Welcome to my first Gameboard! Before anything else, shoutouts to Ozaki for helping me refine this and just generally letting me bounce ideas off him.

There is no need for a proposition, as Rika-Beatrice has already accepted my challenge. This post serves only to list the rules by which the gameboard will operate. It should be a given by now, but as always, the game will begin with the detective washing up on the island, having fallen off a cruise ship or whatnot.

1) Your piece is the character of Erika. That is to say, metagaming is prohibited to an extent. Preparing for your survival on an island of strangers is one thing. Rushing to Kinzo's study and barricading yourself in before the murders start is another.

2) Your win condition is to solve the mystery presented. As always, there will be a seperate phase of the game where you will present your theories in blue, and I will strike them down in red. Details on the exact nature of the endgame will be covered in-depth at that time.

3) This gameboard follows the relevant commandments of Knox's Decalogue, in particular #8; It is forbidden for the case to be resolved with clues that are not presented. All clues neccessary for you to win will be provided on the gameboard, and I will do my utmost to ensure you witness them.

4) Whilst you are not the target of the culprit, unnecessary meddling may lead to your death before the conclusion of the mystery. You will be warned away from situations that may lead to this, and your death prior to the end of the mystery will result in a stalemate.

5) Your piece will be recognised as an intelligent and competent individual by the inhabitants of the island.

6) Your piece may not leave Rokkenjima. In this gameboard, "leaving Rokkenjima" is defined as going beyond a kilometre from the island. You are free, however, to swim should you feel the need.

7) Your piece has no prior connection to anyone on Rokkenjima.

8) At points in the story, your understanding of events will be challenged. Other characters will put forwards theories as to how events have transpired, and you will be tasked with either proving them wrong, or presenting a more plausible argument. There is no penalty for losing, however winning will provide a small benefit during the endgame.

The gameboard will begin shortly after you post to confirm your participation. For the early stages, a slow pace will not be a problem, but in the interest of, well, maintaining interest, I suggest that once the murders begin, we set aside one or two days at a time to push through most of the content.
The difficulty of this game is moderate. For an experienced player like you, the tricks should be obvious, for the most part. Enjoy your stay.

Last edited at 14/07/03(Thu)10:44:26

>>15381
Oh, I'm sorry for the delay! Those conditions seem fine, and I'm ready to start whenever you are.

Without further ado then.

------

You struggle awake, the cold leeching the energy from your body with every passing moment. Your clothes, or what remain of them, are soaked through, and the gritty sand stings as it creeps into the cuts that criss-cross your arms. Your mind is swimming in fog. Hardly surprising, given the way you crashed into those rocks on your way to shore. As comfortable as it is on the beach, letting the waves crash against your body, you should probably do something about your situation...

>>15410
I use all of my willpower to force myself to get up and examine my surroundings.

You stagger to your feet, and take a glance about, and consider yourself lucky. Not far to your left lies a cliff-face surrounded by jagged rocks. No doubt had you been thrown against that, you'd be in much worse shape.

In front of you lies a dense forest, however, to your right, the beach continues on, becoming progressively more sandy. You fancy that you can hear voices from that direction, but the crashing of the waves and your pounding headache make it difficult to be certain.

>>15412
For lack of any better option, I'll start slowly moving in the direction of the voices. If I enough strength, I try to call out to them as well.

You begin to make your way down the beach, finding it difficult to merely place one foot in front of the other in your current state. After what feels like an age of walking, the voices are clear enough to hear. Your attempts to cry out for help are snatched away by the same wind that carries their words to your ears.

"... No need to worry, hoh hoh! Contrary to what Madam thinks, Gohda and I are more than capable..."

"I'm glad to hear that. Everything must be in order for the conference..."

The outlines of two elderly individuals swim into your vision, floating some way out above the water. It takes you a moment to comprehend that they're standing on a jetty, and by that time, they have already noticed your presence.
The woman shrieks, a harsh noise that pierces the air, however the man cuts her off before she can cause any permanent damage to your eardrums.

"Kumasawa, please find Dr. Nanjo and inform him that his services are needed. I shall escort our guest back." The woman nods, needing no further encouragement, and flees away up a path into the woods. In the meantime, the man drops down off the jetty and approaches you, offering his arm for support.

"Are you quite alright, miss?"

>>15414
"Do I look alright to you?" I snap at him, and then ruin the effect somewhat by immediately staggering and frantically grabbing on to his arm for support. "Where am I, anyway? Who are you people?"

The man steadies you, and takes your first rude comment on the chin like the perfect furniture he is. He does, however, choose to respond to the questions that follow, in the same monotone that he addressed you with earlier.

"This is the island of Rokkenjima, and residence of Ushiromiya Krauss, head of the Ushiromiya family. I am Genji, head servant on the island, and the woman who was in our company up until recently is Kumasawa, one of the serving staff. I am sure you have further questions, however I would recommend that they wait until after you are seen to by Dr Nanjo, the resident physician. Whatever has befallen you must have been a great stress."

Upon finishing, he gestures up the path that Kumasawa recently took to escape your company, and begins steering you off the beach and onto it.

>>15416
I decide to take his advice to stay quiet for now and allow him to continue guiding me without complaint.

The two of you walk in silence, and soon the crashing of the waves behind you is muted as you make your way up the forest path. After a mere few minutes of walking through the shade, the trees suddenly peel away, and you are spat out onto a gravel track connecting a sumptuous looking mansion, and an equally well-kept, albeit somewhat-smaller guesthouse. The two of you enter the latter, and you immediately turn right into a living area, where Genji deposits you on an armchair before returning to the hallway.

"Dr. Nanjo, are you here?" He turns about, and heads for the stairs, before a female voice responds, however you fail to catch the owner's words from your position. After a few moments hushed discussion, you hear one set for footsteps leave through the front door, and another rush about upstairs, before charging down the stairs.

Another servant, female this time, comes into view, holding a bulging doctor's bag, which she places carefully to one side of your chair, before explaining herself. You can't help but notice some sort of golden tattoo on her thigh as she bows before you.

