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The local militia captain rapped on the doorframe, "We've found the suspect, Judge."
"Excellent! Bring me to him. Let's get this headache over with," Theod replied.
A short walk later, the captain gestured to a door. "He's in here."
Theod held himself tall and thought of the ideals that had brought him to The Judge's Order. He hasn't been out in the field long, but even a new judge's rough cloth robe and wooden badge of office can project the presence of the original for long enough to make an imposing entrance.
Stepping through the door to a suddenly hushed room, he asks "Which is the accused?"
He's presented with a slightly bruised man, hands tied with ropes.
"Do you swear to tell me the truth today, as I have sworn to use that knowledge well?"
The man growls "Yes", which Theod knows is true, and then "Much good may it do you!"
There is a feeling of overwhelming light, and cracks in it, spreading through space.
When he can make sense of his surroundings, he is... not there.
fairshot
fairshot
"That would be great, thanks. And like I said, my judge's gift will be at your disposal if it's useful to you all."
winterlight
"It might be, depending on what we come across. Every now and then we have to track down someone who's waking shadows or trying to become a lich, and we have no special advantages there."
fairshot
"Well, as far as semi-urban investigations go, I have some training and the gift, and I'm happy to help."
He's probably going to ask around for alternate perspectives when he's fluent, but he doesn't expect to change his mind that much. And mentioning that is clearly just rude.
He's probably going to ask around for alternate perspectives when he's fluent, but he doesn't expect to change his mind that much. And mentioning that is clearly just rude.
winterlight
"I'll introduce you to the Bright Sister when we land."
And over there is a walled campus of buildings with more griffins and winged horses in it than most walled campuses of buildings.
And over there is a walled campus of buildings with more griffins and winged horses in it than most walled campuses of buildings.
fairshot
"Sounds good."
Conspicuously not looking at the campuses, because this probably was akin to a mistake. But he can feel the descent, probably.
Conspicuously not looking at the campuses, because this probably was akin to a mistake. But he can feel the descent, probably.
fairshot
This is an improvement! He slides down off the griffin.
"Lead the way, I suppose? Unless there's other tasks needed first, I can wait."
"Lead the way, I suppose? Unless there's other tasks needed first, I can wait."
winterlight
"If you're not in a hurry I'd like to get out of my armor, and of course see to Ragnar, who has had a long day."
winterlight
"I won't be more than an hour," she says, and off she goes.
A few paladins look at Theod curiously. One pokes him with a Winter Light sigil. No one is talking directly to him, and therefore he cannot understand any of them.
A few paladins look at Theod curiously. One pokes him with a Winter Light sigil. No one is talking directly to him, and therefore he cannot understand any of them.
fairshot
This is rather frustrating.
And he has time to sit and stew over the fact that he will probably never see anyone he's ever met again.
Joy.
And he has time to sit and stew over the fact that he will probably never see anyone he's ever met again.
Joy.
fairshot
"The isolation and distance are hitting me in earnest, but I'll probably hold up."
He hopes.
He hopes.
winterlight
"I'm sorry. I've never heard of a mage pulling people from between worlds, but it's not impossible you could eventually find one who can put you back."
fairshot
"I'll look into it. Or even see about learning magery myself. But I'm plopped in a foreign world without warning, and going through my first couple official judge circuits have been more excitement than I was used to. It's going to take a while to adjust to the shock."
fairshot
"Yes, that is a definite feature. Thank you for ensuring I still have a life to be shocked in."
He shakes out his shoulders and brightens a bit, "Shall we go see the Bright Sister?"
He shakes out his shoulders and brightens a bit, "Shall we go see the Bright Sister?"
winterlight
"Yes, this way. Call her Sister - just call any paladins you see Brother or Sister if you don't know them, but her especially - and be polite and I think that's all the important formal protocol."
winterlight
Off they go to Bright Sister's office, where there is a brief wait outside before they are admitted. "Sister, this is Theod and he appeared suddenly from what seems like it must be an entirely different world, probably as a result of some kind of magic, while I was clearing out the zombies."
"Is that so. And what is Theod planning to do about this?" asks Bright Sister.
"Is that so. And what is Theod planning to do about this?" asks Bright Sister.
fairshot
"My initial plan is to learn the local language, and see whether my judge's gifts - lie detection, a sense of appropriate punishments, and an aura of calm and respect, all very limited - are as useful here as they were where I grew up. Kaja mentioned you might let me stay in the novice's dormitories for some short time, until I can communicate with ordinary people. I would appreciate that very much."
"Hm," says the Bright Sister. "Well, you can stay. It's possible we'd have a use for you here, even, depending on how limited and whether you prefer to live your life in a way compatible with the Winter Light's wishes for its paladins."
fairshot
"I'd certainly be happy to help; your work seems valuable, and I owe Kaja my life, so I do feel a certain debt. But I expect I'll be more at home in the town, once I can communicate there."
winterlight
"That is your choice, of course. Kaja, go ahead and put him in the dormitory and find an initiate to get him started with the language, someone who needs practice with the language gift."
"Yes Sister," says Kaja, bowing, and she leads Theod away.
"Yes Sister," says Kaja, bowing, and she leads Theod away.
fairshot
"Thank you, Sister." Theod bows slightly as they turn to leave.
Once they've left, he turns to Kaja and says "That seemed like it went well."
Once they've left, he turns to Kaja and says "That seemed like it went well."