All rise! The Court of the Dead is now in session. And you all know what that means . . .

The time has come to deliver justice and to sentence those mythological creatures who forgot their place in the natural order of things!

But first, maybe we should slow down a bit. We see a few new faces in the crowd, so perhaps an explanation or two is in order. Although the fact that you were able to wander into this hidden room in the courthouse without proper authorization raises a few questions . . .

Regardless! All you need to know is that the Court of the Dead is presided over by three highly qualified and influential judges who decide the final fate of all monsters that dare to step out of line.

And when we say “final,” we really mean final. When these three judges deem a mythical creature guilty of an unforgivable crime, the punishment is permanent death. And yes, that sentence is just as dramatic as it sounds. No resurrections in Tartarus for these scofflaws.

We know what you’re thinking: who even has the authority to permanently destroy a creature like this? They must be akin to the gods. Or at least highly respected by the gods. Perhaps even as handsome or as beautiful as the gods.

And to that we say, uh, can you not see that our illustrious judges conceal their true identities behind intimidating and stylish masks? Theirs is a righteous calling, but their actions are not always applauded (as misguided as their critics may be).

That said, we won’t stop you from trying to guess the true identities of the judges who preside over the Court of the Dead. We’ll even provide some clues . . .

Judge #1

What he’s wearing: A black robe and a golden comedy mask fashioned after the face of a leering satyr.

His voice: Reedy and nasal, as if designed to whine.

His role: To question the accused.

What else you need to know: You may or may not have seen him causing trouble for the demigods at Camp Half-Blood in the past. Until recently, he was profoundly unemployed. And mostly just skin and bones.

Judge #2

What she wearing: A black robe and a golden comedy mask fashioned after the face of a snake-haired gorgon.

Her voice: Haughty, with a thick British accent.

Her role: To recite and update the official records of the accused (no matter how long it takes).

What else you need to know: She has an ego the size of Big Ben. She’s partial to fire. Based on her history, those who know her swear she’s the last person who should be casting judgment on anyone. But hey, everyone’s a critic.

Judge #3

What’s he wearing: You guessed it, a black robe and a golden comedy mask fashioned after the grinning visage of Hades, ruler of the Underworld.

His voice: Booming and masculine.

His role: To lead the proceedings, call forth the accused, and announce the final verdict.

What else you need to know: Looks to be much younger than the other two judges. Has the energy of a haughty maître-d’ at a fancy restaurant whose only pleasure in life is turning away improperly dressed customers.

. . . And to be honest, that’s all we’ve got. This guy seems like a total rando. If you can guess his identity, you’re either very lucky or you have way too much time on your hands.

Disorder in the Court

What we can tell you is that while Judge #3 wears the face of Hades, he is most certainly not the god of the dead. In fact, we’re unsure how exactly the Court of the Dead is able to operate without Hades’s permission. Because there’s no way he would approve of how these judges are administering justice.
In the Underworld, judgment is a somber affair. No spectators are allowed. And Hades would never allow a judge to wear a mask that mocks him.

It’s all enough to make us wonder if the Court of the Dead is sanctioned by the gods at all . . .

Maybe all it would take to uncover the truth would be for a single defendant to call their authority into question and demand that they reveal themselves. The judges—especially the lead one—seem arrogant enough to take the bait.

And hey, talk about a dramatic reveal! Just imagine how the crowd would react to that shocking bombshell!

Who knew judicial proceedings could be so exciting? We should convince monsters to commit crimes against nature more often . . .

Do you have any solid theories on who the judges might be? We’d love to hear your best guesses!

You can discover their identities for yourself in The Court of the Dead: A Nico di Angelo Adventure, on sale 9/23!