"Genji has gone to fetch Dr Nanjo, and will be back shortly. Until then, he has asked me to see to anything you should need, miss."

>>15418
"Well, I must say I'm impressed by the service. Thank you for your help, but I really don't need anything right now, or not that I can think of anyway. Sorry. I'm so tired I can barely think."

I close my eyes and clutch my head, hopefully staving off any further conversation while I wait for Nanjo to arrive.

BGM:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nivz895rGYc

You see the servant bow again before you close your eyes, however you fail to fall asleep or any such thing. You hear the servant busy herself with something behind the bar, and time passes uneventfully for a while.

As the grandfather clock in the corner strikes 10, you hear several sets of footsteps approach up the gravel path. Soon afterwards, you hear the three owners enter the room, and begin talking to one another. One of them approaches you, and rustles noisily through the doctor's bag, before taking your pulse.

"Poor girl looks wretched. I don't suppose she told you what happened?"

"No, sir."

"Her pulse and breathing seem stable, although she seems a little cold..."

>>15420
I'll keep my eyes closed and allow them to continue. There's probably nothing to be gained from conversation at this point, even if I were feeling up to it.

The voices lull for a while, and you feel the doctor's hand on your neck briefly, before he addresses the rest of the room.

"It doesn't look like anything serious, more than likely just shock and exhaustion. I recommend letting her sleep for now, and painkillers or the like. Perhaps a sedative-"

"Very good, Dr. Nanjo, very good. You may leave us now." You hear a heavy set of footsteps move towards the door, then suddenly return to you as the doctor picks up his bag before leaving. "Genji, please return to your duties, and... Shannon, finish up packing. Inform someone if our guest wakes up." The other two leave the room, and their footsteps fade away into nothing, leaving you and the female servant alone in the room. Eventually, if you choose not to 'wake up', she too will leave, and go upstairs.

(If you wish, you may sleep and rest up. You will be in perfect condition upon waking.)

>>15428
I'll wait for Shannon to leave, then get up and have a look around the room.

The living room is as nicely furnished as one would expect from a private mansion, with several comfortable chairs and a sofa around a coffee table. To one side of the room is a bar, stocked with various expensive spirits, and topped with several glasses, which you assume that Shannon must have been cleaning whilst you feigned sleep.

Next to the sole door into the room is a grandfather clock, which reads just after 10 am. The window behind you looks out onto the forest, and you notice that the poor weather you arrived with has passed.

>>15430
I suppose I'll just go to sleep for now, since I'm probably too tired to go exploring or anything.

Your eyes close, and you fall into a deep, heavy sleep.

When the detective's eyes are closed, the island is the playground of the witch. As you muster your strength, she musters hers. Time speeds up, and pieces gather in preparation for her arrival.

The clock chimes, calling out 4 p.m. and your eyes snap open. The earlier ache is gone, and you feel renewed. Convenient, as it seems you will is about to be tested.

One of the men from before enters the room, muttering an 'ah' of approval upon noticing that you've awoken.

"Good afternoon. My name is Ushiromiya Krauss, head of the Ushiromiya family. I apologise for whatever circumstances that brought you to Rokkenjima. Please, feel free to stay as long as you need."

He coughs into his right hand, and you notice a large, ornate ring on his middle finger, before he drops it, and continues.

"I don't believe that Genji caught your name when he brought you here, nor for that matter, did Shannon."

>>15433
"Ah, I'm sorry. I am called Furudo Erika. My deepest apologies for disturbing you members of the Ushiromiya family like this. ......I am truly grateful for your warm welcome, despite my status as an uninvited guest. I must have happened to wash up here after falling from the cruise ship that I was on...It's truly a miracle that I'm still alive. Krauss-sama, how long do you think I'll be remaining here for before I can return? Would it be possible to contact my family and inform them of the situation? I'm sure they're worried sick about me right now..."

"If you wish to make a call off the island, Genji can help you with that. We attempted to radio any nearby ships after you were brought here, however we failed to make contact, nor did we receive any transmissions. You disappearance must not have been noticed until after the ship was out of range, I'm afraid.

As for you leaving, with luck, you should be able to by this evening, or if not, tomorrow morning. A boat will be bringing several members of the Ushiromiya family for our annual conference shortly, and will then be taking another passenger to a neighboring island. I'll ask the captain to return here, then take you to the port town of Niijima once his other errands are done.

As it seems you will be in our company for a while, I hope you don't mind me asking a small favour of you."

Last edited at 14/07/08(Tue)14:12:00

>>15435
"Ah, thank you, I'm very relieved to hear that. And...a favour? Certainly, I'd be happy for any chance to repay your kindness, but I can't imagine what a stranger like me could possibly help you with...What did you have in mind?"

"I'm afraid you've caught us at a poor time. The family conference is always a charged affair, and this year will be no different. The presence of an extra person will no doubt add to this, so I ask that if if my siblings accuse you of being part of some underhanded move on my part, you pay them no mind.

Despite this, I would be indebted to you if you would sit in on some of the discussions that take place at this event. All too often, people get caught up in it and say things that they regret later. Perhaps a stranger at the table might cool people's heads this time."

Krauss glances at the clock, and nods to himself.

"They should be here any moment. If you're in any state to walk, would you accompany me to the dock? It would be best to introduce you immediately, rather than spring a surprise on them later."

>>15437
"Ah, I'd certainly be willing to do that. As long as my presence wouldn't be considered intrusive, of course. After all, I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you, so I'm happy to help in any way I can." And I get to hear important discussions without even having to eavesdrop, I internally add to myself. A detective could hardly ask for a better situation!

I agree to go to the dock with him. Assuming we're not interrupted on the way, while we're walking I'll ask him:
"By the way, if you don't mind me asking, what exactly goes on at this 'family conference'? From what you're saying, it sounds like rather more of a serious affair than an ordinary family get-together."

