chasma | WEEK SIX TRIAL

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!

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Wouldn't that be Mr. Dojka? What with...that whole contraption, and from what others have said.

[ Crosses his arms. ]

I remember last Sunday, he for some reason theorized having the teams closer in number may buy us time to retrieve Baraqiel's item and for whatever else we need to start preparing.

Where it came from, I'm not sure, but Kim Dokja isn't one to take information lightly without trusting the source with something that sounds like only a possibility.

Hmm. So are you saying that it is likely, or unlikely that he would have been behind the mechanism in the room? Would he have told someone to set up something like that?

How much blood was in the room?

[ there is so much happening crystal ]

Hm. Only as much as one would expect from the sword stabbing his chest. Otherwise, nothing. Some things were knocked over like there was a struggle, but remarkably clean.

I just wonder how he would have managed to create the mechanism if he was supposedly poisoned.

[ A sigh. ]

He's dramatic, but that seems like a lot.

Yes, that is questionable. He may have set the trap, but he was notably tied to the chair when we entered. The mechanism was prompted specifically to activate by the opening of the door. That means the last person who left the room would have been his killer.

...Do you think the man may have poisoned himself? And in order to "kill" him, the killer set that whole contraption up?

(no subject)

malewife - 2021-11-14 00:34 (UTC) - Expand

[ .... ]

.... That is exactly what he thought. [ DOKJA.

xie lian pulls out his letter, and reads: ]

If anyone can understand my decision in this very moment, it's probably you. I'm not sure if this will buy us much time- if any, really. But I figured it was at least worth a try. Rather than have one team win... I want to try and even the numbers out.

... haa... of course.

[ xie lian unsure whether to laugh or cry ]

...He is right, that I understand it, but - I was sure that theory had been debunked as only playing into the angels wants and needs.

[ dokja

you idiot ]

I think the fact that he was Celestial might have something to do with it...

Maybe he was feeling guilty?

[ he shakes his head. ]

...No. I think, rather, he might have felt that there was something he could do. It was his choice, after all. Less guilt, and more...resolve. I suppose.

lefthandpath - 2021-11-14 00:22 (UTC) - Expand

aono - 2021-11-14 00:25 (UTC) - Expand

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aono - 2021-11-14 00:45 (UTC) - Expand

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aono - 2021-11-14 00:46 (UTC) - Expand

... [ for a moment he just looks SO frustrated. ]

The Watchers have been saying for weeks the teams only matter to the people pulling the strings. We've always been better off grouping together and ignoring the divide in the first place.

[ Knock on wood... ]

But Kim Dokja was a Celestial. And he probably was keeping track of the fact that more Temporals were dying. Even with this, two of the victims were Temporals.

We may not care about the numbers, but the numbers do have an effect.

It wasn't especially hidden knowledge that a lot of Temporals died. The numbers have an effect if they hit zero on either side.

[ ... ]

There were still enough we could've made it through. But now we have three bodies and two more Temporals still died. [ if he sounds tired, it's because he is. dokja you fool. ]

Two more Temporals died and it sounds like Kim Dokja would have tried to lure in a Celestial killer. The odds are in our favor of finding a Celestial killer with it like this.

senjinrouha - 2021-11-14 00:28 (UTC) - Expand

How it matters to the Angels doesn't mean it might not affect us.

Knowing Kim Dokja, he would only consider it if what he was told was from a Watcher. It could, however, be a matter of opinion.

[ Just a guess. ]

[ he just presses a hand to his face. ]

A Watcher told me not to worry about the teams and numbers, Joonghyuk. I'm not sure what we're supposed to believe right now.

The situation might have changed between Mister Dokja receiving that information and when you got your answer.

senjinrouha - 2021-11-14 00:24 (UTC) - Expand

malewife - 2021-11-14 00:25 (UTC) - Expand

senjinrouha - 2021-11-14 00:25 (UTC) - Expand

If this is the case, ideally he would want a Celestial to target him. [ HAHAA. ] However, he said in my letter that he made this decision alone, so I do not believe that this was planned between him and his killer.

[ Closes his eyes. ]

Imagine falling for such a bait. How foolish and ridiculous of his killer.

Mmm.

[ kim dokja please. he smiles a little, tight and sad. ] He said much of the same in mine, as well.

[ She clenches her fists, knuckles growing white. ]

He's always making these decisions on his own.

[ Reads from his letter: ]

I will tell you that my sacrifice was of my own decision. That I intended for this to happen.

It may not do much in the end but I'm hoping it does.

[this look of I Knew It]