Let's Play Clue - Act III (Climax & Epilogue)

[PeachFreak]

January 1938

You must have met her on that absolutely dreadful train ride from Paris to Istanbul. Of course that's where you met her. Or was it? No, now that you consider it, really consider it, that couldn't possibly be right. She was an old friend of your mother's. Of course. No, that's not right either; everyone loathed your mother. You must have tried to seduce her at that terrible grand hotel in Budapest. Yes, you're certain of it. Or perhaps you went adventuring together. Or perhaps someone invited you both to that island where all those people were killed according to that nursery rhyme? Thank goodness you both missed the boat. But really, perhaps you never met her at all, and by some bizarre twist, fate has merely dropped the opportunity to hob-knob with royal blood right into your lap. That is, if she truly has a drop of royal blood in her.

No one can properly pinpoint the Baroness von Blau, but her life has certainly been illustrious. And for the moment, you know but four things: you have been personally invited to her birthday party, the party will be held at her expansive mountain estate, the only way to access said estate is by cable car, and it is doomed to snow all weekend. But that certainly will not stop you.

You see, the only thing more famous than the Baroness herself is her home. Folks say there are rooms dedicated to every grand journey she has ever taken, and that's not even mentioning the husbands. Yes, there were many of them, and she has outlived them all. The magician, the archaeologist, the botanist, the cryptozoologist, the spirtualist, and that's just to name a few. They're all represented somewhere in that towering chateau, they say, and one can only dream of the riches hidden behind those massive bronze doors.

But the Baroness has taken precautions for just that reason. Those who know her well tell of an intricate labyrinth of traps and gizmos that could make any grave-robber blush. But is she trying to keep sticky fingers out or to keep restless spirits in?

All the same, now that we've talked her up so much, you'll be disappointed to find that you will not be meeting her on this trip. No, when you stepped off the cable car, you were greeted by a mysterious Mr. Boddy, who promptly informed you the Baroness died in her sleep just one night earlier. This was, of course, following their secret marriage just one week earlier, leaving him the heir apparent to the estate in which you'll be snowed in with his murderer.

Yes, Mr. Boddy has been killed, and this supposed celebration has left us with two funerals in its place. And to make matters worse, the murderer has sabotaged the cable car. So, with nowhere to go, we might as well try to solve who's behind this whole mess. Would anyone care for a piece of cake while we wait?

How to Play

Each player chooses 2 characters, 2 rooms and 2 weapons. Be creative. Expand on your suspects' backstories and feel free to include a brief bio; you will be role-playing them and only them throughout the game. I will choose a random solution, deal out the cards, pick a turn order, and set the game afoot.

An introductory story is created, introducing the characters, rooms, and weapons, and then we role-play by writing a short paragraph or so during each of our turns where our character makes a suggestion.

Then we go around in order to see if other players can disprove - all while role-playing. Once the suggestion is disproved, it is the next player's turn to suggest. When disproving, you will PM a card to the person who made the suggestion.

A 48-hour window would be allotted between turns or the turn is forfeited. But hopefully players will keep the game moving more quickly than that.

The winner is the first person to make an accusation. Accusations can be made after a suggestion if either the suggestion receives no disproval or the player announces his potential intention to accuse during his suggestion. This way the game play can continue as soon as the suggestion is disproved without waiting for the suggestor to announce his turn is over - again unless he/she announced his intentions beforehand.

To get the ball rolling, please submit your cards below!


What an assortment, an assemblage, an array of villains and thieves!

[CluedoKid]

Harry Gules - A striking blonde playboy whose latest exploit appears to have been seeing the Baroness; who he grew quickly weary of, as we as her tired mountain enclave. Plans to move out of the castle and onto the next exciting thing were dashed by the the recent trouble with the tram car. What bother!

Clarke Raven - An eclectic recording artist escorted by Harry to the chateau to add some sizzle to the Baroness affair. But one can't always have it both ways. With a fourth - Mr. Boddy - added to the mingle, was it getting a tad too crowded?

Slingshot - A sturdy wooden prong with a thick rubber band attached, could have been used to sling pebbles, or to strap around someone's eyes.
Victrola Trumpet - Jazzy music would usually emit from the Victrola to create lively atmosphere, so was it dismantled and the heavy brass horn removed to create an aura of death?



Tram Reception - A cosy waiting room, with velvet seating and a mini bar, adjacent to the to the tram launch pad.
Spear Closet - Mr. Boddy may have kept some paraphernalia in here which we sought to fetch and never came back out.

