fourth trial

[stagemanagers]

[When the investigation finishes, the lights begin to flicker on and off as that low, gentle rumble echoes through the opera house. Again for those investigating the grounds the outdoor lights illuminating the still night flicker to get their attention.

Your intermission is ending. Please return to your trial room.

The court room looks just as it did before: the grand chandelier glittering above your heads, the dusty red velvet seats. In the orchestra pit your circle of wooden podiums are waiting. Angus, Riley and Shilo's podiums are draped in black crepe with their greyscale funerary portraits, just like your friends before them. The ghost light glows softly behind the podiums.

The curtain is closed, waiting to open when a decision has been reached and the execution can commence.

When everyone is in their places, the Phantom's voice echoes loud and clear through the theatre from his place in box 5. He still sounds distracted, just as he was for his other public appearance this week, like there are other things weighing on his mind.]

You must now determine who was responsible for the death of Shilo Wallace. Submit your vote on the podiums when you are certain of your choice.

[Gather your evidence and let's begin.]

Comments

[justmeheere]

There's a train going for a split. There's one person tied on the left track and five people tied on the right track. Which direction do you send the train?

[holyspit]

I pull the brakes.

[Is that not obvious?]

[37773972]

The idea is those are your only two options, Steven. Not that we wouldn't love to pull the brakes on this, but- if you had to choose.

[holyspit]

...that's dumb, there's never just two options.

[This puzzle is based on faulty logic.]

[justmeheere]

It's a train. Even if you pull the brakes, it won't stop in time. Which direction do you send it?

[holyspit]

Those are some very bad brakes. What happens if I don't choose either path?

[justmeheere]

If a train is going sixty miles and weighs twenty tons, they don't just stop when you hit the brakes. Physically, it can't.

[holyspit]

Then they should have better brakes! Who's building trains like this? ...And who's tying people to tracks to begin with?

[These issues do not exist in a vacuum!]

[justmeheere]

It's a thought problem. It doesn't exist in reality, Steven.

[holyspit]

That's what I'm saying! The setup doesn't make any sense!