Devonshire Manor Murder Mystery
The Devonshire Manor is an 18th-century mansion built by the Devonshire family. In their day, the Devonshires were beloved and treated as royalty, as they owned more than half of the town. The last remaining Devonshire lineage passed away in the early 1900s, leaving the estate in the hands of the Pinehorn citizens.
The property has exquisite architectural features, albeit weathered throughout the years. Weeds and high grass have replaced the flowering shrubs and ornamental trees that once adorned the grounds. The townspeople have neglected to keep up with the manor, mostly due to the legend that the Devonshires still roam the corridors at night.
The mayor of Pinehorn has made it her quest to clean up the estate and have it declared a historical landmark. She believes that the manor can generate tourism as a bed and breakfast. Most of the townspeople stand behind her, although some are adamantly against her pursuit as they believe the estate is haunted and should be left alone.
The mayor is hosting a fundraiser bash for the townspeople of Pinehorn at the manor. She hopes to raise enough funds for her remodeling endeavors. You have been invited to attend the event. This is where your story begins.
need some'n to wear?
Invited Guests
DAKOTA GREEN
College Student
Dakota Green is the nerdy math major at Pinehorn University. There isn’t an equation this brainiac hasn’t conquered or created. Not much for idle chit chat with friends, Dakota spends time at the library reading books about historical mathematicians. Most people say that Dakota isn't much fun to be around. Dakota's not known for honesty or integrity, either. Dakota doesn't bother caring about what people say, as there isn’t much that Dakota cares about besides mathematical equations.
Dakota is a huge fan of the band Armpit Anguish. Rumor has it that there is a shrine of the band's memorabilia set up in a curio cabinet in Dakota's home. The band's manager has threatened to file a restraining order on Dakota for hanging around their practice facility in the parking lot.
Dakota has been sick for nearly a month with the flu that has rampaged the town of Pinehorn. Some don't want Dakota to attend the fundraiser at the manor for fear of Dakota spreading the virus to others. However, Dakota doesn't care enough about others to stay home in quarantine.
Dakota earns money from student loans and is a participant in a work study program. Dakota also has a continuous 'Fund Me' page, and arranges fundraising car washes on the weekends to make extra money. Needless to say, Dakota struggles financially.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Casual, nerdy attire. Hair in a nerdy style (i.e. slick back, etc.). White socks, dark shoes and optional to have a calculator as a prop.
ASHTON HARVEY
Website Designer
Ashton Harvey is a dedicated friend and hard working website designer. Ashton has designed websites for most businesses in the town of Pinehorn. The townspeople often call upon Ashton for help with anything computer related.
Ashton is the sibling of Reese Harvey. They live together and spend most of their free time playing video games. Ashton often complains about Reese being in a cranky mood, but Reese ignores Ashton unless they both have a game controller in their hands.
Ashton isn't happy with being a website designer, as the career path isn't going to lead to owning vacation houses in top destinations around the globe or a million followers on Twitter. Ashton often fantasizes about being a politician, a sports or rock star, or anything that pays well and could give Ashton fame. Ashton doesn't know how to get famous but is trying everything under the sun, such as running for city council, applying to be on reality shows, and even begging celebrities on social media for attention.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Casual attire.
PARKER TANKUS
Guitarist
Parker Tankus is the antisocial guitarist for the band Armpit Anguish. Parker suffers from severe anger management issues and is extremely judgmental of others. These nasty qualities tend to anger not only the members of the band, but also anybody that is around Parker for more than two minutes. Parker also suffers from an intense fear of germs so getting too close to Parker is out of the question!
Parker has been vocal about not trusting Dr. Furen Feathers, a veterinarian who moved to the town of Pinehorn not too long ago. Parker admits to having trust issues, but something about this doc doesn't sit well, so Parker has written negative reviews about Dr. Feathers all over the internet - on social media, and other review-based sites.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Skintight brightly colored leggings, rock t-shirt, glam rock hair&makeup, and it is optional to have a guitar (real or fake) as a prop.
DR. FUREN FEATHERS
Veterinarian, Pinehorn Pet Center
Furen Feathers is the most annoying one-upper in the town of Pinehorn. If you’ve done, said, or tried anything cool, Furen Feathers has done it more often, said it already, and tried it three times. Furen Feathers is new to Pinehorn, and not many people know the real Dr. Feathers.
Parker Tankus has openly campaigned for the citizens of Pinehorn to stop bringing their pets to the newly-opened Pinehorn Pet Center. Dr. Feathers has defended that Parker is a stressed out rock star and shouldn't be taken seriously.
Since moving to town only two months ago, Dr. Feathers has been openly critical about others in town, such as the registrar of Pinehorn University for not accepting qualified candidates, Ashton Harvey's websites, and has accused Dakota Green of stalking the band Armpit Anguish. Maybe a new vet in town shouldn't be so hostile and judgmental of others? Dr. Feathers must have taken a class in college about how to grow a client base and keep customers happy.
