Welcome to this year's PBM. I had planned to call for orders in this issue of EGG, to start the game next issue. But several players sent in orders this time, so I decided to start the game now.
You will notice something about this game that has not been as clear in my previous PBMs. As the game goes on the matrix of information that is the matrix will grow. This harks back to a notion that was very strong in my thinking about MGs in 1988. The idea is that the events from successful arguments become elements of the matrix. They can be used to support future developments in the world. Also, a glance at the matrix gives a thumb nail view of the world. Investigation adds information to the matrix which will eventually will reveal a pattern of who had means, motive, and opportunity to kill Ann Lacland.
LIST OF CHARACTERS
Hercule Poirot: a famous Belgian private investigator
Sam Spade: an American gumshoe
Captain Henrik: of the Dutch ship Breda
Jon: a muttering disgruntled seaman
David Jones: a young Welsh doctor
Elizabeth Jones: his wife
Vincent Scarletti: a New York mobster
Herbert Wilson: a bloodless London Merchant Banker
"Tex" Hogsetter: an ugly American
Mr + Mrs Engel: two German American tourists
returning home
Miss Madeline: a French noble woman and vamp
and finally
Miss Ann Lacland: a British socialite and the victim
PRE-MURDER INFORMATION
l. Lacland and Madeline competed for the attention of Dr Jones, Scarletti, and Wilson.
2. Both spurned the affections of Tex.
3. Spade noted that Scarletti had a gun.
4. The Engel shared a table with Lacland who subtly made fun of them.
5. Seaman Jon was called down for being too familiar with passengers.
6. Lacland beat Madeline for the men's affections.
7. Madeline took up with Tex.
8. Mrs Jones was publically Jealous of her husband attention to Lacland.
9. Scarletti, Jones, Wilson and ion are noted as coming out of Lacland's room at unbelievably early morning hours.
10. The above realize that they are all seeing the same woman.
11. Tex and Madeline egg on the fight over who gets Lacland.
DISCOVERY
The Engels discovered Lacland dead at 9:30AM on the 4th day at sea (day 1 of the investigation). Her door was not locked and they stuck their heads in to see if she was up for breakfast.
They found her room in disarray and Lacland lying on the floor. Engel, a Spanish American war veteran, knew she was dead. He sent his wife to notify the Captain while he guarded the room. CRIME SCENE
A thorough inspection of the room and corpse reveals...
- 1. There was a struggle in the room that knocked over tables and chairs.
2. A vase and the phone were thrown. The vase broke on a wall.
3. Stains on Lacland's bed sheets indicate that she has sex one or two times the night of the murder.
4. There are three different brands of cigarette butts in the ash tray by the bed.
5. Someone riffled through Lacland's draws looking for something.
6. Lacland's nightgown was dishevelled and showed signs she was in a fight.
7. Lacland had bruises on her arms showing she had been held.
8. Lacland died in the early hours of the morning, no later than 4AM.
9. The cause of death appears to be a blow to the back of the head.
10. She has 2 bruises on her chest that appear to have occurred after she was dead.
11. The radiator across the room from the body has blood on it.
12. A pool of blood near the radiator indicates that the body must have lay there for a while after death.
THE MATRIX
Talk/Bargain
Heroic Action
Work/Prepare
Cowardly Action
Do Business
Wicked Action
Move
Fight
Have Fun
Love/Hate
Sad/Happy
Feay/Fearless
Shame
Envy
Make a Friend/Enemy
Advantage
Reputation
Kill
Victory/Defeat
Political Agenda
Natural Disaster
Religion
Social Class
Politics
Justice
Tradition
Wealth/Power
Motivation
Loyalty/Honor
Personality
Beyond your abilities
Knowledge
Logic
Magicif
"Miracle"
"Monster"
"Adventure"
Wild Card
Wild Card
Wild Card
WHAT HAPPENED THIS TURN
M. Poirot examines Lacland's room alone and detects traces on man's musk aftershave in the air from which he concludes that there several men in the room the evening of the murder.
