Day 7
The council debated the issues raised by the witnesses over the previous week. Several Dukes requested that the official record be read to refresh facts.
Duke Grimlock summarized the accusations made by the witnesses. They had claimed that His Majesty had denied the former Duke Baran Buchaneon his right to a trial; that he had destroyed the duchy of Targosia and placed a bounty on the heads of Romani citizens; that he had attempted to assassinate Duchess Attwater; that he had hired a pirate to attack ships entering Briar Pass, and planned to attack Ca La Dorne; that he had disbanded the Solar's Guild and seized property from the same; that he had allowed the adventuring guild LifeStorm to be blamed for Her Majesty's death without investigating; that he had denied a trial to one Squire Foss Siril; and that he had made statements which expressed his disdain for the charter he had signed when becoming King.
Duchess Cybil commented that when read together, the list of charges was impressive. Duke Raash stated that the council could add another charge of attempted assassination, as he himself had nearly been killed on the order of His Majesty. Duke Turnsen scoffed, asking why if this were true Duke Raash had not brought forth witnesses to support this new charge of attempted murder. Duke Raash stated that he had tried to locate the magistrates who had been sent to kill him, but they could not be found, he supposed because His Majesty had them sent away to ensure their silence. His Majesty stated that he had issued no such order, and demanded that Duke Raash not be allowed to attribute any random crime committed in the realm to the crown. Duke Eliason stated that if His Majesty was to be held accountable for alleged crimes committed by his soldiers, Duke Raash ought to be held accountable for crimes committed by the adventurers, including Lady FallingStar's crime of disobeying his own orders. Duke Monteque requested that the record show that Duke Raash was guilty of three counts of murder for the deaths of Morgan Blue, Cancera and Tauron. Duchess Crosspick requested that the council members stop being ridiculous and stated that it seemed to be Duke Raash's word against His Majesty's, and they should therefore examine the issues for which evidence had been presented.
After some back and forth in which several Dukes voiced opinions or requested the record to be read, Baron High Mayor Hitchcock declared that the issues before the council were like a ledger with red and black in the margins. It was really cut and dried: either the evidence was conclusive, or it was not. Baron High Mayor Hitchcock stated the known facts: it was a fact that Duke Raash had led a rebellion. It was fact that Buchaneon had never been a Duke, and therefore had not required a trial. After analysis of these two simple facts, he explained, the rest of the allegations and their interest were much simpler to sort. He stated his opinion that His Majesty had certainly overstepped in areas, and certainly choose poorly in his advisors, and was in need of a better information network. In the end, it would be up to each of the Dukes as brothers and sisters of their demesne to audit the books and determine the debt or solvency of their actions (he made a sweeping gesture indicating his Majesty and Duke Raash).
Duke Grimlock requested that each member of the council consider all the testimony that had been heard, and evaluate the charges against both Duke Raash and His Majesty on the merits of the facts that support them. He then asked Duke Raash for any final words. Duke Raash stood and faced the Council:
Your Graces, Your Majesties, Members of the assembly...
Thank you for answering the call of Justice, for setting aside time and for making the sacrifices to be here in person this day.
On all charges sought against me I choose to plead no contest… Instead I shall explain the truth of my actions and in good faith trust my countrymen and -women to find it in their hearts to do what is best for the people of Wayside.
I will not report to the grave with unsaid apologies, so allow me a moment to unburden my spirit (he made a somber pause before continuing):
I am guilty of many things in my time on Terna. I have loved and not had the courage to speak of it to the object of my affection--(Duke Raash was surprised by the sudden sound of a glass breaking; Lord Koshinari motioned for a servant to replace his tea. Duke Raash continued after a slight pause).
I am burdened, similarly to many of our magistrates, with the knowledge that I have placed the rule of law and the mantles of station above the good of the people… Above justice, above my own conscience. I admit that I failed my country through reticence to lead during our greatest crisis: something that, as things have come to pass, shall endure as my greatest regret.
It has been said that I supported Duke Baran Buchaneon of Buckland, that I usurped justice in his name by delaying his trial... I DID NO SUCH ACT.
I delayed a trial pending an investigation into the attempted murder of the incarcerated. I provided ample security and for proper treatment of the accused while the Knights of Briar Pass did their work and uncovered the plot that has now been shared with you all. I notified my King and answered his correspondence during this investigation. I came when summoned by His Majesty Lord Gregor Isenhorn, protector of the people and keeper of the realm... I was summoned, and I bled at the blades of an ambush, an ambush repeated again this spring under similar circumstances (Duke Raash here looked to Duchess Attwater).
