Case File: Elsa Brown
Treason (Espionage, Joining under Pretense)
Murder
Brief:
Officer Elsa Brown concealed her involvement with the Were-Rats prior to joining the Crown Guard, and has subsequently both spoken and acted in a manner which suggests to me she might still be in league with them in some capacity. Her actions may have demonstrably led to the were-rats targetting the woman Imyra, leading to her death.
Having joined the Crown Guard under false pretenses, many of her suggestions seem to involve painting the Crown in a tarnished light, or interrupting its operation entirely in some cases. Her support of Officer Farmerson's antics and her recent suggestions worry me greatly about her purpose within the Crown. Even if this may be unintentional, having spoken to her, I do not feel she is capable of passing fair judgement upon others.
Testimony:
Fyevarra
I discussed Elsa's involvement with the Illuminated Blade for a while with then-Dame Fyevarra of the Illuminated Blade, around the time of my passing judgement on Friedegard. At that time, Fyevarra vouchsafed to me that Elsa had personally come to her and admitted that Imyra's death was her fault, and that she had done this deed on purpose or at least felt guilt for doing so, and that this may have led to her leaving the Illuminated Blades in the first place.
Initially, Fyevarra did not share the exact letters with me, but after being divested of her authority, I requested them again and received them. The contents can be read under Evidence.
Personal Statement
On the 11th day of the 12th month, 1362DR, I noticed a sending that requested the presence of a Priest of Tyr. The sending sounded suspicious and requested I come to the Manticore. When I arrived at the Manticore I met two individuals, human, a male and a female in tattered garments with raspy voices and coughs, wearing a pair of skull masks to conceal their features.
They attempted to bribe me to leave them alone and the way they spoke strongly suggested they had done the same thing before. The rats also forwarned me about the manner of Mikal's death by flames, although I did not lend that credit at the time and were apparent witnesses to his death.
They knew about my investigation without my having to mention it, even though the knowledge of that investigation was restricted at the time to the Crown Guard and to those who stood accused.
When I pointed out that it seemed as though they had bribed the Crown Guard before, they practically threw it in my face that they had done so. They offered to give me a letter they had received asking them to kill the woman Imyra in trade for my silence so that I could bring the person who hired them to account, but I refused.
Witnessing my refusal would be Randal who also witnessed most of the conversation prior to his joining the Guard.
Evidence
[Letter from Elsa to the Were-Rats]
[Response from the Were-Rats]
[Praeved Shrooms Proposal]
[Cooking Rats Proposal]
[Internal statements and responses to charges]
Relevant Notations
Note: In the Praeved Shrooms proposal, Elsa fails to mention that experimentation with the shrooms could kill or permanently injure a man. When I met with her to discuss this plan in person, she made a particular point of telling me that I was immoral for supporting it in front of a group of adventurers, even though she withheld that information in writing the initial suggestion, and the initial suggestion was her own.
Note: Seemingly intelligent in most other regards, when I confronted Elsa about her plan to lure the were-rats out by eating their children and broadcasting it over the sending system, I pointed out that she was proposing to feed diseased rats to the Crown Guard and our prisoners. When she said they ought to be fine, I asked her whether or not she herself was contageous - and she 'hadn't thought of it.'
Note: Treason is 'The act of aiding the enemies of Arabel, its leader, or its people. Concealing the actions of foreign agents, their locations, or otherwise siding with opposing national powers over Kingdom of Arabel.'
Note: Murder is 'causing directly, or through carelessness, the death of any Arabellan citizen or foreign diplomat.'
Note: Only public executions must be approved by the Council of Peers. A private execution may be carried out where necessary at discretion.
Note: No precident yet exists for prosecuting a serving officer.
Note: Daleroy could not have shared our files with the were-rats as he is unable to read.
Follow On
Q: Why did Elsa Brown join the Crown in the first place?
A: Count Immerdusk explained that she had clearly joined to spy for the Illuminated Blade.
Q: What was she hoping to accomplish here?
A: The firing of Cpt. Daleroy.
Reasoning
Originally I was going to hold this judgement until after the current crises has passed, but recent actions by the defendant have disavailed me of that notion. I feel that if I do not act swiftly, her method of thinking and her apparently casual disregard for what is natively right and wrong will continue to do active harm to the Crown.
In writing and by testimony, it is clear that Elsa Brown assisted in feeding the were-rats, at least during their initial rise to the massive infestation they represent now. By her admission to her then-superior Fyevarra, and by the inclusion of this letter, written in her own hand, and the response letter from the were-rats, it is also clear that her actions can be firmly linked to the death of the woman Imyra, in a most brutal fashion.
The reason that I suggest that we execute her rather than exile her, your Excellency, is because I feel as though, as clever and as well read as she seems to be, she must have been aware where her actions were going to lead. Many of her proposals only make sense if viewed from the lens of someone plotting trechery, and much of the way that she acts is duplicitous - even actively conniving. She is remarkably prescient in some ways, and remarkably - I would argue willfully - blind in others. In my own judgement, the things that she says and the people that she chooses to say them to are active choices rather than accidents and, if allowed to live, she will continue to prove a liability to the Crown even in exile, if not our active opponant.
At best, her actions can be taken as haphazard - but her apparent competencies reject this explanation. She is too intelligent to have done these things, not realizing where her actions would lead.
Conclusion
Case forwarded to Count Immerdusk.
Capital Charges
1 Count Treason: Not Guilty
1 Count Murder: Not Heard
Verdict: Offered Retirement. If Retirement not taken, case returned to Jasda al Tyr
The Count argues that not enough evidence is present to place a charge of Treason upon Elsa Brown, while the charge of Murder is tenuous. The Count agreed that Elsa Brown was not fit for service overall, an internal issue, and offered her the opportunity to resign with a pension, with the understanding that if she refused to resign, the count would defer to the prosecutor's recommendation thereafter.
