, mister Malboro, can you summon the dead to court? Malboro is staring at the floor and he shakes his head no. He says, do you mean to tell me that one of our most important witnesses has been murdered?
Speaker 2:I am screaming so loud right now.
Tim / GM:Says that is that is untenable. I'm I'm so sorry, people of the court. We must move on to our next witness.
Speaker 4:Objection. Please.
Tim / GM:There's been plenty of that, mister Tibio.
Thomas / Guy:Well, could you repeat that again, what you said about summoning dead people to court?
Tim / GM:Yes. We we can't summon the dead, as morose as that is.
Speaker 4:But Ilia is not dead.
Speaker 2:Uh-huh. I believe zone of truth is still up.
Speaker 4:It did get
Tim / GM:wiped Oh. When they silenced everything.
Speaker 4:Judge Marpereau, please try again to summon Ilya.
Tim / GM:Make a perception check.
Hannah / Eryn:5.
Tim / GM:Okay.
Thomas / Guy:Yeah. You're in court.
Tim / GM:Mel, Malbora, like, shrugs and looks at you and looks at Tonberry.
Thomas / Guy:It's it's alright, Tibeo. I think this will buy into our hands.
Speaker 4:Okay. We
Tim / GM:would like to call Milhouse Barrow. And you see, Milhouse Barrow up here in the stand. Bert, and look straight at you. Oh. Milhouse Barrow, you face a man who is charged with conspiracy to cover up the murder of your very daughter.
Tim / GM:I hate to put you through something like this, but tell me, what do you know of this man? What can you say to bring him to justice? And, he just kinda spends a while looking at you, and his eyes get a little glassy, and he says, it makes sense. He must have come by to enjoy our despair. I should have known that something was up when he was acting so strange.
Tim / GM:When we found them, they they claimed to have saved Nook, my son, from danger, but, I wonder if they were the danger. I I even made plans to meet up with Bert for lunch the day after, and I don't know. He never showed up.
Speaker 4:Oh. Oh.
Tim / GM:Maybe to be expected. Delphi. Says, mister Millhouse, I'm I'm sorry to have brought you here. And he just kind of nods his head, and he says, anything further you wish to say to mister Millhouse Barrow cross examination?
Thomas / Guy:I got this, Tibio.
Speaker 4:My client would like to speak.
Thomas / Guy:Please. Mister Barrow, I wanna thank you for all your hospitality when you let us stay at your house, and let me just say that I'm truly, truly sorry that you have been separated from your daughter for this long.
Tim / GM:He, like, kinda closes his eyes, and he's still kinda looking in your direction. He just, like, puts his head down and shakes it side to side. And he says, what's happening to this city?
Thomas / Guy:It's a great question, Millhouse.
Tim / GM:Can I leave?
Thomas / Guy:Before you let mister Millhouse go, would it be possible to bring another witness to the stand?
Tim / GM:You'll have your time for witnesses in a moment.
Thomas / Guy:Well, it'll be pretty good though.
Tim / GM:After we rest our prosecution, you may call your witnesses. We have not yet rested.
Thomas / Guy:Mister Baer, are you at home? I mean, before you got summoned here?
Tim / GM:Yeah.
Thomas / Guy:I know you have no reason to trust me, but I think it would be in your best interest to get back here
Tim / GM:as soon as you can. He kinda gives you, like, a questioning eyebrow, and then he looks at judge Tonberry and back at you, and Tonberry kinda takes the hammer, holds it up.
Tara / Journey:Tibia is nodding emphatically, agreeing with Bert.
Tim / GM:And he disappears. Next to the stand, we would like to hear from a local figure by the name of Holly Hyacinth. And Holly. The, the noise in the room changes dramatically from the silenced outer ring,
Hannah / Eryn:and My ears like pop. Pop.
Tara / Journey:Yeah. Bing.
Tim / GM:Kinda ringing as you sit down. And, he's already, like, partway through his first question when you're here and kinda returns to you and he says, true that you purchased Essence of Midnight known to be a poisonous drink.
Hannah / Eryn:Can you repeat the question? Sorry. I I missed that first part.
