Tim Long VI

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="12a8dfc3.jpg"> <div> <B> </B></div> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=82 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="12b8dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#336666" FACE="Arial" ><B>Missiledine's Archives</B></FONT><B>     </B><B>|</B><B>     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Missiledines Archives"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id46.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tim Long"><U>Tim Long</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id104.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tim Long II"><U>Tim Long II</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id105.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tim Long III"><U>Tim Long III</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id107.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tim Long IV"><U>Tim Long IV</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id108.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tim Long V"><U>Tim Long V</U></A>   |   <B>Tim Long VI</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Missiledines Archives"><U><B>Archive Directory</B></U></A></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=398 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="12b8dfc3.jpg"> <div> <I>Tim Long VI</I></div> <div>       </div> <div>       PBEM Exchange</div> <div>       Series  4 CP POST # 17</div> <div>       Character: Tim Long</div> <div>      </div> <div>   "Very well, I will speak to the Deputy and have the statement changed accordingly.  Yes, there will be a Truthsayer done. If your new statement is accurate, you should walk away with little more than a slap on the wrist... Provided you didn't give the Deputy</div> <div> and Watch a hard time."</div> <div>      </div> <div>      </div> <div>      </div> <div>      PBEM Exchange</div> <div>      Series  4 PC POST # 17</div> <div>      Character: Tim Long</div> <div>             </div> <div> "I will not give the deputy or the Watce a hard time. Thanks for listing to me." I say to the Avocate. Now I wait for the inquest to start.</div> <div>      </div> <div>      </div> <div>      PBEM Exchange</div> <div>      Series  4 GM POST # 18</div> <div>      Character: Tim Long</div> <div>           </div> <div> The Druid nods and stands up to leave. "I will do all I can for you.   Answer any questions truthfully and fully, but don't volunteer more than  they ask."</div> <div>     </div> <div>      </div> <div>      PBEM Exchange</div> <div>      Series  4 PC POST # 18</div> <div>      Character: Tim Long</div> <div>     </div> <div>  I reply to the Druid, "I will answer as best as I can. I also will try not to volunteen information."</div> <div>     </div> <div>     </div> <div>     PBEM Exchange</div> <div>     Series  4 GM POST # 19</div> <div>     Character: Tim Long</div> <div>         </div> <div>  The Druid leaves.  You will sit waiting for about an hour. Finally the food  slot is opened and the manacles are pushed through. "Put them on." You are ordered by the guard."It's time for the Inquest."</div> <div>    </div> <div>      </div> <div>      PBEM Exchange</div> <div>      Series  4 PC POST # 19</div> <div>      Character: Tim Long</div> <div>    </div> <div>  I put the manacles on. Follow any order give to me by the gurad.</div> <div>    </div> <div>    </div> <bR> <div>     PBEM Exchange</div> <div>     Series  4 GM POST # 20</div> <div>     Character: Tim Long</div> <div>    </div> <div>  You are lead to a hearing room. Present is the officer who brought you in, the  two Watchmen, the Priest of Mitra, the Druid, an elderly woman in the red robes of a Magistrate and two scribes. Additionaly there are two guards and the guard that brought you, who will turn you over to the Inquest and leave. You are shown to a chair next to the Druid. Once you are seated the Magistrate begins, "This Inquest, in the matter of the death of person or persons unknown,  upon this day, Gaia's Day the third day of Lunus, in the area of the city  commonly known as the Ruins. Standing for the Crown, Deputy Sheriff Eland Foran,  arresting officer. Witness for Truth, Inquisitor Pirock.  Advocate for the  Accused, Jol Holn. Sheriff Foran, please begin your statement."</div> <div>    The officer stands up, "Your Emminence, at approximately three o'clock this afternoon, the Wall Patrol reported hearing explosions and seeing smoke eminating from one of the structures in the Ruins. I took a mounted patrol from the Iron Gate Watch Tower and proceded to investigate. Arriving at the scene, I and Watchmen Ross and Grahn approached a known enterence to the structure. The accused appeared at the enterence and hailed us. He was in a bloody state that indicated that he had been in a fight. He introduced himself as 'Tim Long' and explained that he had been pursuing an escaped slave and was attacked. The man in question was laying, unmoving, on a lower level and Master Long lacked a means of accessing the body to determine its condition or identity.  We took the Accused into custody. On my orders the Watchmen descended and determined that the individual was in fact dead and was not a branded slave. They investigated the other rooms and areas of the building, recovered various items and then</div> <div> recovered the corpse.  Once outside the accused rendered the following statement."