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Ma-ti was an NPC I played briefly for a trial. An old Euthanatos, she bound her eyes in order to more truly see the Wheel of Fate. She is to sit in judgement of a murderer..
Horizon Realm(#1234RJ)
A dark, bleary castle, somewhere out in the Horizon.
A cramped foyer stretches out before large oaken doors, dark with
age. The room is decorated in a morbid, victorian veneer. All of the
furniture is a blood-stained red wood. At the far end of the aisle a
large barrister is raised, towering above the rest of the room. On
occassions when an unfortunate young mage stands before those occupying
the five places it holds, they seems to speak forth sentence from the
heavens.
There are scant windows in the large foyers, and tonight they are
shrouded my black curtains. The room is lit only by large, towering
torches, casting an unnatural glow about the room - a fire not quite
true.
Contents:
Bertrand
Faith
Lucifer
Josh
Ma-ti
Dropped.
Enter the Tribunals: Anna, Lord Cedric, Randolph, Ma-ti, and Kristof.
Kristof zips in his wheel chair, the high pitched noise fading out
quickly in the high ceilinged room. Kris is an oldish man with a mean
look on his face.
Ma-ti enters leaning on Lord Cedric's arm. A small, frail-looking old
Indian, she is wrapped in a red and grey sari. Laugh lines curve the
corners of her mouth, but it's impossible to see her eyes. A cloth covers
them, wrapping around her greying hair.
Randolph walks in slowly behind the others... Emotionlessly...
Lord Cedric pats Ma-ti's hand as he leads her down the aisle toward the
barrister. His bright white hair sits as a flame upon his head. One can
almost believe that he has set himself afire with his own frantic energy.
Indeed, an old burn scar slashes down his face, making his scowl almost
permanent. He does, however, whisper soft words to his temporary ward.
Randolph's hair is thin to non-existant. He speaks not at all as he
enters...
Lord Cedric looks back, watching Anna's entrance.
Anna comes into the room, moving very slowly, her ebony cane tapping the
cadence as she walks with that stoop of osteoperosis. She carries a soft
looking seat cushion and a lap quilt as she makes her way toward a chair.
Very carefully, step, step, tap ... step, step, tap ... she is wearing a
dark blue dress, with her forearms bare. And yes, you can see that tatoo,
a black number on her left arm
Lord Cedric nods and walks Ma-ti to her place on one end of the
barrister. He settles her in and moves to the center to take his place.
Ma-ti is seated and goes still...absolutely silent. Only the rise and
fall of her thin chest betrays her breathing.
Kristof runs his fingers throug unruly hair and frowns at the room. His
hands smooth the rumples of the pants that hang cover his whithered legs
and then he glances at the other tribunes. He speaks in a thick german
accent. "We ready to start this show?"
Bertrand gives ample time for the Tribunals to take their places, then
leads his charges into the room.
You say "Soon, Kristof. Have patience. Justice must never be rushed."
Randolph Seems unthrilled by that statement...
Kristof looks at Cedric with a blank look, what may be taken as humor. He
settles back in his chair and stares across the room.
Josh enters, following behind Bertrand, head raised and shoulders
squared, walking steadily.
Anna comes to a chair, and taps it with her cane ... once, twice ... ok,
looks solid. She will give the seat a disdainful look, and put the
cushion down, adjusting it gently before sitting upon it with the slow
care of a woman who has no wish to break a hip by sliding off. She will
lean back slowly, and adjust the quilt on her lap for warmth, and for
effect ... she really looks gaunt in her age, but that spark in her eyes
is one of strength of soul.
Bertrand walks purposefully to his place before the barrister, his eyes
meeting the gaze of each of the judges in turn. In particular, those of
Randolph. His lips curl slightly, perhaps betraying his serenity. As he
walks by those here to witness, you notice he towers high above them all.
For a Frenchman, his expression could be that of the most Eastern
Akashic.
Ma-ti does not meet Bertrand's gaze, but she inclines her head ever so
slightly.
Josh is dressed... well, it isn't casual, but certainly modern - jeans, a
denim jacket, a long shirt. He moves silently to his place, hair shifting
slightly as he looks along the row of tribunals, studying each for a
moment, in turn.
Randolph glares coldly back at Josh...Trying to make hime feel as
nothing...
Lord Cedric waits for everyone to get settled, and then rises. "If we can
come to order please..."
Josh meets the gaze calmly, resting there for the same moment as each of
the others.
Faith follows everyone else in, taking a moment to look across the
Tribunals with a slow turning of her head. Her face is rather placid as
she takes her seat.
You say "I would like to begin by welcoming you to my demesnes. It is not
often that we hold such a proceeding here unless it involves one of our
own. As you all know, I am Lord Cedric, and I am accompanied in this
proceeding by Masters Kristof, Anna, Randolph, and Ma-ti."
