trusthell | Take Responsibility.

For the third time, those elevator doors at the end of the first-floor corridor open up at the end of the allotted investigation period; the ride down is, as ever, smooth and quick-moving.

You're down by five.

When the doors slide open, the podium circle still stands in stark contrast to that now-familiar black void of a courtroom, and once again, it's changed to reflect your losses – Caren and Mion have joined those with podiums draped in black, their framed greyscale profile portraits staring out at the rest of you.

(The portrait of Pearl hasn't been removed from her room, but it seems the Kingmaker has replaced it with another; either way, her photograph is in the courtroom along with the rest.)

As before, the Kingmaker waits until everyone is settled at their podiums before he speaks; he still isn't visible, but he can clearly be heard, his voice coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once.

"Capable has been taken from you. I'll confirm one thing for you so no one will waste time asking – the killer wasn't me. Looks like the guilty decided to take a shot at Rule Seven after all – and whether they succeed or not is up to you."

Twenty-two Survivors remain. We'll see how many the group has lost at the end of the day.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Well that was strange.]

...Very well, then. Thank you.

[Colress looks slightly suspicious, but he accepts the piece without further comment for now.]

Mr. Banner, Tarrlok, both of you expressed interest before me. Would you like me to confirm anything about it or would you like a closer look yourselves?

Can you try and compare it against the device that the kingmaker gave us?

[...super far fetched idea but there you go.]

...You know, I had exactly the same idea, so... Colress, if you do that, I don't need it passed my way.

[good job mind melding, us.]

Looks like we were all on the same page! That is what I was considering as well.

On that note, one moment.

[Colress pulls his own device out of his labcoat pocket and compares the piece to it. Is it similar in any way?]