Anvil Court Report for Spring 386

Anvil Court Report for Spring 386

Crimes		Description		Accused & plea
Blasphemy and heresy		The accused was condemned in Winter 385 (judgement #193) for publishing poetry and preaching on the subject of freedom in a manner judged to be blasphemous and heretical.The sentence was lenient, because of 1) the direction given by the condemning priest and 2) the evidence of actual harm caused was slight.		Kennett the Mummer plead guilty. The condemning priest was Sam Wych-Elm. A clemency plea was made by Jedediah Boon for Pride.	Guilty Fined 4 thrones
Slavery		The accused presented an opportunity to the Military Council to purchase slaves for emancipation from the Grendel in Winter 385. This was in clear contravention of the law against purchasing non-imperial slaves.		Atraxes the Imperial War Scout plead guilty with no clemency.	Guilty. Fined 10 Thrones. Atraxes had already stood down as War Scout
Subverting the Agencies of the State		The accused forced the Sentinel Gate for a minor conjunction without the permission of the person named responsible by the Civil Service, who was Mortarion Carver, Castellan of Spiral Castle. The skirmish in question was to defeat the *Broken Errant* and their warband, who were threatening Weirwater. The crime was witnessed by Algernon Berinore. The accused first asked the permission of the Castellan, and was refused, before passing through the Sentinel Gate regardless. The Senator's clemency defence was weakened as he was unable to explain why he thought the defence organised by the Castellan would be insufficient. Given his clearly admitted intent, and the graveness of a Senator illegally impinging on the rightful responsibilities of another, the crime was treated very seriously.		Ser Lucan Mortére, Senator Weirwater Guilty, with clemency plea by Killian Mortére on grounds of Ambition	Guilty, fined 15 Thrones
Assault (Leo), Assault and Mayhem (Tongs)		Syrio of la Berta Rossa, formerly of the family Barossa, was attacked by the two accused, when returning through the Sentinel Gate. Gabriel, Marcus and Rodrigo Barossa were also reported to be present. The victim was said to have sent Tongs a cursed necklace, causing her to commit harm to her loved ones. Tongs and Syrio attempted to fight each other; Leo Barossa made an effort to hold back Syrio while Gabriel Barossa tried to restrain Tongs. Leo was more successful, but only by attacking Syrio. Tongs struck down Syrio and carved a message into his arm, which persisted after healing.		Leo Barossa, Samantha 'Tongs' Barossa both plead guilty. Clemency plea on grounds of Loyalty, delivered by Alfredo Barossa di Tassato	Both were found Guilty. Leo was fined one crown.Tongs was fined 10 Thrones.
Treason		The accused approached the Proxy for the Grandmaster of the Unfettered Mind and requested a casting of the Spring ritual *Merciless Wrath of the Reaver*, with the Boon of Siakha. This was an offer made by the Maelstrom to grant additional effects to the ritual; however, the Empress of Sharks was under Enmity and so the taking-up of such a boon would be treasonous. The accused returned the following day to make the request again, at which time the Proxy Grandmaster was accompanied by two militia officers posing as coven members. Once the accused had paid over the mana crystals and tempest jade required for the ritual, he was arrested. He pled guilty, and under questioning at trial established that he had made no effort whatsoever to seek a legal route to perform the ritual; it was also established that he made no effort to seek alternate paths to Prosperity for himself or his military unit. He had clear advance warning from the Civil Service about the illegal nature of the ritual. Between this and his returning on the second day for the ritual, he had clear intent. As a result, he was sentenced to execution.		Whisper plead guilty, with clemency plead by Rhisiart Dancewalker, General Black Thorns, on the grounds of Prosperity	Guilty.Executed.
Murder		The accused were all involved in planning and organising a series of murders of Grendel rivals and subordinates of (then) Salt Lord Kalliact which took place in Spiral in Autumn and Winter 384. The purpose of these murders was to clear the way for Kalliact to make a treaty with the Senate for Spiral to rejoin the Empire. Kalliact was the originator of the plan, Lachlan presented the plan to the imperial conspirators. The imperials all helped to plan or coordinate the two missions, with Andronikos also being present on the missions. At trial the accused all argued that their actions, while illegal, were strongly in the imperial interest and that it had resulted in the return of Spiral to the Empire. As a matter of law Magistrates are required to take into account the imperial interest as a factor in sentencing and accepted that the imperial interest had been served in this case. It is to be noted that the leadership of the missions themselves, by Hector of Tropaion Citadel, were subject to significantly more judicial criticism due to the way in which they were actually carried out.		Merchant Prince Kalliact, Lachlan Apulian, Imperial Consul Jarrigk, Warmage Andronikos of the Lighthouse at Nikephoros, and Spyridonakes of the Lighthouse at Nikephoros. A Clemency plea was made by Rafael Barossa using the imperial favour to claim the mercy of the Empress on behalf of Jarrigk, Andronikos and Spyridonakes on the grounds of Ambition. Estella Lucati plead clemency for Kalliact on the grounds of ambition. Lepidina plead clemency for Lachlan on the grounds of Prosperity.	The accused all plead guilty. The were collectively fined 30 thrones.