City Gaol

[BeyondRedemption]

*Tomil Longarrow is out of breath from running* Captain Waters! Captain Waters! Lok'Tok destroyed the bars on his cell door and has escaped!!!

[ChikenKannon]

*When coming back down the the gaol jail area, Loktok is in a new cell with the door locked behind him*

[Kartina]

A young woman with an unusual hairstyle walks into the gaol, smiling at the guardsmen going about their duty, and quite often exchanging a more friendly greeting with a number of them. She pauses politely by Captain Walters, waiting for the man to finish going over the next week's patrol schedule with one of the Sergeants.

"Captain Walters? It is a pleasure to see you so well, sir. I hope life is... undisturbed?"

She smiles lightly, continuing,

"It came to my attention that one of the Imperial ordinances, while quite old, is still in effect... and as such, allows every citizen to join the Guard under the Civic Defense proclamation of 563. Now, I do realize that nowadays the matters are more difficult, and you seek individuals with certain qualities... However, I am certain, given the number of tasks the Guard has to deal with, another pair of hands and a brain to go along with it would help"

She takes a deep breath, smoothly continuing before the man has a chance to reply,

"I am rather very well versed in the Imperial Law, and continue studying the subject. I took the liberty of bringing along recommendations from my previous associates and employers - all citizens in good standing and stature."

She pulls out a number of parchments, several bearing seals of various Caerian nobility. One of the parchments, bearing the seal of a senior official at the University, particularly catches the Captain's attention.

She grimaces slightly as he reaches for it, observing the man's face closely as he reads the recommendation written in a rather shaky lettering,

"Dear Captain;

I am certain you will find this most charming lady, Jewel by name, to be of great help, and her company as delightful as I did."

Below, in a cursive bespeaking of aforethought-like addition, features another line,

"I am certain she is as qualified for the job as required. Quite smart, too. Such a witty conversationist. Astounding grasp of legal matters."

The signature, while undoubtedly authentic, is slightly smudged with what seems to be a wine stain.

She shuffles lightly as the Captain transfers a quizzical gaze from the parchment to her, gesturing toward other documents,

"I did quite a lot of work as a landing clerk and purchasing agent aside from... um... that job"

She composes herself, her voice sounding with overtones usually found among nobility or those well comfortable with their social status,

"I realize that I may not be physically imposing, but I believe that should not be a requirement to hold peace in our city, nor is it necessary with such men as I see about me ready to assist when needed. On the other hand, as I mentioned, I do know the laws very well, and I believe an increased presence of guards, not strained by gate duty, would benefit the northern part of the city in particular. Moreover, while the provisions of 563 do not require a set duty schedule from the citizens, they also award no particular compensation for such time served. I am certain we can reach an arrangement acceptable to all involved."

Allowing the man, finally, a chance to speak, she holds herself in a manner that, along with the tone of her voice, brings out in all the guardsmen nearby the odd feeling that, in some way, the woman just presented an unreasonably generous offer toward the Captain.

[Kartina]

Barely controlling his smirking, the Captain nods solemnly,

"I am positive you would make a fine addition to the force, miss... Jewel. However, as you are undoubtedly aware, having such grasp of the legalities, the process of actual joining is a little bit more complex than a self-declaration."

His glare at the stiffled snorts and chuckles among the gathered guards seems rather half-hearted, especially given the way his lips twitch with a constrained smile of his own. He turns to the young woman, his expression full of officious concern,

"I will make certain your... recommendations," his head snaps both sides, another mocked glare bringing order among the guardsmen enjoying the spectacle a shade too expressively, "are forwarded to the appropriate individuals dealing with recruitment applications. Please rest assured a reply will be forwarded to you as soon as one is available. Where shall we direct it to?"

A light blush blooms on the cheeks of the woman as her posture increasingly loses the rigid self-assurance throughout the Captain's speech.

"The Mistyvale Inn" she admits, quite meekly.

