Open starter / Tomas the Executioner
Open to: m/f
Setting: between 1300-1600s. Your muse is a suspect in a crime, maybe there is a bigger conspiracy or mystery afoot. Tomas may become a helping hand in helping yours.
The air was turning colder but chill saw no change to punishments, in fact it worked as a good deterrent for many knowing they’d be kept outside either in the stocks or left incapacitated for a period of time in the cold.
Tomas was passing a small town and its villages, left to camp outside although some farmers were kind enough to allow him to stay in a barn for a night in exchange for a couple of remedies. Although it was peaceful in the region he was stopped by a bailiff to help address a matter of theft. Suspects were caught but testimonies according to the bailiff were contradictory so Tomas was hired to interview witnesses, who weren’t exactly thrilled to talking to a man who carried death wherever he went, as well as the suspects who were told not to leave the town or face punishment for evading justice.
That and to deal with a man of lesser crimes. The man was caught for public intoxication and urination, guards having brought the suspects of the other crime there to observe as well. The drunk was locked in a pillory and given a couple of whips to the back of his legs, a merciful punishment that was not awaiting the thieve. The bailiff made clear that the one found guilty would be flogged and by each passing day five more hits would be added to the first twenty-five there was so far.
Later that day Tomas was brought one of the people who claimed innocence yet had a contradictory statement to others. They did not seem like a criminal but knowing his own notes of the past of all the criminals there were many that did not look the part. “As God is your witness you must tell the truth or risk a more severe punishment if you are found lying.” There would be no torture, at least any kind that could leave apparent markings on them.