Tim / GM:The witness will pay attention. Is it true that you purchased Essence of Midnight known to be a poisonous drink?
Hannah / Eryn:In my cobble shop, we use Essence of Midnight in order to enchant objects. And so, I regularly purchase Essence Essence of Midnight in order to complete my work. Many of the elite in Tildry are wearing some of my pieces, probably at this very moment, that contain Essence of Midnight. So, yes, I do purchase it.
Tim / GM:So what you're saying is you have a good excuse to purchase Essence of Midnight?
Hannah / Eryn:I don't need an excuse. It's a business reason. You can check my ledgers.
Tim / GM:Very well. Is it true that you've allowed another vendor to sell from your store violating the zoning laws of Tildrey?
Hannah / Eryn:Yes. I was not aware of the zoning law that I couldn't invite a vendor to show their own wares in my storefront.
Tim / GM:I mean, how do you suppose we
Speaker 4:Objection.
Thomas / Guy:May I ask what authority it is who enforces the mercantile zoning laws here in Tildrey?
Tim / GM:The Chamber of Commerce, of course. From the Tower of Commerce. Oh, cool. We don't have a Tower of Commerce.
Hannah / Eryn:It's really small.
Tim / GM:The, yes. The the Tildrey Council of Commerce.
Speaker 2:The warehouse of commerce.
Tim / GM:That would be the warehouse of commerce, of course.
Thomas / Guy:And is it not the local, commerce guild that agrees to these rules and helps enforce it?
Tim / GM:That is true in some cases.
Hannah / Eryn:I had permission from the guild master, Margo Bingo. She was there when Mina came.
Tim / GM:Would that be, known deviant and occasional outlaw, Margot Bingo?
Hannah / Eryn:Margot is the head of the crafting guild.
Tim / GM:Well, the city isn't in control of who gets to run guilds, so I suppose it could be just any old rebel. Take that back. Holly Hyacinth, is it true that you infiltrated the Live Life, Love Laugh Juice Bar and assaulted Frankie Fizzle who is now missing?
Hannah / Eryn:If going to the club at night in some fabulous Holly Hyacinth originals is a crime, well, arrest me, sir Judge.
Tim / GM:Crowd goes fucking
Hannah / Eryn:wild. But, yes, I did attend the 4 l Juice Bar, club. However, Jinx was disguised as Frankie Fizzle, which I quickly learned, after requesting a meeting with him.
Tim / GM:I regret that our zone of truth has faded. I, I wish it had been empowered when Holly made that statement just now.
Hannah / Eryn:Well, we didn't let Jinx finish testifying, and he refused to answer the questions about what his disguise was. So
Tim / GM:Jinx was in much too much pain to continue testifying. He's allowed to leave for such reasons. Well, then his entire, He's allowed to leave for such reasons.
Hannah / Eryn:Well, then his entire, testimony should be void if he can't answer all the questions.
Tim / GM:He answered the questions that he had the strength to answer. Mhmm. Miss Holly Hyacinth, has Bert ever mentioned his trial or Samantha Barrow?
Hannah / Eryn:Yes. Both.
Tim / GM:In what context?
Hannah / Eryn:Telling us that he was going to be summoned and was accused of the murder of Samantha Barrow.
Tim / GM:Mhmm. Did he ever seem
Speaker 4:how
Tim / GM:should I put this? Anxious about the court proceedings.
Speaker 4:Objection. Hearsay.
Tim / GM:I'm merely asking an opinion.
Hannah / Eryn:I mean, in my opinion, Bert always seems kind of anxious, so it's hard to tell.
Tim / GM:Very good, miss Hyacinth. Cross examination?
Speaker 4:Oui. Hello, Holly.
Hannah / Eryn:Hi, Tibio.
Thomas / Guy:Hey, Holly.
Hannah / Eryn:Bert. Holly, like, gives him a nod.
Speaker 4:Could you please recount the events that led to the injuries of Jinx?
Hannah / Eryn:Well, we went to the 4 l nightclub because we thought mister Fizzle was putting something in his potions that was enchanting people in the town and causing curses. So we went to go kinda do some investigation. However, once we got to the juice bar, we actually learned that mister Fizzle was Jinx, who was polymorph master.
