( TRIAL - WEEK 1 )

[abhoth]

At exactly 11:30 am, all residents who are still asleep will be jolted awake by a sharp, burning pain that spreads across their whole body. A simple look will reveal no visible injuries, oddly enough, and the pain will fade away as soon as they're properly awake. Those early birds who are already up and about will feel nothing — except maybe a strange, mysterious sense of relief as they go on about their business. Lucky them. Moments later, an announcement will come through the static-filled PA system: "This is Craftly speaking. My apologies for the rude awakening [not really], but your presence is required in the Dining Hall. Our first trial is about to begin. Please do try to be there before noon. My staff members have simply too many duties to tend to, to be escorting each and every one of you out of your quarters. Good day." And true to his words, anyone who doesn't make their way to the Dining Hall before noon will be dragged kicking and screaming regardless of where they've sequestered themselves. Sucks to be you, huh? Upon arriving there, however, residents will be given the menu, one copy of the rulebook, one pencil, one notepad, and a cheque folder. Lunch and dinner will be served at the appropriate times, and appetizers, desserts and beverages (of the non-alcoholic variety) will be available throughout the trial. All you have to do is ask one of the faceless men, and your food will be delivered to you in ten minutes or less depending on what it is. The Dining Room itself looks about the same as it does any other day — save for the fact that the lights have been dimmed. Why this, you ask? Because the projector is now in use. Transparencies containing each resident's profile will be displayed on the pull-down screen, with one of the staff members rotating through the images every minute. The profiles of the deceased are included, and if current discussion deems it necessary to focus on one particular resident, anyone is free to ask the faceless man to pause on the appropriate profile for a while. A small area has been sectioned off with a transparent, plastic curtain right next to the pull-down screen. Its use will become rapidly apparent once the victim's corpse has been wheeled in. Anyone who wishes to step into this area will be asked to wash their hands in the kitchen, and they will be given a pair of latex-free gloves and a hairnet by a staff member who is stationed nearby. Residents are required to dispose of both items before returning to the dinner table; a trash bin is available outside of the curtains for this purpose. Evidence found during the investigation, on the other hand, will be displayed in the back of the room. Two, long tables have been taken out of storage for this occasion, and any items found by the residents on Friday will be displayed here for further examination. Finally — a clock above the pull-down screen displays the current hour. Please do remember you have until 9:00 PM to figure out whodunit and cast your vote. ( victim ) Welcome to our first trial! Characters will be given nine (9) hours to discuss everything related to the investigation to hopefully solve the mystery behind this week's murder. No one will be allowed to leave the Dining Hall without explicit permission from the Innkeeper (and only then to take a tinkle), and all characters must cast their vote before 9PM EST. You may do so on this week's voting page. If you have any questions or doubts, shoot us a PM or a PP over at yuggoth. ( quick navigation ) voting | profiles | menu | locations | ic rulebook

Comments

[parodeity]

I'm okay with that. [ he reaches over to ruffle her hair with his right hand. ] You should do whatever you feel comfortable with, though. I'm pretty sure I'm not at risk this time around. So it'd be safe. But either way...no matter how you vote, you're not a bad person, Ems. You didn't kill Jason, or anyone else. Okay?

[empireofrats]

Okay. [The hint of another smile returns, but only briefly.] I don't want anything bad to happen to you. Because you're my friend.

[And Dirk would kick your ghost ass probably??]

[parodeity]

[ wow dirk can't kick his ghost ass if he's dead? ]

You're my friend, too. Don't worry too much; I'm tryin' to keep my nose mostly clean. [ sounds fake when you have 2 broken fingers dave but ok ] I promised I'd look out for you, right? So.

[splinten]

So if you get yourself voted to death, then you'd be doin' a shit job lookin' after Emily.

[He comes in here with folded arms and also he's stubborn.]

Anyway, Emily, you can switch your vote to me if it's easier. Dave could still be voted for because of the room proximities, so I'm the safer non-option.

[parodeity]

[ FOR THE LOVE OF GOD LET HIM BE RECKLESS IN PEACE ]

I'm not gonna be voted to death, there's literally no proof against me since Kaito and I? Didn't have a thing to do with this.

[empireofrats]

[GOD!!

She just looks back and forth between Dirk and Dave like ???

Y'all are so confusing. HOW ABOUT SHE DOESN'T VOTE FOR EITHER OF THE BOYS WHO WERE NICE TO HER?]

[splinten]

Dave's a self-sacrificial idiot.

