đThe Sorcererâs Masqueradeđ
Greetings and Salutations!
You have been formally invited to the Sorcererâs first ever Halloween Masquerade Ball! The attire is wizard formal, so wear your most extravagant outfit. You must also come wearing a mask. Anonymity is encouraged, but not enforced.
Each invited guest is permitted to bring a plus one.
The event will occur on October 30th-November 1st
Please RSVP at your earliest convenience via letter, psychic message, or orb.
S.
@sorcerer-acolyte @lead-sorcerer @the-silliest-sorcerer @sorceress-foxgirl-ariel @gun-sorcerer @inflammable-sorcerer @serious-tabaxi @the-mighty-dalob
Murder Mystery?!
@serious-tabaxi @the-mighty-dalob @ignisuadaroleplay @dova-p-i @kajeet-da-traveling-merchant @sorcerer-acolyte @green-cloaked-figure
The lights flicker. A blood curdling scream!
@green-cloaked-figure The Hero wearing a dragon mask has been murdered. His mask lays on a pile of ashes.
âAlright everyone! Remain calm. This is all part of the event.â
âThere is a murderer in our midst. We must solve the riddle of who it is before they can pick off the rest of us. Murder Mystery time!â
Hm, well, okay, I'm going to assume he isn't really dead and that this is just a game, because if he is really dead I'm going to be very upset, but I hope he was convinced to go along with this voluntarily and that he's having fun, wherever he is.
I could find out from the mask what happened, but that would be cheating; I guess I'll go along with the spirit of the event and play along.
So I guess the first thing to do is to examine the, uh, "crime scene". Anything there besides ashes and the mask?
(And is it really the same mask he was wearing, because I would definitely know if it wasn't.)
It is the same mask.
The âashesâ appear to be nothing more than chalk dust.
(The mask winks, but at a time when no one but the green-cloaked figure is likely to notice.)
(Just to be absolutely sure, the green-cloaked figure uses the mental connection they have to the rest of the Hero's costume to make sure it's still intact, since if it is that presumably means the Hero is still safe too. Once reassured of this point, they stand up from their inspection of the evidence.)
Well, okay, I guess I should probably play along and make this look good.
The green-cloaked figure puts their gloved hand to the position on their hood where their forehead should be in (somewhat overacted) dismay.
"Oh no! This is all my fault! If only I hadn't encouraged him to come here! Why, oh why, did I lead him to his doom!"
They holds up the dragon mask facing them like Hamlet holding Yorick's skull.
"Alas, poor Hero! I knew you... well, not all that well, actually, but still you seemed like a good guy."
He turns to the other assembled guests (@serious-tabaxi @the-mighty-dalob @ignisuadaroleplay @dova-p-i @kajeet-da-traveling-merchant @sorcerer-acolyte).
"We have to get to the bottom of this! My innocent companion has been slain in cold blood! Reduced to a miserable pile of ash! We must find the dastard that did this. Before..." (Dramatic pause) "...they strike again!"
(He makes lightning noises with his mouth to add to the drama.)
"Did any of you see or hear anything that might be a clue that may point to the perpetrator of this pernicious deed?"
[he was holding his stomach like he was sick from the scene] s-sorry noâŠ. I have no clue of how it could of, at least it seems he went out quickly⊠[his other band however seemed to have put something in his back pocket]
âI can help track mana traces, see what if any spells were activeâ
"Ah! Excellent! A possible clue, so we can do something other than me asking the other guests random stupid questions so it can look like I'm pursuing an investigation! Yes, let's do that."
âAll rightâ
*looks over at @sorcererest-sorcerer to see if looking at magic would ruin any of the behind the scenes effects*
Any and all attempts to detect or identify magic fail instantly.
The green cloaked figure scratches its head through the deerstalker cap that they definitely didn't have on when this all started and that may be a transformed version of the dragon mask.
"Hm... so that's a dead end, then.
