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Narrator
KFDirector

(you)

(switch)

Cast

None yet.

Adrianne Vogada
(you)
Julius Mørcke
(you)
Mortimer Algarotti
(you)
Rosa Fondo
(you)
Solveig Lykke
(you)
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Chapter , Scene 2 Act Ⅰ, Scene 2

First scene of this act — storytelling tips Last scene of this act — storytelling tips Storytelling tips

Challenges
Obstacle
He DID Ask

Oyez, oyez, oyez! The Honorable Judge Sedzia presiding! All rise!

There’s just enough time to roust Julius to some respectful feet before His Honor, Judge G. Derliwy Sedzia the II, strides briskly towards his seat, robes billowing behind him, camera flashes reflecting off his well-shined bald head.

“Siddown,” he slurs quickly, plopping into his chair, his thick silver mustache twitching as he eyeballs prosecution, defense, and defendant. “I said sit!”

He peers out then at the peanut gallery. “Don’t you people have anything better to do? This is a murder trial, not a gods-damned circus!”

“We have a right to be here!” someone from the gallery calls back.

“I like to watch the lawyers!” someone else shouts.

He grumbles. This is not an unusual exchange. Courtrooms of late have become spectator spots in the University, at campuses globally. Not every judge has cottoned to the new trend equally enthusiastically.

“Alright, who’s up today?” he asks, looking at his paperwork.

He did just ask…you could wait for him to read the paperwork himself, or you could try to characterize what he’s about to read. Act quickly!

Adrianne Vogada
Adrianne Vogada (youRitchieprod) moved
Obstacle
He DID Ask
Strength
Prepared
strong outcome weak outcome Ritchieprod won control of the story by completing this challenge with a strong outcome.

Casting a sidelong glance at the prosecutor, Addy rises to her feet. “This is the move for dismissal in the State vs Roger Acz case, your Honor.”

When the judge looks up from the file on his desk, Addy dons her Prepared and Helpful Lawyer smile and gestures modestly to the neat stacks before her. “We should be able to clear this whole matter up to your satisfaction before lunch, your Honor, and then you can get to the serious cases this afternoon.”

Ignoring the choked protest from the table to her right, she holds up a slim folder impressively tagged for easy perusal. “I believe this will give you a more organized overview. Bailiff, if you would be so kind?”

Judge Sedzia frowns down at the ream of papers scattered haphazardly in front of him and then at the elegant folder with its tantalizing file flags in bright colors. He gestures impatiently at the bailiff who scrambles to retrieve the file from the smiling lawyer.

The narrator continued the scene
Challenges
Obstacle
Scandalmongers
Obstacle
Political Leanings
Obstacle
Remarkably Naive People

“Why,” His Honor asks, “is there a jury candidate pool seated, if I’m just ruling on a motion to dismiss?” He scans the well-organized file.

“Your Honor,” the prosecutor says with a choked voice, “we assumed you would deny the motion and then the State would proceed to trial - “

“Oh, you assumed, did you?” Judge Sedzia growls.

He does not crack a ‘you know what they say about assumptions‘ joke. He does not sound amused or playful.

The prosecution is about to say more, but he raises a finger, eyes on the organized notes but admonishing finger pointed towards the attorneys. “Hmmph. I suppose, technically, there are still a few matters here that must go to a trier of fact. I don’t know how you got this past the indictment, Counsel, but if this is all you’ve got you really are wasting all our time. Especially mine, which is precious indeed.”

“It’s not all we’ve got, Your Honor, you’re only reading the defense brief of the case - “ He gestures towards the haphazard scattering of other papers on the bench.

His Honor compares the two documents from a distance. “I still do not get the impression that Counsel cares much about my time. But let’s go and impanel this jury, now. Oh - for formality’s sake - “ he nods towards Addy - “motion denied, Counsel. You’ll have to win this one the old fashioned way.”

Well, no harm in trying. In fact, technically malpractice to not try.


You turn now to the last step before trial begins: juror selection.

Amongst the pool of your fellow-citizens are the six people who will decide your client’s fate. You just have to figure out which six…and keep the prosecution from tilting the panel too much his way, either.

NOTE: We’ll depart here a bit from American courtroom conventions. For purposes of this jury selection, all members of the defense team are allowed to take part in questioning jurors, and can thus play cards normally. However, for consistency’s sake, it should be Adrianne who does things like ‘motion the court’ - doable as a cardless move by Adrianne, or with permission, incorporated into your own moves.

