stagemanagers: (curtains)
It's Curtains Mods ([personal profile] stagemanagers) wrote in [community profile] itscurtains2020-07-11 11:52 am
Entry tags:

first trial

[Within a few minutes of the performers is finishing their investigations, the lights in every room flicker on and off several times. For those in or close to the lobby, they hear a faint rumbling. The gilded doors across from the heavy wooden front doors (which have always been there, the showrunners may have gotten to indicate them on the map) have opened.

Your intermission is ending. The show is about to begin.

The space behind them is lit; you're free to enter. It's a very short hallway, decorated in the same way as the lobby with the light walls and red carpet. There is one more set of doors to pass through and then you're all, finally, in the House. There's one grand chandelier above, glittering crystal, and the seats around you are made of fine, if dust-caked, red velvet. Those don't seem to be for you though - all the way down in front of the stage, where the orchestra might sit, there's a circle of wooden podiums. They're arranged so that everyone can face each other and are fixed into place. Each one bears a metal plaque with a cast member's name engraved on it. There's also a metal panel on top, with twenty ivory buttons paired to everyone's name.

Among these, only Jonny's podium is different - that one is draped in black crepe, with a larger grey-scale version of his headshot from the playbill framed and sitting at on top like a funerary portrait. Standing where he might have stood, a bare light bulb glows faintly atop a metal pole.

Right here, you're very close to the stage. But the curtain is closed, and it's a little too high to easily clamber up. You may not want to try. You've got more important business right now, after all.

As everyone is finding their places, the Phantom's voice suddenly sounds loud and clear throughout the space. If anyone is to look up, however, they'll see the dark suited figure of him and the whiteness of his mask peering over the edge of box 5.]


You must now determine who was responsible for the death of Jonny D'Ville. Submit your vote on the podiums when you are certain of your choice.
holyspit: (wait what)

[personal profile] holyspit 2020-07-11 04:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Why are there extra podiums..?

[This is fine, this is definitely something productive to focus on and not a distraction from his utter failure so far today.]
bloodycape: (pic#14143114)

[personal profile] bloodycape 2020-07-11 04:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Um... I followed the blood trail that started at room 20. It went through the lobby and down the east wing all the way to the costume shop. But when we didn't see anyone there, we went back to check on the others.

There was also a knife missing from the kitchen. So... either they got rid of it or... maybe they still have it, it's hard to say. But there was no sign of it in the kitchen.
revelfree: (:?)

mods?

[personal profile] revelfree 2020-07-11 04:38 pm (UTC)(link)
[Oh, look! He's right next to Stephen. This is fine, no matter what happens he has back-up.

And... who knows what's going to happen. He's looking about pretty warily.]



What becomes of the culprit, when we determine who has done this? [He glances over the podiums, at the faces gathering. One of them did a murder. That's fun.]
holyspit: (what is this)

[personal profile] holyspit 2020-07-11 04:40 pm (UTC)(link)
I, uh. Ended up in Jonny's room with Santana and Riley. It was pretty messy, and I don't think that's just because Jonny didn't clean up.
etincelledefierte: (Overture 081)

[personal profile] etincelledefierte 2020-07-11 04:41 pm (UTC)(link)
[Claudine takes a deep breath. Think of it like a mystery play, she tells herself, even though that only helps so much.

After she's taken a minute to try and steady herself, she takes out a medium-sized cloth bag.]


When I first stepped outside and saw the...bloodstains, I know Red and I went one way and Riley and Christine went the other. The bloodstains Red and I followed went to the costume room. I went back there to look after the body was found.

There was a pretty big area where it looked like someone had tried to clean up a bigger bloodstain, and I think these clothes are what they used to do it. There's a puffy shirt and a couple of other things in here.

[If anyone wants to look, she'll gladly pass them over, but she is not inclined to take them out of the bag herself. Not without a way to wash her hands.]
madgiganticfeelings: (sitzprobe)

[personal profile] madgiganticfeelings 2020-07-11 04:41 pm (UTC)(link)
[Christine is hugging herself tightly, standing behind her own podium, but not at all looking happy about it. She has found some sort of ruffled dress from the costume room to replace her stained clothes, but when she could have earlier been caught up in her imaginings of being an imprisoned princess, she's stuck firmly in reality now.

She hears the Phantom's voice and searches around frantically, but when she spots him watching from above... oh. She actually glares at him. She actually looks furious...]


I don't see why I have to be here. I don't want to find out who killed... who did what they did. Can't we just move on?
reassuranceandrevolution: (Default)

[personal profile] reassuranceandrevolution 2020-07-11 04:41 pm (UTC)(link)
[Sigyn takes her place between Stephen and Red]

We should start by laying out the findings of the investigation.
mcfife: heroic (Now it's time to)

[personal profile] mcfife 2020-07-11 04:42 pm (UTC)(link)
[Justice has to be served. It's terrible enough that they are in this situation, but it is only right to share what he found.

Angus stands with his hands gripping either side of his podium, standing straight as if addressing a crowd of many.]


Jonny was killed with a single stab in the chest. The culprit must have aimed for his heart, but I found that he is a cyborg - he has a metal heart. Either way, it was enough to kill him. I couldn't find any sign that he was dragged or fought back, save for some healed cuts on his knuckles.

There was also this in his pocket. [He places a ring on his podium.]
superbeliever: (♚ ⚔ 017 ⚔ ♚)

[personal profile] superbeliever 2020-07-11 04:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Whoever broke my only rule had better feel plenty ashamed of yourself!

[Yes this is his priority]
revelfree: (>:|)

[personal profile] revelfree 2020-07-11 06:02 pm (UTC)(link)
[Ariel has been thinking. Quietly. And now he has a question.]

