first trial

[stagemanagers]

[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.

Comments

A MINOR CATHERD

[etincelledefierte]

[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.

[mcfife]

Thank you, Claudine.

[Thing were getting........heated.]

Shall we start with describing our suspect and what to check for?

[etincelledefierte]

Oui, that would be good.

[mcfife]

So...if we're assuming Jonny was carried, it has to be someone strong enough to lift him a long distance.

[So...strong.]

Anything else? Did they wear any of the clothing you found?

[etincelledefierte]

Not that I could tell. I think it had just been used to clean up, aside from the dress possibly being pressed against the stab wound.

[madgiganticfeelings]

It sounds like the suspect is an adult, and I think they were probably looking for the ring Jonny had, so they're married.

I, um, guess they might be injured, if there was really a fight?

[mcfife]

So we should check if the adults are injured.

[Starts removing his armor.]

[madgiganticfeelings]

O-Oh!

[UM. She's gonna just cover her eyes, she's too young to see this!]

[revelfree]

[Ariel... is not moving to undress at all.]

[mcfife]

...Use my cape.

[He tosses it towards Stephen. Cover your friend, dear doctor.]

[37773972]

[THIS IS NOT WHAT HE MEANT WHEN HE CALLED YOUR NAME

looks down at the cape and flushes a bit red before kind of. holding it up.]

Maybe we should take turns?

[reassuranceandrevolution]

[Sigyn looks at Stephen. She doesn't care about the gender, more she doesn't want one of the kids to do it.]

Would you mind?

[37773972]

[this is only sLIGHTLY LESS AWKWARD THAN THE IMPLICATION HE SHOULD SEARCH ARIEL

but]

I- if you're comfortable with it.

[He's...not going to strip search her. He will, however, check her arms if she's willing?...and he murmurs something to her has he does, too soft to be overheard]

[reassuranceandrevolution]

[She pulls something out from under her shirt, careful to show it only to him]

[superbeliever]

That does make sense. Everyone do what he said!

[Does not start removing his leather shirt.]

[revelfree]

[Hey look, everyone! Someone else to be concerned over!!!!]

Is there a problem?

[superbeliever]

Um. No?

[musacal]

Uhhh...

You know, a king should probably lead by example...

[holyspit]

...Ariel said whoever did this might have bruises or something, maybe we should check for those?

[etincelledefierte]

Not a bad idea, honestly. How should we do this?

[holyspit]

...Guys check guys and girls check girls?

[He is at a bit of a loss, he's never had to do something like this before.]

[isawallflower]

Just how much are we checking...?

[holyspit]

I don't know... where do you think the bruises are likely to be?

[etincelledefierte]

That is an excellent question...

[37773972]

...Angus?

[It's going to be a lot less awkward this way, OK, nevermind the fact he has to cross the podiums]