Dr. Feathers hired Reese Harvey as a personal trainer after moving to town, but after five sessions, this doc canned Reese and made an official complaint to the manager of the gym. Furen complained about Reese's aggressive attitude and warned that Reese is unstable.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Lab jacket or scrubs. Optional to have a stethoscope and latex examination gloves.
PEYTON CROWNLY
Dental Receptionist
Peyton Crownly is the peculiar receptionist at Pinehorn Dental, the only dental practice in the town of Pinehorn. A constant whistler, Peyton Crownly will always grace you with uncomfortable stares and periods of awkward silence during conversation. Unless you want to neglect your dental health or drive an hour away from town, you’ll eventually have to deal with this bizarre individual. Peyton also creates peculiar sculptures and is making quite the name as an artist in town.
Peyton often posts negative comments on social media about the band Armpit Anguish. Peyton is anything but a fan of that group, and refers to Parker Tankus as a silly ninny muggins. Peyton posted recently that the lead singer sounds like a fighting alley cat, and the drummer and bass guitarist aren't as talented as tired toddlers with toy instruments. To date, the band has given Peyton no attention.
Peyton has purchased luxurious items which seem suspicious for a person with a lower-level income to be able to afford. Many people in town have whispered that Peyton is finding a way to supplement the receptionist salary. Peyton creates massive, life-sized sculptures upon order, but for the low prices the customer's pay - there can't be much profit to be made when the materials are considered.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Lab jacket or scrubs. Optional to have a name tag with ‘Pinehorn Dental’ and new containers of dental floss, toothbrushes, etc.
JACKIE BEAN
Chief Financial Officer
Jackie Bean is the Chief Financial Officer at the largest corporation in town, Greeto Lay Potato Chips, which employs over half the townspeople of Pinehorn. Jackie is a friendly person but often rants about governmental conspiracies. Jackie’s fellow employees often speculate that Jackie wraps foil around windows, antennae of appliances and vehicles, or anything else to prevent the government from spying.
Jackie is a personal friend of the mayor of Pinehorn. Many people are upset, as Jackie is the one who suggested the prices of the tickets to the fundraising event at the manor be $250.00. Jackie argues that this is a fundraiser, so any amount is appropriate if people are willing to pay it. The party was sold out, so Jackie seems to be right with the price.
Jackie is on a campaign to make the city of Pinehorn a travel destination. Jackie has spent countless hours writing travel bloggers and creating a campaign to advertise the town as a travel hotspot. Jackie ultimately wants to bring more money to the potato chip factory through tourists by creating expensive tours through the facility. Many of the townspeople have whispered that touring such a place does not sound like enough fun to draw tourists, but Jackie refuses to listen.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Casual business attire (i.e. oxford shirt, pants) with reading glasses. Optional to have a business ledger and a calculator. Aluminum foil as an optional prop.
REESE HARVEY
Personal Trainer
Reese Harvey is the muscle-bound personal trainer from Pinehorn Athletic Training Center. Reese loves to talk about one thing only – Reese Harvey. Reese spends a lot of time playing video games with Ashton Harvey. Reese was a notorious high school bully many years ago. Unlucky townspeople witness this type of behavior manifest when Reese is told no.
Reese has been unhappy lately, especially in the mornings. Ashton, who lives with Reese, doesn't understand how anyone with a job that gets to work out at a gym all day could be in a foul mood. Reese is critical of Ashton and often bashes him/her to others in town. However, Reese has exhibited family loyalty when anyone tries to say something negative about Ashton.
Days ago, Reese's long-time significant other broke up with a callous text message. Reese has been hostile and angry ever since and has even lost clients at the gym. Ashton is worried that Reese will do something untoward, as Reese has been acting increasingly unstable.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Workout attire. Optional to bring workout rubber bands and business cards for Pinehorn Athletic Training Center.
RILEY CORALS
Retired Fisherman
Riley Corals is the arrogant and aggressive retired angler. Riley Corals owns the only marina in town and charges enormous rates to dock boats there. Nobody receives an invite to the Coral’s mansion on the hill, and the curious townspeople often wonder what Riley is hiding.
The Corals family is known for being introverted, generation after generation. They've always been a gossip topic, as their refusal to host any parties or events in one of the biggest mansions in town has raised a fair share of eyebrows. Not known for being charitable, Riley Corals wouldn't even purchase a box of Girl Scout cookies to help out today's youth.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Casual attire with a fisherman’s vest (with pockets for lures, etc.) Optional to wear a captain’s hat and have fishing lures (no hooks) as props.
