The Aftermath

Brita remained in Wind Grove to oversee events there and maintain a royal presence in the disturbed area. This is good, in that she is missing the Council Meeting from Heck, and bad, in that she is going to get stuck with a promotion for missing the meeting. (We'll figure out a good punishment for Reid later ;)

Solange has asked Brita to do the preliminary legwork for the inquest she hopes to summon to find out who among the settlers and the Rangers did the shooting in the initial fight at Wind Grove, and who was responsible for failing to help put out (don't say setting) the fire there.

Brita knows from Needle that the Rangers don't maintain duty rosters per se; they are very thinly spread in the forest. Even with the new enrollees and the retired Rangers who have come back to the service, they are at less than 10% of their strength during Eric's reign.

Brita would implement duty rosters immediately and send runners to all Ranger enclaves to that effect. Her goal in implementing the rosters is communicated as an effort to make efficient use of our limited resources and prevent duplicating effort or overburdening any one group of Rangers.

There are assigned circuits and the like, but there have never been written duty rosters -- a lot of the Rangers aren't literate. It's not on their list of important skills.

Does Brita prepare the roster herself, or does she trust it to one of the Rangers?

Brita makes up the rosters, trying to pair new recruits with experienced Rangers, etc. She would like the groups to stay fairly consistent throughout patrols in an effort to be more efficient. As to "written" duty rosters, she will assign symbols/colors to the various patrol groups and have the "roster" displayed on a map of the area.

This is actually a very popular innovation with many of the younger Rangers and trainees.

The Rangers ride circuits in Arden, but they are not fixed routes so much as "ride around in this big area and stop any trouble that you find". The time to ride a circuit may vary a lot if something happens while the Rangers are out of reach of the command posts.

More defined paths are implemented along with the rosters, again to prevent duplication of effort. The main patrols are sent along the borders of Arden. Smaller patrols tour through Arden on a less frequent basis. The emphasis is on protecting areas with settlers or any travellers along the roads that lead to Amber/Garnath. Brita feels that the forest can protect itself in most cases.

Needle says, sadly and a little reproachfully, "But Brita, one of our jobs is to protect Arden from poachers. Sure, it's true that most of them come from Garnath, but sometimes we find them deep in the forest because they expect us to patrol the edges more closely. If we don't patrol the heart of Arden too, the poachers will come and take the King's deer. We can't have that."

"I do not disagree with the effort to protect Arden from poachers, Needle." Brita says. " I think it is a worthy task and, as I said earlier, we'll continue the patrols through the deep forest, just on a more limited basis. Unfortunately, right now, we need to focus our efforts on protecting the King's subjects a little more than his deer. With our smaller numbers, we need to be more efficient in our coverage of Arden and its borders and roads. Hopefully, we can prevent the poachers from getting into the forest.

Needle nods, understanding but still not quite approving.

[Brita]
"We will need to make sure that all Rangers are on the lookout for signs of human entry into the forest. Who are our best trackers? We will need to train new recruits in tracking as well."

Needle gives her a list of names so she can set up training.

It's quite reasonable that the Rangers involved in the incident are on patrol elsewhere in Arden; it's also reasonable that they were sent on a long circuit to get them out of the way.

Who would have given them direction?

The Rangers are operating with very loose coordination right now, so any senior Ranger could have done it -- either to cover up his own guilt or to protect the witnesses.

Brita will ask all Rangers to pass along information to any patrols who have not been alerted of the new duty rosters that they need to report in immediately to get their new assignments.

Rangers will start arriving for the new duty rosters in the near future.

Since she has been working in Arden and on the border with the Rangers, Brita has noticed that the petty lords of Garnath don't like her or the Rangers much, and are very afraid that the Crown will throw them to the wolves because the Rangers are powerful as a military force and the Crown in the person of Prince Julian has traditionally favored their interests.

