Punishment of Schueler

The Punishment of Schueler was the brutal torture and execution the Book of Schueler dictated for heretics.

Its provisions were specifically defined by the book and designed to take some hours to complete before the victim's ultimate death via burning -- and even that ultimate action was designed to preserve the subject's life, and pain, as long as possible. Merlin Athrawes was particularly sickened by the degree of ancient torture methods and forgotten barbarism that had been resurrected from history by the book's author.

Like the rest of the book, it was not part of the original Holy Writ. 

The Punishment was rarely used before the Year of God 890, having been reserved for only the worst and most unrepentant cases of heresy in the Temple's reckoning. However, Grand Inquisitor Zhaspahr Clyntahn acquired a penchant for the Punishment's use, and vastly increased the frequency of both Punishment executions and the related Question torture. 

As part of Grand Vicar Rhobair's reforms from the Year of God 898 onward, the authority to order the delivery of the Punishment was transfered from the Grand Inquisitor to a Court of Inquisition composed of three non-Schuelerite vicars. Also, their judgement had to be approved by a majority of the Council of Vicars and the Grand Vicar himself. 

Victims
Examples of executions via the Punishment by Clyntahn's Inquisition include:


 * Archbishop of Charis Erayk Dynnys
 * Father Tymahn Hahskans, though he was spared the full scope of the Punishment as the Inquisition forces in Corisande did not have access to all of the tools and time necessary for it.
 * Several Charisian survivors of the Ferayd Massacre, though some may have been spared after enduring the Question and cooperating with Clyntahn's desire to justify the Inquisition's atrocities
 * Members of the Circle and their families, along with several other individuals and families considered a threat by Clyntahn who did not die under the Question, during the great purge of 894.
 * Admiral Sir Gwylym Manthyr and approximately thirty other survivors of the Gulf of Dohlar campaign.
 * Chancellor Zahmsyn Trynair, after he had suggested negotiations with Charis; this marked the breakdown of the so-called "Group of Four".