Known across the System’s trade routes as simply The Problem, Berwind was wanted for a laundry list of offences that included skyjacking, violent trespass, people trafficking, criminal conspiracy and murder, when he was arrested by a local sheriff on Nethereach for public indecency in 75 AC (a disturbing crime in its own right, given what passes for decency on Nethereach). 

Despite a mountain of evidence against him, Central law enforcement were unable to bring nearly as many charges against Berwind as they would have liked — the jury were far too preoccupied with his antics on Nethereach to concern themselves with ‘matters of grave judicial significance.’ 

In any case, Justice Amphis Dalton clearly felt that any conviction would suffice so long as it put Berwind behind bars, and wasted no time in serving the maximum possible sentence of nine cycles for his conduct, adding an extra two for catastrophic intoxication for good measure (the prodigious quantity of Neon Nightmare Berwind had seen to before his excursion would certainly go a long way in explaining how he could bring himself to commit such crimes of senseless depravity). 

Berwind spent six months at Encara’s Palefire Valley Hot Springs & Torture Resort, before being transferred to the prison’s Open District where he served the remainder of his incarceration working in the subterranean glassblowing workshop. 

Speaking on the alarmingly short time his client spent on Encara, Berwind’s legal counsel Vilwood Caperwaul told us:

‘Captain Berwind has exhibited exemplary behaviour during his time in custody, only garrotting one fellow resident (who if truth be told really had it coming), and otherwise engaging fully with the regime. My client fully and deeply regrets the consequences of his actions, and intends to use the remainder of his time on this sentence for personal development and self-reflection.’

When asked about the countless other offences Berwind was being investigated for, in particular his ties to the Vandal King and Maverick Swindle II, Caperwaul merely said ‘we’ll address them when you can prove them.’

Cargo ship captains are advised to once again fear for their lives whilst travelling the System’s trade routes; both the Belfort Mercenary Group and the Escape Reality Tourism Cartel are offering discounts on hired guns (and swords, fists and clubs — it’s something of a package deal) throughout Vera and Esper in acknowledgement of Berwind’s release.