An official grievance

[StinkyPete]

Greetings,

Today I would like to bring forth a grievance on behalf of a man known as "Octavious" to the governing body of Fort Praesidium. Last night, members of the Sindelar Institute attempted to kidnap and torture this man. They accused him of assaulting and robbing one of their members, with no evidence or proof of such things. We cannot have angry mobs of men doling out vigilante justice in the streets lest we be considered savages in the eyes of Decus. I seek restitution in the amount of 400 silver to restore Octavious' good name and that the lies surrounding this accusation are never to be spoken of again, under severe penalty.

Octavious had just returned to the fort from a long day of mining. He is but a simple man, a poor miner, barely scraping together enough copper bits to afford him a decent dinner. Upon his arrival to town has was approached by a man who asked him to go to the church.

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Being a god fearing man, Octavious complied, as to not upset the man who approached him nor Decus himself. However, Octavious would never reach the church. He was instead taken to a house owned by the Sindelar institute and had he not acted quickly, the house would have served as his prison and torture chamber.

[StinkyPete]

Once inside he was faced with many wild accusations, poisoned, and threatened torture.

[StinkyPete]

Octavious had no choice but to attempt escape, and luckily, he succeeded.

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Once he escaped he ran to the nearest guard to report what happened, but we all know that the guards have very little interest in the day-to-day quarrels of civilians. The men of the institute swarmed him, continuing to hurl accusations at poor Octavious and using the backwards logic of "innocent men do not run" as their only evidence to damn this poor miner to death. I assure you that any man of Octavious' stature would run from threats of torture and imprisonment. Luckily enough, the presence of the guards eventually caused the crowd surrounding the man to disperse and Octavious made his way back to the hovel he calls home. He now fears leaving his home lest this group of "doctors" brings him to the gallows for a crime he did not commit.

I implore you, as those who seek to bring order to Fort Praesidium, award Octavious the restitution he seeks so that he can once again return to his life in the mines and make sure that this renegade group of doctors knows that vigilantism will not be tolerated in your streets!

[StinkyPete]

If you feel you have been mistreated by any faction while in the jurisdiction of Fort Praesidium and would like representation, please contact me, Petar Sanchez. For a small donation to the church, I will fight to get you the restitution you deserve. I do not take a fee unless I achieve results, and all of our conversations will be held in strict confidence.

All pictures seen here are artist renditions of the events that occurred.

[Sindelar]

In hopes of defending his name against the slander of this man, Cornelius steps forward and projects his voice for all those gathered to hear,

“You claim this man Octavious to be but a simple and well-hearted miner? Yet, he robs a man blind as they are relieving themselves in an outhouse. You say there’s no evidence? But there are numerous reports from the Fort’s very own sentinels providing his exact description at the scene of several different burglaries. You claim this man to be god fearing? Yet, he mistakes the very Order of Decus, known far and wide for their devout virtues, as doctors of my Institute. This man claims that Octavious was imprisoned and to be tortured in an establishment owned by my Institute. Yet, these very sketches, no matter how amateuristic, show clearly that it was announced to be the home of the Seraph of the Order of Decus, any god fearing man would know the difference. Now you speak before us all defending a guilty man, a man claimed to be a well and upstanding citizen of the First Province, yet he steals medical supplies from a doctor yielding them unable to tend to their patients. You stand here Master Sanchez seeking restitution for a guilty man, while the real victim stands right before you deprived of their belongings by your client.”

[StinkyPete]

The man's guilt is not in question here, forgive me as I am new to the First Province, but would that not be cause for an entirely separate grievance? A grievance that I have not been hired to discuss, I might add. I was unaware that "doctors" and the Order of Decus are the judge, jury, and executioners in all common street crimes that occur within the walls of Fort Praesidium.

As I said previously, I am new here, I do not yet know the "who is who" of the factions that inhabit these lands nor am I involved in any real estate holdings within the fort, so I shall retract my statement about the ownership of the prison where you were keeping my client, though I believe it to be entirely irrelevant. But, while we are on the subject, are you saying that these events did occur and those from your order, and also the Order of Decus, did attempt the imprisonment and torture of my client? It appears to me that you are.

Even if the man is what you say he is, it is not the job of doctors to impart justice upon him. I recommend you stick to tending to the sick and injured as you are clearly not well versed in imprisonment and torture. If you want to try a man for theft and assault, leave it to those who are better accustomed to the laws, but my client has not been formally accused of such things. It will take more than the slander that spills from your mouth to convict my client of any wrongdoing.

[Talexis]

Lucian Delavious walks in.

"By order of me, the Seraph of the Order of Decus. This man you defend is a heretic claiming the one true faith is that of a Pete. He said it right before me within the quarantine camp and ran off when he realized what he had said before me. I request you hand him over at once so we may bring him to the pyre. Failure to do so will result in you being guilty of harboring a heretic and you too shall be brought to a pyre with him. You have 24 hours to comply or else you will be hunted to the ends of Eden."

Lucian awaits for the heretic thief to be delivered.

[Sindelar]

As Lucian Delavious walks in and proclaims his demands. Cornelius Sindelar responds with an almost regretful tone.

"Sir Delavious, this man that Master Sanchez is defending, as far as I know, is a thief and not a -heretic-. I believe the repercussions you are suggesting are far beyond that which fit the crime. Please seek a more reasonable solution than that of barbarians and savages, no?"

[Talexis]

"As I said, he is a hunted man and has been since we left quarantine. This has little to do with your robbery. He has his claim of his one true faith of Pete before many including myself. There is but one way to deal with heresy. They have twenty four hours. That is all I have to say on the matter."

Lucian walks out of the building and begins to build up the base of a pyre outside of the walls of the fort.

[Sindelar]

Before Lucian leaves, Cornelius shouts out to him.

"Well do try to secure my medical bag before you proceed to do whatever you will with this man!"