SMOOTH SAILING

[louislxix 3066]

SMOOTH SAILING

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6aoHP-oOI0

Our beloved Ferryman, after again being used a scapegoat, were accused of the crime of lamentable sacrilege: the murder of the late High Pontiff Jude II. All of the evidence was insufficiently provided, or perhaps it was just entirely lackluster and without any proper points. No witnesses were listed. It was all a rather shady situation from the said Johan ‘Horen’s Breaker of Canon Law’ Vuiller. Any sane man would rather twiddle his thumbs at home rather than attend this jester fiasco of a trial. Saying that, one does always enjoy a day out at the circus.

 

Against all expectations, the men in green showed, and stood at trial in the heart of Providence. A city from where they have been hunted for nearly decades, albeit for push-and-pull reasons. One-hundred and fifty men stood clad in armour, marching throughout the confines of the city until they came to the esteemed and mighty cathedral of Providence itself. Once the accused were summoned to the stand, a peculiar figure strode through the crowds. How curious; one with an arched back; a black kha-fur layered suitcase; and a lazily shaven moustache. He rose to the stands and caught the ogling spectators with their mouths agape. His name ‘David from Accounting’ claimed to be the spokesperson of the group, which was further backed up by the surrounding Ferrymen guarding dearly over the balding figure. The ‘Ferryman’ himself was unable to show up unfortunately. And so the trial started anyway:

 

“Spokesperson, present.”

 

 Despite his body being shaped like a potato that originated from a thanhic-tainted field, David seemed entirely aplomb in tone - his gaze adamant, and not once did he flinch - though, that could have been due to one of his many medical conditions. God bless his soul. An entire stranger he was in the political scene, not a degree in sight, without any known experience with court cases either. Yet, there he stood, as bold as a desperate woman in a brothel. This was all for what exactly? The verdict was seemingly pre-decided by the snoring clergymen; his prayers must have kept him up late that night. Adjusting his collar, David knew entirely well that the nut of this case was going to be tough to crack. Why? It was since Mister Johan Vuiller claimed to have gathered enough evidence through extensive investigation. Hu-hu-hu.

 

The Auditor of the case listed the accusations, never once, did he however provide any witnesses or consequential evidence on the matter - it didn’t stop him from asking; “How do you plead?”

 

David stood still on his spot for an eerie five minutes of time, waiting for the Auditor to continue, his moustache seemingly twirling itself - as if to say his mind was spinning in circles. We’ve all heard of the naked-truth, but the only naked thing present in the room was the exposed smooth-brain of the Auditor. Seemingly caught up in a staring contest, the man from Accounting alas spoke; “Evidence, please.”

 

Realizing the Auditor needed some guidance himself, it stirred the spokesperson to speak such. The response to the inquiry of David was baffling to say the least, Auditor Johan listed a singular piece of evidence. Which was merely a likely-to be discounted version of Ferryman uniform spotted on the scene of the crime. Simply clarifying, David told him that Ferrymen have been struggling with fans of the realm; fakes; frauds, all of that. David spoke again with aplomb, eye-to-eye with the Auditor, he certainly knew a fraud when he saw one. The uniform itself could have been tailored from any old Sue. It struck Mister Johan at that moment! Those ghostlike figures known as the witnesses were never going to be enough to prove that a Ferryman murdered the Pontiff. Thus, he more so began focusing more on the ongoing war than the death of a beloved religious figure. He was there to accuse and lay selfish judgement, and not perform God’s will!

 

Dave narrowed those unflinching and glassy eyes, suspecting fraud; “Do you care more about the death of the Pontiff or the ongoing war, Auditor?”

 

Beads of sweat dribbled down his forehead almost as much as the nearby drool at the corners of his mouth. Religious men in the room took notice and started to protest how the Auditor seemed to only use the murder of the late Pontiff as a political agenda - his own political agenda up North - to further his own views! Father Basil was one of the only men with a shrewd eye to spot the peculiar behaviour of Johan. In which, a religious man spoke against the Auditor out loud, which flipped the boat of the case. So as the youth say; man was making waves!