Last edited at 14/07/08(Tue)14:42:19

"Excellent." The two of you promptly leave the guesthouse, and retrace the path you'd ascended with Genji earlier.

En-route, Kruass sighs in response to your question, before answering carefully. "My father, Ushiromiya Kinzo, is an extremely wealthy man, and absurdly eccentric. He forgoes contact with any human being outside of some of the serving staff, and has all but disowned the entirety of our family. These conferences started as an attempt by my siblings to win him around, and learn the fate of his fortune upon his death."

Krauss chuckles to himself briefly, before closing off. "This year will be no different, I imagine."

You arrive at the dock shortly after, the boat having already arrived, and some of it's passengers already alighting. You notice Kumasawa, Shannon, and Genji among them, handling suitcases to-and-from the boat, however you're probably the only person who pays them any attention.

Before Krauss has a chance to speak up, one of the females approaches the pair of you, her chuckling husband in tow.

"Krauss, who is this? What on earth are you-"

"Now now Eva dear, there's no need ta get-"

"If you'd allow me to speak-"

The three of them continue to talk over one another, their voices raising. You should probably intervene before they cause a scene, although the bickering seems to have already attracted the attention of the other passengers.

>>15440
I decide to silently observe until I'm addressed directly. Adding my own voice would only make things even more chaotic, and I wouldn't want to interfere with Krauss's judgment on how he wants to introduce me.

After what feels like an age of Krauss re-explaining your presence and making sure everyone is clear that he is not responsible for your arrival, introductions finally begin. By this time, everyone is already off the boat, and well aware of what has happened. Eva's suspicions aside, they seem cordial, and one by one, you swap names with Eva, Hideyoshi, George, Kyrie, Rudolf, Battler, Rosa, and Maria. Whilst all this continues, Genji and Shannon continue to shift things on and off the boat, until the former attracts the attention of Krauss with a polite cough, and the captain of the boat himself alights.

Krauss in turn beckons you over, and begins talking to the captain of the boat, whose name you soon pick up as Kawabata. You manage to catch a few words, but the conversaation quickly comes to an end before you pick up much else.

"No trouble, no trouble at all! Just give me a few hours to ferry the other miss over, and I'll be right back to pick her up." The captain offers you a wink, and Krauss nods agreeably, before turning to Genji and Shannon, who have remained near the boat. There's an uncomfortable silence in the air, before he nods again, and turns on his heel back towards the family, and begins leading them back to the mansion. Genji follows suit, and the captain and Shannon embark on the boat, shortly followed by the engine churning to life. The captain offers you a wave, before disappearing below deck, and the boat chugs away from the pier.

BGM:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXxcPtTlYQQ

As you turn your back away from the departing ship, the gameboard turns grey, and time suddenly halts. Without warning, a flash of red tears through the air, and two sentences are burned into the back of your mind.

From this moment forwards, no human arrives on Rokkenjima.

From this moment forwards, no human leaves Rokkenjima.


You choose to follow Genji, and group back up with your new acquaintances. It seems that several conversations are already in full swing: the cousins seem to be discussing Shannon's departure, Rudolf, Kyrie and Rosa appear to be talking about your appearance on the island, and lastly, Eva, Hideyoshi and Krauss are discussing the health of 'Father'.

(You may choose to engage in any of these discussions, or eavesdrop on any of them.)

>>15454
Though I must admit to being very curious as to what the adults might be saying about me, I'll try to eavesdrop on the cousins for now.

You hover just within earshot of the three, and manage to pick up most of their conversation.

"Man, what was that all about? Shipping her off with not even a goodbye..." Battler mutters, raising an eyebrow.

"I bet my mother's behind this, somehow. Since she and dad found out about us, she's been dead-set against it." George's tone is downtrodden, and he seems to be voicing his thoughts rather than actually talking to the other two.

"Uuuu... George can't lose hope. If you don't keep loving Shannon-" Maria's irritating voice is mercifully cut off by Rosa, who grabs her and tugs her away from the two boys, cuffing her around the ear in response to the grating noise.

"... Well, that's a small relief. Still, do you really think uncle Krauss would send Shannon away just at her request? They're not exactly on the best of terms right now." As if having heard Battler, you hear Eva's voice rise in pitch ahead, as Krauss continues to try and keep her calm.

"Maybe you're right. Shannon mentioned something about last year-" George cuts himself off, and turns his head towards you, smiling. It seems you've been caught out.

"Oh, sorry Erika. Kind of rude of us not to include you in our little chat." Battler laughs it off, before moving on. "You know, from the looks of you, I'd have put more money on you falling from heaven than from a ship-" Before he can continue, George elbows him roughly, a smile returning to his face.

"Forgive my cousin, I promise he's not as bad as first impressions might show. Is there anything you'd wish to talk about?"

>>15456
"Oh, it's alright. I wouldn't want to intrude on your personal conversations." I lower my voice a little. "But I couldn't help but overhear you talking; George-san, it sounds like you have some kind of special relationship with Shannon? Krauss-sama has been quite open with me so far, so if it would give you any peace of mind, I could try asking him why he's sent her away when I get a chance."

Of course, I was going to ask about it anyway to satisfy my own curiosity, but making it seem like I'm doing George a favour seems like a good way of getting on his good side and possibly gaining some leverage over him later.

Last edited at 14/07/20(Sun)12:52:12

George seems hesitant at first, but once battler pics up his cue and moves on ahead with the rest of the adults, he opens up a little.

"Shannon and I are.. Well, in love, to put it bluntly. We meet relatively regularly outside of the family conferences, and I planned on proposing to her over the course of this weekend, but..." He sighs, ruffling a hand through his hair as the two of you begin the final approach to the mansion grounds proper.

"My mother's full of hate for Shannon. She wants me to marry for status and wealth, rather than love. We don't see eye-to-eye there, obviously." He laughs bitterly, before continuing. "We had a big argument less than a week ago, so I can't be happy with putting it down to coincidence. If you could get the truth out of uncle Krauss somehow, I'd be hugely grateful."

