week 9 - trial

[productions]

week nine trial



victim



suspects





Character Statuses
Setting
Manor Rules
Voting

Comments

Autopsy

[productions]

The following document will be laid out on a table in the drawing room:

Autopsy Report - The Hostess

Cause of Death - Gunshot Wound

Location of Body - Drawing Room
Time of Death - Between 2 AM and 4 AM

Condition of Body - Gunshot wound to torso, exit wound in lower back. Took some time to bleed to death. Blood on index finger.

Condition of Scene - Body propped against wall between bookcase and smoking room door. Bookshelf moved three inches to hide cryptic message in blood. Bullet in wall above body. Victim's purse lying on ground near body. Gun with one bullet missing left nearby.

There is room at the bottom of the page for others to add notes.

Suspects

[productions]

On another table, the information cards of the suspects are laid out. There is a blank sheet of paper below each card, labeled:

Why I Am Not the Mastermind:

RAPTURE

[throe]

— It would not only ruin my reputation, but the reputation of the Stingers.
— I'm always the one who suggested the profile. Why would I keep reminding people of it if I wanted it to eventually come back to me?
— I want to win in the best interests of Minx, Riot, and myself.
— Because I'm not. That would be so obvious and mundane.

LITHUANIA

[vytis]

-If I could control this game in any way, I would have prevented Poland's death.
-I've had emotional responses to this situation that would be extremely difficult to fake.
-Ended up getting in a fal getting involved with Poland. From a completely strategic standpoint that would be a terrible idea.
-I've never been on the suspect list and I'm fully aware the last trial placed me under suspicion because of my connection to Poland--but if this is supposed to be our final challenge, why would it be made so obvious?

Gundam Tanaka

[godwhisperer]

- If I was the Mastermind, you low level mortals would never have suspected me.
- For this reason, if you suspect me, you should not suspect me.
- Ahaha! But now that you do not suspect me, how can you be sure your initial suspicion was not a ploy on my part?
- Therefore there is no reason to believe I am not the Mastermind.

Annie Leonhardt

[hollowheart]

-I was close to execution on Week 2, by one vote.

Findings

[productions]

Finally, one table is nearly empty. There are 10 boxes labeled Exhibit A through Exhibit J, as well as paper and pens for writing. The boxes are empty.

Exhibit A

[inthebones]

This message was found next to the Hostess, hidden underneath the bookshelf. Her forefinger was daubed in blood as if she were writing.

[Susan leaves a reproduction of the message.]

Theories

[productions]

[This week, there is now a very large board in the center of the room, with pins to attach sheets of paper to. Particular theories about how a certain part of the crime could have been accomplished, a certain person's alibi, motives, or any other aspect of the crime you believe your character can explain should be written up and posted here.

Please do not thread in this subheading; you can link to threads for discussion and we encourage you to do so. This is just to provide a handy trial recap for players who are jumping in.]

Re: Theories

[obsideo]

[Written on the theories board is a note by Marlow.]

Oil = Oil
Pork + herb without spice = pig + peppermint - mint = pigment
Tinned container + flour container = canvas
Alternate version of a comb = brush?
Intentional scapegoat = frame

Pigment + canvas + brush + frame = a painting

Destitute characteristic = ???
Somnolent aged king = ???

The Trial So Far

[productions]

DAY 1

Once again, the contestants are ushered into the drawing room at 9 AM on Thursday morning. This trial, they will be investigating the death of the Hostess and the identity of the Mastermind. This week, of course, there is no Hostess to guide us, so we'll have to begin on our own.

For this trial, every remaining player has been put up as a suspect. Each of them comes up with fully thought out rationale as to why they are not the mastermind.

After Rapture's amazing opening, the players get down to work. Lithuania and Marlow investigate the Hostess's purse and find a few notes about the show's ratings and a set of keys that they're not sure goes to what.

Gundam brings up the vault that was mentioned in the journal he, Alice and Annie found. Annie points out that the strange recipe for 'a safe dessert' may be a hint as to where the vault lies. Alice has a theory as to how to decipher the code left on the last page.

Meanwhile, she and Rapture also discuss the haunting referenced in the journal and the possibility that mastermind among them may be possessed. Spain takes this extremely well with the composure and rationality as befitting a thousand year old country from the modern era.

Susan brings up the bloody numbers written behind the bookcase next to the Hostess's body but seems to have doubts about whether they're really numbers at all. Both she and Rapture agree that the letters LITH are so blatant that they may be a trap and that the diary may even not be real at all. Lithuania defends himself by claiming that it would have been easier just to wipe the blood off instead of hiding it.

