Spacious houses lined both sides of the paved road. Most were family homes, though a few colorful storefronts with windows brimming with extravagant merchandise were peppered in between. Lawns were meticulously maintained, hedges neatly trimmed, and nearly every family home had an front veranda completed with rocking chairs, porch swings, and an assortment of hanging flower baskets. Everything had a warm, welcoming feel to it, The aesthetic of each building similarly styled as if the citizens were all part of the same homeowner's association. Tallos, Stella, Ripley, Lowki, and I continued to follow the small cluster of residents deeper into the city.
Steadily, more folks joined our swelling ranks. They come out from side streets, some with guards following close behind, others from residential homes. Each a curious onlooker desiring to know what was happening. From the loud commotion ahead, it sounded as if the entire town was in attendance. Nearly everyone wore confused expressions. Ahead, the roadway opened up into a wide courtyard absolutely bursting with residents. Guards were scattered around, most milling about. They looked no more knowledgeable than anyone else. Most of the crowd was facing away, everyone trying to peek over the shoulders of those ahead in an attempt to get a better vantage of the middle of the town square.
When an authoritative voice boomed out, calling for everyone’s attention, the clamor of the gathered crowd slowly diminished as hundreds of conversations quieted. With standing room only, the crowd standing shoulder-to-shoulder, we had no way of seeing who had called out.
“Quite down, please. May I have your attention? Please bear with me, everything will be explained,” the voice shouted as if for the third or fourth time. Finally, the crowd’s chatter stilled enough only a soft murmur of indistinct conversations remained. “This man, this despicable and cowardly mage, has been brought here to face the consequences for the vile and heinous crime of murder. He stands before us to face true justice.”
From our position in the back, we could only make out the top of the speaker’s head. He must be standing upon a raised platform, though we had no way of knowing for sure. Behind the speaker was a wooden structure comprised of two upright posts connected by a crossbeam. The seemingly hastily constructed structure was incongruous with the beauty of the city. It lacked the high polish and meticulous care of the homes and shops we had recently passed by. This was built only recently. The voice paused and I could barely make out the man thumbing toward the wooden posts. Heads from the crowd turned to whatever he was indicating.
The voice continued, having firmly grabbed the attention of every soul around. As he spoke, all remaining murmurs stilled, leaving behind only his booming voice. “Marrek stands accused of murdering a fellow citizen. We will find justice this very eve, of that you can be assured,” the voice hollered. “He committed this crime to take the dead man's shop, wares, and everything else of value. Consider yourself lucky for my timely apprehension of this criminal, for he could have easily turned his dreadful magic against anyone here. Do you think you would have the power to resist? I think not.”
Who I was suspecting was the city’s magistrate, was laying it thick. Whoever it was, he was clearly an experienced public speaker. “Well,” he continued, his tone and vocal delivery seemingly stemming from years of practice. He had the crowd fully engaged and held their rapt attention. “I, your humble Magistrate Ussek, before you all, will pronounce judgment against this man. In the name of justice, I condemn this villain so he can no longer wriggle his tainted hands into our fair city… into your homes. Each of you should consider yourself fortunate I was able to see through the lies of that malevolent monster.”
Mumbles of agreement and condemnation gathered steam with each new word from the magistrate. He varied his rate, ensuring everyone was able to keep up. After an intentional pause so the crowd could shout verbal attacks directed at the focus of their ire, the magistrate continued. “You all knew Mr. Corm. He was a gentleman. He was a good man who only sought to help our fair town with his enchanted baubles, his inventive creations, and his sublime magic. I’ve heard from many of you how he endeavored to help whenever and however he could.”
“This gentle soul has been stolen from you, from our community,” the magistrate said in an exaggerated tone. As he continued his speech, I began subtly began making my way through the crowd. Others had the same idea but, unlike me, were making little headway. As heads turned to my touch or my press past them, people gave way. I wasn’t sure if it was because I was a Hunter or the serious look in my eye, but it made little difference. I needed to get closer.
We were about halfway through the crowd when the oration continued. “Sorcerer Corm made our lives easier. We could go about our daily lives, confident of his support, especially those who work nobly in our mines. But this jealous thief coveted everything Corm acquired from years of honest work. Like most of you, Corm had been a close confidant and friend. I wish I had been quicker to see this mage's twisted ways.”
