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Qrr posted:Also Jessica gets scolded for swearing a lot and I don't actually see her swear. I wonder if that's a translation issue. Like, "How could she tell a lie? Mom's innocent!! Why would she lie!!"" features no language to watch. It is indeed a translation issue, as explained in the game-adjacent Grimoire entries:  Japanese doesn't really have swear words in the sense that English does - instead it has, like, swear conjugation. So, it doesn't always translate well.
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Oct 3, 2016 18:58
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Oh I so enjoy this speculation. Not that I know the answer ether. My guess would also be he is still in the room
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Oct 3, 2016 19:17
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ProfessorProf posted:It is indeed a translation issue, as explained in the game-adjacent Grimoire entries: Yeah, it's less that she's cursing up a storm and more that she's talking like a stereotypical Japanese delinquent. EDIT: To keep relevant with the topic at hand: vector_to posted:No hidden passage, huh? Then what about a passage that isn't hidden? Has the window been denied? ProfessorProf posted:
The window was explicitly mentioned as a potential exit when the existence of hidden exits was denied. My theory: Nobody actually saw Eva place the receipt or saw it fall; all we have is her word that it wasn't moved between when it was placed and when it was discovered and discarded. There is no other options aside from Natsuhi if all the statements listed are true, but we don't have definitive proof that all the statements are true. Sadly, I get the feeling that Umineko runs on Japanifornian Law rules as opposed to any rules that imply reasonable doubt. KataraniSword fucked around with this message at 19:38 on Oct 3, 2016 |
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Oct 3, 2016 19:26
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KataraniSword posted:
Knox's Commandments regarding detective/mystery works are generally in effect for Umineko, so that shouldn't be a problem. I think there are a few violations or flat out ignored ones over the entirety of the work, but it's mostly solvable if you very carefully piece it together. It's just really bloody hard. On a side note, will you see about getting the [color][/color] tag enabled for the thread, ProfessorProf, either now or starting during episode 2? Or just ignore it as that may tempt previous players to get a bit too revealing?
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Oct 3, 2016 20:11
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Lord Koth posted:On a side note, will you see about getting the [color][/color] tag enabled for the thread, ProfessorProf, either now or starting during episode 2? Or just ignore it as that may tempt previous players to get a bit too revealing? I didn't realize this was a thing I could do. Do I just annoy a mod about it?
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Oct 3, 2016 20:24
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ProfessorProf posted:I didn't realize this was a thing I could do. Do I just annoy a mod about it? I honestly have no clue. I was just running off of this line in the BBCode description. "Again, these tags are only available when buying a custom title or where otherwise specifally stated." Presumably that means there are some other situations aside from custom titles where it's allowed, but I could be wrong in it ever being allowed for a normal thread.
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Oct 3, 2016 20:30
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Failing that, you could just use formatting [ like this ] and [ like this ] or offset them with some smilies or emoji  like this .
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Oct 3, 2016 21:18
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Or do it like Shiny did and simply use screenshots every time.
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Oct 3, 2016 21:21
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I have plans in place for whether or not color is OK'd for the thread. We probably shouldn't talk about why it's an issue.
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Oct 3, 2016 21:25
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If there was ever a time for a functional use of the it was this thread.
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Oct 3, 2016 22:08
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I suppose the other thing we need to wonder about is whether or not what we actually see in game when Battler isn't present can be relied upon. For all we know what we see is an unreliable narration or a fiction to held muddle the mystery. Eva could well be correct that Natsuhi had something to do with the disappearance after all. Should it be taken that whatever we see in the game is what actually happened Prof?
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Oct 3, 2016 22:40
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JohnOfOrdo3 posted:Should it be taken that whatever we see in the game is what actually happened Prof? If you don't take the events as having happened, then any sort of bizarre reasoning is possible. Such a game couldn't be called a mystery.
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Oct 3, 2016 22:53
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ProfessorProf posted:If you don't take the events as having happened, then any sort of bizarre reasoning is possible. Such a game couldn't be called a mystery. Even stuff like the golden butterflies that Shannon saw? That'd confirm that the supernatural is definitely involved and there wouldn't be a mystery, just a literal witch hunt.
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Oct 3, 2016 23:18
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It's episode 1. Be patient. Those who know things past episode 1, stop talking about them.
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Oct 3, 2016 23:19
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All the information you need to understand the story is contained within the story. You are free to interpret it however you wish.
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Oct 3, 2016 23:24
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  I think based on some of the images we've seen already we have reason to believe in magic. oath2order fucked around with this message at 04:23 on Oct 4, 2016 |
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Oct 4, 2016 02:08
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Ah, yeah, that's part of an entire series of images making fun of the PS2 version's sometimes spewed perspectives, but a lot of the others are spoilers.
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Oct 4, 2016 03:40
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"Battler" posted:Ha! After thinking this way, I really want to tell that bastard to stop taking me so lightly. Who would just dance to that tune? If you're told 'Please be scared', you can't just say 'Really? Sure thing!' Battler is honestly a really great character. "Battler" posted:I joined up with a little gang of kids trying to form a Earth Defense Force, saying we'd help protect peace on earth. My face turns red when I remember how, during what we called battle practice, we would chant EDF! EDF! Like, seriously.
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Oct 4, 2016 05:46
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Whoa I never even noticed that EDF reference. E: oh and I got reminded: Guess what day it is today! 
