Quests & Challenges

[center][columns][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=91168778][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/911688/91168778.png[/img][/url][nextcol] [center][size=6][Font=spectral][b]The Eye and its Vessel - Theory It | Them[/b][/font][/size][/center][/columns][/center] [s][font=spectral][size=4]“The first question: motive. Who benefits from this murder, and how? And we must treat this as a murder, or else face dire consequences…according to our host. Let us touch on that separately, later.” Daphnes nods at Lenore. [s]“[b]Why does anyone murder?[/b] Revenge, jealousy, to remove an obstacle or a threat…to threaten others, make a statement through spectacle, sate bloodlust, soothe hatred...Etienne’s statement to Haunt and Daphne suggests that a jealousy-fueled murder by this family would not be so public or…relatively clean. Perhaps we can rule out more passion-related motives on that principle. Which leaves [b]threatening others, removing obstacles and threats, and making a statement through spectacle[/b]. The last motive seems like a given, considering the elaborate expenses and drama of this whole event, though I would not rule out the first or second either.” ---------------------------- [s][font=spectral][size=4]“Now let’s set a timeline. There was a body when the chandelier first fell, during an event to celebrate Alucadara’s - Lenore and the triplets’ sibling’s - birthday, as well as to celebrate his kind’s reentry into the world. Currently, as our host mentioned, Veilspuns are aiming to go to space. No body, blood, or bones are left at the crime scene at this time, only a residue that a Veilspun of Mina’s clan may have left behind. Perhaps it did not decompose due to its living nature. On a separate note, should we fail to determine the correct suspect, we may be “rewarded” by being sent to space to presumably die gruesome deaths…” Daphnes playfully cocks their head at Lenore. “Again, apparently. Though we have no memory of having died in such a manner.” “This suggests our hosts have access to space travel, and a likely interest in that venture. Given the publicity of the Veilspun mission to space, I can see space travel becoming quite lucrative for business, especially if live entertainment is promised along the way. Many would find a murder mystery gruesome, though many others would follow it with morbid fascination. Add the elaborate set dressing, where the mansion itself may turn around the ballroom or vice versa...and you have yourself a show." "The downside to this venture is that there are sure to be competitors in space travel, given its current publicity and widespread interest. [b]In which case, getting rid of those competitors would be in the family’s best interest[/b]. Perhaps our mystery victim was someone that blocked, or otherwise represented a barrier to the family’s aims for business?” Daphnes floats in front of Lucien. “Lucien may have the most motive, given his leadership role in the logistics of this business venture and his oversight of the financial planning. He organizes the achievable steps, the two comply, and Lenore benefits from the triplets’ schemes. Sabre would do anything for him, and she has a history of murder. And seeing as multiple potentially lethal instruments were found in what seems like Damien’s room...” "Though, on second glance - it [i]was[/i] Alistair who came up with the idea," Daphnes muses. "The one to get rid of their competitors and use their remains to boost his and his family's power in the business world. Perhaps the victim was a part of the competition somehow. And his wife, Ophelia, is the one who wants a husband who treats her as valuable, who would kill for her to prove his love."[/s] ------------------------------------------------- [font=spectral][size=4]Daphnes floats back to rejoin the crowd of guests, facing the suspects. “[u][b]To conclude[/b][/u]: [s]I suspect Alistair came up with the idea to seize power, at any cost, in order to be able afford for a luxurious lifestyle for his wife and allow for his siblings to do the same for their significant others. The motive is to set this event up as a publicity stunt, a means of gathering eyes and ears to the family...and for Alistair and the others to express the extent of their love. As to why the victim was killed...perhaps they were part of the business competition in some way?" "Perhaps the victim was led to the ballroom floor while all eyes were upon the stage. Damien and/or Sabre, hidden several floors up and using both cloth and declawed footpads for added silence, cut the chandelier with a garrotte to draw the public’s attention. As for our lack of memories regarding the time between now and then…we gather the hallucinatory properties of the residue at the crime scene had something to do with it. Or perhaps whatever drug was in this little bottle before it was emptied...”[/s]

