Third Trial

[thecastle]

THIRD TRIAL

Saturday, Week 3

UNCOVER THE GUILTY PARTY


No one can resist the tug that urges them forward and into the Great Hall. There's no point in lingering within the safe confines of your bed or loitering in the castle halls. Neither will shield you from these tedious trials nor will they keep you from witnessing the ghastly scenes that follow. Most of you have reluctantly accepted this as your reality. Right now, it probably feels like there's no stopping the course you're on. All you can do is hold on tight and wait for Sunday to come. If you can just get through this trial, surely next week won't end in disappointment and tragedy.

It's only when all twenty-two of you are present that the doors in the Great Hall fly open, allowing everyone to enter into the trial room. The only surprise here it is if anyone's still shocked by the display.

As soon as you enter, it's easy to see that the only difference from last week is there are less of you to fill the seats around the table. Likely because of how spacious the room is, with so many of your number missing it's starting to feel a little lonely. With a quick glance, you can see the profiles still lining the walls. Their presence serves as a grim reminder of those whose lives have been lost, just in case the absence of their voices wasn't enough.

When everyone settles into their respective seats, The Sage's cold voice seeps in through their pendants.

"It is time, my warriors, to meet the challenge head on. Thus far, your quick wit and perseverance have prevented these trials from meeting an unrighteous end. As you come upon your third tribunal, I can only ponder if this trend will continue.

May you be blessed with only the best of fortune. You will need it."

As soon as the Sage finishes speaking, five images flicker into sight as if brought to life by a projector. Seeing how there's no such device present, it may not be a stretch to consider magic is at work here.

Soldier on, Warriors.

22 REMAIN

---

locations | profiles | voting

Comments

[devilsphysician]

Perhaps the soil from the greenhouse?

[tangas]

Right, but then what did they use to dig it up? And why didn't we find anything? [ he shrugs. ] Dunno, maybe we did. Guess we can check hands or certain evidence for the earthy smell.

[godinsolitude]

If they used their hands, there could be soil under their nails, I suppose.

[devilsphysician]

[With that, he pulls his gloves off, offering his hands for inspection - and the gloves as well. The first thing one notices is his hands have faint chemical stains and small burn scars]

[tangas]

[ uh ok not his fetish but he'll have a sniff. first the hands and then the gloves. ]

[devilsphysician]

[His hands smell like well human skin, a bit of soap but his nails are clean of soil and earthy or lemony smells. From the look on Georik's face, he isn't enjoying this either or really expecting his hands to be sniffed.

The gloves are similarly free of smells or signs of digging in dirt]

[maddogs]

Not if they were wearing gloves.

[irrationalities]

Then we just check their gloves too. If you're gonna dig shit up wearing those, it wouldn't be that easy to get rid of all the evidence.

[maddogs]

Maybe they used lemons an' the river.

[godinsolitude]

Unfortunately, it's only a possibility. And if they did cook dinner, they'd have washed their hands well beforehand....

[At least Ayumu hoped they would if they had any sense of kitchen hygiene.]

[originallutece]

There could be, but what kind of idiot wouldn't clean their hands and nails?

[irrationalities]

If you're not an idiot, then it won't hurt to check your hands then.

[originallutece]

[THE FLATTEST OF LOOKS, but she presents her hands. They're clean, and there's no dirt or grime under her nails. They also smell faintly of soap, but no lemons.]

[gyakusatsu]

[Misora is completely on Ros's side on this one; what kind of blithering idiot would handle a poisonous root with their hands and not bother to wash them afterwards, but okay....

Her hands and nails are clean. No earthy odors.]

[breakingthrough]

[.......really guys.]

I hate to tell you this but I'm an Earth Seraph. What do you think I smell like?

[TWO FUKKIN GUESSES THE FIRST DON'T COUNT.]

If you want to confirm it, you can compare me and my brother.

[smell... comparison.]

[coinflipped]

[He comes up next to Edna as she says this.]

Feel free to compare me to her. As she said, she's an Earth Seraph and I am, too.

[HE'S ALSO FUCKING WATCHING ALL OF YOU SNIFFING PERVS OUT THERE.]

[tangas]

[ his face when he smells the both of them. NOT THE FACE OF SOMEONE ENJOYING IT OK. this is the least sexy thing he's ever done.

but ya he'll check their hands, any gloves, etc for dirt and earth and lemons. ]

[browbeater]

I handled the salad and the lemons, and I wear gloves.

[he holds up his hands-- his gloves, though worn, do not look like they have any dirt on them whatsoever, and his hands are clean]

This is not a good test.

[tangas]

Hey, I'd love it if someone else could come up with a better test, too.

[ until then he'll pay for his sins by reluctantly smelling mako's hands and gloves. ]

[browbeater]

[like he said, he'd handled the lemon and the salad. But for now, the lemon is the only smell on his hands, in part because it got on his gloves.]

[breakingthrough]

[Sup investigating buddy. How's it goin'?]

I can't confirm the smell wasn't there before, but I can say that I saw him playing in the salad and with the lemon, so it's not like it says anything for sure.

MOD PING

[irrationalities]

[...

I guess we're smelling more things for great justice getting out of this room quicker. What's that mandrake root he pulled yesterday smell like on its own, and how's it smell when he splits one open?]

[thecastle]

[ The extra mandrake Mahiro brought with him smells like how it should. I.e, the root gives off an earthy scent; it's the same when he splits it open. ]

MOD PING

[tangas]

[ you know what since he's on a smelling spree, miyamura's gonna use his nose on the mortar and pestle and heck even the key of lorelei because natalia could've been up to something according to some peeps. anything for him to notice? ]

[thecastle]

[ It only smells like both items have been in the river, but nothing else! ]