Bholder fucked around with this message at 11:23 on Oct 4, 2016 |
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Oct 4, 2016 11:10
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  "Ridiculous. After all, detective novels are just entertainment novels! You can only think of such an indiscreet idea because you read them all the time!" "That's right!! Even if she tried to fake the time of death a little, all of that would be blown away in an instant once the police did their autopsy!! It might been effective in the past, but do you really think that kind of trick would work in modern Japan?! Are you insane?!" "...You think so? This morning, when Doctor Nanjo looked at the corpses, he was only able to give a vague estimate of the time of death, right? It would be very easy to influence the results of the autopsy by messing around with the corpses' surroundings. It's a very relative estimate with an uncertainty of several hours. And, unfortunately, the police's scientific investigation will have to wait until tomorrow. Measuring the correct time of death after that, even in modern Japan like you said, wouldn't be that easy, right? Right, Doctor Nanjo...?" "...An autopsy requires both experience and instinct, and is an extremely difficult task... I have heard that there is a high chance of a wrong diagnosis... It's definitely possible that, in many cases, a misreading of a few hours can occur..." "...However, for an alibi, that's more than enough! It's an old trick! It's a trick that works well enough! Natsuhi nee-san. It's not like we want to suspect you, alright? We just want you to prove your innocence so we don't have to suspect you." BGM: Nighteyes  "...Maybe Father's body won't appear somewhere? Normally, a person has to be missing for seven years before they're officially dead. Wouldn't that be a clever way to extend Father's nearly finished life another seven years and keep all of his wealth for yourself!" "I, I can't let you get away with saying that!! I can't let you get away with saying any more!! I am Ushiromiya Natsuhi!! Although I do not have the right to wear the One-winged Eagle on my body, it is certainly engraved on my heart!! What do you think you're saying to the wife of Krauss, successor to the head, and the person who will act as such in his place!!!" "What's this? Are you going to shoot me with that gun? Go ahead. And if you shoot?! You're just desperate because you can't think of a way out, right?! Do it, just try to obscure the truth with violence...!!" "Y... you!!!!"It wasn't like aunt Natsuhi had been actually holding that gun at the ready and threatening anyone. But after she was told to by aunt Eva, she did hold it at the ready! Unsurprisingly, once things got to this stage, Jessica and Genji-san tried to stop her.  "...Calm down, Natsuhi-san. Wouldn't everything be fine it you just swear that Father was definitely in that room? Why are you getting so distracted over that...?" "...Th, that's right. Natsuhi-san isn't lying. Isn't that the end of it...?" "Then I want you to explain. How did Father manage to disappear from the room? The window was closed tight from the inside. The same was true for the door, right? This morning, if you really met with Father, then you must explain how Father disappeared from this 'unopened door' closed room scenario. If you don't, that would mean that you are lying after all, right?" "How far do you plan to mock me...!!!?" "If you want to argue back, go ahead!! That's right, try explaining it right here, right now. After that, I can apologize to you for doubting you. How did Father manage to get out from that closed room!!?" "I can't explain that so it's unnecessary!!" "Really? Then let me explain it. We'll take the best parts from my perspective and yours, and come up with a more friendly explanation! I'll believe that, like you said, Father was still in his room this morning. However, the next time the door was opened, Father wasn't there. You don't have any objections so far, right?" "I have no desire to listen to anything more you have to say!! Shut your frivolous mouth!!" "Y----, YOUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!" "Madam, please, endure it...!!" "Eva-sama, please stop this...!!" "After that, when you left and said you were going to check the doors and windows, you took Father's corpse, which had fallen in the courtyard, and hid it! That was probably when you took some measures to fake the time of death, right?!" "This ties in with the case regardin' Krauss nii-san and the rest, and also the case regardin' Beatrice last night! There's an extremely good chance that Natsuhi-san is suspicious in those cases... Normally, I wouldn't want to say this. But now that it's out in the open, there's nothin' else I can do...! Please, Natsuhi nee-san! Please explain how you can be innocent!! Otherwise, I can't help but doubt you...!!" "Why me!!? Why must I, Ushiromiya Natsuhi, be insulted like thiiiiiiiiiiis!!!" BGM: Core   "...Wh, ...what do you mean 'useless', Battler..."Jessica looked up at me, hanging on to my every word. Aunt Eva's expression was composed as always. "...Useless, you say? What is? Battler-kun. Tell me." "If you only look at it from one angle, then you'd be stuck thinking that it had to be aunt Natsuhi. It's not like I'm defending her, but that won't be good enough for a clear checkmate." "I think basing the whole theory off of that receipt is passable. It's not a bad thread of logic. But I'd only give it a grade of 65 at best. If this were an exam, that'd be bad enough to get you extra lessons in detention, right? Ihihi!" "...Oh my. Well, how would you break through a door sealed by a receipt, and make Father disappear? Other than by my theory?!" "Aunt Eva's theory's really interesting. And if you could show that there was no way to make Grandfather disappear other than yours, then you would probably prove that the last person to see him, aunt Natsuhi, had to be responsible." "However, since there still is a possibility that she is innocent, and that these accusations are false, you can't make that claim!!" "...Hmm. Then, Battler-kun, are you saying that someone other than Natsuhi nee-san made Grandfather disappear? It would be impossible for anyone else to do it. My receipt proved that, right? After the first time she visited that study, and until the second time when we visited it together, the study was a perfect closed room, and when the seal was broken on the closed room, he was already missing! If this doesn't prove that she was the culprit, what kind of trick could they have used?!" "Like I said, aunt Eva, only 65 