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Wormville: Rotation 4: Victor's Trial

(ft. pictures!)

The worms gather in the courthall once again. The Homeland arc resulted in an unpleasant consequence for one of its main figures - Victor has to defend himself from the accusations of a brutal murder and more in front of his community. But who is even accusing him?

The deaths the characters discuss happened in this gameplay update and their direct aftermath in this one.

CW: Rape (as a word used and also a crime being talked about, however none happens or is described)

Also, forgive the unintentional comedic potential of many of the screenshots caused by me having no clue how to make the Sims in the background stop chatting during dramatic moments.

Nico: “Siblings in the Entity, welcome. Tonight, the court gathers for the uncomfortable matter of charges levied against Victor Beldine.”

Victor: “One would say it is something of a community pastime.”

Given that the hearing is public and also very controversial, quite a few worms have gathered to see this play out. All surviving members of both Homeland expeditions have come, and with them also Beatrice and Fabian Beldine, presumably to support Victor.

Nico: “Before we start, I'll briefly familiarize you with the structure. First, Victor will tell his version of the events and defend himself. Then, we'll hear witness testimonials and the evidence gathered against him by the plaintiff, and finally, I reserve the right as the Entity's servant to present my notes and rule guilty or innocent.”

Nico takes a pause. He looks quite somber and visibly upset.

Nico: “The charges levied by an anonymous plaintiff are as follows. Victor of the Beldines murdered Quincy of the Fieras, possibly before or after raping her, and subsequently murdered Bennett of the Jillenis.”

Victor leans forward at his speaker pulpit. “Excuse me?”

Nico: “I told you it was heinous.”

Victor: “This is… this is so ridiculous and over the top, it almost isn't even offensive! Almost.”

Nico: “These are the charges. Please, recount the circumstances of Quincy's and Bennett's deaths, as you remember them.”

Victor: “Of course. But can I say something else first?”

Nico: “Go ahead.”

Victor looks at Serenity. “Not just her death, but also rape? And Bennett, too? So obscene! Frankly, I am disappointed in you.”

Serenity: “Believe it or not, but I'm not the plaintiff, Victor.”

Victor: “You are right, I do not believe you.”

Serenity: “I'm actually on your side, this one time. I don't think it was you.”

Victor sighs. “Anyway. Miss Quincy and Mister Bennett died in Villa Beldine, my clan’s ancestral estate. At that moment, I was in a completely different part of it. I was with Miss Melody, investigating a blood cultist that infested the house. We heard Mister Bennett scream, and I immediately teleported Miss Melody and myself closer. I left Miss Melody behind and ran in the direction of Bennett's voice.”

Lester: “Why didn't you just teleport right to him?”

Victor visibly tenses up when he hears their voice.

Victor: “I did not know where he was. The only thing I had was the direction. Then I followed my intuition.”

Lester: “Your intuition, interesting…”

Victor: “Anyway, when I found them, it was too late. There was the enchanted hot tub, and Quincy's naked body floated in it. There… there was blood, a lot of it. Bennett's zombie stood nearby. He was…”

Victor pauses, taking a deep breath.

Victor: “He was also naked, wet and covered in deep scratches. I noticed a large bite on his arm. It must've been what killed him. I-”

Lester: “Wait. There was no other zombie there? Are you trying to say that Bennett bit himself?”

“Of course not,” Victor scowls. “I passed a female zombie in the hallway leading to the room. I did not engage with it, because I didn't want to waste time. In hindsight, I presume it infected Bennett.”

Lester: “That must've been one hell of a zombie to beat Bennett.”

Victor: “Presumably, yes.”

Lester: “And it was very convenient, too.”

Victor: “Anyway, I dispatched Bennett's body… I relieved him of undeath with a spell. That is how the burns got on him. But I did not kill him. He was already dead!”

Serenity: “If you're telling the truth, you just mutilated the remains.”

Victor: “I repeat, he was undead! I apologize for not thinking clearly enough in that situation and taking the time to carefully select a spell that would FREE HIS SOUL but keep him visually intact!”

Nico: “Victor, please, do not yell. We believe you.”