Back to the vault, Susan realizes that the recipe may just be a series of puns, much to the dismay of everyone else. She, Stiles and Marlow figure out that the recipe is referring to a portrait. With a little help from Spain, Marlow deduces that the painting is a portrait of Napoleon.

Marlow and Spain go off to investigate the portrait...

Queries

[productions]

[This morning, there is no Hostess to announce the beginning of the trial, merely the chime of the clock. However, everything proceeds as normal. The doors open at 9 AM, and the food is laid out. Unlike most weeks, the doors to the Drawing Room will not lock, so everyone is free to come and go as they please.

There is a new box on one of the tables, labeled 'Queries.' It has a hole in the top for pieces of paper, and there is another hole at the bottom with a roll of paper wedged in there. There is spare paper and pens nearby. Simply write a question and drop it in the box, and the box will print the answer.]

[throe]

Can I search Lithuania's room because his room hasn't been searched yet?

[ Signed in the most proper way like an egotistical rockstar singing something does, because who knows... someone may want this due to her fame: ] — Rapture

Special Rules

[productions]

[And, hanging on a sheet of paper on the wall, are a list of the special rules: ]

→ The Mastermind is one of the remaining 10 players
→ The weapon used to kill the Hostess was not available to any ordinary player
→ The trial will take place over the course of three days, beginning Thursday morning
→ You have the means to access every area the Mastermind has had access to since the game's beginning.

→ To select a culprit, votes must be unanimous
→ The Mastermind's vote does not count
→ If the correct culprit is not unanimously selected, all players save the culprit will be executed.

[throe]

[ This is it... what Rapture believes to be the final trial. She is appropriately dressed in her all-knowing curtain-attire (crystal ball also included) and she's standing amongst the center of the room. ]

Today, we begin our journey to find the one who has dragged us through this game! Who stands amongst the ten of us and who has targeted and killed our beloved Hostess, as well as our fellow contestants.

But we will not be beat, nor will we give up! We will find the Mastermind amongst us and be rid... of their mind games!

[ As always, she begins to clap her hands in beat with the percussion. ]

Manipulation is the name of the game. Manipulation, makes all other games look tame. The goal... is control... of your soul!

We're playing mind games, mind games! Stretching your mind till it snaps! We like to play mind games, mind games. Making the whole thing collapse! [ She motions to the others standing in the room. ] Mind gaaaames!

The stipulation is that I make all the rules. Intimidation, turns the wisest men to fools. As you're caught! Overwrought! And distraught!

Suddenly the world seems out of joint... [ She points to someone. ] Don't you see it baby, that's the point! Dadadadada!

We're playing mind games, mind games! Twistin' your head outta shape. We like to play mind games, mind games — there's no way to escape!

[ Her voice becomes stronger as she tries to match they way Riot instills his vocals into the original song. There's a sense of conviction and passion in the way she sings the final chorus. ]

We like to play mind games! Mind games! Mind games! There's no way to escape! [ She then turns her back to the rest of the crowd, throwing her head back with such fever. ] Mind gaaaames!

[vytis]

[The body is already in the drawing room this time, so Lithuania doesn't need to get it. Instead he has a question.]

Miss Doris's purse was found nearby her body, right? Did anyone check to see what was inside it?

[obsideo]

I have it right here. I didn't open it yet because I didn't want to risk damaging anything. Let's open it together.

[godwhisperer]

I believe we will not solve this until we have unlocked the secret of the vault. We must find the vault before we may do anything else.

[throe]

The vault...? What vault?

[allice]

[After she's done placing the journal in the box...]

Gundam, Annie and I found a diary in the Smoking Room's bookcase, apparently written by Mr. M. Mordswell himself. It dates between December 1918 to April 1919. For the time being lets not think about how we might literally be in the 1920s, as opposed to the mansion just decorated that way, and consider the things within it. He was...very troubled, but his diary may hold some important clue within the writings.

On the last written entry, he makes reference to a man 'haunting' him because he destroyed the humanity within said man. ...Could it be possible that we aren't the first people to go through this?

[throe]

It wouldn't surprise me. I brought the idea up to Sonia and Lithuania that our hostess might have been a previous Mastermind, but that doesn't seem very plausible now.

Still, it seems very finely planned doesn't it? Almost like it has happened before, but maybe there were things they needed to fix before they tried it again.