[ClueLover98]

Miss Julep: A young mixologist renowned for her creation of the "Curacao von Blau" alcoholic drink. On the ride via cable car, she operated the tram reception's mini bar to give everyone a perfect concoction.

Maharaja Mango: The rather tight-lipped ruler of a small Indian state. His only words so far have been a series of whispers to Mr. Boddy and some Sanskrit incantations.

Stained Glass Lamp: This artsy decoration was bought by the Baroness at a charity auction in Switzerland for research involving the conservation of the roseate tern.

Razor: This item was found in a pile of snow near the front doors of the chateau, a good half of it missing.

Lepidopterarium: One of the Baroness' many husbands was a lepidopterist who disappeared suddenly while on an expedition. However, all the butterflies were pinned down and framed after he was gone. The room has been repurposed into a parlor/sitting room hybrid.

Hot Spring: A mysterious hot spring lies behind the chateau. Nothing of notice is visible there save for a carved heart stating "B + G"

[Jamie]

Gustav Weiss
Baroness von Blau's loyal manservant, who oversaw the running of the Chateau for many years. He was working on the Orient Express when she met him on one of her many trips. Impressed by his efficiency, she immediately offered him a position working for her. Given his position he knows many of the secrets of the chateau. Fiercely loyal to his mistress, given the gossip concerning how timely her death was for Boddy, did he exact revenge?

Rosa Cappadona
A beautiful raven-haired lady, originally from Tuscany. For eighteen months, she was the assistant to the Baroness' magician husband. Rumours quickly circulated that their relationship was more than just a working one, so the Baroness acted quickly and had her banished from the Chateau. So why has she turned up now?

Goat Skull:
This creepy item was brought back to the chateau by the Baroness' cryptozoologist husband from Central America. It is claimed that the goat in question was a victim of the legendary blood sucking Chupacabra. With the empty eye sockets, it's enough to give anyone a fright, and the sharp pointed horns would certainly leave their mark.

Rosary Pea:
One of the botanist husband's more deadly specimens, the Rosary Pea plant, (one of it's many names) resembles pea pods, inside of which are deadly black seeds. Seeds that could easily make their way into someone's dinner. Accidentally, of course.

Tower Room:
This was the favoured location for the Baroness' spiritualist husband to hold his séances. He believed that the spirits would be more likely to visit due to the remote elevated location. Barely furnished except for a solitary round table, with a ring of several chairs, it was the perfect place to host an atmospheric evening of speaking to the dead. Over the years he made contact with many of those that had gone over to the other side. Did someone add another spirit to the numbers?

Hothouse:
If the Baroness hadn't seen her botanist husband for a while, she knew that she'd find him here tending to his plants. The Hothouse was home to all the rare specimens that he brought back from their trips to exotic locations across the world. Even in the harshest winter, this place would be a sanctuary against the freezing temperatures. Of course, if someone wanted to commit a murder and cause confusion about the time of death, this would be the perfect location.

[PeachFreak]

I'm going to try to create some suspect cards for the game, and so, if you have a specific character appearance in-mind beyond what you've described, please feel free to PM me! For that purpose, please also PM me titles your character should use if you have not already included them. (Mr., Miss, Etc.)

[BBP]

Thea Taupe A forty-ish bric-a-brac owner, slightly greying distant cousin with the reputation of being the crow on the roof at every family member's passing. Originally from Slough, she has a boyfriend who is about as shady about the source of her income as she. Could she have adopted a rather violent way of gathering new funds?


Victor Vermillion is exactly 53 years, 2 months and five days old. He has just sold his precision-equipment-producing company and was one of the potential new conquests by von Blau. Could he have seen through her and decide to take matter into his own hands?


Ornamental Crossbow - A beautiful Swiss weapon that can fire far occasionally. It was on display in the parlor room, but where has it gone?

Crystal Ball - The spiritualist's favourite tool - heavy and with a hidden compartment for extra evil surprises.


Parlor Room - A large room, originally intended to play bowls indoors, that was converted by the spiritualist into a seance room: plenty of folding screens and occasional pieces of string to fool unfortunate truth seekers.

Observatory - A not too large room with a major alcove with large windows, a window seat, a large bookcase and a telescope. One can truly look at the stars, and the surroundings, from this place.

[DgNoah1981]

Love the cards and all the characters 🙂

[PeachFreak]

Okay, folks, I'll probably leave submissions open until tomorrow morning so we can get the ball rolling this weekend! If you have not already done so, please feel free to PM me more in-depth physical descriptions of your suspects/titles, this way I can make cards for them. Otherwise, I'll just use my discretion based on what you provided here. Looking forward to starting soon.

