The Trial of Ezoneus Vrernas

Spoilers

Stop reading if you are a player. There are heavy spoilers below and it may damage your game experience.



The Trial of Ezoneus Vrernas

Act 1 of The Fox and the Flame.

Overview

Ezoneus Vrernas, a mage accused of reckless planar sorcery, stands trial in Velbrann’s Hall of Justice. His case is deliberately ambiguous: his experiments may have skirted catastrophic danger, yet his intent remains unclear. To some, he is a fool; to others, a visionary. To the rest, he is an opportunity.

Though minor compared to the great succession arc, this trial is a crucible of law, faith, and political ambition and part of the Fox and Flame southern struggle. Each verdict carries consequences beyond the Hall — from strengthening inquisitorial zeal, to emboldening foreign rivals, to destabilizing the balance of southern Velbrann and Tarsus itself.

Primary Factions in Play

House Meridante (Justicar Stirling) → Seeks to preserve legitimacy and appear impartial. Too overt a bias risks undermining the Crown’s credibility.

Inquisitors of the Chain (Inquisitor Halwen Drosk) → Demand execution as a warning to all mages. Ambiguity is weakness; only fire and iron keep heresy in check.

Magisters Tribunal (Magister Thelian Odrast) → Call for measured restraint: binding oaths, regulation, or rehabilitation rather than destruction.

Aetheric Vaults (Arcanist Quinn Drenn) → See Vrernas as dangerous but invaluable. Prefer containment in their vaults, where his knowledge can be studied — and controlled.

Argent Spire (Professor Sborwel Devoran) → Defend him as a misguided student. Redemption through service is preferable to ruin; execution risks alienating the next generation of casters.

House Cerovante (Dame Drashalee) → Boldly argues to hire Vrernas into their service, presenting it as a boon to the realm — especially in countering Zahara’s growing hostility.

House Santiage (Indirect Influence) → While only present in the galley, their raids on Zahara add urgency to the matter. If Cerovante wins Vrernas, whispers say he’ll be deployed south — either bolstering Santiage’s recklessness or reining it in. Either way, Zahara will not ignore it and Santiage wants more say in the matter.

Branch Outcomes

Execution (Inquisitors Triumph):

  • Vrernas becomes a martyr in magical circles.

  • Inquisitors gain momentum for harsher crackdowns.

  • The Argent Spire simmers, fearing a broader purge.

Imprisonment in the Crown’s Custody (Meridante “Balance”):

  • Neutral outcome, satisfying none but maintaining legitimacy.

  • Opens path to later prison-break or political bargaining.

  • The Magister's Tribunal gains favour and legitimacy.

Transfer to the Aetheric Vaults:

  • Vrernas is bound, silenced, and effectively erased.

  • Vaults gain leverage, but also new enemies among rival factions.

Redemption under the Argent Spire:

  • Strict oaths bind Vrernas to the Spire.

  • Strengthens ties between Spire and Tribunal.

  • Inquisitors see it as a dangerous precedent of weakness.

Hired by House Cerovante or Full Control to House Santiage (Santiage Angle):

  • Inflames tensions with Zahara; Santiage raids escalate under arcane support.

  • Other houses accuse Cerovante of opportunism.

  • Meridante risks looking weak if this outcome passes unchallenged.

  • If Santiage is given full control, these risks increase.

Player Hooks & Sub-Branches

Investigative: Uncover suppressed or fabricated evidence; sway the trial by revealing or concealing truths.

Diplomatic: Align with one faction; persuade, bargain, or threaten to tip the scales.

Moral Dilemma: Weigh justice, mercy, and political expedience.

Secret Paths:

  • If executed: Vrernas’ research resurfaces in black markets or cult circles.

  • If imprisoned: A rescue or breakout arc can be triggered.

  • If given to Cerovante: He may reappear later in the south, either ally or adversary.

  • If redeemed: His loyalty may aid future PCs — or he may relapse, proving the Inquisitors right.

Tone for the GM

Keep the trial tense, theatrical, and unpredictable. Each faction has valid arguments and vested interests; none are “right.” Players’ choices ripple outward into politics, foreign relations, and magical policy. This minor arc is designed to show that in Tarsus, justice is never neutral — it is a weapon, and every verdict draws blood.