murdermanor | week 4

week four trial

[At 9 AM precisely, the old grandfather clock chimes once again, and the doors to the drawing room are opened. They will remain open until everyone has come inside, after which they will shut behind them. It is not possible to leave on your own, although perhaps if you have a specific purpose the hostess will allow you to go, as long as you are accompanied by a partner.

The room is set up comfortably, with several tables by the fireplace set out to assist with the trial. The Hostess will also remain in a seat near the fireplace, next to the scales on the mantle. At lunch, the doors will open to bring in a large meal on an automatically rolling buffet, and at 3 PM, tea and finger sandwiches will be served. You'll be able to enjoy the trial in comfort, of course, but the information cards set out on tables will not allow you to forget your true purpose here.

At 7 PM, the trial will adjourn for the day. Players will be escorted by the Hostess to the ballroom, where dinner and wine will be served until 10 PM, at which point players will be required to return to their wings in groups with their wingmates and will be locked in their bedrooms until 8:30 AM the following morning.]

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[Sighing and crossing her arms, May.....]

I came back in at around 4. Everyone was frantically searching the manor top to bottom after, right? Do you think I would've just hid somewhere for an hour?

[...........]

Well, think of it this way. Firstly, a solid alibi isn't immediate proof of innocence: Bernkastel's murder during the first week already proved it to be a convenience. Take in account of personal abilities, too; I might be a magus, but my sorcery's been dampened and I definitely can't teleport. Secondly, consider the motive. Speaking of which, are the room searches finished? We should have all five suspects explain what the item is. People could lie and underplay it, like in Annie's case, but getting more detail won't hurt. I don't mind starting now, whenever at everyone else's convenience. Thirdly, there's the two items in question the culprit gets prior to killing Rin, a deadweight. One of them is the rapier, of course, but what about the other? Do you really think it was that? [jutting a thumb towards the exhibit Poland put up, where the beaker and the box are.]

Edited (MEMO TO SELF: KEEP BETTER TRACK) 2013-10-18 03:37 (UTC)

Why not? You could have been disposing of evidence in that time, or simply removing yourself from the scene as far as possible.

I suppose someone could have set it up so that Rin would die while they were not around, but how...? We did not find any tape in the room this time and I cannot think of a way they could have impaled her without being present.

If it is not the mystery box, then what else could it be? Poison would not work on Rin, and she was not killed in an area that needed the skeleton key for access.

She was discovered on the second floor music room, right? I haven't gone up since two, I'm not physically fit enough to make the trip under a short span of time. I always wear high heels, too. [She idly stretches her legs to show her shoes.] These are impossible to run in, or I'll break my own neck on the stairs.

It wouldn't be like that. Signs of struggle were also found, so it's looking more like Rin met her attacker before she was killed. Whoever who did it must've been quick, would you contest this much?

[She raises a hand to cup her chin at that.]

The very notion of the mystery box is strange, frankly, it bothers me. Recall the list, and all the useful items it already has listed for killing, healing, and investigation. Given that assortment and how serious trials tend to get, why would anyone planning to kill leave anything up to chance? Besides, if the murder is premeditated, why even bring the box and leave it at a public location to begin with? It's common knowledge that Rin is a robot. If the killer truly opted for the mystery box, they should've immediately known how useless what's inside was for her. In that case, why not hide it and keep us guessing? If they're practical, they could even save it for a future kill. The finding is just too convenient.

Could you not simply have taken the shoes off? Though you may be right in that our killer would likely have to be someone fast enough to kill her and get away before the body was discovered. Still...if she was killed between 3:00 and 3:15 and the body was not discovered until 3:30, fifteen minutes is enough time to hide yourself before anyone could catch you.

It is strange that anyone would choose the mystery box without knowing whether what was inside would be useful. But then why leave it there at all? If it was meant to be a - a red trout, they couldn't have thought such an item would distract us for long.

And run barefooted?

[She winces visibly at that...]

Then Yuzu or Susan would've caught me going outside, although that's meaningless, if you doubt that I went out at all that afternoon. Actually, wouldn't Susan know, given her tracking abilities? I'd rather not burden her, she's already working so hard to keep tabs on everyone. But my choices are limited too, if my lack of a solid alibi would put that much into question. With any luck, as a dispensable, she may remember me at the conservatory before heading out...

It's working, though. People are dismissing it as useless, and assuming the killer must've thought the same. The beaker also looks familiar, aren't they similar to what can be found in the study on the third floor? [She eyes the door to the smoking room, where the list of tools is attached.] I suppose we wouldn't know how the poison may be delivered and what the bottles could look like, if that was truly it, but it does say "assorted" on the list. I'd expect more bottles, and perhaps something more complex.

[...] Although if it's intended as a false lead, and only assuming based off of that hypothesis, then the alternative would be that it's planted to detract attention from the true second item, wouldn't it?

Ah, that's right! We can ask her whether you were outside at 3:00 and 3:15! It would have been quite difficult to run into the music room from outside, kill her, and then run back.

Yes...it does seem strange that the objects within this box seem to be objects that could be found around the manor. And rubbing alcohol is not exactly a poison.

The true second item? But why would they need to hide it?

I'll check in, then. Would you like to bear witness?

Ah, that's what it was? You are good with chemicals, so thank you for clarifying. But knowing that, isn't it even more unusual? Rubbing alcohol is a run-of-the-mill cleaning product, and while overdose is lethal, it ought to take one cup in an adult male while chloroform can also kill for far less. Going at it systematically, it wouldn't help the investigation like the fingerprinting kit or the poison detecting kit. It can't be used for sustenance and health like food, water, and medical supplies either, and while it can be tweaked to kill, it's nowhere near as straightforward as poison, rifle, sword, or crossbow. Finally, it also can't exactly assist, in the cases of extra chloroform, skeleton key, map of secret passageways, and hidden storage compartment.

[She finishes the list, hands now resting over her hips.]

That's like asking why the culprit would want to hide crucial evidence, May. If the box wasn't found, people would make guesses, continue searching, and keep theorizing. This happened last week, before the skeleton key was brought up. If the box was found, however, people may grow complacent and accept the content without asking further questions, especially if the item isn't useful and doesn't very much fall in line at all with the rest of what's provided on the list. The other possibility is that it could've contained other things alongside the rubbing alcohol, and some people have gone out searching, I'm aware, but keep in mind that the smaller the object is, the easier it is to hide.

[She shakes her head, straightening her back.] Either way, assuming the innocuous would be to the killer's advantage. It's a smart move, although if it was me, I wouldn't go for rubbing alcohol. It sticks out too much like a sore thumb. [Rubbing alcohol not fitting in with the rest of the type of objects the tools list has is a legit observation, okay. ...So is admitting that you wouldn't go for that sort of decoy too, but hush.]

Ah - I'm sorry, I should have been clearer. I have not checked the chemicals found yet, I simply assumed it was rubbing alcohol based off of Poland's notes. But it may very well be something else, there are many compounds out there that would give off a similar smell.

Hm, that's true. Do you think it's worth an attempt, to analyze what may really be inside?

week 4 - trial

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