The Third Trial

[hot_mess_express]

Who: Heroes
When: Day 8, morning
Where: Outer Space

[ A familiar silence takes hold of the jungle, and just as before the unsettling stillness erupts into a heavy gale, shaking the Aurora. Also familiar to most is the call, echoing in your mind:

Come hither, Heroes. Prove thy worth.

This time, instead of either the house or the tent, there’s a glittering void, points of light twinkling in the air. As you step into the space it expands, seeming to consume you, the Aurora, and all that exists in general. There’s a feeling of vertigo as this happens, frozen lights swirling all about you, an obnoxious giggling echoing from -- in front? -- behind? -- everywhere?

“Welcome, welcome, welcome!” rings a lilting, sing-song voice, mischievous and just a slight bit unsettling in cadence. “Darkness comes in many forms, so let’s see how good you are at sniffing it out~!”

The lights seem to dim, or maybe it’s just your vision --

“Oh, and remember, remember, remember! Everything that happens…

...happens because of you.”

-- and then it’s over, your vision returns, and you find yourself in the gilded foyer of what seems to be a manor. ]

PRE-GAME MINGLE ☆ GAME START ☆ IC RULES & ROOMS ☆ TURN-IN ☆ WINNERS ☆ ENDGAME

Comments

PRE-GAME MINGLE

[hot_mess_express]

[ The foyer glitters with gold ornaments on the walls and ceiling and the furniture. This is not the game, you know - but this is some sort of prelude to the game. It seems there's some sort of party going on here - decadent dishes have been prepared on trays scattered around the many tables. Largely it seems to all be finger food, petit fours and other sweets - but they're all decorated with such skill that it seems a shame to eat them. Wine is offered by the bottle, easily accessible to you heroes.

A pleasant-looking man claps his hands together. "Welcome, my friends! We are lucky to have you, but we are even luckier to have our honored guests - THE KING and QUEEN! Let us celebrate! Come now, take your fill and eat, and then dance to your heart's content! The night is young yet, and there is much celebrating to be had!"

He leaves then, beyond the door - you cannot access it at the moment. But for now, you can enjoy the food - surely you'll be able to access it once the game starts. ]

Re: PRE-GAME MINGLE

[crimeson]

...I already want to be drinking but I absolutely shouldn't. Oof.

Re: PRE-GAME MINGLE

[cawnflict]

[ Hm yeah no he's deadass going for the wine right now. ]

Re: PRE-GAME MINGLE

[nihilmancy]

It's happening again.

[Seems to consider something for a moment, then she shrugs, grabs a bottle of wine, and swigs.]

Re: PRE-GAME MINGLE

[dragonblooming]

.... Hm.

Re: PRE-GAME MINGLE

[friskmanagement]

[You eat a donut hole. You're not sure what's going to be happening, but the snacks are good at least.

You stare at the bottled drink. It looks like some kind of red juice. You take the bottle and pour some into the glass. You swirl the glass a bit and sniff it.

It smells weird. Wonder how it tastes.]

Re: PRE-GAME MINGLE

[axeboyfriend]

[ At least one guy isn't bothered by eating overly fancy petit fours, tasting one before nodding. ]

Not bad.

GAME START

[hot_mess_express]

[ The "night" goes on. Maybe you enjoyed the party - maybe you didn't. Regardless, it all comes to a screeching halt as a scream rings in the air.

"THE KING! THE QUEEN! They're dead!"

All comes to a hush. The door swings open, accessible to you now; you can see down the hallway that there are several people turned to look at a young boy.

Seemingly unfazed, the young boy - THE PRINCE - looks straight to you.

"It seems we're in need of your skills, DETECTIVE." ]

Re: GAME START

[friskmanagement]

...

[You look behind yourself in the middle of eating a small cake.]

[You don't see the DETECTIVE.]

Where's the detective?

[ewestmarch]

[Looks behind her to see if the prince is talking to someone over her shoulder.

Short people problems.]

[crimeson]

[oh

he definitely should have drank, huh]

[ruinatings]

...Oh, lovely.

Re: GAME START

[bowtiedbones]

[well, ok,]

Oh this better not be a locked room-type one.

Re: GAME START

[dragonblooming]

Hm.

Re: GAME START

[cawnflict]

[ absolutely insulted he was just called a detective tbh ]

IC RULES & ROOMS

[hot_mess_express]

IC RULES
• THE CRIMINAL must be someone mentioned in the early part of the story.
• All supernatural or preternatural agencies are ruled out as a matter of course.
• Not more than one secret room or passage is allowable.
• No hitherto undiscovered poisons may be used, nor any appliance which will need a long scientific explanation at the end.
• No accident must ever help THE DETECTIVE, nor must THE DETECTIVE ever have an unaccountable intuition which proves to be right - in other words, THE DETECTIVE must submit evidence to prove their claims.
• THE DETECTIVE must not commit the crime.
• THE DETECTIVE must not be harmed.
• THE DETECTIVE must determine who did it and how in order to win.
• In the case of a tie, THE DETECTIVE must determine why the murderer did it.
• THE CRIMINAL must be executed at the end of the story.