points. So, let's try 'turning the chessboard over', shall we? It's not about how they managed to make Grandfather disappear from the outside. Think about how Grandfather disappeared from the inside." "The door had the receipt stuck in it, so it couldn't have been used. He also couldn't have gone through the window, because you can't lock it from the outside, and when aunt Eva visited the study, she checked to make sure it was locked. So the window also wasn't used. At that point, the study really was a closed room. We have to accept this! However, the study didn't remain a closed room forever. Once the seal created by the receipt was removed, it would also be possible for someone to escape by the door." "...In other words, it's not about how aunt Natsuhi made Grandfather disappear. We need to think about how he was able to escape!!" "Aunt Eva, even you didn't check that far right? And then the two of you went back down the stairs, thinking that he wasn't there." "At that time, the receipt was already gone! In other words, if Grandfather was hiding in his room the whole time when it was a closed room, and escaped after letting the two of you go past him, we can crack this closed room right open!!" "Wh, what is this!? Why would Father want to do something that weird and then escape the room?! Don't be so absurd!" "Yeah, it might be absurd. However, it still shows that the there is a possibility that aunt Natsuhi is being accused falsely. Your receipt wasn't perfect. In chess, we might call that check, but it isn't checkmate!!" "And the thing that I like least is your argument, pressuring aunt Natsuhi to explain it, and then claiming that, if she doesn't, she must be guilty! If you're asking me to let that slide, then why don't you let me, Ushiromiya Battler turn the chessboard over one more time!!" "You've been trying to force aunt Natsuhi to explain. I'm sure you can prove your own innocence, right?! Aunt Eva, who's had all of Grandfather's wealth suddenly plopped down right into her hands!!" "Th, that's right, you are suspicious enough yourself, aren't you!!? If you say Mom's suspicious because she was the last person to see him, then what about you, aunt Eva, who were the last person to see Dad and the rest?!! Just like Battler said, prove that you two weren't the ones that killed them!!" "...Mother, I also think that your reasoning was a little overeager. I'm sure that the receipt was an important hint. But, like Battler-kun said, that's not enough to prove that aunt Natsuhi is this culprit. I think everyone's equally suspicious. It's not right for only aunt Natsuhi to be persecuted." "O, our great Father, crawling under his bed? You call nonsense like that an explanation?!" Jessica suddenly started coughing. At first I thought that she was just choking after yelling too loud, but before long, I realized how painful it looked... Jessica kept coughing and choking, down on her hands and knees... "Jessica, get a hold of yourself...!! Doctor Nanjo...!" "...Jessica-san, your inhaler, quickly. No wait, I have one with me."Doctor Nanjo pulled a bronchodilator inhaler from his own bag, which was lying on the sofa, and handed it to Jessica. Come to think of it, six years ago, didn't Jessica sometimes break into violent coughing and have to use that...? However, six years ago, I had never seen Jessica look like she was in this much pain.   "*cough* *cough*!! Uu-, ga-*COUGH* *coughcough*!! *kofkof*, *kofkof*!!" "...Milady, your medicine. Here..." "...Nnn, ...*coughcough*!!"Taking the inhaler from Kanon-kun, Jessica used it with a practiced hand. It looked like her throat would still itch for a while, but she had it under control...  "Are you alright, Jessica...? You scared me..." "...It's no big deal. Don't worry about it..."Beads of sweat covered Jessica's whole body and she couldn't hide her rough breathing, but it looked like her sudden attack had calmed down for now... This disturbance had made the dangerous atmosphere up until now seem slightly unfocused. But that was fine. That kind of battle of mutual suspicion was completely unnecessary. When you think about it, even finding alibis for each other and looking for the culprit was probably unnecessary. After all, we're just powerless, ordinary people, and when the police come tomorrow, they'll definitely employ cutting edge techniques and investigate the case thoroughly, solving all of the riddles and arresting the culprit...   "...But don't you want to know too, Battler-kun? Who the culprit is? Don't you want to let them know the pain you feel from losing someone precious to you, as soon as possible?" "...I won't deny that. Even one day would be too long to let the wonderful bastard who's behind this go." "...But that doesn't mean that I want to doubt one of the 18. Even though I said what I said earlier, I don't even want to doubt you, aunt Eva. To me, you are an awesome aunt who's always fun, if a little playful." "I don't want to trade insults with an aunt like that. I wouldn't want to do that with anyone here. Right? Everyone?" "I feel the same way as Battler-kun. It's pointless to trade insults. It's probably just the stress built up because so many people have been crammed in one place since morning." "That is true. It is not surprising... I know I have no right to say it, but I think everyone should relax..." "...Eva. I also think we should cool our heads. The receipt is certainly an important clue in searchin' for Father's whereabouts. We should tell the police about it when they come..." "...That's right. Right. I just felt a little triumphant when I figured out that part with the receipt. Of course it isn't fair to only doubt Natsuhi nee-san, right? I'm just as suspicious."  "..."Aunt Eva and uncle Hideyoshi stood up. It looked like they planned on leaving the parlor.  "In the end, it's pointless for us to continue playing detectives. After all, the police will reveal everything in the end anyways."...That's right. Even if we don't play this detective game, the typhoon will pass, and when those lively seagulls return to the harbor, everything will settle itself. If you think about it, this kind of crime is completely trivial.   "...Natsuhi nee-san, I'll take it that you don't want to see my face anymore? I feel the same. If I remember correctly, yesterday, you had some rooms prepared for us in the mansion so that we wouldn't need to go back to the guesthouse, right? There should be a bath and a toilet there, as well as a lock and a chain to secure the door. There's even a bed to lie on, and my husband will be able to watch TV without having to fight with Maria-chan over which channel to watch, okay?" "...Do whatever you want... But make sure to be cautious." "Thank you, Nee-san... And mind your own business. I'll be counting on you to keep an eye on everyone, alright? Because the culprit is definitely here. And Nee-san, make sure you don't forget to keep an eye on yourself, too." "...Haven't you made enough parting remarks?" "...Yes, that's enough. See you, Natsuhi nee-san. Genji-san, we'll call for you when it's dinnertime. Until then, we'll lock ourselves in with the chain." "..." "...Genji, Kanon. Escort them to the guest room." "We'll be fine. I hate shady escorts. In fact, I would be more comfortable if nobody left this room until we reach ours. Let's go, George." "...I'll stay here with everyone." "George! The culprit is in this room. Do you plan on staying in a place like that...?!" "...Leaving this room would be the same as suspecting one of my relatives. I...can't believe that anyone in our family is capable of something that horrible." "George...! Even you're saying it...!" "George is already an adult man. If his code tells him not to leave this room, then it's up to him. Let him do what he wants..." "...Father..."Aunt Eva and uncle Hideyoshi left.  Feeling bored, I started clawing at my head when Maria and I made eye contact. Since I had thought she was completely immersed in the TV, I was a little surprised.  "...I believe it now." "Uu-...?" "The letter, the murders, everything. It was all Beatrice... No, actually I was hoping that someone would come out and say that was true. I want it to be the work of a 19th person. Otherwise, the 18 of us will have to keep on doubting each other... I think believing in a 19th person is better than that..." "..." "...Bringing Grandfather outside without opening the doors or windows must be a piece of cake for Beatrice, right...?"Maria, after taking a single, short breath, hung her head, and then raised her face again.  "...That's right. Kihihihihihihihi, locking a door is useless against a witch. Beatrice is familiar with all 72 demons. The 33rd ranked, Gaap, gives the power to instantly carry the desired person to any location. To her, taking a person out of any closed room isn't hard at all, you see? Kihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihi..." "Witches sure are incredible. Tell her, if she feels like committing another crime, to do it in a way that no human could... and make me believe that a 19th person... no, a witch, exists." "...Kihihi. Alright. If I meet her, I'll tell her."Crap... Nothing's made sense to me for a while now... Just when I want to believe in a 19th person, I deny it, and just when I want to believe that there are only 18 people, I deny that too. Even though I wish that there were more than just the 18 people here, I couldn't accept the existence of that 19th person.  However, it's impossible for there to be anything after the decimal point. You shouldn't be able to show the number of people with anything but an integer. And yet, 19>X>18. How do you explain the fraction less than 1...!  That witch cannot be seen. Because Beatrice has no body. Therefore, she is invisible. 
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Oct 4, 2016 13:36
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Happy Rokkenjima day! 30 years ago at this moment, the Ushiromiya siblings were arguing into the night about inheritance and hidden gold.
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Oct 4, 2016 13:37
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Oct 4, 2016 19:15
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Does that make today Beatrice's 1030th birthday? Cause if so you gotta admit girl aged well. On a more practical note, what does the thread make of the idea of a theoretical 19th person? Do we accept that there are only 18 people on the island? If so, will any characters be added to the story as the episodes go on? oath2order fucked around with this message at 19:36 on Oct 4, 2016 |
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Oct 4, 2016 19:33
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Looks like we were right, either he hid in the room or left via the window. I imagine we're going to see more characters in future eps, but as for whether there's a 19th person right now, I'm not so sure. So far, there's no need for one, right? You can explain the events up until now with 18 people, and there hasn't been any hint of a 19th person outside of the 'witch', which can be explained away by the servants being irresponsible and indulging Maria. If we do get evidence of a 19th person though, it would make all of this a lot easier to solve.
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Oct 4, 2016 20:46
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Of course, if you DO go with the idea that this theoretical 19th person exists, is there a reason the count cannot go even higher? Perhaps a 20th person, or a 21st? Why stop there, perhaps there are really 30 people on the island? Prove me wrong. 
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Oct 4, 2016 21:27
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It's hard to say; I'll admit to not being great at figuring out mystery novels before its explained, but I do feel like a piece is missing... Although I don't think that piece is a 19th person. I'm not yet convinced that "Beatrice" isn't just superstition and trickery, possibly even by one of the "dead" with a fully destroyed face... although that could be overcomplicating things, but so does the existence of a literal witch... Eva is probably the most suspicious? Natsuhi is pretty suspect too, but Eva's aggression over the receipt makes her the bigger suspect. I don't know; my knowledge of the Seacats mystery was incomplete to begin with, and I'd forgotten most of these details. Gotta rebuild my theories from the ground up!
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Oct 4, 2016 22:12
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Let's face it. Kinzo would totally hide from Eva just to screw with her.
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Oct 4, 2016 22:16
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Lord Koth posted:Of course, if you DO go with the idea that this theoretical 19th person exists, is there a reason the count cannot go even higher? Perhaps a 20th person, or a 21st? Why stop there, perhaps there are really 30 people on the island? Prove me wrong. Or there's a 19th person and they're not the murderer. Maybe Beatriz walked up to Maria and gave her a letter, then went home and knitted for the next 24 hours.
