WEEK SIX TRIAL

[grigori]

week six: trial life's a squeeze

19 Remain

Good morning, everyone! Hopefully you're well-rested, because there's a long day ahead of you.

The start of the day is yours to do with what you want, but come 11:45 AM, your daemons will feel a compulsion to lead you to a courthouse, north of the library, and will ensure that you're up and moving to head there. You can certainly resist it, but by the time 11:55 AM rolls around... you'll find your feet taking you there, regardless, if you aren't there already. There's no exceptions—it seems that this gathering is mandatory, as you'll find that your fellow travelers are all heading to the same destination as you.

Waiting in one of the courtrooms for your arrival are Shamsiel, Suriel, and Baraqiel. Some evidence tables have been brought in and arranged, left empty for the day ahead - save for one, where plates, bowls, cups, and cutlery have been stacked neatly for later in the day. Some already have hot tea, takeout containers from various places around the city set out and perpetually warm (or cool, as needed), and some first aid kits for the more unfortunate to come in feeling a little under the weather. Come noon, once everyone is within the room, they'll find that the doors close and lock behind them.

Suriel stands to one side, hands clasped as if ready to say a prayer, wings tucked close. They have no smiles to offer today. "This should be the last time. Let's do what we can, so they won't have to wait for long to see you again."

"Right, as tired as all of you have become, there's an end in sight from all of this." Words that Shamsiel offers as a means to improve the mood some. They stand with a hand pressed to their chest while the other clenches at their side.

Baraqiel is quiet for a moment, seated on the judge's bench - not at it, on the edge of it, with wings and cloak spilling back on the other side as they survey the group gathered. The juror's stand is empty, and so is the audience seating. Everyone can fill in where they need to, or want to, for the next nine hours. "A-Qing and Scheherazade were Temporals. Kim Dokja was a Celestial. This is the final stretch - but that doesn't mean you can halfass it. Let's go."

Every hour that passes, they'll be able to hear a grand clock chiming from somewhere within the courthouse. The pressure's on—good luck.

Trial start

Court is now in session. Welcome, everyone, to our seventh trial! For the next nine hours, characters are expected to investigate the setting, compile and examine evidence, locate any unalive and unaccounted for members of their group, and theorize about the going ons of Thursday night/Friday morning that lead up to this point.

Mod breaks will run a little differently than they have in past games. There will be a three hour block starting at 4 PM EST/1 PM PST and ending at 7 PM EST/4 PM PST, where we'll be cycling one mod out at a time to take an hour long break while the other two remain to keep tags going and answer any questions players might have. We encourage players to take a break at any point during this timeframe, but the player-designated break will be at the traditional 5 - 6 PM EST time! Reference our timezones if need be.

Voting is mandatory in Chasma, acting as our activity check for the week. Please ensure that you've submitted your vote before 9 PM EST/6 PM PST, unless you've spoken with the mods previously, as we'll begin tallying votes on the dot.

If there's anything that you need from us, IC or OOC, please let us know how we can help!

full navigation ✨ locations ✨ statuses ✨ profiles ✨ audiences ✨
private conversations ✨ murder proposals ✨ curfew ✨ daemons ✨

Comments

PARK INVESTIGATION

[sponsoredby]

[ After having returned with the body of A-Qing in his arms, covered by his coat, he comes back with said coat draped over his arm. His voice is void of emotion as he reports all of this. ]

When Nero and I arrived on the scene, it smelled like something had been burning... The fire was out, but there was a lot of damage around the area where he found Scheherazade's body. Her staff had been broken in half and we found it impaled in her chest. There appears to have been minor signs of struggle in the area, but no proper footprints. There was a tree nearby that had gold dust trickling down.

As far as A-Qing's body, there were birds and squirrels on her. It appears she had snacks in her pockets that drew their attention. Aside from the wound on her chest, there was a knife on her. There was also golden dust by her body that was probably from her daemon when she died. Like it had been close to her at the end.

[greatdeduction]

[After the report, he just draws close, grasping his shoulder, reassuring.]

You found a lot. [...] Good work, my dear fellow.

[sponsoredby]

Mm.

[ The response is distracted, as if he's barely hearing that reassurance. His gaze shifts away, looking back where the bodies were taken. ]

[greatdeduction]

Kotetsu...

[Again, another squeeze.]

Look at me. Right now, we must focus on the mystery. I'm sure the ones who have passed away would want the truth regarding their deaths to come to light. We'll do what we can to make that happen.

[sponsoredby]

[ He looks at him when he tells him to. There's something vaguely detached about his look. Like his mind is elsewhere. ]

You think I'm not focusing? [ Sorry, he's shaking Sholmes' hand off his shoulder at that. ] I'll go look at A-Qing's body.

[ And he's starting to turn from Sholmes to head in that direction. ]

[greatdeduction]

Kotetsu...

[No, he can't let him go just yet - he's reaching out to grab his wrist, frowning.]

I know you are, just... [A short exhale, a hang of the head.] After you do so, please...please come back to me. I'm here for you, always. You know that.

[escardos]

No proper footprints? Were they, like, smudged?

[sponsoredby]

[ He motions in Nero's direction since he examined them more closely. ]

[perfectdistance]

No discernible footprints. Looks kinda like she got dragged away from where she might've originally fallen.

[escardos]

[ ?????

flat is so confused trying to picture that. ]

Maybe her getting dragged covered the footprints?

[perfectdistance]

It's possible.

[Because he sure couldn't see any of them while he was looking.]

[perfectdistance]

[Nero has nothing to add, but he does stay close to Kotetsu, looking tired.]

Thanks.

[sponsoredby]

...Yeah.

[ There's a light nod, but also nods in Flat's direction at the question. ]

[greatdeduction]

[And a reassuring squeeze to Nero's shoulder, too.]

Good work, Nero.

[perfectdistance]

[He leans into the touch, just the slightest bit.]

[voltadomar]

[Kim nods, taking some notes while sitting with his notebook on a table in front of him.]

No sign of what could have started the fire?

[sponsoredby]

Not from what I saw.

[voltadomar]

If it wasn't something used on the scene, then perhaps a power. Do any coin powers cause fire?

[yueshen]

We ought to check coins for power usage - it is important that we are thorough with those each week.

[ (susato voice) ]

[bloodread]

[ Akira does not look happy about this. ]

The tree is probably where Djinni was.

[sponsoredby]

[ That makes two. ]

It probably was.

[yueshen]

[ he just looks. so sad, about a-qing. so sad. shoulders slumped a little, he shakes his head, and takes a deep breath.

with that, he goes to flip through his notes. ] According to the profiles, Miss Scheherazade has an owl as one of her daemon forms. It could have been perched above her, perhaps...? But why would it perch...

[ frowning ] Unless it was trying to flee...?

[sponsoredby]

Maybe. There didn't seem to be any kind of impact damage. So... hard to say.

[lefthandpath]

[he just. clenches his fists at his side.]

... thank you, Mr. Kaburagi.

[sponsoredby]

[ He nods lightly at Allen, pulling his hat down just a bit. ]

We're all working together.