FIRST TRIAL

[bathymetric]

[ After a while, once all the appropriate clues have been found, Mayor Fontaine calls out again over the speakers. ]

Alright, citizens, pack it in quick and head to the back of the Hall of the Founders. You have business to take care of.

[ When they do reach the Bathysphere station, Eleanor is manning the controls, gaze quiet and even over the crowd. The hatch at the front of the strange elevator is open, and everyone is gestured inside. A series of small submerisbles are lined up, waiting to be ridden. ]

Just hop into the bathyspheres one or two at a time, and the system will get you where you need to go.

[ It's a long, cramped ride from here, but Fontaine's word is true. At least you can tune into the radio in the pod?

The bathyspheres take you down until even the few lights of Rapture are out of sight, down until lights of a different kind are visible - the reds and blues of bioluminescent sea creatures, a little too out of your way to make out what they are, blending to a strange sort of not-quite-purple as the bathysphere reaches its final destination: a glass dome built into the sea floor, about the size of an average house.

As one by one the bathyspheres arrive carrying the new citizenry of New Rapture, less natural lights than those of the creatures around you begin to click on in the dome. In the center, most of the space is taken up by a circle of podiums, each with an image of one of you engraved into it.

A projector of some kind kicks on, which combined with the lighting allows for the familiar silhouette of Mayor Fontaine at his chair to appear on the side of the dome, watching over you. ]

Time to do your best to figure out who killed the Diamond in the Rough. And do yourselves a favor: keep it interesting. I'm here if you have any burning inquiries.

[ And here it is.

Welcome to your first trial. ]

Comments

[pairtner]

It's a likely possibility. The lack of reflection does indicate he is one. However it's just one of many possibilities.

[Okay, not that many and the common point between all of them is that he isn't human]

[hotpaprika]

Lack of reflection...?

[Once again Jonathan looks like he's about to faint. He looks at Nandor, and the others, and stumbles back.]

Oh dear God!

[inaclearing]

[Wow, this is some deja vu.]

Okay, now he hasn't done anything to any of us. Probably. There was a lot of blood left at the scene, and no indication that any was gone - I don't think any of those signs point to - a vampire attack.

cw baby eating

[hotpaprika]

[It honestly takes a few minutes for Jonathan to really respond to Brett, reeling from this information.

But when he finally does, he nods.]

Brett is right. I... I was hypnotized when I saw Dracula's wives attack that poor infant, but the way they ate the poor thing... it would not have just been a single bite.

cw mild emetophobia

[withagun]

[ ...he can't dissociate through that either- ]

Ate a- what...?! [ Hodaka appears pale, covering his mouth and turning away to dry heave a little. ]

[hotpaprika]

[He can't blame him. Had he not been hypnotized at the time he would have reacted the same way.]

It... it was horrid, and it pains me knowing that I could do nothing even though I was in the same room.

[inaclearing]

[Faintly, a little higher-pitched:]

Okay, that's good to know. Thank you.

[kninja]

[Makes a mental note to try to catch Brett if he passes out.]

[fuckingguy]

... The fuck?

[hotpaprika]

[Jonathan looks at Nandor, unsure if he should say something. Mostly because he doesn't know if he's confused at Jonathan's technical defense towards him or something else.]

cw continued baby eating discussion

[fuckingguy]

First, do not associate me with that shit, I don't eat babies. But also, his wives? Are those the attractive women you mentioned the first time you lost your shit on me?

[hellaethics]

....Dude. That's messed up.

[That's some straight up Bad Place nonsense.]

[hotpaprika]

[He nods.]

The Count did so because his wives were descended upon me and he wanted me unharmed for his wicked schemes, but to use an innocent child to protect me... it makes me feel sick knowing that I am only alive thanks to the poor thing.

[fuckingguy]

[ AND UNFORTUNATELY HE DOES, IN FACT, HISS AGAIN... ]

Can you stop throwing the g-word around?

[dullshooter]

What, you mean God?

[fuckingguy]

Yes, Misfire, that G word! I thought it was a deliberate attack against me, but now it is clear that he just says it every other sentence.

[dullshooter]

Does the God-word bother you? What if it’s not capitalised? Like god. Or gooooood.

[hotpaprika]

[He flinches this time, looking horrified.]

The... g-word?

[fuckingguy]

[ WELL, MISFIRE GOT IT, SO... ]

makes it worse

[bootyhunter]

He means "God."

[fuckingguy]

Will you stop with this shit?! I had nothing to do with what happened last night! And this is really not how I wanted it to come out, Aiba!

[pairtner]

I do apologize for it, as someone who also was trying to keep secret my nature until a few days ago -- however given the evidence available, it was unavoidable it would come up.

[fuckingguy]

[ He looks mad about it still, but eventually exhales a particularly growly sigh. ]

I suppose that is true. Very well, ask whatsoever you need to know about my vampirism and I will prove that I am innocent.

[pairtner]

Perhaps the most pressing question right now is the status of your fangs, if any.

[Do you have fangs, Nandor? Are they retractable?]

[fuckingguy]

Ah, of course.

[ He opens his mouth, indicating that he does! And they are not! It is one of the many very obvious pieces of visual evidence that Jonathan has missed for two weeks! ]

Good?