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Oct 4, 2016 23:01
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Just started reading up on things. The description of Rosa slapping Maria to the ground was very shocking.
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Oct 5, 2016 03:32
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 October 5th, 1986, 7:00 PM  So no one mentioned the case, at least out loud. However, those thoughts were what filled our minds. All that we couldn't say aloud made our heads feel like they were going to explode... So, at least on the outside, the parlor had once again regained its calm mood. Everything was left unsettled.   "Mom, when will the boat come tomorrow?" "Normally, the boat to take them back would arrive at 3:00 today. They probably sent us a phone call to say that they would come after the typhoon passed, but unfortunately, the phones aren't working... But they aren't children over there. They were told to both drop off and collect our guests, so they will most likely arrive first thing tomorrow morning... probably about 9:00, I believe."It was completely black outside. When I looked at the clock, I realized that it was just past 7:00. I was starting to get hungry...  It was an act of kindness from Kumasawa, who was trying to enliven everyone's low spirits with some food. Kumasawa wasn't nearly as talented as a professional cook like Gohda, but she was far from unskilled. On the contrary, since she had been brought up in a fishing village, the simple food she created was sometimes very highly valued. Kanon arranged the food Kumasawa had finished creating on plates, under her direction. Kanon also helped in the kitchen sometimes, but since he was rarely placed in that role, he was slightly awkward, even though he tried his best... Self-conscious about the fact that he couldn't skillfully arrange the food, Kanon's expression darkened slightly. But Kumasawa smiled as though everything was fine.  "Hoh-hoh-ho, it's arranged beautifully. Kanon-kun, aren't you skilled." "...If it had been Shannon nee-san, it would be even more beautiful..."Kanon stopped arranging the food for a bit, and hung his head...  BGM: Minute Darkness  "...Forget it for now..."Genji spoke kindly to Kanon as he advanced a pawn. Nanjo had escaped from the parlor once the mood had become sour, and Genji had become his opponent in a game of chess upon Nanjo's request. "...Yes. I will forget it for now." "...Hmm. That is probably for the best."Genji purposefully faced away from Kanon as he spoke. He did so because he understood that it might make things tougher on Kanon if he noticed that someone was looking at his eyes. Nanjo also understood that, and held back any thoughtless words.  "...I wonder where Kinzo-san has gone... I hope that he is safe, but..." "...I do not know. Only, I think everything is as the Master hoped, as he has arranged. To distrust that would exceed my role as furniture working for the Master." "...Aren't you scared, Genji-san? I am frightened something bad will occur again tonight..." "...I have nothing to be afraid of. I simply work for the Ushiromiya family."Nanjo sighed through his nose, and made a carefully considered move. Nanjo was very slightly dubious. Could Genji possibly think that he would be left out of this?  ...If you liken this island to chess, Kinzo had opened the game, and as a result, six pieces had been defeated. Could it be that Genji was calm because he believed that he only was on the outside of the chessboard and safe? Nanjo thought about it. Isn't everyone just a piece on this chessboard, lined up equally, without any exceptions? Wasn't even Genji, who had gained more of Kinzo's trust than anyone... no, who was confident of his position as Kinzo's only close friend... just another one of the pieces laid out on the chessboard? "...Genji-san. I am really frightened about tonight. I'm hoping with all my heart that we will be still be safe when tomorrow morning comes..." BGM: None So until a few years ago, they had stayed in this room every family conference and were very familiar with it. This room, just like a room at a hotel, had a bedroom and a bathroom, so even though they were still shut in, it was far more comfortable than the parlor. "Guess it's true that you can relax more when you're alone with your immediate family. Maybe it'd be better if everyone else also shut themselves in guest rooms and locked the doors." "Natsuhi nee-san said that no one could leave the parlor, throwing her weight around. I'm sure no one will be able to talk back. That person, she was always so dependent, and now that Nii-san's dead, she's in such high spirits that she's taking charge. Seriously, how shameless can she be." "Come now, don't say that. Natsuhi-san's doin' pretty well. No need to jump on her like that. And about that receipt earlier, you went too far there." "...Come on. If I hadn't said it there, there wouldn't be another good time to say it..."Eva, sulking cutely and looking at the television, sat alongside Hideyoshi, who was lying on the bed.  BGM: Hope "...It really has gone by in the blink of an eye... I wonder if we were too hasty in having a child."Eva's eyes looked like they were staring off into the distance. Yes, she had thought it had been a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Her older brother Krauss had been unable to have a child for quite some time. Six months passed after his marriage to Natsuhi without any signs of pregnancy, which didn't please Kinzo at all. Eva herself had thought that, since when she married, her name would be moved outside the Ushiromiya register anyway, it didn't matter whether the successor to the head was born or not. And then, one day, she had a heavenly revelation... Or maybe it was the whisperings of the devil that she had heard in her greed. Why couldn't she remain in the Ushiromiya register by giving birth to a successor first? If things went well, could she inherit the Ushiromiya family herself...? When she proposed this to Hideyoshi, he had approved of it instantly. This had not been because Hideyoshi also had greedy thoughts. For Hideyoshi, who had no close relatives, it was a chance for him to feel once more the long forgotten thing called family. So when they got married, he had not fussed over which last name they were to keep, and had quickly agreed to have his name entered into the Ushiromiya family register. It hadn't been easy to persuade Kinzo, but as his daughter, Eva knew Kinzo's personality well. So, by choosing the time when Kinzo was most dissatisfied with Natsuhi, she was magnificently able to make him accept Hideyoshi as a son-in-law.  