And Then There Were Seven.

[Annie McClarabow]

I have poll fatigue.

The remaining passengers are: Paula, Farrell, Son, Judy, Sarah, Erik, Annie.

Discuss.

[Farrell]

Farrell, any votes against Ferrell will be null and void.

[Annie McClarabow]

Sorry. Fixed it.

[Farrell]

Well what are the motives for the people left?

Erik - owes Evan 25 million
Sarah - mad evan was closing the studio when she was about to get her big break
Paula - alien, mad evan wasn't investing in the rotating restaurant/casino thing.
Son - alien, killed twin, mad evan closing station down and not investing in restaurant.

what else?

[Annie McClarabow]

Does Erik owe 25 million to Evan? I thought it was a payoff to lose the big fight.

[Super Sarah]

Apr 9, 2012 9:32:36 GMT -8 Farrell said:

Well what are the motives for the people left?

Erik - owes Evan 25 million
Sarah - mad evan was closing the studio when she was about to get her big break
Paula - alien, mad evan wasn't investing in the rotating restaurant/casino thing.
Son - alien, killed twin, mad evan closing station down and not investing in restaurant.

what else?

You forgot to include yourself, Annie and Judy. I'm not the murderer, I have an alibi.

[Erik Coppertop]

I thought the payoff was what made my fryer business....and that is booming. I might even be willing to cut guys a deal on one. Anybody?

[Erik Coppertop]

Oh and my alibi: You were hanging out with Sarah and mike, who was steering the boat. Then someone shouted for mike to kick in evan's chamber door.

That is all I know....I assumed this meant that Sarah and Mike were covered by this too.

Who shouted for Mike to kick in the door?

They must of had a reason to think something was up.

Oh and this is nothing new...I shared this before.

[Annie McClarabow]

That's not an alibi. We have no idea when Evan was murdered.

[Annie McClarabow]

Motive for Judy could be the inheritance. I think that's a pretty weak motive since the Magoo brothers are in the way. Oh. Has the groom's identity been confirmed?

[Super Sarah]

Apr 9, 2012 11:05:55 GMT -8 Annie McClarabow said:

That's not an alibi. We have no idea when Evan was murdered.

During the intire evening of the murder, you we're with Stoneburner and MaGoo (who was steering the ship). This is from sevral hours befoere the murder to the point when Mike was summmoned to break down the door.

Here's the entire quote from my inbox regarding the alibi.

[Son Anheuser]

I'm going Judy for reasons outlined before.

[Annie McClarabow]

Apr 9, 2012 11:22:04 GMT -8 Super Sarah said:

Apr 9, 2012 11:05:55 GMT -8 Annie McClarabow said:

That's not an alibi. We have no idea when Evan was murdered.

During the intire evening of the murder, you we're with Stoneburner and MaGoo (who was steering the ship). This is from sevral hours befoere the murder to the point when Mike was summmoned to break down the door.

Here's the entire quote from my inbox regarding the alibi.

Yup. Still not an alibi. We don't know if Evan was killed in the evening or earlier.

[Annie McClarabow]

From Evan - The competing casinos are not relevant. So there goes my theory. Fortunately, I have another one that fits better.

[Amer]

I figured there were 3 main reasons to commit murder:

1) Money. Specifically, Evan's inheritance money.
2) The virus.
3) The nuke deal.

Mike was the obvious choice for the money. Obviously, it wasn't him. There are some other people involved with money, but the amount of money, compared to Evan's inheritance, is so trivial that I have a hard time buying it. Given that Evan's inheritance was worth "billions", it would be quite anti-climactic for Erik to have killed Evan for just $25 million.

The virus certainly is plausible, but we know so little. We still don't really have suspects or motive. Perhaps the virus will lead to the murderer, but we can't just sit around waiting for clues about the virus. Which leaves us with the final motive.

The nuke deal. Historically, this is a good reason for assassination (in fact, it's happened in the real world within just the past few months). We know that Evan was trying to sell a French nuke to North Korea, and that Dan was Evan's technical consultant on the deal. We know that Chris was pretending he was retired, but was in fact here to spy on Evan because of this deal. We also know that Annie was sent here for something similar.

Exactly what Annie's mission was isn't really known. She's appears to be suffering from amnesia. We also don't know why a lowly dive instructor would have anything to do with this at all. Her backstory claimed she was here to spy on Evan regarding the nuke deal, but why?

Here's my backstory, unaltered (I'm sure all the people that have been clamoring for it will be very excited, but you won't learn anything new):

Keep in mind others may have information about your secrets as well. So, while you are free to deviate from this backstory, it will probably end up making you look like a liar.