[cacums]

(I do hope I'm not too late)

Mr. Ulysses Mossman - Private investigator hired by Baroness von Blau not three months earlier. To Boddy's knowledge, he is merely a close friend of Blau's with a wonderful firearm collection. But what are his true intentions while at the chateau?

Princess Aelissa Blueblood - Hailing from the island of Prattonichniy, where her family has reigned, showered with wealth and gold while the locals starve and freeze under her father's reign. She hasn't been able to take her mind off of a very unusual gold-plated umbrella, kept under display at the chateau. She's offered more money than Blau could ever spend, but every offer has been turned away. Could Boddy be persuaded?


Candelabra - A heavy piece of Obsidian. Carved to hold five candles. It serves as a conversation starter. Could it have ended a specific conversation?

Golden Umbrella - It makes an awkward rattling noise while closed. A wickedly sharp ferrule. When people see it they ask "why?". Blau simply replied, "why not?".


Museum - Whether you'd like to see a sarcophagus, a 1634 wedding dress, a golden umbrella, or a miniature model of the very chateau, the museum has something unique just waiting for you.

Feasting Hall - The massive table could easily seat 30. The space around the walls is filled large liquor cabinets, ottomans, and candelabras. The space above is graced with chandeliers and of course the famous mirrored ceiling.

[TheButlerButInnocent]

Dr. Yukon: A geologist and colleague of one of the Baroness’ late husbands (the botanist … wait, also, the cryptozoologist) … so, make that two. They ran in the same academic circles: peer-reviewing papers, exchanging books, planning lavish research trips and attending faculty *beep* parties. Shortly after arriving, Dr. Yukon remembered from where she recognized Mr. Boddy (minus the mustache and with less gray hair) — those same *beep* parties — and wondered (or was it worried?) if he recognized her.

Mr. Nogoon: A struggling performer who received an invitation to perform a private concert of throat singing for the Baroness and her guests (worth noting: the invitation came with a small advance to cover his transportation and a promise of a much larger payment upon arrival). With his possible patron dead and no one interested to hear his music, how did he decide to pass the time?

Portable Typewriter: Remington claims that their new portable typewriter is the lightest around, but even the lightest typewriter weighs a lot when coming down on someone’s head.

Piano Wire: If the party’s body count was 0, the biggest mystery of the weekend would be where the rest of the piano went.

Fur Fridge: Following the death of the Baroness’ archaeologist husband (an amateur firearms collector), she converted his prized gun room into storage for her many furs — a collection that doubled in size after the archaeologist choked on an artichoke heart.

Tennessee Room: No one is quite sure how this room got its name. The Baroness, as far as anyone knows, was not born in or had ever visited the state.Furthermore, no one is quite sure what purpose the room serves, as it seems to be filled with furniture and antiques that did not fit in nearby rooms.

[Sir Shamrock]

Sir Shamrock: After year of being on the run, Sir Shamrock was relieved that no one knew of his past, that is until he saw Mr. Boddy. Boddy's the reason he went on the run in the first place after a "dinner party incident" several years prior. Was Boddy taken care of for Shamrock's sake?

Great Aunt Smoke: The VERY distant aunt of Mr. Boddy, though no one quite knows on which side. After having no contact for years she came out of the blue, around the time that he got his inheritance, announcing she would be Boddy's new guardian. Did she purposely do a bad job?

Brick: Although the building certainly is magnificent, it is incredibly old. There are several pieces of the house falling off. It's quite heavy...

Statuette of Athena: Athena is known as the goddess of war, so is this aptly named?

Pantry: Despite the simple name, this room has just about every food you can imagine. From Egyptian chocolate to Asian wine, there isn't a thing this massive room misses.

Music Room: If wall could talk, they would fill a library full of books. Sounds of countless parties of the past echoed through the acoustic walls. Songs of Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven were often played here as well as some form the Renaissance and Jazz Age.

[PeachFreak]

Thanks for joining, everyone! I was going to give it until tomorrow, but I'm going to cut off submissions early at 14/14/14 to keep all the moving parts manageable. We'll have seven players using the submissions featured here.

Tonight, I'll finish up suspect cards, and we'll get the ball rolling tomorrow.

Please keep an eye out for an introductory post featuring the turn order and objects under suspicion. I will also be choosing a random solution and sending out everyone's cards via PM tomorrow.

Please note I will be adding one suspect, one weapon, and one room but not participating in suggestions. This will ensure everyone receives six cards, and my suspect will serve as narrator to guide the plot along.

Looking forward to playing with you all!

