A RICH MAN'S HOMICIDE

by Tracy Wang


INTRODUCTION:
    Dec. 2, 96 is the happiest day for the Jackson's family.  It's Eric Jackson, president of Jackson corporation, granddaughter's wedding day.  The Jackson corporation is one of the top ten corporation in America.  According to the family tradition, all Jackson family's wedding are held at Long Island because their first family business started in Long Island.  The Jackson family arranged a course to sail from New York to Long Island.  After the ceremony, when they sailed from island to New York, a homicide case happened.  Eric Jackson has been murdered in his room.  He has been stabbed once and his body smeared with blood.  There was no murder weapon at the crime of the murder scene.  The time of death was about 2 to 4 o'clock on the afternoon Dec. 2.  There were 7 people on the boat, all of them are relatives, except the old servant.  Most of people were in the kitchen when Eric was murdered.  This news has shocked the Jackson family.  No one knows who would pick up the family business.

RULES:
     Each of the players has to use the public background to introduce themselves in the beginning of the game, then follow the clues for each act to find answers and collect information by talking to one another.  Players should not reveal their secret background information unless asked directly about it.  All players must tell the truth when asked about their background-- except for the killer, the killer may lie.  The most important thing of all is that only the killer can lie.  So the steps are as follows:  read the introduction, pick up the character, introduce each other, Act One , Act Two, and find the killer.  Have Fun!

CHARACTERS:
Elizabeth Jackson 25 female
Public background:  
    You are the granddaughter of Eric Jackson.  Your father Peter Jackson is Eric's oldest son.  Both of your parents died in a car accident when you were 4 years old.  You were raised by your grandfather.  Today you are the bride of Jerry George.  Jerry is your colleque.  You have known each other for 4 years.  Even though you are not pretty, but you are very clever and smart.

Secret background:
     During your freshman year, you already have a nice boyfriend.  But in your second year, when you joined a guitar club, you met Jerry.  You never gave him a look because he's not handsome looking.  You felt that based on your qualification, he's not compatible.  On the second day, Jerry started chasing you.  No matter how had you treated him or abused him, he never took it seriously.  Later you were moved and touched by his sincerity and started dating.  You never understood why he gave up so much in order to chase you. 

Act One:
     When you told Alex that You will marry Jerry, he disapproved your marriage and had a strange reaction.  You don't know why? Try to figure out the reason.

Act Two:
     On the early morning of Dec. 3, you slept with Jerry in your room, until 7am you heard Jerry walking out of the room, you had no idea where he was going.

Jerry George 27 male
Public Background:
     You are Elizabeth's husband, general manager of one of Jackson's corporation.  You and Elizabeth met each other during college years.  You are a very smart and  corporate person.  At the age of 8, your father committed suicide, because of business bankruptcy.  And your mother couldn't get through the sorrow, so she killed herself.  Since then, you spent your childhood growing up in a orphanage.  You wish you can become a well-known person, swear to never end up like your father.

Secret Background:
     At the age of 18, you received a letter at the orphanage from someone introduced as one of your father's right-hand man.  He told you a lot of information regarding your father.  He said, your father's business went bankruptcy, all because of Eric Jackson.  Your father spent 20 years building that corporation, the corporation was the most important thing for him.  Your father's last wish for you was-- to take revenge against Eric Jackson.  Ever since you knew this information, you started to gather information about the Jackson family and started plotting.  You found out Eric has a granddaughter, so you planted to go after her and hopefully married her.  Now, you successfully became part of the Jackson's family, all because of revenge against Eric Jackson.

Act one:
     Before Eric died, you went to find him.  It was about 2 o'clock.  You told him your true identity.  After he knew your true identity, he started to tell you about your father.  Not only he didn't apologize, he accuse your father of everything.  That's why you two had an argument.  You were very angry, you left the room soon.

Act Two:
     On the early morning of Dec. 3, you walked out of your room and went to the deck.
You found Michael's body on the middle of the deck, and you heard something falling into the ocean at the same time on the other side .  Then you went up to see what it was, but the thing was gone.   Maybe it was the murder weapon.   Alex came to the deck after 5 minutes.  Reveal this.

