[Ghoul's Group] Murder Mystery: Blood Bath

Wed Oct 18, 2017 7:21 pm

11th Saun, 717

As the guests dropped their answers in the bowl, Kai nodded to them and shifted to the next person. She didn't make eye contact as such, and she didn't speak. In front of the doors that exited the room, Mordrid and Mai stood waiting, the male twin tapping his leg and looking between his sister and the Baron, moving to fill drinks when required. Rodriguez merely turned to stare out the window, his pale face expressionless.

Finally, all the answers were given. Kai presented the bowl to his employer, who picked each piece up and read it carefully. With the first paper, he looked at Faith with a smile. Next he looked at Kura, and then to Tio, his brow raised ever so slightly. To Padraig next, with a chuckle, and finally to Mero with a sad sort of smile. Putting the paper back in the bowl, the Baron stood slowly as Kai returned to her post by the doors.

"Firstly, I want to say thank you to you all. You have been delightful guests, and it has been a genuine pleasure hosting you in my home this trial." Taking a deep breath and leaning on his cane with both hands, Rodriguez continued.

"It is true, what most of you suspected. This story was not a myth, but in fact a true crime committed a long long time ago. Lord Crow was indeed myself, and Lady Canary was my fiancé. Ophelia Swan was her name, and she was possibly the kindest and most caring human I have ever met." He spoke quietly, but his voice was strong and unwavered by emotion. Walking towards the staff, he looked at the guests with a steely blue gaze.

"Some of you guessed The Seamstress, and I can tell you that at the time that was the suspect that the Sargent concluded as well. She was imprisoned for her crime, and died in that cell cold lonely and ever pleading her innocence. There was never any needle or pin from her sewing collection that we ever found to prove her guilt, but at the time it was assumed she simply discarded it." Shaking his head sadly, the silver haired man looked at Mero.

"Some of you guessed suicide. I remember rumors, for years after, that Ophelia couldn't bare to tell me she didn't actually love me, and so took death as her only out. I can assure you though, this was never the case." Moving again, he turned to look at Mordrid with a cold stare.

"One of you however, guessed The Handmaiden. Ophelia's close friend and constant companion. Even a bridesmaid in the wedding. Interesting choice. I know at the time, I suspected her too, but it was thrown aside. The Seamstress had the tools and time to do it, and had brushed off Ophelia's mention of a stiff neck. The Handmaiden was her friend, and was ever so devastated when she died. Who could possibly suspect her." Turning around he locked his gaze on Kura, lifting a hand from the cane to point at her.

"Kura, what made you suspect The Handmaiden? Was it the fact that she was always with the Lady, in every scenario? Or the fact she was the last to leave the room, locking the doors behind her? Or was it the fact that she was so quick to point the finger at The Seamstress? Maybe it was the little detail most people missed. Mordrid, perhaps you can tell us what that was?" The blonde woman who had been staring ahead with a deadpan face, slowly turned her eyes to look at the Baron with a nervous lick of her lips.

"The hair." Lord Smooglenuff snapped his fingers and made a face of false delight, turning to face the woman as he spoke.

"The hair! Yes the hair. The Handmaiden was going to do Ophelia's hair for the wedding. In fact, when we...discovered her...the Lady's hair was up in the same hairstyle she'd been planning to do - all pretty like as Kai said. It took an awful lot of hairpins to hold up her hair, and you'd be surprised at how sharp those little things are. But at the time, everyone was so focused on the tools of the Seamstress that no one bothered to consider the tools of the Handmaiden." The piercing gaze of the man held Mordrid's, and it was clear she was struggling to look back at him. Finally she spoke with a frown.

"She should have been mine, not yours. I only wanted to save her fro-" The Baron held up a hand, looking at the wide eyed twins beside the revealed Handmaiden.

"Mai, Kai. Escort Mordrid from these premises." The blonde woman shook her head, even as the duo moved to take her by the arms.

"We were the same, you and I. I did it for love. Don't you see that? I did it for her." Smooglenuff sighed and leaned on his cane.

"You and I were never the same Mordrid. Not then, and not now." As the ex-handmaiden was escorted from the room and the doors shut, Baron Von Smooglenuff turned to face his guests with an almost sheepish smile.

"Apologies to you all. I'm afraid I used you to solve a crime that has haunted me for far to long. It must seem odd that I've kept Mordrid in my employ for all this time, but as I've learned, keep your friends close and your enemies even closer." Taking a deep breath, he nodded to Kura

"If only the military had been as skilled as you so long ago, at least one innocent women would have lived a long uneventful life." Tapping his cane on the floor with a smile, the Lord glanced at them all.

