Detention, 12/9/06 (Danger Shop: 8AM - 5PM, FHT)

[drjcovington.livejournal.com]

When today's detentionees enter the Danger Shop, they will find themselves in the common room of a very quaint provincial tavern/inn of vague and indeterminate age. A large piece of parchment on the dining table bears the list of detention students' names:

Sam Carter
Molly Hayes
Naomi Wildman
Belthazor
John Connor

Beneath the list is a note directing the students toward one of the bedrooms. When they arrive in said bedroom they'll find Janice, lying on the floor beneath a heavy and low-hanging iron chandelier, with three candles scattered on the floor around her and what appears to be the hilt of a knife protruding from her chest.

Once people have assembled she stands up, grinning smugly, and lets the bladeless hilt fall to the floor, perhaps dashing several people's hopes. "Thought you lucked out, didn't you?" she asks. "Well, there is no luck. This is detention. And today you get to help me with a little research. See, my partner Mel just finished translating the most recent of the Xena Scrolls that we've found, and we're trying to make sense of it. Seems we've got a little murder mystery on our hands."

She fishes the Danger Shop remote from her pocket and presses a button, causing the prone form of a dead woman to flicker into existence on the floor where Janice herself had been lying, a knife protruding from her chest in the same way. "This is Ravenica . . . or was. She was a bounty hunter, and she's been found dead under mysterious circumstances in Xena's mother's tavern here in Amphipolis. Discord, the brand-new goddess of retribution, is out to prove herself -- and no one is allowed to leave the tavern until the killer has been found. The killer? Yeah, that's someone in this tavern -- no, not one of you. Any of these people."

Another button-press, and seven people materialize in the room: there's a middle-aged woman who looks like she runs the place, a younger and rather buxom farm woman who carries herself with a bit of an affected swagger, and a naive-looking peasant girl. If the other four happen to bear a striking resemblance to former art teachers Autolycus and Ash, Joxer, D'Anna Biers if she dyed her hair black and wore leather, and a short-haired version of Janice herself, well . . . that's just a coincidence, isn't it? Yes. Complete coincidence. Hey, Janice had to model these simulations on someone. After a moment, all seven of them wander off to busy themselves in other parts of the tavern.

Janice spares a particularly scathing look for her lookalike, passes out a stack of cards to each student, and continues, "Your job is to examine the evidence and question the suspects to get to the bottom of all this. Xena had until sunrise to find the killer, according to the Scrolls; you have until five P.M. I know one thing so far: the knife belongs to Minya. Those cards will give you a little background information on our suspects. So what are you waiting for? Get cracking, kids!"

[OOC: OCD is up and we are good to go, and please keep to the appropriate subthreads. I do ask that if you figure out the killer early, try not to spoil it for everyone else. *g* If you really, really need a hint? See the OOC thread. Otherwise, welcome to Clue, Xena style. And do bear that in mind as you try to solve the mystery.

Right now I? Am going to get a few hours' sleep. After I wake up (which will probably be around 8 AM) Meeeeeeep, overslept! At any rate, I'll be around all day, except from about 1PM-2:15PM PST. Whee!]

Comments

Examine the Evidence

[drjcovington.livejournal.com]

In the appropriate subthreads, natch.

The Murder Bedroom

[drjcovington.livejournal.com]

It's a fairly spacious chamber, though the rate might have been cut a bit thanks to the noticeable stable smells that drift in from the window. Several points of interest in the room include . . .

The Chandelier

[drjcovington.livejournal.com]

Perhaps the most prominent feature in the room is the heavy iron chandelier that hangs from the ceiling; it has holders for four candles, but two of the holders are empty. Careful, it hangs pretty low, looks like it swings pretty easily, and anyone of decent height could easily hit their head on it.

Re: The Chandelier

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

John is paying more attention to the floor than to the ceiling and hits his head on the chandelier. "Ow, fucker!" He shakes his cane at it.

Re: The Chandelier

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

Molly stood on a bench to examine the chandelier for any marks to indicate that it had hit someone in the head recently (besides John Connor). She also looked closely for any other kinds of unusual marks on the iron.