I pled with His Majesty through the long winter that followed, I pled again with him publicly before his court this spring. I demanded, as is my ducal right, to know his heart, to know what he would make of his promises, penned before all of us. His response shocked me as much as it should shock you:
"I had no intention to keep those promises, they were empty promises, words, words I said only to gain power… Now that I have it, I need to eliminate anyone who is a threat to me, to my kingdom, to my power."
The reason for that shock is clear--I will remind all here, many of you were there--that the birth of this Kingdom was a dark time, a time of trial by fire, in the wake of our founding Lord's departure, just after a time where so many of our loved ones were brutally murdered by our supposed leadership...a promise was born at the first conclave. The promise was that of a Kingdom of Conscience.
A Kingdom at peace, where women and men would have equal franchise, and the free peoples of Terna would not be treated as cattle. Where local peoples and governments would have the flexibility to defend their individual fiefdoms, backed by the strength of a well built, thoughtfully approached, and ultimately fair hierarchy. A place where laws were created, observed and enforced, in the name of the people, and in the name of the common good. A place where no one stood no chance, and where no one stood above the law: even a Duke, or a King, could be called to account by their peers. That is correct--Hear me now: a Kingdom where no one stood above the law. In other words, a place where the Dukes and Duchesses of the land had the power to call to account even their King.
Our King sought to remove that power.
I simply sought to delay that until you could be properly notified. That action in large part was defensive in nature, removing soldiers from the field and avoiding direct sustained conflict while the banners of the Duchies could be rallied.
I have many lives to this day on my conscience… that guilt balanced only by the knowledge that their sacrifices could protect the common good of the people of Wayside, and of Terna.
Thank you.
Duke Raash took his seat.
Duke Grimlock then motioned to King Eisenhorn for his closing remarks.
I, King Gregor Eisenhorn, am but a man: a man tasked with an impossible job. Being King is a hardship that I have borne willingly for the betterment of the good people of the good land. Our land is a great land, but has tragic flaws. In attempts to secure our borders against foreign threats; secure our homeland against internal threats of corruption, disease, and bloodshed; I was placed in a position where the two most powerful liege-lords did not support me. One broke his promise to swear fealty to our kingdom and betrayed us all: Bucky was self-serving in all things and was a poison to our Kingdom. But that has been dealt with. The other, my most vocal opponent, who refused the crown for he knew it would be too heavy for him, has failed to support that crown, which it was the duty of all of us to aid. He time and again used his adventurer thugs to work his agenda, without ever once taking responsibility or following the law that he claims so dearly to love. When faced with challenges, time and again I made the choices I believed to be the best; at times they were wrong, or they were not the best option. But it is only now that I can say this: then, when decisions were made, I had to act or face failing our Kingdom. I allow the evidence of this trial to speak to my guilt or innocence; but I bring up one example of an impossible decision.
Duchess Attwater: you are one of my oldest friends, and I feel sorrow for the difficulties that you have faced; but I truly believed there to be something foul afoot in Targosia. Tell me that any of you could overlook three warnings about such a thing. First came my wife’s dream of Targus being reborn. Second, when Jonah Stone came to me swearing of the Duchess being directly involved in necromantic experiments, it was hard not to listen. But despite these two things, I held my action. It was not till the next day, when Agnes and Alphonse Draghici, a pair of Rom, came to me swearing it all to be so, that I decided to take action. I then called Jonah Stone in and allowed him to offer council, and followed much--too much--of what he suggested.
The actions involving Targosia and Duchess Attwater are my only regrets in all of this. I do beg forgiveness for my failings as a man if I did not measure up to what you all deserve from a King. The rest of my decisions, although perhaps wrong in hindsight, were made with only our Kingdom in mind. I submit myself to judgment before all of you, and ask for your decision: rebuke or embrace. Either way, I will accept and will continue to serve the Kingdom in whatever way you would have me. I just ask that once these proceedings are complete that we move to heal the rifts that this conflict has caused, and heal as a nation so that we may endure.
(He bowed deeply and took a seat.)
As the hour had already grown late, Duke Grimlock advised the council to sleep on the decision and return in the morning prepared to decide the fates of Duke Raash and His Majesty, urging the Dukes not to let haste cause regret in judgement of their brothers.
