Moogle Murder Mystery II - Game Thread

[sly]

The Champ browsed the brochures for a moment, took stock of the St. Mogin Surfer Saint poster, and then asked the attendant if he knew any information regarding the dead surfer on the beach. He was in deep thought. He wanted to give the impression that he already knew the answers he was seeking. The turmoil in his mind was overwhelming him though. His past, his missing memories of the museum, bizarre glimpses of the future.

I'm supposed to be solving a murder.

His head was pounding like a drum. He looked to his new companion as if for an answer, then back at the attendant. It was at that moment a wave clarity swept over him. He was now absolutely certain of one thing.

I've lost my mind.

 

[Linnaete]

Perhaps something as simple as a shark attack is not the answer. Perhaps he, Count Clarence Cluckbeak, the Bane of Fowl Play, is missing something crucial and if he does not quickly discern what exactly he is missing, the villain will almost certainly best him at the end of the day. Unacceptable.

Father Pompous had spoken of the victim's lifestyle, heavily implying he lived a sinful life, had hung out with the wrong crowd and this all culminated into a fatal dispute that led to his grisly public execution. Could the death be the result of a vicious gang reprisal? You know how these lower class youth urchins behave, forming these unsightly street mobs whose only modus operandi is to harass and attack actual productive members of society. If this was indeed the case, surely Count Cluckbeak cannot let himself be overcome with any tint of sympathy for the deceased. He received his dues, right?

There is also a curious symbol found throughout this particular stretch of promenade. It is the symbol of the weeping Kupo Nut with the word 'NUTS' clearly emblazoned on it. Could this be the symbol of a nefarious street gang or cult responsible for this pernicious crime and for terrorising the inhabitants of this decrepit town? Is this symbol engraved purely to strike fear into the hearts of those who wish to defy or defraud this gang or cult? Has our victim died at the hands of this gang or cult despite these clear warning symbols, or were these symbols put up after the crime was committed to serve as a warning to the rest of the town?

What could the two starfish placed on the victim's body mean? Is there significance to that tattoo, the remains of which can be barely seen on the corpse? What about what the lifeguard, Damane, said? The sharks here only scavenge on dead flesh...so what if the victim was already deceased before he was thrown into the water, wherein a shark took a bite out of him before the body washed up on the beach? If so, what was the cause of the death?

So many questions, so few answers. He will need to dig more thoroughly, and the best place to start is to ask around and - Good King Moggle Mog forbid - obtain a more intimate understanding of the recent history and culture of this godsforsaken hellhole. Where better to ask questions than in some kind of watering hole. As there appear to be no gentleman's club around here, Cluckbeak's only option is to venture into The Tidus Head pub...

 

[Paddy McGee]

"Aye aye, cheers yung wan, ur sound" Gerry declared, grateful for the information given.

Deciding to go back to the beginning, Gerry heads over to the body to check for more clues.

"Bleedin' state a dis lad. Proper bickied ou a it" Gerry said, lowering his head in respect.

 

[Soulcorruptor]

Raptorbo in a fit of everlasting hunger enter the Tidus Head to explore and investigate and asks as he enters if anyone knows of details of the potential murder.

 

[Ilyena]

Fake Zazu flies back to the beach where Tobias is waiting.

"He heard someone shouting 'thief' from the direction of the fossil beach. What's left of that mog doe seems like an extreme reaction to someone stealing though."

"It depends on what they were stealing." Tobias turns back towards the beach. Which way is the fossil beach anyway? He could go ask at the tourist center. Or he could ask one of the many townsfolk hanging about. None of whom seemed bothered by the dead body. You'd think this was an everyday occurrence.

"There appears to be some sort of ne'er-do-well hanging out by the pub over there," Fake Zazu said. "I don't recall seeing them before. If this mog doe was a lout as has been suggested, perhaps that person may know something."

Tobias follows Fake Zazu's gaze and sees a rather rough looking moogle next to the pub. He hated to admit that Fake Zazu may be onto something but it would also be far worse to have another one of those so-called detectives get ahead of him. Tobias cycles quickly over to the strangely dressed moogle.

"Are you aware of any strange happenings and/or did you kill that moogle on the beach there?"

 

[Dionysos]

Round 4:

Maps:
Click the maps to enlarge. For the clearest image open in a new tab.

Main Beach:

Tourist Information Centre:

The Tidus' Head (discovered by Count Cluckbeak):

Particulars:

Angry Bird asks the Tourist Information Centre attendant if he knows anything about the dead surfer.