Your conversation comes to an end as the company reaches the rose gardens, at which point Genji breaks off from the rest of the group towards the guesthouse, along with most of the luggage. The rest of you follow Krauss into the mansion.

Upon reaching the entrance hall, you feel a chill sweep through you, and you notice some other members of the group shivering. Before you looms a huge, imposing painting of a woman in elegant finery, her golden hair pinned up in a bun. The eyes seem to stare through you, and although you're now inside, you're sure you feel colder.

An uneasy silence settles over everyone, before Krauss coughs politely, attracting everyone's attention. However, before he can utter a word, a thunderous crash rings out from upstairs, followed by a furious scream and the slam of a door. Krauss suddenly excuses himself and hurries upstairs, only for another servant to suddenly appear from one of the many doors into the hall, this one younger, and more portly, than any you've seen before.

"Uh... If you would all kindly follow me to the parlor? Master Krauss will return shortly, I'm sure."

Most of the group follow him off into one of the doors on the left, however, Kyrie and Rudolf make a point of lingering in front of the portrait, conversing in hushed tones. You seem to have been forgotten by the family, for now at least.

>>15459
I'll try to listen in on Rudolf and Kyrie's conversation, if at all possible. If they're speaking too quietly for me to hear without being obviously intrusive, then I'll follow the others to the parlor.

Last edited at 14/07/20(Sun)14:10:21

Their hushed tones make it difficult to pick up everything, but thanks to your perfect hearing, you manage to catch the odd phrase.

"... guess this confirms her theory... and the ring..."

"Eva's... ,you think? Still, we should wait..."

"... Don't worry, even if it comes..."

"Not like any... can..."

Rudolf leans in close to Kyrie, and whatever he whispers seems to make her chuckle, before she hugs herself and shivers. Sensing that their conversation is almost at a close, you slip into the parlor. Mere moments later, they follow suit.

The atmosphere in the parlor is tense beyond belief. The new servant (whose name you pick up as being Gohda) and Kumasawa are already handing out tea, however it seems to be doing little for the mood in the room. Kyrie and Rudolf plant themselves on a sofa near Battler, and you notice that everyone has already returned to their family groups: Eva, Hideyoshi and George around one table, Rosa and Maria near the window. You hear the word 'epitaph' murmered several times by several people, even Maria seems to have picked up on the significance of the word, and is bouncing excitedly near her mother.

As Gohda offers you a cup, you catch him looking at Kumasawa, and the other servant nodding meaninfully back at him, before she slips past you and out the sole door into the room.

>>15462
I go over to Rosa and Maria. Thinking that Maria is probably the most likely to be receptive to my question without being offended, I ask the two of them: "Pardon my rudeness, but if you wouldn't mind telling me, what exactly is this 'epitaph' that everyone is talking about? Everyone seems to be quite excited over it."

Maria seems ecstatic to talk about the epitaph, and before Rosa can get a word in edgeways, she launches into an explanation. "They're talking about the witch's epitaph! It's a riddle grandfather gave to us, and whoever solves it wins four treasures, granted by the Golen Witch Beatrice, whose revival is a part of the riddle. It may be gone now, but Maria has it memorised!"

"Maria, pl-" Rosa tries to interject, however, by this point Maria is too full of steam to be stopped, and she launches into her recital loudly, attracting the whole room's attention.

"Behold the sweetfish river running through my beloved hometown.
You who seek the Golden Land, follow its path downstream in search of the key.

As you travel down it, you will see a village.
In that village, look for the shore the two will tell you of.
There sleeps the key to the Golden Land.

The one who obtains the key must then travel to the Golden Land in accordance with these rules.

On the first twilight, offer the six chosen by the key as sacrifices.
On the second twilight, those who remain shall tear apart the two who are close.
On the third twilight, those who remain shall praise my noble name.
On the fourth twilight, gouge the head and kill.
On the fifth twilight, gouge the chest and kill.
On the sixth twilight, gouge the stomach and kill.
On the seventh twilight, gouge the knee and kill.
On the eighth twilight, gouge the leg and kill.
On the ninth twilight, the witch shall revive, and none shall be left alive.
On the tenth twilight, the journey shall end, and you shall reach the capital where the gold dwells.

The witch shall praise the wise and bestow four treasures.
One shall be all the gold from the Golden Land.
One shall be the resurrection of all the dead souls.
One shall be the resurrection of the love that was lost.
One shall be to put the witch to sleep for all time.


Sleep peacefully, my most beloved witch, Beatrice."

At some point, Maria must have stood up, for she finishes with a smile and a polite curtsey to her captive audience.

By the time she has finished, the whole room is looking at her intently. The silence is broken by a low whistle, courtesy of Battler. After that, standard conversation resumes, although Eva takes a moment to come over and congratulate Maria on her excellent memory. Whilst her daughter is busy, Rosa sighs, and offers you a weary look.

"I'm sorry. My daughter has always been obsessed with Beatrice, so this new development has really set her off. Still, thank you for indulging her. I hope that she won't be too much of a nuisance over the course of the conference."

Last edited at 14/07/20(Sun)15:59:52

>>15464
"Oh, it's quite alright. It certainly is an intriguing puzzle, though. I love that sort of thing. But, what does Maria-chan mean when she says that the epitaph is 'gone'? And why is everyone so worked up about it?"

Last edited at 14/07/23(Wed)10:57:35

"Just what it sounds like. The epitaph used to be on a plaque underneath Beatrice's portrait, but it's been removed. We've assumed for some time that it was a challenge set by father; whoever solved it would be his successor, but-"

"But nothing. We've been beaten, Rosa." Rudolf interjects, his usual smirk missing from his face. "If the epitaph is gone, someone solved it in the time between this and the previous conference. It doesn't take a genius to guess who."

the conversation falls into a lull after this. It seems no-one's willing to voice what they're all thinking.

>>15466
"...Hmm. I see. Thank you for explaining. By the way, what do you think that big crash was earlier? It sounded quite serious, and Krauss-san still isn't back yet..."