Victor just looks at the Priest with a sour grimace. Then he continues, “After that, I took Quincy from the water and I carried her out of the building, as I called for everyone to assemble and leave. Mix Deborah… Mix Deborah approached me and informed me about Miss Xenia's death. I went with them and retrieved the body. Then… I returned for Bennett.”

The mage seems more and more agitated and unwell with each word.

Victor: “I… I carried him upstairs, too…”

Nico: “That's enough. Thank you, Victor, for your testimony. You may rest now. Please, do.”

Serenity: “A question, Mister Victor. Why didn't you do anything about the enchantment?”

Victor: “I was panicking. I couldn't, even if I prioritized it. Which… which I did not, because the only thing on my mind was to get away from that place.”

Nico: “I don't think you've explained what was the supposed role of the enchantment in their deaths in the first place.”

Victor: “It is… theories. I have not seen anything. But in hindsight, I can identify the nature of the spell as a lure, and I believe it kept Mister Bennett and Miss Quincy trapped in the hot tub, vulnerable to the undead outside of it reaching them.”

Lester: “That part, at least, is true. It was a lure. I'm certain there was even more to it, but I'm not surprised Mister Victor couldn't pick up on it.”

Lester: “I know that because I'm the one who dispelled it, finishing Mister Victor's sloppy job and preventing more people from dying there.”

Victor stares daggers at them. Lester returns his gaze with a smile.

Lester: “You're welcome.”

Nico: “Anyway, if nobody else has any follow-up questions, I would like to give floor to the witnesses. First, Sophia.”

The teenager stands up. She looks uneasy and avoids Victor's eyes.

Nico: “I apologize for having to do this and making you relive such a traumatic memory. But the materials I've received from the plaintiff say they've heard you say you saw Victor in a compromising position with Quincy Fiera’s dead body. Is that true?”

“Um…” Sophia gulps. “I don't know. I… saw uncle Victor, but I'm not sure if it was a ‘compromising position'. He was carrying her in his arms and she had no clothes on. Not even panties.”

Victor: “As I have said, I was panicking. I was not considering Quincy's modesty, I just wanted the bodies retrieved and everyone gone.”

Sophia: “Yeah… I'm sorry, uncle Victor.”

Nico: “Thank you, Sophia. You've been most helpful. Now, Melody. Again, I apologize so much for forcing you to speak on this.”

Melody: “It's fine…”

Melody: “I remember it exactly how Mister Victor described it. We were talking to a blood cultist, and then Mister Bennett screamed. Mister Victor teleported us and ran. I didn't follow him at first because I was too nauseous from the teleportation, so I just hid and rested. Then I saw him carry mom…”

Nico: “That's enough, Melody, thank y-”

Melody: “He carried her outside and then brought Miss Xenia, too. Then he left…”

Victor: “To recover Bennett.”

Lester: “Wait. This doesn't make sense. If you really just wanted to bring Mister Bennett's body back, someone would've been there to help you with it. Have we all forgotten that Bennett was a mountain of a man? I'd believe Private Iulius could carry Bennett all alone, but you?”

Victor: “I… I am stronger than I appear. I would think you of all people would know that."

Lester frowns.

Victor: "Besides, adrenaline does a lot.”

Nico: “I’m, for one, failing to see how it is even relevant. Victor has witnesses that he retrieved two out of three bodies, and besides, him being the one recovering them doesn't prove or disprove that he had anything to do with the deaths.”

Victor: “Exactly! If I killed Quincy and Bennett, wouldn't it make more sense for me to play oblivious and wait for someone else to discover them?”

Lester: “I mean, I'm not that invested in proving he really did it. It feels in character, but it's also hard to find any direct evidence. But if something's off in his story, I think it's pretty relevant to examine it. Why would an innocent man lie about anything around such a serious accusation?”

Victor: “I am telling you, you finding it improbable that I could physically get Bennett's remains from a basement of a building to its front yard doesn't mean it did not happen.”

Sophia: “I… actually saw it. I saw uncle Victor carry dad.”

Nico: “Sophia…”

Sophia: “It was… bad…”

Victor: “I was in very poor shape. I knew I had to get the body out, but I could not make myself drag him on the ground. Since you’re so invested, Mix Lester…”

Victor's voice trembles.

