Le Mystere des Masques
A revolutionary French Murder Mystery by Ace Murder Mystery Games. For 8 - 10 players, age 16 to adult.
This range of highly acclaimed murder mystery games feature famous faces and familiar places from the wonderful world of fact and fiction. With a magical mixture of powerful plots and terrific twists, cleverly concealed clues and side-splitting scripts, Ace Murder Mystery have created a classic range of murder mystery parties that are simply sensational!
The year is 1791 and France continues its headlong slide into a state of anarchy and terror. As the starving French people riot openly in the blood-stained streets, leaders of the country's various rival factions continue to quarrel and fight in their attempts to sieze outright control.
Meanwhile, following their desperate failed attempt to flee the country, the deeply unpopular King Louis 16th and his equally despised wife, Marie Antoinette, have been taken to the Bastille fortress, where they are now being held under guard, 'for their own safety'.
In a brave attempt to inject a small degree of normality back into the royal couple's lives, Cardinal Richelieu decides to continue as planned, with the Masked Ball he was intending to hold in honour of the King�s 40th birthday - albeit on a much smaller scale, with just the jail�s four current residents, and each of their guests, in attendance.
However, with just an hour to go until the party begins, Richelieu is horrified to discover King's lifeless body lying slumped across his dressing room table, having been poisoned with some form of deadly toxin! Confusion soon replaces shock, however, when a second �living and breathing� Louis then appears, identical to the first, and claims that he is the real king, and that the corpse is obviously just a ridiculous imposter!
With the future of France at stake, Richelieu realises he must enlist the help of all those attending the ball, ( you and your guests)if he is to catch his killer and solve this mystery, before dawn breaks on a counrty set to implode.
The Guest List:
King Louise XVI - A deeply unpopular king (if he is who he claims). who has almost bankrupted his country and caused division and chaos throughout the land. Marie Antoinette - The equaly desoised Queen of France. Her decadent, immoral conduct and her imfamous insensitivity have contributed hugrly to the monarchy's unpopularity. Robespierre -Angry student activist whose attempts to overthrow the monarchy, and bring power to the people. have landed him in a cold Bastille dungeon. Charlotte Corday -A modern 'Joan of the Arc', with her boyfriend Robespierre in jail, her good looks and rousing speeches have made her a figurehead for the revolution. The count of Monte Cristo - A recent arrival to Paris, his phenomenal wealth has opened doors to the highrst levels of society, although, curiously almost nothing is known about him. Louise de la Valliere - as Louis's most striking and long standing mistress, she has served him well, since catching his eye as a pretty, young milkmaid, many years ago. D'Artagnan -The youngest ever Commander General of the French army, having confidently risen from a dashing young musketeer to Chief Officer, in just 15 years. Milady de Winter - A devious and cunning diplomat, she was also the King's most evil secret agent, until she was committed and thrown into a Bastille dungeon for treason. Quasimodo -The hunchbacked head warden at the Bastille prison. Although completetly deaf, he doesn't miss a trick, and used his position to gain two tickets to the ball. Esmeralda - Guilty of an awful crime of passion, this beautiful gypsy girl was rescued from the mob by Quasimodo and offered sanctuary inside the jail.
Format of the Game: This game is usually played over a three course dinner ('cocktail party' also works). Upon arrival guests are handed their booklets, which they will refer to during the evening, and each game employs the following format: 1. Short introductory round 2. Three rounds of scripted (1st or 2nd person) questions and answers. 3. Three short acting scenes (between each Q&A round) 4. Conclusions and nominations of suspects, before the murderer is revealed. A narrative CD is supplied with each game (which is played, as directed, between rounds). events and solution to the crime.
