Murder Riddle II (Solved!)
Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2018 3:09 pm
This is a sequel to Segaco's Murder Riddle. Thanks to him for providing the inspiration, the format, and the rules, which are apparently taken from Umineko no Naku Koro ni. (Though as Segaco mentioned, it's not necessary to know anything about this, as I myself do not.)
Just a note: I tried to make it of comparable quality but a bit tougher, and it ended up being significantly longer. I hope it doesn't drag on too long and you all enjoy it, though.
- All characters state things in. All things said in Purple Declaration can be considered to be the truth with the exception of the fact that culprits may lie.
- Characters who are not culprits speak the truth and only the truth (**in purple**).
- There may be multiple culprits.
- A culprit is defined as someone who kills.
- A culprit may lie before murdering.
- A culprit cannot die, but they can fake death.
- All statements made in narration are true.
- Accomplices do not exist unless they murder, in which case they become culprits.
- Every room, aside from the bathrooms, is locked with an electric lock. These locks cannot be spoofed, hacked, or otherwise tampered with.
- Every person carries a key card, with the exception of Brian (who does not have an office) and Nettle (who is a visitor).
- The janitors and security guards' key cards can open every room. All other people's key cards can only open their own office.
- In addition, the president, VP, and top executives have access to the conference rooms.
- Rooms can be locked and unlocked from the outside with the key card.
- Rooms can be locked and unlocked from the inside without need of a key card.
- Every person initially starts with their own key card.
- Anyone may be a culprit.
1. Miles Hazard - President (Male)
2. Tony Burton - Vice President (Male)
3. Alder Hutch - Top Executive (Male)
4. Ruby Holland - Top Executive (Female)
5. Steve McCall - Executive (Male)
6. Ferris Beckett - Executive (Male)
7. Catherine Luda - Executive (Female)
8. Nik Werner - Executive (Male)
9. Menna Jones - Executive (Female)
10. Micah - Janitor (Female)
11. Tom - Janitor (Male)
12. Alpha - Head Security (Male)
13. Ren - Security (Female)
14. Brian Tooley - Secretary (Male)
15. Nettle Sands - Visitor (Male)
: "Oh God... is he dead? What happened?"
: ""
: ""
: "Where did Ren go?"
: "She went to lock down the floor, I think."
: "Does anyone know anything?"
: ""
: "I know Ferris. He was always paranoid. "
: "I've been in my office, right across the hall from Ferris's. "
: "Leaving a five minute window. We need alibis. Where was everyone between 10:25 and 10:30?"
: ""
: ""
: ""
: "Alpha, you remember. "
: ""
: ""
: " I think several people can attest that I did go there."
: ", but I wasn't paying much attention."
: "Those aren't very reassuring. Can any of you prove that?"
: "No, I'm sorry. But you can search me, "
: ""
: "All right. Ren and I will search you two and your offices."
: "Wait a minute. Miles, where were you?"
: "Are you doubting me?"
: "I just want to make sure we've covered all our bases."
: "Well, "
: "You don't have to worry, Nettle. I can vouch for Miles's character. "
: "Micah... how could this happen? "
: ""
: "That's terrible..."
: ""
: ""
: ""
: ""
: " Alder, Ruby, and Nettle were talking in the lobby pretty much the while time, as far as I know."
: ""
: "Yes, it did. I'm surprised that those two didn't see it the way I did... maybe I know some things about Ferris that you people don't."
: " He was upset about something Nettle said."
: "He was accusing Miles of killing his own employee!"
: "What?"
: "Listen, I don't know you, but I know more than a few things about what goes on in your department."
: "Which way did Alder go?"
: ""
: " I must have been too focused on making sure Micah was okay."
: "Brian, you went to the bathroom? "
: " I didn't want to interrupt the security guards' search."
: "Catherine, where were you?"
: ""
: "O- okay. Is it possible someone was hiding in here?" *gestures to the janitor's closet*
: "No, "
: "That's it. We need to get to somewhere safe so we can figure this out. Let's go to a conference room."