Mogsteven has the following to say:

Welcome to Whitnut-on-Sea, kupo! Oh? A dead surfer, kupo? Do you collect corpses? Not my place to ask, kupo...
I haven’t been able to leave my desk to see it, but I did hear people panicking about a surfer... Was it Pomeidon, that furious stirrer of seas? Or Furaway, that chiseled hunk? Or perhaps it was Fura, the most beautiful babe on the waves? Man, I hope it wasn't her, kupo! Eek! Perhaps it was Floppom the clumsy? Kupostrous the strong? It could be anyone!

Ask someone who isn’t glued to a desk, kupo!

I do hope this murder doesn’t affect surfing in the town. The championship has been a huge draw in recent years, despite the fact that St. Mogin might not be PC these days… I guess secularisation proved to be a hit!

-

Count Cluckbeak uses his turn to discover a new area: The Tidus' Head pub.

All players can now access this area without wasting a turn.

-

Chavvy Gerry Adam examines the corpse of our 'Mog Doe'.

He notices a suspicious mark on the leg of the 'Mog Doe' which suggests that something had once been tied to it.

-

Raptorbo enters The Tidus Head pub, and before even taking his time to look around the room he barks questions about the murder.

One gentleman, Kuporge Pomard Jr., responds as follows:

The murder, aye? KUPO! Ever since me mishap on a whaler me eyes have been attuned to that sort of thing... Between you and me, pal, there's a lot going on here that you definitely ain't never gonna get. KUPO! I've seen it all, lad. The people here are jus' pretendin' to be normal folk.
I'll cast some words at you, boy. Pirates. Surfers. Oglop-lovin' creeps. NUTS fanatics. They all have their agendas here, kupo. Me? I'm jus' living.
But that's all secret, kupo? Got that? KUPO!

-


Tobias and Fake Zazu question the suspicious moogle near the pub....

Ruff 'Chops' Hugwood has the following to say:

HMMPH! Bold of you to accuse a man you have only just met of murder, kupo! Yes. There are plenty of strange happenings going on in Whitnut-on-Sea. Did you not notice that mooglefolk have meddled with nature, kupo? We are behaving like humans! Humans! Where has our culture gone, kupo?! Where are our tree houses? Our nut stores? Only one kupo-nut tree remains in Whitnut-on-Sea. It has become a landmark through its isolation, but it was once part of a huge forest! We used to live in this forest, and fish from this coast using kuponut rafts, kupo!

You must be part of the problem, fossil! I'm glad a surfer is dead, kupo. You know why? They strut about thinking themselves to be perfect specimens of mogs... But... They.. THEY ARE MISTAKEN! Kupo... THEY ARE HUMAN IMITATORS! They should be driven from the town! THEY SHOULD ALL BE CAST INTO THE SEA!

-

You may all now post your next moves!

@Soulcorruptor @Linnaete @Ilyena @Paddy McGee @sly

 

[sly]

Uh, is leaving the shops to go back to the beach a zone change after its discovered?

Anyway, planning on picking leaving the information office, picking up that ipad/calculator/w.e. on the beach, then heading over to the nudist beach if i can.

 

[Paddy McGee]

"AYE DIS LAD IS IN BITS LAD JAYSUS POOR LAD" Gerry said ruefully, channelling his inner Stephen Dedalus.

Knowing he needs to find some rope, Gerry searches the waterline to behind him, heading towards what Gerry thinks are "bleedin' Donkey looking cunt-bastards".

Gerry sees them, then inquires: "Aye lad up there is brown bread, did ye lad see anything red hot around here yeh?"

Gerry said, dialling down the Dublinese to try make sure the lads understood him.

 

[Linnaete]

(I'll keep it short this time)

"A socio-political conflict brews in this town?!" squawks Cluckbeak! Could this be a key piece of information to help unravel the mystery of the murder? Is Whitnut-on-Sea home to a deep-seated issue that runs through the underbelly of the damned place like tendrilled veins? Is the murder indeed part of a greater conflict between the faction that wants to preserve the lifestyle of Kupo Nuts foraging versus the faction seeking to advance Moogle society forward at the cost of conquering nature itself???

These thoughts feverishly race through the Count's head; he stands stupefied at the entrance of a rather shady drinking establishment, taking a good couple of minutes to finally realise where he is.

