morningdewsvalley | TRIAL ONE

TRIAL

Once the various investigations have concluded, and the majority of the evidence has been dropped off with Makima and the ducks -- said ducks will scatter to start shepherding any travelers along to JojaMart, for some reason! Those already at JojaMart have a little less walking to do. Meantime, Makima has loaded the evidence onto the daycare wagon -- carefully packaged, because who wants a spill here -- and driven it off after the ducks.

There is, in fact, a back entrance to the JojaMart -- almost like a loading bay, but once it's opened and the wagon has been driven in, you can see that there's a small podium there along with a number of chairs and small tables. It looks like extra pieces used in either the Community Center or other areas around town may be stored here. The ceiling is tall and it's roomy, there's a scant few windows, but the white LED ceiling lighting and rather bare interior is only livened up by some larger spare whiteboards, extra shelving containing tools and knickknacks and a plant or two.

Once everyone is in -- Adela, Makima, a number of assistant ducks and the current inhabitants of the village -- the loading bay door is tugged closed by some enterprising assistants. There's a small door that probably leads into the front of JojaMart, but that's it. One of the ducks sets about serving tea in the slightly gloomy atmosphere.

You're welcome to examine the evidence in the wagon, discuss amongst yourselves, and figure out whodunnit in these first murders.

(( OOC: Welcome to your first trial! You'll have 7 hours (until 8 PM EST/5 PM PST) to vote one (1) person guilty of murder. As this is scapegoat style, a correct vote is not necessary. Please remember to vote unless otherwise discussed with the mods, as that is our AC for this game. ))

Locations Profiles Investigation Voting Main Nav

code

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He said so himself. Sampo didn't consider himself important enough to put before anyone else.

Are you a moron?

Do you just believe everything that people say? Are you that fucking gullible?

[Love her or hate her she's spitting facts.]

[ +1

Truly, Erika is a joy when she isn't an asshole to Bibi specifically . It's complex. ]

[Willingly walk himself into a pointless argument with Erika? Nah. Noah ignores her.]

Did he have a habit of putting others before him that you were aware of, Noah?

[ Picking up on habits after only a week is still possible, after all. ]

He was quite literally a con-man.

[She liked Sampo but. Come on now.]

Conmen and criminals can put the people they like above themselves. It isn't unheard of.

Being a conman involves deceiving and manipulating others.

A known conman has few other options going forward but to play the Robin Hood-esque noble thief. He might have made a career out of lying to people but he'd never lie to you~.

The illusion of being credible or at least useful does help several con men continue their careers even with a low reputation.

[Somewhere in the world, Saul Goodman sneezes.]

He wasn't particularly shy about admitting that. In his own words, he was a bad man who did bad things knowing full well those things were wrong.

That guy was weird, but more like a shady antique dealer weird than murderer.

[So, you know.]

Right. I don't know how readily he managed to con people back home, but he wasn't particularly convincing here.

Feigning vulnerability is also a way of gaining trust.

But it's not like it matters, right? Sampo's the dead guy, we can't execute him again.

There's a difference between vulnerability and poor acting, wouldn't you say? But you aren't wrong. He would not have called himself a conman if he didn't hit the mark at least a few times.

The 'poor acting' lowered your defenses plenty, hasn't it?

(no subject)

revelate - 2024-03-09 23:14 (UTC) - Expand

I think Sampo was... collateral damage. He might have seen the killer while he was hiding the evidence.

There was a sword in that wall mount in the bait shop. Wouldn't that have been useful for what happened to Suou?

Yes, it would have. And with how blunt it was... it could have been used extensively enough that the blade dulled just before being hidden.

Edited 2024-03-09 23:04 (UTC)

Right. It feels to me like Suou was the actual target with how he... turned out. Sampo was either the guy who did it or witnessed it, and they ended up running away to the bait shop?

Then got killed in the bait shop. Whoever killed him had time to clean him up, but not Suou. Maybe they thought hiding him came first.

That's my theory at least.

revengier - 2024-03-09 23:11 (UTC) - Expand

shamen - 2024-03-09 23:17 (UTC) - Expand

revengier - 2024-03-09 23:18 (UTC) - Expand

[Baldr has been thinking...]

Does anyone know whether items such as saws could be found anywhere in town? If so, then the use of the sword rather than a saw might be a clue.

Can't say I ever thought to check...

[Got is this just gonna get worse?]

mareum - 2024-03-09 23:13 (UTC) - Expand

driftingknight - 2024-03-09 23:15 (UTC) - Expand

I'm well aware of what it involves. I didn't know the man, though, so I can only assume.

But remember, there are exceptions to everything, Erika.

Of course. And it's the fact that those exceptions theoretically exist that makes it such a good scam.

[Noah tips his head up and hums, recalling Sampo's words.]

"I'm a guy who looks out for the little fella, and the little fella shouldn't be involved in murder games."

He's the sort who wore a mask, but he wasn't a particularly convincing liar. He couldn't even smile genuinely, much less admit that he saw any value in his own life.

I think it might be worth looking into his motive in full should we run into a deadend later. That could lead us down a different path.