 

Johan Vuiller ordered the ISA to escort a religious man out of holy grounds, which is not allowed by Canon Law. The Ferrymen did what was best and allowed Father Basil to order their forces of green to protect the religious men against the zombielike beck-and-call ISA and spiteful Auditor. Once these so-called soldiers heard of the afforded protection to Father Basil, their breathing became nearly as shallow as the Auditor’s evidence! A previously nodded-off officer was startled to wake and took great heed of the morale sinkhole, commanding those men to not force the religious men out of the Church. David for the first time of the entire case was stumped, pondering; “Are the Ferrymen truly greater allies of the Church than the Orenian populace?”

 

After the mild scuffle, it was quite clear justice was verging on being served. Those gathered Ferrymen had proven themselves to be allies of the Church, but the Auditor had more plans - more Canon Laws to break! The pristine man from accounting and Johan talked in circles for three Saint’s hours. I believe the Auditor to have been playing heretical Canon Law bingo before calling the case to resume at a later date. It all made sense, as the birds of coming night chirped their goodnights outside - the feather-brained Auditor also chirped his goodnight to the men at trial.

Regardless, we have compiled a list of Canon Laws that were broken in the process of this trial. This is to aid the Church’s investigation on this rogue individual:

 

§VII.III.2.2. The judge is to issue a decree calling the person to trial, setting forth the reasons of law in explicit and simple terms that do not presume the accused’s innocence or guilt.

 

Judge (and Petitioner) Johan Vuiller’s petition for trial presumed the accused’s guilt.

 

§VII.III.2.1. The judge of the trial shall determine its place and time, making all effort to ensure it is suitable to the petitioner and the respondent first, then the advocates, and then the experts.

 

Judge Vuiller mandated the time and place of the trial, in hostile territory where respondents are traditionally kill-on-sight without consultation with the respondents.

 

§VII.1. The object of the trial is for the declaration of juridic facts and the imposition of penalties for transgressions of the faith.

 

Judge Vuiller declared that, if respondents did not show up for trial, they would be deemed automatically guilty, and given automatic excommunication. A trial is a declaration of facts, not a kangaroo court to declare guilt for arbitrary reasons, nor can the Auditor of the tribunal administer excommunication themselves.

 

§VII.II.2.1. The respondent is the individual accused of a breach of canon law, also called the defendant.

 

A respondent must be an individual, not a nameless group. Unless Petitioner Vuiller specifically is claiming that each Ferryman is guilty of murdering the High Pontiff, then he can’t call the group as a whole. He must name individual members of the Ferrymen.

 

§VII.3. All proceedings of a trial must be recorded and made available to the judge’s superior.

 

Defendants are not aware of anyone making a transcript of the trial and no one was witnessed to have been doing so during the trial.

 

§VII.II.3.2. An advocate must be appointed for penal trials.

 

Judge Vuiller refused to appoint an advocate for the petitioner, also Judge Vuiller, and proceeded to act as advocate for himself, while also judging the affair.

 

§VII.I.4. If necessary, a judge may delegate a case to a committee of other pastors.

 

Judge Vuiller seems to have tried to do this, forming a committee of himself, Cardinal Gawain, and Holy Sir Armand. 

However, he never communicated this to the respondent, and the respondent, to this date, still does not know the true members of the tribunal holding judgment over them. Furthermore, Holy Sir Armand is not a pastor, merely holding a titular diocese.

 

§IV.V.2.4. Entry to a church is free and unlimited to the faithful.

 

Judge Vuiller kept threatening to throw people out of the Basilica of the Ascent of Exalted Godfrey. He eventually commanded the ISA to throw out Wilheim Barclay, and the ISA did try to remove both Wilheim Barclay and Father Basil Moroul. When the ISA stood down, Judge Vuiller declared that the trial was no longer to be a public trial and attempted to bar everyone from the Basilica.

