Tinsley Family/RP/Advocate for Darrin

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Advocate for Darrin (where Caroline submits a letter to the Senate of Melhed)


Letter from Caroline to the Senate of Melhed. Caroline is acting as the advocate for Sir Darrin O'Shea, who has been accused of treason against the realm of Melhed.

Since I am not in Melhed, but am currently in Heen, and so as not to delay these proceedings any longer, I would like to submit to the tribunal my speech as the advocate of Sir Darrin O'Shea, Founder of the Valentic Order, former Count of Winifael, former Baron of Mouzl, noble of Melhed, trusted friend of mine. I would like to ask the tribunal to record this speech in the public archives of Melhed, for all to see in the future, unless it is contrary to your method of preservation of documents.

-----

Grand Justiciar Bimbo, Prime Minister Aldo, Senators of Melhed,

Sir Darrin O'Shea has asked me to be his advocate in the trial that he is currently involved in.

I will briefly present the recent history of Valentia and the efforts to rebuild that once grand realm and then move on to the charges brought against Sir Darrin. Through these you will see that Sir Darrin has had nothing but pure motives all along.

I have known Sir Darrin O'Shea for many months. We were realm-mates and region lords together in the former realm of Valentia. When the current Invasion began to greatly affect Valentia, there was much concern in the realm, and therefore throughout the ranks of the Valentic Order. Over a month ago, Unger, the capital of Valentia, was overrun by Daimons and other evil creatures. The nobles of the realm fought bravely against them, but we were overpowered. Unger slipped into a rogue state. Without recruitment centers or a bank, the fall of the realm was on the horizon. If the realm fell apart, we felt that the Valentic Order had a good chance of following in that path.

Baron Darrin suggested that a noble leave the realm, join another, obtain a unit for the intent of a Take Over of Unger. The idea was discussed within the realm and then within the Order, where it was supported by both. I volunteered to perform the actions. The Valentic Order supplied the funds for the unit. I explained my intent to Thalmarkin and upon their approval, joined that realm and the region of Bessimir. I recruited 93 stout Thalmarkin men. Picking my route carefully, but finding evil creatures at every turn, my unit fell quickly in size. I was able to rejoin Valentia, under Baron Darrin, but by the time I was able to make it to Unger, the only thing I could attempt was a Colony Take Over. It failed disastrously. The same day that I pledged my services to Darrin, Judge Kerrigan fell to some still unexplained ailment. The manifestations of the ailment included banning almost all the nobles of Valentia, including Darrin and myself. As you know, Sir Darrin soon joined Melhed. I was able to find a small window of lucidity in Kerrigan and she lifted my ban.

Since that time, I have sought his advice as the founder of the Valentic Order, as my former region lord, as my friend. All along this journey he has been extremely helpful and supportive. I never questioned his intentions, for I knew that he wished to save the Order. To do that, he had to save Unger, for that is where our main temple is.

According to my readings of the laws of Melhed, Darrin did not act out of line with them. He has fully acted according to The Valentic Order's Sacred Code of Honor, to wit:

  • Thou shalt believe all that the Order teaches, and shalt observe all its directions.
  • Thou shalt defend the Highfather, the Ancients, and thy Brothers with thy life.
  • Thou shalt love the country in the which thou serves.
  • Thou shalt make war against the Betrayers without cessation or mercy.
  • Thou shalt diligently perform thy feudal duties, if they be not contrary to the laws of the Highfather.
  • Thou shalt be always a champion of the Right and Good against Injustice and Evil.

I truly believe that Darrin acted in accordance with his religious beliefs, and found that they did not violate the laws of Melhed. It is my understanding that his actions as a noble of Melhed would be the same were he a noble of any other realm. He was following his faith. For a more than a month, Sir Darrin has been working on saving Unger.

This valid desire within his soul does not change because his body started serving a different realm. As he has stated before you, he has discussed this with the Bishops of the Valentic order, of which I am proud to count myself as one. We were, and are, supportive of his actions.

Sir Darrin has indicated that there are Melhedian nobles that were in favor of the Take Over attempt. If the information that Sir Darrin provided to the Bishops of the Valentic Order is correct and true, which I have no reason to doubt, then your own Count Gitan has changed his tune, for he stated:

I am with Dorgund on this one. Let Valentia try and fail to retake Unger, we can take our time later, not only will it be safer, it will also not run the risk of looking bad in front of any other realm.



Gitan Bloggs
Count of Kannoktet

And then Count Gitan, as the Government of Melhed's representative in this matter, states, in part:

So if we can establish that the entity that Darrin is working for is in opposition to our interests, it is an enemy.

I counter with:

The entity that Darrin is working for is the Valentic Order, which is intertwined with the realm of Valentia, a theocracy. Or was before the realm of Valentia fell. So, Count Gitan was in favor of the Take Over of Unger (by Valentia, and by extension, the Valentic Order), and then a few days later has changed his viewpoint?

The Constitutional laws of Melhed state that:

  • 3) All citizens have the right to believe in any religion so long as its practices do not conflict with the law.

It is my understanding that the practices of the Valentic Order do not conflict with the laws of Melhed.

Through the well crafted words of Count Gitan, it is stated that Darrin "has worked in the name of a public enemy." Yet nowhere do I actually see the name of this so-called public enemy. If the 'enemy' cannot be named or identified, is it really an enemy? Or is it a fear? An apparition? Surely, as rational nobles, you can see that there is no enemy.

In summary, the representative of Melhed, Count Gitan, has failed in his attempt to paint Sir Darrin as a traitor. Smoke and mirrors might work on simpletons, but the nobles of Melhed are much smarter than that. Sir Darrin has complied with the wishes of this tribunal. He has returned to face the charges against him. In his own words he has defended himself rather well, and with much respect. He is an honourable man, and not a traitor.

Unlike Count Gitan, I ask the Judge, not with sorrow, but with hope, that he uphold the laws of Melhed and find that Sir Darrin O'Shea be found not guilty of the charges brought against him, but that he be allowed to practice the religious freedoms that are near and dear to Melhed. I would ask you to consider that fact as you consider the fate of Sir Darrin O'Shea.

Thank you for hearing my words.

Respectfully,

Caroline Tinsley
Dame of Latlan, Heen


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