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)
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.
: "Oh God... is he dead? What happened?"
: "
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...
"
: "
Ferris is dead. He was stabbed to death.
"
: "Where did Ren go?"
: "She went to lock down the floor, I think."
: "Does anyone know anything?"
: "
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.
"
: "I know Ferris. He was always paranoid.
He'd never open the door for someone unless he had a meeting with them.
"
: "I've been in my office, right across the hall from Ferris's.
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.
"
: "Leaving a five minute window. We need alibis. Where was everyone between 10:25 and 10:30?"
: "
I was with Tom cleaning Conference Room 1.
"
: "
I was at the front desk until Nettle arrived. Ren can confirm, she was there as well.
"
: "
Tony, Nik, and I were in a meeting in Conference Room 2.
"
: "Alpha, you remember.
I was in the security room talking with you.
"
: "
I was working in my office.
"
: "
"
: "
As I already said, I was in the bathroom.
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,
I swear I don't have a knife anywhere.
"
: "
"
: "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,
I was in my office, as well.
"
: "You don't have to worry, Nettle. I can vouch for Miles's character.
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.
: "Micah... how could this happen?
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.
"
: "
Nik is in here too. Looks like he was also stabbed to death.
"
: "That's terrible..."
: "
Alpha and I searched Steve and Menna. Menna didn't have a knife.
"
: "
"
: "
Tony and I were with them the whole time, supervising.
"
: "
Indeed we were. Nik was with us too, but he went off toward the conference rooms. That was the last I saw of him.
"
: "
I was at the front desk for most of the time, but I had to use the bathroom as well.
Alder, Ruby, and Nettle were talking in the lobby pretty much the while time, as far as I know."
: "
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.
"
: "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."
: "
Actually, Alder stormed off near the end.
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 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.
"
: "
I must have been too focused on making sure Micah was okay."
: "Brian, you went to the bathroom?
I didn't see you come through the west hallway.
"
: "
I didn't want to interrupt the security guards' search."
: "Catherine, where were you?"
: "
...I was in the bathroom again.
"
: "O- okay. Is it possible someone was hiding in here?" *gestures to the janitor's closet*
: "No,
there are no spaces here big enough for someone to hide.
"
: "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."
Miles, Tony, Ruby, Alder, Ren, and Catherine went to Conference Room 1. Menna, Steve, Nettle, Brian, Alpha, and Tom went to Conference Room 2.
: "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."
Miles and Ren left and headed toward the security room. Meanwhile, in the other conference room...
: "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?"
: "
Only outside of Miles and Tony's offices.
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."
Nettle moved toward the door, evidently unwilling to wait for anyone's approval.
: "Don't go alone. I'll come with you."
Nettle and Brian left together and headed toward Ferris's office. Some time passed. Neither of the parties returned, nor were any sounds heard.
: "I'm getting nervous... I better go check on Nettle and Brian to make sure they're all right."
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.
: "No..."
: "What happened, 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.
"
: "
Brian and Nettle are both dead, both from gunshots.
"
: "
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.
: "We have some bad news...
I found Miles and Ren too in the security room, with the door open.
They look like they're dead, but I'm not sure.
The security tapes were all erased.
"
: "We had a feeling that something was wrong there.
Alder found them, and he called me over. Ren's gun is gone, but her card was still there. I destroyed it.
"
: "
Miles still had his key card too. I didn't do anything with it yet.
"
: "Ren's gun...
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.
: "
Miles is definitely dead, stabbed by the looks of it.
"
: "
Ren was also stabbed to death.
"
: "
Miles's key card was still there as well. I destroyed it...
we can't have anyone getting into Miles's office."
: "
Somebody must have that gun.
I need to search you all."
Alpha searched everyone else.
: "
Nobody here has it... There's somebody else who's still alive, who only pretended to be dead.
I'm sure of it."
: "That's crazy. Pretended to be dead. That can't be true."
: "I believe him.
Alpha would never lie, and he would never say he was sure of something if it weren't true.
"
: "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.
Miles had some... extremely sensitive documents
, 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."
: "
Those documents are probably what the killers are after.
"
: "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."
: "
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.
: "
The documents... they're gone.
"
: "Tony, how do we know you didn't just take them?"
: "You're welcome to search me."