[center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/49355111][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/493552/49355111_350.png[/img][/url][/center] "So." Rainstorm looks thoughtful, flicking his gaze between Fye, Daphne, Daphnes and Haunt. "We can't know exactly why it happened if we don't know who died. But we can work with what we know." He swallows. Space is better than Murkbarrow, but it won't be better for very [i]long[/i], and he values longevity. "Assuming it's one of the triplets - apologies for speaking about you as though you're not here, lads - then we'll need to look at what we know about them to determine a motive. From what I can see, we have two options: [b]jealousy[/b], or [b]the business[/b]." He clears his throat. "I may not be a fantastic investigator, but I still have my theories. Daphnes has posed a facinating line of inquiry - space travel. Mine is simply an alternative." ----- [center][size=6]Theory[/size][/center] -------- "Aer discovered that [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3397099/12#post_58493342]the triplets own a business[/url] last week. When Araneo, Daphnes, Ophelia and the moths found the bedrooms, they all seemed to be intrinsically connected to the business. One room held masks - Daphnes believes that [b]this room belonged to Alistair[/b], the face of the business. Another was full of business papers - Lucien's room -" "According to our inssssightful friend," Araneo interjects, eyes wide with excitement, hooked on everyone's words. "And the third musssst belong to Damien, if that issss the case. But what motive would Damien have for murder? The man issss, let's just ssssay... a poser." "The event cost the brothers [b]a lot of money[/b]. The business partners were delivering items during the setup. Daphnes read that at least five contracts were drawn up [b]just for the party[/b] - that's five potential victims, five people the brothers [b]owe money to[/b]." He swallows, aware of the eyes on him, shuffling his feet. "If his alibi is true, Alistair was at the door accepting deliveries for the party. Is it possible he passed along the arrival of a victim to his brothers? Perhaps he invited the victim to stay at the party when they met at the doors, knowing that the plan was to get this dragon [b]out of the way to save their business from paying[/b]." "In this case, [b]all three brothers would be involved[/b], which would explain why Lucien - my most likely suspect - [b]is probably not the owner[/b] of the room where the garotte was found. But... it leaves a few details out. Sabre, the assassin... where does she fit in? Why was Damien's room used? Was it just for the position above the ballroom, or was it because Damien was the dragon to carry out the murder? [b]So much emphasis has been placed on jealousy... I'm not willing to rule out the motive of love.[/b]"

@DuskAwakening and all

Daphnes Eye regards Rainstorm with interest. "Debt...now that is an interesting theory. Killing the courier may certainly deter some dragons from sending another soliciting payment. In which case, whoever else comes to collect may be in a great deal of danger, unless the first contractor warned the others." They hum. "Love indeed. If one thing is clear, it is that this family loves very strongly. Enough to spin up grand ventures and kill anyone who gets in the way, it seems."

[url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/100888425][img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/1008885/100888425.png[/img][/url] Orpheus turns to Haunt. "The tea mentionned in the sheet was just now. I don't think Acelinne had anything to do with the chandelier's placement. Or with the party's preparation at all... isn't he just a guest, like us?" [center]___________________________[/center] "Let's say the murder was a... gift." Just saying it feels weird. "That would be the motive. The culprit is harder to identify this way. Lenore said it was [i]her[/i] gift, so she could be the one to have orchestrated that. But the room needed to access the chandelier was likely Damian's. Except Damian is described here as not doing things on his own." "I don't understand what Sabre not being at the ball means. Was she not in the ballroom, and thus potentially able to cut the chandelier, or was she not around at all? Anyway, if it's not her, I don't see why it would be Lucien over the other siblings." "Maybe that's the four of them... Lenore, Damian, Alistair and Lucien: after all, they were the ones overseeing the preparations. I wonder on what criteria we're supposed to design our suspect: is it the one that used the murder weapon? The one that ordered the murder?" [s]Could a mimic be suspect? Maybe the chandelier was the killer after all.[/s] [center]___________________________[/center] @KleinFye Suddenly, he stops, and frowns. "But wait. Wait, wait, wait." He turns to Fye. "The manor somehow wasn't there at the time of the party, that's what you said, right? So there shouldn't have been any rooms upstair."