"At least it is not the Boar"

The snickers among the guardsmen go unacknowledged by the Captain as he continues, "Very well, I will make a note to deliver the reply there"

She quickly walks toward the door, managing to close it just before the riotous laughter fills the barracks. Her feet hit the cobblestones hard as she heads down the hill, he cheeks crimson at the replay of the events looping through her mind.

"Heey there, little lady"

The slightly inabreviated sailor directing the hailing at the shapely built woman finds himself a focus of what, even in his less than perfect awareness of the situation, he recognizes as an impending doom of mythical proportions when seen on his wife's face. He mutters quick appologies, shuffling away toward the safety of the docks, where young and pretty ladies will more likely smile than make a good impression of one of the lords of the Nine Hells.

A well-projected voice adds haste to his steps,

"I can still report you for public inabbreviation!"

[Raymond Carth]

Guardsman Carth sat quietly in the barracks watching the others disrespect one who is called to Duty. He did not guffaw with his fellow soldiers upon Jewel's dismissal.

Later that night Raymond caught up with Jewel at the Mistyvale Inn. "Jewel, you fully know and obey the Law. You have the utmost respect for Order. Not only that, you willingly heed your call to Duty. I have let Captain Waldren know that I support you in your bid to join the ranks of the Cearian Legion."

[Kartina]

She looks up from the half-filled cup standing in front of her, which content's smell is wafting upward with the intensity that only high grade brew allows, taking a moment to digest the words spoken to her.

"The de- Oh. Right. Duty, indeed. Thank you very much, sir!"

She pauses for a moment, a wrinkle crossing her forehead before she ventures uncertainly:

"Um... praise Etoth?"

[Kartina]

"Guardsman Jewel, reporting as ordered, si-"

She checks herself, looking at the four men present, before finishing.

"Sirs"

The three Captains gathered inside the Gaol commander's room look about as pleased to be there as she feels. The lone Ministry official - the high-ranking Ministry official, judging by the chain of office hanging from his neck, she realizes with sinking heart - is seated behind the desk spotlessly clear of paperwork, a detail she notes with dread-induced detachment. She shifts her weight, the recently acquired armor still preventing achieving a reasonably comfortable position.

"It has come to the Ministry's attention that you seem to have issues with certain individuals in service of Lochwar, Guardsman?"

The man's voice is soft and pleasing, yet her experience dealing with various individuals in her life allows her to notice the slight narrowing of eyes while he speaks. His hands, held lightly apart in front of his lips, fingers touching, hide the expression of his lips well enough to retain the statement as ambiguous as the words themselves.

With a knot in her throat, and clenching of chest, she nods, feeling the cold sweat traveling down her back.

"Yes, sir. Father Minuvas broke a number of laws, and I felt it my duty to raise it to the Captain's"

She nods her head at the officer assigned to overseeing majority of the Guard's operations. The man's face remains impassive, his eyes unwavering from a particular spot on the wall across the room, with little indication of his position on the issue.

She turns her own gaze at the Ministry official, her thoughts raging in an attempt to read the motivation behind the Captain's reaction as she finishes the sentence.

"attention. I felt it was necessary to address this issue before it became a matter of public attention."

The seated man tilts his head momentarily, a corner of upturned lips appearing for a moment from behind the obscuring fingers.

"Admirable, Guardsman. Would you indulge us with the description of the supposed offenses?"

She can feel the cold line of sweat traveling downward spreading out on the back of her tunic. For once, she is grateful of the armor, its surface hiding the signs of her extreme discomfort. She forces herself to time her breathing, struggling to avoid the tell-tale sheen on her forehead.

Just another negotiation table, girl. You've been through worse.

The inward monologue calms her down somewhat, just before another thought shatters through the volatile self-erected barrier of control.

When?

She swallows hard, trying hard to maintain her voice as close to its usual tone as possible. With a breath in, she plunges forward, the cold wave of fear passing through her body making the experience even more akin to a dive.