: "Neither conference room is big enough to fit all twelve of us."
: "We'll split up, then. Tony, Ruby, Alder, Ren, Catherine, come with me to Conference Room 1."
: "Is there anything we can use to figure out who did this?"
: "There are security tapes. I should go check them."
: "I should see the tapes too. I'll come with you."
: "Where did Miles and Ren go?"
: "Oh, they might have gone to look at the security tapes. That's a good idea."
: "There are security tapes?"
: " But they might have seen someone go into the janitor's closet."
: "We can't just sit here. We need to do something. I wonder if I can find any evidence in Ferris's office. I do know a fair amount about what he was doing."
: "Care to share it with the rest of us?"
: "No."
: "Don't go alone. I'll come with you."
: "I'm getting nervous... I better go check on Nettle and Brian to make sure they're all right."
: "No..."
: "What happened, Alpha?"
: ""
: ""
: ""
: "We have some bad news... They look like they're dead, but I'm not sure. "
: "We had a feeling that something was wrong there. "
: ""
: "Ren's gun... "
: ""
: ""
: " we can't have anyone getting into Miles's office."
: " I need to search you all."
: " I'm sure of it."
: "That's crazy. Pretended to be dead. That can't be true."
: "I believe him. "
: "So what do we do?"
: "For now? We stay together. I don't want anyone out of my sight."
: "If someone is pretending to be dead, doesn't that mean they must have an accomplice? Someone alive who 'confirmed' that they were dead."
: "That's a good point. So we have two potential killers on the loose."
: "And I have a feeling that they won't stop until everyone else is dead."
: "Now at least we have some facts nailed down. Does anyone know anything about motive?"
: "Well, I know there's been some weird stuff going on here, but nothing worth killing over..."
: "Are you sure? If anyone knows anything, we need to know now."
: "All right, I should probably say something. , and it would be very bad if they fell into the wrong hands."
: "How bad?"
: "It could cost thousands of lives."
: "Shit."
: "What do you people DO on this floor? This is darker than I imagined."
: "Maybe Nettle was wiser than we thought... He told us this was something bigger. Not by Miles maybe, but somebody important must be behind this."
: ""
: "Tom, can you please let me into Miles's office to see if they're still there?"
: "I don't want anything to do with this, if I can help it."
: ""
: ""
: "Tony, how do we know you didn't just take them?"
: "You're welcome to search me."
: "He's clean. "
: "Who could possibly have taken them? Only Miles himself, the janitors, and the security guards could have gotten in there."
: "We need to go check their bodies. And be careful... don't go anywhere alone."
: ""
: ""
: "I don't trust anyone but Alpha here. "
: "Why is that so loud?"
: "Hopefully they're coming to help us."
: *looks around* "Did you hear that?"
: "The siren?"
: ""
: "I couldn't hear anything over the noise."
: " What happened in there?"
: "Ruby! No! "
: "You heard a shot over that noise? Did anyone else hear it?"
: "Well, there definitely was a shot. "
: ""
: " Did anyone find the documents?"
: ""
: ""
: " I can't believe this... I need to be alone. I don't trust any of you."
: "Are you sure that's safe?"
: " This mystery killer won't be able to get me there; only a few people have access to it."
Alder left and headed toward the conference rooms.
: "This is enough. We need more help. "
: "What?"
: ""
: " But it seems like anyone with a computer could have done that."
: ""
: "We're trapped here?"
: "Only until the lockdown ends."
: "I feel bad for Alder, and I'm very sorry about Ruby-- I know they'd known each other for a long time. But we need to stay together. He's in danger."
: "Yeah. Let's go find him."
: "What just happened?"
: "Somebody shot them. Maybe the shooter missed?"
: "I don't think so... "
: ""
: Let's move their bodies out of the way. I don't want to have them here.
: "Where's Alder? Is he in one of the conference rooms?"
: "What-? "
: " Where did he go?"
: "Alpha is right. "
: ""
: "Is he dead?"
: " I'm sorry I hid, I just didn't feel safe there."