[PeachFreak]

I am in the process of sending out cards via PM. I am also adding the following suspect, weapon, and room to the list of items in order to even everything out.

Lieutenant Olga Flax - A member of the royal guard of the sovereign nation of Prattonichniy. She arrived at the chateau several days ago for a "routine safety check" before returning home to escort Princess Blueblood to the party as an armed chaperone. Oddly, her first departure coincided with the Baronesses's untimely death; she was on the cable car down the mountain less than an hour before Mr. Boddy found the old bird's corpse. Is this a case of political espionage hastily cleaned up?

Luger Pistol - Flax's trusty sidearm. Under threat of official punishment, it never leaves her sight. Except for tonight, of course, as it has been missing for some time now and has not turned up since the discovery of Mr. Boddy's body.

Chamber of Illusions - One might be tempted to call this 'prop storage,' if not for the actual title emblazoned in gold letters across a mural on the back wall. It has sat largely untouched since the magician's death and hosts, among other oddities, a water tank, a box and saw complete with mannequin legs, and exactly one dead rabbit no one can find.

An introductory post is coming momentarily.

[PeachFreak]

All cards have been dealt! Please check your inboxes for them and note in your deductions that all other players are holding six. Below, you can find the objects under suspicion for your notebooks, plus a playing order chosen at random.

Suspects

Earl Gules
Mr. Raven
Miss Julep
Maharaja Mango
Herr Weiss
Signorina Cappadona
Miss Taupe
Mr. Vermillion
Mr. Mossman
Princess Blueblood
Dr. Yukon
Mr. Nogoon
Sir Shamrock
Great Aunt Smoke
Lieutenant Flax

Weapons

Slingshot
Victrola Trumpet
Stained Glass Lamp
Razor
Goat Skull
Rosary Pea
Ornamental Crossbow
Crystal Ball
Candelabra
Golden Umbrella
Portable Typewriter
Piano Wire
Brick
Athena Statuette
Luger Pistol

Locations

Tram Reception
Spear Closet
Lepidopterarium
Hot Spring
Tower Room
Hothouse
Parlor Room
Observatory
Museum
Feasting Hall
Fur Fridge
Tennessee Room
Pantry
Music Room
Chamber of Illusions

Playing Order

Jamie
BBP
TheButlerButInnocent
Sir Shamrock
cacums
Cluedokid
ClueLover98

The Game Ahead

The game will be broken into three acts as follows:

Act I: The Introduction

I will make a story post detailing my introduction and then cue Jamie, who will post his introduction and then cue BBP, and so on and so forth until everyone has gone. Your introduction can be as long or as short as you wish but should introduce both your suspects, both your weapons, and both your rooms. Please do not conduct actions for other people's characters but rather just write your own. You may, of course, give your suspects' opinions on other people's characters.

Act II: The Investigation

Once everyone has posted an introduction, the game is afoot. I will post another story post seguing us into the investigation into Mr. Boddy's murder. Beginning with Jamie, each player will make a suggestion and then cue each other player to disprove as appropriate. When disproving, indicate so in-character and then PM the suggesting player an appropriate card.

Using the player order, the game should be able to continue on without my intervention. When cued, you will have 48 hours to respond, but please move more quickly than that. If long wait times become a problem, I will cut down time until I intervene.

Act III: The Epilogue

A player may make an accusation following a suggestion no one could disprove. You may also announce your intent to accuse before a suggestion so that we wait for you once the round has gone around.

When someone accuses, I will make a story post detailing whether or not they are correct. If not correct, you will still disprove but are removed from the game and can no longer suggest.

Following a correct accusation, I will cue the murderer to roleplay a confession and arrest/escape depending on how the writer thinks things should unfurl. We will all then go around and give our final roleplaying post to tie a bow on the story we've created.

If you have never played "Let's Play Clue" before, I highly suggest you check up on some of the older versions, such as this thread here, to get an idea of how the game goes, especially the disproving sequence: http://theartofmurder.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2620

And that's all, folks! Await my introduction post, and I will cue Jamie to get introductions underway.

[PeachFreak]

January 1938

Lieutenant Olga Flax hated trees. As she stood near the window, the cable car rumbling around her, that was the solitary notion that occupied her thoughts. Face set into its usual hardened state, a grimness that revealed her age across otherwise youthful features, she busied herself not with the tinkling liquor glasses, not with the chattering of her fellow riders, not even with her young royal charge, but only with foggy dreams of concrete—clean, sterile, the mark of man’s achievement. This was the third time she had taken this trip, and each time, she could not help but imagine the snow-covered landscape below destroyed under industry’s never-ending advance. Of course, her role in the eventual revolution in Prattonichniy, fueled, in part, by such notions, was a story for another time.

