The Atrium has been re-arranged to make room for the game. Staff is ready with drinks, snacks and other refreshments on one side, while the remainder has been sectioned off with barriers to encourage people to gather in smaller groups to discuss the clues they've been given. On one side, a scene has been carefully put together to depict the scene of the crime.

For now, cloth barriers have been placed around this scene, while Videl is standing near the entrance of the Atrium waiting for people to arrive before she begins matters properly.

Gianna swans in, clad in deep green seasilk and champagne silver with malachite. It's a whole theme! She inclines her head to Videl and says, "Lady Videl, thank you for hosting this event. I must say, I'm quite intrigued."

Ian comes in, looking rumpled and just a little bit seedy (as per usual) in his usual beat up leather coat. He tends towards watching his feet while he walks, and only looks up to take in the room once he's gotten to a good stopping point.

Yasmine sweeps in, eyes bright with excitement as she takes in the festive decor for the soireee. "I cannot say I've ever had the pleasure of attending a murder mystery party," she proclaims, her eyes drawn to the display of deep green seasilk and champagne silver Gianna graces the room in. "What a marvelous dress, Nightingale. You put us all to shame with your incredible tastes."

Yasmine is overheard praising Gianna.

Videl smiles at the people who enter, "Nightingale, a pleasure to see you. That's a lovely dress." She waves to her own, "This outfit of mine is new, too, I had it made for tonight. The design is mine but the execution is by my protege, mistress Aerwyna Froic. The cloak is a piece by master Apollo Oakwood, his design."

"Always good to see you, lord Ian." She offers Ian, then glances towards Yasmine. "I don't believe we've met before, I'm your host for tonight, Lady Videl Igniseri."

Ian nods to Videl. "Lady Videl." He's found a more or less out of the way place from which to watch the proceedings.

Gianna loves her some flattery. She even preens a little, flicking some of her dark hair over her shoulder and smiling one of her quick little flickers of a smile at Yasmine. She's clearly pleased. "Why, thank you! That does mean a lot coming from someone as fashionable as yourself. I've been downright envious of your outfits many a time." She takes a moment to look Videl over and nods approvingly. "Wonderful. I've met your protegee - perhaps I ought to have something made at her shop, too. Charming young woman." She inclines her head to Ian. "Lord Ian. House Kennex is to be congratulated on their recent successes."

Yasmine curtsies before Videl, rising with a charming smile. "I am Yasmine Champagne, my lady. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," she says, an unfamiliar eye cast toward Ian and others not yet introduced to her.

Ian inclines his head to Gianna. "The most recent one was Aethan's project," he demurs. "But I was glad to be able to be part of it."

Videl glances towards the door. "Well it does seem like that's all who are coming." She then looks around the group, letting everyone introduce themselves before setting the scene, "In a distant realm far beyond the compact, yet not so different from it either, a dinner was held to celebrate the recent alliance between the House Dirkhand of Daggerkeep and House Viperfang of Venomflow. Both known for what they would themselves describe as pragmatism, what their polite peers call a tendency to unorthodox resolutions, and their less polite peers call a habit of treachery."

"Few people then were surprised when in the guest chambers at Daggerkeep, the Baron of Venomflow was found dead in the morning after the dinner, his face purple and his neck marked with the remnants of a thick rope. House Viperfang of course, accuses their hosts of using alliance as a pretense to murder their baron, while house Dirkhand accuses their guests of trying to frame them for an internal matter of house Viperfang."

A servant removes the cloth barriers to show a carefully produces scene of the crime, including doll which represents the Baron of Venomflow.

Gianna touches two fingertips to her lower lip as she listens, brows arching. She casts a curious glance at the 'body' and crime scene, and glances at Yasmine and Ian. "Shall we?" That said, the Nightingale Whisper makes her way toward the revealed scene, seasilk swishing about her legs.

Ian listens through the explanation and, when the barriers are removed, takes in the "scene of the crime" from where he stands. His intense gaze alternately takes in the whole effect of the scene and fixes on details here and there. He doesn't make any move to inspect anything more carefully yet.

