Tea Party Redux

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The beautiful room was draped in colors of velvet, scarlet, ultramarine and halcyon. The thematic hues that represented the core tenets of this mysterious story. Around the table set at the very center of the room, filled to the brim with cups of tea, confectioneries, and various sweet pastries to sate the physical appetite of the people present. Of course, the main purpose of this room was to sate an appetite of whole other kind... but that was not an invitation to be rude. After all, there were guests present. A good showing of hospitality was just what was needed in order to create a wholesome experience for every single one of them, from the youngest to the oldest.

The room itself had been divided into two clear parts. On the right side, there were five chairs of various styles and sizes, each representing one of the guests. They all had the marks of their Masterhood, the crimson Command Spells, carved to the backs of their chairs to mark who owned which one. This was also the case on the left side, were similarly, another batch of five chairs awaited. Only, the thing was, these chairs weren't aligned perfectly. If one looked, they left enough space for one more chair to rise at 12 o'clock of the room. This one, larger than the others, a veritable throne, was currently occupied by a strange figure.

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Faded colors. Dusty red against ashen skin covered in tattoos. Carmine hair covering the greyish-blue eyes that stared into the shadows of the room. One leg swung over the other, sharp-nailed toes gouging the air as he sat there, waiting. It wouldn't be long now. No, in the end, time was pretty much meaningless here. Forgotten, abandoned, lost, found, recovered, remembered... that was the cycle that he had long since gotten used to. But yes, now... as he looked at each of the ten chairs, their inhabitants awaking, a cruel smile spread to his lips.

They were the ten Masters... yet they were not. A superimposed, transparent image of someone else was upon them. Knowledge from the other side, beyond the barrier of this world, the invisible screen that caged them to whatever story they were part of. The difference between the Masters here and the Masters at the island was simple; here, they knew everything they could. Knowledge beyond themselves, knowledge they needed to tackle the mysteries of the island... it was all handed to them.

And that was why this tea party had been prepared once more.

For the participants to test their mettle against the lies and darkness surrounding this island, the isle of Tengetsu, and to uncover the truth that so desperately wanted to avoid them.

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"Welcome, Masters," the faded-red spoke. "The time has come. Welcome the Tea Party of Tengetsu. Here you all, Masters and Servants alike, can bash your little grey cells together, along with your heads, in order to come up with solutions to the mysteries you face. All information is free to be used here. That which can be found in there... and what can be found out there."

"But." He raised his index finger.

"Remember that a mystery solved here is nothing but a whisper in the wind unless you can prove it in the real world," he continued. "This place is meant for you to be able to solve it together, not as an individual... if that is what you need. But the answer in the real world must come from yourself, from logical and deduction. Not through magically knowing it because you understood it here. This is not that kind of tea party. It reflects both the world in there and the world out there, and yes, vice versa... yet, they are not one and the same."

The faded-red steepled his hands, fingers crossed, and gazed at the participants. Whatever moved beyond those stone-like eyes was unknown. Their barely reflective surface revealed nothing.

"You know the rules. Whenever there is a [Mystery], it must be solved. The lies and the superstition around it must be dispelled. In order to do that, you must create a [Theory]. [Theories] can be crafted out of nothing but deductive mind-work, but for them to be credible and work, they need [Clues]. [Clues] are the building blocks that form your [Theory]. If a [Theory] holds water and is the answer, it will, in turn, become [Truth]. Simple, no?" faded-red cocked an eyebrow. "Now, as the representative of the mysteries of Tengetsu, and the personification of its rules, I am allowed to destroy your [Theories]. In short, I can utilize absolute [Truth] when I talk. If you need an example, then I have the power to establish through merely with my words. If the [Truth] makes your [Theory] impossible, that [Theory] is unusable... unless you find a way to circumvent that. [Truth] is [Truth]... but it does depend on the way you look at my words. Remember that."

Putting his hands on the handles of his throne, the faded-red then drew a deep breath and spoke once more.

"Every [Mystery] presented during the course of the story must be solved. In other words, every question needs an answer. This is a good place to find those answers, or at least learn of the direction you should head. It does not constitute as a perfect replacement for the story proper... but right now, I am the only one you know who can utilize [Truth] when they speak," faded-red said and grinned. "Thus, I am the only one you can test the strength of your [Theories] against."