Victor: “To distribute Ben's weight as much as I could, I… I laid down on the ground, slowly pulled him over me, and crawled. I am sorry to Miss Sophia for having to see it. It was one of the worst moments of my life.”

Sophia lowers her head. Nico shifts uncomfortably. Beatrice stares at Victor. Lester meets Serenity's eyes, before clearing their throat.

Lester: “You know what was the worst moment in Balthazar's?”

Nico: “Stop. Stop. This… this is getting out of hand. Melody, thank you very much for the testimony. Iulius, would you kindly say your piece?”

Iulius: “I wasn't there. I believe that if I were, things could've been different.”

Nico: “Your testimony of the events, please.”

Iulius: “When I arrived with Missis Serenity, Mister Cyrus and Mister Percy, the bodies were already in the grass in the front yard. Mister Victor looked like he's completely lost his mind. I took my sister in my arms and carried her to the camps where we burnt the bodies.”

Nico: “Have you noticed anything on Quincy that would imply she's been attacked by a fellow Sim?”

Iulius: “Her injuries could've been caused by a Sim, but that someone would have to be unarmed and strong enough to break a neck. I wasn't looking at my dead sister's privates to see if she-”

Victor: “Why are we treating the rape part even seriously? I have killed a person in the past, so I can see why my enemies think they could destroy me with an accusation of another murder. But I've never done anything that would imply I was a rapist or a necrophiliac!”

Serenity: “That's not how it works. You can't just say that nobody can come forward with what you did to them just because nobody's done that before.”

Victor: “I agree completely, Missis Serenity. But there is no victim coming forward! It is just you and Mix Lester implying that just because I was near a dead woman at some point, I must have violated her!”

Serenity: “Once again, I'm not the one accusing you.”

Victor: “And who is, if not you two? Mister Cyrus? Mister Iulius? Mister Percy? Mix Deborah? Nobody has a motive! Or is it Miss Sophia or Miss Melody who have both already testified in my favor? You are the only ones who make sense as the plaintiffs!”

Serenity: “Honestly, one of the main reasons I'm even here is because I'm curious who it is, too. The other reason is to see you sweat, of course.”

Nico: “Anyway, let's move on, shall we? Victor, the plaintiff points out that unlike Bennett, Quincy wasn't zombified. Yet you've ordered her body to be burnt. Why? The insinuation here is that you tried to prevent her from being examined.”

Victor: “No, I tried to prevent her from becoming undead just on the account of having died at that hellish place and not having been collected! After we burnt the bodies, Death Himself took their souls to the Entity.”

Victor: “Is that the best the plaintiff has? They should reveal their cowardly face and stand trial instead of me, for wasting everybody's time!”

Nico: “Unfortunately, our law grants them the right to have their case heard by the community, and I can't do anything about it.”

Nico: “That brings me to having to ask Sophia again. I'm sorry. How did Victor and Quincy get along on the expedition?”

Sophia: “Not… not well. Sorry, uncle Victor. They fought a lot. Miss Quincy was mad at him for sparing Mister Marlon.”

Victor: “No need to apologize. It is true, and more. I was open about my dislike for Miss Quincy, but that doesn't mean I wanted her dead, or that I would hurt her. On my own expedition, no less!”

Nico: “Quincy had a very strong and polarizing personality. She clashed with people very often.”

Lester: “Tired of pretending you're not openly on his side, Venerable Nico?”

Nico: “More like tired in general, Lester. And we haven't even finished the plaintiff’s case yet…”

Nico: “For the next part, the case recommends that I summon Beatrice Beldine for her testimony. Beatrice, would you be so kind?”

Victor: “I do not remember Missis Beatrice being on the expedition.”

Serenity: “This is all a PR stunt! The plaintiff is someone from Mister Victor's inner circle, or maybe Victor himself, and the goal is to paint him as a poor little innocent bean that everybody bashes unfairly!”

Victor: “What? Please!”

Nico: “Why do you think so?”

Serenity: “First, the evidence pieces are extremely weak. And second, Missis Beatrice? Making one of your primary witnesses a family member of the accused is just stupid. Of course she's gonna exonerate Victor.”

Victor: “Good thinking, but you are wrong. I am not behind this. Trust me, if I could choose between this farce and being home with my wife, we wouldn't be here.”