ROOMS
Thyme, Senna, Licorice
Ginger, Jasmine, Clover, Hazel

Please let Youji or Mora know if you can't get into your room!

(frozen comment) TURN IN

[hot_mess_express]

You may choose to turn in as a group or individually.

THE CULPRIT: Please note any supporting answer you have.
THE METHOD: Please note any supporting evidence you have.
THE REASON: This is OPTIONAL.

<b>THE CULPRIT:</b> Please note any supporting answer you have. <b>THE METHOD:</b> Please note any supporting evidence you have. <b>THE REASON:</b> This is OPTIONAL.

(frozen comment) personal guess

[dragonheartedgirl]

THE CULPRIT: The Vizier. See his less-than-helpful interview . also she didn't see it but apparently he was reading a book on the seeds.
THE METHOD: seeds found in the larder where food was being prepared. suspicion of the food poisoning came from these notes based on evidence gathered by others
THE REASON: According to hazel interview with the prince the vizier and monarchs had a combative relationship (and dahlia's interview confirmed he is a rude shit)

(frozen comment) personal guess

[cawnflict]

THE CULPRIT: vizier
THE METHOD: poison
THE REASON: he hates you within 2 comments

(frozen comment) personal guess

[friskmanagement]

THE CULPRIT: The Noble. He panics when he learns the prince is somewhere you can talk to him and immediately goes to take him somewhere where you can't talk to him anymore.
THE METHOD: Poison. He sent his cook home and made the meal himself, then made it appear as if the servant made the meal by leaving a fake note.

(frozen comment) Personal Guess

[nihilmancy]

THE CULPRIT: The Noble. Had access to all of the staff and supplies in the house, including a book on poison found in the library. He was unusually controlling of the prince's movement and location, and moved the king and queen into the room where they died. He used charcoal found in a sack in the kitchen to immunize himself against the poison.
THE METHOD: Poison. Library, charcoal, etc.
THE REASON:

(frozen comment) personal guess

[ewestmarch]

THE CULPRIT: The Noble, based on the letters she was told about to the Vizier, and the fact that they were apparently invited to a party at his house with a long-dead King and Queen
THE METHOD: Poison with Rosary Peas in dinner, which he took charcoal to make himself immune from. Forged the note from the cook with his illegible handwriting to frame the Servant.
THE REASON: probably in line for the throne somehow, like shitty Arthas

(frozen comment) as a group?? some of group B but not all??

[dragonblooming]

THE CULPRIT: The Noble. Supporting evidence:
- Servant's testimony that the Noble seemed very anxious to have the dinner party go perfectly
- Letter from the Vizier telling the Noble not to do something about the royals because the Vizier had it handled
- Letter from (presumably) the noble talking about how desperate times call for desperate measures and mentioning that the nobles were offended by some of the comments the king and queen were making

THE METHOD: Rosary peas! Supporting evidence:
- Symptoms in those poisoned match the description in the book the Vizier was reading
- Actual rosary peas found in the larder, bag open as though they have been used

THE REASON: The possible reason could have been because the king and queen said something that the NOBLE couldn't accept since he is a sad sad man with a tragic past

WINNERS

[hot_mess_express]

[ You see a vision in the void.

You see THE NOBLE purchasing rosary seeds and grinding up the seeds into powder - he is careful to wear a mask and gloves. He has the powder mixed in with a lemon glaze that is made into pastries to be eaten by THE KING and THE QUEEN before the dinner party.

The vision disappears, replaced with another:

You see THE NOBLE being arrested. You see him with a sack on his head, walking to the execution grounds: the guillotine stands ominously. He is forced on his knees, held in place.

The blade swings down, and you see his head fall into the basket before the vision fades. ]

--

Both groups were able to discover who did it and how. All teams win 500 sparks! Thanks for playing, everyone!

Re: WINNERS

[hissoff]

[ ......... he's turning and walking away immediately. ]

ENDGAME

[hot_mess_express]

[ You return to the void. The final frontier, space. All items you had with you in the manor vanishes.

"Let's see, let's see, let's see...! Did you figure it out? Did our brilliant, wonderful heroes find the true source of today's misery?

...

Well~, even if you didn't! There's always next time, right? Just remember, every action has an equal, opposite reaction!" ]

Re: ENDGAME

[hissoff]

[ ......aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah...


haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. ]