You aren't pleased to see Andy Chambers aboard, who won't stop bragging about you mentioning you were his/her biggest fan (not really true, you just said it to be polite) at a "Save Lake Mildville" fundraiser earlier in the year. Now that he/she's a big superstar, it's pretty annoying that he/she keeps announcing it.

At this same "Save Lake Mildville" fundraiser held in the Museum of Mildville, you contracted a rare oral disease. In fact, scientists and doctors have yet to identify it, and you have no symptoms. You are hoping the well known virology department at Barton Memorial Hospital, headed by Dr. Judy Q. Quizzleberry, might be able to help. Your aides, who monitor you constantly, say you contracted the disease by accidentally picking up someone else's cup. Which is odd, because it was a cup of strawberry soda, vodka, and a buillion cube which is your own creation. Your aids have presented you with a list of everyone who was at that party and is also coming, tonight. Besides the aforementioned Andy, also present at the "Save Lake Mildville" fundraiser were: Mike Magoo, Dr. Judy Q. Quizzleberry, Colonel Kyle Swiftborne, and Paula Sharpe.

After you find out how to identify the virus and get cured, your dream is to star in some sort of lucrative TV show on the Mainville TV network. For two years, Son Blazenbeard has had the most popular show on Mainville TV, "One Dozen Kids on Welfare." But, for the last six months, his behavior has been a bit off. You've sent administrative spies to follow him. From their reports, you have reason to believe their may have been some foul play in the hunting accident half a year ago that killed Son's playboy twin brother, and left Son with a facial injury for which he wears an eyepatch.

Chris Supiron is aboard, you butted heads with the former C.I.A. director and eventually got him removed from his position.

Stepping aboard, you are shocked to see how many military brass there are. Colonel Kyle Swiftborne is a goody-two-shoes American with whom you've butted heads a couple of times. Chris Superion is the former director of the CIA, whom you got pulled from office over a minor scandal, when he disagreed with your policy of sending home all known spies in Canada who couldn't hold their liquor. Dan Pouliere is suspected of having some shady dealings with North Koreans, possibly over arms trades. Also, you're relatively sure you've seen Annie McDermitt hanging out with the CIA director at social meetings, although you're not sure why a diving instructor would be at those events.

Just for a size comparison, here's Judy's backstory (as sent to me via email):

Keep in mind others may have information about your secrets as well. So, while you are free to deviate from this backstory, it will probably end up making you look like a liar.

Naturally, you'd love to dive to the bottom of Lake Mildville. But Annie changes the subject each time you bring it up.

Evan's lake tourism business has brough a lot of amateur sleuths to the area. You love it, Lake Mildville now has the mystique of Area 51, without all of the barbed wire.

Secretly, Dr. Quizzleberry has married Skipper Magoo's brother in a covert ceremony aboard the Pollyanna Riverboat and Casino, the ceremony presided over by none other than its owner, Chris Supiron. To the best of your knowledge, not even Skipper Magoo knows this, and another thing that possibly only Margaret knowsis that Evan's will leaves all his money to the skipper. When Evan passes on from his high-profile, high-risk lifestyle, you plan to crowd in on the inheritance and use the money and the boat to fully investigate Mildville.

Based on tips through an anonymous contact claiming to be U.S. military, you have been studying a mysterious virus that is like nothing you've studied before. Your contact let it slip that there might be infected people aboard the S.S. Mildville. A virus mystery and a Mildville mystery is like a double dream come true for you.

Also, you are excited to meet Son Blazenbeard. Rumor has it he may actually be his ne'er-do-well twin brother. A simple blood sample would be all you need to figure it out, although you'd have to get Son's permission due to medical ethics.

Although he likes to keep it secret, it's no mystery to a local expert such as you that Dan Poulier owns the Mainville hotel.

Sarah Scoopenheimer is a patient of yours. She has crippling arthritis all over her hands.

After getting your last ten budget requisitions denied, you strongly suspect the Barton Memorial Hospital is out of money. Its secret owner, Farrell Boyle, might not have as deep of pockets as everyone thinks.

Here now, is Annie's backstory, as she posted it:

Mar 22, 2012 18:46:21 GMT -8 Annie McClarabow said:

Keep in mind others may have information about your secrets as well. So, while you are free to deviate from this backstory, it will probably end up making you look like a liar.