With a wave of his hand, the faded-red produced a large roll of parchment upon which words appeared in crimson ink. Ten points, ten bullets, ten rules. Slowly, the parchment traveled across the room so that each of the Masters and Servants could look upon it, and learn of what was written there. Once it had completed its round, the faded-red sneered and flicked his hand again, making the rules disappear.

"For this story, we will be using modified rules of Ronald A. Knox. We shall refer to these rules as 'Ten Commandments of Detective Fiction, Tengetsu Edition'. They have been adapted to the use of this story, and the mysteries of this story shall be played within their rules. Remember that, as they become your weapons... and your enemies," faded-red spoke, steepling his hands once more. "So, put your minds together. You'll find all the ammunition you need down below. Load up your shotguns, take an aim, and pull the trigger, your target sits right here upon this blackened throne of days gone by!"

With a sneering cackle, a laugh of witches and demons, the face of the faded-red twisted into a mask of nightmares.

"Come at me, you pitiful wannabe-detectives! This repeating torture is for your sake and your sake only!" the faded-red screamed. "You're trapped here, forever with me! It's a game that begins again and again, for the amusement of lies and darkness that await! The only thing you'll find in that snow is death of thousand truths, ones you can never recover!"

Sharp teeth, gouging from the blackness.

It was the signal of this sorry tale of truth, uncovered by the Ten.

"COME, SHOW ME YOUR THEORIES AND WATCH AS I BREAK THEM OVER MY KNEEEEEEE!!! *cackle*cackle*cackle*!"

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Knox's Decalogue, Tengetsu Edition

The criminal must be someone mentioned in the early part of the story, but must not be anyone whose thoughts the players has been allowed to follow.
All supernatural or preternatural agencies used must be firmly established as possible within rules of Moonlit World, the possibility of them must have been mentioned in some shape or form.
No more than one undiscoverable secret room or passage is allowable.
No hitherto undiscovered poisons may be used, nor any appliance which will need a long scientific explanation at the end.
No True Magician must figure into a [Mystery].
No accident must ever help the player, nor must he ever have an unaccountable intuition which proves to be right.
The player must not himself commit the crime of the [Mystery] in question.
The player cannot rely upon any [Clues] which have not been presented in their actual form.
The narrative must not purposefully hide any [Clues] that are present in a room or a situation. However, [Clues] are not supposed to be handed out to players either. Some may have to be actually found.
Twin brothers, and doubles generally, must not appear unless we have been duly prepared for them.

Clue Collection

The collection of [Clues] which have been found during the course of the game, and their respective owners. This does not count [Clues] given before the start of the game.

Hildebrandt Astrid

[Myoujingata's Information about Letters]
Myoujingata Meiji, the police chief of Tengetsu, has apparently seen the handwriting of the first letter at some point in his past. The exact time and place still elude him, however. Still, this Clue can be used to further deductions.

Azama Tae

[Otsue's Information]
Otsue's information regarding the disappearance of a girl named Yomi, as well as the events possibly connected with it. Can be used to deduction of further Clues.

Shimamura Mirai

[Basic History of Heaven's Moon]
The basic history of the Holy Grail War ritual held on Tengetsu, as gathered by Sensei. While it does not go to specifics, it still contains the most relevant information and can be used for further deductions.

Ryougi Kirame

[Ayumu Asuka's Murder]
According to the Old Man working for the Traditionalists, the body of Ayumu Asuka had actually been cut by two different people. Her limbs had been severed with a sword, and her head had been decapitated by a polearm of some sort. According to the leader of the Traditionalists, Gyouku Saishku, this information can be trusted.

Mystery Collection

The collection of [Mysteries] the players have encounter on the island of Tengetsu.

[Message in a Corpse]
A message has been left in the corpse of Ayumu Asuka: 'You may forgive, but God does not.' This message appeared after the initial autopsy of the body, as none of the officers saw it before. During the time between the autopsy and Astrid entering the room to find the message, the body had been locked up in the autopsy room number four. The body had also been inside a body bag this whole time. The message had been carved into the stomach of the corpse with a sharp instrument.

empirical evidence suggests this wont end well, im in!

