by Kati Evans
Here is the full production script for Week 10, Day 3.
To ensure this fills the 30–60 minute window, the focus today is on the Psychology of Flight. I have added a specific interactive segment called "Run or Stay?" where you ask the audience to make strategic decisions based on specific legal threats.
Special Instruction: You must copy the "Part 2: The Poem" section into a Notecard and give it to your Poet (from Aria’s team) before the event.
📜 SECOND LIFE SCRIPT: WEEK 10, DAY 3
Event: The Poet's Corner ("The Empty Chair") Host: Kati Evans Guest Performer: The Poet (Aria or designate) Target Duration: 35–45 Minutes
🟢 PRE-EVENT CHECKLIST
[ ] Rez the Stage.
[ ] Props: Place a single, empty wooden chair in the center of the stage. Spotlight it if possible.
[ ] The Poet: Ensure they have the poem text notecard.
[ ] 1:00 PM: Start formal RP. Announce 5-minute gathering.
🎤 PART 1: THE INTRODUCTION (Kati)
(Walk to the podium. Gesture to the Empty Chair prop.)
[Chat Block 1] /me steps up to the podium. She does not look at the crowd immediately; she stares at the empty wooden chair sitting in the center of the rug. "Tal, Citizens. Welcome to Day 3 of The Circle."
[Chat Block 2] "Yesterday, we watched a man lie to the Magistrate to save his skin. He failed."
[Chat Block 3] "But there is another way men try to escape Justice. They do not lie. They do not fight. They Run."
[Chat Block 4] "They think: 'If I am not there, the Magistrate cannot judge me.' They think distance is a shield. They are wrong."
[Chat Block 5] "Law 4.6.2 states: 'Trials may proceed in absentia if the accused cannot be located.' The Law does not need your body to condemn your soul. It only needs the evidence."
[Chat Block 6] "To illustrate the haunting nature of the runaway, I have invited a voice from the Caste of Singers. I present to you [Poet's Name], who will recite a piece titled 'The Empty Chair.'"
/me steps back from the podium and gestures for the Poet to take the stage, standing next to the empty chair, not sitting in it.
📜 PART 2: THE POEM (For the Actor/Poet)
(Give this text to your Poet. They should paste one stanza at a time, waiting 20 seconds between each. The pacing should be ghostly and hollow.)
[Stanza 1] /me walks slowly around the empty chair, trailing a hand along its back. "He packed his bag in the dead of night, He fled the city, he fled the light. 'The Guard is slow, but my feet are fast, I'll outrun the law and the shadows cast.' He crossed the river, he climbed the hill, Thinking the Voice of the Law stood still."
[Stanza 2] /me stops and points an accusing finger at the empty seat. "But in the Court, the candles burn, The Magistrate waits for his return. 'Call the Accused!' the Crier shouts, But only silence answers doubts. No voice to plead, no voice to cry, No chance to look the Judge in the eye."
[Stanza 3] /me leans down, whispering to the invisible occupant. "You are not here to plead your case, So the shadow takes your empty place. The witness speaks, the scribe records, The truth is judged by sharpest swords. The gavel falls on the empty air, And brands the ghost in the vacant chair."
[Stanza 4] /me stands tall, looking at the horizon. "Run to the North, run to the sea, But you are no longer a Citizen Free. The verdict travels on the wind, To find the man who secretly sinned. You kept your life, but lost your name, An Outlaw now, in the book of shame."
(The Poet bows to the empty chair, then to the crowd.)
🎤 PART 3: THE ANALYSIS (Kati Returns)
(Wait for applause. Walk back to the podium.)
[Chat Block 7] /me returns to the podium. "Thank you, [Poet's Name]. 'You kept your life, but lost your name.' That is the price of Absentia."
[Chat Block 8] "When you run, you waive your rights. Law 4.5.3 gives you the right to a hearing. But if you are not there to claim it, the Magistrate assumes you have nothing to say."
[Chat Block 9] "If you are innocent, Stand and Fight. If you run, the City assumes it is because you are guilty. Flight is a confession."
🏃 PART 4: RUN OR STAY? (Interactive Game)
[Chat Block 10] /me leans forward. "I want to test your survival instincts. I will give you a crisis. You tell me: Do you RUN (Flee the City) or STAY (Face the Magistrate)?"
[Scenario 1] "Scenario 1: You are accused of stealing a loaf of bread. You are innocent, but the Baker hates you and has a witness who lies. Run or Stay?" (WAIT. Answer: STAY.)
[Chat Block 11] "Verdict: STAY. Why? Because the punishment for theft is an Ear Notch. It is bad, but survivable." "If you RUN, you become an Outlaw (Law 4.9). An Outlaw can be killed on sight by anyone. Do not trade your life for your ear."
[Scenario 2] "Scenario 2: You are accused of Treason (Selling the Home Stone). The evidence is planted, but it looks very real. The penalty is Death. Run or Stay?" (WAIT. This invites debate. Let them argue.)
[Chat Block 12] "Verdict: THE GAMBLE." "Legally? You should Stay and hire a High Caste Advocate to prove the frame-up. If you run, you are convicted in Absentia and hunted forever." "However... many would Run. But remember: The reach of the Caste of Assassins is long. If you are a Traitor, there is nowhere in Gor you can hide."
[Scenario 3] "Scenario 3: You punch a Magistrate in a drunken rage. You know you did it. There are twenty witnesses. Run or Stay?" (WAIT. Answer: RUN.)
[Chat Block 13] "Verdict: RUN. (If you value your hand)." "If you stay, you lose your hand (Law 4.4.3.c). If you run, you become an Outlaw. Neither is a good life. But if you want to keep your hand attached... you better be out the gate before the sun sets. Just never come back."
❓ PART 5: Q&A SEGMENT
[Chat Block 14] "I will take questions now regarding Trials in Absentia, Outlaws, or Flight."
(Signal PLANT A)
[PLANT A QUESTION] (Plant asks): "Mistress! If I run away and am convicted, can I come back later with new evidence and ask for a retrial?"
[Chat Block 15 - Answer] /me nods slowly. "Theoretically? Yes. Law 4.6.3 allows reopening a trial if new evidence is found."
[Chat Block 16] "BUT... you are an Outlaw. The moment you walk up to the Gate, the Guards have the right to shoot you. It is very hard to file an appeal when you are full of arrows. You would need a powerful Advocate to clear the way for your return before you arrive."
(Signal PLANT B)
[PLANT B QUESTION] (Plant asks): "Mistress, how do I know if I am on trial? What if I just went on vacation and didn't know?"
[Chat Block 17 - Answer] /me smiles grimly. "Ignorance is risky. However, the Magistrate will usually issue a Summons to your last known address."
[Chat Block 18] "If you are gone for months without telling anyone, and a crime is discovered... they will proceed without you. If you leave the city for a long time, tell a Scribe or a neighbor. Do not vanish without a trace."
🏁 THE CLOSING
[Chat Block 19] /me smooths her robes. "The Empty Chair is a lonely place. It is better to stand in the dock and speak your truth than to be a ghost in the wilderness."
[Chat Block 20] "Tomorrow, we have a Guest Speaker. We will hear the story of 'The Double Jeopardy.'"
[Chat Block 21] "It is a story of a man who thought he was safe because he was acquitted once... but found that the Law has a long memory."
[Chat Block 22] "Thank you to our Poet. The Circle is closed!"
(Signal Crier/Slave to end.)
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