"Well, friends, let's think this through. Of course the obvious suspect is the person who took @sorcererest-sorcerer aside earlier to speak to him privately, and who just a little while ago was suspiciously putting something into a pocket. But as we all know, in a murder mystery it's never the most obvious suspect. By which I mean, it probably is the most obvious subject, but I don't want to spoil things by ending this too soon, so let's pretend we didn't see those things.
"But wait! All our suspects are not assembled! Isn't there someone missing? I thought I saw someone else in this room earlier. Wait... I seem to recall an altercation at the refreshment table. Yes... between @the-mighty-dalob and a...
"Where's @thedarksorcerer?
"If nothing else, I can ask him some stupid questions too to drag this thing out further."
âWhat no! Me? I havenât the slightest idea what you-â
âI mean⊠Dark Sorcerer? Whoâs that?â
âBrotherâŠâ
@green-cloaked-figure
âOk fine! Itâs me!â
He removes his skull mask to reveal a face identical to the Sorcererâs
âBut I didnât kill him! However, I recall being very close to this Hero person when he died. I teleported away shortly after due to my cloak of recall.â
âThe cloak teleports me to the nearest place of safety in the presence of a hostile spell.â
"A likely story!
"I'm not being sarcastic, that's a likely story, because yeah, you having committed the murder would be too easy and kind of an unsatisfying answer. But if you were very close to him when he died, and you know about the hostile spell, perhaps there's something you could tell us about it. Could you sense what kind of spell it was, or what direction it was coming from?"
âI canât be sure⊠but it definitely came from that corner of the room.â
He gestures towards the snack table.
@sorcerer-acolyte @ignisuadaroleplay @serious-tabaxi @kajeet-da-traveling-merchant @the-mighty-dalob
âOh I see somthingâ
*wither that be a hint or a magical snack is up to you*
@green-cloaked-figure @the-mighty-dalob @serious-tabaxi @kajeet-da-traveling-merchant @ignisuadaroleplay
The lights flicker! A shout of surprise followed by a sudden heat.
@sorcerer-acolyte is dead. Where he stood is now a much more convincing pile of ash and an unharmed wooden mask
Curiously, the pile of chalk has been replaced by a similar pile of ash.
*muttering under breath* âJust go with itâ
*R?? was at the snack table making the snacks look fancier.*
R??: sudden flash of sulfur... interesting medium for a disintegration
S??: real polite!
R??: sorry didn't mean to pin any blame on you....
*you look as the sorcerer standing next to a pile of ash, slowly levitating and a heavy rain starts indoors*
*his eyes are growling a deep blue*
*R?? tastes the rain...*
R??: hm. faint flowery taste... interesting.
*you watch and feel the mana of a stormy sea, the mana of a cry ocean. The mana of a drowning sailor⊠you feel the rage of water deep and blue*
R??: motion to evacuate to a higher floor? @sorcererest-sorcerer @kajeet-da-traveling-merchant @the-mighty-dalob
*??R returns from probably the bathrooms looking awkward until he sees the mess.* ??R: toilet's flooded.
[ @sorcerer-acolyte Bold of you to assume the green-cloaked figure has feet]
The green-cloaked figure speaks loudly to make themself heard over the growing storm, which they otherwise seem to be completely ignoring.
"So.. we know Dalob and the gentleman in the eyeless mask were near the refreshment table when the first murder occurred. Was there anyone else there at the time?"
As they speak, they slowly walk toward Tempest.
"Speaking of the gentleman with the eyeless mask, did I hear you say something about sulfur earlier? Was that... a clue? Would you care to expand on it?"
Their voice is becoming less deep than it was, or at least less consistently deep; apparently they were putting on a fake voice this whole time and are now becoming careless about it.
"And wait! I believe we're still missing one suspect!" They turn toward @ignisuadaroleplay. "Weren't you dancing with a young lady earlier? Did you see where she went?"
