Blood in NCCU
an Interactive Drama Live Action Freeform Role Playing Scenario
for 13 players (9 males and 4 females)
written by


Erin Zong, Jessie Huang, Luke Hsu and Ryan Lee
Written as an assignment in English Conversation, an English as a Foreign Language course taught for English minors by Dr. Brian David Phillips in the Department of English at National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China, Fall Semester, 1998.

Copyright 1998 by Erin Zong, Jessie Huang, Luke Hsu and Ryan Lee.

Introduction
It was Christmas Eve last night. In National Cheng-chi University, there was a successful party at the auditorium held by the English department. Everybody seemed to have a good time at the party. However, only when the students invited their most admired professor, Alice, for cake cutting, they found Alice disappeared. This morning, Alice was found dead by the campus security guard at the dark corner of a hallway. Judge by the body, there is a sign that the death might have a big fight with some one before. Soon afterwards, the campus was full of the police and the reporters.

You are one of the suspects. You have to prove your innocence and identify the murderer as soon as possible to bring peace back to the campus.

(Note from the authors: This interactive drama uses two-act structure. At first, the players should introduce themselves to others. At the end of first act, the instructor should ask the anchor woman Barbara to read aloud the news. At the begining of act two, players are given clues. In the middle of act two, the instructor should ask the police officer Sam to read aloud the letter Alice wrote to him before her death.)

CAST
Alexander	54, dean of the English department. He and the president are good friends.
Barbara	41,anchor of the local TV station. She is reporting this homicide case.
Billy	19, student of NCCU, major in English.
Cedric	35, lecturer of Shakespeare in English department.
Edward	43. He works as a camera operates in one newscast company. Alice is his wife.
Frank	55, president of the NCCU.
Gary	40, security guard of the NCCU.
Jessie	18, student of NCCU, major in English. She is Johnny's girlfriend.
Johnny	19, an adopted child. He is also a student who majors in English in NCCU. He is Jessie's boyfriend.
Maria	19, student of NCCU, major in English. She is Judy's best friend.
Nana	39, Jessie's mother. She is a career women and good at investment and financial management.
Peter	18 years old, student of NCCU, major in English. He and Eric share the same father but have different mothers.
Sam	41, a clever and experienced police officer. He has got lots of medal.

Characters' Background
Alexander
Public
You are 54, dean of the English department in this University. You and the president, Frank, are good friends. Because of your academic achievement, your are highly respected by the public. Your wife and you got divorced many years ago. You have a son, but he was gone when he was 3 years old. You've tried your best to find him. Recently, you are troubled with the competition between Alice and Cedric. Both of them are lecturers in your department wishing to become the professor. Secret

You come from a poor and broken family. Your parents got divorced when you were very young. Every time they quarreled and fought with each other, they just let you see. So you become very aggressive. Also, you want to be rich for you've been tired of poor life. Each time you get the pay, you feel very excited.

Three month ago, you involved in a bribery case with Frank and another teacher to get kickback from building contractor who later on won the contract of your school building renovation project.

You and Alice have sexual relationship. However, Alice discovered that you were involved in the bribery. She threatened you to reveal this if you don't let her to become a professor. Therefore, you and Alice had a big argument.

Barbara
Public
You, 41 years old, are an anchor of local TV station, and you have not been involved in field reporting for a while. Yet your ambition made you get this reporting opportunity from your news director to cover this homicide case. Your exclusive scoop on this coverage has won you tremendous attention from the public as an outstanding single career woman, which will probably reward your ambition to land on a job to anchor in CNN. Secret

Alice, Edward and you were great mates in college. Edward was even at the same major with you. Both you and Alice both had dated with Edward in school at different stages. While he eventually he married Alice, you were obviously very hurt. Five years ago, Edward revealed that he only was only married with Alice because of her rich father, and his love for you has never changed. And you two have been having this affair since then. You have been asking Edward to divorce Alice for a long time, yet he has been trying to avoid this.