"I don't believe I've had the pleasure," Yasmine says toward Ian, her smile bright. "I believe you're Lord Ian, of house Kennex?" As Videl begins to weave the back story, setting the scene for the games, she falls silent and turns a discerning eye toward the unveiled scene of the crime. "What a... realistic recreation," she commends mildly, sweeping forward in a graceful pivot of feet to walk counter clockwise to Gianna. "What say you, my darling Nightingale?"

Yasmine checked perception + investigation at difficulty 20, rolling 34 higher.

Gianna checked perception + investigation at difficulty 20, rolling 34 higher.

Ian checked perception + investigation at difficulty 20, rolling 2 higher.

There is no doubt about it, the baron was strangled. But astute eyes make it clear he did not go down without a fight, there's a dagger beneath his bed tipped in red paint. Presumably meant to depict blood, this despite the fact that there are no wounds on the 'body.' Videl watches them investigate with approval, "If you'd like to talk to the prime suspects, there's the Baroness of Daggerkeep, her son and heir, the Seraph of Daggerkeep, the Baron of Venomfang's widow, the son of the Baron of Venomfang, and the Knight-Captain of the Knights of Daggerkeep."

Ian considers the knife, and the position in which it was found. "Do we know how good this guy was with a blade?" He asks, because of course he would.

Yasmine whips out a silken handkerchief with a feminine flourish, daintily picking up the dagger to hold in plain view of Ian and Gianna. "Whomever the assailant was would be sporting an injury of some kind, wouldn't they?" she asks, a contemplative hum made at the Kennex's question. "Instead of questioning the main suspects, I'd like to ask the house staff who might've seen something strange in the night. A guest who was wandering too far from the rooms? Or did the house healer receive an injured patient with a knife wound, writing it off as a suspicious story?" All the Ravashari needs is a monocle and pipe.

There is no doubt about it, the baron was strangled. But astute eyes make it clear he did not go down without a fight, there's a dagger beneath his bed tipped in red paint. Presumably meant to depict blood, this despite the fact that there are no wounds on the 'body.' Videl watches them investigate with approval, "If you'd like to talk to the prime suspects, there's the Baroness of Daggerkeep, her son and heir, the Seraph of Daggerkeep, the Baron of Venomflow's widow, the son of the Baron of Venomflow, and the Knight-Captain of the Knights of Venomflow."

Gianna frowns, leaning in to examine the knife Yasmine's plucked up. "The servants would be a good idea. Maybe the wound dripped blood," she says, turning her attention to the floor with a little wrinkle of her nose and a sniff.

Videl answers Ian's question first, "According to reputation, good enough to play to his house's strengths, though not nearly as good as most members of house Dirkhand." The blade went deep enough to cause actual injury but not so deep to cause a life-threatening injury, provided of course the steel was the real danger.

Videl nods to Yasmine and Gianna, and calls out for 'Mistress Ennelin' and one of the Igniseri house servants she has roped in to help comes to answer questions. "The Seraph of Daggerkeep had his usual evening walk, ma'am." She answers "And I saw the Knight-Captain of our guests go on a walk with his Baroness, or well she was the Baroness I suppose. I guess her son is baron now."

"A man like that wouldn't have had control in a life or death situation," Ian remarks to Gianna and Yasmine. "Instead of going for the face or neck to force his attacker to back off, he would have struck out blindly, probably sweeps rather than stabs, so we can expect shallow slicing injuries to the arms or upper chest, probably." Not that this crime is necessarily true down to the smallest detail or anything, but violence is what Ian knows. He falls silent as the servants turn up, back to listening.

Yasmine takes Ian's words into deep consideration, briefly closing her eyes as though imagining the scene. "So, something that can be easily written off as an accident elsewhere on the grounds?" she supposes, before looking to Gianna after Mistress Ennelin gives her story. "But no one with a suspicious injury? Perhaps the Seraph can be the next person we speak to?"

'Mistress Ennelin' shakes her head, "None that I know of, ma'am. I asked the physician but he didn't have no-one visit him, well besides from ol' man Timothy, but that was just for his aging back and joints."

