Crim187-1

=
=============================== Docket Number: Crim187-1 - Rex v. Magnus

=
=============================== Brief for the King, submitted by Malacasta

=
=============================== We might have once believed that the citizens of Sable loved their King. Certainly we would expect that his restrained and just rule had won him the respect of even the most humble of his subjects. This, tragically, is not the case. A day which should have been celebrated as the dawn in a new era of Justice will be forever mourned and remembered as the day of the Regent Row Bombings. Instead of blessing the wisdom of Borgia who created a force of dedicated monarchists representing the entire spectrum of sentient endeavor, we are forced to ask ourselves why a bitter and petty man found it necessary to commit a vile act of terror which struck at the very heart of our civilization and ended in bloodshed, maiming and death. Magnus Silvereyes, Prince of Thieves, leader of rabble, harborer of treasonous and heretical lowlife, is hereby accused of being a terrorist and a murderer. That this man is able to wander freely amongst the loyal citizens of our town speaks volumes about the incompetency of the former Justicars. Let us look briefly at some relevant highlights in his ignoble career. When the heir to the throne was cruelly beaten and left to die in the sewers, despite the fact that all evidence pointed to one of his underlings, Magnus hid and defended the man, it was not until he was threatened with expulsion from his guild by Artemis, Magnus made any testimony at all. More recently King Borgia was nearly forced to call a state of emergency as the economy went into crisis. It was Magnus Silvereyes who forced his hand by outright refusing to pay an enormous tax debt. It was only when our Ruler indicated that the bank might be forced to close indefinitely, did he grudgingly pay what the state was owed. Let us couple these two examples with some further history. It was not so many months ago that Magnus was to be wed to Rosa a cleric of Bilanx. Bilanx refused to bless the union, and Rosa left Sable forever shortly after, and finally, as Overlord of Clan Kithain, Magnus incites the citizens of Sable to rise up against their human oppressors, an odd wailing of lies he bleats, for everyone can see that most of the leaders in our land are Kith, yet he continues to spread propaganda and attempts to offer himself as a saviour. What does this background tell us? We look at a man whose selfish ambition has been thwarted time and time again by our King, a man who believes himself wronged by the God of the Justicars, a man with paranoid fantasies and a man who watched his wife Malacasta, and comrade, Tesarius, be recruited to defend all that he despises. And so we turn our eyes to the Regent Row Bombings. They were of a kind rarely witnessed in the land. Triggered by the merest whisper, a devastating explosion would erupt which tore flesh from limb and spirit from shell. The origin of the blast was so cunningly hidden that not even the most magically gifted and learned man in the land, General Tesarius, Master of Time and Space, could reveal the device's whereabouts. As Chronos would have it, the bombing came during a major crime wave, the Justicars offices were opened to a flood of shocked victims who were trying to come to terms with their loss. Imagine the horror they must have felt when, as we began to take statements, the building was rocked by the devastating blast. Imagine the betrayal they must have felt when, seeking sanctuary in this bastion of law, they became grievously wounded and maimed. General Tesarius attempted to clear the building, assisting the injured and silently directing those who could walk, and when at last the place was emptied, we searched in vain for the device which had caused such misery. It was then that the Esteemed Priestess of Gethsemane arrived in the foyer, Tesarius ran out to warn her to leave the area. Too loud he whispered for her to flee, too late he noticed she was wearing only her robes of office, and too close she stood to the worst of the explosion. Tesarius ran to her mutilated and bloody form as it lay twisted amongst the ruin, but Egypt was dead. And the tragedy was complete. Word spread quickly of the death of the Priestess, and only minutes after the horror, Magnus Silvereyes appeared. He boasted loudly to the General that this was a simple trap which he could easily disarm, and without hesitation walked blithely through the ruins, directly to where the trap was hidden, and without pausing to blink an eye, he deactivated the device. It was stated earlier that this form of terror had been rarely witnessed. But witnessed it had been. Private Malacasta had once watched Magnus lay the speech traps, had seen the mayhem it created and had witnessed its disarming. Inquires were made, and after much investigation, a stunning and damning fact was revealed. As learned from a member of the thieves guild itself, Artemis does indeed teach the abhorrent skill used in creating terror, but each trap is unique, and only the person who set it knows the secret to its inactivation. Magnus in his arrogance and pride thus dug his own grave. Undermining the Authority of the State is treason. But Magnus is not charged with anything so grand. His motives were spawned of spite. No passionate political agenda guided his conscience, nay, these were the actions of a sulking and spoiled child lashing out at the hand which restrained his excess and the comrades he could not control. Magnus knew the bomb could kill, he had seen it kill before. Magnus knew the offices were crowded with wailing citizens, as they had been publicly asked to wait at the Justicars. Magnus wanted chaos and death to be the welcoming gift for King Borgia's finest. It was. Let the state show as much mercy to Magnus Silvereyes, as he showed to the innocent townsfolk of Sable. Let the state prove to Magnus that it will meet pain with pain and terror with terror. More vital still, let the state show the Citizens of Sable that it will protect them from mindless and petty violence, avenge their misery and bring to Justice, those who have shown none for General Tesarius.

I, Magnus Silvereyes, the Sidhe Trickster, loyal citizen of Sable, Champion of Borgia protest this slander of my good name with all my heart and soul. I cry out for Bilanx's justice on this dark day which has turned wife against husband, brother against brother, comrade against friend. This horrible event has plunged Sable into Chaos. this dark event has made the innocent and upright appear treasonous. It has turned the villanous into heroes. I ask you, noble Judge, who else could cause such acts but the ever chaotic and destructive, Gethsemane? I will show in the course of this defense, that I am the innocent victim of a horrible plot which stretches from the vast aery reaches of the Aether, to the slime- filled corridors of our sewers.