---Harlae Jackayn
Royal Scribe reporting from within the Council Chambers
The council debated the issues raised by the witnesses over the previous week. Several Dukes requested that the official record be read to refresh facts.
Duke Grimlock summarized the accusations made by the witnesses. They had claimed that His Majesty had denied the former Duke Baran Buchaneon his right to a trial; that he had destroyed the duchy of Targosia and placed a bounty on the heads of Romani citizens; that he had attempted to assassinate Duchess Attwater; that he had hired a pirate to attack ships entering Briar Pass, and planned to attack Ca La Dorne; that he had disbanded the Solar's Guild and seized property from the same; that he had allowed the adventuring guild LifeStorm to be blamed for Her Majesty's death without investigating; that he had denied a trial to one Squire Foss Siril; and that he had made statements which expressed his disdain for the charter he had signed when becoming King.
Duchess Cybil commented that when read together, the list of charges was impressive. Duke Raash stated that the council could add another charge of attempted assassination, as he himself had nearly been killed on the order of His Majesty. Duke Turnsen scoffed, asking why if this were true Duke Raash had not brought forth witnesses to support this new charge of attempted murder. Duke Raash stated that he had tried to locate the magistrates who had been sent to kill him, but they could not be found, he supposed because His Majesty had them sent away to ensure their silence. His Majesty stated that he had issued no such order, and demanded that Duke Raash not be allowed to attribute any random crime committed in the realm to the crown. Duke Eliason stated that if His Majesty was to be held accountable for alleged crimes committed by his soldiers, Duke Raash ought to be held accountable for crimes committed by the adventurers, including Lady FallingStar's crime of disobeying his own orders. Duke Monteque requested that the record show that Duke Raash was guilty of three counts of murder for the deaths of Morgan Blue, Cancera and Tauron. Duchess Crosspick requested that the council members stop being ridiculous and stated that it seemed to be Duke Raash's word against His Majesty's, and they should therefore examine the issues for which evidence had been presented.
After some back and forth in which several Dukes voiced opinions or requested the record to be read, Baron High Mayor Hitchcock declared that the issues before the council were like a ledger with red and black in the margins. It was really cut and dried: either the evidence was conclusive, or it was not. Baron High Mayor Hitchcock stated the known facts: it was a fact that Duke Raash had led a rebellion. It was fact that Buchaneon had never been a Duke, and therefore had not required a trial. After analysis of these two simple facts, he explained, the rest of the allegations and their interest were much simpler to sort. He stated his opinion that His Majesty had certainly overstepped in areas, and certainly choose poorly in his advisors, and was in need of a better information network. In the end, it would be up to each of the Dukes as brothers and sisters of their demesne to audit the books and determine the debt or solvency of their actions (he made a sweeping gesture indicating his Majesty and Duke Raash).
Duke Grimlock requested that each member of the council consider all the testimony that had been heard, and evaluate the charges against both Duke Raash and His Majesty on the merits of the facts that support them. He then asked Duke Raash for any final words. Duke Raash stood and faced the Council:
Your Graces, Your Majesties, Members of the assembly...
Thank you for answering the call of Justice, for setting aside time and for making the sacrifices to be here in person this day.
On all charges sought against me I choose to plead no contest… Instead I shall explain the truth of my actions and in good faith trust my countrymen and -women to find it in their hearts to do what is best for the people of Wayside.
I will not report to the grave with unsaid apologies, so allow me a moment to unburden my spirit (he made a somber pause before continuing):
I am guilty of many things in my time on Terna. I have loved and not had the courage to speak of it to the object of my affection--(Duke Raash was surprised by the sudden sound of a glass breaking; Lord Koshinari motioned for a servant to replace his tea. Duke Raash continued after a slight pause).
I am burdened, similarly to many of our magistrates, with the knowledge that I have placed the rule of law and the mantles of station above the good of the people… Above justice, above my own conscience. I admit that I failed my country through reticence to lead during our greatest crisis: something that, as things have come to pass, shall endure as my greatest regret.
It has been said that I supported Duke Baran Buchaneon of Buckland, that I usurped justice in his name by delaying his trial... I DID NO SUCH ACT.
I delayed a trial pending an investigation into the attempted murder of the incarcerated. I provided ample security and for proper treatment of the accused while the Knights of Briar Pass did their work and uncovered the plot that has now been shared with you all. I notified my King and answered his correspondence during this investigation. I came when summoned by His Majesty Lord Gregor Isenhorn, protector of the people and keeper of the realm... I was summoned, and I bled at the blades of an ambush, an ambush repeated again this spring under similar circumstances (Duke Raash here looked to Duchess Attwater).
