My most honored and revered Lord Arioch,
I, Saul Whitestone, Paladin and Divine Champion of Tyr write this to you so as to inform you, and through you the Church, of the outcome of the trial that recently transpired in Yartar.
The facts of the matter are not in dispute by any party. The crux of the matter lies in what those facts reveal. Did this man stray in his action or was he Just and True? The charged was found innocent of any wrongdoing, although only by the most narrow of margins. What would one do if they found themselves under the jurisdiction of a Paladin of a different order? The spirit and vigor of this debate leads me to conclude that further by-laws need to be written to ensure that the proper course of action for members of the Church who find themselves in a non-Church court is clear.
It is an interesting occurance, and one Church historians would do well to take note of, to have such an august group in one place. However, I cannot help but rejoice at the fact that such a group would never determine my fate. For while we all are blessed with the title and responsibiliy of Paladin, we differ greatly from our kin, as they differ from us. I answer to Tyr's law and his representatives on Faerun. I respect and honor the righteous secular authorities of many Kingdoms, but I am not bound to them less I swear an Oath.
If I may reveal my own feelings on the matter at hand, Lord Arioch. The deceased was a vile and evil man; he took pleasure in the suffering of children. As followers of Tyr we are bound to protect those who cannot protect themselves and show mercy upon those who deserve it. From all I can gather, this man did not deserve mercy. What should we do when a murderer comes to the Church seeking sanctuary and mercy from the local authorities? You will recall my own dealings with the Church of Eldath in such a matter. For Justice to have any meaning, actions must be followed by consequences. The afterthought of regret, no matter how powerful or how sincere does not cleanse the stain of sin. Others must know that they are protected. Sinners must know what awaits them. It is not the job of the Paladin to work with sinners to show them the error of their ways. At times, we can and do just that but we are endowed with great gifts by Tyr and those gifts are meant to be used to Punish the Wicked and guard the innocent. There are those who claim the greatest evil is a Drow or one of the many princes of the Abyss. I claim it is man. For while the Drow or Demon-Prince may embody evil, they are evil by blood. Man is evil by choice and that is a far more dangerous thing.
The man in question did those very things. And while there may have been more prudent ways of achieving those same ends, it is impossible to find fault in his course.
I remain you humble servant,
S. Whitestone
