whimsicalism: (Default)
Castle W Mods ([personal profile] whimsicalism) wrote in [community profile] castle_whims2022-08-26 10:07 pm
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FIRST TRIAL

FIRST TRIAL



THE CONTAINMENT CENTER


After all the evidence is collected, the students themselves are as well. The Little Brother units gather them up in orderly fashion, encouraging the line to proceed two-by-two up the hallway beyond the music room and into the newly opened area. When grouped up together, the class just barely fits into the glass-paneled section of the decontamination chamber. It's hard not to wonder if the entire student body was never meant to make it this far in the first place. A short burst of pressurized air later and the panels lift - and, for the first time, the door to the containment facility opens before you. Behind it, an elevator beckons the class in. A Little Brother unit reaches inside, pushes a button, and the lift's real, see-through door closes before the lift begins to lower.

As the elevator descends, the car passes floor after floor of cellblocks. Start florescent lighting casts stark highlights onto each of them, and in those closest to the elevator car, shape after shape is visible. A wolf the size of an elephant with blood-tinged saliva dripping from it's massive fangs. A clown holding 20 multicolored balloons in one hand, a popped and shredded 21st hanging from the other out to you with a gap-toothed grin. A pit of writhing snakes with no beginning and no end. The feeling is comparable to the hungry, lingering gaze from outside the academy's fence. Looking out at the many cells, it's as if there's no barrier between them and the assembled students at all.

The car's moving too fast to see all of them clearly, but careful attention reveals one final detail: Some of them are completely empty. The other noticeable thing is the noise. Snarls, roars, sly chuckles, hissing, and even someone humming a haunting lullaby... they all mix together into a cacophony as you near the final destination.

When the elevator comes to a complete stop, the group is let out into a black-floored room illuminated by the same stark florescent lighting. Luckily, as soon as you go through the doorway the noise suddenly stops. The steep walls extend some two or three stories above without interruption, throwing stern, exaggerating angles reminiscent of brutalism. 21 stone podiums stand in a densely illuminated circle in the center of the room. Each one bears a name of one of the students in the class.

The Prefect is already waiting for everyone, sitting at a long desk backed by a projector screen bearing the same ram insignia from the post-spelling bee dance. Her hands are folded in front of her, and she barely moves.

"Looks like somebody attempted the alternative capstone. A week ago, I never would have believed it... but I know better now. Those who fall behind... just weaken the herd.

Luz, The Owlette, is dead. What a stupid title... I really hated it." The Prefect's expression staggers for a moment, then settles again. "Her murderer's still here, and the only way to prove that you deserve another chance in this school is to find them. Get the exam started."

There's a flicker on the screen behind her as the Principal speaks. "You heard Miss Kiryuu. We're beginning the exam, don't just stand around staring at each other!"

Investigation | Podium Layout | Locations | IC Profiles | IC Rules | Evidence | NPC Questions


OOC NOTES


While played out OOCly on Saturdays, trials ICLY take place the afternoon after investigations are concluded. This means that characters will have only a brief period of rest to gather their thoughts before being brought down. While the podium layout graphic shows room numbers, the real stone does bear characters' names.

The victim's body will not be available for reexamination during the trial but other pieces of evidence small enough to carry/move with you can be brought down into the trial. If you need mod input or NPC input in the middle of a thread please put 'MODS' in the header so we can see. Trials play out until the killer is caught or until around 8pm Eastern, at which point we'll try to wrap up. Good luck!

keyringwitness: (Default)

[personal profile] keyringwitness 2022-08-27 04:27 pm (UTC)(link)
But, um, Luz was using as much dirt as she could, and it looks like she even needed more than she had... and you said that the glyph wasn't that disturbed, right?

You might be, er, on the right track though. That this is something that the culprit did as part of their reaction to the murder, rather than having any tie to the murder itself.
shinedsobright: (Convenience Store)

[personal profile] shinedsobright 2022-08-27 04:27 pm (UTC)(link)


[Fret thought about replicating the papers, but turns out they were freaking everywhere, so he figured - you know what - the staff probably don't mind him helping them clean up a little. So he has just brought a few to the trial. You all dodged a bullet considering Fret's art style.]

Soooo... these sure were a thing?
imprefect: (34)

[personal profile] imprefect 2022-08-27 04:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Even if I did know, there's no way I can tell you. So asking isn't even going to get you anywhere.

Being your loyal Prefect, it might be too tempting to help you along, even if I know better. Obviously, I don't know who it was.

spychic: (C'mon girls it's almost time to)

[personal profile] spychic 2022-08-27 04:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Are these the glyphs?

[Anya tilts her head.]

Why are they just all written on papers for no reason...? Or is there a reason?
britbrat: (indignant)

[personal profile] britbrat 2022-08-27 04:29 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, that's because we don't know who it was yet. And I know who it was who stole my turtle.

[ Flawless logic? ]
temmapathy: (upset)

[personal profile] temmapathy 2022-08-27 04:29 pm (UTC)(link)
Lock him up first! He was going to kill the turtle!
keyringwitness: all icons from <user name=dressspheres site=tumblr> (Clever)

[personal profile] keyringwitness 2022-08-27 04:29 pm (UTC)(link)
These are the four basic glyph types that Luz taught me about... hm.

Remember the first day, when Miss Luz got into an, uh, argument with the L- Lady Prefect? She reached inside her pockets to pull something out and use it when she got heated, but never got that far...