He wanders over and takes a seat just facing the Moogle at the table drinking a pint of...whatever putrid concoction he is drinking. "Good day, sir! I am investigating a murder at the beach just out yonder. I have heard whispers of an ideological conflict brewing in this town and I fear tensions have actually spilt over into bloodshed today. Could you be so kind as to fully appraise me as to the current situation with Whitnut-on-Sea? I would very much like to discern the potential identity of a certain killer, who they may be working for and whether it has anything to do with that loathsome-looking cult with the crying Kupo Nut insignia."

 

[Soulcorruptor]

Raptorbo goes to head inside the fish and chips and loudly ask if anyone knows details of the murder.

 

[Ilyena]

He's certainly not making a good argument for not being the murderer, Tobias thought after the Ruff had finished his rant. He also mentioned fossil and so did that lazy floater in the water. Tobias decides to investigate further by asking about the fossil beach. He cycles over to the tourist information center and rolls inside. Once at the information desk, he asks "How would I get to the fossil beach? And what do you know of any gang activity in the area? You know, perhaps angry packs of moogles terrorizing surfers?"

"Or screaming about deforestation and loss of nuts," Fake Zazu adds.

 

[Dionysos]

Round 5:

Maps:
Click the maps to enlarge. For the clearest image open in a new tab.

Main Beach:

Tourist Information Centre:

The Tidus' Head:

Fish N' Chips (discovered by Raptorbo):

'Nippynut's Nudist Beach' (discovered by OG Angry Bird):

Particulars:

OG Angry Bird picks up Mitsuki's Notebook (it can be read / used on demand) and discovers a new area: 'Nippynut's Nudist Beach'.

There is something a little peculiar about this...

-

Chavvy Gerry Adams questions Hippaul and Hippobro, asking them if they have seen anything 'red hot' about that 'brown bread'.

Hippaul has the following to say:

Waah! I don't like swimming... In seawater.

Hippobro responds with:

Quit complaining, scaredy cat!
Red hot? Brown bread? Well.... Our sandwiches had been left out in the sun for a long while, if that's what you mean?
Do you want them? I think I wanna have an ice cream to cool my blood.
Some of the surfers would buy ice cream for kids like us in exchange for telling them whatever we hear. It is so sad that one is dead.

-

Count Cluckbeak politely asks Pomthaniel Wingston Pomcroft about the mysterious happenings of Whitnut-on-Sea.

Pomthaniel Wingston Pomcroft replies as follows:

Kup-O.... I fear it must be the Pomcroft Curse. It would appear that Death stalks our bloodline wherever we tread, kup-O! I came to this town to drown my sorrows after my Papa disowned me and left me to fend for myself against the most dangerous gangsters. One supposes that I deserved it, kup-O... He deserved what he got too!
Now I lie low, get drunk, and every now and then I partake in the casual hobby of surfing for fortune and glory, kup-O! But the preposterousness of this place reaches titanic proportions! It could well be that the NUTS fanatics killed your man. NUTS (an acronym of Nostalgic Unit for Tree Societies) believe that moogles should live strictly moogley lives, kup-O! That means no human-inspired luxuries! That means living in forests! That means no pubs or gambling! I truly believe that they are prepared to kill to achieve their goals... I fear I might be next, kup-O!

-


Raptorbo heads to the Fish N' Chip shop and barks loudly for details about the murder.

Arnut 'Chipper' Keelpom responds as follows:

Ahh... Yer the beast what roared passionately at me bin outside, ain't ya? Kupo... Are ye nutty? Ye scared off potential customers with that trick, ye feather-coated batter mishap! I know nothing of a murder, kupo! Only that I'd consider slittin' yer throat and using yer blood for saucin' me battered haddock for botherin' me business!
Now be gone, beast! Unless ye want to buy a lovely meal from me? Ye'd be very welcome to do that, sir.

-

Tobias and Fake Zazu as the Tourist Information Attendant about the fossil beach and local gang activity.

Mogsteven replies with the following:

Welcome to Whit... WHAT?! A dinosaur, kupo?! Alive? On a unicycle? In a button-up sweater? By St. Mogin's bountiful nuts! Did someone spike my coffee again, kupo?
You appear to be real... Which is.. Wow! Welcome, sir! It is an honour to meet a living fossil, kupo! The fossil beach which you ask for is westwards along the beach. There is a popular cliffside walk there, and the world famous Fossil Club-room, kupo. If you find a fossil, be sure to send it to them! I suspect they'll be very interested in you, kupo!