George would eventually become successor to the Ushiromiya family. They had raised him strictly with that purpose in mind. George had been worth their while, and had grown into a fabulous young man who wouldn't disappoint no matter where he went. That was why he had not been permitted to fall in love with a servant like Shannon. So when she had learned that Shannon was dead and the engagement was invalid, while part of her had been shocked at the gruesome crime, part of her had been relieved that her cute George wouldn't be stolen by some servant girl...  "...Eva, don't blame yerself for that."Hideyoshi got up and held Eva's shoulder. She could feel a warm understanding from him. "Well, I reached the halfway point in my life long ago. But you know, I have absolutely no regrets about how I've lived my life until now. Not one." "...I think that since I've been with you, Eva, I've been able to relish an enjoyable life that other men never will. After I lost my relatives in the war, you taught me once more what the warmth of family is. So I thank the Ushiromiya family, and think of it as my only family." 'In this life I've led with you, not a single thing has been wasted. It's really been a fun life up to today." "...Thank you... dear."  "I'm the one who should be thankin' you. Until today, there hasn't been a single day that I've regretted being with you!" "...Me too. That I could be with you... makes me so glad." "George is already a fine adult. Even if I don't look out for him, he's a man who could do his job well... I wonder. Around New Year's, do you want to go spend some time in the Maldives? Just us, no one else." "...No wa-y. Aren't you always saying that you're so busy responding to New Year's cards that you don't even sleep...?" "None of that this New Year's! I won't read New Year's cards. I'll just stay quiet and check to see if I've won the New Year's lottery. It'd sure be nice if we won a color TV this year!" "No wa--y... I don't want to check the lottery in the Maldives..." "Then none of that either! How does it sound? Just the two of us, taking our time, a continuation of when we were newlyweds, just before George was born." "...Yes. In that case, fine..." "I hear the Maldives are wonderful. An island with nothin' on it, surrounded by beaut'ful coral reefs and cottages lined up over the water..." Eva nagged at his lips, peevishly, or maybe coquettishly... The only sounds that filled the room were the distant voice of the announcer on the news, which Hideyoshi had left on, and the obnoxious pounding of the rain against the window...  BGM: None  "...Madam. Dinner has been prepared. Will you eat in here again...?" "...Yes. Bring it here. Is Doctor Nanjo still in the kitchen?" "...Yes. He has said that he wishes to carefully deliberate over his next move. Do not worry, he is with the other servants." "Genji-san's good enough at chess to be Grandfather's opponent. I hear he's even better than Doctor Nanjo, right?" "...That's right. Long ago, he played against me, but he must have let me win." "Maria, sounds like it'll be time to eat soon. But look at you, you've been watching TV all day long and you still haven't gotten bored!" "Uu-. I've been watching TV the whole time so I'm fine. Uu-." "Heh, Maria-chan sure is a TV kid." "Food's coming, so we have to clean up the table."Just now, we had torn several pages of Maria's notes out, and there was a mess where everyone had been drawing together. Jessica began cleaning that up quickly. Still, everyone here sure can draw. Really shocking. "...Genji. Ask Eva-san and Hideyoshi-san whether they would at least like to have dinner with us. Although they will probably turn us down." "...Certainly." "So Eva-san follows after father... It's really hard to gather everyone to the Ushiromiya dinner table."Natsuhi felt her headache start throbbing again, and lightly held her temples...  Natsuhi had warned him unnecessarily not to be alone, and just now, Nanjo had also admonished him, saying that it would be better if he held a little more concern for his safety. Kanon accompanied Genji, and the two of them went to visit Eva and Hideyoshi in their guest room. Genji knocked on the door. "...Eva-sama, Hideyoshi-sama. Dinner has been prepared."He waited a short while for them to come out, but there was no response. "...Genji-sama... Look at this."Kanon pointed under the door.  BGM: Witch of the Painting Normally, when something was inserted this way, it would be interpreted as a message from someone outside to someone in the room. So since this might be a private note meant for Eva and Hideyoshi, it was not something that Kanon and Genji were supposed to take interest in. But this western-style envelope was Kinzo's envelope, the same as the one Maria had taken out last night and surprised everyone with. "...There can be no mistake. It is the Master's envelope." "...Or could it be..."Even though it was Kinzo's envelope, the author of the letter Maria had read aloud last night had not been Kinzo... Genji continued knocking a little harder and called out in a loud voice.  But there was no response from inside. Sometimes, when the servants went to call some guests for a meal, the guests would be sleeping so deeply that they wouldn't wake up. In times like that, the servants would stick a letter in the door to show that it was time to come out, and leave the guest be. But despite that, Genji beat even harder on the door and called out Eva's name. However, there was no answer. Kanon stuck his ear up to the door, and holding his breath, listened for any sounds coming from inside...  "...I hear something that sounds like the television. But I don't sense anyone. The room might be empty..."Genji took out a handkerchief, and, careful not to touch it with his bare hands, gently pulled out the envelope which had been stuck under the door... It had been sealed with deep red sealing wax. Without a doubt, the mark on that sealing wax had come from the ring of the Ushiromiya family head... "Eva-sama! Eva-sama!! Please, answer!! Are you still in your room?!"Even so, there was still no answer...  