"Sir, since we began transferring prisoners to Thrall's Gate, even the regular minor offenders suddenly started to come back with major crimes against them. While I can appreciate their tendency toward breaking the Law increasing such occurences, the numbers were statistically improbable at best. Moreover, all such prisoners returned with signs of physical damage, and while most would not speak of their experience, I managed to gain enough trust of several to learn of the practice of Father Minuvas to perform personal Inquisition with our prisoners, sir, which is outside both of the canonical law, as he is not an Inquisitor, as well as civil law. Sir. I checked. There was also another, administrative, issue with the action, as during the transfers the prisoners were still the resposibility of the Guard, despite their physical location, and as such required official dismissal into the Church's hands before such activities were to be conducted. Imperial Edict of 620 after the problem with the Varsgate Commander, sir."

One hand moves from its position, raised to stop the flood of her words. The expression revealed remains masterly neutral, a testimony of the many years of experience.

"I have read that report, Guardsman. However, just to sate my curiosity - outside of your admirable desire to uphold the Law, was there any other motivation behind it?"

She holds her breath long enough to prevent her wildly beating heart from forcing movement of the chain of her armor, struggling hard not to give in to the wave of nauseating panic the question brings. Her voice takes on a slightly higher tone, the effect not lost on the sitting man, as his slight twitch of lips reveals before the upraised hand returns back to its prior position.

"Yes, sir. Duty to the City, sir"

The declaration is greeted with a twitch of the man's eyebrows, his voice still modulated in the tones of one discussing his recent most favorite read with a lifelong friend during a pleasant afternoon walk.

"Explain, please?"

Her fingers dig in the back of her legs as she tries to prevent them from shaking, the military attention stance for once having good points. Her voice drops its frantic edge, as the necessity of presenting clear and concise account forces her attention away from all the chaotic thoughts of the outcome of the conversation.

"Sir, most of those transfered were citizens who would rarely present a problem for the Guard. Moreover, most of them were citizens contributing toward the coffers of the City, in some cases quite substantial amounts. One of the men, sent off to a labor detachment for fourty years, was a successfull and prominent artificer with, admitedly, a bit of a drinking problem."

She pauses, taking a deep breath, attempting to calm the mixture of anger and abject terror threatening to overwhelm her.

"Sir, the City is losing substantial amount of money through such vigilantism, all the more so since it is not within the City's jurisdiction to confiscate the offender's assets. Such practices also drive other people from it - several notable merchants have already moved their bases of operations elsewhere because of the unrest caused by the recent events. I know of three instances of Cuhannan investors withdrawing their interest in the City because of this issue. Cear is a merchant city, sir. Trade is our livelihood."

The tilt of the head comes again, the voice carrying, for the first time, an inflection of an emotion. She cannot determine if the slight amusement in the man's words should be taken as a sign of progress, or the contrary.

"Quite an interesting presentation, Guardsman. Are you certain you did not miss your calling?"

Ah. So that is how it works...

Her eyes focus on a spot a few inches to the side and over the man's head.

"Sir"

A soft chuckle comes from the seated official, as he glances at the three Captains lined to the side with a smirk.

"Quite the fast learner, I see"

The eyes, when returning to rest on her, carry none of the amusement, their expression that of a hawk noticing something furry and succulent bouncing unaware below.

"You mentioned other charges, Guardsman?"

She swallows again, the fear almost dispelled by the official's short amusement returning in full force.

"Yes, sir. The recent announcements, sir."

One hand lowers, the fingers tapping a few times on the desk. The man's face takes on a thoughtful expression, all the more unnerving in his lack of display of personal emotions about the issue.

"I believe they were withdrawn as soon as we informed Father Minuvas of the issue, Guardsman."

Of course he did...

"Yes, sir. The fact remains, however, that, again, Father Minuvas decided to take on himself a position he is not yet entitled to, sir."

The fingers return to obscure the man's lips, his affinity toward keeping them in such a position a fact she absently commits to memory, one of the many seemingly irrelevant things that sooner or later turn out to be the defining detail in a, one would think, completely unrelated situation.

