II.II Wrap-Up

[sleepingdragon]

After speaking to Katerine and Drammoc, the party left Copperdell and made their way up to the heavily defended Kingdom Guard camp, to deliver the news to Maxxen Juthe that the Crimson Path have been active in Copperdell and were indirectly responsible for the rebellion. As they made their way towards Juthe’s tent they noticed two Kingdom Guards had been detained by their colleagues – one was manacled and gagged, while another had been beaten into unconsciousness and was being taken away slung over another Guard’s shoulder.

In his modest tent, Juthe eyed the party coldly as they spoke to him. He was silent for some time after they finished speaking. “I don’t trust you,” he said curtly. “Do you have proof?”

[Idris]

Rafael held out the sheaf of notes. "This is what we found in Porey's house, together with the missing tools."

[sleepingdragon]

Juthe took the notes and spent a few minutes reading them. He was silent for what seemed to be a very long time before he finally said, “Alright, you’ve convinced me. You’ve helped us against these lunatics before and I see no reason you shouldn’t continue to. I’ll give you leave to pass beyond the cordon and seek out this Vault in the south. If you want my advice – you probably don’t, but I’ll give it anyway – I suggest you travel to Torath city and seek out information there. There are libraries at the Public Halls and the Royal Palace you could consult, and the King might even know something. It might prove faster to find what you’re looking for at the capital and then head for your destination rather than going on a wild chase across southern Torath. I can even give you an escort back to the city, I’ll be sending Ombrosian Hannant there so he can tell King Darragan why he was stealing from him, and then why he tried to have some of his confederates murder me,” he said. Juthe snorted. “And he can explain why he was so incompetently bad at the latter while he’s at it.”

“Of course none of this affects the situation here in Copperdell. I still have to put down this rebellion and I’ve given the sweetest offer I can possibly give. I suggest that you talk Katerine Soyval and Drammoc Rene into accepting it, because it won’t get any better. The King will probably want to have them executed, but I’ll do what I can to stop him. As far as I can see they’re not at all responsible for what’s happened here. It’s a pity you killed Ildwin Porey or we could have hanged him and the King would have been satisfied. If you could have his head brought to me it would be appreciated as well, the King will want proof that he actually is dead. So do I, for that matter."

Juthe paused. “Incidentally, once you’ve finished with the Crimson Path I would suggest that you leave the Kingdom of Torath as quickly as possible and never return. Attempts to foment rebellion in the Kingdom, even at some hypothetical point in the future, are considered treason here and are punishable by death, and you’ve had considerably less provocation than these miners.”

[Idris]

Rafael looked Juthe in the eye, then sighed. "We will come to Torath, and give evidence for Katerine and Drammoc too if it will help. They were never revolutionaries, just people pushed to the limit by Hannant's treatment. He is a man who richly deserves everything that is coming to him. But how did he think he would get away with murdering you?"

[sleepingdragon]

"I don't believe he was thinking rationally, nor has he at least since Copperdell fell. From the time of the rebellion he demanded the rebels' instant and unconditional surrender - which ran counter to his needs, frankly, since a more conciliatory stance might have helped him quickly secure peace and enabled him to get back into Copperdell to recover the documents that proved his corruption. Those in power make mistakes. They are only human," said Juthe. "Except for the most glorious King Darragan, of course," he added flatly after a moment.

[Idris]

Rafael smiled slightly. "Forgive me but I think I will take human error over inhuman....perfection."