"Custodio, please. He did surrender and he was helpful. Trust that we can decide whether he lies or how we can use what he says. Even lies give something away about the liar."
"He didn't have much of a choice," Custodio counters.
"Remember this if the gnome hadn't betrayed him, he would have let us leave and walk right into the temporal effect without knowing what was going to happen to us. We wouldn't have known to seal the doors behind us," He pauses.
"Think about that and the advantage Waldo might have gained against us... and the city."
Neurotic said:
To Lowenan and other prisoners
"I don't know what The Five will decide, or what guarantees you might get or not. I'd hate for all of your families be implicated or ostracized for the choices you made. They aren't in control of you and they shouldn't suffer for your...dubious choices. What we can...what I can do to help, I will."
He touches Lowenan, relieving some of the cramps.
"I know there isn't any guarantee that they will grant me clemency, but that is why I wish to see Lady Pomander first. While I might not agree with her politics, she is good woman and might actually listen to my request." He pauses.
"Lord Blander, on the other hand, is a vicious man who would rather save the city's coffers the cost of my trial by having the nearest Regular or Elite run a blade through me and be done with it. Lord Varian is more reasonable, but he is so devoted to the Great Teacher that it often blinds him to what is best for the city as a whole." He shakes his head.
"And Lord Wellington is more a scholar than a leader. No, if I'm going to avoid the headman's axe, I will need to hope that Lady Pomander might try to convince the others to spare me."
Once Akos has helped Lowenan, the ex-commander thanks the Loremaster.
Neurotic said:
"Sergeant Vinther, Mr. Lowenan is still the commander you worked for and learned from. He just made a wrong choice and is repentant now. The fact it had to be forced on him that the choice is bad doesn't change the man he is. He showed honor and integrity down there even when he had upper hand he was courteous and polite. And you, as a soldier, should understand the loyalty good commander instills and why the young ones followed."
The sergeant looks at Lowenan and Akos can tell the man remains dubious. It seems the distrust of sorcerer runs deep in the city. "I will trust your word that he won't cause any problems, but you should remain wary. For him to have been able to avoid magical detection for so long is concerning."
"While the Wizard Council's reach is long, Mr. Vinther, they are not as infallible as they wish the people to believe. They known of my family's history but no one ever truly tested me due to my position as an Elite."
"That might need to change," the Regular's guard notes.
"Ah, but they can't be going on witch hunts through the entire city looking for those who might have the innate talent to be sorcerers. How many bards would be hanged by mistake, hmm? They can't risk making those kinds of mistakes, again. No, they stick to their district and only act when their own power is threatened... like now," He pauses.
"I'm surprised they haven't tried to enter Phelix's enclave without the permission of The Five."
Custodio looks like he's going to starting ranting at the man, but he looks at Akos instead and simply crosses his arms in disgust.
After thinking about all that has happened Breva begins to realize there is more danger here. "I don't think our enemy can afford to leave our prisoners and their knowledge out here for long. I suggest we table these debates and get off the streets quickly. It is less important where we go than that we keep moving. Don't give the enemy time to get his agents into motion."
"I agree, we should go to the palace," Custodio says.
"I don't want to disturb Lady Pomander if she is still recovering from the attack on the Tribunal." He glares at Lowenan.
"I will not let you anywhere near while she is wounded." He glances at Akos and shakes his head.
"Even you cannot ask that of me." He looks back to Lowenan.
"I will make sure she knows of your request but that is as far I will go."
Tim notices her look, and says, "Lady Arnona, I apologize for your current "lodgings," it is only a temporary situation, I assure you. What Breva just said is correct, we must move you and your compatriots to a safer location, in any case, because the most direct threat to your life is not the Bluffside Gallows, but rather, the murderous agents of your recently alienated leader. I have never promised you more than I was able to guarantee, but believe me when I say, I will let no harm come to you while we are in transport, while I yet draw breath. Stick close to me, and I will spirit you away to a safer location as quickly as possible."
"Yes, we didn't know what we were going to face once we climbed back up here, so you'll forgive me if we felt we needed to make sure none of you were going to try something while helping them," Custodio motions to the Elite guards who were affected by the temporal shift.
"Now that they are fine and Akos has helped the other people affected, we can let you out and escort you across the district to the palace."
