( TRIAL - WEEK 4 )

[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, but due to a certain someone who I shall not name [he's still pissed] — today's trial will take place by the pool. 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 Outdoor Dining Area 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. Due the Kitchen and Dining Hall getting wrecked, lunch and dinner will mostly consist of grilled and barbecued menu items. Hamburgers, hotdogs, salads, and items that require little preparation — all the residents have to do is ask in order to receive. Similarly, all beverages will be retrieved from a hundred quart cooler that has been placed by the side of the pool. Not as fancy as usual, but at least the pool is clean now. Some inflatable pool toys lazily swim in the water, along with pool noodles. Every now and then, the waters will vibrate to the sound of buzz saws and assorted power tools. Looks like the Disposal Room, Dining Hall and Kitchen are under reparations. A tent has been placed over the area to shield the residents from the sun, and to make up from the lack of transparencies everyone will receive a small booklet containing each resident's profile. They look a little bit like shitty PowerPoint presentation handouts, but maybe it's part of the charm. The profiles of the deceased are included, as always. A second tent has been set up in the parking lot, complete with an air conditioning on the inside. Its use will become rapidly apparent once the victims corpses have been wheeled in. Anyone who wishes to step into this area will be asked to wash their hands, and will be given a pair of latex-free gloves and a hairnet by a staff members who is stationed nearby. Residents are required to dispose of both items before returning to their table; a trash bin is available outside of the tent for this purpose. Evidence found during the investigation, on the other hand, will be displayed in a table by the pool shed. Any items found by the residents on Friday will be displayed here for further examination. Finally — one of the grandfather clocks has been kidnapped from its respective floor to show the current hour. Please do remember you have until 9:00 PM to figure out whodunit and cast your vote. And if anyone tries to leave the area before the trial is over? They'll discover an invisible wall blocking their path. ( victims ) 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 Pool/Outdoor Dining Area (the pool shed will also be locked), 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

discussion of l'arachel's wounds and a bit more

[rextenebrae]

In looking over Princess L'arachel's dead body, there were a few things of interest so far.

I noticed that in addition to her being speared through that she had evidence of being hit in the back of her head, in the form of a bump. I imagine it was to disorient her.

She wasn't just impaled either--she had a deep slash wound that I believe someone may have tried to obscure.

[ Or he supposed it could've just...happened that way when the person speared her. But, whatever, he's just going to add a few more things. Things he wouldn't have known without Girge's notes...which he's thankful for. ]

In general, it is not quite so easy to spear someone against a wall like that. I imagine it takes an considerable effort and it is not doable by most. Judging by the blood splatter, it is also evident some kind of fight occurred, though...and since Apollo was located in the relative area, it's reasonable to assume that both Princess L'arachel and Apollo were facing off against a formidable foe.

...As for that bloody message written beside her, it seems she may have been the one to do so herself, judging by the blood on her finger. Though, I would also like to hear everyone else's thoughts.

[thawedheart]

...she wrote... "Justice," right? Upside-down...

[Then she hesitates as she thinks over what she heard when people were discussing the crime scene.]

Though I guess... for her it wouldn't have been upside-down. [Her brows furrows.] Then does that mean... Justice-san? Or was it a reference to the "justice and vengeance" Mira-san was talking about last week, or... something else?

[wristbands]

I don't think she would have just written his last name, so... my bets are on it being the actual word.

[thawedheart]

...then we need to figure out why she wrote it. It must be important, if she did that while she was dying.

[thawedheart]

It doesn't make sense... but to write something when you're dying, it... must mean that it's important, somehow. Because why bother, if it wasn't?

[rextenebrae]

It's a little difficult to tell, I suppose. Apollo was within the general vicinity, but...

She could've also been trying to indicate that the same person who killed Apollo killed her, given his last name, and that she wanted vengeance for the both of them.

[ ... But maybe that may be a bit much. He wouldn't really know, though. ]

[thawedheart]

...if she saw both her killer and Justice-san's and knew that they were the same person, why not write their name...?

[yukina is so confused]

[disinterested]

Do you have anything written by her? We could compare the handwriting.

[crimsonsparrow]

Given her positioning, I don't think it would be unreasonable to assume she'd be in a severe amount of pain. Her handwriting may not match up even if she is the one to have written it.

[But he's never, like, tried to write a message in his own blood while also dying so he can't really be positive.]

[disinterested]

True—although if anyone would demand perfect writing even on their deathbed, it'd probably be her. But if it's a perfect match, at least, then that would confirm it is hers.

[rextenebrae]

I do.

[ He slipped by at some point last night to collect the letter. But he has a letter written by L'arachel!

He'll take it out of his robes. ]

[blacktailed]

Isn't one of the weapons in the book some kind of harpoon? You could spear a person with that, it's not harder than a fish.

[lohengrins]

Yes, you'd be correct.

[ it's almost as though he's passive aggressively saying "interesting, isn't it?" ]

[blacktailed]

You could also, if you wanted, slash a person with it.

[don't be difficult Percy, we're all trying to solve murders here.]

Unless whoever it was attacked her with that cleaver first.

[nowyouseeit]

Since L'Arachel and Apollo were found together--

[he chimes in, once Knoll is finished]

Apollo's cause of death was asphyxiation. The stab wounds to his neck were caused by the stake he was holding in his hand, post-mortem.

I think the scene of Apollo and L'Arachel's death was staged, which calls into question the validity of the dying message L'Arachel wrote on the wall.

[rextenebrae]

... You may be right.

[ Honestly. There's no respect for the dead. ]

[nowyouseeit]

[yeah. honestly]

Further, Apollo was strangled with something that had a thick, vertical component to it.

I don't have a clue what that could've been, though.

[blacktailed]

What does the killer have to get out of making us deal with a staged crime scene?

[she's tired of this bullshit.]

[wristbands]

Mira made her whole thing a game from the start... some people are just that messed up, you know?

[nowyouseeit]

Us not focusing on Apollo and L'Arachel's deaths 'cause we're assuming it's a murder-suicide?

[of course]

'M sure they were hoping we wouldn't notice, so they could get away with it.

[wristbands]

—Do you think that's it, then? Like, if we're gonna go back to Mira's big speech from last week, about justice and vengeance. Whoever killed both of them wants us to catch them...?

[as soon as she says that, though, she realizes it doesn't really make sense... unless...]

[nowyouseeit]

[he shakes his head]

No. . . I don't think that's it.

Apollo's last name is "Justice," right? I get the feeling the killer wanted to make it seem like Apollo killed L'Arachel, and then killed himself afterwards.

[godly]

Have you tried comparing the meat clever to the slash wound on her body?

[rextenebrae]

It doesn't match up. It may have been the harpoon as some might have suggested...