Maybe these glyphs are how she fights?
holyironmade: (Alone)

HALLWAY TRAILS

[personal profile] holyironmade 2022-08-27 04:29 pm (UTC)(link)
[Jeanne has gathered up the pieces of paper from the investigation. Kuro is assigned to her side, which will make it easy to compare the glyphs to the other glyphs.]

We found a small but significant amount of blood in this area, the hallway that we should probably consider "between the playground and the gym". Naturally that was impractical to bring with us. Which is almost more curious, because there was a secondary trail of paper. Some pieces were sliced apart, while most were stepped upon with dirt. Someone... besides the intrepid investigators who were so kind as to help me... stepped in the blood - probably one of the more typical children in this group. Yet the paper purely dirt. It was as if someone hated and fought the paper itself.
keyringwitness: (Thinking Fast)

[personal profile] keyringwitness 2022-08-27 04:30 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm sorry... I don't know enough about h- how these work to figure that out. If I had enough time, then maybe I could guess, but...

[They're on a crunch right now.]
romancing: (the words are all escaping me)

[personal profile] romancing 2022-08-27 04:30 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't know if he would get any nutritional value from me. Don't predators want to spend their time hunting prey that's actually good for them? ♪

[ she'd be like cotton candy. tasty for 2 seconds and then Nothing ]
canreallymove: (I'm waaaaiiitiiing!)

[personal profile] canreallymove 2022-08-27 04:30 pm (UTC)(link)
And they put the pot in the kitchen? That’s kinda weird though. There’s no way no one wouldn’t find it!
noblesnow: Reika looking doubtful and wearing a headband ((R) yeah about that)

[personal profile] noblesnow 2022-08-27 04:30 pm (UTC)(link)
I see.

[So no tricking her into accidentally giving them hints...]
spychic: (She woke up to change the world)

[personal profile] spychic 2022-08-27 04:30 pm (UTC)(link)
...

[Anya pauses.]

Can we tell if they were used? Is there any mark for that?
cellpreservation: ([Surprise] it's so lonely)

[personal profile] cellpreservation 2022-08-27 04:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, is that what they were?

I got one from the vending machine the other day.
noblesnow: Reika cheerfully discussing crushes ((R) who do you like)

[personal profile] noblesnow 2022-08-27 04:31 pm (UTC)(link)
[Reika would hold her hand, but unfortunately their podiums aren't together and she can't just ignore the assigned "seating!"]
lets_dewey_it: (distrustful)

[personal profile] lets_dewey_it 2022-08-27 04:32 pm (UTC)(link)
copycut: (13)

[personal profile] copycut 2022-08-27 04:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Mm-hm. The glyph was completely pristine.

What I'm suggesting is that the pot you found in the kitchen was actually another one Luz had prepared, but never had the chance to use. Still, that leaves the question of why our culprit would have moved it, rather than simply burying the knife and leaving everything out on the playground.
holyironmade: (Chuckle)

[personal profile] holyironmade 2022-08-27 04:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Going by the tone of the rules... I think that "no time limit" is a very unsafe assumption...
bellabellabella: (6)

THE BODY

[personal profile] bellabellabella 2022-08-27 04:33 pm (UTC)(link)
[Well the ride down was unsettling, but he's already been feeling a little bleak. They do have a job to do, however.]

I examined the body. Yuta and Dylan were in the room with me, and can confirm some of the observations, though neither of them got so... close as I did. I couldn't confirm time of death, but for what it's worth, it had not entirely cooled when I touched it.

Luz was killed by a single stab wound to the chest. There was no significant angle to the wound that I could see, which makes it likely that the culprit was of a similar height instead of significantly shorter or taller or is able to fly, or that Luz was lying down when originally stabbed. If it was someone who was significantly shorter or taller then there would probably be some kind of upward or downward angle to the wound.

It was not very large, and was likely made by a knife or scissors, or something with similar dimensions. Not a sword, or an axe.

She might have known what was happening. There was a gash on her arm which might be a defensive wound. Her fingertips and fingernails, however, had dirt on them, but no blood, so it is unlikely that she managed to scratch the culprit, unless she used some kind of tool, however the fact that her hands were dirty might mean she was using them to dig or bury something before she was killed.

The puddle of blood she was lying in seemed like the right size for someone of her size bleeding to death, so if she was moved from somewhere else it is probable that the knife was only removed after she was placed where she was found. There were no signs of significant movement or struggle. Despite this, she had blood on the soles of her shoes, which were... not being worn as might be expected. They seemed to be too loose, and disheveled.
Edited 2022-08-27 16:36 (UTC)
canreallymove: (D'oh!)

[personal profile] canreallymove 2022-08-27 04:34 pm (UTC)(link)
[Hey. Uh.

Sonic offers his hand to her. It’ll e ok. It has to be.]
noblesnow: Reika looking pensive about something (and wearing an absurdly large bow tie) ((R) come to think of it)

[personal profile] noblesnow 2022-08-27 04:34 pm (UTC)(link)
[Reika studies them...]

A coat hanger, a house on a hill, a person diving, and Santa Claus?
spychic: (Better watch out 'cuz count of three)

[personal profile] spychic 2022-08-27 04:35 pm (UTC)(link)
[it's appreciated, reika.]
normalnotroyal: (you had your fears i was fine)

[personal profile] normalnotroyal 2022-08-27 04:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Easy defeats the whole point of the project, no? Tossing the knife in the garbage would make it easy to retrace the culprit's steps and if we find the culprit then they don't win.

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