First Trial

[stagemanagers]

[As the investigation ends, you'll hear Hester's voice inviting you to the auditorium. As this happens, the twin doors on either side of the concession stand, across from the gym, will click open. You can enter on either side; both go to the same place.

When you enter the auditorium, it's dark. There's only the small lights along the walkway behind all the seats, just enough to illuminate where you're going. There's a central path between the seats, down towards where you know the stage must be. That's where you must be going, right? As you pass each row of seats, the lights at their ends flick on, marking your procession and slowly making more and more of the room visible. Shortly, you can see your destination: a circle of podiums stationed in the orchestra pit, below the lip of the darkened, curtained stage. They're all identical, labeled with a cast member's name, save for Mumble's, which is draped in black crepe and has a framed monochrome photo of him - Elijah Wood him - on top.

When you reach the podiums, the lights above the stage finally come on. It's time to meet the Wizard.

The mechanical head, with glowing green eyes, is installed above the stage and the still-closed curtain. Even if you were standing on the stage, it'd be well out of reach. It peers down at all of you, its motions fluid, and speaks with a booming, artificial-sounding voice:]

Welcome to your first trial, everyone. I am the Wizard. It's time to determine who was responsible for the murder of Mumble. Feel free to talk amongst yourselves and work together - you'll have to show teamwork if you want to leave this room alive.

Comments

[violentenvies]

Indeed. Perhaps under the guise of going in there with him for something.

[mcfife]

Their hair would have had to have been at least shoulder-length to get caught, likely even longer than that.

[alchemistake]

I'm wondering if the scattered boxes aren't evidence of a struggle instead of just someone leaving a mess behind. The- [Varian mimes fins with his hands, he will NOT say the f-word in front of Spongebob.] -was half-eaten, like Mumble was interrupted.

And like...I'm pretty sure none of us would have eaten that, right?

[violentenvies]

No one except him, as far as I know.

Then that would lead to a higher possibility that Mumble was attacked. Perhaps that's how the mug was smashed?

[mayavericks]

If it was a fight, then there is a chance the wounds that occurred did not happen on someone's hands. Rather -- perhaps their arms, legs, or feet?

[Is it time for our first strip search?]

[violentenvies]

That is true. They might have been cut elsewhere, if there was a struggle.

[alchemistake]

I thought that could be, but wouldn't there be more blood if there was a fight of some kind? Maybe not if they didn't have any weapons, but...