Brita will make an effort to present the Rangers as a positive protective force for Garnath citizens as well as agents of the Crown. She will offer Ranger patrols for lords travelling between Garnath and Amber or for any trade caravans. She will ask the lords of Garnath to present her with a list of areas that they feel might need additional protection or patrols as she is sure that they know the area better than her.

This will all take some time to implement. Results will come after the Council meeting.

How does Brita go about investigating where the Rangers might be and arranging for them to be available at the inquest?

Brita will endeavor to find out who sent the Rangers off on the grand tour. Do we have an idea of who specifically needs to be questioned?

You can come up with several names of associates of the dead Ranger, Badger.

Was anyone able to give us names of who would have been in the area or is everyone covering for everyone else?

Some of it may be covering, but some of it is clearly honest confusion. By asking around, you can get about eight to ten names of known associates of Badger's, some of whom rode circuit with him at roughly the time of the incident at Wind Grove. Others are known associates and friends of Badger's.

Obviously, we know who died. Were specific Rangers grouped together that we would know who else would have been involved in the original confrontation?

You can get an idea of who works together, but since the Rangers are stretched very thin, they don't always work in the same groups, nor are there specific assigned rotations.

Brita will also go out on patrols, cutting through the forest to relay information between the various patrols who have been newly assigned to specific duties. While she is travelling, she will try to scent out any human activity to see if she can catch up with the missing Rangers.

Results of this will also have to wait until after the Council meeting.

[OK, you two [Jerod and Paige], tell me what you're up to and with whom. You've got the Bliss-Laurel-Jewel cabal and you've got three other named merchants (Rebus, Lord Call, Master Carver) to work with out of the half-dozen warehouses suspected of hoarding and smuggling. Who are you going to try to break and how?]

Jerod would want to hear Paige's opinion of going after Bliss first, doing the good-cop/bad-cop routine and basically draining him of every piece of information available. Assuming he's cooperative, his information can be checked against Reid's reports, Paige's existing information, the warehouse census done by Ossian and Cambina, and anything that Vere has dug up.

Paige is fine with that. Bliss is on her shit list, but not as much as Jewel and Laurel. A much softer hand with him than either of the other two when we get there. She personally doubts they have an involvement with the cultists, but isn't ruling anything out.

When you all implement this, you discover that Bliss has been honest in his confessions to Reid. He's a blowhard, and he feels the weight of the Regent's authority pretty hard, so he's not inclined to mess around much any more.

There is no reason to believe he has any connection with the Paresh.

Once they've got information from him, they can go after Laurel and Jewel separately. Find a specific incident to accuse each of them on, and then tear apart their defense...do it in layers...as each excuse, lie, objection or alibi is defeated, introduce a new incident and tear them apart some more. At each level, provide the opportunity for leniency in exchange for unconditional cooperation...IOW...if they try to negotiate for a light sentence in exchange for information, it will be clear we intend to tear them apart...(blunt force trauma, as it were - this would be good if Jerod takes that tact I think)...the other side being Paige with the suggestion of cooperation...and the unstated understanding of the Regent's mercy if cooperation is forthcoming.

If cooperation is forthcoming, their information is added to the existing information and cross-checked. The other members of the Council can be used in this capacity for insights into questions to ask, areas to look into, witnesses to quickly grab and question in order to verify statements (where this is reasonable to do). This gives more ammunition to take down the next person in line, as well as to incriminate previous persons or uncover falsehoods they may have spoken. That's why Jerod's not willing to negotiate early deals - that way no one in the family has to overturn a negotiated decision and thus look bad in the process.

And the process continues through all the major warehouses and the remaining individuals. If early on in the interrogations it is determined that others are involved and they are not currently in custody, someone can be sent out to "invite" them to the castle for a period of time, as a guest of the Regent.

Paige thinks she's pretty good at getting a read on these men, it might be helpful for some of the Jerod-only discussions to be covertly observed by Paige. She should be able to tell where they're holding back or obviously lying in most instances. She agrees with working this cabal first, but thinks the others should be brought into custody ASAP. (Couldn't remember if we decided this or not.)