Tim / GM:Objection. This story has clearly gotten out of hand.
Hannah / Eryn:Well, it's okay. We have more proof.
Tim / GM:What is this polymorphing and trying to assassinate the character of a witness? I won't stand for it.
Thomas / Guy:It is a pretty crazy story, your honor, but she's telling the truth.
Speaker 4:I'm just asking for an opinion.
Hannah / Eryn:And so when we figured out it was Jinx all along, anyone who's ever been to 4 l Nightclub knows they got a whole bunch of animals in that night club for the last year. And everyone was just, like, cool. A fake zoo? Okay. But guess what?
Hannah / Eryn:No. All those missing people, those were the animals, you guys.
Tim / GM:Objection. This has officially gone too far.
Speaker 4:It's we'll come back to it.
Tim / GM:Miss Hyacinth, I understand you have regular exposure to Essence of Midnight that does not forgive you from making up things whole cloth in the court.
Hannah / Eryn:Well, we'll just wait for the rest of the witnesses to be called.
Tim / GM:We will. You'd reappear 200 feet away.
Hannah / Eryn:I'm, like, next to Snack and Uli, and I'm just, like,
Speaker 4:it's harsh out there, you guys.
Speaker 2:Get ready. Wanna punch someone right now.
Tim / GM:Tibeo, you missed who they called next because you were conferring with, with Bert, and you hear, and suddenly you're staring at Bert from across the room. Tibeo Femur. Fem Femur.
Speaker 4:Femur.
Tim / GM:Yes. Is it true that you manipulated ancient, irreplaceable bones in the archives of history?
Speaker 4:Oh, no. They called to me.
Tim / GM:Objection? Such things do not happen.
Speaker 4:I did not think so either, but it did.
Tim / GM:Okay. They called to you very well. Is it true that you've used magic such as blindness, darkness, web, and blight since you've been inside Tildry?
Speaker 4:Yes. In self defense.
Tim / GM:And who was attacking you?
Speaker 4:At one point it was agents of this court?
Tim / GM:All 3 of them chuckle at the same time. And they say, we've heard this one before, mister Tibio. Of course, it was the courts coming after you.
Thomas / Guy:So, you deny that the, courts were attacking Tibeo and others?
Tim / GM:Of course. What justice could there possibly be if the courts were at the bottom of this?
Speaker 4:That is an excellent question.
Thomas / Guy:Yeah. You'd look pretty stupid if, like, people found out that you are actually doing it.
Speaker 4:Tibeo. Yes, sir.
Tim / GM:Have you ever witnessed Bert using deadly force with his magic?
Speaker 4:I don't believe so.
Tim / GM:What? Like a like a magic bolt just killing some goblins and, you know, spiders and just smashing things?
Speaker 4:I don't think so.
Tim / GM:Sure. He
Speaker 4:He's very passive with his magic.
Thomas / Guy:I'm not really a finisher guy.
Speaker 4:No. He's mostly in defense and in healing.
Tim / GM:He, looks back at Flan for a second, and you see Flan shrug like, I'm sorry. Like, very well. Tibio, you are dismissed.
Speaker 4:Thank you.
Thomas / Guy:See you in a second.
Tim / GM:Just you can just step down if you'd like.
Tara / Journey:I toddle over. Can I cross examine myself?
Tim / GM:No. We made an attempt to collect a key witness, Uli Niss. However, we are unable to summon her to the court today.
Speaker 2:I stormed down to the front. I'm here.
Tim / GM:You see, like, a lot of people turn around.
Speaker 2:I'm hey. I'm Uli.
Tara / Journey:You're just, like, shouting outside the bubble, and everybody's looking at you from outside the bubble. And you're like
Tim / GM:the 3 judges, like, look at each other kind of like, oh, shit. Like, what just happened?
Speaker 2:I turn around to the crowd and I go, I'm Ullines.
Speaker 4:Your honorable judge's Ullines is present in the courthouse. Can we allow her entrance?
Tim / GM:Of of course. We were trying to get a hold of her, so of course, she
Speaker 4:Yes.
