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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ratchis" data-source="post: 1822034" data-attributes="member: 5004">updated 10/26When I awoke, my arms were tied painfully behind my back and I was surrounded by what I can only describe as an angry mob. I sat up and was promptly kicked back down by Madeline’s husband. I watched from the ground as Garrick threw one end of a rope over the limb of a tree I was laying near. There were murmurs of approval and a call of, ‘Hang the monster!’ When the preparations were finished, I was roughly pulled to my feet, a noose was put over my head and I was made to stand on top of a barrel.“Let all outsiders and miscreants remember this. We of Nikar will not be assaulted in our homes without retribution!” the husband of Madeline, apparently known as Karlton, proclaimed before kicking the barrel out from under me.They had done a poor job of hanging; it isn’t as easy as it looks, and my neck did not break. My weight was doing a good enough job of choking the life out of me, spots clouding my blackened vision as my life slipped away. Without knowing what happened, I feel to the ground heavily, sucking air past my burning throat. I heard the telltale clatter of a heavy crossbow being loaded incredibly quickly.“The next shot is in your eye, Karlton,” a booming voice announced calmly. “There will be no hanging today.”I lost the rest of the angry exchange as I passed out.I awoke briefly in a cell, a gnome woman wiping my brow with a cool rag. When I awoke again it was very dark in the cell and I was obviously alone. I lay awake for hours, occasionally rubbing at my injured throat. In the morning, a guard came and slid some bread and water under the bars of my cell. A hill dwarf that I vaguely recognized as the wielder of the crossbow from the day before was there as well.“Thank you,” I managed in a weak whisper.“Don’t thank me, just prolonging the inevitable if you are convicted of the crime you are accused,” he answered in his gruff voice.I tried explaining my side of things but my throat would not cooperate. The dwarf shook his head at me with poorly hid contempt. “Save it; I’m not letting you out whatever you say. We will arrange a fair hearing of some sort. Just so you know, I am Marno and I sit on the council here so justice will be served.”With that, he was gone. I drank some of the water to soothe my throat but ignored all the meals brought to me that day. For the next few days, I got used to the unfortunate conditions I found myself in. At least my throat was healing, and I was able to eat dinner on the second night. As they always do, this awful situation was reduced to boredom and waiting to see what would happen next.I was awoken the next morning by a guard. With him were Narcell and Jetta. They were filthy and looked exhausted. Obviously, they had come straight here when they got into town. I swallowed a painful lump in my throat at the comfort their presence brought me.“Excuse us,” Jetta said to the guard.“Come on Jetta, you know Marno would give me midnight-watch duty for 6 months if I allow you to be alone with him,” the guard whined.Narcell was looking out the window and commented quietly, “Its okay Branick, we have never revealed the other secrets you have shared with us. You can trust us to continue to stay quiet.”Whatever message Narcell meant to send, arrived and the guard quickly excused himself, assuring the couple that he was just a shout away. “Ratchis, what happened?” Jetta asked as soon as the door closed.I told them everything, much more than what the question was aimed at. I told them all I had done since they had left. I paused and then blushed through the telling of my meeting and of growing close to Madeline. Whatever might come, it was a huge relief to finally tell someone what had really happened. Jetta nodded when I was done and then stepped aside with Narcell.“We believe you. We will get you out of here,” Jetta stated simply after a moment.My mood remained light after they left. At least there were people on my side. I did not have faith in this town’s justice system, but I was confident Jetta and Narcell would see that I was given as fair a shake as possible. It was only a day or two later that a guard came for me. He had me cleaned and shaved, and then I was attired in a simple woolen outfit. My hands were then shackled together and I was brought from my small cell to a large Council chamber where several humans, two halflings, another dwarf and Marno were sitting at a long table shaped in a semi-circle on a dais. Guards stood to either side of the dais and there two sets of tables faced the dais, the area forming an ampitheater within the larger chamber. At one table sat Narcell and Jetta and at the other were Madeline and her husband. Karlton glared at me as I was seated near Narcell and Jetta, and Madeline did not even glance in my direction.“We are here to determine the guilt or innocence of Ratchis, an unknown in our town, brought here by these friars of Nephthys,” Marno announced in a loud voice, making little attempt to hide his contempt. ... to be continued. . .</blockquote>

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