Andrew Emerson 50 male
Public Background:
     You are Eric's son-in-law, and the husband of Maria.  You also has a 25 years old son, named Alex Emerson.  You are the general manager at one of Jackson's corporation.  You became involved with Jackson's corporation ever since your marriage to Maria, which has been 20 years.  During these years, you spent lot of time at your job, all because of hoping to pick up the family's business.  Your wife and father-in-law disrespect you because of your background.  Although you are good at working, sometimes you are very spineless.  All major decisions are decided by your wife.

Secret Background: 
     You pretend to like your job and your family, but honestly you hate your father-in-law and wife very much.  You worked for Eric for 20 years but he never recognized your diligence and perseverance.  Your wife also put you down because you left your first wife and son once.  You were very poor before you married Maria, and working at a small company.  When you met Maria by chance and knew she was Eric's daughter, you started chasing her.  You did everything you can in order to marry her.  You were crazy about money, so you left your wife and child.  After you did the terrible thing, you regretted a lot and missed your child.  But you don't now where can you find them.   Now, the only thing you want to achieve is to be the president of Jackson's corporation.

Act One:
     At 2:20am, when you went to the restroom, you passed by Eric's room and heard that Eric and Jerry are arguing.  You didn't hear them because you were in hurry to the restroom.  Reveal this.               

Act Two:
     You and Michael are good friends, you always talked to each other when you were in troubles.   Few days ago, Michael told you that he lost a lot of money in gambling, and has no money to pay the debts.  He also told you that he might kill Eric in order to get the inheritance.   Reveal this!
Maria Jackson 40 female
Public Background:
     You are the oldest daughter of Eric Jackson, and the wife of Andrew, mother of Alex.  You are a bad-tempered person, like your father.  You would risk everything just to get what you want.  You would also use any method to accomplish your goal, like your marriage to Andrew.  Your father disapproved the marriage, because Andrew came from a poor family.  But in order to accomplish your goal, you try to suicide yourself, just to get your father's permission.  

Secret Background:
     Your father disapproved not only because he's poor, but also he's once a married man.  Your Father knew that the reason he wanted to marry you was just for the money.  You disbelieved at that time, because you fell in love with him at the first sight.  You gave his wife a lot of money and asked her went abroad and never came back.  Now, you no longer love Andrew and just use him as a tool to inherit your father's corporation.

Act One:
     Recently, you heard that your nephew Donna are borrowing money from relatives and friends.  She didn't come to ask you, because you did not like each other.
You two had a quarrel before because the inheritance issue.  Both of you want to inherit most of the property.  You know Donna may use any method to get the inheritance.  You may ask Donna why she has to borrow so much money. 

Act Two:
     You know the relationship between Donna and Michael wasn't good before Michael dead.  They always had quarrels and Donna also has having a unfair with somebody.  She said that she wanted to divorce, but Michael didn't allow her to do that.  When Michael was killed you suspected Donna would commit the crime.  Because you heard they had quarrel on the morning of Dec. 3  

Alex Emerson 25 male
Public Background:
     You are the killer!
     You are the son of Maria and Andrew.  Now, majoring in Commercial Art.  You are a soft-hearted, no temper person.  You never go out and fight for the things you like or love.  You always step back and let the other person take it and gaze from far away.  Because of your soft-hearted temper, people don't respect you.  They think you are too weak and a person with no mind of your own.  Your grandfather, Eric disrespect you the most.  He think that you and your father are just the same, who can't accomplish big and well in society.   Even though, you despise your grandfather.  You know that based on your status, you can't win over him.  

Secret Background:
     Since childhood you and Elizabeth had a good relationship with each other.  You played together and cared for one another, never separated.  Secretly you began to have a crush on your cousin.  When you heard the news that she was going to merry Jerry, you were unhappy and wanted to discuss the situation with Eric, hoping Elizabeth marry to you instead of Jerry.  You told Eric that you are crazy in love with Elizabeth and she is the only one girl you will ever love.  But your cold-blood grandfather disagreed.  So you schemed to have him murdered.
     That day afternoon, about 3 o'clock, you noticed Eric was on the deck viewing the sea.  You went to him, having a conversation regarding Elizabeth.  He refused your marriage proposal to Elizabeth and started satirized you.  You can't endure him any more, so you corrupted and stabbed him once into the heart with a knife you prepared for.  Afterward, you carried him into his room and cleaned up the blood that was on the deck.

Act One:
     You need to stole Jerry's rose, which is on Jerry's suit.  And then place it at the murder scene.  In order to let other people suspect Jerry.
 