Re: The Chandelier

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

Sam stood on her tiptoes and tried not to throw herself off balance as she investigated the chandelier, particularly the empty holders.

Re: The Chandelier

[ktarian-wildman.livejournal.com]

Naomi was careful not to hit her head on the chandelier as she examined it for anything that was extremely unusual about it.

The Floor Beneath the Chandelier

[drjcovington.livejournal.com]

Three candles, snuffed but with wicks that clearly show evidence of being used, are scattered on the rug around Ravenica's body.

Re: The Floor Beneath the Chandelier

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

Molly looked at the candles to see if any of them could have come from the chandelier.

Re: The Floor Beneath the Chandelier

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

Sam investigated the area around the candles, trying to determine if they'd been lit when they fell or were knocked out of the chandelier.

Which was an assumption on her part, but who left random candles in the middle of the floor?

Re: The Floor Beneath the Chandelier

[ktarian-wildman.livejournal.com]

Naomi noticed the candles, noticing that they looked similar to the ones in the chandelier.

The Window

[drjcovington.livejournal.com]

It has no glass in it, just a heavy wooden shutter that's hinged from above and swings outward; a latch that automatically locks itself in place is affixed to the bottom of the windowsill. If you were to open the window, you'd find yourself looking out into the stable adjoining the tavern. Interestingly, there's a long stick of what looks like firewood lying on the floor near the window as well.

Re: The Window

[demonbelthazor]

Since the door was securely barred, the murderer probably came through the window...or shimmered. Bel paused to pout. He opened up the window and climbed out, testing to see if it would automatically lock if he closed it from the outside.

The Door

[drjcovington.livejournal.com]

It's a heavy wooden door that opens inward and was broken clean through in order for people to get in and investigate. A solid iron padlock holds it shut -- or would have held it shut when it was still intact -- from the inside.

Re: The Door

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

Not wanting to overlook anything, Molly checked out the door and the lock to see if she could tel if either had been tampered with. Well, before the door had been broken down anyway.

The Body

[drjcovington.livejournal.com]

Yes, Ravenica was, shall we say, rather well endowed. Ignore that, please. Aside from the very obvious knife sticking out of her chest, several inches below the heart, closer examination may reveal a nasty rash on the side of her neck, and a large, dark, and still slightly-damp patch of some kind of thick liquid matting the hair on the back of her head.

Re: The Body

[demonbelthazor]

Bel started with the body, trying to see if the knife wound was a fatal blow, and also inspecting the liquid beneath her head.

Re: The Body

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

Molly looked at the rash to see if there was any indication what caused it. She also checked out the liquid on the back of Ravenica's head.

In the Common Room

[drjcovington.livejournal.com]

There are several items spread out on the table here for your perusal.

Ravenica's Saddlebags

[drjcovington.livejournal.com]

Marked with the insignia that identifies her as a bounty hunter, these contain her tools of the trade and are pared down to the bare essentials for traveling light: muzzles, leather bonds, heavy iron manacles, some food, and three document tubes. One is empty, and the other two contain wanted-bounty posters: one of Xena, and one of some random guy. The saddlebags seem to have been rifled through, though; the food is on the bottom, where it's gotten smashed, and so are her maps, which are crammed in rather than carefully stowed.

There's also a small lock-purse that's been opened; if you were to dump its contents on the table it would just contain rocks.

A Waterskin

[drjcovington.livejournal.com]

Whatever is in it, it smells foul. It could probably make you sick.

A Small Pouch of Diamonds

[drjcovington.livejournal.com]

There's a note beside the pouch stating that these were found in the thief's room. Hmm . . .

Half of a Torn Note

[drjcovington.livejournal.com]

It's heavily scented with lavender perfume. And it looks like a sappy love note.

The Stables

[drjcovington.livejournal.com]

The horses are kept here, of course; the stables can be accessed from the outside, although Ravenica's room, as previously noted, has a window that opens up to the inside of them. Currently three horses are in residence, including Xena's horse Argo, ensconced in the stall by the window.

Re: The Stables

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

Molly went out to the stables to see if she could find any clues there. She checked the horses to see if any had been saddled for a quick departure and anything else out of the ordinary or suspicious.