Ian nods to Yasmine. "A slice is a slice once it's made. Well, more or less. Someone could have dropped a knife or been cut with broken glass and get a similar result. You could bandage it up and go on your way." Well, he could. As the servants switch out, and the Seraph comes in he adds: "I doubt whoever did this was comfortable with weapons, though."

"Why use a rope, I wonder?" Gianna murmurs. She eyes the doll, frowns, and carefully eases down into a crouch by it. She holds her dress carefully so the side split doesn't go up too high, and then leans in close to examine the doll's mouth. She even waves her hand by it, like she's wafting a scent to her nose. Then, she examines his fingernails. Possibly for signs of poisoning? She's Lycene. She can perhaps be forgiven for this.

There are no signs of poisoning. Videl seems amused by Gianna's examination for it however and confides, "I did not want to perpetuate stereotypes." She then summons another servant she roped into playing the Seraph. "Tragic business this." He says solemnly, "I hope the matter can be resolved swiftly and peacefully."

Yasmine stifles a laugh at Gianna's examination. "I admit, that was the first thing that came to mind as well," she confesses, then turns toward the servant playing the Seraph. "Seraph, thank you for allowing us to speak to you on such short notice. I cannot help but wonder, when you were on your nightly walk, did anything amiss catch your attention? Anything at all? Perhaps something you'd heard?"

"I wonder why the killer didn't leave the rope," Ian muses.

Gianna straightens up again, smoothing her skirt. "Maybe the rope itself was incriminating." She inspects the doll's neck again, as though trying to ascertain the width of the rope. "Perhaps it was a cord belt for a gown, for example, and leaving it behind would incriminate someone who didn't want to be incriminated."

The 'Seraph' shakes his head. "When I do those walks, I am in contemplation to the gods and try to distance myself from the affairs of the day." He explains himself, shifting slightly under the mention of cord belts, adjusting his own.

Yasmine checked wits + empathy at difficulty 20, rolling 8 higher.

Gianna checked wits + empathy at difficulty 20, rolling 7 higher.

While Ian might not notice, the rest of the Seraph's clothes are old and worn, and 'by accident' the 'Seraph' draws attention to the fact that cord belt is brand new.

"You know," Ian is musing aloud, because no he doesn't really notice clothes either. "If the killer wore the rope in, they might not have gone in intending to do any killing."

Yasmine lifts her brows mildly toward the Seraph. "That belt, Seraph. It looks positively divine. Something new?" She queries casually, her smile beguiling as she slides in to try and inspect it closer. "How strange. We noticed that the object the Baron was strangled with was missing."

Gianna examines the 'Seraph' for a moment, tilting her head to the side. She nods to Ian and returns her attention to the Seraph, touching a fingertip to her lower lip. "Perhaps," she says, "Someone will feel guilty and confess to you, Seraph. Perhaps someone will remember Limerance, and vows made, and service to a liege lord, and they will feel themselves heavy with burden."

"I wonder what could have happened to change..." VERY belatedly Ian realizes that oh, the Seraph IS wearing a cord belt, isn't he. And maybe he shouldn't be theorizing about the crime in front of the possible killer. He shuts up.

Gianna checked charm + manipulation at difficulty 30, rolling 48 higher.

"It was a gift." The 'Seraph' answers Yasmine, "From a childhood friend, though he serves House Viperflow now as the captain of their knights." Gianna causes him to frown and considers, before admitting. "I fear he won't, though he's a friend and I hate to say this, he's not a good friend but I couldn't help but notice that his liege's wife was not in his liege's room at all during the knight, at least according to her words, and after I tried on this new rope I couldn't find the old one. He's always been a man of great dexterity."

Yasmine studies the Seraph at length. "It really is quite a lovely belt," she echoes her earlier sentiments, her smile fading with a thoughtful look cast to Ian and Gianna. "But perhaps we should speak then with this wife? See where she had disappeared to in the night?"

Ian is mostly listening now, his brow furrowed in thought.

Gianna's eyebrows arch. "The knight-captain has always been a man of great dexterity?" she asks, seeking clarification. "Do he and the baron's wife often take walks together?"

"I am not inclined to rumour-monger." The 'seraph' prefaces his next comment, "But I cannot deny that his liege's heir takes more after the knight-captain than the baron, and it seems pertinent."