Rudolf laughs, before filling you in. "Well, judging by the look on his face when he scarpered, I'd put good money on it being either his wife or his daughter kicking up a fuss. Natsuhi's calm enough usually, but Jessica got her vicious streak from somewhere, and it certainly wasn't her dad."

"Contrary to Battler, who clearly got his terrible flirting skills from his father." Kyrie chimes in smugly, eliciting twin shouts of disagreement from the rest of her family.

The attempt to lighten the mood works, however, and conversation shifts towards the cousins and their respective inherited traits. Whilst this goes on, you notice Kumasawa slink back into the room, and whisper something to Gohda, who flees hurriedly, leaving the door swinging in his wake.

Moments later, Genji arrives, casting a stern eye over the surroundings, before delivering his message.

"Master Krauss wishes to inform you that dinner will be served shortly. Please, make your way to the dining room."

The group obediently begins to file out of the room and towards the dining hall. Upon entering, discussion begins regarding seating plans. Whilst the head of the table is apparently always reserved for Kinzo and Krauss' family, there seems to be some disagreement regarding who should be allowed to sit where. Eventually, it's decided that the cousins will sit at the far end of the table, whilst the adults sit near the end closest to the door. As a result, you find yourself with Kyrie on your left, and an empty seat on your right, with Battler being your closest neighbor on that side.

The adults begin to make small talk, whist at your end of the table, the cousins begin discussing the owner of the empty seat to your left.

"Is Jessica usually this cold towards you guys? I mean, from what Maria told me, she was usually down at the docks to meet you all. Life and soul of the party, staying up playing games and gossiping, all that fun stuff. I'd have expected her to show up and say hi by now." Battler offers, in hushed tones.

"No, this is... different. Although, I'm pretty sure about the cause." George replies.

"Uuuuu! Maria knows, Maria knows!"

George leans over and whispers into Maria's ear, and she grins and nods gleefully.

"Yeah, Maria and I are pretty sure that Jessica...." George halts, and Battler jumps in, smiling grimly.

"Was as lovestruck as you? Don't tell me, they sent away the servant she was in love with too?!"

George shrugs. "I haven't seen Kanon around, for what it's worth. It might be nothing, of course, but..."

Anything further is halted by the door opening, and a series of figures pouring in.

Krauss enters first, followed by two women, who you quickly deduce to be his wife, Natsuhi, and his daughter, Jessica. As they all take their respective seats at the table, a hush falls over the family, one that refuses to be broken. Only after Gohda arrives and plates out the first course does someone dare to speak.

"Is Father no-" Eva begins, but is quickly cut off by Krauss.

"Father will not be joining us, nor is there any need for him to. He is no longer the Ushiromiya family head. That title now belongs to me."

The adults, suddenly roused from their calm, begin their attack, however Krauss raises his hand, and they all pause.

"Father's ring, the crest of the family head. This should be evidence enough for now, however I will be happy to present written proof later, of course."

Amazingly, this seems to sate the adults for now, and the conversation becomes more civil, for a time.

Your attention is snatched away from the adults by George, who seems to be trying to break the ice that has set over the cousin's end of the table.

"Erika, I think this is the first time you two have met, right? This is Jessica, the last member of our little group." He laughs nervously, as Jessica finally speaks, for the first time since she's seated herself. Her voice is choked and quiet, in contrast to what you've heard about her so far.

"... Nice to meet you. I'm sorry about your arrival."

>>15470
I try to sound friendly and light-hearted while responding to her, but I'm also not about to let that slip by. "Haha, well, I wouldn't say I'm sorry I arrived, exactly. If I didn't arrive here, I'd be dead right about now, and I'm sure you wouldn't want that, right? But yes, don't worry, I know what you mean, and I'm very grateful for your family's hospitality of course, so thank you very much."

Jessica seems taken aback by your tongue-in-cheek response, and struggles for a moment. "I-uh... My apologies, m-I mean..." Mercifully, Battler comes to the rescue before things can get worse.

"I'm sure Jessica didn't mean it like that, right?" After a silent nod affirming this, he presses on. "Anyway, I don't suppose you know what that ruckus upstairs was, do you? We heard it all the way from the entrance hall."

Jessica stares at him blankly for a moment before responding, looking down into her lap. "N... not nothing, that would be a lie. Mother and I were arguing. I'm sorry you had to hear it."

George glares at Battler, who gives him a helpless shrug before returning to his food.

As everyone progresses onto the main course, the topics of conversation at either end of the table take interesting turns. The cousins seem to be talking about the servants on duty over the weekend, whilst the adults sound as though they're discussing Kinzo's will.

(Again, you may choose to listen in/participate in one of these conversations)

>>15472
I'll listen to the cousins' conversation for now. I imagine that I'll be hearing all about the situation with the adults later anyway, if things go as Krauss planned.

"So, Jessica, do you know who's on the serving rota for the weekend? I mean, given Shannon's not here, who're covering for her? Ruon? Berune?" George leads in, mentioning a bunch of names you've never heard before.

"... No-one. As far as I'm aware, at least." Jessica scarcely bothers to look up from her meal, although you think you notice a slight flush on her cheeks compared to how pale she was when she entered.

"Huh... Seems like an odd choice, given it's the busiest point of the year and all." Battler rings in, although, no-one seems to take any notice of him.

"Uuuuu! The rose, the rose!" Maria, on the other hand, is quickly getting agitated, and George attempts to soothe her.

"Oh, right. Jessica, do you think there's any chance Kanon could take Maria to see her rose?"

"... Impossible. He left last year."

"Oh. So, is there someone else on gardening duty who could take Maria out?"

"Not to my knowledge. I'm not familiar with the servant's rota this weekend."

Jessica's continued chilly responses kill any further attempts at conversation, and things remain quiet until things take a strange turn at the adult's end of the table.

BGM:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDma4A6A3Bc

You fail to catch any of what they're saying, but you notice Genji arrive and hand an envelope to Krauss. Shortly after he opens it, the adults erupt into shouting.