Nico: “Anyway. Beatrice. Could you describe your cousin's relationship with Quincy throughout their lives?”

Beatrice: “Well… it's always been difficult. Q- Miss Quincy had told me on many occasions that Victor looked at her like he was undressing her with his eyes.”

Victor: “That only proves Miss Quincy had a gargantuan ego.”

Beatrice: “It was always clear he was very attracted to her.”

Victor sneers. “It was not clear to me.”

Beatrice: “I know Missis Aranni forbade them from meeting, because even she believed Victor wouldn't be able to control himself around Quincy.”

Victor: “Bea- Missis Beatrice… Why are you saying such things about me?”

Beatrice: “Because they're true. I'm sorry, Victor.”

Victor: “But they're not! They are not true!”

Nico: “Would you say Victor would be capable of hurting Quincy?”

Beatrice looks at Nico. Then at her dumbfounded cousin. Then back at Nico. “Sorry, Vicky…” she says quietly and then clears her throat.

Beatrice: “Yes.”

Victor: “What? No!”

Nico: “In the plaintiff’s case, it appoints Beatrice as the person who knows the accused the best and can answer questions about his character. Is that true, Victor?”

Victor: “Apparently not!”

Victor seems highly agitated. His facial expressions are erratic, with one corner of his mouth ticking up as he trembles.

Victor: “I was convinced Missis Beatrice knew me well. As you all know, we grew up together. But even without the slander she has just committed, I would hesitate to even put her in the top five people to know me the best. And now? I do not think she knows me at all!”

“Acknowledged,” Nico nods. He looks at Beatrice, frowning.

“This is as unpleasant for me as it is for you,” she says.

Nico: “I believe that. You can also refuse to proceed, though. Are you sure this is worth it?”

Beatrice: “Yes, Venerable Nico. I loved Bennett. And Quincy. Seeing justice for them is more important than any discomfort… or estranged family relations.”

Nico: “I don't think that from what you've heard, you can still believe in Victor's guilt.”

Beatrice: “I believe in the possibility of it.”

Victor: “What?”

Beatrice: “There is no direct proof of his guilt… but there's no proof of his innocence either.”

Victor: “The burden of proof is on the accuser. I should be presumed innocent!”

Beatrice: “Do you have any more questions for me, Venerable Nico? I believe you do.”

Nico: “Beatrice, I implore you for the last time. Please, make sure you're not doing something you'll regret later.”

Victor: “Bea…?”

Beatrice: “I believe that even if in the end we fail to prove V… Mister Victor's guilt of the murder, it's still a good thing to unveil as much as possible, because even if he didn't kill them, he still is the one who led them to their deaths.”

Victor: “It is you… You are the plaintiff…”

Despite saying that relatively quietly in volume, his voice still shoots up in pitch, as if arriving at the realization and voicing it made him cry.

Beatrice regards him sourly.

Beatrice: “And you have Ben's blood on your hands.”

Victor doesn't respond. The audience is abuzz with whispers. The aspiring Beldine matriarch shuts them down with her voice.

Beatrice: “Venerable Nico, continue!”

The priest sighs. He shakes his head. But then he actually complies. “The last point of the case asks for testimony about Victor's personality. The plaintiff again nominates herself to speak, since she grew up with the accused.”

Victor: “What do you think she is going to say?!”

Nico: “I know, Victor, but I need to let her speak. It is the law. Beatrice, the floor is yours. Just, keep in mind that the community will judge you the same as they judge Victor. You can change that.”

Beatrice: “Thank you for the patronizing warnings, but I've made up my mind.”

Beatrice: “Citizens of Wormville! I understand that most of you probably find my evidence underwhelming and you're on my cousin's side.”

Serenity: “It's a stretch to even call it ‘evidence’...”

Beatrice: “And my last testimony probably won't change that. That's okay. I don't need you to believe that Victor murdered and raped Quincy, and then Bennett to protect himself, if you don't want to. I only ask that you try to understand what led me to be sincerely convinced that he would be capable of doing so.”

Beatrice: “And what pushed me to turn on my own blood, on my clanmate, on the man that I used to see as my baby brother.”