Billy
Public
In his family your parents always ask you to be the best and get the top grade. As a result of pressure from your family so that you always get the highest grades in school. However, in order to lighten the pressure, you start to take drugs and become addicted to drugs. So, you sometimes look fine but sometimes look terrible. In fact you are not interested in English but in music. Secret

One day when he passed the music classroom, you were attracted by the piano played by Eric. You were fascinated with Eric, though Eric has a girlfriend, Judy. Although you knew that Eric would not accept homosexuality, you still decided to tell him your feeling. After you confessed to Eric, he not only can not accept it but also becomes angry about your behavior. Suddenly you felt that your love toward Eric has been totally destroyed. All your concern was in vain. Finally you turn out to hate Eric.

Besides, Judy often teases at you and looks down on you. Because from Judy's point of view, you are the teacher's pet who is eager to perform well in the teacher's presence. So, you hate Judy very much.

Cederic
Public
You are a lecturer of Shakespeare in English department. You graduated from UCLA wit a doctor degree. You have taught in NCCU since you got your Ph.D. You and Alice are colleague. She is also interested in Shakespeare, and you two had done researches together. Secret

Yet the friendship with Alice turned sour since a year ago when you two competed for the same opening to be promoted as a professor. Originally you were quite happy for Alice even though you are more outstanding in the research and performance and you are more senior than she is too. However, you found out that Alice knew the Dean for a long time and it was Dean helping her to get that promotion. You were upset with Alice and Dean since then.

As a matter of fact, you personally were also involved in bribery case with the Dean and other professors to get kickback from building contractor who later on won the contract of your school building renovation project. You once had an argument among Dean and the president involved in the case because you were not satisfied how they share the kickback with you. You only get 1 million dollars from the bribery while they might get 6 times as much as you.

Edward
Public
You are a playboy. You won the love of Alice when you were student in NCCU. Your wife, Alice, was the most beautiful woman in school at that time. However, before your marriage, you had a lot of girlfriends. You really enjoy having affairs with so many beauties. Secret

You used to love Alice very much. However two years ago, you found you love Barbara more. Actually, Barbara were your classmate, she was your girlfriend before Alice. Finally, you chose Alice because Alice was more beautiful than Barbara. The most important, Alice has a rich father.

One year ago, you found your wife was get old and not beautiful anymore. So you decided to come back to your old lover, Barbara. So you have an affair with the famous anchor.

Frank
Public
You are 55 years old. You are the president of NCCU. In everybody's mind, you are a truly gentleman. Alice is the new teacher you introduced into the NCCU about two years ago. You treat her like your own daughter. Secret

Three years ago, your only son, Ted, died of an accident. You suspect that Eric and Judy, your son's high school classmates, are the murderers.

Besides, you are a gentleman to all appearances, though, you are involved in bribery case with the Dean and other professors to get kickback from building contractor who later on won the contract of your school building renovation project. You get a lot of money from the commission. However, the other two people involved are not satisfied with what they get from the bribery. So you often quarrel with Cedric and Alexander. Unfortunately, recently you know Alice is going to expose that dirty thing to the public.

Gary
Public
You are 40 years old, security guard of the NCCU. Your job is to patrol the whole campus. Because of the job, you become the most informed person on the campus. You know everything happened on the campus. The campus is just like your personal territory. You often imagine that you are the king of the campus. You found the corpse of Alice in the corner of a hallway when you are on duty. It・s you find Alice・s body. Secret

Although you are the guard of the NCCU, you love gambling and drinking very much. Also, sometimes you will skip out of the school to the casino. Recently, you found that Alice knew this secret.

Besides, Alice has been your creditor for about one year. You have borrowed US$100000 from her. And Alice also insisted to charge an extremely high interest on that. Thus, you have a quarrel with her last night. Furthermore, you know that one of Alice male colleague had some complaint on Alice about the promotion of being a professor in their department. It is really a good news to you that Alice is dead, because you do not need to return her money.