For this moment, then, she was under both gainful employ and binding oath, and as if by habit, she allowed her hand to fall her belt, where her sidearm, a Luger pistol, was tucked properly in its holster. Nevertheless, judging by the company she was keeping, she would not have to use it this weekend. An average-looking woman who reeked of desperation, some Italian tart, a bar wench, a well-adorned ruler from an Asian court far less grand than her own. Not one of them would pose any genuine threat, so she mused. And so, she redirected her attention to the vehicle echoing dully around her.

The tram was, one could not doubt, a miracle of craftsmanship itself, an impeccably decorated travelling salon suspended by nothing but well-built track and wire. It would arrive at its destination, the secluded chateau of one Baroness von Blau, in exactly one minute and forty seconds. But no one onboard knew that their promised celebration would quickly be taking a dourer turn that evening.

Waiting in the reception area at the mountain’s peak was a graying man with a mustache and a nervous, jittery demeanor, the shifty kind one adopts when he is up to no good but still not quite adept at mischief.

“Ah!� he declared when he saw the cable car pulling into its dock. It landed with a metallic creak. And as if he had practiced hours for this very moment, the solitary gentleman fished a handkerchief from his pocket and began to dab at his eyes, although, upon closer inspection, he had not actually been crying.

Either way, seeing this as his last chance before donning the cloak of decorum for the night, he used the thing to blow his nose as the doors slid open and a handful of uniformed attendants slipped into place to assist with the luggage. It was a display of normalcy in spite of circumstance.

Lieutenant Flax recognized Mr. Boddy the moment she set eyes upon him. After all, he had been the one to escort her on much of her routine safety checks just one day earlier; if the fairy tales are to be trusted, one can never be too careful when a princess is involved. However, the expression on his face was a new one, something grim, dark, concealing some terrible, all-consuming despair just beneath the surface. Or at least he had stood long enough in front of the mirror to at least give the appropriate impression of such despair.

“Ladies and gentleman, I…I’m afraid I have some terrible news. Dreadful. Earthshaking. The worse possible news. You see, by the time any of us knew what was happening, you were all en route, and well…well, I don’t know how to put it,� Mr. Boddy stammered. “The Baroness is dead. Dead!�

Perhaps there were gasps, perhaps there were secret smiles, perhaps there was mumbled chatter of disbelief, bur Flax took this news stone-faced, lips set into a thin, grim line as her teeth clenched beneath them. Her hand once again found its way downward to her pistol.

“Who has killed her?� she asked with an inappropriate degree of frankness.

“Oh..no, no, no, she has gone quite peacefully, I assure you,� Mr. Boddy continued with some haste. “In her sleep, just last night. Quite natural for a woman of her advanced age, you see, but no less heartbreaking. Yes, yes, a light in this dreadful world has been extinguished. But...she would have liked me to remain your host this weekend. Of that I am most sure. To carry on her party even in her absence.�

There was some quiet agreement to that sentiment because, if nothing else, the Baroness would never cancel a party.

“So, for those of you who do not know me, I am John Boddy, and…well, the Baroness was my bride.�

This admission, on the other hand, seemed to be met largely with appropriate shock. Nevertheless, it served only as an exclamation point to set off a much more dismal evening. The hike to the actual chateau, while brief, was made unbearable by the splintered stone path. The process of escorting so many guests to so many bedrooms across such a large house was painstaking.

And to make matters worse, pre-meal drinks were depressing until someone accidentally set off a trapped mask and set a dart landing inches from some poor woman’s head. Dinner then was unbearably dark, and as she sat at the extravagant table and poked idly at her food, Lieutenant Flax could only imagine the vaulted room crashing down upon her. Something dreadful was brewing in her chest.

As if to affirm her premonitions, it was only a few hours later that she found herself bolting down a stone hallway, avoiding every third tile, as she realized the hard way that stepping on them would cause bursts of compressed air to shoot from hidden shafts overhead. What a detestable little gadget! Snow, a storm from nowhere, was swirling outside the arched windows, obscuring the view of the dreadful drop to the rocks below.

Once again, amid the woman's pounding footfalls, Flax's hand found its way downward, to where her pistol was missing from her belt. Someone had taken it across the evening’s commotion, and she could only imagine it was the shadowy figure whom she was now pursuing through the chateau. Otherwise, they would have no reason to flee such an upstanding bastion of lawfulness.

The Lieutenant barreled through a wooden door and immediately brought her fists up into a fighting stance when met with a lone silhouette in a cape and top hat. In that moment, she threw her palm forward and set the stranger’s head flying off. It landed on the stone floor with a clatter.