I pled with His Majesty through the long winter that followed, I pled again with him publicly before his court this spring. I demanded, as is my ducal right, to know his heart, to know what he would make of his promises, penned before all of us. His response shocked me as much as it should shock you:
"I had no intention to keep those promises, they were empty promises, words, words I said only to gain power… Now that I have it, I need to eliminate anyone who is a threat to me, to my kingdom, to my power."
The reason for that shock is clear--I will remind all here, many of you were there--that the birth of this Kingdom was a dark time, a time of trial by fire, in the wake of our founding Lord's departure, just after a time where so many of our loved ones were brutally murdered by our supposed leadership...a promise was born at the first conclave. The promise was that of a Kingdom of Conscience.
A Kingdom at peace, where women and men would have equal franchise, and the free peoples of Terna would not be treated as cattle. Where local peoples and governments would have the flexibility to defend their individual fiefdoms, backed by the strength of a well built, thoughtfully approached, and ultimately fair hierarchy. A place where laws were created, observed and enforced, in the name of the people, and in the name of the common good. A place where no one stood no chance, and where no one stood above the law: even a Duke, or a King, could be called to account by their peers. That is correct--Hear me now: a Kingdom where no one stood above the law. In other words, a place where the Dukes and Duchesses of the land had the power to call to account even their King.
Our King sought to remove that power.
I simply sought to delay that until you could be properly notified. That action in large part was defensive in nature, removing soldiers from the field and avoiding direct sustained conflict while the banners of the Duchies could be rallied.
I have many lives to this day on my conscience… that guilt balanced only by the knowledge that their sacrifices could protect the common good of the people of Wayside, and of Terna.
Thank you.
Duke Raash took his seat.
Duke Grimlock then motioned to King Eisenhorn for his closing remarks.
I, King Gregor Eisenhorn, am but a man: a man tasked with an impossible job. Being King is a hardship that I have borne willingly for the betterment of the good people of the good land. Our land is a great land, but has tragic flaws. In attempts to secure our borders against foreign threats; secure our homeland against internal threats of corruption, disease, and bloodshed; I was placed in a position where the two most powerful liege-lords did not support me. One broke his promise to swear fealty to our kingdom and betrayed us all: Bucky was self-serving in all things and was a poison to our Kingdom. But that has been dealt with. The other, my most vocal opponent, who refused the crown for he knew it would be too heavy for him, has failed to support that crown, which it was the duty of all of us to aid. He time and again used his adventurer thugs to work his agenda, without ever once taking responsibility or following the law that he claims so dearly to love. When faced with challenges, time and again I made the choices I believed to be the best; at times they were wrong, or they were not the best option. But it is only now that I can say this: then, when decisions were made, I had to act or face failing our Kingdom. I allow the evidence of this trial to speak to my guilt or innocence; but I bring up one example of an impossible decision.
Duchess Attwater: you are one of my oldest friends, and I feel sorrow for the difficulties that you have faced; but I truly believed there to be something foul afoot in Targosia. Tell me that any of you could overlook three warnings about such a thing. First came my wife’s dream of Targus being reborn. Second, when Jonah Stone came to me swearing of the Duchess being directly involved in necromantic experiments, it was hard not to listen. But despite these two things, I held my action. It was not till the next day, when Agnes and Alphonse Draghici, a pair of Rom, came to me swearing it all to be so, that I decided to take action. I then called Jonah Stone in and allowed him to offer council, and followed much--too much--of what he suggested.
The actions involving Targosia and Duchess Attwater are my only regrets in all of this. I do beg forgiveness for my failings as a man if I did not measure up to what you all deserve from a King. The rest of my decisions, although perhaps wrong in hindsight, were made with only our Kingdom in mind. I submit myself to judgment before all of you, and ask for your decision: rebuke or embrace. Either way, I will accept and will continue to serve the Kingdom in whatever way you would have me. I just ask that once these proceedings are complete that we move to heal the rifts that this conflict has caused, and heal as a nation so that we may endure.
(He bowed deeply and took a seat.)
As the hour had already grown late, Duke Grimlock advised the council to sleep on the decision and return in the morning prepared to decide the fates of Duke Raash and His Majesty, urging the Dukes not to let haste cause regret in judgement of their brothers.
---Harlae Jackayn
Royal Scribe reporting from within the Council Chambers