Is this the tack you all take?

Do you involve Reid if he's around? (Reid, do you get in on this?)

Do you take the remaining suspected warehouse owners into custody as mentioned?

Given that Carver is specifically mentioned, for example, providing payment to one of the guards in a "something" type of pay-off for not doing his job, Jerod would want him and those connected to him brought in to "assist" in the investigation. Anyone who declines to accept the Regent's request for their help gets arrested. In any event, when they're brought in, he'd want them kept isolated so they can't put together their stories. So pretty much, if the name comes up, he wants them checked out. It not too likely they'll bolt for anywhere, though Jerod would suggest to Vere that the naval personnel available be alerted to unscheduled sailings and such, just in case.

And since Reid was involved before, Jerod would not see why Reid would not be involved once again, unless something more pressing is required of him.

[Reid]
Yes, I'm in.

[GMs]
You guys have already broken the Bliss-Laurel-Jewel triumvirate. There's nothing additional to get out of them. What punishments do you all recommend to Gerard, and why? (He'll ask.)

Thinking of the millitarized merchants of his youth, Reid doesn't consider death out of the question. But he's old fashioned that way.

[GMs]
Reid has the sense even before he discusses it that Gerard thinks death is a touch excessive.

On an aside (purely mentally), Jerod personally thinks that Gerard probably should try it once or twice with some of the more excessive nobles...:)...just to make sure he really truly doesn't like it.

[Paige]
Yeah, but these are the guys who gave in and cooperated. Paige suggests banning from Crown contracts for at least a year and a day, probably a generation. [Can the GM's define that in Amber terms?]

[GMs]
In the neighborhood of 50 years.

[Paige]
The threat of revoked patents will be bantered about, loud enough to make the rounds and let people know that cooperation was rewarded.

Jerod's prepared to follow Paige's recommendations, subject to the cooperation of the three involved. Since Bliss threw himself onto the Regent's mercy, a suitable fine and loss of contracts (adjusted based on other punishments from Oberon's time recently) should be sufficient for him.

[GMs]
Adjusted how? Contract bans are a lot more serious when royal ships, or ships accompanying royal ships, are the only game in town.

[Jerod]
Adjusted as per Paige's comments...you can be banned from contracts for a year...for 10...for 50. So based on his level of cooperation, and if there's anything that's on the books, that can be used as a suitable punishment. If one year is good, then cool...if 5 is good, then cool to that too...:)

A year is probably good as a light punishment. More than 5 might bankrupt people in the current economic state. Hoarding punishments fall under the general rubric of political punishment. Political punishments are set by the whim of the crown.

Kay...then for Bliss, assuming Paige agrees based on the research, Jerod would say the year for him. If the other two are suitably contrite, a year and half or two years.

Paige will sign off on that.

For the other two, if they tried to screw around or fight, the punishment gets a bit worse. If either of them has not confessed, or their guilt took a significantly long period of time (ie: they simply refused to admit we had them), then Jerod wants a much harsher sentence. He's not agreeing with an execution (even if in some cases there is a certain appeal to the idea), but threatened loss of patent comes to mind.

No, once they figured out Bliss caved, which was pretty quickly, they caved too. They knew they were busted.

In Jerod's mind, if he is not reasonably trusting in that they have accepted that they screwed up, got caught, and at least for the next little while are not going to be stupid enough to try anything as underhanded as this again, then he wants them beaten down and tossed out as a threat to the established order.

For the next round, do you start with Carver, Call, Rebus, or one of the other two warehouse owners?

Since you specifically mention Carver, you can bring him in, Mark (the owner of the warehouse), and some others. Do you call in Stoat and the other guards to provide testimony? If so, how do you protect your informant?

Who questions Carver and what are the tactics used? You have no evidence of smuggling or hoarding on his part yet; you merely have a shortfall in his warehouse and discrepancies in the records, plus the information provided to Reid by Stoat.