A mannequin. The woman blinked, her eyes adjusting to the light of the cluttered room as the headless faux magician came properly into view. Chamber of Illusions was emblazoned on the back wall. Lieutenant Flax ducked her head to one side, wrinkling her nose at the peculiar smell in the air and beginning to search for her actual prey, a thief who must have been hiding there among the magical boxes, discarded wands, and strange cases from which one was meant to escape.

“Are you hiding? I’m coming.� As if in response, the door to the corridor slammed shut with a mighty bang, and the room went dark.

[Cue Jamie's introduction]

[Jamie]

Bored with the whole evening, apart from the brief excitement of the near death experience during drinks, Rosa Cappadona had wandered off around the still familiar corridors of the Chateau. She recalled the Northwest tower, where the view from the top was just about worth the seemingly endless trek up the spiral stone staircase. Once at the top, she pushed open the heavy wooden door and gazed around the dimly lit Tower Room, where she had once practiced magic tricks as the assistant to one of the Baroness' former husbands. She paused while fond memories of their time together came flooding back. Time that had been cut short by the Baroness. Rosa had been mystified as to the reason behind the Baroness' invitation to this party. Now of course, she would never learn why. Unless that man Boddy knew. There was something about him, something she couldn't put her finger on just yet. They'd only made some casual small talk to each other so far, but she was sure that she didn't trust him.

Pulling back one of the long red curtains to get a glimpse of the spectacular view, a cloud of dust covered her face. She turned around and, having finally stopped coughing and spluttering, opened her eyes.

She screamed. Before her stood a tall, grey haired man with a stern face. In his hands he held what was responsible for the lady's outburst, a creepy looking Goat's Skull.

'Didn't mean to frighten you' he said by way of an apology.

'Get that thing away from me' yelled Rosa, brushing the remaining dust out of her long black hair. 'It isn't nice of you sneaking up on house guests'. She ran from the room, her high heels click-clacking on the wooden floorboards.

Gustav Weiss, the elderly manservant sighed as he placed the skull in centre of the round table, before closing the curtains.

Finding herself at the bottom of the stone steps once more, Rosa opted to go for a walk through the extensive grounds and soon found herself in the chateau's large Hothouse. She was surrounded by more plant pots than she could count, some containing plant varieties that she had never seen before. She was drawn to an attractive pale pink pot containing a small plant that had what she assumed to be pea pods hanging from its delicate shoots. She reached out to touch one.

'DON'T DO THAT!' Rosa froze in horror at the booming voice from behind her. Turning around, she saw again the face of the man from the tower.

'Do you delight in scaring ladies? Signor….?'

'Gustav, madam. Just Gustav. And I was saving your life. That plant is the Rosary Pea, one of the most toxic plants in the world.'

'Ah…well…I see… grazie', she replied reluctantly. She paused as their host joined them.

'I'm sorry if you're not enjoying the evening Signorina', said Boddy with a hint of malice that Rosa found quite disconcerting.

'I'm afraid that I don't understand, Signor Boddy.'

'You disappeared. I assumed that you were bored with the proceedings. Or perhaps the host?'

'Not at all. I just wanted to reacquaint myself with the house', she replied. 'If you'll excuse me,' she added brushing past the two men. Turning back to address the manservant she asked, 'How did you get down here so quickly? Are you following me?'

'No, madam' drawled Gustav 'There are some, how would I put it? Shortcuts around the chateau.'

'Ah! Of course' said Rosa walking away into the gardens.

'Oh Gustav, shouldn’t you be inside?' Mr Boddy asked the manservant. 'I'm sure there are many jobs that need attending to.'

'Of course Sir' replied Gustav bowing his head slightly, starting to leave before Boddy put a hand of the elderly gent's shoulder.

'I understand my dear late wife was very found of you Gustav, perhaps a little too fond, and made some allowances because of this. But please understand. I have no such loyalties to you. So unless you want to seek alternative employment, lets not need to have another of these little chats eh?'

'Of course Sir' replied Gustav, bowing his head once more as he walked away. Boddy smiled, unable to see the servant's furious expression.

(Cue BBP)

[BBP]

It was not as unfamiliar setting as it might have seemed to Thea Taupe. In her line of work she spent quite some time oogling the homes of the deceased - whether precious antique or amusing trinket, whether souvenir or gift from a loved one, she managed to completely untie herself from any past that might have clinged to the belongings of a missed loved one. Her job was simple: to eye a house for desirable items and furniture. The less she had to do with the deceased, the better.