Even I could tell everything about the supposed friendly was likely a lie, and I didn’t even know either man. Something about the way he spoke irked my sensibility as if I could tell it was said only for the benefit of the crowd and a personal vendetta. “For his honest life, his commitment to bettering our community, the despicable Marrek blasted our friend with evil magic. He tore a fiery hole straight through the man’s chest! No one else could have accomplished such a thing. No other knows the magic necessary to end Corm's life this way. Only Marrek could have done this, we all know this to be true.”
The press of bodies was far tighter closer to what I now saw was a raised stone platform. To move closer, I would need to be far more aggressive than I wanted to in this moment. Thankfully, we were close enough to finally see the city’s magistrate, in all his gaudy magnificence. The portly man wore a delicately flowing black robe inscribed with golden runes that covered nearly every inch of the many folds layered by the fabric. While not personally versed in runic magic, with only a cursory glance, and drawing upon my arcane knowledge, it was clear the patterns were mostly gibberish. The runes held only enough magic to glow brightly enough to be visible in daylight.
Beyond the magistrate’s attire, he was meticulously well-groomed. Here was a man who took great care and pride in his appearance. He had an elegantly braided ponytail hanging over one shoulder and a neatly trimmed beard that came down to a point above chest. A half dozen sparkling earrings on each ear, and an ostentations golden chain around his neck attempted to vocalize the wealth the man possessed. It was almost as if, with his flamboyant appearance, he tried to make it clear who he was. He was the man in charge. No one could mistaken him as anything less. In a not so subtly way, the magistrate wanted to let everyone know where they stood, and where he did, far above.
I disliked the man immediately.
“We’ve all seen what this mage can do, wonders no other among us can,” Ussek repeated his earlier statement. “He called down the fire of the heavens, impaling a bolt through the chest of our dear friend. There is no denying what Marrek has done. We know his guilt beyond any doubt.”
Pausing dramatically, Magistrate Ussek visibly took in a great lungful of air, his chest puffed out as he thumbed behind him. “This day he will pay for his crime!” he screamed. “Never again will he be able to harm another innocent person.”
Ussek was, without question, a talented speaker. From the reaction and approval of the crowd, their hostile cries of indignation and outrage, I knew what would happen next. It felt like I was in a movie scene, with an aristocratic politician calling for the death of a presumed guilty criminal. In those stories, just like we were seeing here, the demand for punishment would soon follow. Regardless of any evidence or a well-reasoned defense, the criminal would be put to death.
It no longer mattered if the person was actually guilty or not, the passion stirred by this skillful orator was on the cusp of stoking the passion of the mob beyond reason. This was all a spectacle, a sham. The consequences of a mob mentality were on the brink of disaster. The hatred filling the square was almost palpable. The mob’s anger was swelling and soon, nothing less than flowing blood would sate its hunger.
I needed to act.
“We can’t let this happen,” Stella whispered next to me, mirroring my inner thoughts. “Nothing he said shows this person criminal is guilty.” I nodded along as she spoke, fully in agreement.
Tallos pressed a hand to my side, his voice cutting through the increasing unease of the crowd. “If we don’t do something, that person is going to be put to death, guilty or not.”
I turned to Stella, a single question on my lips that needed to be answered quickly, “Does a city magistrate have the authority to condemn a man to death?”
“No, not entirely,” she replied, her eyes scanning unseen System information. “He would still require the consent of the local guard and whoever is in charge there.”
Stella looked expectantly at me. It was the answer I was hoping for.
“Hold!” I roared, putting as much force as I could muster behind the word. Such an abrupt stillness descended over the rowdy crowd it was as if I had instead cast a powerful dweomer of silence. The horde of stunned citizens quickly backed away, creating ample space around our party. As if suddenly standing in a singular glade among a forest of trees, the entire attention of the town was riveted upon me. Those directly in front, having moved aside, finally gave us a full view of the magistrate and the target of his ire.
Hands bound, a gag firmly stuffed in his mouth, stood a willowy figure. The defeated man was flanked on either side by towering guards who, had they been Hunters, must have placed every attribute point into Strength and Constitution with how muscular they were. While the taken-aback magistrate stared daggers my way, I finally comprehended the nature of the wooden structure built behind him.