</div> <div> The Druid stands up, "Your Emminence, the accused has submitted an ammended  statement. We would like that to be read into the record in lieu of the original."</div> <div> The Magistrate frowns, "An ammended statement? Is there a substantial discrepency?" She asks</div> <div> The Deputy says, "The differences reflect on the deceadent's actions and on the motives of the accused."</div> <div> "The Accused was wounded, in pain and still confused from the battle." Holn says. "Any differences stem from that."</div> <div> "There is a significant variation in events in the two statements. The Accused stated that he was assaulted and his property, the weapons employed against him by the deceased, were taken.  This indicates that the dead man was unarmed and defenseless when the incident began. If such is the case then for an unarmed man to attack an armed man would indicate that he feared for his life which would imply that Master Long attacked him."</div> <div> “Pure supposition and inference, your Eminence." The Druid retorts.</div> <div> The Magistrate considers this. "The original statement will be read into the record. The Accused will then testify to the new statement under Truthsayer as administered by Inquisitor Pirock."</div> <div> The Deputy then procedes to read your original statement. When he is finishe he sits down. The Magistrate indicates that you should come forward and stand in the box (a small enclosed platform where a witness testifies.)  The Priest comes forward.</div> <div> The Magistrate says, "You will now make your statement. Be aware that an Inquisitor is Witnessing. Perjury is a serious crime. You may begin."</div> <div>    </div> <div>    (Is there anything you want to change or add from what you told the Druid?)</div> <div>   </div> <div>    </div> <div>     PBEM Exchange</div> <div>     Series  4 PC POST # 20</div> <div>     Character: Tim Long</div> <div>   </div> <div> I said to the Court, "I bleave that the ammended statement, That I have giving to my Advocate to be ture. Also I would like to make one more point. Since I am a mage. If I had owned the axe. It would have made Casting magic very hard. This is all I think I need to say. My ammended statement will do the rest."</div> <div>   </div> <div>   </div> <bR> <div>    PBEM Exchange</div> <div>    Series  4 GM POST # 21</div> <div>   Character: Tim Long</div> <div>   </div> <div> The Magistrate says, "We wish to hear the statement from you, not from your Advocate."</div> <div>  </div> <div>   </div> <div>    PBEM Exchange</div> <div>    Series  4 PC POST # 21</div> <div>     Character: Tim Long</div> <div>  </div> <div> "Yes, Magistrate." Then I go onto my statement "The way things happened in my statement are not correct. Ok I entered the building. I notics I have set off an alarme. I look around the room. Try to get an idea where to go. I went out to the balcony. "The man, who I thought was my slave I am after, shots me with his crossbow. I took some</div> <div> damage in the shourder. I had created a fire ball. I thought the fire  in the area I though he had shot from. Try to light up the area. He ran to the other end of the room. I came down the steps. Creating an  Ex fire ball. Then throw it in the last area I had seen the man.</div> <div> During the time I try to thorw the ex fire ball the man try to shoot  me with his bow again. Missing that time. I had done some damage to  the building and to him i thought. With the ex fire ball. Then I move down to the frist floor and got down behind a plie of stuff on the floor.This time I cast return missile. I also was hear stuff behind me  when I had sanded up the man shoot at me again. This time he hit himself. Do to my return missile spell. Then he ran off to one of the other room and I guess got his ax.  I made a torch out of what was left of the fires buring. And walk toward the room I had heard sounds from. Then he hit me with his axe. I turn and ran back up the steps  trying to creat an ex fire ball. Once done I turn around and hit him with it. He fell back down the steps. I ran the rest of the way to the main room, where I had entered. That is  when he try to come up the</div> <div> steps again the steps and all fell. I had created a stone missile try to get ready for him. I peek out of the door way. he was down on the ground. I hit him with the stone missile. I was try to mack sure he was out for a little wait. I need to bandage myself I was bleeding</div> <div> bad. Then the watch men show up. I had stop the bleeding but not rested very long. Now before you start to say any thing I have one more thing. Yes the axe and the cross bow are/were his. I was thinking of how useful they would be once I got him down. But I was not thinking right at the time. What would I do with an axe? I am not strong enough to use it. The cross bow would be nice." I wait there replys.</div> <div>  </div> <div>  </div> <div>   PBEM Exchange</div> <div>   Series  4 GM POST # 22</div> <div>   Character: Tim Long</div> <div>  </div> <div>  When you finish the Deputy Sheriff says, "I have a few questions, Master Long. Tell us</div> <div>  about this slave that you seek, is he yours? Have you been hired by his owner to recover</div> <div>  him? What was your reason for believing that the escaped slave you are seeking was</div> <div>  present in that particular building?"