Julius Mørcke
Julius Mørcke (youDavian_Korran) moved
Obstacle
Political Leanings
Strength
Undefeated Noir Attitude

Oh, he knows them. Of course he knows them. Julius knows them all like a rat knows its fleas, the light of ambition just as telltale as the stench of a wet dog in rainfall, the disappointment to follow the promise. He knows the good old boys and their good old ways, and he definitely knows their silly pins and postures and infinite capability for cocking up a case. Prosecution, defence, all coming to the same in the end, just depends on the pin and the posture’s particulars.

Julius knows them.

“Addy.”

She gives appearance of mild surprise beneath the professional demeanour. That makes sense. Julius likes to say as little as humanly possible in court. He doesn’t like court. Not even back when he actually liked things. Not the point.

With a gentle flick of movement, Julius gets out two fingers pointing to to adjacent jurors, keeping eye contact with Adrianne as he lightly taps his pocket with one hand to denote a membership pin and proceeds to very gently mime a slit throat.

That ought to get the point across nicely.

Solveig Lykke
Solveig Lykke (youKatistrophe) moved
Obstacle
Remarkably Naive People
Weakness
Naive

Most of the potential jury members seem some mixture of bored and annoyed. Solveig has seen that all too often, but she still can’t wrap her head around it. It’s jury duty! A chance to help justice! And these people look like they have better things to do. Like it was an inconvenience.

But to her relief, at least one or two seem to follow the proceedings with the necessary attention. Neatly turned out, proper in posture and almost eager in expression, these are people who have to care about justice being done. With as subtle a smile as she manages, she catches Ms Vogada’s eye, then nods slightly at them.

Rosa Fondo
Rosa Fondo (youPiousAgnostic) moved
Obstacle
Scandalmongers
Weakness
Bleeding Heart

Rosa looks over the jury pool anxiously. One of them looks entirely too excited to be here, as if she is waiting for a play to begin. She’s a lady of middle age, with pinched features and a lipstick-smeared mouth that looks like it’s just tasted an old lime. Rosa rises diffidently and displays her arm-band identifying her as a member of the Defense team. Judge Sedzia bobs his head impatiently, turning his hand in a get on with it motion.

Rosa glances at her notes. “Mrs. Chisme, this case concerns accusations of adultery and murder. What do you think of that?”

Mrs. Chisme’s lips barely part. “I don’t like either of those things.”

Rosa’s eyes widen. “You don’t? I mean, of course you don’t. Wait…you don’t like adultery and murder?”

Mrs. Chisme shakes her head. “No, I don’t like that. Not one bit. My husband cheated on me, and also he was mysteriously murdered.”

“Oh my goodness!” Rosa says, flushing, putting one narrow hand on her throat. “That’s terrible. I’m so sorry!”

The corner of the woman’s prunelike mouth quirks slightly. “I’m entirely over it by now. He’s long gone and good riddance to bad rubbish.”

Rosa’s heart is hurting at her image of this woman suffering from her twin agonies. If anything, she would suffer terribly by remaining through this trial, re-living through Mr. Adz’s plight her own experiences with a spouse who had run off with his lover and been murdered. It would just be too painful.

Certainly, Rosa feels it keenly. “So, would it be true to say that a case like that might cause you to relive painful memories?”

“Not at all,” Mrs. Chisme shifts in her seat. “I would relish the chance to revisit this point in my life.”

She looks like it, too. Rosa looks at the Defense table, trying to catch someone’s eye.

Adrianne Vogada
Adrianne Vogada (youRitchieprod) moved
Obstacle
Scandalmongers
Weakness
Spirit-Frenemy
strong outcome weak outcome Ritchieprod won control of the story by completing this challenge with a weak outcome.

Last night had been a bit anxious for Adrianne as she had gone over all the things that might go wrong during the trial. Roger Acz is not the sort of client any attorney feel comfortable seeing on the witness stand. Between his nerves and his excessive sweating, he will not look good to jurors, no matter how much smoke she wafts over the mirrors she plans to hold up during the proceedings.

After a glass or two of Merlot, Addy had finally dug the special candles out of the box in the top of her closet. She had promised herself the last time that it would be just that but here she was again, breathing in the scent and waiting for the familiar voice of her spirit guide.

Aaaaadriaaaaane

The guttural sound as he breathed her name had made her shudder. “Don’t, Maurice! You know I hate that sort of thing.”