"Father Minuvas did conduct a number of inquiries, I have been given to understand."

The sentence, while stated, cannot be taken for anything but a question.

She nods, for once drawing on her professional pride to qualm the fright raging unceasingly within her.

"Incorrect information, sir. Cear established the clear adherence to the rights of various Orders and reinforcement of civil laws where they do not clearly stand in violation of such in the Civic Edict of 596, after the... incidents, sir. Precisely for the reason, sir. Father Minuvas is not an Inquisitor, and as a Priest he carries no right to"

She pauses for a heartbeat. Her fingers press hard into the back of her thighs, out of the sight of any of the men, she hopes.

"pursue forcible admissions, or declare a bounty without the approval of the Ministry, sir. Moreover, such proclamation may only be issued with the Governor's seal, or, where unavailable, the highest local ranking officer's signature. Part of the Imperial Decree of 595, comemmorating the birth of the Emperor's son, sir."

The man blinks, the action so infrequent to make it a statement. A light raising of the right hand stops her. His voice retains its neutral tonation.

"I am rather surprised, I must admit. I did not expect a history lesson, Guardsman"

The spot on the wall over the official captures all of her visual attention.

"Explaining necessary details, sir"

A light wave of a hand, accustomed to taking or granting continued lives through such a simple gesture.

"Anything else?"

She blinks, attempting to clear the black spots dancing in her vision.

"There were complaints about Father Minuvas attacking animal followers as contrary to the property damage laws. I did not pursue this matter as the evidence was circumstantial, sir."

She stops, watching with slightly widened eyes the man behind the desk, attempting to prevent the faint trembling of her legs she feels. The terms are on the table as well as she could present them... but this time, more is at stake than money.

A thought comes, the inner cry of anguish:

Why did you even start?

[Kartina]

Questions, each grasping at her heart with icy grip:

"Did you file charges against Father Minuvas?"

"Sir? No, sir. I merely brought the issues to Captain's attention, given the volatility of the issue"

"Ah. In case of the attack on the animals, who brought the... issue, to your attention, Guardsman?"

"Sir, several people spoke to me about it, but I did not decide to pursue the matter as it seemed too minor of an issue given the possible consequences, sir"

"Do you deny the Church the right to declare bounty on known heretics?"

"Only if it is issued by a Priest, not an Inquisitor, sir, and involves incitement to, what in this case, becomes assault and lawless killing, sir. The issue was with the initial announcement including bounties for killing of the listed individuals, not its current form, sir. Hence the seal or signature requirement, sir."

"Do you deny he Church the right to destroying the seeds of Heresy among the faithful?"

"Sir, no sir! However, Father Minuvas' actions stood against both the secular as well as religious laws, sir. He is a priest, not an Inquisitor, and as such he does not have the jurisdiction to perform in the manner he did, sir. I checked all available records before proceeding with this case, sir."

"On a side note, what have you done prior to your service in the Guard?"

"Sir, I worked for a number of years as, initially, a trade agent, and later on an advisor. I have worked, in one aspect or another, for all the mercantile Consortia based in Cear, as well as majority of the prominent traders. I am also acquainted with a number of the University’s Academia, to whom I occasionally perform acquisition services."

"Ah, that would explain the letters the Ministry has been receiving. Hmm... Guardsman Jewel, yes? Jewel... was there not an issue with storing rights a while back that you were involved in?"

"Sir, yes, sir. My client was charged improper fee for the storage of their goods outside of the defined area for the charged tax rate."

"The City lost a substantial amount of the possible fees due to your involvement, as I recall."

"Sir, I was at the employ of the defendant at the time. It was all legal, sir. The provis-"

"Yes, Guardsman, I am well aware of the case. Hmm. A number of Guardsmen wrote in support of Father Minuvas. Clearly not all agree on your interpretation of the law."

“Sir, it is not my interpretation of the Law. Etoth is the Law, appointed by Lochwar himself, and there is no distinction of the station of those judged in Etoth’s eyes. The Guard is bound to serve Emperor by serving Etoth, sir, first and foremost.