Anna gives Josh a look conveying ... curiosity perhaps? She certainly
takes her time, almost staring impolitely. but then, if she's going to
judge, she needs the Measure of the man ... or maybe she is taking a
moment to remember days when she would have liked looking at his figure.
You say "Would the defendant and his counsel please rise to hear the
charges?"
Kristof inclines his head slightly at Cedric introduces him and he turns
his look to Josh, studying the young mage with cold eyes.
Bertrand rises without looking at Josh, his eyes are only on Cedric.
Josh stands, clasping his hands behind his back, facing Lord Cedric.
Lord Cedric clears his throat and looks down upon Josh, the scar on his
face putting a eerie twist on his words. "Joshua Leahtan, you stand
before this Tribunal today accused of the crime of murder as well as
consorting with infernal beings and conspiracy to murder Alissa Talifero
bani Euthanatos, later to be known to you as Lucio. How do you plead to
these charges?
Faith narrows her eyes just slightly at Lord Cedric, gaze scrutinizing in
its own.
Josh says "I plead not guilty, to all of the charges."
Randolph Waits wanting to savor this moment if it goes as he believes it
...And it doesn't Scowling.
Bertrand makes no motion except the slow lowering of his eyelids.
Kristof's face twists into a humorless grin as he looks at Josh.
Lord Cedric takes a deep breath and nods, as if he expected as much.
"Very well. We shall begin. You may be seated."
Josh sits down carefully, folding his hands in his lap.
Ma-ti doesn't move, her face as expressionless as before.
Anna doesn't seem surprised and after taking a moment to adjust her quilt
again, settling a little bit more comfortably in the chair, she will
flick her cane in a gesture she has obviously done many times before and
set it across her lap, holding it gently in both hands as she guages the
moods of everyone present...
Lord Cedric looks up and down the barrister, seeming to form words in his
head. Finally, he looks out over the gathering and begins to speak. "I
have been chosen by my peers to lead the questioning for what would be
considered the prosecution. Let me remind you, Mr. Leahtan, AND my fellow
Tribunals *looks at Randolph* that we are here to seek the truth, not
create a scapegoat nor martyr." His lips curl around the last few words
in disgust.
Randolph seems to take the referance with indifference...
You say "We will address each of the charges individually and in order,
beginning with the murder of Bryan bani Euthanatos, Adept. Mr. Leahtan,
have you ever encountered Bryan?"
Josh's voice is quiet, but firm, unhesitating. "Yes. I have."
You say "Would you please describe this encouter for us?"
Josh says "I returned from my job one evening, to find that he had
returned Crissana to the Cycle."
You say "That is hardly a descriptive picture of events, Mr. Leahtan.
Could you elaborate, perhaps?"
Faith glances across the Tribunals, gaze settling on each one in turn for
nearly a minute.
Anna's eyes become half lidded. No, not sleepy ... more like,
contemplative. By the time Faith decides to look at her, she will crack a
crooked smile, but other than that fleeting twitch of lips, nothing
more... she listens to every word Josh says, weighing them in her mind.
Randolph says "What was your reaction when you found out Bryan had
returned Crissana to the Cycle??"
Josh's face grows... cooler. "He returned her to the Cycle, and waited
for me to reutnr. We spoke, having a.. discussion regarding his choice to
do so. His answers led me to believe that he had lost his perspective. He
could provide me with no proof of her corruption. His death was... rapid,
and as painless as was possible under the circumstances. I stayed with
him until he passed into the Cycle, then returned both his body and
Crissana's to the earth."
You say "He waited for you?"
Randolph returns Faith's stare coldly....and ends with a slight
motion..."What gives you the right to judge Him...If what you say was
true you should have brought it before us."
Josh looks between Lord Cedric and Randolph, trying to decide which to
answer first.
Kristof's eyes narrow at Faith and then turns his eyes back to Josh.
Lord Cedric looks down at Randolph. "We are gathering facts, Randolph,
not making a judgement of the defendant's ethics. Be aware he is not a
member of our Tradition. Those questions will come later."
Josh decides, and turns to Cedric. "Yes. He waited for me." He then turns
to Randolph. "What right did he have to judge her? You to judge me?" with
Lord Cedric's words, he falls silent again.
Randolph Quiets himself for the time being...
Bertrand nods and perhaps even hints at a smile when he hears Josh's
reply.
Faith's expression remains passive to each Tribunal, not reacting to any
response she recieves to her gaze.
You say "I find it odd Mr Leahtan, that someone who has fulfilled his
purpose would remain simply so that he may, taunt perhaps, you. Did he
make any aggressive action towards your person?"
