Welcome back, everyone!

Now that we've investigated the initial crime scene, it's time to dig deep into the next round of our competition — one that will take us into the lush gardens of Crowford Manor.

This time, you'll delve into the evidence uncovered among the various flowers and vegetables, each clue waiting to reveal its story. The discoveries you make will contribute to unraveling the intricate narrative surrounding the manor's dirty secrets, guiding you toward the truth — or perhaps entangling you in further intrigue.

The clues available to you are counterparts to the evidence you portrayed in your previous entry, influencing how you further approach this investigation.

Can you successfully unearth the secrets of the garden or will you end up digging your own graves?

⤹ ## THE CLUES

DISCLAIMER: Our special "parallel universe" participants are free to ignore any team references and pick the new clues based on what characters they play themselves and what evidence they've worked with in the previous round.

## the missing Head of the Cane
Among the lush greenery of the gardens, a crucial piece of evidence surfaces - the missing head of the ornate cane believed to be linked to Mr. Crowford. The distinctive design and markings on the cane's head match the wooden fragments found at the crime scene, providing a concrete connection to the weapon used in the murder. The recovery of this significant item strengthens the case against Mr. Crowford, further implicating him in the fatal assault on the victim.

➜ ..if you or your partner have chosen Mr. Crowford AND if you or your partner have previously worked with the wooden remnants evidence, this is your clue!

## a Hunting Rifle
In a surprising turn of events, investigators uncover a hunting rifle hidden amidst the verdant foliage of the gardens at Crowford Manor. The entire firearm, complete with its distinctive features and markings, is found carefully concealed, linking it directly to Mr. Crowford. Ballistic analysis confirms that the hunting rifle was used in the fatal assault, linking Mr. Crowford to the murder weapon and its counterparts found next to the victim, underscoring his potential involvement in the crime.

➜ ..if you or your partner have chosen Mr. Crowford AND if you or your partner have previously worked with the ammunition evidence, this is your clue! 

## a Syringe
While scouring the gardens at Crowford Manor for crucial evidence, investigators stumble upon a concealed syringe hidden amidst the foliage. Upon closer examination, the syringe is revealed to contain traces of a lethal substance (poison/medication) that could have been used to orchestrate the victim's poisoning. The discovery of this incriminating item ties back to Ms. Ravenwood, given her background in the medical field and expertise in pharmaceuticals, as the individual who may have concocted or administered the harmful compound.

➜ ..if you or your partner have chosen Ms. Ravenwood AND if you or your partner have previously depicted a medication/potion bottle in your work, this is your clue!

## a Garden Utensil
As investigators comb through the garden tools and equipment at Crowford Manor, they come across a familiar garden utensil that bears traces of blood and tissue. The tool's unique form/pattern and matching soil and plant residue matches the evidence found on the victim's body, indicating its potential use as the murder weapon by Mr. Doe. The discovery of this fitting garden implement solidifies Mr. Doe's involvement in the crime, tying him to the violent act that claimed the victim's life.

1. Pruning Shears:
The shears, stained with traces of blood and plant residue, exhibit signs of recent use in a violent altercation. The sharp blades and distinctive design suggest that they could have been employed as a weapon in the fatal assault on the victim, implicating Mr. Doe in the crime.

2. Garden Trowel:
The trowel, bearing telltale signs of soil and blood, aligns with the injuries sustained by the victim, indicating its potential use as a blunt-force weapon. The unique markings and composition of the trowel provide compelling evidence connecting Mr. Doe to the violent act that transpired in the gardens, raising suspicions about his role in the murder.

3. Hedge Trimmer:
The blades of the trimmer, tinged with blood and tissue, suggest a gruesome encounter that transpired at the scene. The distinct pattern of injuries on the victim's body aligns with the sharp edges of the hedge trimmer, implicating Mr. Doe in the fatal assault and positioning the tool as a potential murder weapon in the investigation.

➜ ..if you or your partner have chosen Mr. Doe, any one of these three is your clue! You are free to choose but you and your partner have to work with the same item.

