Halloween Night. A time for parties, spooks, and fun. As I walked around the Ballroom, the energy and music that filled the room was a bid overwhelming. Enjoyable, yes, but overwhelming. This, plus the lingering thoughts of Passiflora still in my mind, helped me decide to take a break and try walking among the Garden. After leaving the ballroom, I found myself walking among the darkened hallway, lit only by the occasional torch. As I turned to head to the garden, a noise from the opposite direction caught my attention. Normally, one might ignore what goes bump in the night, but that's never been my strong suit, so I decided to investigate.

Upon turning the corner, I was encountered with a scene that first perplexed me. Before me stood a large centaur, a greenish tinge to his human skin, and a chestnut body. He seemed to be standing among a suit of Knight's armor that had been knocked over.


"Are you ok?" I called down the hallway at him, he spun around, eyes wide in fright. Even in the faint light from the nearest torn, the red irises caught my attention.

"I-I-I found her like this. I swear on the Fae Queen!!" he stammered out, his adolescent voice almost failing him.

His abrupt outburst startled me, if only internally, and I looked past him. I saw in the faint lighting an almost iridescent mass laying there. As I stepped closer, I felt my blood turn icy. It wasn't just a mass, it was a person. I looked at the face, already fearing the worst. Upon recognition, it was clear. Laying in front of me, in a pool of dark liquid, was Passiflora Birdsong.

weezee

@MsMeiriona I haven't even a clue what an interrobang is.. so maybe? LOL

That's what this symbol is called -> ‽
It's a combined exclamation point and question mark.



also, blast, she be dead. ....actually... maybe she's just passed out in a pool of wine.

Ok so she's dead... Point one to Weezee!

We have a scared kid who found her, and a body that looks like a suit of armor (Possibly because she was wearing all tek stuff?) in a pool of blood.
And a ballroom full of guests and food.
1) Do you see the murder weapon?
2) Were there any footprints in the blood?
3) Does the kid need medical attention. (He sounds a little stressed and about to faint, Shock?)
4) This must have happened recently if the blood is still liquid so 10 to 30 minutes?

First of all: Is she alive?
Second: What is that liquid?

It DID just say dark liquid and hinted the body wasn't moving at all. Is she breathing, perhaps just passed out? What's the expression on her face, is it one of surprise, horror, betrayal from someone she knew? What other items besides the scared Centaur and suits of armor are around? If the armor was knocked down, did she cause it when she fell to the ground or was there a struggle?

- Ok, don't stand there and stare, run to her and check if she is really dead lol!!

- the dark liquid - must not be blood! could be, lets see, something a demon left behind after uhm kissing her so deeply that she lost consciousness. The the centaur showed up and the (cute) demon had to run away! (why do I want romance? dont ask me lol)

- and the noise - was it the knight armor being knocked over? btw. why is a knight armor standing around in the garden??? where is the knight? Or is it a statue? (I guess I dont understand that part lol). Well if it was hard enough it could have fallen ON the girl and knock her out. But why did it fell in first place?

*walks through thread whistling* I certainly did not push anything over. That would be horrible!

starlitmeadows

*walks through thread whistling* I certainly did not push anything over. That would be horrible!

It was starlit in the garden with a suit of armor!

Putting on my thinking cap
I am going to assume the dark liquid is blood as there is nothing mentioned that was 'knocked over or shattered' like a vase.
I am also going to assume that because he 'feared the worst' she was defiantly dead.
It doesn't speak about any wound, May I ask if that is only because there isn't one visible?
Also he identified her as Passiflora which means he could see her face.
Barring that I am with Lucille and say it was Starlit.

It was Colenel Mustard in the Library with a Baseball Bat thank you very much.

That or that terrified young centaur. Not that I don't want to believe the best but as the body finder we should do just a quick once over for any sort of weapons matching the wounds? And ask about any sounds. Body does seem fairly fresh so it's possible they heard our nefarious creatures (which would certainly not be me) as they made their escape.