As to the disagreement, sir, I spend majority of my free time researching the laws in the Ministry records, sir. I also had the opportunity to copy, with Father Minuvas’ permission, before this issue arose, the entire Imperial Book of Law. He also gifted me with a copy, made in his hand, of some notable legal precedents. I would not argue canonical Law with the Father without checking carefully first. One the other hand, I will claim that neither he, nor majority of the Guardsmen, has as extensive exposure to the intricacies of the Imperial Law as I had, sir. There are five thousand Imperial Laws, sir. There are over two thousand major local provisions. I strongly doubt Father Minuvas, given his short stay in the City, had an opportunity to become acquainted with all of them. Sir, I do not know anybody who knows all of them by heart. Which is why I research such matters, both in professional capacity as well as personal goal.

I am well aware of the support Father Minuvas garners among the Guardsmen. I do not let that stop me from doing my duty to the City, the Emperor, and the Gods, sir.”

The back of her tunic is drenched in the sweaty cold of fear as the questioning continues.

[Minuvas]

To The Guard Captain in Charge of Imperial Assignment:

It has come to my recent attention that you have employed a woman, I do not question your judgment in this matters - but surely we can agree as Imperial men, we must often guide our more feminine lineage to correct itself when it has gone asunder.

It has been further pointed out to me by other Guardsmen in your employ, that this woman has come to question the work of Lochwar. That she would question the will of Lochwar?

I offer a re-education course at the Temple, for Citizens who are not quite...heretics or villains, but who are starting to tread down ..odd ways of thinkings. Mostly for people who have been exposed to heretical ideas and are beginning to question the ways of the Empire, if not quite openly yet.

This course would be free, and I would personally oversee it with assistance from the Maidens of the Mace, I would highly suggest you enroll her.

For the Guard, I do so out of my Duty and of my Devotion to the Empire. I applaud your continued good work, and hope the best of our continued Union. I recently helped bring some criminals to justice with assistance of the Guardsmen, and would not forget our good works.

When she returns, I can promise guaranteed obedience. I know she has been a thorn to other guardsmen in your employ, so ambitious and fiesty - correcting other guards at times.

Praise the Emperor
Praise Lochwar

-Signed, Minuvas.

[Jehannum]

Honorable Minuvas of Lochwar,

Blessed and protected are the priests of Our Patron Lochwar, whose chosen scion, Glorious Marcus IV, rules the land and all within it from the eastern sea to the west. I am the instrument of his will, and the blood and toil of all men and women within are dutifully charged unto his will toward the glory of the Empire. It is my sworn duty to uphold the Imperial law and to see the will of Marcus IV done within the walls of the city and the lands surrounding.

The news of some chaos has reached my chambers regarding the issuance of some said bounties placed upon heretics on the very heels your letter suggesting a member of my own guardsmen be given leave to attend reeducation. I am sure there is some misunderstanding in this, and I am sure that it was not your intention to take from Our Emperor what belongs solely to him, being the blood and toil of his Own subjects. The souls of men are the province of the God's, yet the lives of His subjects are belonging to the Empire. I am certain that you had sent a letter to my offices suggesting that the terminus be enforced upon these heretics . Couriers can be unreliable at times in the streets.

With regards to the woman guard, I regret to tell you that I am unable to spare her service at this time, as my ministers have informed me that she is a useful instrument and I have need of her services at this time. Let it not be said that the ministers of Marcus' will do not honor the will of the Gods. I shall send my own architect and engineer to the temple to enter your service for a time to see about the matter of improvements to the temple in Thrall's Gate.

I can speak to you honestly and say with truth that the Empire will soon face a new challenge and The Emperor and his charges will have need of unity. Throughout the ages the Faith has been the Emperor's shield and his legions: his sword. Let there be unity and no division among those who serve. This is the Will of the glorious Marcus IV of Varana.