Tim / GM:Yes. Yes.
Thomas / Guy:Great.
Tim / GM:Uli Niss, please take the stand.
Speaker 2:And I sit down. Hey.
Tim / GM:Uli, I'm I'm sorry we missed you this morning.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Me too.
Tim / GM:Have you ever seen Bert being evil?
Speaker 2:Nope. Can't say I have.
Speaker 4:Objection. It's
Tim / GM:a pretty straightforward question.
Speaker 4:Judgment of character. Slander. Liable?
Hannah / Eryn:I yeah. What she Voice leading the witness.
Tim / GM:Yeah. Flan looks at Tonberry and says, sustained.
Thomas / Guy:I have an objection. That was your first question?
Tim / GM:Uli, I'm I'm afraid we simply aren't prepared to question you. We
Speaker 2:But you wanted to call me as
Speaker 7:witness. We
Tim / GM:yes. Very well. You've certainly used some sort of magic of ill repute. No?
Speaker 2:I think that is very subjective. And I would like the course Inrelevant. Well, no. No. Let me talk.
Speaker 2:I would like all of the people of Tildry to know that I am a sorcerer. And we all know that that means I was born with magic. That happens with or without my approval. And I believe, if you are about to tell them that I am doing it on purpose, that is prejudice.
Tim / GM:Well, there are plenty of famous sorcerers who have learned to control their wild outbursts, but Right. Not every sorcerer is capable of doing so.
Speaker 2:I have not lived in Teledri, and I have not studied at the schools of magic.
Tim / GM:Not all of them have. I'm simply stating that it's possible with enough hard effort if you're willing to really give it a try.
Speaker 2:I am very aware of what spell sculpting is.
Tim / GM:So you're saying you simply choose not to?
Speaker 2:No. I am saying I don't know how to do it yet, but I am trying.
Tim / GM:Interesting.
Speaker 4:Would you condemn someone in the effort to learn?
Tim / GM:You may ask for cross examination. You may not make random outbursts, mister Tibio Femur.
Speaker 4:My apologies. I would like to cross examine their witness.
Tim / GM:Denied for the moment. Uli, do you mean to say there have been outbursts of magic of which you are not proud?
Speaker 2:Throughout my 26 years of existence, yes.
Tim / GM:Have these outbursts caused harm to people or property? Yes or no?
Speaker 2:Well, I think that
Tim / GM:Yes or no, miss Ulyness? Have you
Speaker 4:I'm not gonna
Tim / GM:say no. You've never caused harm to people or property?
Speaker 2:Not intentionally.
Tim / GM:Of course, not intentionally. It's an outburst of wild magic. Right. So have you
Speaker 4:But you're
Speaker 2:asking me if I accidentally hurt somebody
Tim / GM:With your magic.
Speaker 4:And
Speaker 2:hoping to use that as proof against me.
Tim / GM:Answer the question.
Speaker 2:I choose not to.
Tim / GM:Then you're dismissed from the stand. He gives himself a little smirk.
Speaker 2:Do you have anything to cross examine?
Speaker 4:I would like to cross examine the witness now that your questions are over.
Tim / GM:He leans back in his seat.
Speaker 4:Miss Uli, can you please recount the cart with the circumstances surrounding one of the last times you saw your sister, Ilya?
Speaker 2:Yesterday morning, Ilya and I were talking in Holly's house, and then Ilya was summoned suddenly by you, I presume, and then returned home almost immediately, half dead. And Bert helped heal her. And she told us that she was summoned and that you guys tried to kill her and that you thought she was dead.
Speaker 4:And can you please confirm who did the actual beating and who those individuals were working for?
Speaker 2:She recounted that she was summoned by judge Tonberry, judge Flan, and judge Malborough. And at their behest at their behest, the 2 dwarves that these 3 judges employed beat her to a pulp.
Speaker 4:Thank you for your testimony, miss Uli. The defense has no more questions.
Speaker 2:Then I walk away.
Tim / GM:Yeah. Judge Tomvery kinda, like, opens his eyes wide and looks at the 3 of you and says, bold strategy. Mhmm. You may leave, Uli.