"As all of you have helped to reveal the true killer in some way, when the twins return you will all get to pick a prize. Kura, you will choose first. Then Faith, Tio, Padraig and then Mero. In the meanwhile, please feel free to chat. They shouldn't be long. After you have chosen, you will be free to stay and chat, or you may choose to explore the house, or just go to your room. My home is your home for tonight." As they waited, the waitstaff returned to clear the table and give those who wanted it one last refill. The Baron found his perch by the window, smiling and happy to answer questions should anyone ask them. When the twins returned, they both carried velvet lined silver trays. On the trays were a number of items

- A very old tome, bound in leather and silver filigree decoration on the corners. The title was embossed with silver as Eat Me
- A curiously simple looking pewter ring that if not looked directly at, seemed to completely disappear from view.
- A collection of strange liquids in small glass bottles that appeared to shift of their own accord.
- An intricate Mastercraft longbow carved with filigree and stained a deep indigo.
- A little music box, painted to look like the ocean. When opened there was a small ship inside that rocked gently in time to a beautiful soft song.

OOC Info

Hi guys! I'm your friendly neighbourhood Guest StoryTeller for this thread!

This thread will last for 1 night and you will be returning to "the real world" on 12th Saun.

Congratulations on completing the evening! Please post one last time to choose your prizes. I will provide the details of your choices in your loot tab when I review. Thanks for your patience and thanks for letting me guest story tell for you. I really hope you enjoyed it.

Wed Oct 25, 2017 3:56 pm

Kura was silent as the Baron read through their answers. She wasn't surprised that the story was true, he had been too affected by the memories to hide it. Ophelia Swan's memory was evidently a very painful one still. She had once told Faith that family was the people who left behind holes that can't be filled, and the Baron was a clear example of how much those holes could hurt. That the seamstress had been fingered as the murder wasn't a surprise, she would have been an easy suspect. Sometimes that's all people wanted, but it was a terrible miscarriage of justice. Suicide, though, she hadn't even considered. The methodology was too awkward for suicide, not when so many poisons could just be drunk or eaten.

That Mordrid was the seamstress was a surprise however, and as Kura watched the confrontation between the Baron and the handmaiden, she remembered so many similar stories, twisted love, made desire, and rampant jealousy leading to death and pain. Her path to power had begun in the courts, had been paved with criminals she had prosecuted, innocents she had defended, cases she had judged. How many tragedies had she witnessed? Hundreds? Thousands? Kura felt the weight of her age, but also the many decades that stretched ahead of her without end, filled with more pain and suffering.

However, when the Baron made to have Mordrid sent away, Kura spoke up. "A moment, please." she said, standing up. For a moment, Kura seemed to physically bear the weight of her years and she moved like an old woman. Then she shifted her shoulders slightly, as if shrugging of a heavy cloak, and she looked as young as she always did. "There was one more detail, one clue that told so much." she said, walking up to Mordrid. "The hair was one clue that was overlooked, yes. But not the most damnin'. No, that was the way she was laid out. Done up in her weddin' dress, lookin' as beautiful in death as you saw in her life. You loved her, as your understandin' of the concept went, and regret and remorse make us do things we never even think about. The way she was laid out said that her killer knew her, loved her. That's why I asked about former lovers, and when there were none, I knew it had to be someone who had known her a long time." she said, her tone cold, detached. There was no pity or compassion for Mordrid in her, and she turned from the murderer when she was done explaining Mordrid's misstep.

"That's all, Baron. I'm glad I could help you bring this to a close." she said, before frowning sadly at his comment about the military. "When Lady Swan died, the island was under the control of the Pirate Lords, yes? That lack of skill was likely enforced by them, so as to maintain easier control of the island." she said, before smiling slightly. "And it was more experience than skill. I used to be a judge, and before that, a lawyer. After a while, you learn to recognize the signs." she said as she went back to her seat.

Kura was silent as she waited for the twins to return, her look reflective, pondering. When the rewards were presented, she shook herself out of her reverie and walked up to the selection. The book didn't particularly grab her attention, neither did the liquids or the music box. The bow and the ring, however, were interesting. On one hand, she had a beautifully crafted longbow, one that had been her companion since she had been young. On the other hand, the one before her was beautiful as well. After a moment, she picked up the bow. "Born a huntress, I was, for all that my prey is more often esoteric and obscure. This suits me well." she said, taking the bow and leaning against a wall. "Milord, what will you do now?" she asked the Baron, her tone curious.

Wed Oct 25, 2017 9:25 pm

[img]/gallery/image ... e_id=10076[/img]

That it was personal to the Baron, Faith was not at all surprised to find out. Yet, that it was the Handmaiden was not what she had guessed. As the Baron explained and then, eventually, Mordrid was taken away. Faith watched, frowning as the twins took Mordrid out. It was a dangerous game that the Baron played but then, she wondered, what did he truly have left to lose? If that was her or Padraig, what would the other do? There was no doubt in Faith's mind that any existence without him would be no true life at all. She couldn't begin to fathom it, but she watched what happened and wondered ~ what would happen to Mordrid now? After committing such a crime and finally, after all these arcs, admitting to it? What would occur?