When they get near Tempest, the green-cloaked figure whispers aside to him, made somewhat less inconspicuous by their choice to put their hand beside their mouth (or at least the spot on their hood behind which their mouth presumably is) when they do so.
"You know this is all fake, right?"
*the floating sorcerer snaps out of it and the cloud breaks*
âHum? RightâŠ. Can I uh⊠be zapped too?â
*he turns to @sorcererest-sorcerer as he descends*
âI want to spend time with my dateâ
*blushing a pink glow as he says the word date*
*the room is still flooded and you even see one or two fish flapping away on the floor*
"I mean, yeah, I'd kind of like to spend time with my date too, but at least the two of them are probably in the same place and hopefully getting along. Anyway, let's just get done solving this 'mystery' and they should be back.
"If it makes you feel better, I can check on them; I have a... okay, this is going to sound a little odd, but I have a mental connection to the Hero's costume. I didn't want to use it to cheat on the mystery, but I think it's okay if I just use it to check on them and see how they're doing, if it'll set your mind at ease."
( @sorcererest-sorcerer )
âNo thank you, Iâll just go to themâ
*he opens up a whirlpool in the water and just hops in. The other side shows his date. Once through it drains the water in and closes.*
* @sorcererest-sorcerer *
@green-cloaked-figure @serious-tabaxi @the-mighty-dalob @kajeet-da-traveling-merchant @ignisuadaroleplay
âOk! I think Iâve let this go too far.â
âMy house is flooded and people are becoming emotionally hurt. I think itâs time to end this game.â
âIf you would all like, you can call out your final guesses for the culprit to see who got it right. But as of now the game is over.â
Well this went quite sideways didn't it?
*I grab through a portal, pull out a piece of Pie and while grabbing it heat it up so it is nice and steamy*
So, any guesses anyone? I'm stumped to be honest.
@green-cloaked-figure @serious-tabaxi @kajeet-da-traveling-merchant @ignisuadaroleplay
I have no clue whatâs going on
âI would like to apologize for thatâ
*a man in a mask appear next to a cart*
âJerry accidentally sent out the invitation letters that @sorcerer-acolyte asked us to keep hold of, this event was meant to be held in a few weeks.â
"Well, as we all know, in mysteries it's often the least likely suspect! And in this mystery, I'd say the least likely suspect is... me! After all, it was my companion who was the first victim. I'm the one who's been doing most of the investigation. Clearly I'm the one who's least likely to have committed the murders, and therefore, by the narrative laws of murder mysteries, the most likely suspect to have been the murderer!
"Except that I know I didn't do it. At least, I'm pretty sure I didn't do it. So that's not what I'm going to guess. Instead, I'll guess the person who I said was the most likely suspect before... the Merchant! Except I'm basing that guess largely on things that I'm not sure were actually supposed to be clues. Or maybe they were. I don't know. Sorry.
"Honestly, I just kind of wish more people had gotten more involved in the investigation. I was kind of trying to prod other people into participating more, but... oh well. Well, @sorcererest-sorcerer, I think you were doing a good job, anyway; I'm sorry if it didn't go exactly as you'd intended.
"The only thing I'm a little worried about is that I hope the Hero is okay. I mean, I'm sure you didn't physically harm him, but I think he was already kind of nervous and uncomfortable being here, and I hope he was a willing participant in this and he wasn't too traumatized; I don't want to scare him off from further social interaction with, uh, people aren't regular humans."
âThe victims were teleported to a safe and comfortable room with refreshments and air conditioning.â
Mhm, interesting interesting.
@serious-tabaxi i think you're the only one who yer has to guess our Manaless magical assailant.
Any theories?
R??: mm... whoever it was, they weren't very imaginative.
S??: i think it was... the guy who claimed to have no clue what was going on
??R: i was in the bathroom for most of the evidence.
Mhm, ok so you think it was @ignisuadaroleplay who was absent for most of the Mystery portion
Our Detective @green-cloaked-figure thinks it was our Traveling Merchant @kajeet-da-traveling-merchant, who also thinks it was themselves... strangely.