⤹ ## TASK GUIDE

As you embark on this creative investigation, follow these essential guidelines to ensure your artistic case is airtight:

## Deadline
The deadline to submit your entries for this round is November 17th, 2024, at 11:59 PM (CET). This time, I won't be able to offer any additional extensions, so please make the most of what's provided to you. I'll drop a link below and in the comments to a site that can help you navigate time zones and keep track of how much time you have left. Don't let the deadline sneak up on you!

Timestamp ➜ https://time.is/CET

## Canvas Details
Make sure your work fits within a canvas size that adheres to a ratio of 3:2 or 2:3. Generally, the larger the canvas, the better the quality — so a size of about 1500x1000 pixels will give you a clearer image than 150x100 pixels, for example.

## Editing Style
Whether you prefer simplified vector work, complex illustrations, realistic photo manipulation, creative blends and collages or even a combination of multiple techniques — the choice is all yours. Just be sure to stay within the approaches mentioned. However, this task centers around specific clues, so no matter how big or small these may be, make them the focal point of your work.

## Creative Choices
Colors, atmosphere and similar creative choices are your personal playground! Feel free to make it as vibrant or moody as it best suits your narrative. Just remember to keep things "mundane" and grounded in reality. While there's no specific time period established by me (e.g. the 1950s or early 2010s), some of you have set your own* in the training round. Stick to those, as they may influence the nature of your investigations — if you set your character in the 1900s, they shouldn't be using technology or devices that only became available after 2010. Similarly, items or devices in the medical field, as well as garden tools from a century ago, will likely look different from their modern counterparts or may not have existed at all. You don't need to be overly specific if it limits your access to resources, but aim for consistency. Overall the setting should remain "realistic" — so please steer clear of cyberpunk, sci-fi or overly fantastical/magical elements.

*To not make it too complicated: only the time period you've set yourself is important, not the one from your partner's character.

## Text Elements
You can include text for quotes or other informative material directly on your design, but you don't have to. Just remember to add your watermark/logo or credit and "hosted by eggyeuls". If you have the space, you're also welcome to incorporate the phrase "a Murder of Crows".

## Editing Approaches
It's entirely up to you whether you want to create a realistic scenery, continue on with a collage-like evidence board full of photos and notes or maybe even go for a completely different approach — for example, you could even do a comic/manga page with panels, depicting how the investigators discover this round's clue. Just be sure to clearly introduce and communicate your respective evidence.

**I highly encourage you to check out "## Inspirational Examples" for more details.

## Models and Characters
If it better helps your vision and ideas, you're free to somehow include your character or overall investigators/police staff again in this task, but you don't have to, since they shouldn't pose the main focus or distract from the actual task.

## Locations
If you would like to work with a concept/editing approach that visibly features a location (e.g., a realistic scenery manip or illustration), please keep the following in mind:
• For participants playing as suspects, please set your scenes in the gardens of Crowford Manor.
• For those playing as crime scene investigators or forensic specialists, you may choose to remain in the gardens or alternatively have a lab as your location.

## Clue Details
Please carefully read through the introductions of your respective clues and what specifications were mentioned or what creative freedom you're provided with. Further, if it helps adding more complexity and depth to your concept, by any means feel free to include other details — such as blood stains, those number cards that are usually put next to evidence etc. — but don't loose focus from your main clue.

## Submission Process
Submit all visual and text entries via the Google Form linked below in this chapter and in the comment section. This form also contains all the nitty-gritty details about what needs to be submitted and how to package it neatly. Besides being able to hand in any watermarked designs or GIF versions for the showcase, please only submit one entry for the actual judging and make it clear which one it is.

Google Form ➜ https://forms.gle/s6E7nLY9LcUycgQQ8

## Inspirational Examples
Looking for some examples? Check out the Pinterest board (the newly added folder is named after this round, "not quite six feet under") for inspiration, but don't feel limited to it! However, I highly encourage you to have a look, as it's easier to pitch you ideas through visuals than through words here.

Pinterest ➜ https://pin.it/Ch2XTpahZ

Now, with your creative toolkit in hand, let your imagination take flight and bring your characters to life!

And remember, if you have any questions, concerns or run into any hiccups along the way, don't hesitate to reach out. I'm here to help you crack the case.. or cover it up for that matter!

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© eggyeuls, 2024