Act Two:
     You also killed Michael.  In the morning of Dec.3, one day after Eric dead, you tried to throw the murder weapon away.  Unfortunately, Michael spotted you, so you killed him.  Now, you should find a chance to turn off the light and stab yourself with knife.  You should do it when everybody stay together.  (Do it after Act Two)

Donna Jackson 27 female:
Public Background:
     You are Machael's wife and the older sister of Elizabeth.  You had little education and not smart as Elizabeth.  You envy your sister a lot because she is smarter than you and your grandfather likes her the most.

Secret Background:
     You know your aunt anxiously waits for Eric die, and inherit the Jackson's corporation.  You also have the same idea as her.  Beside, you must have to get the money in order to pay the debt which your husband borrowed.  You don't like him now, and want to divorce with him.  But he said, he won't leave you unless you pay the debts.  You have a lover now, you love him very much and want to marry him as soon as possible.

Act One:
     You were always suspect Jerry's background, so you hired a detective to find out his background.  You found out that his father's company was ruined by Eric.  Reveal this!

Act Two:
     After you quarreled with Michael on the morning of Dec.3, you were very angry and went to find Elizabeth.  On your way to Elizabeth's room, you saw Jerry on the deck.  Reveal this!

Michael Phillips 30 male
Public Background: 
     You are Eric's grandson-in-law, the husband of Donna.  You are not a good man, you like gambling and own a sum of debt now.  You play for living and rely on Donna for living expenses.     

Secret Background:
     You married Donna because of her money.  When you discovered that Donna was Eric's granddaughter, you went after her.  Even though, you've been married for 5 years, you still don't love her.  You just waiting for Eric to die, so you can use the inheritance money to pay your debt.  Nowadays, you noticed that Donna has a unfair,  you told her unless she pay all your debts or you would never divorce with her.

Act One:
    Once, Andrew came looking for you and spitting out his sorrow to you.  Andrew told you how he dislike Eric's attitude toward him.  He also said that he is just waiting Eric's death and taking his seat at the corporation.
Act Two:
     You had a quarrel with Donna on the morning of Dec.3, because of your debts.  Then you walked out of your room and went to the deck.  You saw Alex threw something into the ocean, and then he came to you and killed you.  You dead!

Tom Wily 68 male
Public Background:
     You are the butler for the Jackson's family.  You worked for the Jackson's family since you were 20 years old.  You had a good relationship with Eric.  If Eric had something on his mind, he always discussed it with you.  You are the first person who discover the murder scene.  You were just passing by Eric's room and noticed the door was open, so you went in and found Eric was lying there.

Secret Background:
      When Eric was still alive, he always told you that he knew all his relatives were waiting for his dead, except Elizabeth.  He also told you that he was the one who ruined Jerry's father and his company.   When you noticed Eric died in his room, you went over to see if you can save him.  At that moment, you noticed a stem of rose was in Eric's hand.  You picked up it and placed it in your pocket and went to the restaurant to seek for help.

Act One:
     You take the rose out and introduce it to people, and tell everybody where it come from.

Act Two:
     One time when you were cleaning up Alex's room, you noticed the ladies in his paintings were all Elizabeth and there were a stack of letters addressed to Elizabeth.
Please, reveal this!

After Act Two------
     On the morning of Dec.3 everybody was waking up by a sharp scream from Jerry, then they rushed to the deck.  Michael was assassinated on the deck.  It also seem to stabbed by a knife.  But no weapon was found at the crime of the murder scene. 
     In order to prevent more homicide may happen, all the people who on the boat were  gathered together in the dining room.  But suddenly, the light went off, and Alex's leg was stabbed with knife.  But at this time, the murder weapon was at the murder scene.  Alex quote that he didn't recognize who the killer was because it was too dark.


The killer is ----------Alex
     I love Elizabeth very much.  She is the only one girl who I love.  I can't stand back and watch her marring Jerry.  In order to wed Elizabeth, I begged Eric several times.  Not only did Eric refuse, he satirized me and my father.  He said we are the flea of the Jackson's family.  Eric also said that he regretted having Maria married to my father, the loser.  So he could not let Elizabeth marry me.  I believed that in order to get what I want, I must have killed Eric.  I afraid that I would be suspected by other people, I had stolen a rose from Jerry and placed it at the murder scene.  And with the murder weapon, I plan to throw it into the ocean, but it was spotted by Michael.  I killed him, too.


         ----------------------  The end-------------------------