The real question is... is the he that's being referenced in this room right now? [ She smirks. ]

[inthebones]

As I'm sure you all know by now, there was a message in blood next to the Hostess. It seems to say 4+17 or 4t17.

[A slight straying of the eyes towards a few of the others.]

You're free to try the code on it if you wish, though I'm afraid I haven't managed to turn any numbers into words.

[Susan had her own theory.]

[throe]

Has anyone tried reading it in a mirror? Maybe it's written backwards.

[ Is that a hint of facetiousness? From Rapture? Don't be sill— it is. ]

[obsideo]

So. We better find the vault.

We have those bloody numbers, plus we have this. Susan's point about pigment is probably right. So here's what we have!

[She'll write on the Theories board her thoughts as they talk.]

I think the comb has to be a brush. But how about the other stuff?

[inthebones]

The third line is clearly canvas. A tin can and a vase. I think the first five are all indicating that what we're looking for is a painting.

Napoleon Finding Thread

[obsideo]

[Spain and Marlow go looking around the house without finding Napoleon, until finally they get to the library.]

[pasodoble]

( It's hard to miss that smug bastard. As soon as Spain sees it, he immediately recalls seeing it on their first day and making a point of never mentioning it. Strangling sounds and then he mumbles, )

There.

END TRIAL DAY 1

[productions]

[At 7 PM, the grandfather clock tolls once again, the doors to the smoking room shut, and the doors to the drawing room open. Unlike most days, you will not be shepherded anywhere and will be free to wander the mansion, but the drawing room, smoking room, and library will be locked shut until the next morning.

Dinner will be served in the dining room, and as is true every night, everyone will be expected to come eat for two hours. At 9 PM, you are free to go wherever you like, but there is champagne set out in the bar.

Feel free to thread out any evening interactions beneath this comment.]

[obsideo]

[After dinner, Marlow will go get a drink in the bar. She may be underaged, but she's also in a murder mansion, so she's not going to worry about getting caught. She'll try a little of the champagne.]

Not bad.

BEGIN TRIAL DAY 2

[productions]

[At 8:30 AM, the grandfather clock tolls again, and the drawing room doors open. Breakfast is served in the drawing room, and the doors will shut once everyone has filtered in.

There is a new box set out for 'queries.' Any questions on the second day can be answered here.]

[inthebones]

We have a safe and about five hundred different keys to try. Let's make haste.

Miss Marlow, Lithuania - let's try the Hostess's keys first. Afterwards, we can have yet another stab at the collection in the library. ...Convenient how they're right there.

[obsideo]

Right, I have them right here. Let's give it a try.

[obsideo]

[Marlow will come back from the library, holding a medal and a piece of paper to her chest. Her eyes are flashing, and she looks furious but very determined. She looks around the room, jaw set.]

Lithuania. I...I have something to show you.

[vytis]

[Lithuania is sitting in one of the chairs with Ruta. He sets the puppy down, where she sits at his feet lazily, and looks at Marlow.]

Yes?

[productions]

[While all this commotion is going on, something has happened. At some point, a tiny bundle of flowers small enough to be worn as a pin and tied with a green and red ribbon, has been laid on the mantle, specifically, on one side of the scales sitting upon the mantle.

If you were paying close attention, you can't recall those flowers sitting there this morning, and no one will be able to remember them being there before Lithuania was accused, but they're there now. Perhaps someone has taken advantage of the commotion to place them? Or perhaps they were there all along. Would you really notice something like that if you weren't looking for it?]

1/3

[vytis]

[No one would notice something like that if they hadn't been desperately looking for it.]

[productions]

[With Lithuania's reveal, and the revelation there may be more to the mystery of the "Mastermind" than thought, it seems as though the second day of trial will go out in a bang!

Literally.

Lithuania is able to talk unimpeded for a few minutes, and then suddenly: three seconds of beeping and then an explosion from Lithuania's chest. The sound is muffled somewhat, and the explosion is small enough that no one else is hurt; blood and viscera goes flying, propelled outward from the center of his torso, and what remains of Lithuania's body crumples to the ground.]

[throe]

[ For someone who is so usually indifferent, Rapture is now wildly screaming. ]

[productions]

[And, no more than 30 seconds after the explosion, the lights all abruptly go out. The clock, should anyone check it, has stopped ticking at 6:31 PM. The house suddenly feels very cold and empty.]

[allice]

Oh you GOT TO BE KIDDING!

[GET HER OFF THIS CRAZY TRAIN]