Yay and verrily, we are back.
--spyscribe
Part the Very Third
In which: Justice takes a little doing.
(as recorded by Fajitas)
Anvil the Just arises at dawn, not because he has a lot to do but because that is what he does. That’s what he’s done every day of his life. Well, every day he’s been Anvil the Just, that is. Every day since he gave up his old name and his old life and dedicated himself to Kettenek and the Justicars.
He rises from his cell in the Temple of Justice and attends daybreak prayers. He then adjourns to the mess hall, where acolytes bring him food. He and his brethren engage in deep discussion of Kettenek’s Law and its rightful application, and then each attends to his own business.
This day, Anvil’s business includes research. He will spend the day in the bowels of the Temple, researching precedents on a finer point of Kettenek’s Justice in the archives. He is on his way to the archives, when he is stopped by an associate of his, Stalwart the Just.
"Anvil!" Stalwart hails him. "I was wondering if you could do me a favor."
"Certainly," Anvil replies, "if I am able and my duties permit. How may I help you in the service of Kettenek?"
"I was assigned Market duty this morning, but it turns out Iron is preparing to rule on the Liassos appeal today. He asked me for an opinion based on Aegosian precedents, given my expertise. Trouble is, I can’t find anyone to cover the Market for me, so I was wondering..."
Anvil doesn’t need him to finish. He is still only a First Order Justicar. Market duty is generally reserved for those of the Second Order. Inwardly, he leaps at the opportunity, though his outward appearance remains stony.
"If Kettenek demands it, I shall take up this task in His name."
Stalwart blinks a few times. Even for a Justicar, Anvil is a tad austere.
"Many thanks."
"It is no more than my duty. May Kettenek’s Justice be with you."
"And you."
And Anvil turns from the musty depths of the archives and heads towards the Market.
**************
Market duty, while not quite comparable to latrine duty, is not the most favored assignment of a Justicar. It is generally limited to mediation of petty disputes between merchants, farmers, anyone with a grudge. True matters of Justice are seldom dealt with at the Market. Anvil, nevertheless, attacks the job with gusto, dispensing his rulings as severely and dispassionately as if lives were in the balance. Justice demands no less, even if only two chickens and a fence are in the balance.
However, after delivering a textbook ruling in a matter of a thrown horseshoe, Anvil notices a disturbance a little ways off. A group of Watchmen seem to have two people surrounded. Miscreants, no doubt. A young lad runs up to Anvil from the crowd.
"Justicar! The Watch have made an arrest! They’re demanding justice! Come quick!"
A chance for summary justice? On Market duty! Anvil hurries to the disturbance.
He arrives almost unnoticed. Six Watchmen hold two people at spearpoint. One is an elf-woman, dressed in wild furs. The other is a large lad with a boyish face and a brickish build. "But we didn’t do anything!" the large lad protests.
A robed man wearing what Anvil recognizes as a Chamberlain’s medal of office scoffs at him. "The evidence speaks for itself."
"What evidence?" Anvil demands, making his presence known. "Who are you, and who are they, and what are the facts of this case? Tell me what has transpired, that I might dispense Justice swiftly and righteously, as Kettenek demands."
That stops the conversation. All eyes turn towards the Justicar.
"Um," says the large lad.
"Who are you?" the robed man asks, quite stupidly given robes of office Anvil wears.
"I am Anvil the Just, servant of Kettenek."
The robed man straightens himself up. "My name is Desalle, Chamberlain to my Lord Count Dain Missola. These two individuals have stolen property from my Lord—"
"But we didn’t!" the large lad insists. Desalle pays him no heed.
"—and I demand they be sentenced to enslavement and given into his possession immediately, under the rightful law."
The lad’s eyes bulge. The elf-woman’s brow furrows. Anvil stares at Desalle. "You demand their enslavement? Is this not Dar Pykos? Is not slavery illegal under our law?"
Desalle crosses his arms. "It is. But my Lord Count Missola is a citizen of Dar Aego, and the statue they were found with is his property. Under Aegosian law, slavery is the proper sentence."
And suddenly, Anvil realizes just how legally complex the situation really is…
THE SLAVE OWNERSHIP RULING.
85 years ago, Dar Pykos outlawed slavery. However, when the wealthy Aegosian merchants threatened to leave the city if they could not keep their slaves, the law was altered to accommodate foreign slave owners. The Slave Ownership Ruling was written, which stated that "slaves being regarded in other Confederate city-states as property, not people, Dar Pykos will respect the ownership rights of foreign slave-owning residents and will abide by their local laws in related matters".
At the time, it seemed like the best solution. However, 30 years ago, a case arose in which the defendant argued that the Slave Ownership Ruling was written such that it could be extended to provide protection to ALL property belonging to foreign residents. Not just slaves. The Justicar overseeing the case was persuaded and, in a highly controversial opinion, found for the defendant.
There has been great debate over the wisdom of this ruling, with Justicars split on either side. Some see it as a commitment to Dar Pykos’s "melting pot" status, while others consider it the first step towards complete anarchy. Since the Justicar who ruled on this is now the head of the Order in Dar Pykos, it has never been overturned. But this is the very issue that spurred the creation of the Universal Law Caucus, of which Anvil is a member, and overturning it is the number one item on their agenda.
In the meantime, matters of law involving foreign residents in Dar Pykos are very, very sticky…
Anvil strokes his bearded chin in an outward appearance of deep thought, while inwardly his mind races. How best to proceed? There may be a political opportunity here… but first and foremost, Justice must be done.