[Paige]
Probably similar. If the rumors say Paige is the good cop, I like the idea of keeping her out of these and using her as the deux ex machinae to save their sorry hides. Let Reid talk up the old school view and how he's recommending the Regent handle it. Let Jerod be the voice of reason, kinda like Jerod as Bad Cop, Reid as Worse Cop.

Since there's less evidence of smuggling or hoarding, what Jerod would recommend is to have those involved with Carver to be brought in separately, but let them see each other being brought in, so they know the others are there, but so they can't talk to each other.

Then, let it become known of the situation with Bliss-Laurel-Jewell, with suitable dramatic adjustments - that the family has winkled them out, found information that was supposedly buried deep and one of them (not known who) threw himself onto the mercy of the Regent rather than suffer the severe consequences the others are certain to suffer under these "wartime" conditions.

After that, the interrogations follow a similar tactic but going in the opposite direction, instead of going top to bottom (Carver downwards), going bottom up - like with the accountants, the guards, then working up the owner, then up to Carver. At each level, its going to be clear that those who are flunkies are of little importance to the Crown, unless they choose to be uncooperative and try to protect those who gave orders and planned things. In which case, it becomes extremely clear that aforementioned flunkies are going to suffer considerably...

Pursuant to Reid's suggestion, all the flunkies are brought in at once. But before you guys can question Master Carver, he acquires representation: Sir Octave, the greatest living barrister in Amber. (Apparently Carver's wife has some money and is willing to spend it.)

Carver outlines arguments not unlike some of those Cambina mentioned in the Council meeting. In addition, he intimates that since Lady Paige is known to be mixed up in the Bliss-Laurel-Jewel case, she'll need to recuse herself from the Carver case and any other possible cases of food disappearance -- they'll need to be heard directly by Gerard.

Reid has no interest in litigation. It is clear that what has been done is wrong, and Carver's involvement is evident. If it were up to him, the matter would be settled without so much as a sniffle from the accused.

If it comes to arguing the matter before Gerard, he would ask that Jerod represent the position of the council. He would also offer his services to Jerod in an advisory capacity, and request that Paige be given the same consideration. It may be OK for her to be recused from making formal arguments herself, but he defends her right to have her opinions, and first hand information, relayed through Jerod speaking on her behalf.

[Paige]
See Paige's previous unspoken argument.

Cool...Jerod listens politely to Sir Octave, noting the arguments and even nodding agreement that most likely Paige would have to recuse herself. And yes...Carver is also right that Gerard would probably have to hear the cases directly.

Having said that, and since Jerod (along with Paige and Reid) have primary control over who's in the room, he looks over at Paige and Reid. "Would you excuse me for a moment. I'd like to speak to these two...privately." he says. They both know he doesn't want them around when he says what he's going to say, so they cannot be implicated in anything (put simply - all of the blame will be on Jerod).

Having said that, Jerod will qualify this situation - given that there is no evidence of hoarding or smuggling, while it is possible Carver is doing the same thing, it is also possible he's just an idiot or suffering from accounting shortages and routine losses. So...in this regard, Jerod is not going in with a preset attitude that Carver and company are guilty of a treasonable offence. So he's not going to railroad anyone into a confession just to prove his own perspective. He just keeps a slightly more flexible perspective. At the very least, Carver has had unacceptable shortages and needs to straighten up...at worst, he's hoarding or the like. Jerod's figuring Paige, Reid, himself and the others are going to find out what is the real situation.

It's going to take some time to pry out all of the potential evidence of smuggling and hoarding -- weeks, possibly months. Are you going to keep all the potential suspects locked up and in isolation all that time?

Reid suggests questioning ALL the warehouse guards/employees before going after the owners themselves. If this is done in a semi-visable way, then the owners would have a much harder time retaliating against an individual stool-pigeon.

True, as to keeping them locked up, maybe not. It'll let them work on their stories. Freeze assets, stop their business cold and their suffer right there for not cooperating. House arrest shouldn't be too much of a strain on the constables. Paige'll talk to Sir Archer if she needs.