Oh, she was a cousin of the Baroness, she was sure of it. The second cousin of father's uncle, twice or three times removed... Or was it her mother's uncle? She didn't know and she didn't really care for it either. Here was a rich plum to pick! Strolling the grounds for anything she could find, a lovely settee by the French windows, the carved wizard's statuette, the tiffany lamp... Walking from one oppulent, excentric room into the next, cursing the desolate area, snow and broken cable cart. How was she going to bring all this down to her van?

"Strange smell here..." she said to herself as she entered the parlor room. "Must be the incense... is that a silver incense burner?"
"Hmm, this book chest could fetch a few pounds at auction..."
"What a quaint tilted chair, must remember to bring this one back..."
"Curious painting on the wall, that one will leave the shop before I put it on sale..."
"Ooh, a crystal ball! I wonder if it's in good condition..."

"Anything good on there?" asked Mr Victor Vermillion.
"There appears to be some damage inside... what's this?" A nasty sharp pin protrudes from the bottom of the ball.
"Looks like it had some electrical effect hooked onto it. I'm not sure what it was supposed to do but if I were you, I wouldn't touch it."
"Fair enough," replied Thea. Noticing he was a bit too close in her personal space, she tried to think of an excuse to get away from this guy.
She needn't have bothered: Victor spotted the ornamental crossbow Husband 4 had brought with him from a journey to Switzerland. The worn elastic hardly seemed menacing, tipping the switch launched the arrow one whole spectacular foot distance. "I could do so much better than this, if I just tighten this *beep* here..." After tightening the tension nut, the string had a lot more life in it.
"Please don't fire it indoors. I hope to sell some of this stuff," Thea said, as she snuck away to see what else there was to get.

"Ooh, a telescope!" She peered through it, but saw nothing but an underwhelming black sky. "I could've seen THAT with the naked eye!" Browsing the bookshelf, Thea picked out a title at random and set herself in the window seat to read a bit.

(Cue TheButlerButInnocent)

[TheButlerButInnocent]

The writing table in Doctor Yukon’s bedroom was situated under the window, but with the whiteout snowstorm raging outside, there was not much of a view. Doctor Yukon’s work often involved expeditions to the cold corners and cracks of the globe — tents in the mountains in the dead of winter, drafty cabins on seaside cliffs, long treks to the bottoms of damp ravines —but in this bedroom, she found little to write home about. Nevertheless, write home she would. The ritual of inserting a piece of paper into her portable typewriter and hearing its click-clank-click-clunk-clack-clack-thwump-ding comforted her.

Outside, the storm worsened. Inside, the room became no more comforting. There was not, as Doctor Yukon had imagined as she lugged her suitcase from the train to the taxi to the cable car to the chateau and from the great hall up the stairs to this room, a roaring fireplace by which to warm herself. She had a bed with pillows and a blanket. There was a dresser and a mirror and this writing desk and chair, but as amenities went, this bedroom was lacking.

As Doctor Yukon recounted these details, the window creaked ajar. She leaned over and attempted to push it shut, but the window would not budge. Snow slipped through the opening. The window howled tauntingly. Exacerbated, Doctor Yukon stuck her head out her door and called for assistance from the help. None came. She waited. She called again. No one responded.

Annoyed, she gathered her stationary and portable typewriter and marched down the hallway, down the main staircase and through the first door she came across. The room was long and narrow, filled with furniture mismatched and stiff and dusty from disuse. Most importantly, though, the windows were fasted shut, and it was quiet. Doctor Yukon set her materials on a bureau — moving a vase, several empty liquor bottles and a stray piece of piano wire to a nearby sideboard — pulled up an wingback armchair and began to the describe her relocation to the Tennessee Room.

Four pages into her letter and Doctor Yukon had yet to mention that while the Baroness von Blau’s invitation had promised an intimate meeting to discuss future grants and research support, Doctor Yukon had arrived at the chateau in a crowded cable car … that, of all people, John Boddy had met that cable car … that the Baroness was dead … that John Boddy was apparently her widower. There would be plenty of time to include those details, the doctor reasoned, since she was in no rush to return to her room.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Mr. Nogoon was in need of a lavatory. There were a lot of doors in this place, but none of them opened to his needed destination. He opened another, turned on the light and gasped. A free-standing horseshoe-shaped rack in the center of the room was filled with fur coats: bulky and slim, long and short, black, gray, red, brown, white. A shelf along one wall had wire busts topped with an assortment of fur hats. Stoles, mufflers and gloves hung from a rack on the opposite wall.