Direct your attention if you will to Exhibit A. This letter was found in the possession of an Ironwood Bandit in the Sablean Sewers System. It is unfortunate that this plot was not uncovered at an earlier time by the Justicars. If they would have sought to police the sewers and areas in t he slums of town as diligently as they do the eastern side, then perhaps the nefarious activities occurring within the sewers would have been halted. However, this plot was uncovered to late. I myself ventured into the sewers to search for clues to the death of my friend, Egypt. I have always been a friend to the masses, an urchin at heart, and have never had qualms about getting my hands dirty in pursuit of truth. Ahhh, but the whole truth is not yet revealed, for the diaries uncovered at the lighthouse have not yet been shown. Please direct your attention to Exhibit B. From the Diaries of Captain Violte. It is obvious from the events which occured on that fateful day that General Corg went ahead with his plans to assasinate Justicar Thorgroome. Alas, traps do not discriminate, and innocent Egypt fell prey to the trap. Or, was she innocent? I will not go so far as to say that Egypt sacrificed herself in a plot to destroy my reputation and life. However, it is in accordance with the will and purpose of her deity, Gethsemance, to launch just such a plot. I am a well known follower of Chronos, who in her doctrine laughs at the facade of chaos which Gethsemance strives for. Perhaps Gethsemance thought that he would put my faith in Chronos to the test? Perhaps, his reasoning isn't so focused, maybe Gethsemane is simply reveling in the chaos resulting from the Regent Row bombing. Betrayal has been rampant, mischief the order of the day, and Chaos reigns. The horrible distortion of the past events of my life by the brief of the prosecution is further evidence of Gethsemane's hand in this matter. Only through his power could my obvious joy at my wife and friends appointment to the Justicars be confused for anger. Only through his power could my sadness at Rosa's departure be twisted into vengeful rage with the wise and just Bilanx. Through his power could such a minor disagreement as myself and the bank's small tax affair be twisted into a realm shaking economic crisis.
 * Exhibit A********************************
 * To all Ironwood bandits:
 * Things have been proceeding well. We have gained many recruits thanks
 * to our recent aquiring of the Sablean lighthouse. The foolish King
 * Borgia is still unaware of this, which makes me laugh heartily every
 * time I think of it.
 * I have secured an alliance with someone that should ensure the power
 * of the Ironwood bandits. Sable Kingdom must fall. The Ironwood Kingdom
 * shall soon be born.
 * - Supreme General Cor
 * of the Ironwood bandits. Sable Kingdom must fall. The Ironwood Kingdom
 * shall soon be born.
 * - Supreme General Cor
 * - Supreme General Cor
 * Exhibit B******************************
 * > There is a great deal of scribbling and note-taking. Some of
 * it is in indecipherable handwriting. This is what you can make
 * out:
 * -> Ironwood Bandit membership is growing rapidly. The use of
 * my lighthouse has had an enormously helpful effect on this.
 * Of course, I have housed all new members here, and assured their
 * loyalty was to me first, and to Crog next.
 * -> Soon I will have twice as many loyal bandits than Crog. Then
 * it will be my time to eliminate him, and take my rightful place
 * as Ironwood General Violte. I like the way that looks.
 * -> Sable City has been a wonderful means of building my cadre.
 * I must be careful as my force grows. To lose any funding or
 * supplies (or worse, the lighthouse) would ruin my plans. In
 * fact, I need to get more supplies.
 * -> Once I assume leadership, I will cease some of Crog's plans
 * since our numbers will be weaker. I will have to temporarily
 * reduce caravan raids around Sable, to save lives, and enhance
 * the feeling of safety. I don't need an air of danger and suspicion
 * to reveal me here! Also, the assasination of Justicar Thorgroome
 * is not necessary. Crog just wants revenge for the Justicar's
 * death sentencing of Crog's son
 * reduce caravan raids around Sable, to save lives, and enhance
 * the feeling of safety. I don't need an air of danger and suspicion
 * to reveal me here! Also, the assasination of Justicar Thorgroome
 * is not necessary. Crog just wants revenge for the Justicar's
 * death sentencing of Crog's son

Your honor, I beseech you to restore balance. I ask you to find me innocent and join with me in eradicating the true mortal perpetrators. We must destroy the Ironwood Bandits and imprison Captain Violte. If any reward be given for my part in uncovering this heinous plot, I ask only that I be appointed to a consulting position with the criminal investigation department of the Justicars I feel that my detective work on this case has more than demonstrated my capabilities as well as my loyalty to the crown. All Hail King Borgia!!

Submitted Respectfully by: Magnus Silvereyes the Sidhe Trickster

=
============================= Docket Number: Crim187-1 - Rex v. Magnus

=
============================= Decision of the King's Bench

=
============================= Pursuant to the common law of King Borgia, Magnus has been found guilty of murder, terror with the intent to commit murder, terror with the intent to overthrow the King, and conspiracy to overthrow the King.

The penalty for such crimes is generally death (with the means at the discretion of the court). However, due to extenuating circumstances, like the plots revealed by Magnus in his brief, the sentence of death has been commuted, and in an act of mercy worthy of the praise of Vishnu, Magnus' life will be spared.

In lieu of death, Magnus shall be sentenced for life to hard labor in the Salt Mines of the Great Wasteland, far to the east of Sable City, on the far frontiers of the Kingdom. There he will know great pain and suffering, living out the life of a slave, spending all of his waking hours deep underground or on the surface in the blistering sun- all in the service of the King and of Sable Kingdom's spice industry.

So ordered this 4th Day of Torrid, 187 in the Kingdom of Sable.

-Judge