If the knife that Santana found was clean, is it possible that there is another knife in play? One that could still be on the killer's person?
mcfife: heroic (Now it's time to)

THE HERDING OF CATS

[personal profile] mcfife 2020-07-11 06:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Alright, so!

[Angus knocks on his podium three times, waits for a moment, then knocks on it again. When he gets everyone's attention, he speaks:]

As we have discussed, there are plenty of ways this could have happened, but we should review the evidence. Jonny was likely killed in the costume room by a single knife wound. As a cyborg, he had healing abilities as evidenced by the wounds on his knuckles, but they were not enough to save him.

His body was moved but not dragged a considerable distance to Room 20, which means that someone was strong enough to carry him or Jonny thought he would be fine and attempted to return to his room. He died leaning against the door.

There was a knife hidden under his pillow and his room was ransacked with his key in his door. Whether Jonny used that knife or his killer did, we still haven't figured out.

The dress and shirt were used to clean up the blood, though the dress was not worn. They may have been used by the killer to protect their clothing if they carried Jonny to the closet.

There is one question I have left: what do you make of the ring found in his pocket?
etincelledefierte: (Overture 127)

A MINOR CATHERD

[personal profile] etincelledefierte 2020-07-11 07:08 pm (UTC)(link)
[Claudine is just going to bang on her podium until she's got everyone's attention, and at that point she's going to start yelling.]

Can we all just stop talking about each other's exes and who kidnapped who and all of that? In case we've all forgotten, someone's dead and we're all going to be dead if we can't get back on track and solve this thing!

So if we can please just get back on track.

[A curtsy.]

Thank you.
reassuranceandrevolution: https://thecolorsdukethecolors.dreamwidth.org/287.html (A new world being born)

Ahem.

[personal profile] reassuranceandrevolution 2020-07-11 07:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Guys, stop.

[Sigyn takes a shaky breath.]

Who knows how long
I've been awake now?
The shadows on my wall don't sleep
They keep calling me
Beckoning, beckoning

Who knows what's right?
The lines keep getting thinner
My age has never made me wise
But I keep pushing on and on and on and on
inside_yourmind: (Beyond the point of no return)

VOTING

[personal profile] inside_yourmind 2020-07-11 08:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, that was all very diverting, I'm sure.

[Up in his box, the Phantom stands and claps his hands together for attention, before gesturing as if indicating a podium array.]

You know what you must do now. Cast your votes.
inside_yourmind: (Are at an end)

EXECUTION: END OF THE LINE

[personal profile] inside_yourmind 2020-07-11 11:29 pm (UTC)(link)
[When the final vote trickles in amongst all the shouting, in-fighting and out-fighting, all lights in the theater go dark. It only lasts a few seconds but Stephen and Ariel, still holding Sigyn, will feel her slip from their grasp and when the lights come back it’s as if she was never there in the first place.

The curtains are open on the stage now, bathed in darkness except for a single spotlight illuminating Sigyn in the middle. Above her a catwalk slowly lowers into view, the Phantom strolling into view as a melody begins, the soft and distant sounds of a rumbling train whistle creeping at the edges, and he begins to sing:]


Welcome, my friends
To our trial drawing swiftly to its end
Fighting to see
If you’ll vote or if you’ll die to set her free
Come along with me
As we cut a bloody swathe across the sky
Soon she’ll be
Riding wheels of new tomorrow nigh


[On the stage Sigyn is tense, looking from stage left to stage right, as the sound of a train whistle cuts through the music and a near blinding light cuts across stage left and seems to be heading at a rapid pace straight for Sigyn. Her eyes go wide and she turns to run in the opposite direction.]

Mile after mile
From the stars to the place
Where the void sings
You’ll answer its call


[When she’s nearly to the wings the train light goes out and immediately comes back on stage left. The surprise sends Sigyn reeling back, throwing her hands in front of her face and her eyes squeezed shut in preparation for the impact-

A shadow-shrouded hand grabs her arm and yanks her out of the way, the spotlight following them as the dark “train” passes harmlessly by. The one who’d dragged Sigyn away from her fate is...difficult to describe. They seem to be made of shadows, no discernable features even under the light except for long, straight red hair.]


Now you're on track
You must push forward, there's no turning back
This performance is new
This destiny will drive you straight and true
Come along with me
As we travel to a future shining bright
Soon you’ll be free
To stride out into that perfected night


[Sigyn’s expression changes, somewhere between pained and yearning, as the figure takes her hands and sweeps her into a waltz. They take nine steps together, in perfect, romantic sync-

“Loki” spins Sigyn out toward the back of the stage. The spotlight follows her as her back hits an upright silver altar. Metal cuffs wrap around her wrists to pin her in place but that doesn’t matter. What matters is the arcane glyphs and blood channels and gears and sigils that line the altar, lighting up blood red the moment Sigyn touches the silver. Underneath the song there’s a steady hum like a far off chant.]


Mile after mile
From the stars to the place
Where the void sings
You’ll answer its call


[CONTENT WARNING: Needle use]

[“Loki” comes close, touching a delicate, shadowy hand to Sigyn’s cheek...before reaching back and pulling off the red wig and the shadowy cowl, revealing the face of Jonny D’Ville. He grins as her expression changes to absolute fury. The needle he jabs straight into her heart cuts off any sound she could make and Sigyn’s body jerks then slumps forward, limp in the wrist restraints. The spotlight on her dims, leaving only the bright red lights of the glyphs and sigils that very slowly fade.​]

[CONTENT WARNING ENDS]

[The only light remains on the Phantom, high above the scene. He stands tall and confident, looking down at the scene for a moment, before flicking a hand dismissively at the rest of the cast. The lights onstage go out, and the curtains swish shut.

You’re all free to go.]