Two hours ago, you just sold a video tape to the anchor for 20,000 dollars because you need a lot of money to get out of debt.

Jessie
Public
You are 18 years old .You are a student of the English department of NCCU. You are Alice's student, and Alice showed great concern with you because of your poor academic grades. You are a pretty girl and Johnny's girlfriend now. Secret

Although your are cute, you a girl of low intelligence. Also, the reason Alice showed great concern with you is actually not because of your poor grades. Alice always used that as an excuse to bring you to her office and harassed you. Thus, in fact, you hate Alice very much. Your boyfriend, Johnny, he loves you very much. Thus, he can do anything for you. He once quarreled with Alice for her giving you lousy grades on some subjects. Besides, in your class you do not get along with your classmates, especially Eric and Judy. Because they usually make use of chances to laugh at your boyfriend, Johnny. There's still something very unfavorable to you. Your hair decoration was found in Alice's hand when the guard found Alice's corpse.

Johnny
Public
You are 19 years old, a student of the English department in NCCU. You take a course of Alice this semester. Jessie is your girlfriend. You love her so much that you would do anything for her. Jessie, Maria and Bill are all your classmates. Secret

Actually, you are an orphan. You don・t know where your parents are. When you are three years old, you lost all your memory in a car accident. Entering NCCU is a new start in your life.

You used to be a rebellious boy with the record of stealing, gambling, robbery, fighting, and so on when you are a junior high school student. No one knows your past except the dean, your teacher Alice, and the police officer, Sam. But now, you've behaved very well. You receive the advice from Alexander. For unknown reason, you feel great to stay with him. You respect him and think he is a kind person, hope he is your father.

Maria
Public
You are a 19 year-old sophomore of English major, and you, Jessie, Johnny and Bill are classmates. Judy is your neighbor and the best friend of yours. You both take a class which Alice lectured, you went to the clubs together, and she sometimes even did homework for you. You two are very close friends who share everything between yourselves. Secret

You were jealous of July because she was usually more outstanding than you. She had not only won you by her beautiful look and school performance, yet most importantly, she went out with Eric. Although you also expressed your love to Eric, he rejected you because of Judie. Since then, you were not close with Judie anymore.

On the other hand, Alice had sexually harassed you. Even though you don't like it, you don't report the case because she holds the evidence that you cheated on the exam. You kept on your relations so that the school would not flunk you because of your cheating.

You never study but you don't get flunked because of the help of your teacher, Alice.

Nana
Public
You are a successful career woman, and make a lot of money. So you and your daughter, Jessie lead a rich life. The reason you have to work for money is that your husband, Michael, is addicted to drinking and gambling. Because of your bad husband, you think you can・t depend on Michael at all. Secret

In the past, you used to be good friends with Michael, Alice, Edward and Barbara when you were in university. You all studied in the same university before. At that time, your husband, Michael fell in love with Alice. But Michael's family opposed to their marriage. Instead Michael's family asked him to marry you because your parents used to help Michael's family through a hard time. Finally Michael gave up his best love, Alice, and married you.

Thus, the relationship between you and Alice goes is getting worse and worse. However, after Michael married you, you are often abused, and kicked by Michael when Michael is drunk.

Peter
Public
You live with Eric and Eric's mother. You lead a terrible life with them. Eric and his mother often abuse you since your childhood. However, you bear the unfair treatment and humiliation. Secret

After your mother was dead, Eric and his mother - sly, cunning and mean - tell his father how bad you are and how terrible Peter did in school in order to persuade your father who is going to die of cancer not to give Peter any fortune. Thus you are so angry to intends to kill Eric to get even of him and then get the fortune.