Thomas / Guy:Do you, wish to deny anything in our testimony?
Tim / GM:It doesn't, benefit us much to address such foolish, silly things. We can move on from here. The court calls snack and slams the gavel. And, out in the crowd. Yeah.
Speaker 2:He was like this.
Tim / GM:You guys all see Snack. I guess, Bert and Tibio don't see this, but everyone who's, on the outside of this sees Snack just cartwheel into the air, like about 15, 20 feet up and just spiral off into the jury stands and kind of, like, like, land in there. Bert, from your perspective and Tibeo, you just see the judges all stand up and go dark immediately. And then Malboro, like, sits back down and he, like, nods at the 2 of you and stands back up. Shit.
Tim / GM:Soon enough, all 3 judges are sitting back down. They said, I it seems there's an issue with, his, summoning seal. Yes. It seems that,
Speaker 4:Snack, are you okay?
Tim / GM:Can someone please walk him to the pulpit?
Speaker 7:Snack, scampers up on all fours and runs around. He's He's much bigger than Yeah. It's it's yeah. He's much bigger now. So, like, yeah.
Speaker 7:I don't is there, like, desks or anything
Tim / GM:like that? So, like, you can you guys can all see kind of like a raptor moving through the tall grass. All these all these people, like, moving to the side as Snack is, like, running around the floor, like, in the jury stands trying to get to the center here. And then I think from the inside of the circle, you all see Snack just fall from a shadow into the middle, into the center of this room.
Speaker 7:I, stand up, stoically, turn away from where the crowd is, and tighten my loincloth, and then turn back around. I'm snack.
Tim / GM:Would you please take the stand?
Speaker 7:I grab a pulpit with my hands and I hold on to it.
Tim / GM:Would you please sit here and Malboro gestures to a chair?
Speaker 7:And I sit in a chair.
Tim / GM:I'm, like, dragging the stand with you. Mister Snack.
Speaker 7:Yes?
Tim / GM:Is it true that you've cast magic such as eldritch blast?
Speaker 7:Yes.
Tim / GM:He checks his notes very well. You understand that eldritch magic above all is frowned upon within city limits.
Speaker 7:Is this so? By whom? He,
Tim / GM:kind of like pulls down his little glasses and he says, it is so. And by us.
Speaker 7:I learn new things of the city all the time.
Tim / GM:Snackwe learned recently, that traps had been set in a private residence.
Speaker 7:Yes. To keep out intruders, spies, flower people.
Speaker 4:Yes. Objection. How a cobalt or a large cobalt spends his time on private property is not relevant to the court.
Tim / GM:Private property as it may be, there's no telling who could have wandered onto that private property and hurt themselves. Mhmm. As kobolds are known to make traps and cause mischief, we had simply wondered if this might have been linked to snack. It seems our suspicions may have been correct.
Speaker 7:I do make traps.
Tim / GM:Are you, perhaps, responsible for tearing a rift in time and space around the 8th floor of the tower of magic? Causing a temporary portal to the astral plane, through which a lawmage, if used, and disappeared.
Speaker 7:Snack looks over at Tibio and Bert, concerned.
Tara / Journey:Tibio shakes his head.
Thomas / Guy:Same. I
Speaker 7:This was a new thing I did not learn from Bert's books. It was an accident.
Tim / GM:Interesting. Learned from Bert's books. Does Bert teach you this dark magic?
Speaker 7:No. He speaks of nice things like books, and I nod along. But usually it is because we are eating and I cannot leave and eat at the same time.
Tim / GM:Very well, snack. I think many citizens here would confirm that they saw such a kobold, swimming outside of the towers causing quite a bit of a ruckus with ice and web. Tell me, were you involved with this altercation? Yes. And would you say, perhaps, that you were at the center of this altercation?
Speaker 7:No. It was actually, the the judges that came and stormed us and tried to, arrest us. At the time, I panicked, and then the judges tried to murder us by making the water into ice so that we fell and died. We scampered away and tried to escape, and then they came and tried to kill us at Holly Hyacinth's house. That's where I cast eldritch blast.