He switched off the light and closed the door and continued down the hallway. Once he confirmed how much room he had in his suitcase (he chastised himself for bringing only one), he would return to the Fur Fridge. Perhaps the late Baroness had been his size. Perhaps this weekend would not be a complete loss.

[Cue Sir Shamrock]

[Sir Shamrock]

Sir Shamrock walked around the Pantry looking for a sandwich. If he was going to be snowed in, he was at least going to make the most of it. He was only here because the Baroness had her eye on him. "Mmm, pickles, lettuce, cucumbers, and an olive on top. The only true sandwich.", he whispered to himself. While looking foe something else to put on, he triped on a lone Brick. "Ouch!" he cried. "This whole place is falling apart". After kicking it out of the way, he went on to see what else would go along with his snack.

...

In the Music Room, Great Aunt Smoke was looking for various item to "pay the bills". "It sure is wonderful how I was able to tag along to this party.", she thought as she swiped a Brandy glass. She picked up an Athena Statuette , "Blast! To big to fit in my bag. It's quite heavy anyway.".

[Cue cacums]

[cacums]

“Dead?� Princess Blueblood thinks out loud to herself, “Olga had the right idea from the start. But who has killed her?�

The Museum is dark, illuminated only by the white glow of the snowstorm outside the lattice windows.

Princess Blueblood strolls casually around, glancing at the priceless gems, artifacts, urns, and collectibles. Her heart beats quicker as she approaches the display case with the Golden Umbrella.

Ever since she was a child she was fascinated by this Umbrella. Perhaps it is because it is the one thing she’s always wanted -- the only thing her father couldn’t buy for her. Perhaps the intrigue merely stems from the fact that she is a spoiled brat -- yet her eyes seem to change when the Umbrella is brought up.

“No.� Princess Blueblood looks down at the display to see that the Umbrella is missing.

She spins around quickly to see Mr. Boddy standing in the doorway holding it. He slowly opens it. The razor-sharp, gold plated canopy opens up to show the rubies, sapphires, and emeralds set in elaborate designs.

“What are you doing?� Princess Blueblood nearly faints from Mr. Boddy’s rough handling of the Umbrella.

“If I give it to you, I'd like you to promise me that you'll never come back here again.� Mr. Boddy narrows his eyes, trying to appear tough, “I know exactly who you are and what you really want. Don't try to deny it. The Governess wasn’t good at holding back her secrets at the end.�

Princess Blueblood holds her head high, “You are not allowed to dictate me. I'll come and go and take what I wish whether you allow me to or not.�

“Oh?� Mr. Boddy hands over the Umbrella with a gracious bow, “But should the truth of your parentage come out then all the power you have will crumble.�

“I’ve squashed men tougher than you.� Princess Blueblood focuses on the Umbrella in her hands.

“You have? Forgive me, but I thought you spend most of your time hiding behind your royal guard?� Mr. Boddy asks, “Aelissa, I’m sorry to say, this whole ‘I want it now’ attitude was cute when you were a child. You aren’t a child anymore.�

--

Mr. Mossman crosses the Feasting Hall and lifts up the corner of the rug that lies over the cobblestone floor.

“Nope.� Mr. Mossman stomps his foot around on the rug as he continues to search or a trap door. He makes his way around the entire rug and scratches his head.

“Come on,� Mr. Mossman goes over to the bureau, “Where did you put the door?�

He peers behind the bureau to see if there is a secret entrance. It is hard to tell in the darkness.

Mr. Mossman grabs a Candelabra from the table in the center of the room and brings the glow of the candles to the bureau.

“Dammit!� Mr. Mossman stomps his foot.

He looks up at the large oil painting of Governess von Blau above the fireplace.

“This is what happens when you give me cryptic instructions!� Mr. Mossman waves his finger at the painting, “You get murdered and I have to search this godda....�

“She wasn’t murdered.� Mr. Boddy interrupts, announcing his presence, “I don’t know why people just jump to that. She was a great woman. Well loved by many men. Many, many men.�

“Well, maybe that was her downfall.� Mr. Mossman says.

“Tell me, what exactly are you looking for?� Mr. Boddy asks, “I can probably put you in the right direction.�

Mr. Mossman listens to the bravado in Mr. Boddy’s voice and watches as the nervous man swallows hard, giving away his facade.

“Look, I have nothing to say to you.� Mr. Mossman says, “I’m not going to criticize you for being the person who marries an old broad right before she dies. You’ll get plenty of that from everyone else. Just stay out of my way and I’ll stay out of yours. I know who you are and I know what people like you do.�

(Cue CluedoKid)