Post by crazynuto on Sept 22, 2022 11:45:57 GMT -6
After each of you scan your bracelets, the door opens with a soft hiss and a small gust of hot air. You eye each other nervously, then step in one by one. Da Rat, Sparrow, Emerald, Friend, 01, Oh-One, Joy, and Chief. Inside you find another metal walkway, the damp and dank humid cave air making you all sweat. The walls have been painted in a facsimile of a modern day city, the skyline glittering under the glow of the florescent lamps. You walk on as the walls and ceiling begin to shift, turning from metal to rock, then to a cobblestone street. The ceiling is painted like the night sky, a large moon hanging ominously from high above you. Your group approaches a tall grandoise theatre, with a large sign out front:
Tragedy Theatre Presents:
The Final Showing of Aestus Amoris et Mortis
A small door opens as you approach, and Da Rat, Sparrow, Emerald, and Friend step inside. As the 4 of them do, the door swings shut behind them and an adjacent one opens. Looking at each other nervously, the rest of the group steps through this second door without incident. Inside is a large, elaborate Theatre inside a large audience hall, with potentially two hundred seats, maybe more! There is a stage out front with a curtain drawn over, blocking whatever's inside from view. The most obvious decoration is the gigantic Chandelier hanging above the seating area. It glitters and glimmers iridescently, seemingly bouncing light off of every inch of it's frame. It is supported by a single chain, holding it up around 30-40 feet above the crowd.
(Artists Rendition? The Chandelier is lower but this is the sorta look)
The theatre is packed with guests, faceless creatures that chitter and chatter amongst themselves. You find reserved seating for the 4 of you right at the front of the Theatre, in perfect view of the stage. As you seat the house lights dim, and Defective's voice booms out over the crackly PA system.
"My esteemed guests, I hope you are prepared for tonight's performance! Please be seated everyone, the show is about to commence!"
You feel compelled to sit, as though a great weight has been placed on your shoulders. You lean back in the cushiony seats and stare at the curtain separating the stage from you, wondering where the other half of your group has gone.
"And now, without further ado...let us introduce our cast!"
Aestus Amoris et Mortis
Characters:
(no spoilers for the game here, I just like the character designs and concept)
Sparrow as: The Hero
Da Rat as: The Maiden
Friend as: The Underling
Emerald as: The Demon Queen
Your compatriots step out from behind the curtain when called, wearing colored costumes matching their role over their own clothes. They move robotically, as if puppeteered by some unseen force. The act out a play of adventure, of a Maiden going off on her own to find her place in the world, meeting a Hero, an Underling, and the Demon Queen herself. They each in turn fall in love with her. The final act of the play is a long overly dramatic fight scene, with the Maiden atop a tall tower, pleading to the squabbling characters that her life is not worth fighting over. One of the characters produces a shockingly realistic revolver from their costume, and the three begin wrestling over control of the gun. The Maiden turns away, unable to watch this horrible bloodshed as the Chandelier's lights glow brighter and brighter, casting harsh shadows on the actors faces.
The light reaches an almost blinding luminescence, piercing into your eyes and into your very soul when a loud shot reverberates throughout the silence theatre. Each actor looks shocked, confusion written on their faces. You look around through the bright lights and see nothing out of the ordinary, when suddenly a loud pop echoes from above. You all turn and look to see the large Chandelier plummeting towards you in the audience! You brace yourselves, awaiting a rather gruesome fate when suddenly...it stops.
You open your eyes and look up, it's as if time itself is frozen around you. The Chandelier is millimeters above you, the crowd all are in the midst of screaming, and even the actors are unmoving. Defective's voice echos out, breaking the sudden stillness with a harsh laugh.
"And that is the true ending of our little performance. So, my dearest candidates, you must answer several questions. The first of which being:
Who caused the Chandelier to fall?
and naturally:
What caused the Chandelier to fall?
The rest shall be revealed upon investigation of the scene.
Now, chop chop! Oh and...the actors are free to move now."
The actors feel a small twitch in their minds, and step away from their posts. They are able to move and think, although they're still dressed in these gaudy outfits. Ghosts of where they once were highlight what each character was doing at the time of the accident.
You have ~48 hours.
Questions:
Who caused the Chandelier to fall?
What caused the Chandelier to fall?
Who killed the Director?
Why was the Director killed?
Why did these two awful events happen tonight of all nights?
{Spoiler}Truth Bullets:
Scent of Gunpowder: The scent of gunpowder lingers in the air on top of the Tower. It appears to be very fresh, if that's the correct phrasing.
Tower Viewpoint: From the Tower you get a perfect view of the stage and the audience hall.
Chandelier's Material: The Chandelier's glowing effect comes from the metal itself, not any sort of trickery or other mechanism.
State of Chain: The chain connecting the Chandelier to the ceiling has been broken, with exposed wires running up and down the length of it.
Chandelier's Lights: The lights are incredibly hot, which makes sense given how bright they were moments before.