In school, teacher, Alice, not only his teacher but also his consultant. Peter tells Alice everything about his family. However, you suffer some mental disease (persecution complex) because of the pressure from Eric and Eric's mother. Thus you often imagine that you are oppressed, persecuted and someone want to kill you. So, after you told Alice everything that you are afraid of, she just tells this secret to other people instead of appeasing you. One more thing, Judy was your ex-girlfriend. You loved her very much, but she chose Eric finally.

Sam
Public
You are 18 years old. You are a student who just graduated from senior high school. You want to have a trip with your classmate but she has something important to do. So you have no choices but go alone. Secret

Actually, your classmate, Cindy, is your lesbian lover who has recently broken up with you because you found out she was having an affair with another woman. Your mother died in a ship crash three years ago and you have not seen your father, a sailor, for years.

TV News on December 26 Morning
After the murder of the NCCU professor Alice, another two bodies were found in the basement of the school building last night. The police have identified the names of the two deaths are Eric and Judy, who were both NCCU students. According to the friends of the deaths, the two students were boyfriend and girlfriend. The evidence found on the spot shows that the two people were stabbed to death and the female still held a knife in hand. The police suspect that the female killed her boyfriend then suicided. Coincidentally, the two students both took Alice's course in this semester. The police are investigating the correlation of the two cases.

Letter from Alice written before the death
Dear Sam,

I feel very confused today, because I just find out some letter from the life insurance companies. They say that my husband, Edward, who had bought the life insurance. If I shall die, Edward will receive a lot of money from the insurance companies. I don't know why he does this thing without telling me. Will he do something horrible to me? Can you investigate this for me? Recently I found that he has an affair with some girl, maybe my marriage will end in divorce.

Finally, if I am murdered, I think the killer must be my dear husband. You, as a police officer and my good friend, must kill him for me please.

Your friend,
Alice
Dec 22nd, 1998
Characters' Clues
Alexander
Clues
You know that Johnny has quarreled with Alice for Jessie's poor grades recently.

Alice's husband, Edward had slept with the famous news reporter, Barbara. And Barbara has laughed at Alice for Edward's more loving her.

You know that Alice had arranged a tour for her student to the local television station because she and the anchor person are old friends.

Barbara
Clues
Actually, you are the killer that murdered Alice. You must keep it in secret.

You were worried that Edward would not love you anymore as you are not young, and you wanted him to marry you and inherit the wealth that Alice had. It・s why you murder Alice.

You used the opportunity of covering this story to go back to the crime scene to make sure there was no more clues left in the scene. Once you found the video tape hold by the security guard that there were a couple appeared in the tape who you suspected they might see you while you killed Alice. Therefore you killed the couple too.

Billy
Clues
You want to destroy Eric and Judy's relationship. So, you must tell a lie that you saw ERIC and JUDY have a big fight before they were murdered.

You have to spread this news: maybe Judy killed Eric and then she killed herself. They are not murdered. Because you make a story that Eric often beats and abuses Judy so that Judy can not stand it any more and then they have a big fight. Finally Eric accidentally killed Judy, but he felt sorry and killed himself.

You and Peter are good friends. You confided him a lot of things including you loved Eric and Peter support you. More, you want to help Peter to get the fortune from Eric's family. So you must tell everyone you and Peter are good friends. And you know that Judy is his ex-girlfriend. They broke up a few days ago.

Cederic
Clues
One day when he passed the music classroom, you were attracted by the piano played by Eric. You were fascinated with Eric, though Eric has a girlfriend, Judy. Although you knew that Eric would not accept homosexuality, you still decided to tell him your feeling. After you confessed to Eric, he not only can not accept it but also becomes angry about your behavior. Suddenly you felt that your love toward Eric has been totally destroyed. All your concern was in vain. Finally you turn out to hate Eric.

Besides, Judy often teases at Billy and looks down on him. Because from Judy・s point of view, Billy are the teacher's pet who is eager to perform well in the teacher's presence. So, you know Billy hates Judy very much.