Beatrice: “Childrearing and family in general have never been the priority for my father and our family at the time. The Splat mansion didn't even have child bedrooms, so Bennett and I were sharing what was basically a broom closet. That was the environment Ares Beldine decided to add a third child into.”

Nico: “At that time, people scrambling for resources and children having no personal space was the situation in most clans. Including ours.”

Beatrice: “Still, it was very irresponsible to worsen it for everybody by having a vanity child. Yes, a vanity child. Clan Beldine already had an heir, and I was being raised under very strict expectations, so I was the best future head I could be. Anyway, at first, I was so excited and happy about little Victor!”

Beatrice: “I've always had very strong motherly instincts and I loved the fact that I now had an adorable baby brother I could help take care of. However, I was still a child myself, and the reality turned out very different. In hindsight, after raising my own children, I can confidently say that I would've gone insane, if they were even a bit like Victor.”

Victor: “Oh no. Not a difficult child! Naturally, that means he grows up into a necrophiliac rapist.”

Beatrice: “And I'm not saying that it was his fault. My only point is, that even at a very young age, Victor has been a violent and very volatile boy. The pattern was always there. We struggled to find nannies, because they blacklisted us, so they didn't have to deal with him.”

Victor: “May I just say that implying I am a naturally violent man just because I couldn't control my anger as a child is questionable at best?”

Beatrice: “You bit the hairdresser we hired so badly, she needed stitches!”

Victor: “I did not want my hair cut, I was afraid of her! Also, I was not even school-aged yet. I do not bite people anymore.”

Victor: “It feels so degrading to even have to say that!”

Beatrice: “Victor quickly took over the entire household. The adults couldn't handle him while also working, so Bennett and I have become heavily parentified. My life became one big game of ‘If I allow myself to relax, have fun, be a teenager, and stop paying attention to Victor for one second, he will set the house on fire.’”

Victor: “I do not know if you expect me to apologize for something I sincerely had very little control over, on the behalf of being a child, but...”

Victor: “I did not mean to make it so difficult for you, or for anyone."

Victor: "I still dare to maintain that it does not excuse betrayal!”

Beatrice: “Everything revolved around Victor. We had to make sure nobody sits in his chair, nobody moves things around, nobody says words he doesn't like, otherwise he could have a meltdown and start screaming and hitting things. Again, I don't blame this on him. I know that what I'm describing is just him being an autistic child. I just want to explain that having to deal with that while still in high school and without any quiet space for myself was a genuine strain.”

Serenity: “Is this a testimony, or a sob story?”

Beatrice: “Victor never understood ‘no’. Never learned to be considerate to others. If I couldn't deal with something and ask him to stop, he would not. For example, every time he would read something that he found exciting, he would run to me or Ben and tell us. Cute, right? However, that included when I tried to sleep. I can't count how many nights I couldn't rest at all, because Victor kept pestering me, jumping on my bed and shaking me, until I'd acknowledged whatever he wanted to tell me. And he would just never stop, until he grew out of that."

Beatrice: "That leads me to believe the self-centered and consent-disrespecting attitude could've stayed with him, just applied to more adult activities.”

Victor: “I didn't understand boundaries, or that pursuing my satisfaction could hurt others, when I was - and I repeat - a small child. But- you know what? Mister Fabian!”

Victor: “How many times have I barged into your room and woken you up to share a fun occult fact?”

Fabian: “Eh… not even once?”

Victor: “Is that enough proof that I have learned my lesson since, or do we need to bring the rest of my family to confirm?”

Beatrice: “I don't claim it says anything about you, just that it could. Anyway. May I continue?”

Beatrice: “Victor wasn't raised as the heir. None of the restrictions that I lived under applied to him. I had to understand finance and politics, I had to represent, while he could spend his childhood playing videogames and antagonizing people. But…”

Beatrice: “I was okay with that. It was preparing me for my privilege and birthright… both of which Victor stole from me.”

Victor: “Please, I had no impact on uncle Alastor’s decision!”

Beatrice: “I was unfairly cast out just for daring to fall in love with a man who wasn't related to me in any way, biologically or legally, only the adults around us loved to pretend we were siblings. After that, Victor became the Beldine heir.”

Victor: “And as I have said, I had nothing to do with that.”