Right. To set up some groundwork in our current Mystery, I have a couple of basic facts about the environment that I would like to confirm.

The only people currently inside Autopsy Room 4 are Hildebrant Astrid, Trickster and Myoujingata Meiji.

The markings on Ayumu Asuka's body were not created via the application of long range magecraft or other supernatural methods from outside the room itself.

The only people that have physically interacted Ayumu Asuka's body tonight are Invoker, the unknown assailant wielding the polearm and the staff at the police station. No other uninvolved individuals have physically interacted or touched the cadaver in question.

Whaaaat's this? Right off the bat the rules are not understood? *cackle*cackle* Blue is the color of [Theories]! What I see here are no theories, just attempts to get me to wield [Truth] so that there's no need to think! Repeat this and repeat that... the time of repeating is in the past! Blue is only valid if it is a [Theory] explaining what happened in the [Mystery]! Get a [Clueeeeeee], *cackle*cackle*cackle! Maybe that'll make your [Theory] something worthy of considering, or then grovel and ask for a [Truth]! On a merciful day, such may be given freely *kikikikahahahahahahaha*!

Then allow me.

The markings on the body came about by way of a delayed effect placed on the body at a point prior to the autopsy. This might or might not have been a spell. The police officer's running the autopsy did not have the ability to recognize such an effect being in place. At some point between the autopsy and the clue being discovered, the effect was triggered, resulting in the words being placed.

What constitutes as the early part of the story?

Allow me.

Three parties were involved with Asuka Ayumu before she was discovered by authorities. The first cut off her arms and legs and left her in the park to be discovered. The second discovered the girl and severed her head. The third placed the message on her body, which was given some sort of trigger to cause its appearance to be made known, likely via supernatural methods. The trigger was likely set as a response to the close proximity of either a Servant or a Master.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tobias

The markings on the body came about by way of a delayed effect placed on the body at a point prior to the autopsy. This might or might not have been a spell. The police officer's running the autopsy did not have the ability to recognize such an effect being in place. At some point between the autopsy and the clue being discovered, the effect was triggered, resulting in the words being placed.

A spell, huh? Something that Meiji, who's in the know about supernatural, did not spot? That's a bit of a tough pill to swallow... *cackle*cackle* I mean, good ol' chief was, according to his own words, at least partially present during the autopsy. Surely he would have noticed something like thaaaat, right?

Quote:

What constitutes as the early part of the story?

Before the half-way point. Which could be juuuuuust about anywhere! That's the beauty of it! *cackle*cackle*

Quote:

Three parties were involved with Asuka Ayumu before she was discovered by authorities. The first cut off her arms and legs and left her in the park to be discovered. The second discovered the girl and severed her head. The third placed the message on her body, which was given some sort of trigger to cause its appearance to be made known, likely via supernatural methods. The trigger was likely set as a response to the close proximity of either a Servant or a Master.

Whaaaaat? At what point would anyone had had time to do thaaaaat? *kakakaka* It's not like the autopsy room had a doors-open policy for todayyy! Hah!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Verg Avesta

Whaaaaat? At what point would anyone had had time to do thaaaaat? *kakakaka* It's not like the autopsy room had a doors-open policy for todayyy! Hah!

Ah, I failed to specify a time frame. But I see nothing was quite shot down here, rather...

...

The third culprit left the message before the police became involved, likely discovering the body in the time between the girl's decapitation and its discovery by the Old Man and whoever else was present.

Wait, this got updated? And here I came to this thread to say something sarcastic about the wait.

...guess I'll read this when I get home later

all right, then lets change the theory slightly

The body already had the message on it before the autopsy. However, it had been glamoured in such a fashion as to conceal it, or so that those who saw it during the autopsy would forget about it after the fact.

The body they are looking at isn't the corpse of Ayumu. It was switched by one of the people in the autopsy team.

I had an idea.

The message in the body was carved after the autopsy, forgoing magecraft - the one who carved the message was, in fact, one of the members of the police force. They carved the warning themselves, knowing that the murder would be investigated, and the message therefore found.