Three days later, the road reaches the old tollhouse at Karlsgraben. The canal lies gray beneath the morning mist, and the weathered gate bears no Bishop’s colors.
Frieda arrives with the ledger, the Witness, Sir Eleutherius, and Elias. Their journey has left dust on cloaks and weariness in every quiet movement, but the evidence remains sealed.
Brother Konrad
Chaplain Frieda. You have brought the record safely. Enter, all of you, but leave haste and suspicion at the door.
Armed guards stand beneath the tollhouse eaves, sober and watchful rather than threatening. Inside, trestle tables hold ink, parchment, and a brazier struggling against the damp.
Brother Konrad
This hearing is temporary, yet it shall be lawful. Before we continue toward the imperial court, every witness must speak, and every word must be entered.
The Witness
Then I will speak plainly. I have carried the truth this far, and I will not lose courage at the final table.
Sir Eleutherius
The road ahead may still belong to the Bishop’s agents. Let the record be made now, while honest guards hold this place.
✓ Quest Accepted
Have the ledger and witness testimony formally authenticated for Imperial use
“Frieda lays out the seal, the ledger, and the priest’s papers on the desk. The broken red ribbon shows like a wound among the parchment. "I have brought both written evidence and witnesses in this case, and am prepared to testify myself. I have evidence that the priest Gersten was murdered by Bishop Eisenfaust's men when he uncovered these crimes. And further, that they spirited away his body to conceal their own foul deed."”
SUCCESS (Legendary Oratory, rolled +4)
Frieda
I have brought written evidence and witnesses in this case, and I am prepared to testify myself. Father Gersten was murdered by Bishop Eisenfaust's men when he uncovered these crimes, and they spirited away his body to conceal the deed.
Frieda lays the Imperial seal, the ledger, and Father Gersten’s papers across the desk. The broken red ribbon lies among them like a wound in the parchment.
Brother Konrad
Enter it all into the record. Let no clerk soften the charge, and let no seal conceal the hand behind it.
Brother Konrad draws the ledger toward the brazier’s light without touching the seal. His guards straighten, and the Witness steps forward beneath their attentive silence.
The Witness
I saw the Bishop’s men take charge of the church after Gersten’s death. They claimed authority, but they would not show the body.
Brother Konrad
Your testimony is accepted provisionally and shall be sworn. These papers also bear a trace worth noting: a second clerical mark, matching the sign found in the Imperial correspondence.
Konrad orders fresh parchment brought at once and has the broken ribbon, ledger, and priest’s papers listed as separate exhibits. The hearing now holds both witnesses and a second Imperial connection.
“She waits patiently as the hearing proceeds.”
Frieda waits patiently beside the desk as the hearing proceeds. Damp light gathers on the parchment, and the guards remain still beneath Brother Konrad’s measured authority.
Brother Konrad
Record the witness’s words exactly. The charge concerns murder, concealment, and unlawful seizure under episcopal authority.
The clerk bends over the fresh parchment, scratching each sentence into the record. The ledger, ribbon, and priest’s papers remain separate beneath the Imperial seal.
The Witness
I will swear to what I saw, and no more. The men claimed the Bishop’s name, but they feared questions about the body.
Konrad listens without interruption, then marks the testimony with a careful notation. Sir Eleutherius keeps watch at the door while Elias stands near the brazier, silent and alert.
Brother Konrad
Your patience serves the hearing, Chaplain. We proceed without haste, and therefore without giving error room to hide.
The clerk sands the wet ink. Outside, canal water laps against the old embankment, while inside the record grows firm beneath every witnessed word.
“She continues to listen patiently. She has sat through much longer church services than this.”
Frieda remains beside the desk, still and attentive. The hearing moves at the pace of ink drying, each statement given its proper place beneath the seal.
Frieda
The clerk has recorded every word without alteration.
Brother Konrad
Continue. Let the witness distinguish what he saw from what he was told, and let the record preserve that distinction.
The Witness answers carefully, while the clerk writes in a steady hand. Sir Eleutherius keeps his quiet watch at the door, and Elias feeds another splinter into the brazier.
The Witness
I saw the men enter after Father Gersten’s death. They took the church papers, questioned the villagers, and forbade us to seek the body.
Brother Konrad
Enter those words exactly. A lawful inquiry does not fear patient testimony, nor does truth require a hurried tongue.