Speaker 7:The flower people attacked us, tried to murder Bert. Oh, I'm not supposed to confess so much. That wasn't part of the question.
Tim / GM:Certainly coordinated, aren't you? And he, looks at the 3 of you.
Thomas / Guy:Good job, Snack.
Speaker 4:Only in friendship.
Tim / GM:Snack, do you have anything else to say on behalf of your behavior within the limits of Tildry? Perhaps an apology?
Speaker 7:I would like to apologize to a bird. I have listened to this trial, and the bird cannot be summoned, for I killed it with a rock. And if I must be put away for such a crime, I'm a big kobold now and will pay this punishment.
Tim / GM:You will certainly face fines for casting eldritch magic in city limits, however, a bird is of little consequence.
Speaker 7:I see.
Tim / GM:You may leave the stand. We dare not use the gavel again.
Speaker 4:I would like to cross examine the witness. Please. Objection. Hello, Zach.
Speaker 7:Hello, mister Tibio.
Speaker 4:I just want to ask you one question. Do you know why the judges were trying to arrest you?
Speaker 7:Yes. I suspect so. The judges, they use the fountain water because it is powerful and they covet it and must keep it away from anyone else who may use it. That is why they used violence to attack us, I believe.
Speaker 4:And were they trying to take something from you?
Speaker 7:They were. My patron.
Speaker 4:So you would say that this would be a theft?
Speaker 7:Of course. That is why I was setting all the traps because I know they are coming for us and they're trying to take our things.
Speaker 4:Thank you, Snack. That is all.
Thomas / Guy:Before you go, mister Schneck, I wonder if you could just, tell the carte your opinion. Do you think I am capable of murder?
Speaker 7:Snec has watched, Burt's for many days, weeks even, and whatever comes after those. Snack, was more prone to violence before meeting Bert. I thought Bert was cooler when I thought he murdered people. Now I think he is cool for other reasons. And that is why I am here today.
Speaker 7:That is why I stick around. We we seek to write curses and there is something deeply wrong in the city and that is why we have not left.
Tim / GM:Make a perception check, Burton Tibio.
Speaker 4:Oh, fuck.
Thomas / Guy:Natural twenty?
Tim / GM:A few seconds before Snack says the word curses, Tonberry stands up where he is and goes a little dim because of it and then kind of abruptly sits back down when he realizes that he accidentally stood up. Thank you, Snack, for that heartfelt testimony. We have but one more witness to call before we arrest the prosecution. Snack, would you please leave the stand?
Speaker 7:Yes. I, shrink down a bit on all fours and scamper off the stage.
Tim / GM:The court of Childress calls Emery Grey. You, see Emery, appear, in the, stand and he kinda like looks around at the room and says, Emery Gray, please tell us your experience with this party of adventurers. Emery, is kinda like staring at at Burton Tibeo and sees Snack just barely kind of walk out of the circle. They rejected my presence. They followed me on foot through a cave.
Tim / GM:They beat me unconscious. They bound me and held me against my will. Tonberry's just got this like shit eating grin, and he looks over at Flan and does this like we got it kinda motion. Says, if they hadn't, I would have harmed a great many people. Fuck.
Speaker 2:Fuck. Yes. Fuck. Yes.
Tim / GM:And Tonberry kinda like, again, like half stands in his seat and kinda bears down on Emery. And he says, all the while, they worked toward my rehabilitation, and they even tended to my comfort a little bit.
Speaker 2:We let him use the bathroom.
Tara / Journey:Did we?
Tim / GM:I would say, I mean, this gnome before you was the first person to even warn me that I was in danger. Back at the gates of lamplight, he told me that the sword I held would be trouble. This man here, he's no and he disappears. He says, the prosecution rests. Thanks so much for listening.
Tim / GM:I'm Tim, your DM and your genie.
Hannah / Eryn:I'm Hannah playing Holly Hyacinth.
Thomas / Guy:I'm Thomas. I play Engelbert f f Wisherspoon.
Tara / Journey:I'm Tara, and I play Tibio Femur.
Speaker 7:I'm John. I play Snack the Cobalt.
Speaker 2:And I'm Maggie playing Uli.
