[b]"And thus, your Lordship, we ask that you find this student guilty of breaking the Fifth Law of Magic: Thou shalt not attempt to raise that which is dead."[/b]

Arceus was sitting in his Obsidian throne, perfectly straight, his staff in his right hand, and a small half-eaten plate of fruit and sweet-meats on a short table beside him with a silver goblet of wine. The court which had hours before been mostly vacant barring him, his brothers, and his uncle was now packed with courtiers, relatives, and guards all throughout. Kyros family members and retinue were wearing the house colours, while everyone else wore the colours of their respective houses if they belonged to any.

Petitioners had been seeking his audience all morning, mostly petty issues like property disputes or remuneration for damaged property in some magical or alchemical experiment gone awry, but now was a criminal case of high prominence. Civil matters were mostly handled by local magistrates, but a violation of any of the Laws of Magic was an offence to be ruled upon by the Arch-Magus himself. Violations being uncommon, they still bore heavy weight and could bear black marks on a Sorcerer's future if they were found guilty of them. They weren't cases for say a duel going wrong or a explosion in a potion mixer blowing out a building because of incorrect calculation, but for deliberate attempts at performing magical acts or studies that went against the very laws of nature, were just plain unethical, or could cause serious damage to reality and therefore the province and Kingdom at large if done incorrectly. 

While the paperwork was long and convoluted on the subjects and why they are banned, they essentially banned the practices of: Necromancy, Chronomancy, Mental Slavery, the summoning of and/or collusion with particular magical entities, and Blood Magic involving an unwilling human sacrifice. The violation of any one of the laws of magic by a Cathal sorcerer branded one's name as anathema, and could bear heavy criminal punishment up to and including execution.

In this case, a student at one of the Academies had been caught attempting to practice Necromancy by the Magisters. Their case was quite compelling, though the student feigned ignorance of the laws and their specificity. To complicate matters, the student was a son of one of the higher noble families of Cathal, House Orpheus, and could see it as a slight against their house to have one of their pre-eminent sons locked up as a Warlock within the Brass Citadel or executed.  

In any case, Arceus had reached his decision after short internal deliberation, with the court's eyes all upon him for his verdict and sentence.

[b]"Upon hearing all sides of this case, I am ready to pronounce my verdict. Unless there are further witnesses to come forward on either side, please speak now . . . ? No? Then I find Percius Thaddeus Orpheus guilty of practicing Necromancy. I find his claim of ignorance of a law that should be known and clear to all Sorcerers from before they even begin their academic studies lacking, and find no issues with the Academic Magisters' case. In regards to sentence, while it is a serious offence, I am not blind to the ignorant wiles of young Sorcerers slowly finding their powers and thus will not impose supreme penalties, but I will impress upon the young man and his House, the seriousness of the crime he has committed. I therefore remand the Acolyte Percius into the custody of the Magisters until such time as they have decided upon a suitable Shadow for the young man, as I proclaim the sentence to be that of the Doom of Salteroth, and any noble House in attendance that is not directly tied to this case may have one of its members apply for the position if they so wish. Thus is my ruling as Arch-Magus of Cathal." [/b]

The Court had erupted into excited murmuring the moment Arceus had pronounced the verdict, and had only intensified after the sentence. Arceus had essentially granted mercy upon the young Sorcerer-to-be, with strict provisions. The Doom of Salteroth was named after one of Arceus' ancestors, Salteroth Grimaldus Kyros, 4th Arch-Magus of Cathal whom had created the sentence as a means of showing mercy upon a House that had committed a violation against the Laws of Magic but not of a severity that deigned immediate action. It essentially put the accused under probation, they would be monitored by a Sorcerer of another House of good standing for any violations of behaviour from the Laws of Magic. After a set period of time, the doom would be lifted, and the earlier crime would be forgiven. But any infraction, even the slightest, and the monitoring Sorcerer would have the authority to execute the accused immediately. It was the perfect sentence for not only showing mercy upon potential sympathy cases, but also a way of diverting the onus of potentially executing a noble family's son onto another noble family who would also be desperate to be seen as prime examples of upholders of justice among the wider Cathal nobility. In short, the perfect situation for House Kyros.

Arceus tapped his staff loudly on the floor of the court, marking his words as final. The Magisters escorting Acolyte Percius bowed before him, and even the young Acolyte bowed his head, tears in his eyes but thankfulness written on his face before he was escorted out of the court.

The day was hardly over though, and the anticipated messenger from the King or Gerlang had yet to arrive to herald what would likely overshadow even this story as the news of the day, House Kyros hosting a House of Gerlang. Arceus wasn't looking forward to giving that speech, but until it arrived, he'd focus on the now.

The latest petitioner ushered into the room was introduced to the court as a servant of Llewelyn of House Ap'Arthmael, High Lord of the Shattered Mountains, and peer of Arceus' in terms of political power, albeit a recently ascended one like himself though his appearance wouldn't show it, if his uncle's information on the man and his family's condition was correct. The foreign Lord's servant spoke, his accent clear for all to hear.

[b]"Noble Arch-Magus of Cathal, my Lord presents to you a gift upon you and your house, with the hopes of fostering goodwill and diplomacy between his House and yours. I come bearing his own words in writing, as his Lordship is away courting, but you are welcome to receive his gift."[/b]

Arceus gestured to Gerion, whom left his spot near the Obsidian throne and took the sealed letter from the servant, reading it aloud to Arceus and the court from his older brother's side. Arceus kept his composure hidden beneath his hood, though he stood up afterwards, placing his staff to the side by his throne as he stepped toward the servant personally. The box which held the finely carved new staff which was presented to him as a gift by the Lord of the Shattered Mountains lay neatly packaged within. With one hand, Arceus levitated the staff out of the box and into his grasp where he admired the ornate runes and fine craftsmanship. He turned to the servant.

[b]"Tell your Lord, his people, and the respected Mages of Korianthe's Tower I am pleased with the gift, and that I would happily accept his offer of diplomacy and goodwill, as well as see it reciprocated in my own way. Herne Alchemical Refinery shall set to producing a case of elixers for the Lord and his family's usage. Ones that should help calm his nerves and ease his racing mind, that he may be spared at least a few more years with us, so long as he uses them in moderation. They shall be accompanied by my brother, Eamon Servius Kyros, the only sorcerer who is second to none in all of Cathal besides myself in ability and knowledge. May he be my diplomat to the Shattered Mountains."[/b]

At this, Arceus turned back to his throne, fresh staff in hand before giving it carefully to Gerion to put aside while he took up his own again. His smile hidden behind his hood, but his brother Eamon's incredulity plastered on his face looking at his brother on the throne from his place alongside it. The day was still long, and potentially bad news incoming, but Lord Ap'Arthmael had just provided him with the perfect opportunity to remove him of his annoying brother for a while for a task he'd be loathe to refuse.