[quote=Reaper]Nope. It's basically psychosomatic pain, in a sense. The problem is when you're fighting an imaginary wolf and flailing on the ground because you think it had your leg, for example, when she has a very real sword.[/quote]
So what prevents her from creating the illusion of some sort of unbearable pain (say, a horde of wolves) that puts the person in shock or some other form of handicap, and just waltzing up and actually dispatching of her victims easily? What are the restraints to her abilities? As mentioned previously, magic is inhibited by the knowledge of the caster. What is the extent of her knowledge on illusions and the senses? This is what I was asking in my first question, pertaining to her understanding. :p I'm trying to get an estimated maximum for her spell prowess currently, gauging if she can be considered unbalanced or not.

[quote=Milieu]Did they disarm the seven?[/quote]
No. They only binded them, although the binding did "disarm" them momentarily, as in restrain them from using their equipment easily. Once the restrains came off, they'd have their original capacities and potential for using items and all that. The main reason for this is because so many of the seven are some form of nobility themselves; even despite the allegations, no one wants to make an explicit sign of aggression or violence (such as disarmament) for fear of being the spark that ignites the very possible reality of actual war among the coven, in a sort of domino effect. The lines are very gray and obscure, which is why most "taking care of the competition" is done under the guise of shadows and lies; everyone is just beating around the bush and dancing around the line. No one wants to be considered a murderer or oppressor (more than some already are), else the those in lower standings may uprise as well.

[quote=Milieu]Also, is there any sort of trial by combat feature that the players could use as a last ditch effort?[/quote]
There has never been a formal trial by combat, as believe it or not, before all of the conflict started, the D'Cerf was actually renowned for its kinship and community. No arena was ever built, so there was never much use of combat trials or other gladiatorial like practices. The closest thing would be the training area for the guardsmen and knights, in their little section of the castle. Still, I could definitely see some nobles being all for that option, considering how the times have changed.

[quote=Milieu]What would also be some of the rumors spread about these politicians that might contain a nugget of truth? There must be something we can use to acquit us of immediately being condemned to death. A sort of political or occult loophole that we can exploit.[/quote]
The following are truths (and other tidbits of information) regarding the nobles, your predicament, and their rumors:
- You were caught carrying an unconscious priestess; the cause (to them) is unknown.
- There is no actual evidence of any sort of coup or rebellious involvement. One could try pressing for the evidence, to prove that none exists.
- There may be a small handful of nobles who are against execution - not all of them are overly vain, some could very well be friendly or at least neutral. It's up to each player to decide if they would have a friend among the nobles. Keep in mind that a majority is still probably keen on bettering their chances at the throne though.
- You have the very brother of the deceased Lady in your rankings. One could use that as weight. Would anyone want to permanently end the family line of their beloved Lady? I don't know. Perhaps.
- And there is one final thing, but I will only disclose that to the curious, via PMs. Raptor already knows what this, so I'd be willing to share this important snippet to others, if they utterly want to. You'll find out sooner or later, regardless, as it will come into play later.