So, you solve all your problems with a closed fist, do you? Might makes right? You're a disgrace to your uniform.

I heard what happened down there. Hopefully the real Casik is at peace.

Nice work on proving the General's innocence. I would have gone mad if that had been me trapped down there for thirty years. You did a good thing, %PCRank.

General Casik? He's in the same place he's been for the last thirty years, downstairs in the dungeons. He's probably drafting yet another appeal to Belisatha Mede, the Imperial Magistrate, to protest his innocence. I don't know why he bothers. Every letter he writes is the same. He'll probably die down there.

He was the Imperial commander of Old Ebonheart during the Simulacrum. Casik was accused of treason for plotting to instigate a war between Old Ebonheart and Firewatch and thrown in prison under suspicion of being a Daedric imposter. Prior to his treason he was known for serving the Empire honorably, which is the only reason he wasn't executed outright.

Where's your sense of decorum, %PCRank? You got some nerve waltzing in here and attacking one of our prisoners. Yeah, you proved that the General was actually a Daedra, but that doesn't excuse your actions.

Well, at least I don't have to feel any guilt over imprisoning a weak old man. Good work, %PCRank.

So we were keeping an innocent man locked up down here for thirty years. Unbelievable. I saw him as he was leaving. He looked like a man who had come back to life.

The General is being held in the dungeons. He's downstairs in the first cell on the left.

The former general is one of our more infamous prisoners. He was a well-respected leader at one time.

Now's not really the best time to discuss him.

I hoped returning would give me clarity, but everything's more clouded than ever. How innocent was the real Casik? What happened to him? I know the Empire won't rehabilitate him, but he deserves some respect now, surely.

Casik visited Veran and I before he left for Cyrodiil. Neither of us recognized him at first -- it's terrible what prison does to a man.

I, Rumus Stannicus, previously second-in-command to General Casik, come before you to give testimony. I swear that what I say here today is the truth and in service of the Empire. What questions do you have?

I wouldn't know. During the time I knew him, Casik always acted honorably; His treason did seem out of character. Those were extraordinary times, though. Many men acted out of character.

Everyone knows the official explanation -- that Duchess Vaynth had betrayed Firewatch to the Telvanni. Casik had no proof to back this claim. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Casik was the one with a Telvanni lover. This lover served the Duchess, but Telvanni hold no loyalties. The Simulacrum would've been the perfect time to betray and overthrow her lady. It is my belief that she convinced Casik to attack Firewatch under false pretenses to install her or some other pro-Telvanni ruler.

Sadly, I don't think you'll get her to testify. She almost certainly died at Nivalis. The last I saw of her, she was preparing Icebreaker Keep for the Duchess' final assault. No quarter was given that day. I remember how grateful I was that the cold prevented the smell... My apologies, these are hard memories to recount. Did you have any further questions?

He argued that the situation in Almalexia was untenable, and withdrawal was the only option. I can't know if he was giving an honest assessment, playing his part in some triple-layered Tharnite conspiracy, or simply consolidating his own power. The withdrawal was a debacle. However, Casik did not take any overt action to sabotage the operation itself.

I hope my testimony will aid in the swift resolution of this case.

What else did you want to know?

Alright. Let me know when you're ready.

After his downfall, I decided to leave the Legion. Nivalis was the breaking point, but mutiny didn't exactly leave a good taste in my mouth either.

May I begin my testimony?

Sadly, I don't think you'll get her to testify. She almost certainly died at Nivalis. The last I saw of her, she was preparing Icebreaker Keep for the Duchess' final assault. No quarter was given that day. I remember how grateful I was that the cold prevented the smell... My apologies, these are hard memories to recount. I believe that's the only information that the Lord General or any other member of Casik's inner circle wouldn't know.

Casik had one secret that only I knew -- he had Telvanni lover. Worse, this lover was a retainer of the Duchess Vaynth. It is my belief that she convinced Casik to attack Firewatch under false pretenses to install her or some other pro-Telvanni ruler. The Simulacrum would've been the perfect time to betray and overthrow her lady. That was his motive for attacking Firewatch.

Belisatha Mede wishes to speak with you before we begin.

I wouldn't call your actions justice, but in the end no one suffered for it. The Bellman will write up a nice article and maybe the Legion can put the Simulacrum a bit further behind us.

Olfvur filled me in. You did a commendable job, %PCRank. These Tharnite conspiracies are always a mess to untangle.

I can't believe that Casik's story was true. He asked to see me, but honestly I couldn't look him in the eye.

I was one of General Casik's aides. He had always been a man of honor, so his treachery shocked me. I helped overthrow him, and because of me he has been incarcerated in the dungeons for the last three decades.

