third 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. Some of you have a detour to make beforehand- Hester lets you in to her office to drop off the precious cargo without incident. She then slips off to in the direction of the scene shop.

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. The SQUIP, the Balladeer and Rina now have theirs draped in black crepe and with a framed monochrome photo of them on top.

When you reach the podiums, the lights above the stage finally come on. the Wizard is once again waiting for you. Beside it Hester is slowly lowers in on her bubble. Either she was magicked up there or the catwalk repair had a very impressive turnaround time. The Dad Squad and Peregrine have already seen this week's look but those who haven't might notice the braid bun her hair is in has half-fallen out and her little white heels are covered in dirt.

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

Comments

[disharmonizes]

[Discord kind of, blinks, as he's tugged along. Oh. Oh, they're going that way, because he was gonna--

...well, guess he's going with Salieri over to the other side of the podium circle.]

[violentenvies]

[sure are buddy. Anyway.]

Benjamin, Maya and I found some things in the woods. There was a trail of blood leading from the corn field, though it doesn't look like someone was dragged. We also found a white rag that hand a strange scent.

[comeandfindme]

[ Peregrine's already pretty tired of all this, shoulders slumped, when they arrive in the trial room and she remembers— now she has to stand next to Rina's empty podium again, but this week it's not because she's finding comfort with Varian, it's...

She stops in the procession for just a moment before she pushes herself forward. Push into the pain until it shatters—

As she stands at her podium, she glances up at Hester. ]

...There was a trail of blood. From...Rina's body in the garden. It looked kind of like— like a mix of drops and smears.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[Cassandra's there, with Elsa, standing beside Peregrine's podium. It's... exhausting already, just from helping Varian into the trial room before taking up her post.

But she's still here. She can still make a change.]

Does... the trail look like she was moved into the garden?

[comeandfindme]

Yes. It was going into the the woods, on one of the gravel paths? Or...it was coming from the woods. It's probably the same one that was leading into the corn field.

[barberic]

The rag smelled of alcohol. Alcohol, and some other kind of chemical, that I couldn't quite place.

[howtheworldwas]

Maybe the bleach?

[fourbutts]

... I know bleach and ammonia make, like, poison gas? Do bleach and alcohol mix together into something too?

[ SCIENCE SIDE OF MURDERGAME, HELP ]

[mcfife]

The rubbing alcohol was missing from the nurse's office. It must have been used somewhere.

[barberic]

I'm unfamiliar with that chemical, but it might be.

[mcfife]

Like rubbing alcohol?

[barberic]

Certainly not like something I would want to drink, if that's what you mean.

[howtheworldwas]

So if she wasn't dragged, then...whoever did it was probably strong enough to carry her.

[ she hates this. she hates talking like this. ]

[whatyouwant]

We should work to eliminate people based on that first.

[howtheworldwas]

[ nods. ]

Only a few of us have strength training. I -- I don't think I could have lifted her.

[whatyouwant]

I know I couldn't have.

[brokeforgood]

She was so small. It doesn’t eliminate anyone.

[mayavericks]

I would advise caution, in this matter.

[Maya's here. Her voice is a little distant, and she's standing at her podium clutching her sword -- retrieved from Janis on the way to the trial -- way too hard.]

Strength, or lack thereof, can be easily feigned.

[whatyouwant]

So we won't do a strength test here, then. But it is something we can use in the future.

[disharmonizes]

Strange--

...Oh gods you smelled it, didn't you?

[violentenvies]

[he'll shoot Discord annoyed look.]

I didn't shove my face in it, if that's what the judgemental tone is about.

[brokeforgood]

[WORRIED LOOK]

[disharmonizes]

Well, that's a start.

But strange smelling white rags are never a good thing.

[howtheworldwas]

[ thousand yard stare in salieri's direction ]

[sugarlumps]

Oh my glob Mister Salieri you can't just shove stuff in your face.