It was a gallows. A limp noose dangled over the center bream, the rope swayed gently in the evening breeze as if careless of what transpired around it.
“Who are you?” the magistrate asked with enough scorn it could have set tinder ablaze. “You have no authority here!”
“I am Xazorus the Hunter Killer,” I replied, thinking quickly on my feet. By using my formal name and title, I hoped both were enough to stem the tide Magistrate Ussek had deftly spun. My instinct told me the magistrate was a person who would refute anything I said unless I had the authority to back it up.
Magistrate Ussek was momentarily taken aback by my title but recovered quickly. “Irregardless, I alone dictate what happens in my city.”
“That’s not even a real word,” Stella muttered softly from the side of her mouth, low enough so only I heard her. She snorted derisively. “Irregardless, what a fool.”
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
“Being the town’s magistrate does not grant you the sole authority, nor the ability to act as judge, jury, and executioner,” I replied confidently, stepping forward several paces in the vacancy left by the retreating crowd. “Nothing but speculation and conjecture has been presented here. You have not demonstrated enough evidence to place blame, let alone convict, the man behind you for the heinous crime you’ve accused him of.”
“Would you so easily convict anyone who had the ability to cast a spell of fire?” I added quickly, a plan of action forming in my mind.
The magistrate seemed to hesitate at my question. Hunters were well known, of course, and wielded power unlike any other. Seeming to gather his courage, Ussek replied indignantly, “Your opinion matters not, Hunter.” His last word spat with obvious disdain. “If you dare speak up again, where you have no authority, I will see you labeled a criminal and have you banished from my city for disrupting this lawful carriage of justice.”
As the magistrate finished, several nearby guards moved forward, forming a loose formation around us. At the same time, an urgent System notification exploded into my field of view. Normally, such a message should have been auto-minimized, but the System deemed it worthy enough to bypass my notification settings. Upon reading the entirety of the message, I could understand why it did so.
WARNING! If you continue along your current course, your actions will have severe consequences on your reputation among all residents of Mammoth, including but not limited to; being labeled a criminal, placed under arrest, and banishment.
I looked to Stella. Her tiny paws already swiping at the air, though she could only shrug in response a moment later. Looking pleadingly at her, her movements drove frantically in the air as she attempted to gather more information.
Biting back a retort, not wanting to risk banishment, I held my tongue as I fumbled to consider what to do next. Strictly speaking, I didn’t need to interact with anyone from Mammoth. We were only here in search of a potential clue of Duke’s whereabouts or, perhaps, information about his settlement far east. Getting banished, while inconvenient, would surely condemn a possibly innocent man.
Seeing no further comment from me, Magistrate Ussek turned to the crowd, an air of superiority and smugness gushing out from him. He returned to recounting the ‘vile acts’ of the bound prisoner, attempting to provoke the crowd once more. It meant we had some time.
“Is there anything we can do here?” I asked. “It’s pretty obvious without our intervention, the mage is going to be killed. If we try something, we’ll either be arrested or forced out of town. That, I can live with. Allowing an innocent person to be put to death, I won’t.”
My mind raced. It seemed far too simple for a man’s guilt to be determined solely by his ability to cast a fire-based spell. The town was large enough I could safely bet at least a dozen people could cast something like it. However, with how determined for bloodshed the magistrate was, I couldn’t blame them for not speaking up.
“It seems this is some type of hidden question, with unknown hidden objectives,” Stella said with obvious frustration. “For whatever reason, the System is not sharing many details.”
My mind started to work on the problem as Stella continued, “Being a Hunter isn’t going to cut it, clearly. Perhaps if the Magistrate was an ethical person, he would let you raise a proper defense to the charges. But, with his political position, his ultimatum appears valid. We need to have something called a ‘locus standi,’ according to the metadata.”
It sparked an idea. I had always been fascinated with laws, from their subtle nuances to their intricate legalese. In my prior life, I focused was primarily on ancient Roman laws, so Stella’s comment about a ‘locus standi’ seemed familiar. Unless I was mistaken, it meant I needed to have the right or legal ability to appear in a court of law. When I thought of it this way, a question formed in my mind. “Would an ‘honored citizen’ from Allerton be able to challenge him?”
