[ 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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Comments

[alcobrawlic]

Okay, so just to make sure we're all on the same page here...

[ waving a hand. ]

We've learned from the Sheriff that he can provide a weapon based on an older Western theme, but not anything specific, so he at least wouldn't have just handed Higekiri's sword self to our killer. Our decomposing friend also didn't have a role.

Higekiri was the one to point out that the victim didn't have long to live, because he was scheduled to die back home... but he didn't want to say who told him that. From the way he put it, I don't think it was the victim himself... he's clearly trying to protect someone who he 'cannot let die', but says that someone isn't 'that person'.

What we do know about the murder right now is that Manfred was stabbed in the tailor's, but since we can't stare at his body, we can't say for sure if the sword was the murder weapon or if someone went crazy with a pair of scissors or whatever. Higekiri also got into a fight with someone unknown, and before that, Xion saw our dead friend leave the hotel with a note between eleven and midnight on the camera. She also saw Higekiri leave, but his sword wasn't on him. Like true acrobats, they used the windows to get out.

So right now, we're still trying to figure out what the hell the note found on our dead buddy means.

[moraled]

[He's nodding along with this summary, thoughtfully. Hmmm...]

The main points of concern, that I can see, are as follows:

One, how the victim was murdered, as that may very well point to whether or not Sir Silent Sword was framed or not.

Two, why Sir Sword Won't Say A Lot and the victim left the premises, which may very well have something to do with the note the victim held.

Three, who it is our Silent Sword Friend is protecting, or, at the very least, why.

[alcobrawlic]

... I'm working on that, but you miiiiight want to tone down your grump a bit.

[moraled]

This is a trial for murder, not a tea party. There is no reason to so stubbornly hold your silence and be so vague as a suspect, unless you truly do not care to find the truth--or are hiding something.

[thatsthespirit]

Higekiri also insisted that his sword was stolen after curfew while he was making tea, but neither him nor the victim were seen leaving the hotel with said sword. The camera didn't catch any third parties leaving the hotel after the front doors were locked.

So the pressing question in my mind is. . . how did Higekiri's scabbard get to the tailor's in the first place?

[tightly]

Did anyone else see it be stolen?

[ Chane can only answer your questions with more questions, Milla... ]

[thatsthespirit]

No one said they did.

[but maybe they just didn't speak up???]

[tightly]

It's possible that Higekiri could have placed the sword inside the tailor's shop ahead of time, created the situation with the note, arrived at the shop after Manfred, killed him in the ensuing severe altercation and then brought himself to the clinic to patch himself up.

The scabbard would have been left there as a red herring. Or, perhaps, he simply could not retrieve it at that time.

[ Maybe von Karma fell on it and was too heavy to lift? ... Chane does not write that particular bit down.

Also, don't expect her to defend her theory, she's tired of writing now. ]

[thatsthespirit]

But his roommate confirmed he had his sword with him when he returned to the hotel that evening.

So I'm not sure that's it.

[athenite]

Who lets a weapon they own out of their sight in this situation? Tea or no.

[ SHE DOESN'T BUY THAT... ]

[thatsthespirit]

Do you think he's lying, then?

[Milla's jury is still out on that one]

[athenite]

I'd need a much better explanation as to "whoops someone took it without me noticing" - which is what I gather is the explanation here? - to think he wasn't.

[thatsthespirit]

[she nods]

I understand. Frankly, I have no viable theories on what happened myself.

[a_sin_for_him]

So either someone is lying or confused about their timeline of events, or we have one among us who is apparently able to move about without being seen.

[thatsthespirit]

Or someone is lying.

[throwing that out there]

Or the culprit who stole Higekiri's sword knew about the camera and purposefully avoided it.

[dubiousalignment]

It's unlikely there was anyone who didn't know about the camera. Not only we had a meeting about it, it's also the kind of information anyone would tell those who weren't at the meeting.

[thatsthespirit]

Right. Which doesn't exactly help us narrow down the list of possible scenarios.

[a_sin_for_him]

Yes, that was my thought. Someone who knows enough to avoid being detected, who can move about without drawing attention or being seen. While carrying a noticeable weapon - swords aren't small things, easily tucked into a pocket.

[thatsthespirit]

And who do you think is capable of such movement? Or do you not have anyone specific in mind?

[athenite]

I suppose comparing handwriting to the note would be a little bit difficult...but the options for that kind of thing are either a trap or an honest offer to share information only, correct?

[generously]

That Higekiri fella, he didn't say who he got in a fight with?

[moraled]

No, he did not. Merely that it was "someone".

[generously]

Don't you think you oughta press him a little harder? Information like that could even save his own life.

[moraled]

Pah. Certainly.

However, an uncooperative witness is only so for very, very few reasons.

It is something to note.

[generously]

Do you think he's guilty?