enodia_ic | MAY MURDER MYSTERY PARTY

MAY MURDER MYSTERY PARTY

Starting at 7:00 PM, a room in the rec center is opened to the guests. Isaiah's done his best to evoke something like a nice, 60's sitting room, completely with dramatic lighting. Maddox has been provided with a bar cart and bottles of liquor so he can mix drinks for the guests. There are also snacks available, which look a bit like rearranged cafeteria charcuterie boards. Candles have been lit, and the atmosphere isn't too bad for Isaiahls first attempt at hosting a themed party.

There's a table as well as arm chairs for seating, and the music is largely jazz instrumentals. Isaiah won't fuss too much if people want to take over the playlist as long as they don't kill the mood. Only Jack is allowed to get murdered tonight.

HOW THIS WORKS

✎ The party begins at 7:00 PM, the murder is scheduled for 8:00 PM, and the investigation will last until 10:00 PM where everyone will need to state their case.
✎ Phones and other internet-connected devices are collected at the door and kept in a little box. They can be accessed if there's an emergency, but not to help them win the game.
✎ To accuse someone, you must provide a name, murder weapon, motivation, and opportunity. Whoever gets the most right win. (OOC: I will largely be using RNG and observing your characters for this, because we as players will know who the killer is. I might attempt something more ambitious next month, but for now it's just a roleplaying opportunity!)
✎ The winner gets to choose who next month's murder victim is.
✎ Feel free to make up details and just have fun in the space. This isn't supposed to be too serious! The assigned roles are just prompts!
✎ Characters may use their powers, but only if they disclose exactly what they can do to the entire group before the game begins.

ROLES

Right before Jack is found with his head splattered across the walls of the back room, everyone is handed an envelope containing their role, general information about the case, and their unique clue. They're asked to open them after the murder is revealed.

Jack is welcome to mill about with the guests as a "ghost" if he'd like, but he can also just take a nap in the back room.

GENERAL INFORMATION:You all know one another from an elite club you were part of in university, where you would try to solve cold cases. You even found brief fame when you solved a cold case together as a group. However, it's been many years since you've last seen one another, and old scandals and secrets may come to light now that you're together again.

When Jack Jung, a movie star, is found murdered in the middle of a the reunion, the armchair detectives have to suspect one another. A snowstorm rages outside, ensuring that no one can leave or call for help until morning.

ISAIAH, MADDOX, JACK

These three characters are playing special roles, and do not get any envelopes.

✎ Isaiah is the host, and is running the game. He can only be asked questions about technicalities and rules.
✎ Maddox has recused himself from participating because of his powers, but he's mixing drinks and can socialize at his leisure.
✎ Jack is the murder victim, and although he knows who killed him, he can't share anything he knows with the players because he's a corpse.

SUSPECTS

✎ Raine - Artist - When Jack arrived, he warned you to be careful around Enoch. You think he knew a terrible secret about Enoch. You discovered the body first, and now you have blood on you.
✎ Vidalia - Doctor - With your medical training you have a lot of insight into how Jack died, and can tell his head exploded unnaturally. You’re close friends with Jack’s wife, who is also Minty’s cousin.
✎ Minty - Butcher - You heard gossip that Jack was never actually going to leave your cousin for his mystery mistress, and was just leading her on. You also know he recently inherited a lot of money. [MINTY IS THE MURDERER]
✎ Eden - Author - This scenario is playing out exactly like a novel you wrote two years ago, and in your book the killer got away with it. You know Annie and Jack were having an affair.
✎ Crysta - Florist - The flowers, orange lilies, left on Jack’s body symbolize pride, hatred and humiliation. They’re the exact same as the ones you brought to the party. You were accused of killing your late husband after he cheated on you.
✎ Annie - Singer/songwriter - Before Jack left the party, he played an obscure song foreshadowing his death. You were having an affair with him, he said he’d leave his wife for you.
✎ Wren - Accountant - Jack contacted you out of the blue three months ago about how he just inherited a great deal of money, and you helped him invest it in a way that also benefited you.
✎ Enoch - Politician - You’ve read Eden’s book, where someone dies in an eerily similar way. Jack was once your best friend, until you had a well-known falling out.
✎ Taby - Actor - Lost the leading role in a critically acclaimed film to none other than Jack, and hasn't found much work since then. You've heard rumors Jack also had an affair with his costar.
✎ Lenz - Museum Curator - Jack was your first love during university, but it didn't last. However, while doing research for his upcoming role as Napoleon Bonaparte, Jack contacted you. It required a lot of late nights and long phone conversations.
✎ Noah - Hollywood Agent - You've been representing Jack for the past several years, but he's become a difficult client and it's impacting your reputation. If Jack does actually leave his wife for that singer, it'd be a disaster.