Yasmine glances between Ian and Gianna, pensive. "What are your thoughts here, Mistress Gianna?" she asks of the Whisper hushedly. "I must say that it strikes me as odd that the Seraph would have a brand new belt, but the rest of his clothes are aged. The timing is too similar to be of a coincidence. And the knight-captain and the baron's wife, I wonder... Did they get rid of him so they might be wedded?"

"Why not leave the belt, though?" Ian asks Yasmine and Gianna. "If it's not yours. Then we would have been pretty sure this guy had done it."

Gianna wrinkles her nose again. "Maybe the criminal didn't want to incriminate a member of the Faith. Maybe they thought the new belt wouldn't be noticed," she says. Her shoulders roll in a light shrug. "Who can say? As for wedding... is the knight-captain of noble birth, or is he a commoner? A commoner could never wed a noblewoman." She pauses. "Well, not without raising some eyebrows. Especially nowadays."

"Oh, I'm sure he had no illusions about marriage." The 'Seraph' answers, "But of course as a widow with an adult son she would not be expected to remarry, and few would blame her for turning to a close friend for solace in her grief, wouldn't you think?"

Ian looks skeptical about all of this, and turns his attention to the servant. "You said the dead guy, the knight, the dead guy's wife, and the seraph were all in the garden at some point last night. Was there anyone else? A maid or a gardener or something?"

Yasmine purses her lips faintly at the Seraph. "Were that the case, very few would dare to look upon her with suspicion for confiding in a friend. I wonder the son's thoughts on all of this?" she turns an inquisitive look toward Gianna. "I wonder if he wished to inherit the title sooner?"

"An alliance between him and the knight-captain?" Gianna suggests. "Or is this to frame the knight-captain?" She eyes the Seraph again. "You may not like to tell tales or spread rumours," she says, "But the Sentinel doesn't think highly of murder. Shouldn't a murderer be brought to justice?"

"The Sentinel might not think highly of murder, but the late Baron did. One murderer kills another." The Seraph answers, "In the balance of things I'm not sure this changes the Sentinel's displeasure, and to be frank, one of the two is a friend, the other is a man I did not know personally." The servant shakes her head to Ian, "Not that I've seen, nor the scullery maid."

"Did anyone see him between when he took the walk and when he went to bed?" Ian asks. "I mean -- the dead guy." He'd probably be better at this if he'd bother to get names straight in his head.

Gianna is getting tired of standing. Or she wants to sit now, at least, so she finds the closest one and settles on it, careful with her skirts. "It's interesting," she tells the Seraph, "That you and the Knight-Captain remained friends despite serving two Houses that were enemies."

"I serve the Faith." The Seraph answers somewhat stiffly to that question, "And besides that, oaths of fealty can bind our actions but not our emotions. Our friendship predates this conflict, and it's in part due to that friendship that we were even able to encourage these squabbling barons to settle their differences at the table rather than in the field."

Ian has rolled a critical success!
Ian checked perception + medicine at difficulty 15, rolling 16 higher.

Gianna glances between Ian and Yasmine and says, "Should we speak to the Knight-Captain?"

Yasmine inclines her head toward Gianna. "It may be our best bet," she agrees hushedly. "Or the wife."

"Or both at the same time," Gianna suggests, arching her eyebrows.

"A double team? How deliciously exciting," Yasmine laughs vibrantly. "Who shall take whom first?"

It's back to talking again, which once again leaves Ian at a loss.

Gianna shakes her head. "I meant we call them both here at once and question them together, as we've questioned the servant and the Seraph." A glance at the Seraph. "You've been wonderful, thank you."

The seraph leaves and a pair, one the house guards and another servant come in. The former is clearly meant to be the knight captain and the latter the victim's wife. The latter sniffles some, though perhaps that's been assisted as there's the vague smell of onion.

Yasmine curtsies at the arrival of the victim's wife and the knight captain, giving a delicately little sniff. "My lady, we give our condolences for your loss," she says, carefully watching the pair from beneath her lashes. "I hope you would not mind us asking a few questions of you both?"