Stella’s frantic searching halted, her paws pausing in the air as she carefully pondered my question. An excited look came over her face as paws began swiping furiously once more. My question stemmed from a seemingly inconsequential System notification, back from when we completed our Minotaur quest for Captain Baracus. Prompted by Stella, the prompt reappeared.
Congratulations! Your actions within the capital city of Allerton have reached an important threshold. You are now considered an ‘Honored Citizen of Allerton’ with any nearby settlement affiliated with the capital. Continue to act in a manner that benefits its citizens and surrounding lands to open new possibilities, quests, and additional rewards.
“Yes!” Stella shouted at long last. Her word momentarily catching Magistrate Ussek’s attention, though he rolled on stubbornly. “That will work,” Stella said before making a definitive cutting gesture, a confident look upon her hopeful face. “Call upon your honored standing and you should be able to challenge him. Tell him you ‘call upon your rights to defend and advocate for the accused.’”
“I said to hold!” I thundered out once more, firmly catching the attention of every eye in the plaza. Before the now red-faced magistrate could utter a response, undoubtedly for guards to apprehend me, I continued as my stern visage bore holes in the lofty adjudicator. “As an Honored Citizen of Allerton, I call upon my right to defend and advocate for the accused.”
The flushed man blubbered something incoherent. The guards who had started closing ranks when I spoke paused their advance. “Preposterous,” Ussek finally articulated, suddenly sounding like his mouth had become stuffed with marshmallows slathered in honey.
The mob’s building anger simmered to a cool rumble as I purposefully strode up a nearby set of stairs to stand beside the magistrate on his raised dais. Stella, for her part, sat proudly with her back held straight, as if she was justice herself. As we approached, the obviously flustered and bewildered Ussek turned a deeper shade of crimson. Unless my guess missed the mark, the magistrate had never been so openly challenged in public thus giving birth to his current shell-shocked appearance.
“Nonetheless, I have the right,” I stared down at the man. Ussek was a foot shorter than me, though quite a bit wider around the middle.
As if cold water had been splashed across his steaming face, a change came over Ussek's demeanor. He was still flustered, but arrogance returned to his body language. Flinging out his hand dismissively, Ussek conceded to my request. “Fine, it will not matter,” he said with gleaming eyes as if he were already victorious. "The evidence, as I said, is irrefutable.”
“So, help me understand,” I said leadingly, my voice thick with derision. “Are you condemning this man solely on his capacity to cast a fire spell?”
“Yes. For the last time, this is irrefutable,” the magistrate replied with a definitive nod of his manicured head. In his mind, he already won the argument.
The ill-tempered man hesitated a moment when his ‘irrefutable’ statement didn’t dissuade me in the slightest. Instead of defeat registering behind my eyes, only self-confidence stared back into his blue eyes. A bead of sweat ran down the side of his face as he unconsciously wet his lips. For the briefest of moments, he bore the look of a man who realized his opponent may have already been two steps ahead. He was entertaining the possibility of defeat.
Winking at Ussek, I uttered an arcane word as I worked my left hand imperceptibly at my side, forming the simple gestures required for one of my first spells. With a dramatic flick of my other hand to the sky, I called upon my rarely used firebolt spell, the power rushing out from my core like a blazing meteor. I couldn’t even recall the last time I had used it. A rapidly spinning inferno akin to a miniature sun, shot upwards traveling well beyond the speed any mundane arrow could achieve. The gazes of every soul in the crowd turned skyward to watch its rapid ascent.
Wanting to ensure no one would be harmed by the errant spell, its damage potential was now in the triple digits thanks to my heightened Intelligence attribute, I made a show of raising a hand near the magistrate’s face before snapping my fingers. At the same time, I mentally terminated the spell forcing it to fade from existence well above everyone’s head.
“If the only evidence you have against Marrek,” I began, tipping my head towards the restrained prisoner, my tone clear and distinct to ensure everyone present would catch my words. “Is the ability to cast this spell, then your mockery of a verdict must be overturned.” My words were at first directed at Ussek but as I continued, my gaze moved to the astonished crowd below the dais. “The magic you just witnessed is nothing more than a novice-rank spell. Anyone with even a modicum of magical talent is capable of casting it.”