Edward
Clues
You know that your college friend, Nana, disliked your wife when you were in the school. And you want to get rid of suspect of killing Alice (because you are Alice's husband), you have to tell a lie that Nana recently comes to your house to talk to Alice. It seems strange because Nana never contacts Alice since they graduated.

You tell others that Alice often comes home very late and even does not come home. One day you get a letter, which says:

Alice is mine. Your baby is my love.

Divorce with your wife, or you will die.

You feel strange that why a woman wrote to you.

Frank
Clues
Actually, you know that the guard, Gary, often skips out of school to the casino. You also know that Alice and the dean of English department have unusual relationship.

You know that Alice and Edward had been together for a long time before their marriage. So it was nature for you that they get married finally.

You know the anchor woman covered Alice・s sexual harassment case many years ago, however the case remains unsolved.

Gary
Clues
You know that Alice was not interested in homosexual relationship. However after the crisis of her marriage, she become homosexual.

You know that one of Alice's male colleagues has some complaint about the promotion of Alice's being a professor of English department.

You also know that Alice's husband doesn't treat Alice very well. He usually hits her with the baseball bat and kicks her with his legs and abuses her.

Jessie
Clues
You know that Alice likes to harass girls in your class, including Maria. You also know that Billy is abusing some drugs recently.

On the night before Alice 's death, on your way home, you saw the guard was quarreling loudly with Alice in his office.

You know that Alice and Alexander are old friends. It was the friendship that Alice could get the promotion. Accidentally you heard the conversation between Alice and Alexander, and you feel there was disagreement between the two.

Johnny
Clues
You saw the president quarreled with Alice about something in her office before the party when you go across by.

You know that Jessie is stayed with you all the night. You know that you teacher, Alice, had bothered your girlfriend, Jessie, with some actions implying sex. You don't like Alice.

You could not understand why Maria didn・t get flunked while she never studies. However, you study more hard than Maria, yet you didn・t pass the course.

Maria
Clues
Several days ago passing by Alice's Office, you heard some noise from. You took a peep, and you were surprised that Alice and the dean of your department had a big argument. You didn't know what they argued about. You just went away quickly lest you should be found.

You know the campus security guard likes to gamble. He used to skip his duty for gambling. You also saw Gary gave Alice a lot of money last month.

Besides, someone told you that the guard sold a video tape to the anchor for a lot of money.

Nana
Clues
You hate Alice. When you heard the news of Alice・s death, you feel great. But you have to pretend that you feel sad about her death. You have to tell others you and Alice used to be good friends in school.

You know that Barbara and Edward had been lovers when they were students in NCCU.

You know that Alice is a rich woman, and his husband also bought her a life insurance.

Peter
Clues
You have to tell everyone that you did not kill Eric. You have to tell everyone that you feel sad about Alice・s death. She is your best teacher you ever met.

You know Billy loves Eric very much. You know that Maria and Judy are good friends. However recently you found they were not close anymore.

You broke up with Judy a few weeks ago so you feel sorry about Judy・s death. You still miss her very much. You have to tell other people this story.

You know that Alice has been married for many years. However she seems not happy.

Sam
Clues
You know that Alice's husband, Edward, he likes to drink a lot. And every time he gets drunk, he beats Alice. It seems he does not love Alice very much though their marriage lasts for a long time.

You know that Alexander is involved in a bribery, You recently heard he has an argument with the teacher, Cedric. But you don・t know what they argued about.

You know that Maria seems to love Eric though he already has a girl friend. You heard that Maria saying that she will try everything to get Eric.

You know that two years ago Alice had arranged a tour for her student to the newsroom because she and Barbara were old friend.

End Game
Once the players have shared their clues, they should vote with secret ballots for the person they believe is the killer. The character with the most votes is arrested and sent to prison.

The arrested character should then let the players know if they arrested the right person. If not, the guilty person should admit the crimes and explain why - alternatively you can have the other players guess the real reason for the crimes. Besides, the killer should explain why he (she) murdered the two students.