week one: trial

[cyclists]

Week One: Trial
27 in Competition

It may be difficult to sleep with the light shining so brightly throughout the night, but the participants can rest easy knowing they will not be plagued by unwanted, disturbing dreams. Early the next day, a bell chimes and all will feel compelled to enter the main meeting hall.

The hall looks mostly the same as it always has, the two thrones for Lune and Sol at the head of the room and scrolls hanging from the walls. The metal box sits on a table near the front, along with a glass box perfectly centered before the benches in the room. Now that the trial is in session, Tokidoki, Nana, and Junna's coffins are open, and their bodies will be available for examination.

Lune and Sol are seated in their thrones, patiently waiting for the last participant to settle. Sol remains quiet, looking over to Lune to allow them to speak first.

"Even if it is a rather daunting task ahead of you, I hope that each of you will not lose hope. One step at a time, one step at a time. It is not hopeless."

When they finish, Sol sits up a little taller in their seat to address everyone.

"I'm only going to say this once. I know it's not an ideal situation, but...the votes count, and the universe only gives one warning. Can we try not to repeat last week?" There's a pause. "You have nine hours. Let's start."

✩★✩

Hello, everyone, and welcome to the second trial!

We'll go over a few notes briefly as we will be playing this trial a bit differently than other games.

As noted, there was no investigation period on Friday. However, today participants will have the chance to investigate areas in the game setting as they see fit! This can be done by providing the name of the location you want to visit to the host header comment. To help with the ease of the trial and for IC mechanics, only one location may be visited at a time. In addition, these locations can be manipulated and adjusted upon request to test theories and solve puzzles, so please feel free to ask if you're searching for clues! Your host will also be accompanying you on these visits.

Most importantly, before the trial is over, please place your character's vote over on the voting page. Voting will close at 9pm EST/6pm PST, and will serve as our activity check for the week, so please be sure you get your vote in before it ends unless you have contacted us previously.

If you have any questions at any time, please let do us know by pinging us on Discord! Dana and Ty will be in the chat and available for all questions. Thank you, and have fun!

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LOCATION INVESTIGATION

[cyclists]

[For sake of organization, all areas being examined will be provided beneath this toplevel. A mod reply with the location in the header will be supplied to individual groups as the trial proceeds.]

GATEWAY - KITCHEN

[cyclists]

[Sol turns and heads out of the meeting hall toward the gateway opening, the sun still high in the sky. Though as they enter the edge of it, they will raise a hand from their robe, two fingers extended. The tips of them glow with a dark fire, and Sol will move their hands in a counter-clockwise circle. It's a bit clumsier than Lune's movements last week, but it seems to have the desired effect.

As they do this, the area in front of them will seem to rewind. They'll watch the color of the sky change from bright and then return to the darkness that cased over everything on Thursday evening.

A glance back to their exploring party and Sol will incline their head to gesture forward:]

Ready when you are.

[And when they step through the gateway, they will find themselves in the kitchen.]

[nonbelligerent]

Thank you, Sol.

[all right, first things first as shess steps forward. what's the state of the furniture?]

[foodbin]

[While Shess looks there, she’s going to examine the stove and the area around it.]

[cyclists]

[For the most part, everything looks pretty untouched. There are no signs of struggles, no signs of anything flipped over, etc. However, when Emma looks around the stove and the area around it, including the oven, she will find some dark crumbs.

Shess may also notice that some pans and dishes have been used and put away. Clearly someone was here, at least.]

[nonbelligerent]

[anything on the plates? residue, or whatever.

does the area smell like banana bread, important question.

anyway, he's going to walk into the freezer! anything inside?]

[foodbin]

[If she takes a closer look (and picks a small amount up to smell them) can she identify what they were?

She’s also going to check the area to see if any cooking instruments or utensils (mostly knives) are missing.]

[cyclists]

[There are more crumbs to be found, soft and malleable like whatever treat was made was very fresh. Both of them will be able to tell from the scent in the air and also the crumbs that the treats are brownies. The crumbs are also a little warm to the touch, freshly out of the oven.

There's nothing in the freezer beyond an icy chill, and surprisingly all tools are accounted for here. Wow. Congrats on not stealing shit from the kitchen!]

[nonbelligerent]

[okay, wandering back out, as he sniffs the air.]

Junna and Nana were fond of baking.

[putting that out there.

anyway, does the sink look like it's been used?]

CASINO

[cyclists]

[Sol turns and heads out of the meeting hall toward the gateway opening, the sun still high in the sky. Though as they enter the edge of it, they will raise a hand from their robe, two fingers extended. The tips of them glow with a dark fire, and Sol will move their hands in a counter-clockwise circle. It's a bit clumsier than Lune's movements last week, but it seems to have the desired effect.

As they do this, the area in front of them will seem to rewind. They'll watch the color of the sky change from bright and then return to the darkness that cased over everything on Thursday evening.

A glance back to their exploring party and Sol will incline their head to gesture forward:]

...good luck.