The initial evidence taking should only take a short period of time. Especially if the records can be acquired. Jerod's not figuring they're going to get every single witness and anyone who took a loaf of bread or something...so long as they can put a big dent into the situation, and keep those who might have gone unseen on the up-n- up, that's good for him. So keeping large numbers of people in custody shouldn't be necessary, and certainly not for very long.

Good tack, and Paige will admit, something she hadn't thought of before now.

Agreed.

[results to be determined based on answers to questions above]

[Jerod]
Once [Reid and Paige] have left (assuming they leave, of course)...

Reid leaves, but he has a strong suspicion of what is going to be said, at least its nature.

Paige agrees toward the recusing on principle, and doesn't argue the fact that her involvement with this incident was only as a member of the Council. Her previous business dealings, well... that's an issue.

[Jerod]
"Having heard your arguments gentlemen...let me provide you with mine. I'm sure you could tie this up in the courts for months...maybe even years. That's not something I'm prepared to accept...or to put Gerard through right now. We have three little opportunists right now who have caved in and are going to get the Regent's mercy for doing so. This investigation, however, has distracted me, and my cousins, from far more important matters. Matters of dire importance during a period of war. I will remind both of you that the state of emergency remains in effect." Jerod says pointedly.

"That having been said, I'm not prepared to piss around with you two assholes longer than is required to get a confession from you..." he indicates to Carver. "As well as putting things back in order. And do not presume to believe that your position...or your mouthpiece here guarantee you any form of protection. You look at me the wrong way and they'll be burying you in an eggcup after dawn." and its pretty clear to anyone with water levels approaching zero that Jerod's not joking...he's tired...he's got better things to do than chasing criminals...and a lawyer is just going to irritate him.

"I suggest you explain to your client the finer points of justice under a state of emergency...the right of summary execution on the orders of the Regent's members of Council, of which I am one. As well as the probability that I might suffer any type of punishment at Gerard's hands that would even come close to what I might do to Carver." Jerod says to Octave. "Gerard can take away my club privileges and make me lead ships in shadow for a few decades. Your client could end up a lot worse."

Jerod then moves to the door. "You have five minutes to explain it to him. The Regent's mercy will not extend beyond that time."

Paige, Reid, and Jerod wait in the hallway for a few minutes. Even though all was said quietly, I think Paige and Reid are quite able to figure out the basic points of what Jerod said to Octave and Carver.

You all three hear Octave and Carver arguing, although you can't tell exactly what they're saying. Carver ends up yelling at Octave, who keeps his voice further down so you all can't hear it. Just before the five minutes are up, the two of them come out of the room.

Octave says, "My client wants to throw himself on the Regent's mercy."

Jerod nods, turning to Reid. "Why don't you go in and prepare to take his statement." he says. "Paige can join you momentarily."

Assuming that Reid goes inside with Carver and Octave, Jerod looks over at Paige. "I'm going to absent myself for the moment. That little bit worked but I think it would be prudent if the remainder of the questioning was done by you and Reid. It will lessen the tensions a bit...enough for you guys to be able to collect the information we need. If they ask, inform them that I'll be speaking to the Regent concerning their cooperation. I won't be...but it'll fly."

And Carver spills. He and one of the other (unnamed) warehouse owners have a warehouse in Garnath where they're taking the hoarded food and hiding it for sale later. Carver names names, places, dates, etc. There's a lot of meat there, and you all are able to retrieve the food and round up the conspirators. The conspirators all turn when they realize that you have them cold, and apparently word has gotten around about Jerod threatening Carver.

BTW, Octave has a reputation for being an ethical barrister. Paige and Reid are pretty sure he really doesn't like what Jerod did to him, although he's unhappy at having defended Carver when Carver was actually guilty. He is a potential long-term problem.

