iolite

[dramatispersonae]

You find yourself in a beautiful red room, the edges of each wall adorned with real gold accents. At the center of the room is a long table, several chairs on either side of it, perfect for very serious conferences. In the middle of the table is a plate of strawberry jam tarts atop it, one per teammate present.

In the corner of the room is a hole in the ground, only large enough for a small animal to fit through. Next to it is a flat iron bar, curled at its tip, where a golden bell has been hung from it.

Finally, on one wall is a large poster which reads (or you find read aloud to you, if you cannot read):

Three blind mice, three blind mice,
See how they run, see how they run.
They all ran after the Farmer's Wife,
Who cut off their tails with a carving knife.
Did you ever see such a thing in your life,
As three blind mice?

Comments

inquiries

[dramatispersonae]

[ring bell receive rabbit]

Re: inquiries

[uroboric]

Oi, bunny chick! Was the Farmer an accomplice in on the plot?

Re: inquiries

[dramatispersonae]

[there is a few moments of nothing, then a little red rabbit, regally dressed, scurries out of the hole and holds out a piece of paper to you. in stubby little handwriting, it reads:

Questions are only answered when properly posed and the answerer is properly addressed.

the rabbit looks at you expectantly.]

Re: inquiries

[shipwithwings]

I would like to see the evidence that was presented to the Court for her crimes of assault, breach of contract, conspiracy and perjury.

Re: inquiries

[dramatispersonae]

[the rabbit darts off!

it returns with nothing :(]

first case

[dramatispersonae]

On the table you find a paper, though it most certainly wasn't there before. It reads, or is read to you:

DEFENDANT: the Farmer's Wife
DETAILS: The daughter of an influential noble who was meant to marry one of her three suitors, the three blind mice, for political reasons. Were a marriage to occur between her and one of those three, it would have allowed for social and economic stability in the towns within which their families had particular sway over. However, the Farmer's Wife refused the hands of all three nobles, and in her plot to run away with the Farmer, she castrated and blinded all three of her suitors and framed another for it. A day prior to eloping, she claimed that, being disabled as they were and unable to allow her to produce her heirs, all were ineligible for her hand in marriage. She then ran off with the Farmer, leaving the families and towns in chaos.
PROPOSED SENTENCE: Execution

Re: first case

[fallinflames]

[not sure if he should be grinning or not]

I kind of feel a little sorry for the mice.

Re: first case

[sticksofthejedi]

She does have a point.

Re: first case

[playfreebird]

...Really.

Re: first case

[shipwithwings]

How wretched.

Re: first case

[uroboric]

Execution? Just toss her in a looney bin, she's clearly a psycho.

Re: first case

[fallinflames]

With reparations made to the mice?

Re: first case

[dormancy]

That seems fair . . .

Re: first case

[shipwithwings]

If she is dead she cannot pay everyone back.

verdict

[dramatispersonae]

[a gold-trimmed envelope, letter-writing paper, and a red ink pen on the table has been provided for you. the back of the envelope reads FIRST VERDICT.

you understand the letter must be sealed and left on the table when you finish writing your answer, but you can always open it again later. the resealing would just be noticeable.]

Re: first case

[fallinflames]

Forgoing the guilt or innocence issue, since we're not going to be provided with more evidence on that matter, the woman should be sentenced to spend time in an insane asylum to be released upon the positive evaluation of the attending psychiatric physician.

At which point, she will be required to pay reparations to the three mice for their injuries monetarily from her own resources and not those of her family or her current husband the Farmer. If she has no monetary resources available to her, through labor served until she can pay off those debts.

As for her offenses against the public for her breach of contracts between the towns, she will serve an extended period of community service to the towns until her debt to them can be repaid.

For her defamation of the person she accused of the injuries, she should offer written and spoken apologies to him or her. With a public posting of her written apologies in the towns so that the public will be aware of the man's innocence of such matters.

In the matter of her current marriage, it should be annulled. If the Farmer wishes to renew his marriage to her in light of the situation she has caused, they may marry again in no less than one year and one day's time.

second case

[dramatispersonae]

On the table you find another paper, though it most certainly wasn't there before. It reads, or is read to you:

DEFENDANT: the three blind mice
DETAILS: A trio of corrupt sons born into three noble families, they grew up as close friends. They frequently squandered their wealth on needless luxuries, and each have caused several financial crises within their families thanks to their bad habits. They frequently act as though they are above the law, and have hired thugs to take down those who dare condemn or embarrass them in public. It is rumored that the reason the Farmer's Wife forsake the life of a noblewoman is because of these three, for they hired thugs to paralyze and permanently hospitalized the men she had loved before she met the Farmer.
PROPOSED SENTENCE: Execution

Re: second case

[playfreebird]

[...o ffs]

Re: second case

[sticksofthejedi]

I'm going to pretend to be surprised.

Re: second case

[dormancy]

My, my . . .

Re: second case

[uroboric]

. . .Let's just sentence the whole freakin' town to the looney bin and get it over with.

Re: second case

[fallinflames]

... Sentence them to jail time and hard labor and strip them of their titles. Revert all of their funds to their families' control upon their release from prison.

Re: second case

[shipwithwings]

This would be a more interesting story without having to play jurors.

verdict

[dramatispersonae]

[a gold-trimmed envelope, letter-writing paper, and a red ink pen on the table has been provided for you. the back of the envelope reads SECOND VERDICT.

you understand the letter must be sealed and left on the table when you finish writing your answer.]

Re: verdict

[fallinflames]

For the matter of the Farmer's Wife, the each of the Three Blind Mice shall be sentenced to time in prison, without any appeal for early release, for a duration of time equaling ten years for each of the suitors they had paralyzed or hospitalized, with all of their assets reverting to the control of their families, to be dispensed at the discretion of their families in the form of an allowance upon their release.