Lienne giggles to be called a "lady," and takes
Albertus' arm in mock-courtly manners.
"Ooh, I'm not so highborn as that, m'lord...! But I will show you where we put people awaiting the court's judgment."
As she inevitably draws attention to herself, Olpert gestures for
Aanbo,
Ogbar, and
Joseph to lean in so he can whisper to them with less chance of being overheard. Lienne proceeds slowly across the courtyard with
Albertus and
Xana, the bound Jonbon in tow, her voice ringing brightly across the open space. Her monologue and Olpert's mutterings overlap.
| Lienne gestures to Theran in the corner, "Come and join us! Don't be a stranger!" Then again, to Albertus, as she eyes the trussed-up figure of Jonbon towed along behind Xana. "As we make our promenade, tell me: whose children were kidnapped? Were they going to feed to the many-headed beast, or join Bandit Black, or taken away for a carnival?" She looks around at the group. "Aren't you all so terribly brave, rescuing wives and children from doom?" She looks admiringly at everyone, noting Kragga's luxuriously long hair for the first time. Then she peers at Jonbon, stumbling along behind them. "A very bad person!" She turns back to Albertus. "Let me see if any of my Keolish words are the match for what you mean...is he a...'monster?' Is he a...'bastard?' Or would you say he's a..." and here she begins to utter a stream of profane invective foul enough to make even Morgran blush. She pauses for breath and then laughs musically. "I was born and raised here in Hochoch, and growing up with four brothers helped me to learn a lot of the more descriptive words in our native Keolish tongue. But I've made sure to learn my Imperial, too. Many bards say I have hardly any accent at all!" | Olpert mutters to Aanbo, Joseph, and Ogbar in a low voice: "Listen, I'm all for sword justice ordinarily, but killing in the heat of battle is different from killing a captive. Like I said, there isn't a reeve alive who takes kindly to people blatantly executing accused prisoners without a trial. But I'll add that the people don't like it, either, when somebody who is helpless, whom they haven't seen do anything wrong, gets killed by a gang of armed strangers. It tends to make them nervous around those armed strangers, and we're trying to make them feel safe - safe enough that they'll trust us with their problems...the ones that only Dungeon Busters can solve! You captured him, make sure that he gets accused by this guy Abel and then the Town Court - the whole town - will either determine that he needs to have a trial, or convict him and pass sentence. You that saw him take the kids can also speak at the court, if you're in town then. As for the safety of the holding cell, from what I gather, they have the same sort of anti-magic measures in place to keep accused people contained as anyplace else." |
They're walking and talking at a measured pace, so
Joseph,
Ogbar, and
Aanbo are easily able to catch up to the group. By that time, it's become quite the procession, with more and more residents coming out of their doors to see what the fuss is about.
So it is that a large crowd arrives at the holding cell to cheer on the heroes of Hochoch as they arrive. The cell is a secure stone structure near the Market Square at the center of town. There are narrow windows - perhaps one hand-width tall - with bars about 10' off the ground, just under the shallow eaves. There are two iron-reinforced doors with hinges on the outside, barred with heavy wooden beams that are locked in place with complicated-but-sturdy gnomish locks. A second lock prevents the thick metal sliding door set into the bottom of each door from being opened from the inside. Cormac Smith is here, and when Lienne explains an only slightly-embellished tale of the miscreant's capture (emphasizing how valiant
Ogbar and
Aanbo were), Cormac leaves for his smithy. As he's gone, Diana explains that her acolytes are responsible for feeding the occupants (and emptying their night pots) whenever someone is kept in the cell to await the next Town Court: the Temple of Rao is currently entrusted with the small keys for the sliding doors. The occupants can never see the people who feed them, which prevents a lot of magic from being used. But even if they could be charmed, only the person entrusted with the bar keys - currently Cormac - can open them, and he makes sure never to be alone when he opens the cell. They make sure to never have both types of keys in the vicinity of the cell at the same time.
The crowd explains that Kris Reeve is due to arrive in about three weeks' time. When the reeve arrives, Hochoch convenes a Town Court, right near here in the Market Square. The whole town appears to make accusations, testify, and judge. If there isn't agreement, Kris puts a trial to the accused. As a reeve, he is an officer of the Brenin's court, and endowed with certain powers that enable him to get to the truth of the matter when necessary.
Cormac arrives a short time later, returning with the keys for the doors. He unlocks one bar and lifts it in one massive hand. With the other, he swings the heavy door ponderously open. As you all watch Jonbon very closely, Diana removes the ropes that bind Jonbon's hands and arms. Jonbon, still gagged, looks around at the crowd with wide eyes, rubbing his wrists. Cormac growls:
"Keep your hands still and don't try to say anything until I've closed the door." Diana pulls the gag from Jonbon's mouth. Lienne gives a little gasp of recognition. Then Jonbon enters the cell when Cormac prods him with the beam. Cormac slams the door shut again, replaces the beam, and locks it into place.
When it's clear that the drama is over for now, the crowd slowly disperses, and the party moves far enough away from the cell to be out of earshot. They are left alone with Lienne on the other side of the Market Square. Lienne breathes:
"That's Jonbon the Busker! He came through town about a month ago, played at the Inn for a few days, and then traveled on." She shudders.
"He was one of them that complimented me on my accent!" She takes a deep breath and looks at each of you.
"I...it's getting toward suppertime. I should be heading home." She begins to hurry away, then turns back and waves.
"Thank you! Thank you, all!"
It is late afternoon and Jonbon is locked up. What do you do now?
OOC:
A note on edits: I edited this
four times, and I still can't figure out why Cormac's speech isn't getting bolded. Hopefully that isn't too annoying to you.