: "How did you get in here?"
: " I thought I might be able to hide in his office if things ever got awful. What happened?"
: "Menna and Steve are dead, because they went looking for you."
: ""
: "Where's Catherine?"
: "Oh, "
: "Did you see anyone else?"
: ""
: "How could you even see her office from under your desk?"
: ""
: "So you could only see her feet?"
: "I recognized her shoes. "
: "She should still be in there then... Is the door locked?"
: ""
: "No... how is this possible? "
: " How was the door locked?"
: ""
: "I think I know the answer to this. You three stay right here. "
: "Still, be careful."
: "I will. , so I should be safe."
: "I hope he's all right."
: "I'm sure he will be. "
: "We shouldn't stand here; we should go somewhere more protected. What if the killer comes back?"
: "You're right, we should move. Where?"
: "Maybe the elevator room. There's only one way in, and we could try the elevator again."
: "Nope, "
: ""
: "Hurry up!"
: "It's as we feared. "
: "Check his gun, see if he shot back. He said this wouldn't happen..."
: ""
: "Six bullets? Let me see."
: ""
: "Put the gun down. I don't think anyone should have it right now."
: "All right." *sets the gun down*
: "We need to solve this now. Can anyone think of anything that might help us?"
: "Hold that thought."
: "Let's talk about what happened..."
-------------------
A few things to keep in mind:
Now that you have finished the story, you can now start trying to solve it. There are three more things you need to know about theorizing before starting:
- To win the game you must pinpoint the culprit/s and how he/she/they did it. Basically, you have to post a full theory explaining how everything happened*.
- When stating a theory, it is mandatory for you to use
- After you make your theory, I will respond to it either with
*That said, there is definitely some room for interpretation allowed. As long as your explanation is reasonable and reasonably close to what I intended, you should be fine.
That's all you need to know.
Anyone can participate, so I hope you hop in and try to solve this!
Just a note: I tried to make it of comparable quality but a bit tougher, and it ended up being significantly longer. I hope it doesn't drag on too long and you all enjoy it, though.
Rules
- All characters state things in
Purple Declaration
- Characters who are not culprits speak the truth and only the truth (**in purple**).
- There may be multiple culprits.
- A culprit is defined as someone who kills.
- A culprit may lie before murdering.
- A culprit cannot die, but they can fake death.
- All statements made in narration are true.
- Accomplices do not exist unless they murder, in which case they become culprits.
- Every room, aside from the bathrooms, is locked with an electric lock. These locks cannot be spoofed, hacked, or otherwise tampered with.
- Every person carries a key card, with the exception of Brian (who does not have an office) and Nettle (who is a visitor).
- The janitors and security guards' key cards can open every room. All other people's key cards can only open their own office.
- In addition, the president, VP, and top executives have access to the conference rooms.
- Rooms can be locked and unlocked from the outside with the key card.
- Rooms can be locked and unlocked from the inside without need of a key card.
- Every person initially starts with their own key card.
- Anyone may be a culprit.
People in this story:
1. Miles Hazard - President (Male)
2. Tony Burton - Vice President (Male)
3. Alder Hutch - Top Executive (Male)
4. Ruby Holland - Top Executive (Female)
5. Steve McCall - Executive (Male)
6. Ferris Beckett - Executive (Male)
7. Catherine Luda - Executive (Female)
8. Nik Werner - Executive (Male)
9. Menna Jones - Executive (Female)
10. Micah - Janitor (Female)
11. Tom - Janitor (Male)
12. Alpha - Head Security (Male)
13. Ren - Security (Female)
14. Brian Tooley - Secretary (Male)
15. Nettle Sands - Visitor (Male)
Map
Spoiler: I suck at art
Story
The SkyTech Corporation. An extremely secretive, high-security company, headed by Miles Hazard, that works on many sensitive government projects. The setting is the top floor of their headquarters, housing the president, vice president, and several top executives. Usually, nobody without security clearance is allowed onto this floor. But on this day, Nettle Sands was invited up for a meeting with Ferris.
