Setting:
At a lavish mansion, a grand masquerade ball is underway. Guests from high society mingle in an evening of intrigue. The host, Lord Reginald Blackwood, is a wealthy and influential man. However, at the stroke of midnight, Lord Blackwood is found dead in the ballroom, and the doors to the mansion are locked. No one can leave until the murderer is caught.
Objective:
The players are guests at the masquerade. They must work together to solve the mystery and figure out who among them murdered Lord Blackwood.
Characters:
- Lady Evelyn Blackwood – The victim’s wife. Mysterious and calm.
- Sebastian Hargrave – A charming yet secretive businessman.
- Catherine Dupont – A foreign heiress with a troubled past.
- Dr. Charles Monroe – The victim’s close friend, a physician.
- Violet Sinclair – A talented but bitter opera singer.
- Detective Arthur Wainwright – An inspector who just happened to be at the ball.
- Alfred Huxley – The loyal butler, who served Lord Blackwood for years.
- Lord Edgar Hawthorne – The victim’s business rival.
- Isabella Blackwood – The victim’s estranged daughter.
- Henry Carmichael – A wealthy banker and long-time friend of the family.
Your task:
In a small group, open each clue one at a time starting with clue #1 and discuss its meaning and the possibilities it offers. As the clues unfold in numerical order, try to piece together what happened and eventually identify the murderer. The idea is to exchange ideas and speculate in order to finally being able to solve the crime. With each clue, ask each other:”How is this important? What information can we glean from this finding?” Discuss.
The Clues:
Clue 1: The Locked Room
The doors to the mansion were locked from the inside. No one left or entered after midnight.
Clue 2: A Smashed Pocket Watch
Lord Blackwood’s pocket watch, found near the body, was smashed and stopped at exactly 12:05 AM.
Clue 3: Lady Blackwood’s Calmness
Lady Evelyn Blackwood was unnervingly calm when her husband’s body was found.
Clue 4: Missing Documents
Papers from Lord Blackwood’s study relating to a significant financial deal with Lord Hawthorne have gone missing.
Clue 5: The Butler’s Observation
Alfred Huxley, the butler, noticed that the victim received a mysterious letter earlier in the evening.
Clue 6: A Broken Glass
A shattered wine glass, with traces of poison, was found next to the body, but no one saw Lord Blackwood drink
Clue 7: Lady Blackwood’s Alibi
Lady Blackwood claims she was in the garden, but no one saw her there during the crucial time window.
Clue 8: Violet’s Grudge
Violet Sinclair had a public argument with Lord Blackwood earlier that evening over unpaid debts related to a failed opera production.
Clue 9: Dr. Monroe’s Concern
Dr. Charles Monroe, who was called to examine the body, seemed unusually nervous during the initial inspection.
Clue 10: Isabella’s Letter
A torn letter from Isabella to her father, found in the study, shows that she had returned to confront him after years of estrangement.
Clue 11: The Mask of Mystery
A mask, not belonging to any guest, was found discarded near the back door, suggesting someone was trying to remain unidentified.
Clue 12: Catherine’s Inheritance
Catherine Dupont is revealed to be one of the main beneficiaries in Lord Blackwood’s will, even though they had no known personal connection.
Clue 13: The Poisoned Wine Bottle
The poison was found in a bottle of rare wine that only the closest friends of the Blackwoods had access to.
Clue 14: Detective’s Suspicion
Detective Wainwright reveals that he was following Lord Blackwood’s dealings for months, suspecting financial fraud.
Clue 15: Business Rivalry
Lord Hawthorne had recently lost a major business deal to Lord Blackwood and was overheard swearing revenge.
Clue 16: The Butler’s Footprints
A pair of muddy footprints matching Alfred’s shoes were found leading into the study, even though he claimed he was in the kitchen.
Clue 17: An Affair
Rumors surface that Lady Blackwood was having an affair with Sebastian Hargrave, and Lord Blackwood had recently discovered it.
Clue 18: Dr. Monroe’s Medical Knowledge
The poison used was a rare and hard-to-obtain toxin that only someone with medical expertise would know about.
Clue 19: Sebastian’s Letter
A love letter from Sebastian to Lady Blackwood is discovered, indicating they planned to leave Lord Blackwood that very night.
Clue 20: Isabella’s Confession
Isabella confesses that she had met with her father in the study that night to discuss money, but claims he was alive when she left.
Solution:
The murderer is Lady Evelyn Blackwood. She poisoned her husband’s wine after discovering that he was going to leave her for a younger woman (Catherine Dupont) and disinherit her. She acted calmly because she had meticulously planned the murder. The other clues (affairs, business dealings, family estrangement) are red herrings that distract from the truth. Dr. Monroe helped cover up her crime by falsely claiming the death was natural at first, but his nervousness gave him away.