THE PCG INVESTIGATOR

Ray-Tracing is who PC gamers for help when no one else will, is month's case: THE BIG SLI

PART 2

Vivienne Rutledge was Queen Consort in MMO Fantasy Crown, meaning she was a major player on the game's royal council, second only to the King of Starensia, Alendrake, as played by fellow Fantasy Crown player Eddie Mars. "Why would I kill that chump, Rusty?" Vivienne snapped when I questioned her. "He was a nobody and, worse, a console gamer nobody. I resent having to crossplay with these people, but what can you do? If it was up to me, I'd have Fantasy Crown's royal council restricted to gaming's true aristocracy, the PC Gaming Master Race. Anyway, it clearly wasn't me you fool, as Eddie can confirm. Yes I found Rusty, but I was with Eddie all evening, so couldn't have done it."

Eddie, when grilled, confirmed he'd been in the tavern drinking until Rusty's body was found by Vivienne, who'd stepped out for a smoke. "Viv wasn't happy one jot when Rusty got voted onto the royal council, but she was with me all night up to stepping out and, well, have you seen her? Rusty was found dumped in that barrel, and Viv is so slight she couldn't lift him, no way. You should be questioning Stanley Hawks or Brody Chandler not Viv!" Eddie was right, Vivienne must have weighed in at 1201bs at a push. Eddie was given an alibi by Vivienne, leading me next to the head of the King's Guard, Deckard, played by Stanley.

Stanley hadn't been in the tavern all night, confirming to me he had being playing Fantasy Crown in the LAN area of the convention hall. "What creeped me out most, man, was, like, just moments before I heard Vivienne's scream from behind the tavern, I saw Rusty's character, Profion, going into Starensia's auction house in the game. I didn't think much of it at the time, but then after Rusty was found, it suddenly struck me. If Rusty was dead, why did I see Profion in Fantasy Crown?" Stanley confirmed that he was the only one in the LAN area of the convention hall.