The Hand of Law

After a long series of crimes including robbery and murder ("The Night Rogue Strikes!") two suspects were captured. This is the questioning and sentencing of Kawad and Djoti Jelkaf for various crimes against the citizenry of Yliakum as well as against the Octarchy. Woven in with the scandalous acts committed by the brothers is the tale of Vileneck Ord, a man driven to petit crimes to feed his family and finally to outlandish acts of violence in an attempt to gain freedom for his captured daughter. The trial is held because of new evidence brought to light by various citizens and by the emergence of physical evidence that Kawad might not only be a party to his brothers crimes, but indeed the architect. The proceedings begin with Amidison Stronghand, Vigesimi of Hydlaa, calling the court to order and listing the charges of Illegal Use of Charm Spells, Kidnapping, Conspiracy to Commit Murder, Murder, Necromancy, Impeding Law and Justice, and High Treason against the brothers. Kawad seems confident that his planning will not lead him to the fate of summary execution to which his brother has previously been sentenced for these very charges.



The first witness is Verisey Seewuner, representative of The Council of Justice. Verisey testifies against Djoti for attempting to gain illegal access to The Winch by posing as a merchant. It comes to light at this time that several other incriminating items were found in Djoti's possession including tools of necromancy, the skulls of two children and a list of government officials and other notables who are apparently to be murdered. Further details presented include the arrest of Kawad for luring ulbernauts to the city gates of Hydlaa in an attempt to prevent his brother's execution. Djoti's secret diary is entered into evidence and many details are learned about his attempts to undermine the Octarchy and about his fears that Kawad has gone mad. There is a recounting of kidnappings from the Octarchal academy and the appearance of ulbernauts at the gates of the school. The rest of the contents of a sack found by Kezar Ketar in the sewers is presented as further evidence. These items include a dagger, a bottle of poison, a vial of blood, sulfurous water, a diamond crystal and the skull of a dwarven infant.



Levrus Dahrenn is then called to give testimony. He recounts the years that he was Kawad's teacher and the thefts and other misdeeds he was suspected of before finally leaving his tutelage and pursuing his own study in the sewers of Hydlaa. Finally Levrus treats the court to a monologue on the corrupting influences of the color purple and only narrowly avoids be committed to the Hydlaa Home for Overworked Wizards. Eirell is called to give testimony regarding the killing of her husband.She testifies to his good health and piety as well as to the fact that he was not robbed. Quisis Aelien, Headmaster of the Octarchal Academy is then called to testify regarding the Ulbernaut raid as well as the kidnapping and murder of three students. Kezar Ketar is then called to verify the circumstances surrounding his finding the sack containing one of the student's skulls, Djoti's diary and the various other bits of evidence from the sewers. He further testifies about his turning these items over to the guard and about his not knowing of Kawad before seeing him lead the ulbernauts to free Djoti. On the weight of these people's testimony and the corroborating evidence, the Jelkaf brothers are found guilty and are sentenced to be cast into the crystal.

Trial of Vileneck Ord

Vileneck Ord avoided public testimony by accepting the charges as brought before him and begging the mercy of the court. He was allowed to speak before his sentencing. The explanation he gave for his crimes was that he was hired by Kawad and Djoti to lure people into the sewers. He says that this allowed him to feed his family and no more. He also claims that he was ignorant of the motives and activities of the two brothers. As often happens, he explains, curiosity got the better of him and he searched out the secret chambers of the murderous duo. He goes on to explain his disgust, shame and outrage at being part of the unnamed discoveries he makes in that chamber. The brothers discover him there and attempt to lay hold of him, but he grabs a staff of the guard that had been stolen and secreted in a closet in the chamber. He uses the staff to make good his escape and spends the rest of the night in flight. Upon returning home he discovers his wife dead and his daughter missing. He is then coerced by the brothers to escalate his nocturnal attacks in exchange for the promised return of his daughter. This is what he says drove him to such excesses of violence and disregard for the sanctuary of the interior city walls.



Having given this explanation he also told the court that he would not live out the year due to the effects of using the guards staff without being bound to it properly. The priests from the Temple of Laanx agreed with this diagnosis. Based on solely his own testimony and the mercy of the Vigesimi, Vileneck Ord avoids the fate that the Jelkaf brothers could not. In the end Vileneck is banished from the rest of his, presumably short, life. What Vileneck finds and does in the wilderness is a story for another day.