Frieda listens through the remainder without shifting her stance. Outside, the canal laps against the embankment; inside, the clerk sands the page and begins the next line.
“Frieda stands like a veritable statue, but doesn't miss a word.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Perception, rolled +0)
Frieda stands beside the desk like a carved saint, hands quiet and posture unwavering. Ink scratches across parchment, and not a word escapes her attention.
Brother Konrad
Proceed with the next distinction. What did you witness yourself, and what did the Bishop’s men merely claim?
The Witness
I saw them remove the church papers and bar the vestry. I did not see Father Gersten’s body, nor can I say where they carried it.
The clerk pauses only to sand the line, then copies the distinction exactly. Frieda remains motionless while damp morning light creeps across the table.
Brother Konrad
Good. That is testimony fit for judgment: sight separated from rumor, and uncertainty preserved rather than disguised.
Sir Eleutherius
She misses nothing. Even the pauses will have their proper place in this record.
The Witness continues, steadied by the silence around him. Elias feeds the brazier, and the clerk records every word beneath the Imperial seal without alteration.
“She continues to wait patiently.”
Frieda continues to wait beside the desk, her hands quiet and her attention fixed on the witness. The hearing advances without interruption.
The Witness
I heard the men say the Bishop would answer for the church, but I cannot swear which of them gave the order.
The clerk writes the distinction carefully, then sands the wet ink. No guard moves, and the canal’s dull murmur fills the pauses.
Brother Konrad
Record that uncertainty plainly. A witness who knows the limits of his sight strengthens the truth rather than weakening it.
Frieda remains still as carved stone while the next line is entered. Her patience gives the room its measured pace, and no word is lost.
Sir Eleutherius
Let the record carry every boundary of his knowledge. That is how false authority is denied its shelter.
Brother Konrad inclines his head, and the clerk turns to a fresh portion of parchment. The testimony continues beneath the Imperial seal, orderly and secure.
“She continues to wait patiently.”
Frieda continues to wait beside the desk, her hands quiet and her posture steady. The hearing proceeds at the measured pace of ink, sand, and careful breath.
The Witness
I heard no order given directly. I know only what was said, and what the men did afterward.
The clerk records the distinction without haste. Damp morning light rests on the parchment, while the brazier gives a low, steady warmth.
Brother Konrad
Enter it precisely. The absence of certainty is itself part of the testimony, and no honest record will disguise it.
Frieda remains attentive as the clerk sands the page and begins another line. Sir Eleutherius keeps watch at the door, and Elias quietly tends the fire.
Sir Eleutherius
She gives the witness room to speak, and the record room to endure. That patience may outlast every borrowed claim of authority.
Brother Konrad gives a small nod. The testimony continues beneath the Imperial seal, each word secured by patience rather than pressure.
“She continues to wait patiently.”
Frieda continues to wait beside the desk, neither hurrying the witness nor distracting the clerk. The hearing advances with the quiet discipline of ink drying.
The Witness
I remember the men carried bundles from the vestry, but I cannot say which papers were taken. I saw only what the doorway allowed.
The clerk records the limitation exactly, then sands the line. The brazier crackles softly, and mist presses pale against the tollhouse windows.
Brother Konrad
Good. Let uncertainty remain where uncertainty belongs. A truthful record does not become weaker because it refuses invention.
Frieda keeps her hands quiet and her attention fixed on the parchment. Sir Eleutherius watches the door without interrupting, while Elias adds another splinter to the fire.
The Witness
I will speak of what I saw, and leave the rest to judgment. That is all I can give.
Brother Konrad
And it is enough to enter. Continue, clerk.
“She continues to wait patiently.”
Frieda remains beside the desk, patient and unmoving. The witness gathers his thoughts while the clerk’s pen continues its measured passage across the parchment.
The Witness
There were three men in the vestry. One wore the Bishop’s colors, but I did not know the other two.
The clerk records the number and the limitation together, then sands the wet ink. Mist pales the windows, and the brazier breathes a little warmth into the damp room.
Brother Konrad
Enter both facts. Recognition of one man does not grant knowledge of the others.
Frieda gives the testimony room to settle without pressing it forward. Sir Eleutherius remains at the door, and Elias quietly feeds the fire.
The Witness
I can identify the man in the Bishop’s colors if he is shown to me. I will not claim more than that.