Highly irregular, %PCRace. If everyone goes around taking justice into their own hands, the very structure of society will break down. If rules aren't respected, society as a whole suffers. This is why we have the systems that we do. We form the very backbone of civilization itself.

Well done on the guilty verdict, %PCName. It's good to see justice done.

Nice work on proving the General's innocence. It's good to see that justice was done.

Yet another letter came in from General Casik today. I have to read all of them, and every missive reads the same. "I'm innocent of the charges, you must believe me, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera." I think I'm going slightly mad myself having to read the same letter every single day.

%PCName, we seek justice through the courts here -- not through vigilante action. Yes, you did successfully prove that Casik was in fact a Daedra, but your methods were highly questionable.

All those years, and all those earnest entreaties that he was innocent, and Casik turned out to actually be a Daedra after all. He must have somehow deluded himself into thinking he was the real Casik to stay imprisoned for so long.

Locked up in that hole for thirty years, and the man was innocent the entire time. Thank you for seeing justice done, %PCName.

Morrowind's legions didn't exactly cover themselves with glory during the Simulacrum. A trial would resurface that ignoble history, so everyone's been happy to sweep Casik under the rug. I'm not sure why Ocato suddenly wants a resolution. Maybe Casik has some friends in Cyrodiil, but after thirty years I doubt that's true.

Morrowind's legions didn't exactly cover themselves with glory during the Simulacrum. A trial would resurface that ignoble history, so everyone's been happy to sweep Casik under the rug.

When you attacked Casik, did you know he was really a Daedra, or were you going to kill an unarmed man? You did us all a service in revealing the truth, but I find your methods sickening.

So that was never my husband in those dungeons. I had hoped against hope that his story was true and he was innocent. I suppose I got my wish.

I am amazed that you were able to prove Casik's innocence. He asked me to return with him to the Imperial Province, but I've decided to remain here.

Yes, General Casik is my husband. He has dishonored our family by his actions, and it is painful to speak any further of this.

I was Lord General of Morrowind's Imperial Legion during the Simulacrum. It was a thankless job, but I did my utmost to protect soldiers and civilians alike. The crimes I am accused of are not mine. I was impersonated by a Daedric doppelganger. In my guise, he couped our government. He made war on Firewatch. Meanwhile, I was exiled to some unknown plane. He only saw fit to return me to Mundus as a cruel joke.

You've been expelled. We have nothing to discuss unless you join the Imperial Legion again.

Whatever happened to the real Casik, we never should've followed such reprehensible orders.

I'll just be glad to see him gone.

That's certainly disturbing. I've never heard of a doppelganger so deeply internalizing the personality they copied. Still, you've conducted this investigation admirably, %PCRank. The Lord General would like to reward you with these. May you always march with tenacity in defense of our great Empire.

I'll inform the Lord General of our decision.

I agree. Casik's Tharnite and Daedric connections are simply too damming. If he can only offer verbal rebuttals, then it's high time we reached a definitive decision. I'll draw up the orders for Casik's execution. While I do that, I'd like you to return to Casik's cell and inform him of our decision. You found the evidence that convicted him, so you should be the one to tell him the bad news.

I'm unsure. The evidence isn't damming, but there's enough that I'd worry we're releasing a guilty man. Still, Casik's served thirty years already, and he's certainly no longer any threat. Best of all, he'll be out of our hair. Fine, I'll recommend Casik's release to the Lord General, and he'll be allowed to return to the Imperial Province. You've conducted yourself admirably, %PCRank. The Lord General would like to reward you with these. May you always march with tenacity in defense of this great Empire.

I see. Let me know when you've reached a decision.

Have you completed your interrogation? If so, I'd like to ask for your verdict. Do you believe that Casik is innocent -- that his crimes were committed by a daedric doppelganger -- or that he is guilty, and that his are merely the delusions of a guilty man?

Interrogate him. Compare his answers to the evidence. Return to me with your verdict.

It doesn't matter if Casik was a daedra or not. That we followed such a man at all is the real black mark.

Casik was Lord General during the Simulacrum. He used the political vacuum to empower himself at the Empire's expense -- withdrawing the legions from Almalexia and attacking Firewatch and Nivalis. Casik's soldiers mutinied in 399 and he's been in prison ever since. The man's always claimed innocence, telling anyone who will listen that he was replaced by a daedric doppelganger. The unofficial policy has been to just ignore him. I'm curious as to why that's changed.

Casik was Lord General during the Simulacrum. He used the power vacuum to empower himself at the Empire's expense -- withdrawing the legions from Almalexia and attacking Firewatch and Nivalis. Casik's soldiers mutinied in 399 and he's been in prison ever since. The man's always claimed innocence, telling anyone who will listen that he was replaced by a daedric doppelganger. Very few will.