Alpha quickly searched Tony.
: "He's clean.
He doesn't have the documents.
"
: "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'll come with you, then.
"
Tom and Catherine left to find Micah's body.
: "I don't trust anyone but Alpha here.
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.
: "Why is that so loud?"
: "Hopefully they're coming to help us."
: *looks around* "Did you hear that?"
: "The siren?"
: "
No... I thought I heard a gunshot.
"
: "I couldn't hear anything over the noise."
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.
: "
I heard a shot, and the door is locked.
What happened in there?"
Alpha stepped forward and opened the door.
: "Ruby! No!
She's dead... shot to death. I was waiting with Steve and Menna, until I heard the shot.
"
: "You heard a shot over that noise? Did anyone else hear it?"
: "Well, there definitely was a shot.
I can confirm that Ruby died of a gunshot wound.
"
: "
I couldn't hear anything over that siren.
"
: "
Did anyone find the documents?"
: "
They weren't on Micah's body.
"
: "
Nor on Miles or Ren's. And then I searched Alpha, just to make sure; he didn't have them either.
"
: "
There's nobody hiding here, either.
I can't believe this... I need to be alone. I don't trust any of you."
: "Are you sure that's safe?"
: "
I'm going to lock myself in Conference Room 2.
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.
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.
: "What?"
: "
The elevator is disabled! Somebody used the company software to disable it.
"
: "
Well, there are only computers at the desks.
But it seems like anyone with a computer could have done that."
: "
Only an executive would know how to do it.
"
: "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."
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.
: "What just happened?"
: "Somebody shot them.
I definitely heard three shots.
Maybe the shooter missed?"
: "I don't think so...
Menna was definitely shot to death.
"
: "
"
: Let's move their bodies out of the way. I don't want to have them here.
Together, they moved Steve and Menna's bodies down the hall to the front desk.
: "Where's Alder? Is he in one of the conference rooms?"
: "What-?
I don't see Alder in either one.
"
Alpha unlocked both conference rooms.
: "
Where did he go?"
: "Alpha is right.
I don't see him anywhere.
"
They frantically began to search for him. After a few minutes, Alpha called out.
: "
I found him in Ferris's office, under the desk, with the door locked.
"
Tom and Tony came immediately.
: "Is he dead?"
: "
I'm sorry I hid, I just didn't feel safe there."
: "How did you get in here?"
: "
When we first found Ferris... I swiped his key.
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."
: "
I saw the whole thing. Menna's body fell right in front of the door.
"
: "Where's Catherine?"
: "Oh,
I saw her go into her office, a few minutes after the shooting.
"
: "Did you see anyone else?"
: "
"
: "How could you even see her office from under your desk?"
: "
I looked through the window at the base of the door.
"
: "So you could only see her feet?"
: "I recognized her shoes.
"
: "She should still be in there then... Is the door locked?"
: "
"
Alpha opened the door to Catherine's office. She was in there... but not how they expected.
: "No... how is this possible?
Catherine was stabbed to death.
"
: "
Her key card is still here.
How was the door locked?"
: "
There's no one hiding here, either.
"
: "I think I know the answer to this. You three stay right here.
If I see anyone else, I will kill them, trust me. I'm faster on the trigger than anyone else here.
"
: "Still, be careful."
: "I will.
I won't leave any doors unlocked behind me. And nobody's quick enough to get to me with a knife without me noticing
, so I should be safe."
Alpha left promptly, heading north towards the conference rooms.
: "I hope he's all right."
: "I'm sure he will be.
If he sees anyone, there's no way they'll harm him.
"
: "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."
The three of them went to the elevator room. Tom tried the elevator.
: "Nope,
"
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 pulled a card out of his pocket and fumbled, nearly dropping it.
: "Hurry up!"
Tony finally managed to open the door.
: "It's as we feared.
Alpha is dead. He was definitely shot. His key card is right here.
"
: "Check his gun, see if he shot back. He said this wouldn't happen..."
: "
It has all six bullets. He never even shot it.
"
: "Six bullets? Let me see."
Reluctantly, Tom handed the gun to Tony.
: "
Tom is right. Fully loaded.
"
: "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."
Tony went over to the door and locked it.
: "Let's talk about what happened..."
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.
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!