Genji groped around in his pocket, and pulled out the bundle of keys that contained the key that would open the guest room. "...Genji-sama...?!"Kanon also understood what this meant. They would sometimes unlock the door so they could go in and do things like make the beds, but only after they had made sure the guest was out. To unlock the door for a separate reason, and especially to do so when there was a chance the guests were still in there and without their permission, was an action unbecoming of a servant. But Genji had decided. If the only problem had been that his knock hadn't received a reply, he wouldn't have gone this far. But the envelope under the door was doubtlessly Kinzo's. Or rather, one of the western-style envelopes of the Ushiromiya family head. And after last night, the sender of this envelope could be someone other than Kinzo. If this letter had been sent by someone other than Kinzo...  There was the sound of the door unlocking. And, after slowly turning the knob, he slowly started opening the door. A light seeped through the crack of the door. Were they in the room? Or had they forgotten to turn out the lights...?  It was the sound of the door chain being pulled tight. The chain had been secured. The chain couldn't be secured from the outside. That meant that they were in the room now. The sound of voices on the TV seeped out of the room. The lights, the chain, and the TV. All of these things made it clear that they were in the room... but there was no sign of them. Genji called to Eva once again through the crack of the door. But there was no answer. "...Genji-sama. What should we do...?"As part of their job, the servants were able to unlock almost any lock in the mansion. But they had no way to open a door with a chain. The only way to get by the chain was to cut it. That was certainly not permitted as part of a servant's usual work. A creepy chill had already rushed up their backs... Kanon held his breath again and tried to sense someone through the door, but even so, he was not able to sense anyone.  "Wait, Kanon...! Return to the kitchen and take Kumasawa with you. You must not act alone." "...Yes... Certainly..."It looked like Kanon was wondering why he had to do something so troublesome in the middle of this urgent situation. But Genji had said it out of wariness. He didn't care what happened to himself... But in the worst case scenario, he didn't want anything to happen to Kanon.  "...Oh, what has happened, Genji-san..." "...Doctor Nanjo, my apologies, but please allow this match to be suspended one more time. Kanon, take care of the chain. Kumasawa, stop setting up dinner for now and accompany Kanon. I will go over to Madam. If you would come with me, Doctor Nanjo." "H, has something happened...?"Genji took Nanjo, who still didn't know what was going on, and quickly left the kitchen. "...Kumasawa-san. My apologies, but please come with me." "Wh... what happened, Kanon-san...?"Kumasawa said almost exactly the same thing as Nanjo, unable to take in the situation, and chased after Kanon, who had flown out into the hallway...  "What are you looking for...? I will help..." "...We're cutting a door chain. Where was that large wire cutter..." "A door chain...? Wh, why would you do something like that...?" "...The chain to Eva-sama and Hideyoshi-sama's room. Even though they should be inside, when we called to them, they didn't answer."It took Kumasawa some time to figure out how cutting the chain and Eva and Hideyoshi not answering were connected, but she did realize that this was an urgent situation. "This will probably..."Kanon took down a very large wire cutter that had been hanging on the wall. It was called a cutter, but maybe it would be easier to understand if we said it was shaped like a large pair of pliers. The kind of thing that brings back memories of a dangerous tool that you might have been warned could easily cut through one of your fingers...  "Please wait, Kanon-san...! Haah, haah...!" "...Hurry!"Kumasawa eventually caught up with him, gasping for breath with both hands on her knees. When Kanon changed his grip on the wire cutters and looked up at the door, he let out an 'ah', struck speechless...  BGM: Corridor of the Sands of Purgatory That was no surprise... Because, right there, on the door, just like the magic circle that had been drawn on the shutter of the rose garden storehouse, there was another eerie shape drawn with a paint that looked like blood. However, it would be odd to call this one a 'magic circle'... Because, unlike what most people would think of as a magic circle, it wasn't a circle with shapes drawn inside it, but a slightly more geometrical shape. But since in the gaps of the figure, there was something written in strange characters that were not from the alphabet, this was doubtlessly the same as the magic circle on the shutter...  He had returned to the kitchen for a short while. He had then gone to the storehouse to grab a tool, and headed right back. Put those together and it couldn't have been more than five minutes. How could someone add something this creepy during that period of time...?! And as though it had just been drawn, almost like the door itself was bleeding, several unsettling vertical red lines slowly dripped down, getting longer and longer... "...Hiiiiiiiiiii, hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii...!"Kumasawa's knees gave way, and she sank down on the spot. If Kumasawa hadn't done this first, then Kanon surely would have wanted to.  "...Be...atrice...sama..." "Hiiiiiiiiiii...! It's the work of Beatrice-sama, how horrid, how horrid...!!" "...hh."Kanon gulped, then readied the wire cutter and approached the door. He didn't want to get close to this disturbing magic circle, and he really didn't want to touch the steadily dripping substance that looked like blood. But if he didn't get close, he couldn't cut the chain. Fighting this cold feeling, he gulped again, and after gathering his courage, went even closer, putting the wire cutter up against the chain. He then pressed with all of his strength, and cut through the chain far more easily than he had imagined. The cut chain fell into two separate parts, which continued to clang as they swayed back and forth... "...Kanon-san, by your feet, an envelope... and isn't that... the Master's..."It looked like Kumasawa had also noticed the western-style envelope at the bottom of the door. And that the sealing wax had been sealed with the ring of the head. Kanon was lost for a just a second over whether he should open the letter first or check inside the room, but he eventually decided on fulfilling his original purpose. 