Yet, Faith knew something suddenly and she looked at Padraig. He would understand, she knew. This was what she did and he could help her this time. "Baron, my apologies if I am too forward, but I feel I must tell you." Faith spoke with a quiet tone, but her expression was earnest as it ever was. "I am marked, blessed by Famula, Vri and Moseke." There was no showing off in her, she simply stated it how it was ~ and the fact that she was marked by three Immortals spoke of the devout nature of the aptly-named young woman. "I have to tell you that I can see the spirits of the dead. Those who have not passed, because they have unfinished business. I have not seen her here this evening, which means that she has most likely passed over and is waiting for you." Faith spoke quietly, just to the Baron, although the others could undoubtedly hear her - she didn't care in that moment.

"I have two offers to make to you, if you would accept them, Baron. I can check the whole house, although I am sure that if she were here she would be anchored to you." That was the first one, and that was the easiest. "Also, with an item of importance to her, I can ask her spirit to come here. Padraig has a piece of ice, shaped like the tooth of a wolf, which will allow you to see her, speak to her, hear her." Faith looked at the Baron and gave a slight smile. "I can not bring her back or set right the arcs which have passed. But I can give you the chance to tell her that her killer is caught and to say goodbye. I can give you three breaks with her." Was it a strange, morbid thing? Maybe. But it was what she would want and Faith couldn't pass up the opportunity to help the man. It was her duty, her privilege and her pleasure to do so.

When the Baron had answered, whatever he said would be what Faith did. Whatever that took, she was more than happy to do. Of the prizes, she looked at them and considered. Then, she picked up the music box. A strange choice, perhaps, but then probably not to the man who she was here with. After all, they were having a baby and this would be for that child which, as yet, no one else knew about.

Thu Oct 26, 2017 5:45 pm

Wait, so the murder mystery acted out had in fact been a genuine murder all this time? Now that was a surprise! So all this time he'd been playing detective he had actually been doing genuine detective work? Who knew working for the law could actually be pretty fun? Tio looked on in mild surprise as the baron had his servants arrest Mordrid, who turned out to be the real killer from all those years ago, and revealed all about how the character of Lady Canary represented his lost lover Lady Ophelia.

"Well... I didn't see that coming..." He muttered just loud enough for the others to hear once Mordrid was out of the room. Judging by the looks a few of the others wore they'd figured out what had been going on, or at least were pretending they had, but no one seemed especially happy about solving the case. Knowing that the mystery wasn't a harmless game after all had left a rather sombre mood in the air.

He'd have to do something about that.

"I for one am going to chalk this up as another great victory for Detective Silver, crime solver extraordinaire!" He said with mock bravado, leaning back in his chair and finishing off the rest of his blue drink whilst deliberately ignoring the fact that he hadn't actually chosen the real culprit. "Of course you all did very well today too. Perhaps if I am ever in need of assistants sometime in the future I'll call upon one or two of you. Every great mind needs a slightly smaller mind to help them put things into perspective after all."

When the choice of rewards was presented to them and Kura and Faith had made their selections Tio looked over the remaining items, and his eyes instantly went to the pewter ring that seemed to shrug off peoples attention when not directly looked at. Something about it felt like magic, and anything magical being offered as a prize was bound to be fun somehow.

I think I'll take this fancy looking ring. Gotta be sure to keep my bling up to date after all. He said, picking the ring up and twirling it around in his fingers.

[/align]

Sun Oct 29, 2017 12:04 pm

There was as much to learn from being wrong as there was from being right. As a scientist and from a personal, logical perspective, Padraig had always believed that. And now? Admittedly he'd have preferred to be right. His instincts regarding the baron at least had been had been correct. The man had a personal stake in the story acted out in front of them all. Had they as his guests been used in that sense? So far as Padraig was concerned, it was neither here nor there.

Pretty name, Ophelia Swan. He must have loved her a great deal to have gone to all th is trouble, after all this time. And had endured things, gone to lengths that most ordinary men wouldn't. So it was the handmaiden, and now the woman had quite a lot to answer for. It was curious, Padraig thought, the things people were capable of in the name of love.

He smiled at Faith and squeazed her hand in his. Her offer to the baron didn't surprise him, and the very thing she mentioned, the never melting piece of ice was in his pocket if it was needed. It frequently was these trials. "I'm truly sorry for your loss," he said to the baron. "If we were able to be of some help this evening, then I'm glad for it."

He hadn't expected a gift or a prize and didn't need it. But as an alchemist, a scientist, he was always on the lookout for unique ingredients and reagents. Who knew what sorts of things were stored in that collection of small bottles? He'd like to find out, so as might've been expected, that was his choice.