While the novice Sorcerer @sorcerer-acolyte thinks it was a ploy by the Victim themselves.
Did i get all of this Right? Anything to add by anyone? Any theory changes?
âNo that was my husbandâŠâ
*he blushes*
âHusband?â
âShut up, date. He said that, I know the answer⊠accidentally got it spoiled so I didnât guess.â
Conclusion
You can all finally go home
@sorcerer-acolyte @the-mighty-dalob @serious-tabaxi @kajeet-da-traveling-merchant @ignisuadaroleplay @green-cloaked-figure
The Sorcerer produces a scroll of parchment.
âThe murderer was Dalob, who tried to kill my brother the Dark Sorcerer for cutting in line at the pie table. My brotherâs lackluster performance and inability to properly direct guests to the appropriate clues may have contributed to the technical difficulties and confusionâŠâ
âNow for MY reveal!â
The two figures that make up the Sorcererâs costume stand side by side. The tall purple figure with a silver mask drops to the floor, just an empty robe. The short figure removes his frog mask green robes to reveal the Sorcererâs head sticking out of a Bag of Holding. His hands and feet protrude from holes in the sides and bottom, with most of his body concealed in an extra-dimensional space, creating the illusion of a short stubby body.
The Sorcerer rises out of the bag and stretches.
âAlright everyone! Thank you so much for attending. Happy Hallows Eve!â
"Ah, dang. Dalob would have been my second guess. Although now I feel stupid for having missed some clues that I can see in retrospect; yeah, okay, I really should have gotten it. Oh well. I said I was bad at this."
When the Hero reappears, he's barefoot (he was wearing sandals before), but seems otherwise unharmed. (He's also, of course, not wearing a mask anymore, so his face is clearly visible, but there's nothing surprising about it. He looks like an ordinary human, whom nobody else at the party recognizes.)
The green-cloaked figure takes off the deerstalker hat they were wearing, and it morphs back into the dragon mask, which the figure puts back on the Hero's face. The figure's (lensless) magnifying glass also morphs back into the domino mask, which the figure puts back on (again, pointlessly over its drooping hood).
"So, uh," the green-cloaked figure says, "are those of us who came masked and disguised supposed to reveal ourselves, or should we just let the mystery linger? I mean, I know you figured out who I am, but I'm not sure anyone else knows."
âDo whatever you want, but there arenât really that many sentient oozes to choose from are there?â
"Well, I don't think I've met anyone else here before except @the-mighty-dalob, so the revelation wouldn't really mean anything to most of them anyway. If anyone wants me to unmask, I will; otherwise, I guess there isn't much reason to; it would be kind of anticlimactic anyway. Oh... there is one thing I should probably do before I go." They turn to the Hero. "I don't suppose you want to walk back barefoot."
"Sorry," the Hero says. "The sandals, uh, changed form to keep me company, and I guess since I wasn't wearing them they weren't teleported back with me."
"Don't worry about it. It's not the first time copies of me have been left behind somewhere. Happens all the time. Let me give you another pair." They reach into their cloak and pull out two more green sandals, which the Hero puts on.
"Anyway, thanks for a great party, Sorcerer, and I'm sorry if some things didn't go as planned. For what it's worth, it was a good mystery, and there were decent clues in retrospect; I do feel a little stupid for not picking up on them. I'll be honest, I did think about considering possible motives for the murder, but I dismissed that as probably not having been something you'd actually have bothered with. I should have had more trust in your mystery-designing skills; if I had thought about motive maybe I would have realized the significance of @thedarksorcerer being so close to the Hero at the time of the first 'murder'.
"Regardless, thanks again for a great party. And the rest of youâ@kajeet-da-traveling-merchant, @serious-tabaxi, @ignisuadaroleplay, @sorcerer-acolyteâit was good meeting you, and perhaps we'll meet again. Although if we do... it probably won't be in this guise."