Krauss and Natsuhi are the first to rise, shortly followed by Eva and Hideyoshi, who quickly home in on Genji, their shouts overlapping one another. Meanwhile, Rosa remains seated, pouring over the letter, her entire body shaking, and Rudolf and Kyrie lean over her shoulders, also inspecting it.

The cousins run over to their respective parents, leaving you to choose who to quiz over this uproar.

>>15474
I'll run over to where Krauss is and try to get a look at the letter, while also attempting to listen to the surrounding conversation in an effort to understand the cause of the uproar.

As you zip towards Krauss, you scan the contents of the letter, which read as follows.

'Dearest Members of the Ushiromiya Family,


I apologise for not engaging correspndence sooner, however I felt it necessary to wait until you were all gathered here before adressing you. Congratulations on solving the epitaph. By Kinzo's ruling, you have now earned the 10 tons of gold hidden underneath Rokkenjima, and fufilled the contract. Under said contract, on this date, the gold would have returned to my posession, and your lives would have been taken as interest. Instead, you defeated my riddle far in advance of the deadline! Truly, in this regard, I underestimated you. However, before I take my leave, there are two matters that must be adressed. The death of my predecessor, and the manner in which my epitaph was solved.

Those responsible know what I speak of, so there is no need for explanation. The debt will be paid back in full. Unlike the previous contract, there exists no means by which this can be mitigated.

I wish you all an enjoyable, thrilling evening.

Sincerely,
Beatrice the Golden.'

The cause of the anger is relatively obvious. "What is the meaning of this? You were asked to bring the will, not some thinly veiled death threat!" Krauss looks like he's about to explode, and the others aren't much better. Genji, on the other hand, remains cool as a cucumber.

"My apologies. The will must have been replaced with this letter at some point."

"What do you mean, 'replaced'? Do you not keep these kinds of documents secure here?" Eva, who seems to be taking more of an issue with the missing will than anything, continues to screech at Genji. He regards her with a cold look, before turning back to Krauss, who is now sweating profusely. A temporary silence falls, and you see your chance to enter the conversation.

>>15477
"Krauss-san, do you have any idea what the letter is referring to when it talks about 'the manner in which the epitaph was solved'? Perhaps it would help everyone to cool down and get a better understanding of the situation if you could clearly describe what happened and how you succeeded the headship? The others will only continue to be suspicious of you if you keep acting like you have something to hide."

Krauss turns a dangerous shade of purple, and Natsuhi rushes to his aid, scolding you.

"How dare you attack the head of the Ushiromiya family, after he offered you food and shelter? This is outrage-"

"Shut up, you borrowed womb!" Eva's thunderous shout brings silence to the room, and you feel everyone's eyes focus on your group. When she continues, her voice is cold and icy. "Well, Kruass? If we're not going to get anywhere on the author of the letter, let's discuss the subject matter. How did you solve the epitaph?"

"It's of no concern to you, Eva. The solution to the riddle leads one right to the gold, and I wouldn't put it past you to steal it from under our noses!"

"Stop dodging the question!"

"Enough!" Krauss slams his fist on the table. "I will not be attacked like this in my own home. I declare the conference suspended until we reach the root of this." He grabs the letter, before turning towards the door, gesturing to Natsuhi. "Father must know about this. Should any of you have need of anything, the servants will attend to it." Without so much as a goodbye, he leaves, and is followed by Natsuhi, who makes a point of slamming the door behind her.

>>15479
"Hmph, how ridiculous. I didn't 'attack' anyone, I was simply giving him some perfectly reasonable advice. But the simple fact that those two felt attacked because of that speaks volumes - wouldn't you agree, everyone? They're obviously hiding something.

Now, I wonder if anyone here would have any idea what exactly that would be...? If anyone knows anything, it would be very helpful, considering that it could be a matter of life and death." I address the room at large, letting my eyes linger on Jessica and Genji, the two who would be most likely to know something, as I do so.

"Whilst I cannot attest to the method by which Master Krauss solved the epitaph, I am perfectly able to give you a time-frame of events." Genji is the first to speak, and everyone seems content to let him continue, most of all Jessica, who seems to have shrunk back into her chair a little.

"Late August of last year, Master Kinzo demanded that the plaque displaying the epitaph be removed. Then, on 9th September of the same year, Dr Nanjo and myself witnessed the handing over of the ring of the family head, shortly followed by Master Kinzo's signing of the new will. During the period between these two events, Master Krauss and Master Kinzo met at least once, to my knowledge."

Whilst this goes on, you notice Rosa wave Gohda over and whisper something to him, who bows deeply to her, before slinking out.

>>15535
"Hmm...so you're saying that the epitaph has been gone since last August? But I had the impression that everyone here was unaware of its disappearance until today. Does that mean that the family conference didn't take place last year?"

"You are correct on both counts, miss. Last year's conference was cancelled due to a prolonged period of freak weather. Captain Kawabata is the only ferryman confident handling the route to the island, and he adamntly refused that year."

>>15565
"I see. Thank you for the information. ...Still, don't you think it's a little odd that Krauss-sama stayed quiet about his succession of the headship for this long? Waiting for a big event like this almost seems like he was asking for unnecessary drama, wouldn't you say?"

I turn to Rosa. "By the way, Rosa-san, you've been unusually quiet this whole time. I couldn't help but notice that you asked Gohda for something just now; is everything quite alright?"

"It's hardly my place to comment on such matters. I'm sure Master Krauss had good reason to conceal these events until now." Genji falls silent, however judging my the murmurs from the rest of the room, it seems everyone agrees with you. Barring Jessica, of course, who seems to have lost interest in the conversation.