Wed Nov 08, 2017 4:07 pm

He wasn’t sure what to make of it all, the woman had indeed been murdered it seemed, and to think that this had all been for the sake of catching the murderer years later. It was bewildering to think that there were people in the world patient enough and with enough foresight to accomplish such a thing. On top of that he felt guilt he’d assumed suicide, and worse than that he felt he’d slighted his host. So much so that he had to contain himself to prevent any tears from appearing in his eyes. He felt he’d failed the man and implied something that was now obviously untrue. Looking over the gift that was left it almost felt apt that he’d be the one to receive a book, his inability to read making it a gift as worthy of him and he’d been to be here this night. He felt he hadn’t deserved to be here from the start and now that he’d been here he felt worse.

Resolving that he owed the man he decided at a later date when he’d become smarter and stronger he would repay his slight to the man and do him a good turn. Even if he wasn’t sure if the man saw it that way he couldn’t bear the guilt of being so useless and treated so well, it was a very gross feeling and one that he’d not experienced before.
Looking over the small congregation of people before him he marveled at how smart they must all be. He felt very small next to the powers and personalities surrounding him. All very different people but they all had this inner confidence they seemed to radiate. He didn’t know what it was they had but he was determined after this experience that he didn’t want to feel like such a failure again.

Sun Nov 26, 2017 9:48 pm

11th Saun, 717

As Kura spoke to Mordrid, the final nail in her proverbial coffin, the once handmaiden dropped her gaze with slooping shoulders and a pained frown.

“She should have loved me.” She said with defeat, before being escorted from the room. The Baron made a small bow to Kura, his gratitude on his weary face.

“Yes, it was at a time when the Lords of Old were in power, a dark and terrible time. Ophelia wanted to give the people a light to look towards, in her own special way. Thank you, again.” As Faith spoke, Rodriguez turned to face her, giving all of his attention to the young woman. He smiled at the thought that his fiancé was not here in the house, happy to know she had moved on. At the raven haired girls next words, the nobleman considered her words carefully, looking between her and Padraig. Finally he nodded slowly.

“As long as it would not cause any pain or put her at any risk in doing so, I would be eternally grateful. Perhaps though, in private.” Looking at Tio, the Baron did something unusual. He laughed. A proper laugh not just a bemused chuckle, shaking his head at the blond thief’s self indulgent joking.

“Don’t pull a muscle patting yourself on the back their Detective.” Smooglenuff said with a wink, before looking over at Mero with a sigh. Moving to place a hand on the boys shoulder, Rodriguez met his gaze with his own.

“You my boy, did not upset me at all. If you knew how many journalists thought Ophelia had taken her own life—and how many were not as kind hearted or thoughtful as you.” Picking up the book, he placed it in Mero’s hands and patted his shoulder.

“This book is suited for you, more than you can imagine.” Straightening, the Baron smiled at his guests once more. His heart felt good, lighter. Finally, after all this time, he had won. The truth had won.

OOC Info

Hi guys! I'm your friendly neighbourhood Guest StoryTeller for this thread!

This thread will last for 1 night and you will be returning to "the real world" on 12th Saun.

That’s a wrap! Sorry for the longest delay in the world guys, wanted to be sure everyone got to post and then unfortunately had travel which impacted my posting. Faith, if you want to do a memory thread to talk to Ophelia, I am down with that! Just pm me.

All, I will review in the next few days and reveal the true nature of your rewards in the loot tab.

Thanks for playing!

Cosmetology: The Dress Maketh The Woman
Leadership: You should never leave home unprepared
Socialisation: Breaking the ice
Seduction: Letting someone down politely
Discipline: Waiting for others to eat before you do
Investigation: Asking the right questions
Investigation: Searching for hidden agendas
Politics: Using historical political insight to understand the impact of a legal outcome

[/align]

Featured

Contribution

Milestones

RP Medals

Miscellaneous

Events

OOC Info

Featured

Contribution

Milestones

RP Medals

Miscellaneous

Events

Featured

Contribution

Milestones

RP Medals

Miscellaneous

Events

Featured

Contribution

Milestones

RP Medals

Miscellaneous

Events

Floats

Explodeibur

Mercury

Enchanting Voice

Featured

Contribution

Milestones

RP Medals

Miscellaneous

Events

Milestones

Miscellaneous

Featured

Contribution

Milestones

RP Medals

Miscellaneous

Events

OOC Info

Featured

Contribution

Milestones

RP Medals

Miscellaneous

Events

Points

Loot/Fame/Injuries

Knowledge

Points

Loot/Fame/Injuries

Knowledge

Points

Loot/Fame/Injuries

Knowledge

Points

Loot/Fame/Injuries

Knowledge

Points

Loot/Fame/Injuries

Knowledge