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The Masked Ball
One night, one palace, three hundred masks. At midnight the candles go out and the court's master of secrets dies. Name his killer before first light.
21 places20 characters5 lore entries8 quests
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Options · Balanced · Narrative · ≈ 6 h · At random
The story so far
Every autumn the Duchess of Ombreval gives the Night of Masks at Lisière Palace, on its long lake: three hundred guests, four hundred candles, and the old Masquers' Truce, under which nobody has a name until midnight and nothing said behind a mask counts.
This year the Marquis de Vauquelin, Keeper of the Black Ledger, the man who knows everyone's secrets, has promised to unmask "more than faces" at midnight. At midnight, in the Dark Minute, when every candle in the Gallery of Mirrors goes out at once, somebody stabs him. When the light comes back he is dying before the ninth mirror, and his little black book of secrets is gone.
The palace is sealed until first light. The Hallstrom envoy, who threatened him, will be arrested at dawn, and the peace on the lake with him, unless somebody brings the Duchess a better name. Everyone at the ball had a reason. So, perhaps, do you: every hero arrives with a secret objective of their own.
A short adventure for one evening, made for a group, and different every time you play it: the murderer is not always the same.
People you might meet
Isaure, Duchess of Ombreval
Ruler of Ombreval and hostess of the Night of Masks
The widowed Duchess of Ombreval: old, ill, clever and very tired, who has given her guests until first light to give her a murderer.
Théodore, Marquis de Vauquelin
Keeper of the Black Ledger, the Duchess's master of secrets, tonight's victim
The Keeper of the Black Ledger, the Duchess's master of secrets, who promised to unmask 'more than faces' at midnight and died at midnight.
Baroness Hortense de Mirecourt
First lady-in-waiting to the Duchess, keeper of the household's keys
The Duchess's first lady-in-waiting: elegant, watchful, tireless, and red-eyed tonight for reasons she will not discuss.
Gaspard Lenoir
Master of Ceremonies of the Night of Masks, keeper of the Book of Masks
The Master of Ceremonies: an old, exact, theatrical man who runs the ball by the clock, keeps the Book of Masks and snuffs the light at midnight.
Captain Mathilde Ferrand
Captain of the Duchess's Guard, in charge of the sealed palace
Captain of the Duchess's Guard: blunt, tireless, honest, and determined to arrest somebody by first light.
Céleste Arnaud
Mask-maker of the Night of Masks, widow of an executed engraver
The mask-maker who made every mask at the ball: quiet, gifted, grey-gloved, and the only person who can tell her masks apart.
Agathe Brune
Candle-girl of the state rooms, informer of the Quiet Office, the only witness behind the glass
A seventeen-year-old candle-girl who was behind the mirrors at midnight, saw something, and is hiding in the still-room shaking.
Madame Ernestine Pradel
Housekeeper of Lisière Palace, mistress of the servants
The palace housekeeper: stout, sharp-tongued and all-knowing, with keys to every door below stairs and a low opinion of the court.
Nicodème Valère
Valet to the Chevalier d'Ombreval
The Chevalier d'Ombreval's valet: handsome, charming, broke, and far more frightened than a valet with nothing to hide should be.
Chevalier Lucien d'Ombreval
Heir to the duchy, the Duchess's nephew
The Duchess's nephew and heir: golden, charming, reckless with money, and the last man seen quarrelling with the Marquis before midnight.
Violaine de Saint-Aubin
Heiress at court for her first season
A twenty-two-year-old heiress in a white swan mask: bright, nervous, very rich, and found weeping near the body when the candles were lit.
Envoy Kasimir Dravek
Envoy of the Margravate of Hallstrom, tonight's obvious suspect
The envoy of the Margravate of Hallstrom: a big, blunt soldier-diplomat in a bear mask who threatened the Marquis in public and is now under guard.
Choose a heroBalanced · Narrative · ≈ 6 h · At random