[ WEEK TWO – TRIAL ]

[sheriffexe]

TRIAL

In the morning, the town comes back to life. Birds crow overhead, a snake nearby hisses, a lingering coyote dips behind a shop before disappearing into the wild. It's a frightening contrast to the stillness of yesterday but it doesn't mean it's over yet. After all, today is the trial. The Sheriff stands on the porch of the Town Hall and brings his hand up to his mouth to let out a whistle. He'll thumb back to the Hall behind him and very clearly state -- "Trial time, folks. Get in here and figure out who did it." And then he'll turn to leave before pausing and adding on, "Bring a snack or somethin' too. The Town Hall is set up more like a court house, a Judge's bench at the front but instead of at center, it's off to the side as if more for observation than participation. There's a table at the front of the room already holding a small box and a pad of papers and pen, for voting apparently. A side room containing only a metal gurney is next and today it's obvious why there's a gurney there at all with the corpse, resting right on top of it. Aside from that, there are rows for everyone to take a seat and it's only after everyone is inside and settled, that the doors close and the Sheriff speaks. "Well, have at it. You've got till nine." And then, he points to a clock on the wall that reads 12:00. Good luck. Welcome to the trial post! Characters are free to discuss everything related to the trial here. They won't be let out of the room until 9PM when voting ends. Every character must vote and the voting post can be found here. If there are any questions, please shoot a message to this journal or to robowest.

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THE SHERIFF

[sheriffexe]

[ Today, he is working on a small flute. ]

[tightly]

[ Wordlessly (teehee!), Chane is going to hand the Sheriff a freshly made sandwich - ham, cheese, lettuce and mustard on rye, snugly wrapped in plastic - before joining the trial proper. In doing so, she looks... the same as always, really. ]

[sheriffexe]

[ Well, thank you kindly, Chane. He'll raise an eyebrow at her but later she'll notice he does in fact eat the sandwich. ]

[combattente]

Where is the body? Have you already burnt it?

[Might as well ask, right?]

[sheriffexe]

[ Might as well. But the Sheriff doesn't look up from his whittling. ]

Nah. Just don't think y'all deserve it this time around.

[combattente]

And how exactly do you determine that?

[moraled]

I would ask you a question regarding... murders that have been cleared by you.

[Since it's pretty clear the sheriff has to know for the murders to count.]

Do murders require our own weaponry, or are you amenable to giving weapons to the would-be murderers should they request it of you?

[sheriffexe]

I offer weaponry, yeah. Something specific of the theme, usually. They can choose to accept or decline it.

[sidearmofthelaw]

What did that kid do to end up in the stocks?

[sheriffexe]

He was chosen, is all.

[hydrokinetics]

Morning, Sheriff. [He's going to do his best not to get yelled at this time, probably. Pray for him.] I've got a question for you. You told Mr. Barnham that you offer weapons to anybody committing a murder, and last week you told me and Papika that all murders have to be done with your hands and by your own merit so...I guess what I want to know is this. If somebody came up with a plan that involved somebody else's weapon, would they be able to have access to that? Or they'd have to figure out a way to take that for themselves?

[sheriffexe]

[ Good job, Percy. ]

They'd have to figure out a way to take it. If someone came to be with a plan that needed, say, an axe. I'd provide 'em the axe. Their choice how to use it and what to do with it. If someone had a plan that needed someone's sword [ He knows where you're going with this. ], I ain't gonna steal the sword for 'em. That's something they gotta figure out themselves how to get.

[ceded]

Hi, Sheriff Hal. [ she sees that flute he's working on. it makes her feel A Lot Of Things, none of which she's allowing herself to talk about or act on at the moment. ]

I wanted to ask if we could see the body. And if we can't, is there a reason why?

[hydrokinetics]

[Also zooms in here to hover because yes he has questions about the body, too, but he's just letting Xion do the talking.]

[sheriffexe]

You don't get it this trial. Didn't earn the right to it, no.

[flippity]

Old man, do you have any pain medicine?

[ she points at higekiri ]

He said it still hurts.

[sheriffexe]

[ He just pulls a bottle of aspirin out from underneath the Judge's bench and tosses it to her.

There you go. ]

[thatsthespirit]

Sheriff. Can you tell us if the victim had been given a "role" in this game?

[might as well ask the straightforward question first]

[sheriffexe]

[ He considers this for a moment. ]

Nope. Didn't.

[athenite]

Hi, Hal. [ GETS THAT OUT OF THE WAY AND THEN GETS DOWN TO BUSINESS: ] Can two people conspire on a murder together? If so, would they have to tell you about this and could they both receive a reward?

I MISSED THIS

[sheriffexe]

Hm. The possibility is there, yeah.

[moraled]

...There is one more thing I would like to clarify--regarding the matter of roles in this game. The victim did not have a role.

Would it be possible for someone with a role to ask someone else to murder on their behalf?

... Or is there a role to that extent?

[sheriffexe]

[ He considers this for a bit. ]

That is possible, yeah.

There is also a role to that extent, yes.

[hydrokinetics]

Sheriff Hal, can I ask you one more question? About doing things yourself. [It's important to him, and he's even being polite about it.] What really counts as a murderer? The one who comes up with the plan, the one who does the act, or do both of those count in this case and one person's just as guilty as the other?

[sheriffexe]

[ A thoughtful look and he's finishing up his flute. ]

The person who makes the kill is the murderer. That's who I'll name as guilty at the end of the trial if you catch them.

The person who helps the murderer is just an accomplice. If they've put enough work into the murder itself, they'll be rewarded but they're not the guilty party, specifically.