[He sits down here because why not.]

How are you doin'? I know tough shit isn't out of your wheelhouse of experiences. [Kid has been on a trauma congo line??] I don't know if Empresses deal with judicial things or not where you're from.

[parodeity]

I am standin' right here.

[ yo??????????? ]

[splinten]

The only surprise is you're standin' there instead of nailin' yourself to the nearest cross.

[parodeity]

I'm not even that self-sacrificial.

[ sometimes it's amazing he hasn't been struck by lightning to this point in his life?

[splinten]

[Honestly Dirk just eyerolls.]

[parodeity]

[ see icon.

...............

he uses his left hand which necessitates folding his broken left index finger down, because of fucking course he does. ]

[splinten]

Dude!! [He has been getting increasingly exasperated and now will attempt to grab Dave's hand to stop this.] I am going to wrestle you down and splint this damn thing to the rest of your fingers if you keep this up!

[parodeity]

[ BATS AT DIRK WITH HIS RIGHT HAND, WHICH yeah you know each hand has a broken finger. god. ]

This is literally a baby injury!

[splinten]

[ATTEMPTS TO CATCH AT WRIST]

It is still an injury!

[not arguing that it's a baby injury because of course he agrees]

[empireofrats]

[This is fine. Even though Dave is lean-away about Dirk because it's weird, Emily likes him quite well.] Sometimes.

We have a City Watch. My grandfather created the Watch, and they help uphold the laws. They work at Coldridge Prison and also in Dunwall.

I was going to punish the men who tricked us, but... Mister Havelock poisoned them, and then he fell off the lighthouse. Corvo saved me before I could fall too.

[splinten]

Corvo is seriously the best, huh. [This seems like a Solid Fact from all of Emily's stories and HONESTLY DIRK BUYS IT COMPLETELY. He will believe that this sadsack is actually The Greatest, Emily, he's got your back.]

Is it somethin' you're okay with? Takin' a life isn't easy. Or it is, but it's like a no-take-backs kinda thing. [He was fine with it, but the only lives he has ever taken are those that came to kill him first.]

[empireofrats]

[She frowns and looks at everyone else. It isn't unlike being in Dunwall? A lot of bitter or angry adults who are mostly yelling. Accusations, suspicious behavior, murders. Why is life so extra?] I don't know.

I think... if people die, they'll be okay. They'll go to a place like where the man with the black eyes lives. And at the end, we'll all go home.

The Innkeeper said this was a game, like hide and seek. So maybe... [She shakes her head and looks back.] Do you think dying will hurt, Dirk?

[splinten]

Depends on how it's done.

[He says it with calm certainty. He's at two deaths now.]

It's just the physical stuff until your brain stops, and then there's no pain. If the executioner is good at what they do and kills fast, it won't hurt because it'll be over too fast for anyone to really feel the pain.

[Since Emily probably deserves this information, or at least may want it, he adds,] Craftly told me that he can't tell us what happens after we die because my mind would, like, brain haemorrhage if he did. But he also told my friend Jake we all are returned home alive and well in the end. That maybe doesn't make it better, but it's what we know so far.

[empireofrats]

[Okay, 1) this is useful and informative, but also 2) MORBID AS SHIT, THANKS DIRK. Gently, Emily makes a little of a face.]

Do you think the Innkeeper would be mad if we all died at the same time just so we could go home? Then, no one would have a trial or an execution.

[splinten]

I don't know if he'd be mad, but I don't know if it'd check out how we wanted.

[Or Dirk is just against mass-suicide that may feature Emily, Dave, and Jake, among others???]

I'm wary about all the rules about punishiin' us if we don't comply. They might find a way to make that afterlife, between now and being returned, really unpleasant. So maybe that option should, like, be held back until we are sure there aren't any other options and that it won't be worse if we do that.

[PLEASE DO NOT DIE, EMILY!!!]

[empireofrats]

Okay. Maybe you're right. [Such wisdom!!] We can see how this time goes, and then we can figure out what to do for next time.

[Even though someone is gonna be the guinea pig for their trial and die...]

i panicked and deleted something i didnt have to

[empireofrats]

Okay. [Don't test him??] Maybe I'll vote for the person everyone else is going to vote for.

i forgive you

[parodeity]

I think we're leanin' to Hana right now, but you should listen and watch and come to your own conclusions. [ another absent head pat. dave stop. ] And speak up if you don't agree ever, okay?

[empireofrats]

Okay, I will.