</div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div>   PBEM Exchange</div> <div>   Series  4 PC POST # 22</div> <div>   Character: Tim Long</div> <bR> <div>  I reply to the court, "The slave I seek is not mine. I took the job from the wall. After talking to the officer in the Main HQ. I thought that the ruins would be the best place to start looking for this slave. I started with that building and was going to work my way</div> <div> thought all of them."</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  PBEM Exchange</div> <div>  Series  4 GM POST # 23</div> <div>  Character: Tim Long</div> <bR> <div> The Magistrate says, "Are you saying that an officer of the Watch suggested you search the ruins for the slave?"</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  </div> <div>   PBEM Exchange</div> <div>   Series  4 PC POST # 23</div> <div>   Character: Tim Long</div> <bR> <div>  I reply, "Yes and no, He said 'We sweep the abandoned buildings maybe once a week Unless someone tips us that there are poeple moveing in and out of the area.' So I thought it would be the place to start looking."</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  PBEM Exchange</div> <div>  Series  4 GM POST # 24</div> <div>  Character: Tim Long</div> <bR> <div> "Hmmph." The Magistrate mutters. Then she looks at the Deputy. "Have you determined who the deceased is and what he was up to?"</div> <bR> <div> The Deputy says, "With the aid of the Inquisitor, we have determined that the dead man is one Hewan Gaynor. A small time criminal and second story man who has had several brushes with the law. His real residence is unknown, but he appears to have maintained some type of flop in the building in question. From tools and  items recovered we believe that he may have perpetrated a robbery as recently as last night. We are investigating that now. Gaynor has no history of excessive violence."</div> <bR> <div> The Magistrate makes a couple notes then lays aside the pen and looks at you.</div> <div> "Master Long, the issue of this Inquest is to determine whether there is sufficent grounds to bind you over for trial on the charge of murder.  There are strong reasons to do so.</div> <div> You entered the building in question, tho you had no lawful reason to do so or even a logical reason to believe that the slave you are allegedly hunting was present. You went visibly armed with a recognisably lethal weapon, the fire ball you prepared and carried prominently as a 'light source.'  That you elected to do so rather than utilise a lamp or torch or other more conventional light source indicates that you intended to use it as a weapon. According to your statement you made no attempt to identify yourself or your purpose in being there. Was Master Gaynor thus justified in his attack? Probably not, tho without further inquiry we will never know what exactly he thought of your intrusion. Tho it is possible that if you had identified yourself as a slave hunter, Gaynor, having nothing to fear from that quarter, might have cooperated. Having made your purpose known, you could have judged from the man's response whether he was in fact a slave on the run. Once battle was joined it becomes foggier to attach responsibility, tho it seems clear to me that at one point, Master Gaynor endeavored to break off the combat and get away from you.  In dogged fashion you pursued, taking additional injury yourself.  Shortly after that you succeded in retreating back up the steps, after doing sufficent damage to Gaynor to knock him down and destroy the steps, thus cutting off the only</div> <div> route of contact between you and he. At this point, rather than withdrawing or negotiating, you again attacked with a spell and probably killed him, despite his being "down on the ground." </div> <div> When the Watch arrived on scene you revealed your true motivation behind the whole affair as one of simple greed. You wanted to claim possession of Master Gaynor';s weapons.  You state now that this was a matter of confusion and that you would have no real use for the weapons. Except to sell them, right Master Long?.Money is why you are a slave hunter, isn't that correct?" </div> <div> She doesn't appear to be interested in waiting for an answer and continues.</div> <div> "On your side of the case, Gaynor is a known criminal while you have no record. Gaynor was also engaged in questionable activities in the ruins, tho so were you.  He possessed</div> <div> insturments of a crime and what appears to be stolen goods, and, most importantly he did shoot first.  Considering these extenuating circumstances, I am going to act against my better judgement and release you. But I will enter a formal note on my misgivings and give you this warning. If at anytime in the future it comes to my attention that you have used excessive force in pursuit of profit, I will have this incident reopened, along with any other charges that are appropriate.  As for your slave hunting. I suggest that in the future you think more and act less."  She makes a few more notes then says, "Case is closed pending further review. Master Long may go."</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>  PBEM Exchange</div> <div>  Series  4 CP POST # 24</div> <div>  Character: Tim Long</div> <bR> <div> I take leave of the place. And retrun home. I check what time it is when I get home.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Missiledines Archives"><U>Back to Archives</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>