Brother Konrad
That distinction shall stand. Clerk, record the offer for later identification, and proceed when the witness is ready.
“She continues to wait patiently.”
Frieda remains beside the desk, patient and unmoving. She gives the witness time to gather his thoughts while the clerk’s pen rests above the waiting parchment.
The Witness
I will name the man in the Bishop’s colors if I see him. The other two remain unknown to me.
The clerk copies the statement carefully, preserving both the offered identification and the boundary of the witness’s knowledge. Fine sand darkens the fresh ink.
Brother Konrad
Record it without embellishment. A restrained witness gives the court firmer ground than a bold liar.
Frieda keeps her hands quiet and her attention fixed on the page. Sir Eleutherius watches the door, while Elias tends the brazier against the morning damp.
The Witness
There is no more I can add to that matter. I have said what my eyes witnessed, and no more.
Brother Konrad
Then let the record pause there. Clerk, preserve the distinction, and prepare the next question.
“She continues to wait patiently.”
Frieda continues to wait beside the desk, patient and unmoving. The witness lowers his gaze, and the clerk keeps his pen poised above the parchment.
Morning light strengthens against the misted windows. Elias adds a thin splinter to the brazier, while Sir Eleutherius remains watchful at the door.
Brother Konrad
Let the witness rest his memory. We will not force another word from him before the record is secure.
The clerk sands the final line and sets the parchment aside to dry. The ledger, ribbon, and Father Gersten’s papers remain separated beneath the Imperial seal.
The Witness
I am ready when the next question comes. Until then, I will keep silent.
Brother Konrad
That is proper. Clerk, mark this testimony complete for now, and prepare the examination of the written evidence.
No one hurries the transition. Frieda’s patience holds the room steady as fresh parchment is laid beside the sealed exhibits, and the lawful hearing proceeds.
“She continues to wait.”
Frieda continues to wait beside the desk, patient and unmoving. The completed testimony rests beneath its sand while the clerk prepares a fresh sheet for the written evidence.
Frieda
The record is secure for now.
Morning light spreads across the tollhouse floor. Elias tends the brazier, and Sir Eleutherius remains at the door, allowing the hearing to proceed without interruption.
Brother Konrad
Let the pause stand. A lawful examination begins with order, not haste. Clerk, bring the ledger forward and keep each exhibit distinct.
The clerk draws the ledger nearer, then places the broken ribbon and Father Gersten’s papers beside it without disturbing the Imperial seal. Ink, parchment, and silence govern the table.
The Witness
I will remain ready. The written evidence may speak now, and I will answer when my memory is needed.
Brother Konrad inclines his head. Frieda’s steady waiting gives the room its measured pace as the clerk opens the ledger and begins the next examination.
“She continues to wait patiently.”
Frieda remains beside the desk, patient and unmoving, while the clerk turns the ledger pages with careful fingers. The completed testimony rests safely beneath its sand.
Brother Konrad
Proceed slowly. Read each entry aloud before comparing it with the priest’s papers. No document shall borrow authority from another.
The clerk bends over the open ledger. Morning light catches the ink, while Elias feeds another splinter into the brazier and Sir Eleutherius keeps silent watch at the door.
The Witness
I will listen. If a name or place matches what I saw, I will say so, and not claim more.
Frieda lets the silence do its work. The broken ribbon, the ledger, and Father Gersten’s papers remain separate beneath the Imperial seal, each awaiting its proper place.
Brother Konrad
That is the discipline required. Clerk, begin with the first dated entry, and preserve every mark exactly as found.
The clerk begins to read. Ink scratches steadily across the fresh sheet, and the lawful examination advances without haste, guarded by patience and the quiet authority of the room.
“She continues to wait patiently.”
Frieda remains beside the desk, patient and unmoving, while the clerk reads the first dated entry into the fresh record. The morning light strengthens across the parchment.
Brother Konrad
Slowly, clerk. Preserve the date, the names, and every correction. A careful record is stronger than a hurried accusation.
The clerk pauses at each line, comparing the ledger’s hand with Father Gersten’s papers without letting either document touch the other. Ink and brazier smoke mingle in the damp air.
The Witness
That place name is familiar. I heard it spoken when the Bishop’s men questioned the villagers, though I cannot say more than that.
Brother Konrad signals for the statement to be entered. Frieda continues her quiet vigil as the clerk records the witness’s limit alongside the possible match.