Beatrice: “After my father's death, Ares Beldine had the power to reinstate my position, but he purposefully chose not to. He told me, quite frankly, that he'd welcome me back into the family, but he wanted the status of the heir to stay Victor's.”

Victor: “Again, my father swindling you is not my fault."

Victor: "I suppose I am sorry for how the generation before us treated you, Missis Beatrice, but my role in it was thoroughly passive.”

Beatrice: “Yes, Vicky, passive."

Beatrice: "One would expect that you'd take the initiative and after you're pronounced the head, you'd step down in my favor, but you didn't.”

Victor: “I had my reasons!”

Beatrice: “That doesn't matter! Or at least it shouldn't, when you're holding onto something that doesn't belong to you.”

Victor: “But it does! Do you think you were born better?"

Victor: "You weren't! Succession is the whim of the generation before us, and they chose ME! You are not inherently more deserving!”

Beatrice: “Inherently, no, but I am more deserving on account of all of the work I put into it before YOU stole it!”

Victor: “Work? What work? Uncle Alastor was stricter with you than my father was with me, you mean? Studying well, making connections, you mean? Is that the work that you have done and I supposedly haven't?”

Beatrice: “Actually, yes!"

Beatrice: "I know you had to improvise and learn from your own fumbles when you became the head. But newsflash, Vicky, that was just you! The other heads work and study for their position from birth!”

Victor: “Truly? Has it occurred to you that maybe the stricter regime you had was not inherent to you being the heir, but that uncle Alastor was just that kind of person? He felt so threatened by my father, he projected his inferiority complex into you!”

Nico: “Stop!”

Nico: “Silence, both of you! We have completely lost the plot. This hearing isn't about the Beldine succession, it's about a harrowing crime!”

Beatrice: “Sorry, Venerable Nico.”

Nico: “A harrowing crime that you, Beatrice, tried to use in your political conquest. For shame!”

Beatrice: “No, I didn't! That's not true! Actually… taking back my clan is something I've wanted to do even before Bennett died.”

Beatrice: “And this is not a part of it. I just want Mister Victor held accountable for the deaths of my husband, and my partner!”

Nico: “...”

Nico: “I… I choose to believe you. I believe you the succession isn't your motive, grief is."

Nico: "Still, I think we've heard more than enough. I will be the last speaker, and I will present and explain my verdict.”

Nico: “By the power of the Entity and the trust you all put in me, I dub Victor of the Beldines innocent of all charges.”

The worms in the room react to the announcement with noise. Some whisper. Some clap. Victor just stares at Beatrice.

Nico: “I have actually interrogated two witnesses that couldn't attend this hearing. Dare I say, their testimonies were the most useful and decisive of them all. Before this trial, I spoke to the souls of Quincy and Bennett.”

Nico: “Both of them clearly remember being killed by undead, not Victor. Neither of them actually even reports his presence on the scene when they died. The only way this could've been Victor's fault is very indirect – and that is that he failed to recognize and dispell the enchantment that trapped them and made them extremely vulnerable to undead attacks.”

Victor: “I…”

Beatrice: “So it was his fault!”

Nico: “No. I disagree. Or is Xenia's death the fault of young Sophia?”

The teen jolts. Her mother scowls at the Priest.

Beatrice: “What?! No!”

Nico: “Well, Sophia was officially a guard, and as such, she failed to prevent the zombie assault that killed Xenia. The same can be said about Cyrus and Percy in Stella's case. Victor is just as guilty as they are, which is to say… he isn't.”

Nico: “Of course, we'd be living in a much better world if Sims were infallible and our effort was always a guarantee of success, but that's not the world we live in."

Nico: "I cannot in good conscience punish somebody, whose job wasn't even to watch out for enchanted traps, for not living up to his ideal, clairvoyant self, just as I cannot condemn the guards for not being supernaturally fast, strong and omnipresent.”

Nico: “Beatrice, do you have something to say to Victor before this hearing is adjourned?”

Beatrice: “No, Venerable Nico. I don't regret a word I've said, and I don't regret this hearing, even if I've lost. My life and the lives of my children have been unjustly harder because of Victor, and even if he didn't do it on purpose, his ambition and incompetence cost the lives of my loved ones.”