Aer finishes jotting down her notes on the shared poster before joining in on the discussion.

---

Theory:

"I'm under the impression that the triplets do anything business related together. Lucien is highly suspect since he's the one who comes up with the plans. It would not be a stretch to say he could have ordered Damien and/or Sabre to carry out the murder and Alistair assisted in some way like informing Lucien of the appearance of the victim per Rainstorm's theory. Like others have said, this family will go to great lengths for the ones they love and based on what Daphnes found, the triplets' profits go to supporting their lovers (and to Lenore who supports her lover too). So the motive of love and business are closely tied together."

"But I don't want to rule out the motive of spectacle. Wasn't there a suggestion for a murder mystery during the planning stages?"

Etienne is giving you all an increasingly exasperated and befuddled stare. Finally, he turns his head towards Damien, directing that look at him instead for several long seconds before Lenore inclines her head slightly in a nod.

“You are only to clarify your own words,” she warns him in a hiss before obligingly handing over a fluorescent note he can tack to the poster. She thinks it suits him.

"Something's missing, not right," Daphnes mutters. Their Eye rolls back and forth as they pace, sending red light strobing restlessly over the suspects.

Daphnes scans over the triplets, then at Lenore. "You were never wanting for the basic needs of living, your clans provided for that," they say slowly. "The money wasn't to support your lovers...but to spoil them. And for that, you wanted power."

They Look at Alistair. "The idea was yours to begin with. Simple, really. 'Get a lay of the land as far as business in the near area, figure out the strongest players, and remove those strong players from the market,' then insert yourself as a player and bully your way to the top, was it?"
They Look at Damien. "You brought in the information."
They Look at Lucien. "You organized the ideas and information into an achievable plan."

They sniff, then Look at Ophelia, trying to follow the trail. "You...have as many masks about you as your husband, Alistair. Maybe more. You would kill for your husband. You would wish for him to kill for you, because it makes you feel valuable...and your greatest wish is to be the most valuable, enviable thing in the room. It is likely you that planted the seed of the idea in his head, though...it is unclear how much of the idea was yours, as opposed to his."

Daphnes Blinks. It's an odd sight, like a rapid eclipse over a scarlet sun. The light ripples strangely for a moment with shadow before resuming its glow. "Perhaps the murder was for you. Not just you...but starting with you. A proclamation of love, wrapped neatly in death." They shake their head, conflicted.

"It did not take us this long to figure out Lenore wasn't trying to make us be quiet," Chelwa mutters near the back of the room. Which. Yes it did. They have scones, cookies, and tea, and their clanmate is glaring at them whenever they look like they're about to talk.

... the possibility that the other guests may need the information they have, and that Lenore might just want them to stop ruining the mood, has slowly been percolating through the group.

"Right," Moth says, sitting back a little and adjusting her detective hat to make sure she looks as much like a serious detective as possible. "If it's about our clanmates, we tot-- we know that much!"

"The ball was a while ago. I don't remember ever seeing Ophelia before the ball. Or Sabre or Etienne... Aster-- me and Phrakkey and Lenore's other best friend-- knew about Ophelia by the time the ball started, but we'd never seen her, and they weren't married. Aster told us all about how cute Alistair was being about her, though. The cute girl at the party he had a crush on. We'll tell you later," she adds in Ophelia's direction, because of course the cute girl they're talking about needs to know all the adorable love stories they know about her!

"So, we can confirm... I don't think those three were involved with it, because two of them never even got involved with our clan for a while?"

"And the manor wasn't here," Bathyal adds. "None of it except the ballroom. Not even the garden? And I guess the back part of it?"