At precisely 10:30 AM, the elevator opened and Nettle stepped out. He spoke to Brian, the secretary, informing him of his meeting with Ferris. Brian called Ferris, to tell him that his visitor had arrived, but nobody picked up the phone. Finding this odd, Brian motioned for Nettle to follow him, and the two of them went to Ferris's office door. Brian knocked on it. Again, no answer. Concerned now, Brian called for the security guard Ren, who opened the door. The three of them beheld the bloody body of Ferris.
Brian and Nettle immediately cried out in alarm. Ren ran to the security room to call a lockdown of the floor; the other people on the floor began to filter out of their offices and gather around the scene.
At precisely 10:30 AM, the elevator opened and Nettle stepped out. He spoke to Brian, the secretary, informing him of his meeting with Ferris. Brian called Ferris, to tell him that his visitor had arrived, but nobody picked up the phone. Finding this odd, Brian motioned for Nettle to follow him, and the two of them went to Ferris's office door. Brian knocked on it. Again, no answer. Concerned now, Brian called for the security guard Ren, who opened the door. The three of them beheld the bloody body of Ferris.
Brian and Nettle immediately cried out in alarm. Ren ran to the security room to call a lockdown of the floor; the other people on the floor began to filter out of their offices and gather around the scene.
Tom
Brian
Nettle had a meeting with him, and he didn't pick up the phone, and the door was locked, and so I called for Ren to open it...
Alder
Ferris is dead. He was stabbed to death.
Alpha
Nettle
Nik
Tony
I met with Ferris from 9:30 to 10:00. He was quite all right at that point. I know he didn't have any meetings afterward until his meeting with Nettle.
Steve
He'd never open the door for someone unless he had a meeting with them.
Catherine
I saw Tony leave Ferris's room at 10:00, and nobody entered between then and 10:25. Unfortunately, I had to use the bathroom then; that's where I was when I heard the cries.
Alpha
Micah
I was with Tom cleaning Conference Room 1.
Brian
I was at the front desk until Nettle arrived. Ren can confirm, she was there as well.
Ruby
Tony, Nik, and I were in a meeting in Conference Room 2.
Alder
I was in the security room talking with you.
Steve
I was working in my office.
Menna
As was I.
Catherine
As I already said, I was in the bathroom.
Brian
I didn't see her go
Alpha
Steve
I swear I don't have a knife anywhere.
Menna
Me neither!
Alpha
Nettle
Miles
Nettle
Miles
I was in my office, as well.
Tom
He would never kill anyone.
The security guards began to search the persons and offices of Steve and Menna. Some of the other people left. They were shaken, but it seemed as though the security guards had everything under control. That is, until a scream was heard. The source of the scream was quickly determined to be Tom, and as everyone rushed to him, they found him at the open janitor's closet, staring in horror.
Tom
We went back to cleaning, and we were doing Conference Room 2. She ran back to get something, but she was gone so long I started to get worried. I came to check on her, and the door was locked, and when I unlocked it I found this... She's definitely dead; she was stabbed. Here key card was here on the floor beside her. I'll destroy it now so nobody can use it.
Brian
Nik is in here too. Looks like he was also stabbed to death.
Menna
Ren
Alpha and I searched Steve and Menna. Menna didn't have a knife.
Alpha
Neither did Steve.
Miles
Tony and I were with them the whole time, supervising.
Tony
Indeed we were. Nik was with us too, but he went off toward the conference rooms. That was the last I saw of him.
Brian
I was at the front desk for most of the time, but I had to use the bathroom as well.
Alder
We were discussing intently almost the entire time. We were trying to figure out a reason that somebody would do something like this. The discussion got very heated toward the end.
Nettle
Ruby
Actually, Alder stormed off near the end.
Alder
Miles
Nettle
Alpha
Alder
I went up the east hallway, but I didn't have time to kill anyone. I saw Tom come around and open the door to the janitor's closet.
Tom
I didn't see you at all.
Tony
I didn't see you come through the west hallway.