Rosa looks up sharply, raising a hand to her chest, and hesitates for a moment. "I.. Well, would you call this situation alright? Someone's issued a death threat against the entire family, and..." She drifts off, however a tug on her sleeve from Maria seems to snap her back to reality. "Right, Gohda. It seemed sensible to me for us to at least try to radio Captain Kawabata and get us off the island. If Krauss is in no mood to discuss affairs, I see no reason to endanger myself or my daughter. As I recall, there's a portable system in the servant's room. I asked hit to fetch it for me."

>>15619
"Oh, okay. That's probably a good idea, I suppose." I turn to speak to Genji again. "Speaking of that letter, it's quite mysterious how someone managed to replace the will with it, don't you think? Would you be able to go into more detail about where the will was kept until now, and who would have had access to it?"

Last edited at 14/08/03(Sun)12:50:06

Genji frowns, but he replies eventually, his voice more cold than usual. " Before I begin, I should note that there exists another copy of the will on the island, in addition to a third filed with a law film on the mainland. The copy of the will I was to bring today had been stored, up until recently, in a drawer in Master Kinzo's study. Naturally, the only people with access to it then would have been myself, Master Kinzo, and the present head. However, this morning I was instructed to store it in the servant's room until dinner." He pauses, and for a moment you notice a flash of discomfort on his face.

"Unfortunately, even before Shannon's departure, we have been somewhat understaffed. As a result, Kumasawa, Gohda and myself have been busier than usual. I must admit that there is a possibility that the contents of the will might have been swapped at any point today. Furthermore, when I went to retrieve the will a few moments ago, the door to the servant's room was unlocked. Usually, a master key such as the ones carried by the servants would be necessary to enter the room, however during the time frame when it was unlocked..."

This promptly sparks another debate, as the remaining members of the family argue over alibis. As this continues, Kumasawa and Gohda enter, the latter carrying the radio Rosa mentioned, and between them they begin to set it up on Rosa's side of the table.

>>15621
I'll cease my questioning for now and watch to see what happens with the radio.

Whilst the radio crackles to life successfully, it seems Rosa is having trouble getting her message to the boat captain. In spite of several attempts, only silence greets her, and her messages become increasingly frantic.

"... Maybe the weather's interfering with the signal or summin'. It's not unheard of, keep tryin'." Hideyoshi makes his first real contribution to the discussion, only to be shot down by Rudolf.

"Look outside. The weather's fine, there's no reason why we shouldn't be reaching him, unless-"

"Unless what?!" Rosa shouts, killing the conversation. Flushed and distressed, she quickly turns to Genji, snapping at him angrily. "Why hasn't someone tried to call off the island yet? Someone make a call to Niijima!"

With a deep bow, Genji takes his leave, and as Rosa collapses back into her chair, the individual families fall back into their own quiet discussions. Lacking her own parents at present, Jessica settles with Rosa and Maria, and begins playing some sort of game with the latter.

>>15659
I don't imagine that any of the families would take too kindly to me butting in on their private conversations, so I'll go over to Jessica and Maria in an attempt to join in with the game they're playing.

BGM: Fishy Aroma

You approach the pair, who seem to be playing a rather convoluted game of patty-cake, kneeling the the floor behind Rosa. As you dip down to join them, Maria flashes you a smile, and whispers something, out of earshot of the adults.

"Don't you think it's funny how mama's so scared about that letter?"

Jessica glances over at her, hesitantly, before nodding, provoking a giggle from the younger girl, who then looks over you you, and raises her palms, ready to play.

Last edited at 14/08/06(Wed)13:24:01

>>15661
"Yes, it's completely hilarious, isn't it?" I reply, giggling along with her. "If she knew anything about Beatrice, she'd know that there isn't anything to worry about. Some people are just so ignorant, aren't they?"

Maria plays at a quick pace, grinning to herself, and you soon miss a beat, causing her to turn to Jessica, continuing as she starts playing again.

"It's because she thinks Beatrice is talking about her." Maria nods, still smiling, and this cryptic statement elicits a puzzled look from Jessica. with another laugh, Maria leans forwards and whispers to her, however thanks to your perfect hearing, you catch what's said.

"Mama thinks she killed Beatrice."

Jessica tenses up, and Maria's next laugh is far more sinister. Quickly winning again, she turns back to you for another game.

>>15666
"Why, how completely ridiculous. As if someone like her could ever be capable of such a thing. What on earth could have possibly possessed her to think that?" I ask as I continue to play.

Maria shrugs, and recounts to you the tale of how, during her childhood, Rosa led a woman resembling Beatrice from the hidden mansion of Kuwadorain along a cliff-side path, from which she fell to her death. Miraculously, it seems no-one in the room is paying enough attention to you all to notice what is being said, and Jessica confides that this is the first she's heard of this.

"Although, I've heard father mention tunnels that run under the island to some building deep in the forest. I wonder if that's the same place as the one Maria mentioned?"

>>15668
"Oh my, so you're saying that there's actually another building on this island aside from the mansion and the guesthouse? Do the rest of the family know about this?"

Jessica offers a similar shrug, glancing about. "It's... complicated. I guess Rosa would know, and some of the servants might too. I've known the rumor about it since, well, since I was able to remember anything."

As she finishes, Genji returns, causing Rosa to jump to her feet. "Did you...?"

He shakes his head, however he seems undisturbed by the news he delivers. "Work is being done on the external line at present, however it should be finished by tomorrow morning. My apologies for not bringing this to everyone's attention sooner." As if making a point, he gives Gohda a cold stare, and the cook seems to shrink under it. Meanwhile, Rosa seems to have taken the news badly, and has gone quite pale.

"I... Very well. I think I'm going to head out for some fresh air then. Genji, could you find Dr. Nanjo and send him to the parlor for me?"

Once again, Genji bows and leaves, then Rosa follows suit, waving to Maria, who trots along after her happily. It seems that the other family members are also preparing to retire, based on the snippets you can hear.

>>15670
I'll wait until most of the others are leaving and follow the last few people out of the dining room. I'll then take note of where everyone is heading and decide my next destination based on that, unless someone approaches me before I can go anywhere.