Victor: “Bloodtraitor!”

Nico is silent for a moment. Then he shakes his head again. “I'm so sorry… for both of you. I understand your pain, Beatrice.”

She is frowning. “Priests shouldn't lie.”

Nico smiles gently. “If you don't believe me, that's alright. Just know your plight is not without sympathy.”

Victor: “May I have a question?”

Victor: “In which stage of grief is it normal to baselessly accuse your cousin of being a necrophiliac rapist?”

Nico: “Victor…”

Victor: “I had to incapacitate the undead body of the man I considered my brother, and I was not even allowed to grieve for him because I had to lead my expedition!"

Victor: "Now my wife is dying as we speak. And I had to waste the entire evening defending myself against extremely debasing and absurd false accusations instead of being with her!”

Nico: “...”

Victor: “And you sympathize with her?!”

Nico: “Victor. Acknowledging Beatrice's pain doesn't mean I don't see yours, or that I don't feel for you!"

Nico: "And if you let me continue, I would've already ended this charade in your favor, giving you the right to demand a favor as an apology from the plaintiff!"

Nico: "Within reason, of course.”

Beatrice: “What?”

Nico: “Beatrice of the Beldines, you have willfully upheld a false accusation even after you've heard it refuted, for the explicit purposes of punishing your cousin. According to worm law, you should pay damages requested by the accused and confirmed by the priest.”

Beatrice: “I… see. I should've known that's your ‘justice.’”

Nico: “I haven't asked your opinion, have I? Anyway, Victor. Keep in mind I will veto anything dehumanizing, excessive or cruel.”

Victor: “Do not worry, Venerable Nico. I know what I want, and it is not any of those things. I demand my cousin postpone the challenge for the leadership of our clan until Aranni's situation stabilizes.”

Nico: “That is a reasonable request. Beatrice, the challenge shall proceed according to Victor's rescheduling.”

Beatrice: “Very well. That… is our law, after all.”

The Beldines exchange intense glares, until a voice from the audience interrupts them.

Serenity: “A circus of a clan.”

Nobody replies to her taunt. Both Beldines seem too exhausted.

Nico: “With that, I finally pronounce this hearing adjourned!”

He waits for everybody to leave the court hall. Then he just collapses on his pulpit and curses breathlessly.

Serious feedback wanted by my OCD: Is this misogynistic?

Yes.

No.

Yes, and conflating awarness of your genuine bigotry with "OCD" is also ableist.

Voting ended onFeb 1

To explain my worries: First of all, it is a story where a man (a white, rich and cis man) gets accussed of rape and the accusation is false. That itself could be seen as an anti-victim narrative and promotion of rape culture. I personally didn't conceptualize it as that, since Victor's accuser is a third party, not the alleged victim - and said third party never spoke to the victim about being assaulted by Victor, nor did she have any first or (in-depth) second-hand knowledge of the situation. The accusation came out of Beatrice's association of nudity and vulnerability with sex, and the fact that Victor was seen carrying Quincy's nude corpse made her add the rape allegation on top of the murder. Still, interpreted in bad faith, this could be a story about a rich guy having allegations of his sex crimes almost automatically dismissed, whlist he's portrayed at least semi-sympathetically, and nobody questions the judge's decision. Even his enemies (Serenity at least) agree with the verdict. Bad... optics...

Plus, only after I've already closed the game, I've realized that I have way fewer usable screenshots of Beatrice and only one of Serenity, while there are plenty of Victor. Even though objectively, Beatrice is just as important of a player in the scene as Victor, she's given a fraction of the visual space he is. I feel really bad about it, but posing all the Sims took a very long time and I can't bring myself to pose the scene again and take more pictures of her. However, I'll make a consious effort to center her visually more in the upcoming succession battle than the man.

So, if I see so much misogyny in this writing, why don't I rewrite it?

It's because otherwise, I like the way I wrote it, and both of the points I raise against myself require an outside reading that I wouldn't come to as the author, so I can't be sure whether I'm actually commiting misogyny, or I'm just having a spiral. Because in case I just ruminated too close to the sun, I don't want to rewrite anything to appease my mental illness. I don't want OCD to rule me. Thus, I'm posting it as is and asking for other people's opinions.

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