SCHEDULE

» VIBE CHECK: What's your character feeling as they join the party? What are they wearing? How are they behaving and who are they hanging out with? (optional)

» 7 PM - COCKTAIL HOUR: Before the murder is revealed, there's time to socialize and enjoy some drinks mixed up by Maddox. Near the end of cocktail hour, everyone is handed an envelope containing their role and clues.

» 8 PM - A MURDER!: The host, Isaiah, announces that one of the guests has been murdered. Gasp! No one saw this coming! Jack has been brutally dispatched via an exploded head. (Enoch's illusions assist with the visuals. There is a short, semi-ironic photoshoot.)

» 8-10 PM - INVESTIGATION: Now that everyone has their roles, their clues, and the murder scene, the investigation may begin.

» PERFORMANCES: Please fill out and post the following form under this header so I can get an idea of how your character performed at their assigned role. I'll be using this information as well as their activities during the event to RNG who solved the murder! (The winner will be announced on Monday or Tuesday so everyone has a chance to participate.)

(CODE)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

COME HITHER for your 60s (..ish) MOCK AND COCKTAILS! Maddox got a little overexcited about the warring themes of swinging sixties and murder mystery, so you're getting a little bit of everything! He's prepared a big jug of Negroni punch for those of you who want quick, dramatically crimson refills. He's got a little cocktail menu for the event and can mix you a Vampiro (it's got BITE), a Satan’s Whisker (to inject PEP back into your step), or a groovy Grasshopper (for that quintessential 60s drink) in no time. The Short Sharp Prick is a mix of tequila, chilli liqueur, and grapefruit soda, with pear purée, fresh lime juice and agave syrup.

If you're going alcohol-free, he can make you his Final Offer, which is a non-alcoholic Martini Vibrante aperitif with camomile tea syrup and Crodino non-alcoholic aperitif (citrusy!).

He will gamely try to make you anything you request, but that might take more time!

Taby is not a big drinker, being perfectly capable of making dumbass decisions while fully sober, and as such doesn't have much of a taste for alcohol. After hemming and hawing over these menu choices for a minute, they finally turn their attention back to Maddox.

"Which of these tastes the best?" they demand, as if this is a question with a definitive answer.

Maddox hmms a little bit, considers Tabby (and wonders if they've still got his lighter?) and Tabby's request, then shrugs. "Depends," he begins, "on what you like. If you like oranges, Satan's Whisker. If you want to burn a hole through your taste buds, I'll make you an extra spicy Vampiro."

"That sounds like it sucks," Taby says in response to the offer of an extra-spicy Vampiro. But, as aforementioned: they're stupid even without alcohol. "Let's do it."

"Strong choice!" Maddox chirps, and gets to work. "A real bite in the throat."

Taby leans over the bar cart as he works, observing the process. They have the working memory of a goldfish, probably not helped by several years spent MMA fighting and accruing head injuries, and the fact that anyone can remember how to make anything more complicated than a screwdriver is mystifying to them.

"How'd you learn how to do that?" they ask.

Jack is hithering—boy is he hithering!

He's old enough to understand his limits, particularly that dark liquors are an evil potion that animates him with the spirit of mayhem. This means he should probably go for the Negroni punch, but Jack is eternally optimistic about his ability to handle tequila.

"Hit me with that Short Sharp Prick," he laughs. "Did you come up with it yourself?"

We LOVE a hithering!

"Hah," he hahs as he begins to throw together Jack's order. "I wish. Lifted shamelessly from a place I bartended at in London. I just made it sharper."

"So worldly," Jack smiles, watching Maddox mix his drink. He makes a face—still smiling, but eyebrows way up high as Jack realizes he is putting himself in harm's way—as a generous serving of chile liqueur is thrown in. "And dangerous. Maybe you're the murderer."

"Maybe," Maddox sing-songs back at him, "I am." After a final flourish, he presents Jack with his drink. "You'll be fine," he adds, with what is meant to be an encouraging wink. "This isn't hotter than that hot sauce you got me."

“And how are you—” Jack pauses to inhale sharply as the Short Sharp Prick clears out his sinuses “—liking it?”

He hopes he remembered Maddox’s tastes right. Honestly, Jack had always figured Maddox was Mouse’s friend, not his, but that didn’t mean he didn’t like Maddox. Maddox had been fun to be around, something Jack’s younger self hadn’t fully appreciated at the time. It’s nice to get a second chance.

“Too hot? Or not hot enough?”