I paused for a moment, allowing my words to sink in and to see if anyone, the Magistrate included, would refute my claim. None did. Ussek wasn’t standing amicably beside me, a vein on his temple was swollen to near bursting, his face crimson once more. But, like the gathered crowd, no words were forthcoming.
I pressed my advantage, “I demand Mage Marrek be released, immediately. No one of sound mind would convict him simply for having the capacity to cast spells.”
A zealous gleam descended over the fuming magistrate’s eyes. “If Marrek did not commit the murder,” Ussek said, his tone honed to a keen edge. "Then you condemn yourself. You have as much admitted to your guilt. You killed our friend! No one else has the potential of the spell you just cast.”
“You’re not listening,” I said with a slow shake of my head as if scolding an impudent child. “You have no physical evidence, nor a witness to the crime. Marrek, no more than me, can be convicted of the murder you seem so willing to place upon someone’s, anyone's, shoulder.”
Stella, still proudly resting on my shoulder, crossed her paws across her chest, the matter clearly settled. I held Ussek’s gaze for long moments, only silence passing between us. He couldn’t refute my words, and we both knew it.
Continuing with the initiative before the man could devise another scheme to errantly place blame, I intentionally turned the focus away from the man. Perhaps I could uncover some clues as to who actually committed the murder. “Where was the man, Corm, killed?” I asked the gathered crowd.
It took a moment but a voice from the crowd called out at long last. “He was found at the entrance of the silver mine,” cried a woman’s voice from somewhere in the crowd.
Ussek tried to turn a glare upon whoever had spoken, but there was no way to identify the speaker. His face reminded me of a kettle about to boil over. “Who said that?” Ussek bellowed impotently.
“Has anything else happened in or around the mines, anything unusual?” I pressed on, purposely ignoring the city magistrate. I turned away from the fuming man, though I was sure to keep him at the edge of my periphery. Something in body language said he was about to reach a tipping point and, perhaps, do something foolish.
A new voice carried over the crowd, this time from a man I could see clearly. He was wearing a grubby woolen shirt and had silvery soot covering most of his face and hands. “Some of our miners have gone missing. We pleaded to Sorcerer Corm and, he told me, he said he would look into it for us,” the disheveled miner said before pausing and looking downward. When his eyes returned to the dais, this tone quivered with dismay. “We found his body the next morning. He was trying to help us!”
Quest received: Mystery in the Mines
After learning details from Magistrate Ussek and the residents of Mammoth, it appears something nefarious may be taking place at a nearby silver mine. Several miners have gone missing in recent days, and at least one person has been found slain, a gaping hole burned through his chest. The city is in distress, its residents jumping at every shadow. Will you take it upon yourself to discover the mystery behind these disappearances? Or will you allow more harm to befall Mammoth through inaction?
Objective One: Secure the release of Mage Marrek.
Objective Two: Investigate the local silver mine and identify the cause of villager Corm’s demise.
Objective Three: HIDDEN
Rewards: Variable. Experience, at least one rare magical item, and a significant increase in reputation.
Accept: Yes/No?
Accepting the quest without a moment of hesitation, I had no intention of leaving the city to an unknown fate, I addressed the crowd once more. “As a law-abiding Hunter, I will not allow any other resident of Mammoth to perish. My party and I will leave immediately for the silver mines to determine the cause of Sorcerer Corm’s death and bring those responsible to justice,” I pledged with conviction. There was no bravado in my voice, only genuine sincerity. I believe my honest commitment touched many in the crowd, seeing the truth of my words. Shoulders visibly relaxed, releasing a heavy burden borne of anxiety. Heads bobbed gratefully, comforted by my vow. While some in the crowd were still restless, judging from the many hopeful eyes peering back at me, my promise had pulled the teeth of mob.
“We will find those truly responsible for your friend’s fate. Before we do, I submit once more, due to an absence of any genuine evidence, that Mage Marrek be released immediately. Or, by my authority as a Hunter and an honored citizen of the capital, I will pass judgment over this Magistrate.”
I didn’t know if I actually had any such authority, but it sounded good in my head.
The magistrate had finally had enough. My contempt and apparent disrespect reached a tipping point. With venom etched painfully across his features, Ussek swiftly pulled a serrated ebony dagger from his sleeve far faster than I thought possible. Screaming in fury, he plunged the pitch-black blade toward my unprotected face.