Take Responsibility.

[wordsmithery]

The time allotted for investigation this week is a bit longer than normal - not due to anything done wrong on the part of the Apprentices, but perhaps due to a basic understanding that two corpses are going to be decidedly more difficult to handle than one. However, at the end of the time period you've been given, the elevator is waiting for you, as cold and sterile as always in its journey up to the courtroom; you're down to almost half of your original number, and if anything is going to indicate that this shows no signs of stopping, it's probably this week. The deceased have had three more join their numbers since you were here last - Gold, Varric, and Viktor's portraits have been greyed-out and set atop their spots in the podium circle, the podiums themselves draped in black fabric. As always, the lectern above stands empty. Whether he's with you or not, however, once everyone has found their place in the circle, the Wordsmith's voice can be heard throughout the room. "Welcome back. Two more Apprentices are missing from your number today, and I have little doubt that weighs heavily on your minds. Balanced and Capricious have been lost to you, so that the guilty may have a chance to leave the academy and possibly even gain something otherwise impossible to attain. If you wish for your fallen Apprentices to receive justice in death, then you know what to do: yet again, hold the guilty accountable." Sixteen Apprentices remain. However many leave here at the end of the day has yet to be seen.

Comments

[elepe]

Estellise, that's enough!

[Yeeeep, this is. Not a good tone but she doesn't care.]

[firstaid]

Why? All we are doing is identifying the source! Why won't you let me do this?

[foundfate]

Because there's people stronger than you who want to wait! Would Varric be happy if you got hurt trying to prove this one thing?

[elepe]

Because we don't know what actually happened and if we all stay on this, we will all die!!

[...it's at least slightly truthful.]

Besides that, he would have had all of that on him if he attacked Viktor, and those were on Varric's clothes, were they not?

[introspects]

Then I will reiterate what I said earlier--we should do a clothing check.

Sure, the culprit may have changed clothes; but if they didn't, there would be bloodstains on them. Even on their shoes, perhaps.

[matchbreaker]

[ . . Okay so like: ]

Assuming they killed Viktor, that is. Tethras didn't have a lot blood on the scene, did he?

[introspects]

Not blood from his own wounds, no. It was blood from Viktor-san.

[matchbreaker]

Well then, the killer might not have any blood on them.

Because the killer might've only killed Tethras.

[introspects]

...

[ oh....oh, shit. ]

You're saying that Varric-san killed Viktor-san? But...then that doesn't explain the shower. Why would it have been used it the culprit didn't have any blood on them?

[matchbreaker]

How should I know? I'm just saying that yes, it's possible that Tethras killed Viktor.

[firstaid]

[Estelle's back at her podium and looks defeated.]

Given the circumstances, it could be likely that... Varric is the one who killed Viktor.

The one who killed Varric could... have done so in revenge.

[tsugomori]

... Well, I do also believe Varric killed Viktor. Varric was covered in blood, or something like that, right? If he had all of that over him, then he had to have been rather close to Viktor, when he died.

As for the culprit showering, this is just a guess, but...maybe when they were fighting with Varric, the blood that was on Varric managed to become transferred to them. They also touched the Hammer too, presumably?

[foundfate]

If Viktor and Varric were talking, then he really could have been right next to Viktor when he died. Plus, think of the height difference: he would have had to swing that hammer in a very specific way to hit Viktor's head like that.

[foundfate]

He wouldn't.

[That was rather quick, so he stops to explain himself better.]

I already know what Varric's wish would have been. I work at a wish shop, and I promised to have that wish granted for him when we got out of here. There was no reason for him to kill anyone.

[matchbreaker]

[ . . . Well shit, that's a good one ]

Seriously? That's convenient.

A....CHECK?

[foundfate]

[ACTUALLY while all of the attention is on Gangrel and Estelle like this, Watanuki is going to look around the circle at everyone.

Where is everyone standing, and what are they doing? He's specifically looking for anyone that might be reacting weird to this shouting match (like smiling or something).]

[introspects]

[ your not!girlfriend is here at her podium being angry ]

[matchbreaker]

[ Elda's been trying to reassure Lusamine a little, but mostly she's sort of angrily pensive, trying to work this out ]

[elepe]

[Lusamine's kind of shaking and attempting to stan for the tyrant, and very angry.]

[iaspis]

[Jasper's right next to Gangrel, looking pretty neutral.

Not suspiciously neutral, but the sort of serious/blankish look a bodyguard focused on their job might have.]

[oyashiromama]

[Her usual spot, looking pensive but very tired.]

[deofoled]

[ Doing what he's been doing for 90% of this trial, which is eating.]

[sportadork]

[stress eating an apple core bc everyone's yelling and this is hard.]

[tsugomori]

[ He's rather focused on the trial, and as always hes managing to look calm ]

[byday]

[he's at his podium and angrily glaring at gangrel and his defense squad]