Josh says "He did not. Nor did he taunt me. He remained to speak with me,
for the same reasons that he chose to act at all."
You say "And what, as you percieve them, were those reasons?"
Bertrand looks up at the question and looks at Josh meaningfully.
Josh glances at Bertrand, then back to Lord Cedric. "He held strong
personal beliefs as to my place in the Cycle, and duties that he believed
it was my responsibility to fufill. I am afraid that I am somewhat
underqualified in the history of the Tradition to give a full explanation
of those beliefs."
Anna taps her cane, rather loudly, three times to get attention before
speaking...
You say "Perhaps, however, we who know the Tradition can decipher his
purpose. Do you recall his words to you?"
Josh waits politely for Anna, before his reply.
Lord Cedric bites his question off abruptly to allow Anna to speak.
"Du hast dis girl ... dis Crissaynya" she starts, in her heavy accent ...
a voice like so many tinder dry aspen leaves whispering in the breeze ...
"Zee question ist off her too, dese mann, he kill her ... du kill heem
... ist not beliefs, ist facts. Vhy? Vhy du haf her close, ven du take
dis path in life? Vhy he kill her? ... Vhy and vhy? ... Du must answer
desen too..."
Josh inhales quietly, taking a half-moment to compose his answer, before
he speaks again, voice softer than before; still audible, but hushed, in
a way. "Crissana chose to walk by my side with full knowlege that parts
of that life were beyond her understanding. She was at the center of the
events that lead to the birth of my power, and my eventual Awakening. I
will be frank about my relationship with her: nothing in this world
mattered more to me. But Bryan's death was not for vengeance. He killed
her because he believed she was holding my back from joining this
Tradition."
A rustle of shock sweeps through the audience. Evidently that is a
disturbing accusation.
Lord Cedric sits back in his seat and glowers at Josh's words. He slowly
turns his head and looks to Randolph, then Bertrand, and then back at
Josh. He taps his fingers together, thinking, before finally saying
"Another heavy accusation Mr Leahtan, one which I think deserves our
thought and investigation. It is not within our Chodana
to manipulate someone into our order in that fashion."
Randolph bears the gaze...And doesn't flinch in the least...
Josh says quietly "I know the Chodana. As I said. Bryan had lost his
perspective. He did what he thought was best. His judgement was in error.
Not his heart."
Kristof looks at Cedric blankly again and mutters something either in
german or in an accent so thickly german it can not be decifiered. He
seems to think that this twisting of the Chodana is not uncommon.
Anna makes an exclamation of "Bah!" very loudly and says with annoyance,
"Ist deseesion du make ... Force du, ist Dumkopf ... Acht, Vhy du tink
dis manner zo stupid? Vhy vee belief dis manner zo stupid ast du say?"
Bertrand rises from his seat, a scowl upon his face. Those who know him
know that he does not participate in flagrant expressions of emotion
often. "I demand, your Honor, that this proceeding be called to recess so
that we may in..ves..ti..gate" and he draws out each syllable "..this
matter." He looks at Randolph accusingly.
Josh looks up at Anna, eyes flashing silently for a moment; not in anger
at the name, but the accusation of duplicity. He remains silent, however,
as Bertrand makes the request for a recess.
Randolph responds..."i'll agree with Bertrand in that...It does need
investigating..
Ma-ti stays as silent and impassive as ever.
Lord Cedric looks to Kristof and Anna. "Are we all in agreement?"
Kristof makes a gruff sound of agreement. "Like you said, why rush
justice." There is the slightest sound of a sneer in his voice as he says
that.
Anna whacks her cane on the floor again, "Acht! No zense, eet make. One
manner or oder ist fool... " and she waves the cane angrily to Cedric,
"Fine, fine ... ist time, och."
Lord Cedric eyes Anna and makes a face that's either a grimace or a
smirk. "Very well. I will call this proceeding to recess. Mr. Leahtan,
you have the choice of remaining here as my welcome guest until we
return, or you may return to your home under the supervision of Mr.
Lachance."
Josh nods slowly. "Matters are arranged for, there. My return would be
more disconcerting than a longer absence."
You say "Those are your affairs, Mr. Leahtan, while you remain here you
will go unmolested. You and your party may move about as you please."
Josh nods once more to Lord Cedric, solemnly.
You say "You may consider these proceedings in recess."
Randolph stands slowly and avoids any contact with Josh...As he leaves...
Ma-ti speaks for the first time. "There is one I would speak with."
Anna begins to calmly fold up her lap quilt again, treating the thing
like an old friend.
Ma-ti turns her head and then raises a hand to beckon to Faith.
Lord Cedric looks to Ma-ti and says "Call to me when you are ready, and I
will guide you."
Bertrand stays with Josh until he is ready to leave.
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