Poirot notes that Lacland was a strange woman since Spade heard her say to the Engels "But of course you know about protocols." Which they wouldn't know about if they were midwesterners and why were they discussing the subject anyway?
Spade searches the garbage chutes and discovers the remains of a blood covered man's dress shirt in the incinerator room. So the murderer must have been a man!
Vinny Scarletti tells Poirot that he has an alibi for last night. He was with Elizabeth Jones !
Tex and Madeline also quickly provide themselves with an alibi, by saying that they were together.
Unknown to anyone on board (yet!) is that the Bloodless Mr Wilson has a record in Bow Street for assault on Prostitutes.
And finally the scene focuses in on the murderer's hand, forging a note in Lacland's hand. "You are vulgar and beneath me. It's over between us. -Lacland."
AFTERWARD
So, who did it? It beats me, but it looks like the game is off to a roaring start. Everyone is invited to play. I do not charge to play. If you want to play Poirot, send in 2 arguments on what he does and 1 for the murderer. If you play Spade, send in 1 argument for him and 1 for the murderer.
This sending in an argument for the murderer may seen strange since none of us know who the murderer is. That is okay though. You decide right now who you want the murderer to be and make arguments that protect him. It is that simple.
Arguments Turned in This Turn
Poirot examines Lacland's room alone. He detects traces of a man's musk aftershave in the air. "Zere were clearly several men in ze room zat evening, n'est-ce pas?" "Men who court ze affections of bright, young women often affect musk." "Belgians have developed ze olfactory sense to ze highest level in Europe, perhaps in ze world."
Poirot consults his almanac and discovers that the moon was full on the night before. "Almanacs are apt receptacles of information essential to ze conduct of an investigation." "Crimes of passion are usually tied to ze Full Moon." "Voila!"
The murderer forges a note in Lacland's hand: "You are vulgar and beneath me. It's over between us. -Lacland" The note exists. Lacland is the sort of tramp who would treat a lover in this cruel way. Spurned affection is a strong motive in crimes of passion. The murderer needs a red herring to set up another suspect.
"My little grey cells suggest to me that Miss Lacland was too much of a good thing. Promiscuous women have a different man each night, but not two or three in one night - that is the mark of the harlot. Therefore, Miss Lacland was in search of some reward, but not I think commercial, because 1. Her pearls are good quality. 2. Her cloths are both new and expensive. And 3. We are on a Luxury liner."
"A strange woman [Lacland). My good friend M Spade heard her say to the Engels "But of course you know about protocols" and that is strange because what do middle Americans know of such matters? They are not of the classes interested in such matters. She had no reason to discuss such matters with them."
Bloodless Mr Wilson has a record in Bow Street for assault on Prostitutes. Records on cases are in the papers. Love/Hate are on a knife-edge in the minds of many. And the personality of repressed persons may be nastier than we know.
Spade investigates and discovers remains of a blood covered man's dress shirt in the incinerator room. The murderer was a man: The murderer was trying to hide evidence. The murder scene suggests that Lacland was moved, this is when the blood got on the shirt. Disposing of evidence indicates awareness of criminality - this is a crime, no accident.
Seaman Jon refuses to talk to Spade or Poirot. What has he got to hide? This probably means nothing. Looking nervous and refusing to talk makes for dramatic reading. And Jon probably has a dark past he doesn't want uncovered.
Poirot observes the passengers that morning. He notices that M. Madeline and Tex are very happy - too happy. They hated Lacland. They are happy she is dead. That establishes a motive for murder. Mr Scarletti tells Poirot he has a witness of where he was last night - Mrs Jones! So he didn't have opportunity to do the crime. Scarletti always has an alibi. He would be with someone else's wife! Mrs Jones would be unfaithful to get revenge on Dr Jones' trysts.
Tex and Madeline provide one another with alibis. They have been keeping company. Isn't it funny that they would have an alibi all ready? This means they did not have opportunity to do it.
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© Copyright 1993 by Chris Engle
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