1st Mystery Ball CLOSED Jan/03

Feeling the need be alone and think, Pita walked down the marble corridor to the paneled game room. He admired the handsome cherry panel, the soothing lights, the immense billiards table. To let his mind wander, he racked the balls, chalked up, and broke. To make it more of a challenge he only cut, never banked. While his body concentrated on the geometry of the game, his mind ranged free.

He could still hear the sound of clinking glasses, hushed conversations, and half-hearted attempts of the band to raise the mood. Odd words drifted down the hall, "Chocolate," "cow suit," "violin." Words like ghosts with only the slightest hint of their full force wafted toward him intermixed with the more pedestrian sounds of cultery, footfalls, and the rare belch,

He had watched closely, and was fairly sure he could rule out a number of the guests as evil doers. A bard knows how to remember, notices odd twists and miscued details. He was sure he could safely clear 9 of the 22 guests (excluding their host, which would be unthinkable!) That still left 13 people he had to keep a close eye on. Maybe if he stayed in the background, played the simple busker, he could get close enough to overhear something. The powerful tend to ignore servants as if they can not hear or think. It could work to his advantage in solving this puzzle. The ignorance of the rich and power -- those who think they are always so superior -- would be the downfall of this knave!

His mind made up, he laid down the cuestick and returned to the Ball Room.