While Jerod won't have much contact with Octave (if any) after this, it's reasonably clear at to Paige and Reid that Jerod didn't like what he did either. He doesn't like losing his cool and Carver's little stunt of trying to "legalese" his way out of the situation did just that to Jerod. It's clear he won't be apologizing for what he did to Carver (the little twit was guilty as sin even before he spilled his guts in Jerod's opinion - Dad would've killed Carver outright if he had even thought about bringing a lawyer into this), but Jerod does approach Paige after a few days to see what might be done to seal the breaches made with Octave...over a period of time for sure.

[Paige]
[That or it gripes him to see his sister proved right... ]

smile...no gripes in that regard...in some ways it proves to Jerod what he's always believed...there's a time for diplomacy, and there's a time to kick people's asses...and you don't play by the bad guy's rules...just your own...:) The unfortunate in kicking the bad guys is that sometimes you kick people who aren't the bad guys.

Paige suggests that Carver should be given a similar sentance to those who also cooperated, in comparison to those we had to dig out further. Similar to the Bliss-Laurel/Jewel arrangement. Perhaps 2 years to a worse sentance of 4 years for this pack of hoarders. Yes, Paige is aware this could ruin some of the people. It might take the edge off initally, but at the moment, she can't think of anything more. Jerod made a serious enemy for all of us today. Any friendly gestures at this time are likely to be interpreted as "bribes". The rest of the Council needs to know that.

Jerod just wants to make sure that the serious enemy knows to keep his focus where it belongs...on Jerod and not the Council or Gerard.

Paige could be wrong, but she's pretty sure that in Octave's eyes Reid and Paige bear as much blame as Jerod. Just the feeling she got from Octave.

[Jerod]
That can be worked on...:)

A little while after the border situation and smuggling problems are dealt with to a satisfactory conclusion (sufficient to release royals that is - the GMs know when that will be), Jerod goes to meet each of the final candidates for the shadow path training. He's come up with an idea to test each person to see how they fare with their Pattern use and their endurance - what he believes to be the most important (though not the sole) factors involved in laying a path.

The test will last a couple of days (in order to test endurance) and will involve the candidate being required to shift local shadow into a specific set of minor conditions, while Jerod works to shift shadow to prevent them from being able to do so. How long they last and their skill in doing so will determine which candidate gets picked to come along.

Those in the first round to be picked include Paige, Ossian and Martin. Solange, Lucas and Reid can come in for the second round if they want to, but Cambina will not be asked. Jerod recommends that those who do try out have more than just basic shadow shifting experience (ie: if you've got Walked Great Pattern as your pattern ability, and that's all, it might not be a good idea)

If any of the first round crew wish to back out, please raise your hands now...:)

Martin is amenable, although this doesn't sound as fun as spud-hunting. (Sorry, Jerod.)

Oh, Jerod's certain that Martin would find spud-hunting with Folly and company far more interesting...chuckle...he understands completely.

If Martin's to be part of the same test as Paige, and we're looking at just one person, and he's willing...

"Well, I could not even shift shadow enough to get _here_, but had to rely on my trumps." Ossian says. "So probably Martin is your best bet.

"I am willing to try though."

"The difficulties you encountered when you first arrived may have been because of the forces unleashed when the Pattern was repaired." Jerod says. "I suspect since you've been navigating recently you've encountered fewer problems of that nature. In any event, it will give us an idea of how good you are at it. Who knows...you might be better than you realize."

"We'll see. I _am_ a fast learner...I think." Ossian replies.

Paige will bow out. "He's my equal in strength and definitely superior in endurance. Hells... you should know that Jerod, you drink with him." She shrugs as a little smirk creeps on her face, "Of course you still took him a drunk saddle.

"And we were friends for a while. He's definitely my superior in his ability with Pattern tricks. I can be doing something else the next couple of weeks. He knows my ability. If down the road we need someone else, or he thinks I have the ability, let me know. If you don't pick him, then you wouldn't have picked me."

"Never be so sure as you think you are." Jerod says, with just a hint of a smile. "You might surprise yourself. The test will be around regardless. You might try it just to see how good you really are."

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Last modified: 1 Jan 2002