[They're going to need it, it seems, because as they enter the casino they'll find a huge mess on their hands all across the room. Where should they start first?]

[specialdog]

[ Akane is heading over towards the slots to see what that disaster area looks like! It's definitely to investigate the potential of a murder using those machines!!! ]

What the heck? Why is this place totally wrecked?

[omegathree]

There may have been a fight? Either before or after.

[But that's not even a little consistent to the evidence on Toki's body.

He's also going toward the slots. Have any of them fallen?]

[cyclists]

[As they walk toward the slot machines, they'll notice that they're walking over some evidence itself. If they look at the floor even once, they'll see that there are drag marks in the thin carpet, leading straight to the baccarat table. However, since they're hyperfocused on those slot machines...

...the slots are hilariously untouched. They kind of look beaten up like they've been used a lot this week? But they're all still upright and operating so there's that.]

[specialdog]

There must have been...

[ It's pretty easy to look and see that those slots are. Just slots. So Akane gives Valvatorez an amused look because there goes that theory, but... Also they're in the right place after all? Clearly?

She follows the drag marks on the floor to go check out the baccarat table. ]

Oh, it's the game Hisoka-san taught me to play.

[omegathree]

[Well. They got to the right place, even if they didn't use the right idea to end up here. All's well that ends well(?)

While Akane looks at the table, he'll be kneeling down. What do these drag marks look like?]

Did it involve cards?

[cyclists]

[The drag marks look as though a body was pulled from the entrance toward the baccarat table. As for the table itself, there are a lot of empty glasses...all along the table, there are glasses with just the smallest amount of alcohol in them lined up as they were drained. There's alcohol spilled on the table and on the floor, and next to all of the empty glasses there's one full glass of alcohol.]

[specialdog]

Yeah.

[ Hmm... Too bad her phone is dead right now or she could snap photos. Are the glasses lined up like someone was just having a good time taking a row of shots? Are any knocked over to explain the spill?

She'll also inspect that full alcohol glass. Is there... Anything about it that's distinct except for that it's the only one that's full? ]

Hey, we can take stuff back to show people, right?

ELEVATOR

[cyclists]

[Sol turns and heads out of the meeting hall toward the gateway opening, the sun still high in the sky. Though as they enter the edge of it, they will raise a hand from their robe, two fingers extended. The tips of them glow with a dark fire, and Sol will move their hands in a counter-clockwise circle. It's a bit clumsier than Lune's movements last week, but it seems to have the desired effect.

As they do this, the area in front of them will seem to rewind. They'll watch the color of the sky change from bright and then return to the darkness that cased over everything on Thursday evening.

A glance back to their exploring party and Sol will incline their head to gesture forward:]

...be careful, okay?

[And when they step through the gateway, they will find the doors of the elevator opening for them as a smoky, burnt scent wafts out. The elevator itself...well. Let's just say that the interior is pretty messed up, the walls scorched at first glance and piles of smashes, almost unidentifiable items scattered about.

Examine?]

[globs]

[ check out this weird-ass group of explorers!!

Cinnabar looks a bit shocked when the elevator opens. There's a lot in there they want to look at -- but, after glancing over at the other two and giving them a small nod, they turn to look at Sol again. ]

... If I step inside, it's not going to collapse, is it?

[ they weigh a lot, and when they got in with Hisoka the other day, they were already worried it was going to fall - and that was when it was in fine condition. ]

[quailvering]

[............ oh! if it's risky, he can use his special talent]

I- I barely weigh anything, a- and even if it fell, I can fly!

[papawolf]

[ he remembers the scroll, but it's still hard to believe they weigh that much. raising a brow, before he carefully steps inside to check it out. does the bird need a hand up or a lift? ]

[cyclists]

[From outside of the elevator, Sol shakes their head.] You'll be alright. It's safe for checking on things.

[And yet they aren't joining them inside? Even if one of them is a bird it would get crowded, so by the time all three are there, they can get a better look.

The walls of the elevator are obviously scorched as if something hot struck and blackened them. There's...also blood on the floor and the walls. Metal bits and glass from the lights inside the elevator are scattered across the floor in no real pattern, but there's a mangled hunk of something toward the center, along with a smashed box of some kind.]

[globs]

[ Cinnabar at least recognizes the blood for what it is now. ]

... This must be where she died.

[ their voice is cool, despite everything. The mangled... chunk would probably be better observed by someone else with a better idea of what they're looking at, so Cinnabar heads to the box, crouching down to get a better look at it. What's this box! ]

[quailvering]

[he doesn't need one, but looking suddenly at the amount of blood and wreckage... he might]

[either way, as a resident Modern Birdie he will start looking at the mangled junk of something, maybe with directing feral on where's a decent place to set him]

[papawolf]

[ giving a nod at cinnabar. and yeah... he'll try to find a railing or something to set the bird on.

is there anything on the buttons maybe to say if they were going to a particular floor? ]