FIRST TRIAL

[umbralant]

Trial I

investigation

profiles

voting

The opera house doesn't seem to have gotten any changes. There are no lights on the windows, the lobby is dark. Only when everyone is gathered there something does happen: Rembrandt appears, opening the main stage doors, the large and heavy doors creaking when they open.

Rembrandt herds everything together, guiding them down the halls of the seating area. You better not stray from the hallway -- there's a very palpable sensation that something's deeply wrong about this place. You may perhaps see the form of something moving, blending with the darkness. Wait...it's several forms. A few pairs of intensely blue eyes, eyes that so far only Ango may have seen before, gaze at everybody. You really shouldn't try to approach. At least they don't try to come closer, cowed by Rembrandt's presence.

The main stage is the objective here. It's lit rather brightly, with the spotlights the Lady had used for her introduction a few days ago, illuminating the stage. In what's a rather ominous touch, the backdrop depicts hellfire. There aren't any props around, other than a few seats that seem to be spares for seats in one of the minor auditoriums, not even enough seats for everyone. Rembrandt blends into the darkness.

"Welcome!"

That's the Lady's voice, coming from high up. Looking up, you'll find a balcony to a side, large and with two seats. There's the Lady, wearing her dress, visible even in the darkness. She's standing up right now and leaning on the railing, shouting at them.

"Let's try to make this short and sweet. We figured it'd be fun if you all got to discuss who killed dear annoying Elliot. Give us a name, and we'll execute that person. Nice and simple, don't you think?"

"So, culprit who saved so many people from us...now you have to struggle for your own life. Oh, we never told you about this before? Don't feel bad, there's a lot we don't tell you all about. She sits down, adjusting her dress.

"I'm not going to pretend I care about you all catching the right person. Just give us a name and let the culprit go free, for all I care. Get started, we don't have all day to do this! You only have seven hours! Get moving!"

Here you are, all the actors in this impromptu play about justice, and the audience is...well there certainly is an audience larger than you were expecting. Everyone will hear the noises of those things moving around in the seating area, from time to time directing their eyes at the group, but they still make no attempt to approach. Looks like the audience that really matters is up there, in the balcony.

Let the trial for the death of Elliot Schafer begin.

[OOC NOTE: From the halfway point of the trial and onwards, you'll have the option to ask the masterminds for the chance to get a hint! Be warned, though: the price will involve some body horror for your character. Keep that in mind when deciding to use this option!]

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Comments

[twoasone]

[He's gonna look through these new papers for a second... Then lingers on the rules.]

I had a feeling there was more to it than simply killing someone... But what if your "audience" condemns the wrong person?

[drydrown]

Honestly, as much as I'm involved in proceedings involving justice back home, they've given us no reason to bother here. They don't care who we cast out, so long as we get rid of someone.

If we stall or can't find someone before the time limit is up, we should just get rid of whomever we like least and let whatever god is watching sort them out.

[inordertobelieve]

[ Death glare from Mikami, instantly. ]

Not all of us are so without any sense of justice and propriety. We're executing the culprit and the culprit only.

[drydrown]

Executing criminals is what I do, you tactless lout. Know your place and stop trying to act superior.

I'm entirely in favor of removing whomever is running around murdering people, but I'm not about to place that above my own self-preservation. Or don't you think time limits exist for a reason? I doubt that we'll simply be released unpenalized at the end of things.

[inordertobelieve]

It happens to be what I do as well. I'm a prosecutor, I know my place very well.

[ Noooot budging on this. The courtroom (or whatever makeshift courtroom this is) is his home, he's not surrendering it. ]

I simply do not approve of defeatist talk before we have even tried to look at the evidence. The time-limit is far off and frankly, we are only wasting that time by already discussing such eventualities. Invest that energy into seeing justice served - however much 'justice' can be found in a place like this.

[p_q]

Oh? Is that a threat, Mikami Teru?

[He cocks his head from where he's doing his wall-leaning thing because who needs chairs amirite.]

How do you plan to enforce such a thing?

[inordertobelieve]

I cannot force your hands in the vote, but I can and will see to it that this case is solved satisfactorily. If you have any drop of righteousness, you will vote for the correct culprit then.

[psychophant]

Is it really justice when we're forced into this because it's what our captors have told us to do?

[No, there isn't a point to this question, he just wants to hear Mikami's answer.]

[inordertobelieve]

It's not, but it's the closest thing we have. Believe me, I'd much rather have a real courtroom, a real autopsy, and an educated judge. And even more, I'd like to see our captors put on trial as well.

But those aren't the cards we were dealt, and I have no interest in letting a murderer walk free. Punishment is punishment. I don't approve of vigilante action, but this is the best we can do right now.

[soulspice]

Ooooh I like how this guy thinks.

[Ooooh the Lady liked that. Can't be good for you, Cumore. Just look how she treats poor Dist]

[drydrown]

[Her approval would probably fill him with shame if he had any. Unfortunately, this man has never known shame in his life, so it just kind of fills him with the apparently desire to glance over and acknowledge the Lady's presence and otherwise not respond to the remark.]

[wishuponazoi]

We will not let someone die on a false accusation! [Sirius definitely sounds mad about that.]

[drydrown]

Is it really a false accusation of we all know full well what we're doing in handing someone over like that? Semantics aside, they want a name in seven hours. I intend to give them one. You're free to do as you please.

[pr159]

[ Rideaux doesn't disagree, but he's going to be a little less open about it for now, if only for the sake of avoiding the annoying kinds of confrontations Cumore's dealing with now. ]

[drydrown]

[oh please do keep that one to yourself

your approval is not something he wants, ew]

[baitless]

...

You... are aware of how going out there and saying it may work out for you specifically, aren’t you.

[raventhaw]

[ well she's glad someone said it!!! ]

[drydrown]

I'm willing to bet that enough people here don't disagree with me.

[have you seen us, seteth. we're assholes.]

[soulspice]

Then we kill that wrong person, the culprit gets away with the crime and receives their reward, and everyone lives happily ever after -- except those who died, but who cares about them.

[Hmmm...]

In this case they'd receive nothing except safety, but I'm sure you understand.

[twoasone]

Hm...

[ He scratches his chin... ] Just making sure.

[p_q]

It sounds like a waste of time. You're doing this for your own amusement.

[Notably, he says that very blandly, even if talking about what a waste of time it is contains trace hints of irritation. He's complained about this to Rembrandt already, but why not take it to management too. Goth Karen is here to make your day brighter as per always.]

[dominioned]

By all means, you are welcome to enjoy the show. There can't always be action scenes in a performance.

[ The allusion there is quite purposeful. ]

[moonfang]

Well duh.

[notbymyside]

Is there any punishment for the rest of us still-living persons if we vote incorrectly? Besides the innocent person killed, of course.

[soulspice]

None -- unless you consider not stopping a killer getting something great out of killing two of you doesn't count. Some people are just so righteous about not letting others reap the fruits of their effort.

[Judging by her tone, she doesn't think too highly of that, but yeah, no penalty for the others for getting it wrong]