We entered a grand hall resembling the circular chamber of a parliamentary stage. Audience seats rose steeply around us, encircling a central lodge that commanded attention. The chamber hosted about a hundred occupants, every seat filled. The majority of the audience wore black togas, while those seated in the lodge stood out in deep, bloody-red robes. There were five of them, their attire signaling their status as judges, an elite faction presiding over the court. The rest were likely court ...