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Oct 5, 2016 13:27
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Hmm. I'm sure they're fine.
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Oct 5, 2016 14:25
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Qrr posted:Maybe Kinzo left between Natsuhi leaving and Eva placing the paper? I assume they mean chunnibiyo type stuff. They're saying it's not weird Maria has imaginary friends and roleplays being sinister and supernatural around them, basically. Aww yeah, there's my Battler. All caught up
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Oct 5, 2016 22:54
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spectralent posted:I assume they mean chunnibiyo type stuff. They're saying it's not weird Maria has imaginary friends and roleplays being sinister and supernatural around them, basically. I can only assume they started changing their mind once she started getting literal slasher faces and reading arcane runes on blood circles.
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Oct 6, 2016 01:19
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It's amazing to see how much of a dialogue switch Maria has - normally she seems to have the speaking ability of a six year old, if not a little younger with that placeholder sound, but when magic comes up, she speaks quite clearly and with a fairly advanced vocabulary.
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Oct 6, 2016 01:54
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So which body part got mutilated on the second night again?
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Oct 6, 2016 04:21
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This scene with Hideyoshi and Eva really highlights how well they work as a couple, especially compared to the other sibling marriages. We've got Rudolf and Kyrie, where Kyrie has been supporting Rudolf the whole time - but he tells her she can't talk during the adult family discussion, and shakes her off when she comforts him later, and then also he's keeping whatever his work problem is from her. Then we have Krauss and Natushi where she tries to support him, but he doesn't back her up and/or sends her away during the discussion, and also is keeping at least the gold bar secret from her. But Eva and Hideyoshi have been consistently backing each other up in public and in private, and seem to know what's going on with each other's lives. Eva's working with Hideyoshi to try to fix the problems he's having with his company, and here we see Hideyoshi knows all about her schemes to try to get George to be the successor. (Although I guess she'd pretty much have to get his buy-in on that one.) Even here where he's telling her that she went too far with Natushi, it comes across as a disagreement between equal partners - he's not being patronizing, and she isn't resenting him for saying it.
Cyan Dag fucked around with this message at 04:50 on Oct 6, 2016 |
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Oct 6, 2016 04:27
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The text of the Epitaph is available at the top of the thread, in the Tips section.
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Oct 6, 2016 04:28
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HiKaizer posted:So which body part got mutilated on the second night again? "On the second twilight, those who remain shall tear apart the two who are close. " It's the later twilight that start mutilating body parts. "On the fourth twilight, gouge the head and kill. On the fifth twilight, gouge the chest and kill. On the sixth twilight, gouge the stomach and kill. On the seventh twilight, gouge the knee and kill. On the eighth twilight, gouge the leg and kill. On the ninth twilight, the witch shall revive, and none shall be left alive. "
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Oct 6, 2016 04:42
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Oh so the second night was also the night when the lovers got separated. I guess they're going to be stuck on this island a lot longer than the expect. I got thrown off by all the faces being mutilated on the first night, which matches up to the later evening on the epitaph. I am going to play on the assumption that Magic is Not Real, like Battler says; So far, the only single person with enough motive and knowledge to make it look convincingly occult that might be the murderer is Kinzo. Unless the supposition that the mystery 19th person, Beatrice, is valid. I'm not sure why he'd kill Shannon. In terms of needing a single killer, this is my strongest theory but I don't think it's really the right idea. The other explanation I'd suggest would be that there has not been a single killer, but in fact two separate killers so far. Eva, or possibly Eva and Hideyoshi but I'd say that Eva alone is more likely, killed the first 6. Firstly to ensure that she alone would inherit and also to sever the relationship that George was having with Shannon, to preserve his inheritance status. Following this Natsuhi then killed those two in revenge the following night. Both parties are using the epitaph as a way to try and disguise their involvement. Maria seems to be knowledgeable enough on the occult stuff and could have helped both parties make it look more convincing, which would lend weight to her following explanations on the previous magic circle and I assume the one to come for this murder. I am hesitant to say that she actively was aware her mother would die, but, she also does not seem the slightest bit upset about Rosa's death which is very strange and unsettling for such a young girl. Even if her mother did beat her, I'd expect her to be more shocked or upset. She seems concerningly sociopathic. Those are my best two theories at the moment, until we get any evidence to suggest that there really is a 19th person on the island. Current things that I think I cannot explain well and need an explanation: 1. Where is Kinjo? While him being kidnapped to keep him safe until the murders are over could be an explanation for where he has gone, the timing and means of this too difficult to currently easily explain. Him choosing to leave currently seems out of character, and the lack of secret exits has been clearly established. 2. Why was Natushi targeted but not murdered? While her not being in succession makes sense, why leave her alive but then murder Kyrie? My best guess, is that she did not sleep with Krauss on the first night, whereas Kyrie was with Rudolf. 3. Who cut the phone lines? Eva seems too savvy to think this would be effective. Perhaps Kinjo? But that would require him to leave his study prior to his disappearance, which is deeply out of character. Genji could have done it on his behalf I guess, and told the boatman to wait until 10th day to return.
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Oct 6, 2016 04:47
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| # ? May 10, 2024 03:37 |
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That seems like the perfect time to post a slightly-early update!
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Oct 6, 2016 04:50
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