For months, you've been on the trail of a nuke operation. You know that Evan Hoovler has provided the funds for a France-to-North Korea nuke trade. You're hear to get find super-incriminating dirt on Evan, as you have no concrete evidence yet. In addition, you want to figure out who among Evan's contacts is providing the technological know-how for this deal.

Also aboard is CIA director with whom you've worked for many years, Chris Supiron. Most people believe the cover story that he was kicked out after butting heads with PM Amer Wilson. Actually, this was a front to get some of the attention off of Chris during his lower-profile missions. You are confused and a bit frustrated, you thought this was a solo mission and his presence is going to make it difficult to stay undercover.

While researching the passenger manifest, you learned that Farrell Boyle is surprisingly broke, while Paula Sharpe has turned her winnings into investments that have increased her wealth tenfold.

You'll notice that Annie's backstory is a little... lacking, in size. My backstory is 2,748 characters; Judy's is 2,028; and Annie's is just 1,171. One thousand characters shorter than mine. Less than half the size. Now we know that people haven't necessarily shared their entire backstory, but there appears to be quite a bit missing there.

I also found it interesting that Annie started the "sharing is caring" thread by posting her backstory, and then claiming repeatedly that only the murderer wouldn't share. It certainly did put her in the role of detective, rather than suspect. A pretty good place to be, if you're the murderer. Her urge to share died, however, when I suggested that everyone post their quiz results. Perhaps she didn't have a quiz to share:

Apr 3, 2012 11:59:50 GMT -8 Annie McClarabow said:

...
I don't see sharing the quiz as very helpful. But, go ahead, post your own quiz results.

Maybe I'm wrong. It's possible that Evan gave me, a fairly uninteresting character, tons of information, while giving Annie little more than a story that she's investigating a nuke deal, without telling her why; or who she works for. It possible that she could just be taking the lead in finding the murderer, rather than deflecting attention away from herself. It's also totally possible that it's the virus that leads to the murderer, not the nuke deal. However, at this time, (and for the past few weeks), I've felt that Annie was the prime suspect.

Oh, and I might be the only one who thinks this, but when I saw the suspected murder weapon, the first thing that went through my head was that it looked like the tip of a harpoon.

[Annie McClarabow]

I gave my full back story. Believe me, I wish it had more meat to it.

I encourage people to vote for me. Its a wasted vote, but since death is not an impediment from playing the game, its no loss to me.

[Super Sarah]

Well, Annie has immunity this week so we can't vote for her.

Here are my quiz answers again:

1. The murder's character is

A. Male

B. Female


2. How many posts has the murderer made on the S.S. Mildville?

A. 0-20

B. 20-50 I based this answer on Paula's number but Judy's posts also fall in this range. Also, this answer could be wrong. Pretty much everyone else alive had more than 50 posts.

C. 50+

3. How many people on the boat have the virus?

A. Zero

B. One This was revealed as the correct answer.

C. Two


4. How did the murderer gain entrance into Evan's quarters?

A. Picking the lock

B. Hiding in the room before Evan entered

C. Teleportation


5. Who is Mike Magoo's brother?

A. Son Blazenbeard

B. Erik Stoneburner

C. Someone not on this boat

Both Erik and Son claim not to be Mike's brother.


6. Has the murderer won immunity?

A. Yes

B. No

At that point in the game, the only people who had won immunity were: Amer, Son, Me

7. Has the murderer been spotted at the Pollyanna casino?

A. Yes

B. No



8. Did the murderer commit a recent break-in?

A. Yes

B. No

People confirmed to commit the break-ins: Farrell [the hotel], Sarah [space center], we still don't know who broke into the hospital right?

9. How many votes did the murderer get in Annie's recent poll?

A. 0

B. 1

This can't be verified, the poll results changed from the time I answered to the time the poll closed. There were fewer votes for Amer when I answered, and I'm not sure if any other votes changed. The closed poll shows the following people as having Zero votes: Annie, Kyle, Eric, Farrell, Me.

10. Who killed Evan? PAULA!

[Super Sarah]

We can't really compare answers because we don't know how many we each got correct, but we can do our best to prove or disprove them to see which ones are right.

[Judy]

If Son’s going for me then it really is only fair that he has his turn.
Who can be sure that Son killed his ex-con twin brother? The hunting accident was ‘witness-less’ and Dr. Judy has professed an interest in checking out Son’s DNA.

Why TB (twin brother) would want to assume Son's identity isn't known (by me).

[Annie McClarabow]

Is it significant that the malady afflicting Amer is an "oral" disease? I don't think so but its the first time I've seen that bit of information.