Public Execution

She had seen her fill of executions and played part in some of them, but Voah felt that The Gaunlet was unnecessary, vulgar and excessive. Sure there was a certain amount of fear that the authorities of church and law must instill and maintain in the people, but there also must be respect and when there is too much fear, the respect tends to disappear. Which is precisely the results she was witness to the night before.

If the Keep and the shrine had done a better job of earning and holding the respect of the farmers, she was sure that they would have welcomed her or at least they may not have been so spiteful at her presence.

Voah traversed the crowded streets, trying to make it to where gallows had been erected. She wanted only to do the honors of personally executing the confirmed cultist, Wim Riese’s attacker, but wanted nothing to do with the rest of them as the only thing she was sure they were guilty of was being foolish enough to fight against the city guard instead of coming willfully. That would not stand with the Duke, nor the people. If she accused one, she must accuse all, lest there be trouble for her. It would cast doubt on the guilt of the others and make the Duke look bad.
She made it to the raised platform where the herald stood ready to address the masses. The sight of the battered people was already ghastly as even the old woman was nearly unrecognizable.

The herald seemed confused to see the Arbiter there and they shared a quick look and nonverbal communication. He understood she had a duty and would say some words as well.

As the prisoners were being put into position and the nooses put to their necks, the herald began speaking over the murmur of the crowd which had abruptly died down upon sensing the impending speech, "Hear ye all! By order of Duke Stoneshade, Lord Commander of Ostiarium, these men and women are hereby sentenced to death by hanging, for crimes against our city and its people… Arbiter.”

He gestured to Voah to speak and she strode in front of the raised spectacle. “The Office of Inquisition finds those who stand before us, guilty of dissension, heresy against the Pillars, as members of the cult known as The Creed… guilty of harboring and hiding the existence of said cult… and guilty of taking up arms against innocent civilians and the city military. Let them be example to you. May you keep watch over your neighbors so that evil and the maleficium doesn't find a foothold in our city."

With that she took position at the lever, relieving the stationed executioner. "Zin take you now.”

The floor of the gallows dropped. As always, the scene was macabre, sickening cheers of jubilation rose from the crowd, as necks snapped and others choked to death. The old woman held on the longest, struggling against death with an intense will to fight, to no avail. Had the old woman deserved this? Maybe, but Voah understood why she was angry with the establishment. The Arbiter watched, a grim expression on her face. She shook her head at the spectacle, the jeers and hoots of the commoners who relished in the grisly act. She waited, as was her duty, until the last twitches of life left the old woman. Voah wished that she would just die already, then remembered the words with which Gonyaul had disarmed her. "Hate not look good on you."

She turned away for a moment and closed her mind off from the clamor of people shouting vehemently for blood. Was this really the will of Vastad? A holy celebration of bloodlust. She would much prefer to meet out justice with certainty and without spectacle. But this was the way. When she turned back, the old woman had finally given up the ghost and the crowd was moving on with their day, instilled with high spirits from the execution.

The Arbiter finished her duties in silence, afterwards, making her way to the Keep to speak with the Duke. On the way, she slipped her letter under Cagliostro's door.