Gohda offers to lead everyone back, but Eva waves him away, and her and the remaining adults set off for the guesthouse. Gohda and Kumasawa leave shortly after, heading across the entrance hall and out of your sight, leaving you, Jessica, Battler and George. The two boys seem to want something, however Jessica quickly makes her excuses.

"Sorry you two, but I think I'd best go and talk to my parents about, well..." George quickly cuts in, waving his hands and laughing.

"That's fine! I'm going to see if Rosa will let Maria play a few card games with us in the big room in the guesthouse. We'll probably be up a while, if you're interested after."

Jessica shakes her head, and with a muttered "goodnight", leaves and turns for the stairs. The boys head on out too, but turn for the main door.

>>15672
I'll wait for Jessica to go up the stairs, then I'll ascend them myself and make my way to the third floor, looking for Kinzo's study.

You wait until Jessica's footsteps fade to nothing, then make the steady ascent. On the landing of the second floor, you hear muted voices from one of the bedrooms, but fail to make out any words.

Upon reaching the top of the next flight of stairs, you come face-to-face with the door to Kinzo's study. Silence hangs heavy in the air.

>>15684
I approach Kinzo's study and put my ear to the door. Can I hear anything?

You press your ear to the door, but still hear nothing. Either the door's too thick to hear anything, or nothing's happening inside.

>>15686
I'll go back down to the second floor. If there are still voices coming from one of the bedrooms, I'll try to get close enough to make some of the words out if possible.

You head down to the second floor. The staircase enters at the middle of the hallway, with doors stretching out to either end.

From one of the doors to the right, you can pick up the odd name from the jumble of voices. They seem to be discussing the adult members of the family.

Last edited at 14/08/09(Sat)12:29:08

>>15688
I'll go closer to the door, going right up to it if necessary. Can I tell whose voices they are, and can I pick up any more of the conversation?

You sneak closer, and identify the voices as those of Krauss and Natsuhi.

"... honestly don't think that's something to worry about right now, dear. Shouldn't we be more focused on-"

"Nonsense. That letter will have got them thinking about the epitaph again, and it turns out that brat had it all committed to memory. If someone..."

"Who's going to?"

"Rudolf and Kyrie are sharper than you give them credit for. I wouldn't put it past them to..."

"... Don't fret over it too much, dear. Try to get some rest."

It seems the conversation has come to a close, and you can now hear footsteps within the room.

>>15690
I quickly move away from the door and start walking back down the hallway toward the stairs.

You manage to make it to the stairs just as you hear a door creak open behind you, and the footsteps progress away from you, back down the hall.

>>15692
I'll turn around and watch the person (presumably Natsuhi) to see where she's going, and take note of any room she enters. Assuming that nothing else unusual happens, I'll head over to the parlor and see if I can hear any conversation there.

You fail to catch sight of the person leaving, however you spot their door slamming shut, two down the hall from the one you eavesdropped, and memorize its location.

Upon approaching the parlor, you spot Rosa, Maria and Nanjo just entering it.

Last edited at 14/08/09(Sat)13:05:27

>>15694
I'll wait for them to enter and then try to listen in on their conversation from outside.

Miraculously, they seem to involved in their conversation to notice you, and as the door closes behind them, you slip up and begin listening in.

"Are you quite sure-"

"Quite, Doctor. This is the best course of action for us."

"I see. Well, as usual, I recommend that you take it with plenty to drink. As for-"

"I know, Doctor, I know. Thank you, I'm aware that this is a little late for such a call, but know that I hugely appreciate it."

"No trouble at all. Goodnight."

Once again, you have some time before the footsteps reach the door.

>>15696
I move away from the door again and start heading for the room I saw Gohda and Kumasawa enter earlier.

You sneak away, but before you do, you hear the distinct click of a key in a lock from the parlor after Nanjo leaves.

You find Kumasawa and Gohda in the kitchen, gossiping busily. As the door is wide open, they spot you coming, and interrupt their conversation to greet you.

"Hoh-hoh! The little miss is up on her feet and exploring already! It's good to see you back on your feet so soon, dear."

"Indeed. Is there anything we can help you with?" Gohda turns to face you, hands clasped awkwardly around a plate he'd been cleaning.

Last edited at 14/08/09(Sat)13:28:33

>>15698
"Oh, hello, both of you. I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm afraid I'm a little lost. Is there any map of this mansion that I could borrow, by any chance?"

"A map? I... Hmm..." Gohda pauses, and frowns at Kumasawa, who shakes her head sadly.

"I don't think we have anything like that. However, if it's an issue, you can leave it to us to draw one for you once our duties here are done. I can't imagine it taking too long, hoh-hoh!"

"... In return, I don't suppose I could ask a small favour, Miss Erika?" Gohda pipes up again, his voice a little shaky.

>>15700
"Oh, you'd go to all that trouble for me? Thank you very much. And certainly, Gohda-san, what is it?"

"It's... hmm. I would appreciate it if you kept this discreet. If Genji found out about my-"

"That you dropped the key to the servant's room? He'd turn as pale as a plate of my mackerel, hoh-hoh!"

Gohda himself turns pale, but he nods and looks at you pleadingly. "I've no idea where I dropped it. I had it this morning before you arrived, but after that..." He drifts off, and Kumasawa chortles happily as she gets back to work.

Last edited at 14/08/09(Sat)13:52:19

>>15702
"Hm...well, I can't imagine that I'd be very likely to find it, but I'll keep an eye out, I suppose. By the way, do either of you have any idea where I'll be sleeping tonight? I don't believe Krauss-sama ever gave me a room key or anything..."

"Hmmm?" Kumasawa's smile increases to worrying proportions. "Did Genji forget... Oh-hohohoh!" With further laughter, the maid ditches her dishes and slips out of the kitchen, beckoning for you to follow.

"Don't you worry miss, I'll sort you out with one now. Come with me!"

>>15704
"Um, okay then. Thank you for your assistance."

I go along with her, despite feeling slightly creeped out by the way she seems to find her colleagues' mistakes so hilarious.