Governor Verkethed.
Instrument of The Will of Marcus IV, City of Cear.

[Kartina]

A long silence falls after the last question is answered. She keeps herself standing to attention, despite every fiber of her body pushing her to turn and run. Run through the door, run through the city, find a ship and keep running until she reaches the parts unknown... and then run further still.

A flicker of the man's fingers, a tiny gesture suddenly carrying with it the sharpness of an executioner's sword.

"That would be all, Guardsman. Consider yourself under review; you will be informed of the official determination at appropriate time."

She staggers, even that degree of the relief sufficient to overwhelm her.

"Yes, sir."

The Ministry official's eyes seem to bore straight to her core, the chill of fear just dispelled returning yet again.

"I trust not to be required to commit my time to such an issue anytime soon. I hope we both share the appreciation toward such a sentiment, Guardsman?"

She manages to force affirmation through the still clenched throat.

"Yes, sir."

"Dismissed, Guardsman. Please make certain to close the door."

"Sir."

She turns about, half-stumbling toward the door, groping for its handle while the man in the seat speaks again.

"If you would kindly step in front, please?"

Frantic, she turns to face the desk, her grasp at the door the only thing keeping her upright. The calm, predatory eyes of the official spare her one last glance.

"That is all, Guardsman"

The door closes on the three Captains assuming position in front of the man.

Outside, after closing the door with as little sound as possible, she leans against the wall, her unfocused eyes failing to register the sudden interest of all the guardsmen present inside. Taking a few deep breaths in, she heads out toward the door proclaiming, with the expected attempt at humor falling just short of exhumed, "In-House". Her trembling legs carry her over by an apparent miracle, finding her locking the door to the only part of the Barracks she decided not to visit after just one sight of it. This time, however, the room offers welcome privacy.

Bent over the rough hole in the planks covering the upraised section of the small enclosure, she finally succumbs to the rising bile.

[Kartina]

“Guardsman Jewel!”

A yellow mohawk emerges from behind three piles of thick ledgers, stacked precariously one on top of another in front of a sturdy, simple desk, seemingly designed more for support of just such weights rather than comfort of the person behind it.

“Sir?”

Captain Waters, the Barracks commander, waves a piece of parchment covered by easy-flowing writing.

“I read your report on the lack of manpower to handle the tasks necessary. I certainly concur with your determination that we require more men.”

She nods, glancing with suspicion at several guardsmen gathering within listening range with barely suppressed grins.

“Thank you, sir. The truth is that we cannot perform all the duties required by the Ministry, especially given the increased combat training requirement as per the standing orders.”

“Quite correct. Prepare the necessary announcement for me to sign within the hour, Guardsman. You are to handle the application process.”

He turns around, marching toward his office, ignoring the expression of protest on the woman’s face, as well as the quiet sniggering coming from guardsmen outside of his field of vision.

A sputter of outrage crosses her mind.

Damnit, I only have one pair of hands!

[ColdToes]

Kilrux enters the city Gaol /barracks. "I just wanted to check on my guards application," he talks polietly to Kartina,"I was curious if my strong faith and loyalty to Lochwar would raise any problems with being imployed as a guard." He stands with his arms by his side waiting patiently for her reply. "Are there any other forms or questions I need answer?" he adds with a slight smile.

[Kartina]

She sighs, giving the man a knowing look.

"I fear that at times there are other matters demanding greater attention from the clerks. From what I understand, the only missing part of the application were the recommendation letters, and that was sent directly to the Ministry?

I do hold the copy of the application; if nothing is known by the end of the week, I will look after this matter personally.

Unfortunately, you may find this a norm rather than an unusual event. While the Ministry does not suffer from as great of a shortage of qualified personel, there are still not enough people to cover the range of work they need to do on daily basis."

She rubs her face, shrugging helplessly.

"Sorry."

[ColdToes]

Kilrux nods patiently. "Refferences... hmmm I can think of a few people who would refference me. thank you very much." He turns and strides out of the the gaol.