The gangs... I've seen my fair share of gangs in this town. You think the gangs are targeting surfers? I think NUTS would target anyone, kupo... They've been more aggressive lately. They are suspected of attacking the Amusement Arcade and forcing Whitnut Council to close it down... But that's a radicalised group of moogle-purists rather than a street gang... For mindless hooligans, you might want to steer clear of any remaining pirates. Yep, pirates, kupo! This town used to be popular with smugglers and pirates. Many moved onto civilian lives after taking the Pardon, but every now and then a group of pirates return to their roots and plunder some more! Perhaps your surfer got in the way?

-

You may all now post your next moves!

@Soulcorruptor @Linnaete @Ilyena @Paddy McGee @sly

 

[sly]

Having finally embraced his lack of sanity, OGAB arrives at the nude beach clutching his friend and a notebook. He can't imagine better luck than finding a camera at a beach rife with Pomgirls. He begins exploring the notebook and camera when he starts to hear a faint, but familiar melody.....

Is it the call of the ocean?


*Lightning Crackles*

Narration: Theorizing that one could time travel within his own lifetime, Doctor Samuel Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator - and vanished. He awoke to find himself trapped in the past, facing mirror images that were not his own, and driven by an unknown force to change history for the better. His only guide on this journey is Al, an observer from his own time, who appears in the form of a hologram that only Sam can see and hear. And so Doctor Beckett finds himself leaping from life to life, striving to put right what once went wrong and hoping each time that his next leap... will be the leap home.


He had just become used to wearing heels, when Sam "Leaped" yet again. As he took in the sunny day and the salty air, he knew at once that he had not returned home. Instead he was staring at a camera with someones arm around him. Taking in his current situation he looked over at this person that was apparently sharing photographs with him. The shock was so profound that nothing he had done in his past journeys had come close to preparing him for what he was seeing now.

Sam: Oh boy.


A giant, red-headed woodpecker responded to the quip, apparently not missing a beat.

Woody: You're tellin' me.


Sam assumed that the great bird was oblivious to the new circumstances. Woody on the other hand barely noticed that his puppet now seemed to have a mind of its own and resumed clicking through camera images...

 

[Soulcorruptor]

After being insulted the raptor side of Raptorbo got so angry he ended up taking a bite out of the on the right and knocked it over and yelled at the owner, "Your left over food in the trash smells like crap anyway, so your food can't be that good here." Upon leaving the store he then walks up the road past the pond and statue next to The Tidus Head to see what may be there.

 

[Linnaete]

If this NUTS cult is so prolific, surely someone in this town knows at least one of its members. Count Cluckbeak will have to poke even deeper and utilise every facet of his cunning skills in order to obtain a lead. It's at this point of the investigation that a prime suspect is necessary and he requires someone more concrete than a faceless extremist organisation. Taverns are generally excellent sources of information, so who better to ask next than what appears to be the bartender. Besides, this is an apt opportunity for a drink...

Count Cluckbeak, content that Pomthaniel Wingston has willingly shared all relevant information for now, leaves the table and haughtily strolls towards the bar. The indignity of having to sit on these uncomfortable stools...goodness knows if they have ever been cleaned, and goodness knows how long it will take for his clothes to be dry-cleaned this time round once this investigation is complete. He hails to the bartender.

"I will have your finest Sazerac de Forge 1811 Cognac," he bellows, seemingly incognizant of where exactly he is, or the fact that while the Savoy Hotel back in the capital may have an exclusive VIP bar that serves such exquisite vintage drinks, it does not necessarily mean a humble pub in a seaside town will stock the same selection of spirits.

"Also I would like to ask you a question. You are a bartender and surely you must have laid your eyes on a variety of patrons and an ear to their whispers and inane chatter. I am wondering if you've seen any...cultists of late. I particularly refer to members of this hippie NUTS organisation that seeks to radically reverse social and economic modernisation entirely and return Mooglekind to a life of crude foraging. Have you by any chance encountered such individuals or do you know of any? A murder of a surfer has occurred just outside on the beach and I suspect this crime was conducted by a cultist!|

 

[Paddy McGee]

"AYE YE ILL GET ICE CREAM FOR YE LADS, BLEEDIN' HACK A YAH. BRB BBZ" Gerry replied, throwing up the "Peace up, A-town down signs" and walking away. Seems like there would be no ice cream on sale anywhere on this side of the beach- the fish and chips shop won't give him any, so Gerry decided to walk aback up to the path ways and head over to the other side of the beach- the nudist part- to see if he could find a supermarket.

