THE FIRST TRIAL

[strangerpeople]

THE FIRST TRIAL
(CW: Coffins, claustrophobia in general)

[Once the final clues are found, the ticking stops. Almost immediately after, the Elder Steward's voice suddenly echoed through the entire Mansion.]

Well done, well done.

Now, if you will please collect yourself and come to the ossuary.

Do not tarry. We will find you.

[As if by magic, there is a rumble at the large, unknown and seemingly unused patch of land in front of the mansion, and behind the garden. Upon getting there, the Titled will find that there is a door; upon going down a small flight of uneven, possibly stone stairs beyond this door, they will find themselves in-

a dimly lit room. There are fifteen structures in the room, all surrounded by candles; it's a bit of an uneven walk (what the heck did they use to pave this floor? Cobblestone?), but once each person gets to the structures, they will realize, to their horror, that they are coffins in front of small podiums.

Not that you can back out of this place. Iron manacles grab everyone by the hands as they enter, and if you don't come willingly, you will be dragged in, the floor cutting you up on the way. Best to just let the manacles guide you to your proper place.

After everyone has been...well, more or less chained to their places, they will find a stone tableau in the center of the podiums. On them are the blue and red egg things, which look to be the only other things lighting the area outside of the candles.

Looks like you're going to be eating here as well. The manacles at least allow you to go across to grab the food, but not much further. Unless one of the Stewards ostensibly decide to loosen your chain distance-or let you go outright. Not that it seems like it will happen any time soon, given the Younger Steward is nearby, judging by the location of his voice.]

Hey, assholes! Bout time you got here. Pay attention!

You got a list of people who could have killed the little brat. Now go one and figure out who did it with the crap you found. But don't waste our time! And don't let us get bored.

[As if on cue, five images shimmer into view on everyone's scrolls-and another ticking begins to fill everyone's minds and ears. It looks like you have no choice.

One of these individuals is a killer.]

THE CIRCUIT

THE SCORCHING

THE OBTUSE

THE FAST

THE EMBARRASSING

[It's up to the Strangers to decide who might have done it. Good luck-and happy eating while you're at it. Your time to make a decision is limited.

The trial for the murder of Atsuko Kagari, The Ursa, has begun.]

Comments

[silvertongueheir]

[Franciscus frowns as he looks over the other evidence.]

Handwriting and hair can be faked. But I did notice that Akko's body appeared to have been dropped instead of dragged to the place I found it. So the culprit is either strong enough to carry a body, or has some ability allowing them to move it.

[joinhands]

...Jun and Arthur are similar enough in size that we could probably perform a test of sorts right here. Though in the interest of full disclosure and saving time, I'll remind everyone I did lift Jun during the unpleasantness on Sunday.

Let's just pretend this was posted in a timely fashion...

[yonosoymaria]

And I carried him away from the... from where Miss Atsuko's body was placed. So that's two of us.

[whiterosefoes]

[Harriet considers this.]

To be honest, Ambrosine doesn't look like she could move a body to me. I've no idea how strong Parham's, er, arms are. [She'll go with arms. They don't SEEM strong, but what if they're all muscle??]

The rest of you definitely seem like you could have carried her. Unless I'm mistaken.

[hexposition]

Do we know what Ms. Ambrosine's power is? I know a couple people here are capable of lifting things that way, so it's not impossible that it's something like that... I don't know, though.

[Not trying to blame Ambrosine, just covering bases!]

And Mrs. Parham's... arms... are at least strong enough to pierce Ms. Dupree's boots with that plastic cone.

So I'm not really sure that exonerates either of them, as unhelpful as that is.

[whiterosefoes]

Care to disclose, ma'am? [Directed at Ambrosine, since as far as she knows, her power is not public knowledge at all. But it's kind of a throw-away over the shoulder.

That really is unhelpful though....]

.... Well, putting force behind an attack isn't quite the same as carrying something heavy, but you've got a point there.

[necroyalty]

I'll admit I've had little occasion to use it, but...

[ She opens a fucking wormhole in front of her, grabs one of the egg things, and... it lands in front of Harriet's podium. Seems like she did this pretty effortlessly. ]

[silvertongueheir]

[Wow.] Well, that would make moving the body trivial for you, then.

[necroyalty]

I suppose it would, but I'd admit that the simple act of stabbing her would be...less than trivial.

[ She holds out her arms. They're noodle arms. Wizard arms. STR 7, baby! ]

[whiterosefoes]

[now that's thinking with portals! Harriet can hardly believe she did that, she'll just. Process for this for a moment.]

.... Thanks for the snack.

[Well, it's here, and it's "food Saturday". But she's gonna wait to see if Ambro is guilty before she eats this.]

[belovedsuffocator]

I would like to add that, for some reason, that ice cream cone was sharpened to a point, like a knife.

[She didn't stab a dull cone into someone's foot! That'd be stupid!]

[hexposition]

L-listen. I'm not trying to blame you, Mrs. Parham, just cover the facts where I can.

I don't know that I'd be able to pierce leather boots, even with a knife. That's all.

[belovedsuffocator]

[She rubs at her...temple? with the tip of one of her hands(?)]

I understand. I'm just trying to put the situation in context.

[The fact that she's not even saying that she was on a pure adrenaline rush is surprising, to say the least.]

[relieable]

What about the blanket that was found in the laundry bin? It was bloody, and muddy, right? I wonder if she could have been wrapped up in it when she was carried.

[joinhands]

Is it even possible Akko was dragged within that blanket and then dropped out afterwards...???

[relieable]

[nodnod! that was what he was thinking]

[belovedsuffocator]

It being used for that would explain the blood on it.

[Said blanket is draped over Felicity's podium, btw. Everyone can clearly get a view of the mud and blood on it. Also the fact that it's damp.]

[joinhands]

This would actually be compatible with your narrative that Ambrosine disguised the note as much as possible after the fact, wouldn't it? Hiding something she used to compensate for her limited strength.

[belovedsuffocator]

Exactly-she used the blanket to make it look like someone stronger than her moved her. Thank you.

[You got a small smile coming your way, Krone!]

[silvertongueheir]

I was thinking that as well. It would be a good way for the culprit to avoid staining their clothes, after all...

[incendiarize]

She definitely didn't get there on her own. She was knocked out near the dining room door, but I dunno if she died there. The head blow didn't kill her, right? The scroll said she was strangled.

[whiterosefoes]

Ah... Did anyone actually see any strangling implements round her body?

[silvertongueheir]

I didn't. The closest thing I could think of would be perhaps the blanket, if it was rolled up.

[whiterosefoes]

That could definitely make sense. It was definitely thicker than Parham's arms, yeah?

[She's just checking to be sure, since. She doesn't really think those would make the same kind of choking marks as hands.]

MODS

[silvertongueheir]

[He glances over. Her arms aren't that thick, right?]