WEEK 2 TRIAL

[probe]

POPULATION: 28

Rise and shine, little sinners. Did you rest well? Hope you weren't too perturbed by the events of the day before. Things seem to be perfectly normal throughout your morning, but at 12pm, everyone will receive a mass text message to their phone.

Proceed to the conference room.

Whether you agree or disagree, soon you will find yourself physically moving toward the conference room on the bottom floor, filing into the room and taking a seat in one of the vacant chairs. Two metal boxes sit at the end of each table along with a collection of pens and colored notecards. At the head of the room, Greed, Wrath, Despair and Sloth patiently wait as the TV above them displays a message.

Victims: Vlad Masters, Steven A Starphase, Luca Valentino

Once the last participant enters the room, the door will swing closed behind them and lock them inside.

Greed is seated at the end of the table with a series of papers in their hands. Wrath is sitting sideways in a chair, leaning against Despair, feet in Greed's lap, with their phone out, taking selfies. Despair seems to be holding still to allow this. Sloth is dead asleep, head down on the table and snoring. When some of the last few people enter, they startle awake suddenly with a yelp which gets everyone's attention.

"Ahh, I'm up! Wow, it's time already?! You guys have 9 long hours to figure everything out!"

🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

Hello, and welcome to your third trial! Over the course of the next nine hours, characters will have the opportunity to discuss, investigate and theorize about the events of the day before! While mini-investigations were held yesterday, today is the day characters will have time to examine the body of the victim and explore relevant locations.

There will be a mod-tag break between 4pm EST/1pm PST to 5pm EST/2pm PST. While the trial may continue and players can tag each other, mod-led threads such as questions and investigations will be on hold.

Finally, while voting is not mandatory, we do have a voting page should characters wish to vote! Please be sure that your vote is in by the time trial finishes (9pm EST/6pm PST) if you wish to vote.

Good luck, and have fun!

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Comments

[sengokus]

[ . . . . he tilts his head.]

So... Well, we thought that Vlad-san took Ming Yi-san's shovel to maybe defend himself, right? But that doesn't track. Why would he need Ming Yi-san's shoes too? Unless you think that he decided that he'd frame him in advance. Either way, I think we should consider comparing our shoe sizes to Ming Yi-san's.

[headmt]

I don't know that he didn't plan to frame him in advance. From the message he sent Shi Qingxuan, I'd almost lean towards that than self-defense.

[bonetiddies]

Hmm?

[headmt]

Just that he messaged her out of the clear blue, to ask where she was staying. Seems as likely as always she'd stay with Ming Yi, because they're always together.

[bonetiddies]

Vlad did? I would say that is incredibly relevant information.

[headmt]

It strikes me that way, but on the other hand, Shi Qingxuan is one of the more welcoming of us. If you were rather on the outs with a large amount of people here, and didn't know where to stay, perhaps she's who I would turn to as well.

[dotcom]

Trying to frame someone so blatantly would be an interesting move, since we'd already be on edge for that after what happened before. Especially if you left a trail like that.

[ who texts the person you're gonna rob ]

[headmt]

Certainly is distracted us, isn't it?

[fisherwoman]

It does seem a little suspicious that he'd do that out of nowhere if he didn't have any kind of plan.

[headmt]

Rather odd, yes?

Then again, perhaps he had little else in the way of choice.

[toesies]

Was that on Thursday?

[headmt]

[oh hmmmmmm]

Good question. One for Shi Qingxuan, I'm afraid.

[sengokus]

[ . . . he just looks a little uncomfortable.]

.... I'll say I don't want to vote for anybody who did it in self-defense.

But I also think that if that was the case, they should say so sooner rather than later, so we can focus on something else because there's two other bodies. I also think the more we say 'self-defense' the more we get distracted from actually looking at the evidence and finding out what happened.

So.... I'm okay with the theory again, but we should be careful. I don't think Vlad-san had the same track record as Grell-san either. I don't know if he went out of his way to hurt anybody.

[headmt]

Suppose that's fair enough. Means first, motive later.

[sengokus]

[he nods]

At least until we get a better picture. Motive's hard to pin down until we get suspects and a confession anyway.

[bonetiddies]

Considering we haven't solved even one of these, I'd counter that the person targeted has every right to lack trust that they won't be voted for. Though I won't vote for such a person, either.

[Hmm.]

Still. Greed said it was worth considering this from both angles - the angle where someone framed Ming Yi intentionally, and the angle where he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. If the former is true, I would say it was likely Vlad who attempted to frame him, given the circumstances of their shared curfew. However, if Vlad took Ming Yi's boots and shovel, targeted someone, and was killed in self-defense, it would mean that unrelated person would have chosen to put the boots back on Ming Yi's feet.

The other option is that someone targeted Vlad, but saw that Ming Yi was there, and took his boots and shovel opportunistically.

[holeful]

... Isn't there a third option?

[bonetiddies]

If you have something to say, say it.

[sengokus]

[nodding....]

See... I think it's the latter. But maybe it's just 'cause I don't think Vlad-san was bitter enough to kill for an indulgence when he knew that he was people's back-up vote anyway.

We'll have to check out the room they were in to see if it was disturbed but - I think maybe Vlad-san just wanted to be with a group of people who weren't gonna kill him for curfew? Even if he did piss off Ming Yi-san before...

And then maybe he took the shovel and ran. But I think that the person who was after him might've grabbed Ming Yi-san's shoes to cover their tracks?

[bonetiddies]

I don't disagree, actually, but consider it another way. A few people have talked today about "back up options." Considering all of our openly murderous options were dead, if I were Vlad I would have been quite afraid of what would happen if we failed at trial a third time.

Which would be a strong incentive to provide someone else to vote for by framing them.

[Anyway.]

Greed won't take us to the biome, apparently. Which means there are no clues to be discovered in the biome.

[shiftingwinds]

If he was trying to frame him on purpose, I'll find a way to bring him back just so I can punish him myself!

[HUFFS]

[headmt]

I admit this is paranoia, but is there-- Is there some power that could introduce false evidence?

[shiftingwinds]

If there is, it's not one that I've been made aware of.

[bonetiddies]

Had you spoken with him much, before he texted you?

[shiftingwinds]

[she shakes her head]

Not a lot. We argued at trial last week, but then he was ... ah, more friendly, on Monday. And then he messaged me on Thursday.