Masquerade murder mystery party · 6–14 players · about 2 hours
Murder at the Masquerade
Shrove Tuesday, 1888. Count Alvise Corvino throws the last great masked ball of Carnival at his palazzo on the Grand Canal, and at midnight he is to announce his daughter's engagement. At two minutes to midnight he is found dead in his study, stabbed with a dagger of Murano glass. The Contessa chains the water-gate: nobody leaves, and nobody unmasks, until the police come through the fog.
- ✓ 14 characters, 6–14 players, change the count on the night
- ✓ Each guest gets a private link: character, secret, objectives, clues
- ✓ Host dashboard runs the rounds; a TV screen shows the evidence
- ✓ Nothing to print. A print view with clue cards is there if you want paper
- ✓ Three rounds of 20 to 30 minutes, then the vote and the reveal. Host it as many times as you like
The victim
Count Alvise Corvino, master of palazzo corvino and of the murano glassworks. Found at 11:58 pm by his desk, stabbed through the heart with a dagger of Murano glass from his own cabinet. The blade had snapped off in the wound.
The suspects
The first 6 are the core cast. Add the rest as your guest list grows, and swap any optional character for another to fit your group. 7 she/her · 7 he/him. Anyone can play any character.
Core · he/him
Marchese Lorenzo Falier
The bridegroom-to-be
A charming young marchese from Treviso, engaged to Chiara tonight. Wears the Plague Doctor.
Costume: A white mask with a long beak (or any white mask), a black hat, a dark cloak or coat, and gloves, with a signet ring worn over the right glove.
Core · he/him
Matteo Corvino
The Count's son and heir
The Count's son. Charming, broke, the family disappointment. Wears a Bauta and a black cloak.
Costume: A plain white full-face mask, a black tricorn or any hat, and a long black cloak or coat. Gloves, if you have them.
Core · she/her
Chiara Corvino
The Count's daughter, engaged tonight
The Count's daughter, to be engaged at midnight to the Marchese Falier. Wears a gold Colombina.
Costume: A gold or glittering half-mask, an evening dress or your smartest outfit, and one dramatic piece of jewellery. Gloves, if you have them.
Core · she/her
Contessa Livia Corvino
The Count's wife
The Count's wife of thirty years, as cold to him as he was to her. Wears a black velvet mask.
Costume: A black mask (any plain black mask), black evening wear. Gloves, if you have them.
Core · he/him
Dr Bruno Sartori
The family physician
The family physician and the Count's oldest friend. Wears a plain white Volto.
Costume: A plain white mask, dark evening wear, and a doctor\'s bag if you have one. Gloves, if you have them.
Core · she/her
Isabella Venier
The soprano
The soprano of La Fenice and the Count's protégée. Sang for the ball tonight. Wears a gold feathered half-mask.
Costume: A gold or feathered half-mask, your most dramatic evening dress or suit, and something that sparkles. Gloves, if you have them.
Optional · she/her
Teodora Bellini
The mask-maker
The mask-maker of the Calle dei Fabbri. Made every mask at the ball. Wears silver and blue, her own design.
Costume: A silver or blue mask you are proud of, an apron or a craftswoman\'s smock over evening clothes. Gloves, if you have them.
Optional · he/him
Edmund Ashby
The English art dealer
An English dealer from Bond Street, here to buy the Corvino Titian. Wears a red and black Harlequin mask.
Costume: A Harlequin or any red and black mask, a dark suit, and a pocket handkerchief. Gloves, if you have them.
Optional · he/him
Captain Nico Barbaro
The naval officer
A captain of the Regia Marina and Chiara's rejected suitor. Wears a black mask with a silver lion.
Costume: A black mask, a uniform jacket or any coat with brass buttons, and a sword belt if you have one. Gloves, if you have them.
Optional · she/her
Baroness Ilse von Haller
The Austrian widow
An Austrian widow who has wintered in Venice for twenty years and knows every scandal. Wears a silver cat mask.
Costume: A silver or cat mask, a fur stole or shawl, and a great deal of jewellery. Gloves, if you have them.
Optional · he/him
Pietro Zane
The gondolier
The Corvino family gondolier, at the water-gate all night. Wears a black half-mask and a straw hat.
Costume: A black half-mask, a striped top or white shirt, and a straw hat. Gloves, if you have them.
Optional · she/her
Ottavia Rizzi
The housekeeper
The housekeeper of Palazzo Corvino, who carries every key in the house. Wears a grey half-mask over her black dress.
Costume: A grey or plain half-mask, a black dress or dark clothes, and a ring of keys. Gloves, if you have them.
Optional · he/him
Father Anselmo
The family confessor
The family confessor, invited every Carnival and never comfortable. Wears a plain black mask over his cassock.
Costume: A plain black mask, black clothes, and a white collar. Gloves, if you have them.
Optional · she/her
Ada Ferro
The Contessa's companion
The Contessa's companion, keeper of her shawls and her letters. Wears a black lace mask.
Costume: A lace or black mask, a simple dark dress or suit, and a shawl over one arm. Gloves, if you have them.