The Trial

Decided to go with the Hell Knights and face Chelaxian justice rather than face trial at Carrion Hill or within the Church of Pharasma. Carrion Hill is likely to be a mob, and we’re vaguely convinced someone within the Church of Pharasma is out to get Eorin. The Hell Knights have decided to take the trial to Korvosa, the nearest Chelaxian colony. They are also offering to teleport in witnesses and experts (like those from the academy).

So we go to Korvosa. Via teleport.  They’re holding the trial inside the Abjuration building of the Academy. People who have shown up:

Mayor of Carrion Hill

Lord Vorik

Action Bastard

Davor

Guy from the Temple of Pharasma (who I grew up with and is a douche, also an inquisitor)

Prince Zuri of Geb

Some important so and so from the Pathfinder Society

Lorelai (only person to witness me in the library in Absolom)

Starchy the Gravedigger from Podunk

Marduzi (Zelara’s brother)

Outside of the Academy is the shovel gang that Eorin unintentionally inspired. Eorin’s defense recommends that Orias and Illythan not be present for the trial due to their reputations. The lawyer is red and has horns and has done thorough research on ALL OF US. The lawyer hands Illythan a very large envelope full of smaller envelopes relating to his inheritance. Illythan tries to turn down the money, which leads to a discussion of him being replaced with a doppelganger.  The lawyer says that the man who has been fighting for Illythan’s inheritance on his behalf insisted, and gives Illythan a carpet. It’s a flying carpet with a map on it.  It’s got an enchantment on it that’s designed to lead you to a specific point on the map.

Lawyer is Stanley Highhat Trinidad the 14^th esquire. He recommends that Oiras and Illythan leave again because of their less than legal histories. The Pharasma representative is here to prosecute me, but under the guise that Eorin didn’t do it willingly. Temple of Irori has also taken an interest in the case. They heard Eorin was a knowledgeable person, and think Eorin’s on the wrong path. Davor has also brought someone who wishes to make a deal unrelated to the case. Stanely leaves the room briefly.

Davor brings in a full blooded orc with him who dresses similarly to Eorin: aka like a nerd. He explains that he used to be a half orc, but was able to purge the human part of him out through the powers of alchemy. The orc explains he thinks he can purge the vampiric bits out of him. Eorin is exasperated about how everyone knows about this, and Action Bastard admits to stealing the secret journal the litch had on them and telling people. Eorin decides to not seek out this solution prior to the trial, but will re-consider after it’s over. He doesn’t want to rely on a lie to prove his innocence. Kyle decides to use her magical pencil eraser to erase all of Stanley’s pencils.

Stanley comes back in the room and asks where all his pencils are. The lawyer is concerned about the character witnesses and experts because of Eorin’s religion. They bring in the head of Necromancy from the Academae: Joseph. Joseph crouches down to get through the door because he’s over 7ft tall and made mostly of a mixture of metal and bone. He’s got great big billowing robes and a monocle. Zelara’s eyes start glowing.  An awkward silence ensues. He offers to show how the whole thing could have gone down, and proceeds to show us a mechanical puppet show to demonstrate how animate dead works. The corpses utilized in the case (the victim and the body that was animated) are in transit from Ustalaav and will arrive in a week.

Starchy the gravedigger comes in next with a black eye. He explains that the church of Pharasma excommunicated him for wanting to support Eorin. And some guys threatened him if he testified on Eorin’s behalf. Then they beat him up. We healed him up good. The Mayor of Carrion Hill is also there, saying that he doesn’t believe Eorin did anything wrong. He reveals the undead in question was a ghoul. And the ghoul in question is the one pointing the finger at Eorin. Prince Zuri comes in next, and he’s only there because his adoptive father, Joseph, asked him to be there.

Eorin explains to his lawyer about the experience with the Evil Outsiders who tried to cause him to loose faith. The lawyer asks Kyle to go find the highest priest of Cayden Cailen so we can get Cayden Cailen as a witness that there’s a conspiracy against Eorin. Then Lorelai comes in looking really displeased. She’s Zuri’s sister. She’s there to confirm that Eorin was really only in the library in Absalom.