"If you do not take me to see Lady Pomander, I will not answer any more questions even under the threat of death!" Lowenan blusters. He seems desperate to try to avoid his fate.
"If that's your choice, so be it," Captain Pare says.
"Commander Lowenan has good reason to be worried," Lady Arnona replies to the captain while looking at Big Tim. "Betrayal is a common strategy." She sighs and shakes her head. "Sir Tim, you think this is temporary. You are naïve." She looks at Custodio. "Once it becomes known to The Five that we have betrayed the Oath we took, they will not be forgiving. If I'm lucky, they will only punish me for my choices." She turns back to Big Tim. "But the commander is right about Lord Blander being a despicable man. If he learns of my betrayal, he will use it as an excuse to strip my father of his position and seize my family's holdings for the city's coffers."
"Running a city the size of Bluffside is very expensive," Rhilaseth adds.
Lady Arnona nods.
"What The Five decide to do is up to them, but they don't stand so far above the magistrates to be above the law," Captain Pare says. "I trust in the law to decide." He motions for the other Regulars to let the prisoners out and shackle all of them with manacles. He makes Silagord hand over his familiar to Vinccenzo and the cat isn't happy about it. "Make it calm down or I will have to muzzle it."
Silagord complies and the cat settles into Vinny's arms. The Regulars manacle the young wizard's hands behind his back and gag him. They do the same to Lowenan much to his displeasure. They manacle Lady Arnona's hands in front of her and take care not to open up any of her wounds. Rhilaseth is manacled the same way.
"We will leave them to you, now," Captain Pare says. The Regulars pass the prisoners back to the Exemplars. "I suggest you take them to the palace and have them locked in the cells there until space can be made for them in the cells under the barracks or they can be moved to the Tower or the Dungeon in New City." He pauses. "I agree with Mr. Vecchi. You must not not take them anywhere near Lady Pomander. It is too much of a risk."
The guards step back and bow to you all. "We are grateful for your help but stay vigilant," the captain says.
Neurotic said:
And later, when he gets a chance, he pulls Custodio aside speaking quietly and only to him
"Custodio d'Elite, we promised them they will be heard. Making everything they did and said public will not be helpful. Neither to us if everyone is talking about it while we lead them to whatever prison they end up in nor to The Five since if the prisoners are hostile and without hope it will be much harder to get any information from them.
Please, please, reign in your personal displeasure or disappointment and keep professional."
Custodio takes Lowenan by the arm and leads him out of the guard post.
"You have given me your opinion, and I will try to refrain from shouting out in anger. It is as Captain Pare says, we must be careful, but if they become a problem, I will do what I must." He looks back to Akos.
"Legally, Vinccenzo and I are in charge here. He has finally say for the wizard, and I will defer to him about the commander if he insists." He then motions to big Tim.
"While I respect Tim enough to trust his judgement, even he knows he is not officially a member of the Elite. Yes, the Lord Commander has sworn you all in as temporary members of the guard, but that doesn't mean you have seniority over me."
Custodio lets Vinccenzo take charge of Lowenan, if the Sectarian chooses to do so. He also lets Tim take charge of Lady Arnona and Sir Breva take charge of Rhilaseth. He leaves Silagord for Akos. Custodio walks next to Vinny and Lowenan and he keeps one eye on the sorcerer and the other on the crowd as you all head out into Old City. Tuck takes the lead while Falen watches their backs.
The ex-guards walk with their hoods up to try to obscure their features from any onlookers.
After listening to the conversations for a while, Tuck scratches his head.
"What if," he starts, then reconsiders. Pulling his fellow Exemplars aside to avoid being overheard by the prisoners or the regular guards, the kobold whispers, "They have turned away from their former master, and their prospects are not good either way. If anything, they have good reasons to turn against Waldo. How about," and he lowers his voice even more, "How about we ask them to fight with us against Waldo? We will have more allies on our side, and their aid may be balanced against their former crimes. We all gain."
"I totally agree." Akos whispers back "But that must be the decision of The Five. If we decide on our own and let known criminals 'in the wild' we will become hunted ourselves."
"I agree," Falen finally speaks up.
"But lets do as Sir Breva says and get off the street and somewhere safe. Debates can be saved for later. Is there somewhere we can take them other than the palace." He looks towards the palace and wonders how much security there is in the massive building.
"We're not just going to be able to walk in there without having to answer questions."