The armor was possessed by a ghost who spooked the poor girl so much that she spilled the huge flask of red wine she was just about to bring to the party, and fainted. When the boy showed up, the ghost himself got spooked and left the armor in a rush

I looked over Passiflora. Her chromatic skin, indicating Tek heritage, seemed to shift in the torch light, going from blue to green depending on the light. Her wings, once glowing with life, seemed dim and frail. Her gown, once long and flowing, was ripped, tattered, stained with yellow powder and more dark liquid that seemed to be coming from a rather large wound in her stomach. The wound snapped me back to my sense that seemed to dull a bit. Get it together, Aaron. You've seen a murder victim before. You're a detective, for Fae's sake. It still has shaken him a bit. Even though he had seen many a disturbing scene, it never seemed to get any easier.

However, now was the time to act. What if the murderer was still around? Aaron really felt he should let someone know what had occurred. He turned back to the younger centaur, who was still visibly distraught. He couldn't leave him alone. What if the killer really was still around? What if he was the killer? At any rate, time was of the essence. Aaron beckoned the centaur to follow him, “Come. We must tell someone.” The centaur nodded his head, and the two took off at a quick pace back to the ballroom.

Once back at the entrance to the ballroom, Aaron scanned the room to see who would be most pertinent to this information. A potential target caught his eye after a few seconds: a tall figure standing on the royal stand. He made a beeline to the stand, dodging the party goers as he went, the centaur trying to stay close. Upon arriving, Aaron only made it up one step before a large hand shot out from a guard standing by that sight seem possible from a man his size.

“This area is off limits for guests,” The large Fae grumbled, “What business do you have on the royal stand?”

“Let me through. I must speak with her majesty,” Aaron replied quickly.

“The visiting time with party guests had past,” the fae responded, clearly not in the mood to argue.

“This is crucial information. There has been... a murder,” Aaron leaned in the whisper the last part.

“A murder?” The fae guard snorted, much louder than Aaron wanted. “You expect me to believe that?”

“Keep your voice down, man!” Aaron hushed, hoping no one else overheard the guard. The centaur, who had been observing the exchange, stepped forward.

“I-I-it’s true, sir!” The centaur blurted our. “A young woman has been murdered!” Aaron turned back to quiet him, but it was too late. A nearby socialite, clearly eavesdropping,broke from her conversation to look over to group.

“A young woman has been murdered?” She gasped. Even through the volume of the party, her voice carried. Groups around them started quieting down and turning to the three of them. Voices became frantic of some spaces, and a streak rang out from one area of the ballroom. The term “murder,” even on a Halloween night, spreading like wildfire among the attendants. Within a minute, the entire mood of the crowd had changed, the energy became charged and anxious, so much so Aaron feared a mob stamped. A loud voice, deep and forceful, rang out among the ballroom.

“SILENCE!”

The ballroom almost instantly fell silent, and Aaron whipped around to see three figures up the stairs of the royal stand. Aaron recognized the woman in the middle of two men, and immediately bowed to one knee. The guard and crowd around him followed suit, and Aaron had to tug on the centaur's arm to get him to do the same, all be it clumsily. Before them stood none other than her majesty Eleanor Proudheart.

Yellow powder you say. What yellow powder?

yellow powder screams pollen to me, but we'll find out.

Hmmm Poison?
Sleeping potion?
A drug to make her talk?
What information could Passiflora possibly have to make someone murder her over it?
Where is her purse? Or her cell phone?
Where is her father? Was he in attendance? I imagine as an ambassador he would at least have to put in a show for her majesty's party?
And WHO was Passiflora attending with...
And what type of wound? Besides large, what made it?
Should we be looking for someone with a sword or a gun?
I could go on, so many questions.

And still nobody calls a doctor ...

Or it could be Turmeric...but then again, that stuff staaaains and soaks immediately into any and all clothing it touches...and hands....and faces...and plates....and high chair trays.....ask me how I know.

What does the powder smell like, does it have any kind of scent? Or does it just smell like...chalky powder-like stuff?

Sulfur?