"BLEEDIN' HACK A ME DOIN' DIS. AM I A SPARE PRICK R WHA'? BLEEDIN GEEBAGS. THE PROVOS WOULD BE SCARLEH FIR ME" Gerry muttered sadly, as he headed off on his man-servant duties.

 

[Ilyena]

Tobias thanks the travel guide and wheels towards the exit. "Why is everyone so surprised to see a tyrannosaur on a unicycle?" he asks Fake Zazu. "I know at least three. And then there's Bertie Brontosaur who has a very snazzy tricycle."

"Things are different in the city of Jurassia, Tobias. These moogles are very shut off. And you can see why with these NUTS running around,"

Once out on the beach, Tobias and Fake Zazu head left, past the sand statues to see if the fossil beach is where the tour guide said it was.

 

[sly]

And then there's Bertie Brontosaur who has a very snazzy tricycle..

You're a special kind of crazy and I love it.

 

[Dionysos]

Sorry this round took so long. I realised I hadn't completed final drafts for the remaining main maps, so finishing them off took a long time!



Round 6:

Maps:
Click the maps to enlarge. For the clearest image open in a new tab.

Main Beach:

Tourist Information Centre:

The Tidus' Head:

Fish N' Chips:

'Nippynut's Nudist Beach':

Kupo-Mart (discovered by Gerry Adams):

Upper Town (discovered by Raptorbo):

Fossil Beach (discovered by Toby and Fake Zazu):

Particulars:

OG Angry Bird picks up the camera. It is added to his inventory.

This camera shall snap random photographs throughout the remainder of the game (or so long as the item is held). OG Angry Bird can also manually take a photograph of a particular item or person which takes his interest.

While many photographs on the camera appear to have been deleted, a handful remain:

Dr. Samuel Beckett quantum leaps again... This time not into OG Angry Bird himself, but into the corpse of Aerith...

Things just got weird.
-

In a rage Raptorbo bites the stool near the counter and flips it over.

As Raptorbo leaves, Arnut 'Chipper' Keelpom yells the following:

OI! Ye snarlin’ fluff-butt of a blubber-waffle, Kupo! Come back ere and I’ll take a bite out o’ ye too!

Raptorbo then departs and discovers a new area: Upper Town.

-

Count Cluckbeak orders a Sazerac de Forge 1811 Cognac at the bar of The Tidus' Head as he enquires about the membership of the NUTS organisation.

Kupa Skiphop replies as follows:

A what now, honey? We don’t have... that... But you can have this drink, kupo! Our finest Puq de la Wench!
Man. I moved bar jobs to get away from murder, kupo... Yet here I find myself on one side of a bar servin' up drinks and answering the questions of another well-dressed and handsome detective, kupo!

Do I know NUTS? Blessed Boughs above, I know about NUTS, kupo! It wouldn't surprise me if they did have the surfer killed.... They threatened me the day I moved to Whitnut-on-Sea. Said I was contributing to a moogle genocide and that I should be squeezin' kuponuts for juice rather than serving up human beverages.... Why, slap a mermaid and call her Jenny! I'm not doing that, kupo! Can ya imagine me foraging? I'd fall out of a tree and get my hair tangled, kupo!

The NUTS folk don't tend to come in here except to stir trouble, kupo... The one with the scars scares me most. Ruff? He's pretty open about his affiliation. How he is still free to wander the streets, I do not know. His sister seems okay, but I can't trust her either, kupo.... Other NUTterS come and go. I don't know who the ringleader is, if they have one.

-

In his quest for ice cream Chavvy Gerry Adams discovers a new area within the 'Nippynut's Nudist Beach' map: Kupo-Mart.


-

Following the Tourist Information Attendant's advice, Tobias and Fake Zazu discover a new area: Fossil Beach.


-

What is this? A new detective (Susan Boyle) has joined!

(I tried to make her eyes a little more crossed in my second draft @Sprout)


-


You may all now post your next moves!

@Soulcorruptor @Linnaete @Ilyena @Paddy McGee @sly @Sprout

 

[Soulcorruptor]

Deciding against all logic since no police have been spotted around the crime scene or any of them even giving instructions to the detectives as they showed up Raptorbo ignores this building. Instead he sees whats looks like a door in the trunk of the giant tree in front of him and decides to enter, before this however he notices a sturdy looking moogle and since he wants to go to the tree first he yells across at the muscular built one asking if he knows details of the murder.