[ WEEK THREE – 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

[hydrokinetics]

I know they're probably randomized and don't mean a whole lot, but considering Higekiri was one them and he was one of our bandits last week, is it worth looking at the people on the Most Wanted posters?

[Yeah so like. Guess. What. He. Forgot....]

[robitussin]

You think the Sheriff would tell us how those are picked out if we asked him?

[a small shrug]

It can't hurt.

[hydrokinetics]

Nothing can hurt at this point. It's worth a shot. Wanna go, or should I?

[robitussin]

I'll ask.

[brb percy]

[robitussin]

[zooms back]

So. He picks based on who he thinks is funniest, this week it's because he thinks all of them are high strung, and he's not going to tell me whether or not bandits are always included in the list.

My guess would be no, because if they were... That makes it way easier for us. I don't think he'd do that.

[hydrokinetics]

Why would he ever make any of this shit easy? [That frustration's creeping back into his voice.] So we're pretty much right back where we started. Awesome.

[moraled]

[Well............]

That is certainly a possibility we must address.

[He won't deny it just because he was on the posters!!]

Though I wonder that that may be too obvious for the sake of the Sheriff's "game".

[If they have to pick bandits from just three people, that's a little too easy, right...]

[hydrokinetics]

[Thanks Barnham, be glad he hasn't made the "burning witches" "burning girlfriend" connection.]

Oh I think it's really obvious, but it's the same way there's a lot of things in this string of events that seem too obvious. This was mean to really distract us and send us down a lot of wrong paths. Doesn't mean we shouldn't at least look...then we can clear them. What do we really know about Tarvek and Eliot?

[moraled]

[BURN ALL THE WITCHES-- wait]

We must consider every possible option. If that is the case... we may have a chance.

[To actually find the bandits...]

I am afraid I know little of either, however. I have spoken only with Tarvek, and only in the midst of trials.

[ceded]

... I don't know much about him either.

[ Piping up softly, her voice noncommittal. ]

I think he's nice, and I trust him, but I don't really know anything about his life.

[flippity]

Tarvek is a prince.

[ she shoots an apologetic look over towards wherever he is since it feels #bad revealing someone else's tragic backstory. ]

He said that people stole his kingdom from him and he's trying to get it back. I don't know anything about the other one though.

[insincerely]

Mr. Spencer was pretty unhappy about Mr. Sheriff giving everyone guns on the first day and wary about how things could go wrong. He also seemed pissed off about the idea of "kids" getting involved in all this.

[He shrugs.]

Of course, all of that could amount to crap.

[feminitis]

...when we first met, Mister Spencer said he had no intention of using his gun.

[Sei bites her lip.]

Of course I can't say what he was doing that night because I wasn't in our room but... during the nights we did sleep there together, he did nothing to arouse my suspicions. ...I trust him.

[robitussin]

Tarvek is apparently from a world where mad scientists are super common, and Eliot told me he once rigged an election to remove a corrupt leader from a country.

[A pause, like she's thinking of something, but she shrugs.]

That's all I've got.

[dubiousalignment]

I'm willing to answer any questions you may have.

[Although he reserves his right to keep some secrets by omitting them, of course. Would this...be useful for the trial? Tarvek doesn't think it is, but if it helps dispel any suspicions on him then it's good]

[hitsitoff]

I'm happy tellin' you anything you wanna know, but I dunno how much you're gonna value my word right now. Not like I got any way to guarantee I'm not lying.

[a_sin_for_him]

I know Eliot enough to claim 'well, in this circumstance. He's a logical man, intelligent, capable, bothered by the circumstances...he's not cold blooded or particularly violent. Even his crimes aren't violent crimes, he's a thief.

[Eliot is one of the people here that she actually likes.]

[elemancy]

...Milla said something about being suspicious of Tarvek.

[and he recalls that being one of the people having a most wanted poster this week.]

Might be something to explore. [maybe? he can't say since he's really not sure of anything with tarvek, but that's the only sort-of lead he can string together from these two things.]

[hydrokinetics]

Yeah? [His hands are idly brushing over the unbandaged parts of Mrs. O'Leary but his eyes are alert all the same.] Suspicion still gives us something to start ruling people out, I figure. If he's innocent, we'll find out soon enough.

[elemancy]

Yeah. Nothin' to hide if someone's actually innocent, right?

[these things tend to make themselves clearer when people start talking. it may not be so easy to see who isn't innocent, but the ones who clearly are tend to get ruled out easily enough.

he's doing his best here, he knows how badly they have to get this one right.]

[moraled]

[A simple nod.]

At a point such as this, we must explore every possible venue. We do not have the luxury of mistakes. We have this time--we must use it.

[elemancy]

Right. Not... really sure how we start figuring that part out, but I guess we gotta try.

[he's not good at this stuff. help, notdad.]

[thatsthespirit]

[AH. . .]

[and Tarvek is the one she sort of suspects might have faked being put to sleep so he could hide the camera in the Sheriff's station]

I think it's worth looking into the individuals on the wanted posters.

[hydrokinetics]

Where do we even start then? [There are three. That's a lot to parse at the moment.]

[thatsthespirit]

Well, I know that Barnham has an alibi. He and Lust confirmed it for each other.

[which!! leaves Tarvek and Eliot]