Arc 11: A Scandal in Academia

## Episodes

* Episode 96 - A Well Deserved Break
* Episode 97 - A Humble Invitation
* Episode 98 - A Huge Jamonculus
* Episode 99 - A Stressful Supper
* Episode 100 - A Shattered Chandelier
* Episode 101 - A Spilled Tea
* Episode 102 - A Revealed Passageway
* Episode 103 - A Flame-Drawn Moth

## Synopsis

The day after the students returned to Artis' Cottage, they stood under a tall elm tree looking at the grave of Teb. The students said their goodbyes, as Artis mourned his old friend. As the day progressed they slowly began fixing the destruction that Neska had wreaked on the cottage.

Over the next few weeks, the students recovered from their fight, and went about their normal school activities. In the weeks since, Serinepth visited Phillip and found that his eyes had turned completely yellow, Winsler discovered a hidden greenhouse with another Ava Redding inside the Archives, Integrity commissioned a *Scroll of Conjure Memory* from Professor Doss, and Mira got her new prosthetic arm from Professor Allaro.

Artis asked the students to his office, where he told them that a new headmaster was being selected, which might open up the possibility for interplanar travel again. With what had happened the last time they travelled to Isathil, he asked if they had any objections. The students said they would be ok with it, and Artis explained he wanted to contact a marsh spirit about some elemental disturbances.

The next morning, the students were having breakfast in the Dining Hall when Penny Royal walked through the doors in a very fancy dress. She looked extremely embarrassed and unfurled a long scroll that invited all of SWIM and Artis to a dinner party at the Raethran Estate. She also told Mira directly that they needed to talk.

Later in the day, Serinepth, Integrity, and Phillip were in a Planar Research class when Phillip secretly passed Integrity a pebble with a message telling them to burn he Raethran collection. They tried to figure out what to do, and Phillip just emphasised he didn't want to worry Serinepth about it.

Meanwhile, Winsler was in the middle of a Jamonculus dissection, when he was pulled away by another student who accused him of upsetting her friend, the greenhouse Ava Redding. She told him her name was Kyra Hagen, and that he needed to apologise by bringing her a rare book.

As the day drew to a close, SWIM met with Artis in his office, and together they headed to the Raethran Estate. Elrich welcomed them, led Artis away, and instructed Felice to give the students their new clothes. He led them to a side room where they designed their outfits, as well as creating new personas for the evening.

Felice led them to the lounge, where they met with Delnys and her team: Penny Royal, Zara Greybeard, and Ainsley Woodley. After some awkward and hesitant conversation, Elrich burst through the doors followed by Artis and ZAPD's mentor, Indumati Parlour. They told the students dinner was ready, and so headed into the dining room, during which they were assigned their new personalities for the evening.

After the dinner, Felice explained the rules of the game to the students: they could explore each room in the house to find clues about the mystery, or they could go off in pairs to try and achieve a personal goal. The mansion went dark, and when the lights came back on the students found themselves in the foyer, being welcomed by a well-dressed human who called himself Duke Penwright.

The students introduced themselves in character, and after a moment, the room went dark again. When the students could see again, they found the Duke lying dead underneath a fallen chandelier, and so began their investigation.

They found various clues in each room, and spent the start of the evening enjoying the mystery, debating different theories, and accusing each other of the 'murder'. As the evening progressed Penny brought Mira to a private room and confronted her about how she had been treating Delnys. Mira apologised, and promised that she never meant to put her in danger. At the same time, Winsler and Delnys went to an auditorium, where Delnys confessed to feeling bad about avoiding Mira. Winsler assured her that Mira cared about her, and that the Neska fight was an extreme situtation. In the library, the rest of the students were also talking about the tension between Mira and Delnys, with Ainsley and Zara telling Integrity and Serinepth it was Penny who had told her to stay away from Mira. They also wondered whether it was possible Penny had a crush on Delnys.

The students gathered once again in the foyer, where Serinepth discovered a secret hallway that led to a hidden room. Inside they found many letters related to the Duke and murders he had helped commit. Serinepth suggested that perhaps the Duke had accidently killed himself, at which point the front doors slammed open, and Elrich, Artis, and Indumati walked back in. Indumati told ZAPD to follow her into the library, and Delnys quickly told Mira to find her in her room afterwards. Elrich stormed into kitchen as Artis explained he had brought up Elrich's debt to Oshin.

Mira went to get Artis a glass of water, during which she saw Elrich go into the basement, and heard Indumati telling Delnys that she might not be able to go to school next year.

While they waited for their hosts to reappear, SWIM raided the kitchen for snacks, discussed who the murderer could have been, and romance drama. Serinepth took the opportunity to warn her friends about her awful parents for when they came to the school during Autumn's End. Mira said she wanted to check on Elrich, going downstairs they found him staring into a glowing lamp. He told them he was ok, and to go back upstairs.

The library doors were open, though Delnys and Penny weren't inside. Mira went off to find them, while Winsler and Integrity looked around the library. Integrity looked through a constellation chart, and Winsler found a book containing instructions on how to be a lich.

Mira found Delnys in her room, as Penny was leaving. She said the two needed to talk, and Mira finally convinced her that she meant no harm to Delnys. As Penny left them alone, Delnys apologised for avoiding Mira, and said that while she knew her father had problems with money she didn't realise it was as bad as it was. Mira assured her that SWIM would be there to talk, and finally told her about everything that happened to them since they came to the school. At the end of the night, Delnys asked Mira if she wanted to try being together. Mira started panicking and rambling slightly before Delnys cut her off by kissing her, which Mira happy returned.