OotS 420

[Grog]

It doesn't stop him from fighting, it just starts making him sicker and sicker once he violates the terms. I doubt the battle will last long enough for that to be a major issue.

The mark only prevents Belkar from hurting living things. He can still carve up all the zombies he wants.

 

[Jdvn1]

I love the dopey feel-good smiles in the second-to-last panel.

 

[Aries_Omega]

The mark only prevents Belkar from hurting living things. He can still carve up all the zombies he wants.

Very true. What about at the city walls or outside. Are either considered "inside the city". Perhaps they will march to meet the army and battle them before they get there.

 

[Kwitchit]

Very true. What about at the city walls or outside. Are either considered "inside the city". Perhaps they will march to meet the army and battle them before they get there.

Or just push Belkar out the gates and have him take out as much of Xykon's army as he can before he dies.

 

[Knight Otu]

Or just push Belkar out the gates and have him take out as much of Xykon's army as he can before he dies.

Considering he still has to fulfill a prophecy, that might be interesting.


Of course, he could still fulfill it if he becomes undead.

 

[delericho]

I love how, for what is maybe the first time*, an NPC reacts to what he party members tell each others carelessly.

I dunno. There's something about Hinjo's handling of this that really bugs me.

Firstly, it seems like a deliberate screw-job - normally, he would have been sentenced to four years, and so by the terms of the deal, he would indeed be free. But Hinjo deliberately and specifically increases the sentence above the norm precisely to keep Belkar longer. I find that somehow distasteful.

Secondly, if Roy arranged the plea-bargain with the powers-that-be in Azure City, does that not make him effectively Belkar's legal representation? As such, their conversation should be considered priviledged defendent/client discourse, and not have any weight in the sentencing. (And before you point out that this isn't modern America with all that that entails, I'll just point out that while I know that, I still consider that that is the way things should be.)

Thirdly, they weren't discussing how they would get around the system. They were discussing the means by which they had elected to use the system.

(Additionally, since Belkar paid to have the guard raised, I'm not sure manslaughter, or any version of murder, is the appropriate crime here. Strikes me that what he actually did more properly counts as actual bodily harm, or something of that ilk.)

Incidentally, in a lawful society, Belkar now has grounds to seek damages from the estate of Shojo for the illegal Mark of Justice that was applied to him. A Mark that has seriously endangered his life on two occasions now.

However, I'm pretty sure this is all meaningless. When asked which of the other two portals Zykon would be near first, the Oracle gave an answer. This means that the lich is not permanently stopped here. So, I've had the suspicion the Azure City is heading for a fall for some time now. That Hinjo has insisted on imprisoning Belkar for a year adds more weight to this - Belkar's a PC, and so unlikely to be written out for that length of time. Which suggests either he is pardoned for exceptional heroism in the fight (not likely IMO), or he's removed from 'the game' (since an LG Roy is unlikely to accept Belkar in a party if he's an actual fugitive), or Azure City are rendered incapable of keeping him. So...

 

[Storm Raven]

I dunno. There's something about Hinjo's handling of this that really bugs me.

Well, I'd say two of the things that bug you probably shouldn't.

Firstly, it seems like a deliberate screw-job - normally, he would have been sentenced to four years, and so by the terms of the deal, he would indeed be free. But Hinjo deliberately and specifically increases the sentence above the norm precisely to keep Belkar longer. I find that somehow distasteful.

Four years is not stated to be the normal sentence, it is stated to be the minimum sentence. Roy expected the minimum, but that doesn't mean that it is normal.

Secondly, if Roy arranged the plea-bargain with the powers-that-be in Azure City, does that not make him effectively Belkar's legal representation? As such, their conversation should be considered priviledged defendent/client discourse, and not have any weight in the sentencing. (And before you point out that this isn't modern America with all that that entails, I'll just point out that while I know that, I still consider that that is the way things should be.)

Privilege is waived if you engage in a communication with a third party (like Hinjo) present. You cannot expect that communications with your attorney will remain confidential if you make them in front of a police officer. (And yes, that is the way the law actually works in the U.S.)

 

[delericho]

Four years is not stated to be the normal sentence, it is stated to be the minimum sentence. Roy expected the minimum, but that doesn't mean that it is normal.

In isolation, the six year sentence doesn't bother me in the slightest. What bothers me is that it was deliberately selected by Hinjo because of the terms he was offering with his 'deal'. They should have had no bearing on one another.

Frankly, it felt like he was 'getting around the system' just as badly as he was accusing Roy of doing.

Privilege is waived if you engage in a communication with a third party (like Hinjo) present. You cannot expect that communications with your attorney will remain confidential if you make them in front of a police officer. (And yes, that is the way the law actually works in the U.S.)

Yeah, but again, no opportunity was given for Roy to explain the situation to Belkar in private. Belkar was only made aware of the plea-bargain option as he was also being offered the 'deal', which itself had a very limited window of opportunity. So, Roy gets to explain in public, and have Belkar screwed by the so-called justice of Azure City, or explain in private, and lose his 'client' the opportunity to take the deal.

It seems there is no justice in a paladin-run society.

 

[Gez]

Frankly, it felt like he was 'getting around the system' just as badly as he was accusing Roy of doing.

Uh. He just wanted the punishment to actually be applied.

Yeah, but again, no opportunity was given for Roy to explain the situation to Belkar in private.

Roy didn't ask for the possibility to confer with Belkar in private. He could have done so, and I'm sure Hinjo would have let him.

Roy just suffers from Big Mouth Syndrome, just like when he caused the nobles to desert Hinjo. He may have a MBA, but he's a disaster every time he speaks.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

D&D Law <> Real World Law.

I love Belkar, little SOB.