Hero's Thoughts: The hero is filled with shock, confusion, and an underlying sense of smug self satisfaction.
Hidden Cash: Inside of the Hero's pocket are several thousand dollars worth of bills. Fat stacks some might say.
Unfired Blank/State of Revolver: The Revolver used in the show is loaded with a single unfired blank. It is cool to the touch. The hammer is cocked back, ready to be fired when the trigger is pulled. The Revolver currently is being pointed at the Hero, held by the Underling. Same make and model as the one the Director has.
Maiden's Thoughts: The Maiden is consumed by thoughts of rage, fury, and an almost gleeful satisfaction. She glares directly at the backstage curtain.
Maiden's Note: Inside the pocket of her dress is a crumpled up note that reads: "I'm sorry, but there is no further need for you."
Locked Entrance: The door leading into the Audience Hall is locked. It seems nobody was able to enter or exit throughout the entire performance.
Demon Queen's Thoughts: The Demon Queen is filled with fear, worry, and a burning passion in her heart. She stares up at the Maiden. It seems the play hits rather close to home for her.
Second Pistol: The Demon Queen is cradling a second, single shot pistol, in her hands. The barrel is warm, and there is nothing but a spent casing in the chamber.
Underling's Thoughts: The Underling is overwhelmed by thoughts of fear, hopelessness, and misery. Pointed towards the Hero is a low, lingering rage, bubbling towards the surface. Their finger is in the midst of squeezing the trigger.
Director's Body: The Director is sitting, leaning back in his chair, which faces the door. Blood pools from a gunshot would in his chest. You're not sure how long he's been dead. There is another hole on the upper back of the Director, that lines up with the hole in the chair he's sitting in. There are no burns on his body. The chair he's sitting in is facing towards the door, and there are small scratch marks on the floor indicating the chair has been moved recently.
Director's Revolver: The Director has his own revolver, which sits on his desk. It is currently unloaded, and is cool to the touch. Same make and model as the one on the stage.
Control Panel: On the catwalk next to where the Chandelier once was is a control panel. Attached is a note asking for tonight's performance to be "Dazzling!" There is a timer function to control the lights. All lights are set to max. The Control Panel is smoking slightly.
2nd Half of Chain: The chain once connecting the Chandelier to the ceiling hangs limply. It has the same exposed wiring as the other half. The wiring leads to the Control Panel.
Maiden's Thoughts: The Maiden is consumed by thoughts of rage, fury, and an almost gleeful satisfaction. She glares directly at the backstage curtain.
Maiden's Note: Inside the pocket of her dress is a crumpled up note that reads: "I'm sorry, but there is no further need for you."
Locked Entrance: The door leading into the Audience Hall is locked. It seems nobody was able to enter or exit throughout the entire performance.
Demon Queen's Thoughts: The Demon Queen is filled with fear, worry, and a burning passion in her heart. She stares up at the Maiden. It seems the play hits rather close to home for her.
Second Pistol: The Demon Queen is cradling a second, single shot pistol, in her hands. The barrel is warm, and there is nothing but a spent casing in the chamber.
Underling's Thoughts: The Underling is overwhelmed by thoughts of fear, hopelessness, and misery. Pointed towards the Hero is a low, lingering rage, bubbling towards the surface. Their finger is in the midst of squeezing the trigger.
Director's Body: The Director is sitting, leaning back in his chair, which faces the door. Blood pools from a gunshot would in his chest. You're not sure how long he's been dead. There is another hole on the upper back of the Director, that lines up with the hole in the chair he's sitting in. There are no burns on his body. The chair he's sitting in is facing towards the door, and there are small scratch marks on the floor indicating the chair has been moved recently.
Director's Revolver: The Director has his own revolver, which sits on his desk. It is currently unloaded, and is cool to the touch. Same make and model as the one on the stage.
Control Panel: On the catwalk next to where the Chandelier once was is a control panel. Attached is a note asking for tonight's performance to be "Dazzling!" There is a timer function to control the lights. All lights are set to max. The Control Panel is smoking slightly.
2nd Half of Chain: The chain once connecting the Chandelier to the ceiling hangs limply. It has the same exposed wiring as the other half. The wiring leads to the Control Panel.
Programme Message: On most of the Programmes in the Director's office, a message is scrawled on the back. “In Memoriam: The Director. We all mourn his passing.”
Small Hole in Office: There is a a small hole the size of a nickel in the wall below the wall trap door in the Director's Room. It's the same size as the hole in the Director's back, and the hole in the director's chair.
Hidden Trap Door: On the wall behind the Director is a small window/trap door that gives the Director a perfect view of the Chandelier. It appears to have been open at the time of the murder, although it's incredibly difficult to see from outside the room.
Overdue Payments: Several overdue payments are hidden in the safe. They appear to be long overdue, and for a substantial about of money.
Tower's Position: Tape tracks show the path the tower was supposed to take, but it seems to have deviated from it’s usual course by several feet. It’s much closer to the backstage curtain than it should be.
you got this