Brian
I went the long way.
Alpha
Catherine
...I was in the bathroom again.
Alpha
Tom
there are no spaces here big enough for someone to hide.
Miles
Tom
Miles
Miles, Tony, Ruby, Alder, Ren, and Catherine went to Conference Room 1. Menna, Steve, Nettle, Brian, Alpha, and Tom went to Conference Room 2.
Ruby
Ren
Miles
Miles and Ren left and headed toward the security room. Meanwhile, in the other conference room...
Menna
Alpha
Tom
Alpha
Only outside of Miles and Tony's offices.
Nettle
Steve
Nettle
Nettle moved toward the door, evidently unwilling to wait for anyone's approval.
Brian
Nettle and Brian left together and headed toward Ferris's office. Some time passed. Neither of the parties returned, nor were any sounds heard.
Alpha
Before anyone can stop him, Alpha exited and walked toward the offices. Not ten seconds later, a loud sound was heard, and soon thereafter, another. Everyone rushed out of the conference rooms and begins to search. It didn't take long to find the bodies of Nettle and Brian in the hall.
Menna
Steve
Alpha
I didn't see. I was distracted... there were two sounds, and then I saw them both on the ground Nettle outside of Ferris's office, and Brian outside of Nik's office.
Tony
Brian and Nettle are both dead, both from gunshots.
Alpha
Gunshots? How? The only guns allowed up here were mine and Ren's, which are identical. And mine is right here...
Alder and Ruby entered from the north. Nobody had noticed they were missing.
Alder
I found Miles and Ren too in the security room, with the door open.
The security tapes were all erased.
Ruby
Alder found them, and he called me over. Ren's gun is gone, but her card was still there. I destroyed it.
Alder
Miles still had his key card too. I didn't do anything with it yet.
Alpha
that must be how the gunshots happened.
Everyone followed Alder and Ruby to the security room, where they found the bodies of Miles and Ren.
Tom
Miles is definitely dead, stabbed by the looks of it.
Catherine
Ren was also stabbed to death.
Tony
Miles's key card was still there as well. I destroyed it...
Alpha
Somebody must have that gun.
Alpha searched everyone else.
Alpha
Nobody here has it... There's somebody else who's still alive, who only pretended to be dead.
Steve
Alder
Alpha would never lie, and he would never say he was sure of something if it weren't true.
Catherine
Alpha
Menna
Ruby
Tom
Alpha
Steve
Ruby
Tony
Miles had some... extremely sensitive documents
Alpha
Tony
Menna
Tom
Ruby
Alder
Those documents are probably what the killers are after.
Tony
Tom
Alpha
Tom, do it. This is important.
Tom and Tony went to Miles's office, where the documents were kept. Tom unlocked the door and waited outside while Tony searched inside.
Tony
The documents... they're gone.
Tom
Tony
Alpha quickly searched Tony.
Alpha
He doesn't have the documents.
Catherine
Tony
Tom
I will go search Micah.
Catherine
I'll come with you, then.
Tom and Catherine left to find Micah's body.
Tony
Alpha, come with me to search the bodies of Miles and Ren.
Tony and Alpha left to find Miles's and Ren's bodies. Alder, Steve, and Menna remained; nobody paid attention to where Ruby had gone. Suddenly, an extremely loud police siren echoed outside.
Steve
Menna
Alder
Menna
Alder
No... I thought I heard a gunshot.
Steve
Alder ran down the hallway. About fifteen seconds later, the siren stopped and Alder was heard yelling furiously. Everyone ran to where he is, finding him outside Ruby's office.
Alder
I heard a shot, and the door is locked.
Alpha stepped forward and opened the door.
Alder
She's dead... shot to death. I was waiting with Steve and Menna, until I heard the shot.
Alpha
Tony
I can confirm that Ruby died of a gunshot wound.
Steve
I couldn't hear anything over that siren.
Menna
Neither could I.
Tom
They weren't on Micah's body.
Tony
Nor on Miles or Ren's. And then I searched Alpha, just to make sure; he didn't have them either.