 

§VII.III.3.2. The trial should continue for such a time as is appropriate that all relevant testimony be delivered in a timely manner, and that deliberations should occur speedily.

 

Judge Vuiller abruptly postponed the trial in the middle of the respondents calling of witnesses and experts with no known resumption date, preventing testimony from being delivered in a timely fashion, or speedy deliberations.

 

§VII.III.5.1. If there is a question of the justness of a trial or an appeal, appeal should be made to the judge’s superior.

 

It is already clear that this trial is not just and each part of it has been a violation of Canon Law. Judge Vuiller’s superior is High Pontiff Tylos I, who must be called upon to fix this grave miscarriage of justice in the name of GOD.

The Ferrymen hereby request a private meeting between the current High Pontiff and David from Accounting. So their organization may be officially cleared of these blatantly false and poorly construed accusations. Simply unethical it would be, to force us into holy grounds, where the likes of Jesting Johan thinks it is quite alright to perform tomfoolery. Please let us hear from you within the next couple days.

 

Signed and Yours Truly

The Ferryman

 

[rep2k 2477]

Tylos I blinks, rubbing his forehead after seeing the list of broken Canon laws.. is it true, he wonders..

[LithiumSedai 4837]

"I will cry," says Holy Sir Armand to his cat, rubbing at his forehead in frustration.

[yandeer 731]

"See, Demi?" A young princess gestured wildly to the printed recounting of the court tale. "This is why we, as good Canonists, should read: to ensure we supplement our healthy diet of learning in the Basilica with our own understanding of texts. Niet just in the arts of science and history, but in theology as well. While our priests are surely sage and well-learned, there is always the unfortunate chance that they make mistakes, for like all other men they are mortal and fallible- in contrast with the word of Godan, who is all-knowing and eternally truthful." 

 

The princess sighed, stretching out long in her seat as she set publication to the side. "Now- I hate to ask you again, but could you get me another glass of Carrion?" @MCVDK

[UnBaed 8945]

"They can call out any procedural errors as they wish, but another man's mistakes won't mask the many deaths sowed by the hands of the Ferrymen for naught but coin and bloodlust," Margaux Helvets vented her thoughts into her journal the evening of the trial, having left in the midst of it.  "I shall never forget the day when I had viewed their pillaging of the abbey of Saint Robert in Luciensburg from atop the town's cathedral towers.  I recall seven men in total and over half donned the colors of the Ferrymen; seven men who killed monks and priests unprovoked."

 

Her lips pursed in contemplation of the memory, before she closed her diary before the ink on the page could properly dry.  She disliked this feeling that gripped her heart, which made her tense; this feeling of resentment.  Margaux feared what it might do to her, should she indulge it too much.  She chose to push the memory out of her thoughts while touching the duo crosses that hung form her neck.

 

"May justice still be found."

[Gandhi 2674]

"Murderers, the lot of 'em." Grumbled Charles Darkwood, as he examined the response. A sigh emitted from him, as he sets the piece down, and continues his duties.

[bugbytes21 790]

Garret Darkwood uses the missive as tinder for the fire "So when they rain arrows down from the roofs of providence on civilians, avoiding me and targeting citizens directly, raiding Oren and Haense endlessly, they're the ones that claim innocence?" Garret Darkwood then looks at his children holding them closely "The only people we can rely on to defend us, is ourselves" Garret then stops in Providence staring at the church shaking his head sighing, "Yet we have clergy openly calling the Ferrymen 'Noble', makes me wonder, what even is the definition of Noble" 

[MCVDK 1571]

@yandeer

 

"You need to cut down of the Carrion." Demitriyus merely returned to the Princess with a softened shake over his head. "This is like the fourth time. I am a Squire, niet a Carrion-fetcher." albeit his complaints towards the Royalty. Demitriyus had anticipated this moment: as a carrion was heaved from within his pockets.