LOGAN ANTHONY
University Registrar
Logan Anthony is the bossy registrar at Pinehorn University. Logan has a shady past, as Logan was an infamous tyrant during high school along with Reese Harvey. Logan’s reputation hasn’t improved much over the years. Logan spends the days finding ways to reject the applications of potential students of the university.
Logan explains that Pinehorn University has the potential to become one of the famous Ivy League institutions, and that it will all start with increasing the mandatory qualifications of the candidates for admission. Logan goes above and beyond when reviewing applicants, and Logan's acceptance percentage is the lowest of Logan's counterparts at other universities.
Logan and Furen Feathers have recently gotten into a public spat on social media about Logan's strict admissions policies. Dr. Feathers stated that Logan is not being fair to future students by not allowing them to attend the university when their SAT scores, high school GPA, and class ranking was well above the stated minimums for admission. Furen says Logan is a bully on a power trip.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Casual business attire (sweater, pants). Hair and makeup (if female) slightly outrageous. Optional to bring recruiting materials for Pinehorn University.
DREW ADEL
Social Media Consultant
Drew Adel is the highly intellectual social media consultant. A dependable hard worker, Drew's a true and loyal friend. Drew's behavior is a tad obsessive, but some people appreciate Drew’s attention to detail. Drew can be off-putting at times with blunt honesty.
Drew is a self-proclaimed super fan of Armpit Anguish, and makes plenty of favorable posts on social media in support of the band and Parker Tankus.
Drew is also a Zoombot Fitness Instructor at the Pinehorn Recreation Center. Drew is known for trying to poach Reese Harvey's clients from the gym by sitting in the parking lot and handing out flyers for free classes. Reese has asked Drew multiple times to stop, and has recently had the manager of the gym banish Drew from the property. That didn't stop Drew, for Drew posted up at the entrance to the parking lot to pass out flyers and spread the word about the Zoombot classes.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Casual attire (tshirt, jeans). Smart phone with access to social media sites (i.e. Facebook. Twitter, etc.) as an optional prop.
OFFICER NELSON
Police Officer
This crabby introvert has sworn to protect and serve the people of Pinehorn. Surprisingly, Officer Nelson is one of the most highly-decorated officers at the Pinehorn Police Department. One likely scenario is that Officer Nelson has simply intimidated everybody at the station, as everybody does as they are told by Officer Nelson. Officer Nelson is rarely seen without fellow officers buzzing about.
Officer Nelson will be the first to tell you that s/he is a superhero that is solely responsible for the low crime rates in Pinehorn. Not one to share credit, this lawmaker will boast about being the one to intimidate potential criminals into not committing crimes.
People who work at the station have claimed that Officer Nelson even bullies the police chief into doing whatever is needed to boost the officer's career and make him/her shine in the spotlight. The mayor of Pinehorn gave Officer Nelson the key to the city in a ceremony after Officer Nelson reportedly saved the mayor's cat from a tree. Rumor has it that Officer Nelson wasn't even present when the cat was rescued, but nobody is brave enough to tell the mayor.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Police uniform. Optional to have fake guns, handcuffs, as props.
POLICE OFFICER
Pinehorn Police Department
The Pinehorn Police Department is known for efficiency and loyalty. Most of the officers think of each other as an extended family, and are often seen together when they are off-duty.
Everyone allows Officer Nelson to take the leadership role in the group, but that might be due to Officer Nelson's overbearing personality - not because of extraordinary leadership skills. Some have said off-record that they cannot wait until Officer Nelson does something corrupt that will knock the bully lawmaker off the high horse.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Police uniform. Optional to have fake guns, handcuffs, as props.
PAT COURIC
Reporter, CBC News
Pat Couric is always on top of the latest story and sometimes before the story happens! Pat’s an ambitious investigative reporter for the CBC television station and will stop at nothing to be first to get the scoop. Pat is rarely seen without a troupe of colleagues from CBC News.
Pat Couric has been lingering around Pinehorn's newest veterinarian, Dr. Furen Feathers. Pat has asked around, but nobody seems to know anything about Furen's background.
Pat's news crew often complains behind Pat's back about Pat requiring them to work seven days per week. Pat is demanding and calls everyone into work for no reason, most of the time. Pat is desperate to get a story since RBC News has been touted at the primary source of the news in Pinehorn. Pat's job is in jeopardy!
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Casual business attire (i.e. oxford shirt, pants). An optional microphone and notepad as props.
CBC NEWS CREW
Camera operators, Audio Techs, Gaffers, Director, Producers
The News Crews at CBC are the hardest working film crew in the industry. Pat Couric will stop at nothing to get the scoop, and so the crew must work seven days per week and be on call for anything.
Thus far, they haven't shown signs of being disgruntled, as they have been promised by Pat to have a higher-paying position when Pat gets a promotion. Pat is very loyal to the crew.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Casual attire - black t-shirt, black pants. Any kind of filming gear (i.e. clipboard, etc.) as optional props.