Sir Eleutherius
Her patience keeps the hearing honest. Let each word find its proper place, and let no man force the next one.
The examination proceeds without interruption. The ledger, ribbon, and priest’s papers remain distinct beneath the Imperial seal while Frieda’s steady presence holds the room to its lawful pace.
“She continues to wait patiently.”
Frieda continues to wait beside the desk, patient and unmoving. The clerk reads the next dated entry, preserving each name and correction beneath the morning light.
Brother Konrad
Do not hurry. Let the ledger speak in its own order, and let every uncertainty remain plainly marked.
The clerk compares another line with Father Gersten’s papers without touching them together. The broken ribbon rests between the exhibits, its frayed end dark against the parchment.
The Witness
I recognize that village name, but only from the questions the Bishop’s men asked. I cannot say what it means beyond that.
Brother Konrad signals for the distinction to be recorded. Sir Eleutherius remains at the door, while Elias quietly tends the brazier against the damp.
Brother Konrad
Enter the witness’s limit exactly. A lawful record gains strength when it refuses to claim more than the eyes have known.
Frieda’s patience keeps the hearing steady. Ink continues across the fresh sheet, and the ledger, ribbon, and priest’s papers remain separate beneath the Imperial seal.
“She continues to wait patiently.”
Frieda continues to wait beside the desk, patient and unmoving. The clerk reads the next ledger entry into the fresh record, preserving each name and correction.
Brother Konrad
Take the time truth requires. No entry is too small to examine, and no uncertainty shall be pressed into certainty.
The clerk compares the dated line with Father Gersten’s papers, keeping the documents apart. Morning light rests on the broken ribbon and the drying testimony.
The Witness
I know that name from the questions asked in Waldenhof. I cannot say what purpose it served.
Brother Konrad signals for the limitation to be entered. Sir Eleutherius remains at the door, and Elias feeds another splinter to the brazier.
Brother Konrad
Record it exactly. The witness’s restraint protects the hearing better than confidence without knowledge.
Frieda’s quiet patience holds the room to its lawful pace. Ink continues across the parchment, and every exhibit remains secure beneath the Imperial seal.
“She continues to wait patiently.”
Frieda continues to wait beside the desk, patient and unmoving. The clerk reads the next ledger entry into the fresh record, his voice measured in the damp morning air.
Brother Konrad
Preserve the wording exactly. We seek the truth of the entry, not a conclusion forced upon it.
The clerk bends over the parchment and copies the date, names, and correction without haste. The ledger remains open, while Father Gersten’s papers and the broken ribbon stay separate.
The Witness
I recognize the place mentioned, but only from the questions asked in Waldenhof. I cannot say what happened there.
Brother Konrad signals for the limitation to be entered. Sir Eleutherius keeps watch at the door, and Elias adds another splinter to the brazier.
Brother Konrad
That uncertainty belongs in the record. Let no witness be made wiser on parchment than he was in life.
Frieda’s patience holds the hearing to its lawful pace. Ink dries beneath the Imperial seal, and the examination continues without interruption.
“She continues to wait patiently.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +2)
Frieda remains beside the desk, patient and unmoving. The damp air carries the clerk’s measured voice while the ledger lies open beneath the Imperial seal.
Brother Konrad
Continue, clerk. Preserve the entry, its correction, and the witness’s limits without adding judgment.
The clerk copies each line carefully, pausing to compare the ledger with Father Gersten’s papers while keeping the exhibits separate.
The Witness
I know that place from the questions in Waldenhof. I cannot swear what occurred there.
Konrad orders the distinction entered exactly. Frieda’s quiet vigil gives the testimony room to stand on its own, neither hurried nor enlarged.
Sir Eleutherius
Let the record keep his uncertainty. Plain truth needs no stronger voice than the one who witnessed it.
Ink dries across the fresh parchment. Elias tends the brazier, the guards remain watchful, and the lawful examination proceeds steadily under Frieda’s patient protection.
“She continues to wait patiently.”
Frieda remains beside the desk, patient and unmoving, while the clerk continues copying the ledger’s entry beneath the Imperial seal.
Brother Konrad
Continue in the same manner. Preserve the words, the correction, and the witness’s limits without haste.
The clerk bends over the parchment and writes each line with deliberate care. Father Gersten’s papers remain apart from the open ledger, untouched and plainly marked.
