Day 53A: Crime and Punishment

[Corwin]

[20:22] <@Kotono> ------
[20:22] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay, by study the diviners, what precisely do you mean?
[20:23] <Nephrite> OOC: I'd like to be shown an example of someone who committed a crime and what their punishment actually is
[20:28] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay.
[20:28] <@Kotono> Getting another meeting with John isn't terribly hard. It's in the same tavern as last time, this time over lunch. It's some sort of smoked meat and bread, unremarkable if tasty. "So you're asking about punishments?" he begins.
[20:32] <Nephrite> "Yes." Moore states. "I'll be honest with you. It's hard for me to stomach something I've never seen, so I was hoping I could just... see it for myself to set my mind at ease."
[20:36] <@Kotono> "You mean the advancing the state of magic?" John rubs his chin before going back to his meal. "There's not a lot to see. We test spells, magical items, rituals and all sorts of estoric research on them. Nothing lethal unless they're condemned to death already."
[20:37] <Nephrite> "Is it permanent?" Moore asks directly.
[20:38] <@Kotono> "It can be, sometimes, but most effects we test aren't designed to be." John says with another shrug. "Permanent effects are rare. Disfigurement can happen on occasion, no magic's perfectly safe. If it does happen, they get a credit ot the time they've served."
[20:41] <Nephrite> "There's still something that just doesn't feel... right about using people like they're test subjects." Moore says with a frown. "But I suppose if something goes wrong this is a good place to be to try and fix it..." He sighs again. "If you had to guess, how many crimes per day do you think you stop?"
[20:44] <@Kotono> "If it's not right, then they shouldn't commit crimes in the first place," John remarks after a few more bites of his meal. Pausing to wash it down with some beer, "On an average day, 2 to 4. Most crimes are middling or petty crimes - and there's a fair few petty crimes we don't catch. For example, we don't catch every minor pickpocket right away. Our focus is on bigger crimes, so often
[20:44] <@Kotono> lesser ones aren't caught. Especially if there's an influx of new people from lightskimmers."
[20:46] <Nephrite> "What was Veren's punishment going to be originally?" Moore asks. "Or do you just catch people?"
[20:48] <@Kotono> "I catch people. Magistrates deal with punishment," Finishing his meal off and putting the plate and mug aside, "Probably a fairly severe one once all the facts were known. A shapechanger looking for thieves is no end of trouble."
[20:49] <Moore> Moore nods. "All right. Has anyone ever died because of the tests?"
[20:50] <@Kotono> "It's happened," John admits, "Usually an unexpected interaction, result or the like. Chaos magic's the most known for it. They don't do much testing on prisoners because of that."
[20:53] <Moore> Moore solemnly nods. "I'd imagine it has to eventually. But, again... I suppose if it's going to happen, happening here is for the best. If there's any good chance to be brought back, after all..." He nods, at least trying to convince himself. "What is going to happen to that pirate captain? I mean, technically, he never actually -did- anything..."
[20:54] <@Kotono> "He came intent on waging war. The only question is if he'll meet the headman's axe or not," John frowns at this, "As for that, I don't know. It's above my head."
[20:55] <Moore> "Have they been able to suss  the actual reasons behind all of this from him?" Moore asks.
[21:03] <@Kotono> "Again, above my head," John shrugs.
[21:06] <Moore> "Rocky or Aria, then?" Moore asks.
[21:07] <@Kotono> "Probably a better choice," Johna grees.
[21:10] <Moore> Moore nods. "I'll search them out. Sorry to be a bother with all the questions, John."