...

The triplets themselves aren't saying anything-- but that much is obvious. Alistair's smile has never changed from being bright and welcoming even as he's suspected of murder. Lucien's expression never has shown any kind of emotion at all, and Sabre is a deathly quiet shadow just behind him. It's hard to get any kind of read on Damien at all.

I've never participated in such a detailed mystery activity, so sorry if my guess contribution is incorrect!

The empty sheath of the dagger seems important, because the missing dagger was likely removed to be used, yes? I can't help but wonder if it was coated in the mentioned poison and if the remaining poison can be tested/ has a scent that can be traced to try and find the dagger or anything / anyone that might have touched the poison; even if it was not used there could be intent, perhaps a backup plan if the previous weapon/tool failed.

“I see. Strange then, that so much work was done to make Damien’s room full of furniture to be soundproofed. If the mansion was not there, then presumably whoever cut the chandelier was on top of the ballroom,” Daphnes hums, brow crinkled in concentration. “Damien’s room may not have so clearly pointed to him then, if it did not exist at the time. And a poisoned dagger…perhaps so. But then, where is the dagger now?”

They hear something then. One of the Aethers, Phkakradeas, steps forward and utters something in a soft, far off tone.

The idea was yours to begin with.

Daphnes Blinks again. For a moment, all they see is the pink glow of the Aether's eyes, mingling with red, then the floor falls away.

They look down upon the ballroom again, but it is different; the guests are in different places, most of the suspects missing. A star-strewn Skydancer in a sharp new outfit is midflight, laughing maniacally in terror, before the lights go out. From this angle, Daphnes Sees what they hadn't before, low on the ground - something snatches Alecinne and pulls him through the wall.

Daphnes Blinks. They are in the garden, still and peaceful, before Alecinne suddenly stumbles into it. He cautiously sits at a table by a willow tree, where two dragons - Lucien and Alistair, Daphnes recognizes, praise him for a masterful act. Daphnes feels a pang of bitterness, realizing Alecinne was just outside the door a hallway down from the ballroom - a door which wasn't even locked.

They feel some begrudging admiration for his ability to continue with the game, though, despite his clear nervousness. He only pales a little when Alistair jovially confirms Lenore's intention to launch the guests into space upon their failure, easy when her friends were Aethers, and holds his tongue when Lucien describes in lurid detail how a dragon may die in space without any protective measures.

Ah. So this is what Lenore meant by "don't make my little brother describe your deaths again."

Daphnes continues listening, fascinated as Alecinne remarks on the mansion being a completely different location, rented, reconstructed around the ballroom. The delivery dragon seemed to have gotten lost and delivered the chandeliers via the wrong path.

They continue to chatter. Secrets, details Daphnes had not been privy too, filter through the Eye, astonishing it with bounty. Alistair, trying to woo a not yet won Ophelia, with Lenore and Alucadara bringing their significant others - Mina is Alucadara's wife, Daphnes realizes belatedly, as they hear how Damien and Lucien watched over the fragile Veilspun with all her delightful eyes. They hear of Alistair and his brothers' busy but innocuous-sounding night keeping the masquerade in order, and of how his brothers should have finished watching over Mina by the time the murder happened near the end of the show.

Daphnes huffs. So it was spectacle, then. The grand conclusion of a show. The brothers, obviously reveling in the...creative flow of the finale, remain on the suspect list. Daphnes Observes Alecinne's lack of satisfaction in the knowledge. Perhaps he also suspects that they weren't the only ones who delighted in murder by chandelier.

They Watch as Alecinne carefully tests for other suspects who share their glee. The round crystal on the table rings out with the voices of the twins, Lilith and Dante, who seem to prefer more drawn-out, mazelike horrors than chandelier murders. Among other tortures.

Then the vision ends. Daphnes finds themselves disorientingly low to the ground once more, staring at Phkakradeas.

"Huh," they say. "Didn't See that coming."