A throaty chuckle had irritated her, as it had been intended to do. “You need an ace up your sleeve, darlin’ an’ you need old Maurice to point ‘er out to you.”

The smugness in the cockney voice was nearly as hard to bear as the theatrics, but he had been right - she needed a tip and he was the only spirit guide she had. “Her? My key juror is a woman? How will I know her?”

“Oooo! In a bit of a state, you are! Months of ignorin’ yore old pal, an’ now you need sumfink it’s all business and be quick about it! That’s not manners, love, not a bit of it.”

So Addy had made small talk and listened to the spirit’s complaints about any and everyone he had ever met until she had been ready to scream. Finally, he had sighed and agreed that time and the candles were getting short and left her with an image of gray hair and gold spectacles.

“And she will be sympathetic to Roger and sway the others? You’re sure?”

“Would old Maurice steer you wrong, Addy? Ta, love!”

He had, she had reminded herself as she blew out the candles, on more than one occasion, but she was desperate.

And so, with her eye on the gray-haired Mrs. Stodkie, Addy misses the sneer and allows Mrs. Chisme to be seated.

Mortimer Algarotti
Mortimer Algarotti (youbonmot) moved
Obstacle
Remarkably Naive People
Weakness
Why do I have to explain?
strong outcome weak outcome bonmot won control of the story by completing this challenge with a weak outcome.

Mortimer coughs and singles out a specific man from the jury. This guy looks like he’s a bit too awed by being a courthouse to begin with, as though he’s been personally given this great responsibility by divine right.

“You there, tell me something. Your kid’s teacher says magic users are five hundred times more likely to suffer from acne. Your kid doubts this and asks for proof, so she gets in trouble. Who would you say is right?”

The man thinks for a few seconds before nodding gravely. “The teacher, of course. I’m sure he’d know what he’s talking about.”

Mortimer raises an eyebrow. “Do you think magic users would be more likely to suffer from acne?”

“Ah, well, I… I don’t know. Maybe.”

“What if I told you magic users don’t have acne, ever?”

“I… is that true?”

Mortimer takes a deep breath. This man is clearly not qualified to be in a jury, and in his experience that’s a very low bar around these parts.

He elbows Adrianne. “That guy, he’s too stupid to exist. He’s going to believe anything they tell him. If we’re lucky, he holds everyone around for several extra hours trying to make up his mind.”

Adrianne Vogada
Adrianne Vogada (youRitchieprod) moved
Obstacle
Political Leanings
Subplot
Climbing the Ladder
strong outcome weak outcome Ritchieprod won control of the story by completing this challenge with a strong outcome.

With a gentle flick of movement, Julius gets out two fingers pointing to to adjacent jurors, keeping eye contact with Adrianne as he lightly taps his pocket with one hand to denote a membership pin and proceeds to very gently mime a slit throat.

Not all of Adrianne’s efforts to keep the firm solvent are conducted in the courtroom. It is prudent to keep an eye on the up and comers, not only those aiming for a cushy seat on the judge’s bench, but also the political animals who might need a good defense team on their road to public office. To that end Addy has a closet full of cocktail dresses and a ready store of witty anecdotes that make her a popular guest at fund raisers and other social soirees. So, while it is no surprise to spot a few familiar faces among the potential jurors, it is also without rejoicing that she recognizes Martin Flinchbaugh and Horace Breckenridge.

“Well, shit.” Her curse is as fervent as it is quiet. Julius just quirks an eyebrow and goes back to pretending to be somewhere else. Addy spends her evenings at those select gatherings collecting information on the peculiarities, prejudices, and proclivities of other attendees. Now she flicks frantically through her mental rolodex for the cards on these two.

“Your Honor, I would like to be sure you and council for the prosecution are aware that we may be bringing in expert testimony, not from the Priest of Kaba who assisted in this unfortunate affair, as he is unavailable for the next two months, but from a local Priestess who can explain some of the finer points.”

Before Judge Sezia can do more than look impatient, Adrianne explains in a helpful tone, “I only bring it up because the Priestess is blind and will be accompanied by her Seeing Eye dog. I ask that consideration be made to accommodate her special needs.”

The Judge flaps his hand wearily and Addy gives him a big smile as her two potential pains in the ass both shift uncomfortably. Flinchbaugh is deathly afraid of dogs, even the tiny one a woman had brought in her purse to the Mayor’s campaign fundraiser, and Breckenridge had been having an affair with the only blind Priestess of Kaba in town. It is not long before each raises a hand to recuse himself on a flimsy pretext.

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