Gianna considers the new pair of servants, clasping her hands together and resting them on her knees as she regards them both. Yasmine speaks, and Gianna inclines her head to the other woman with approval. "My condolences as well," she says. "To the both of you. How horrible, to lose your husband. How terrible to fail in your duty to protect the Baron."

"Not at all, go ahead." She answers, he simply nods. Videl watches from nearby, glancing at the sky and the hour, giving what seems to be a signal to the people she roped into this. "It's such a terrible thing."

"Forgive me, but is that the scent of onions?" Yasmine lifts her brows, a hand rising with a flip of silk to shield her nose. "Such an offensive odor, as faint as it is. It brings tears to even my eyes," her eyes mist, lashes fluttering.

Ian checked perception + medicine at difficulty 15, rolling 11 higher.

The woman raises her eyebrows in offense, "Are you implying something?" She asks, the man makes movement that shifts his tunic, revealing not only a small cut in them, but also some red-stained bandaged beneath, it's only a glimpse perhaps, but a glimpse is all Ian needs.

Yasmine spreads her hands open in a gesture of innocence. "I am not implying anything," she says calmly toward the woman. "But a guilty conscious, perhaps, would believe I was."

Gianna crosses her arms over her chest, pursing her lips. "I am beginning to wonder very much about how well people keep their vows around here." She glances sidelong at Videl.

Ian has been standing around looking, honestly, a little bored, his attempts to find a solution to the crime that doesn't involve figuring out who's lying coming to naught. Which is why, when he moves, it's probably a surprise to everyone, and in more than one way. A quick step, and then his cane comes around in a beautiful, well controlled arc, as much a sword now as it's a cane for the way he's using it. It flashes fast, but he pulls back the last second, so that what could have been a pretty hard blow is just a tiny tap. Maybe he intends it to be a pretend hard blow.

Videl smiles, and answers, "I did mention these particular houses had a reputation, didn't I?" And then Ian strikes and the man does a good job selling it, falling to the ground and wincing like he'd just been struck hard in a fresh wound. The woman next to him gasps, "You told me the Seraph did it." She cries out in well-acted shock.

Ian holds the cane for a moment in a sort of halfway place, almost like a sword, but instead of being in a crisp guard, it's a lazy sort of thing with the end drooping down. Then he returns the cane to the ground. Hey, it's a cane again. "You should have just stabbed him and put a pillow over his face. We never would have been able to prove that it was you."

Gianna unfolds her arms and claps her hands together gently. "There! Did we win anything?"

Yasmine flicks a glance aside to Gianna. "And the truth is unveiled," she murmurs. "I am glad it was not the Seraph who had done it at least." She turns her head to look up at Videl with a brilliant smile. "What's the prize?"

Videl is overheard praising Gianna: Well spoken.

Videl is overheard praising Yasmine: Well reasoned

Videl is overheard praising Ian: Well spotted

Yasmine is overheard praising Videl: What a fabulous event!

Yasmine is overheard praising Ian: Quick work the cane, my lord.

Videl answers the question, "This was for fun and a collaborative event, so there are no prices, but I will make sure to mention your insight." Then, "Well done, however. And thank you for coming."

Ian nods to Videl. "This was interesting. Let me know if you do another. I think my cousin would like it. Should have brought him this time."

There's a flicker of a smile at Videl; she nods. To the servant 'widow', she says, "Lady Evonleigh will be putting on a drama soon. You ought to stop by and audition, you were very convincingly shocked." A nod. "The Seraph wasn't bad, either."

Ian takes note of the sun's angle in the sky. "If all of you will excuse me? I have an appointment."

Gianna rises from her seat, smoothing her skirt. "Of course, Lord Ian. Well spotted. It was an interesting way to spend time, Lady Videl! And lovely to see you again, Miss Yasmine. It's been far too long."

Yasmine turns her eyes toward Gianna, eyes sparkling. "I'd heard you'd be taking on a role within the production as well. It'll be a honor to work along side you." It is obvious to see the admiration in her expression. To Videl, she says, "And this was all quite the event, my lady. Thank you."

Ian inclines his upper body over his cane in something resembling a bow, and then with a close eye on his own footsteps, makes his way out.

1 Silvershields leaves, following Yasmine.