THIRD TRIAL

[bathymetric]

If you have time for a grisly operation like that, I think you've had all the time you need to gather evidence. Please proceed to the door to the trial room elevator as quickly as possible.

[ Once you arrive, it's the same song and dance as the last two weeks. Angel helps you all get through the vault door and into the elevator, and watches as you all make the slow descent to the dome below. Standing in the elevator is more than a comfortable fit now, even for the largest among you. A few more of you lost and there'll be room enough to pace in here.

But maybe you don't want to think about that.

The dome of the trial room is the same as it's been, the only change the dull red glow coming from the two newly-unoccupied podiums. The screens above flick on, and lower down to make an address. ]

You know the score by now. Find Seteth's killer and you can all go free. Fool them all, killer, and you'll have your life and your reward. Other than that, whatever happens here is between all of you. Call for me if you need anything.

[ The screens rise again, leaving you here.

Welcome to your third trial. ]

Comments

[ladygeryon]

[She taps her walking stick slightly.] I do train with it in inert form sometimes. But I'll admit this is the first time my powers have been suppressed so thoroughly.

[The Gems would understand, right???]

[lovelikeyou]

My natural weapon is a shield, and I've never really practiced with a physical one of those.

[There's never been anything that could stop her summoning it before, so why bother?]

[blackmass]

...

[Something seemed to occur to Kirei then, clicking into place.]

Rose Quartz. A question.

Could someone use a shield and lance at the same time?

[lovelikeyou]

I never have myself, but I suppose someone could. It looks like Seteth did, doesn't it?

[blackmass]

I've known someone who specialized in the spear before. Noteworthy was that he used his with two hands. The length of such a weapon necessitates such, else it would be harder to use accurately.

How would it be possible to use a shield without a free hand?

[snackooed]

Could it be that he only started to use the shield after the lance broke in half? With it split cleanly like that, he wouldn't need to utilize both hands, and could use the shield with his free one...

[blackmass]

Why carry the shield at all, if his weapon was a lance? He couldn't have anticipated his weapon breaking.

More straightforward, perhaps, is the idea that Seteth was not the one bearing the shield in the first place.

[valentinus]

...Then you believe the one holding the shield was the killer?

[blackmass]

I do think it more likely, at the very least.

[bolderfell]

But... then where'd the scratches on it come from? Seteth's lance still had the padding on it, didn't it?

[blackmass]

Do keep in mind this is mere conjecture. Perhaps the shield was damaged in the battle after the lance was broken. Splintered wood can be a formidable weapon should it strike correctly.

[archboxer]

Not against a divine relic.

[hardnosed]

A what.

[archboxer]

[She sighs.]

Seteth's shield is extremely strong. A splintered piece of wood could not have harmed it in such a way.

[hardnosed]

But the regular swords the machine gives us could?

[bolderfell]

[/cash register noise

Divine fuckin' relic???]

[archboxer]

[You can practically hear the snap as she looks at him.]

You will perish if you try.

[blackmass]

Do we know such magical artifacts to retain their powers here?

[archboxer]

They likely do not, as he would not have perished if that were the case. [Obviously.] However, imagine a sturdy shield that has seen many battles. Do you think it would yield to a piece of splintered wood?

[archboxer]

May I interject? One can slide their arm through a shield, leaving their hands free. That aside, if Seteth was not the one with the shield how could you explain the damage done to it?

[blackmass]

[shrugs]

[hardnosed]

Which would mean Rhea was right about it being hidden as a safeguard. But if he was really going that far, why hide just a shield? It's not even like it would be harder to spot than a bladed weapon.

[lovelikeyou]

Oh, do you? Pearl uses her spear one-handed, when she isn't fighting with her swords. But I guess it's a fairly light one.

[snackooed]

This is a bit outside my area of expertise...usually, where I come, people commit their crimes with knives and bullets, not so much with swords and lances. I would imagine there are a lot of factors that might go into it...

[emberserker]

Well, lucky for you.

[this post made by Magic Has Been Sealed For 1,000 Years Gang]