Alder
There's nobody hiding here, either.
Catherine
Alder
I'm going to lock myself in Conference Room 2.
Alder left and headed toward the conference rooms.
Alpha
The stairs are still locked due to the lockdown, but with my security clearance I think I can override the elevator.
The rest of them went to the elevator room. Alpha tried to call the elevator, but it didn't come.
Alpha
Catherine
The elevator is disabled! Somebody used the company software to disable it.
Menna
Well, there are only computers at the desks.
Tony
Only an executive would know how to do it.
Steve
Tony
Menna
Steve
Steve and Menna started up the west hallway. As they reached the northwest corner, they began to scream, and several loud sounds were heard. By the time the others reached the southwest corner, Steve and Menna's bodies were on the ground. Steve was in the northwest corner, Menna right in front of Ferris's office.
Alpha
Tom
I definitely heard three shots.
Alpha
Menna was definitely shot to death.
Tony
So was Steve.
Alpha
Together, they moved Steve and Menna's bodies down the hall to the front desk.
Tom
Catherine
I don't see Alder in either one.
Alpha unlocked both conference rooms.
Alpha
He's not there.
Tony
I don't see him anywhere.
They frantically began to search for him. After a few minutes, Alpha called out.
Alpha
I found him in Ferris's office, under the desk, with the door locked.
Tom and Tony came immediately.
Tony
Alder
I'm not dead.
Alpha
Alder
When we first found Ferris... I swiped his key.
Alpha
Alder
I saw the whole thing. Menna's body fell right in front of the door.
Tony
Alder
I saw her go into her office, a few minutes after the shooting.
Alpha
Alder
No.
Tom
Alder
I looked through the window at the base of the door.
Alpha
Alder
It was definitely her.
Tony
Alpha
Yes, it is.
Alpha opened the door to Catherine's office. She was in there... but not how they expected.
Alder
Catherine was stabbed to death.
Tom
Her key card is still here.
Tony
There's no one hiding here, either.
Alpha
If I see anyone else, I will kill them, trust me. I'm faster on the trigger than anyone else here.
Tony
Alpha
I won't leave any doors unlocked behind me. And nobody's quick enough to get to me with a knife without me noticing
Alpha left promptly, heading north towards the conference rooms.
Alder
Tony
If he sees anyone, there's no way they'll harm him.
Tom
Tony
Alder
The three of them went to the elevator room. Tom tried the elevator.
Tom
it still doesn't work.
A loud sound was heard. The remaining three anxiously ran to the other side, and when they reached the door of Tony's office, they stared in horror at Alpha, slumped on the floor.
Tony
The door's locked.
Tony pulled a card out of his pocket and fumbled, nearly dropping it.
Tom
Tony finally managed to open the door.
Alder
Alpha is dead. He was definitely shot. His key card is right here.
Tony
Tom
It has all six bullets. He never even shot it.
Tony
Reluctantly, Tom handed the gun to Tony.
Tony
Tom is right. Fully loaded.
Tom
Tony
Alder
Tony
Tony went over to the door and locked it.
Tony
And with this, the story is paused.
-------------------
A few things to keep in mind:
Security reports from this day prove that the people listed are the only people who were present on this floor. In other words, there is no sixteenth person.
Also, it is impossible to remove or add ammo to a gun.
Also, it is impossible to remove or add ammo to a gun.
Now that you have finished the story, you can now start trying to solve it. There are three more things you need to know about theorizing before starting:
- To win the game you must pinpoint the culprit/s and how he/she/they did it. Basically, you have to post a full theory explaining how everything happened*.
- When stating a theory, it is mandatory for you to use
blue text (#00FFFF)
.- After you make your theory, I will respond to it either with
red text
to disprove it (anything said in red can be considered to be the truth) or normal text just explaining why it's not correct.*That said, there is definitely some room for interpretation allowed. As long as your explanation is reasonable and reasonably close to what I intended, you should be fine.
That's all you need to know.
Anyone can participate, so I hope you hop in and try to solve this!