The Witness
I recognize the place from questions asked in Waldenhof. I cannot swear what happened there.
Konrad signals for the distinction to be entered exactly. The guards hold their quiet watch, and Elias feeds another splinter into the brazier.
Sir Eleutherius
Let uncertainty remain where it belongs. A truthful record does not need a stronger claim.
Frieda’s patience keeps the hearing steady. Ink dries in the damp air, and the examination proceeds without interruption beneath the Imperial seal.
“She continues to wait patiently.”
FAILURE (Legendary Willpower, rolled -4)
Frieda remains beside the desk, patient and unmoving, while the clerk copies the ledger’s entry. The brazier dims, and damp gathers along the parchment’s edge.
Brother Konrad
Stop there. Clerk, read the last sentence again.
The clerk rereads the line. In the fading warmth, a drop of moisture has blurred part of the correction, leaving its meaning uncertain on the fresh record.
The Witness
That is not how it stood in the ledger. The correction changed the sense.
Konrad draws the wet sheet away from the brazier and lays the open ledger beside it for comparison. The orderly pause has become a damaged record requiring immediate care.
Brother Konrad
No one speaks further until this page is secured. Clerk, prepare a clean sheet, and preserve the spoiled one as evidence.
The clerk reaches for fresh parchment. Frieda’s patient waiting has not preserved the testimony; the blurred correction now demands a direct examination before the hearing can proceed.
✓ Quest Accepted
Establish the true meaning of the blurred correction
“She examines the record.”
SUCCESS (Superb Reasoning, rolled +2)
Frieda bends over the spoiled sheet, then places the open ledger beside it. She compares the blurred correction with the original strokes, following each letter in the damp light.
Frieda
The correction reverses the entry: the men did not receive authority from the Bishop; they claimed it afterward.
Her examination separates the surviving ink from the wash. The original wording remains legible in the ledger, while the fresh copy has lost the crucial negation.
Brother Konrad
Clerk, write the sentence anew from the ledger. Mark the spoiled sheet, and note that its correction was blurred before completion.
The clerk sets the damaged page aside and copies the entry onto clean parchment. Brother Konrad checks each line against the ledger before allowing the ink to dry.
The Witness
That is the meaning I heard. They acted first, then wrapped their deed in the Bishop’s name.
The corrected record now preserves both the original entry and the spoiled page as evidence. The hearing resumes, its most dangerous ambiguity plainly exposed.
Quest Complete
Establish the true meaning of the blurred correction
“She continues to wait patiently.”
Frieda remains beside the desk, patient and unmoving, while the clerk copies the corrected entry onto clean parchment. The spoiled sheet rests apart beneath a marked weight.
Brother Konrad
Read it back when the ink has settled. We will preserve the error as carefully as the correction.
The clerk waits for the sheen to dull, then compares each line against the open ledger. The brazier gives modest warmth, and the guards keep their quiet watch.
The Witness
That is plain at last. They claimed the Bishop’s name after the deed, not before it.
Brother Konrad examines the fresh page without haste. Sir Eleutherius remains at the door, while Elias feeds a thin splinter into the brazier.
Brother Konrad
Enter the witness’s clarification beside the corrected passage. Then seal both pages as one chain of evidence.
The clerk writes the final notation and sands it carefully. Frieda’s patience gives the hearing room to settle, and the examination continues beneath the Imperial seal.
“She continues to wait patiently.”
Frieda remains beside the desk, patient and unmoving, while the corrected page dries beneath the marked weight. The hearing keeps its careful pace.
Brother Konrad
Let the ink settle fully. A record preserved in haste may fail where patience would have made it sound.
The clerk waits, then checks the fresh notation against the open ledger once more. The spoiled sheet remains visible beside it, its error now part of the evidence.
The Witness
The meaning is clear now. They took the Bishop’s name after the deed, not before it.
Frieda gives the witness room to finish without interruption. Beyond the tollhouse walls, canal water laps softly against the embankment.
Brother Konrad
Clerk, seal both pages together. Preserve the mistake, the correction, and the witness’s clarification as one chain.
The clerk folds the notation into the record and presses wax beneath the Imperial seal. Sir Eleutherius keeps watch at the door, while Elias tends the brazier. The hearing proceeds.
Quest Complete
Have the ledger and witness testimony formally authenticated for Imperial use
Skill Upgrade: Theology Fair→Good