Eorin then meets in private with one of the heads of the Pathfinder society who is also Zuri and Lorelai’s sibling. He lectures Eorin on him and Zelara painting all undead with the same brush. He also says that he wants to help Eorin prove his innocence.

Meanwhile, Orias and Illythan went on a side adventure to start a legitimate business. No really, no quotes. It’s actually legit. And find out stuff to do with Illythan’s father. Eorin doesn’t know much about it, he was busy with his lawyer at the time.

Back in Korvosa, Zelara had a meeting with a member of the Shining Crusade who was possessed by Tar Baphon. He tried to convince her not to come after him, but rather focus on the false Army of Exploration. He gives her a book.

The book has a footnote in it mentions two pages of particular notice. The mutilated symbol of the Army of Exploration looks like an image people thought the depiction was of Rovagug, but it’s a mistranslation. Footnote says it’s really the son of Rovagug. The son of Rovagug is also known as everyone’s favorite monster: the Tarrasque. On the second page there’s a picture of an eye, but there’s something unnatural about it. The pupil is split like a goat’s eyes. There’s a footnote that says at certain points in history, unknown, unnatural birds started appearing, and a cult formed around these birds. The cult was known as the Defenders of Rovagug. They believe if their god (the weird bird thing) and Rovagug’s child ever joined forces, they would be unstoppable. The footnote says it might be a corrupted phoenix (or perfected b/c that’s what aberrations think of it.)

Kyle was able to find someone who can procure the false prophets that made Eorin think he was talking to the gods. Kyle has a note written on a bar napkin saying so.

Meanwhile, Illythan and Orias go and investigate Illythan father’s vast horde which neither of them are allowed to touch. Orias almost has an aneurysm at all the treasure he’s not allowed to touch. There’s a man there who takes them further into the treasure room. He has a drunkenly tied turban and a large jug of wine. Illythan ties Orias’ hands together to prevent him from stealing. He hands Illythan a small wooden boat. It looks like a Viking long boat, only gravy boat sized. Orias slips his bonds, but the drunk man tells him not to touch anything or else. Then the drunk does something that forces Orias to fall asleep. The drunk man wishes them the best of luck, and then ushers Illythan and Orias out locks the horde room behind them.

Back at the trial, the false prophets have been brought in. They were brought in kicking and screaming by a very large oni. They won’t admit to who hired them, but they are asura. Kyle and Zelara decide to try and track down the guys that beat up Starchy. They find them and their other set of working cloths. They’re not with the Temple of Pharasma, they’re with the Army of Exploration. They bring the men to the lawyer to stand trial. The Hell Knights interrogate them. They do tell us that it’s the prosecutor (the Inquisitor from the Temple of Pharasma) who hired them.

We bring the matter before the judge, who is the smallest human we have ever seen. Judge introduces himself as Curtis Ares. The Firebirds sell old black and white comics of him in which he’s much bigger, muscular, and punches things in the astral plane, but still has the same hat and mustache. We get the prosecutor thrown into prison for assault. The Hell Knights interrogate him, and will be holding a separate trial for him. Kyle helps Eorin craft a letter to the priesthood as Pharasma saying they shouldn’t excommunicate Starchy because he’s done nothing wrong, and they should excommunicate Eorin since he hasn’t been proven guilty, and that the Inquisitor engaged in witness intimidation and is a bad person. Because of Kyle’s help, it’s actually a good letter.

The Inquisitor turns out was not a priest of Pharasma, but was actually an Inquisitor of Norgorbur (the reaper of reputation). He’s had a grudge against Eorin since they were kids and Eorin was accepted by the church even though he accidentally summoned undead. He had been lying to the entire priesthood for quite some time, and the priesthood was surprised to find out about it. They re-enstate Starchy, however, tell Eorin he needs to choose. He can either purge the taint of his blood and reject his family, or be excommunicated and leave the church, and the temple will bear no ill will towards him.

Eventually, the ghoul and the body of the victim arrive. The ghoul is laughing manically as he’s dragged away. Then the body of the victim is revealed, and it’s Orias’ older sister.