The Merry Masquerade: A Virtual Holiday Murder Mystery

Welcome to The Merry Masquerade, a festive virtual holiday murder mystery where the world’s legendary winter beings secretly gather in Venice for the supernatural celebration of the year. Moments before Jackson Frost presents the prestigious Winter Spirit of the Year Award, the lights go out. When they return, Jackson Frost is dead.

Guests are encouraged to arrive wearing masquerade or festive masks as they join the Magical Beings Police Department, helping create an immersive and theatrical experience from the very start.

Hosted live by Chief Detective Nicholas North, your team has just 50 minutes before sunrise to solve the murder. Working in teams, you’ll examine evidence, watch suspect interviews, solve puzzles, and uncover clues across snow-covered Venice before identifying the killer.

Your investigation includes four interactive rounds:

• ❄️ Round 1 – The Grand Ballroom: Examine the crime scene, inspect the evidence, watch an interview with Head of Security Yuri Yeti, and begin piecing together what happened to Jackson Frost.
• 🦌 Round 2 – The Grand Canal Docks: Watch Krampus Kringle’s suspect interview and use the mysterious Winter Spirit Field Guide to determine how Jackson Frost was killed.
• 👑 Round 3 – The Bridge Of Whispers: Hear Queen Eira’s account of the evening, decipher an Ancient Winter Rune message, and uncover new evidence surrounding the murder.
• 📸 Round 4 – The Piazza: Meet American tourists Doug and Linda Walker, examine their holiday photographs, and use the final evidence to decide who murdered Jackson Frost.

Combining theatrical performances, festive storytelling, deduction, teamwork, and interactive challenges, The Merry Masquerade is perfect for virtual Christmas parties, holiday team building, employee socials, and end-of-year company celebrations.

OUR STANDARD EVENT FORMAT:

–> Welcome & Introduction: Meet Chief Detective Nicholas North, receive your case briefing, and prepare to investigate the murder of Jackson Frost.
–> Team & Answer Portal Setup: Form investigation teams, choose captains, and sign into the live answer portal.
–> Round 1 – The Grand Ballroom: Examine the crime scene, watch Yuri Yeti’s interview, and analyse the first evidence.
–> Round 2 – The Grand Canal Docks: Watch Krampus Kringle’s interview and investigate the possible murder weapon.
–> Midway Scoreboard: Review the live leaderboard before continuing your journey through Venice.
–> Round 3 – The Bridge Of Whispers: Decode an Ancient Winter Rune message and investigate Queen Eira’s account of the evening.
–> Round 4 – The Piazza: Examine the final evidence and submit your team’s verdict on who murdered Jackson Frost.
–> Final Reveal & Winners: Discover the truth behind the murder before the final scores and winning detectives are announced.

BEVERAGE & SNACKS DELIVERIES:

Arrange for beverages & snacks to be delivered alongside your experience from £27pp + VAT (inc UK delivery). Contact us for full details & options available.

• Q: What platform is this experience run on? A: We run this virtual holiday murder mystery on Zoom as standard, but we can also run it on MS Teams, Google Meet, and Webex. Some restrictions may apply.
• Q: Can we run this experience using our own meeting link? A: Yes, you absolutely can. While we typically provide a secure event link, you are welcome to use your own company’s meeting link if that’s more convenient for your team.
• Q: Is this event hosted? A: Yes. The experience is hosted live by Chief Detective Mortimer Graves. Depending on the size of your event, there will also be 1-5 Avva Event Technicians managing the technical elements of the experience to ensure everything runs smoothly.
• Q: How many people can take part? A: The experience is suitable for both small and large groups. Players compete in teams of 2-10 people, or the experience can also be run in a head-to-head format.
• Q: Do guests need to prepare anything beforehand? A: No preparation is required. However, we strongly encourage guests to wear a masquerade or festive mask during the event to embrace the atmosphere of the Merry Masquerade and enhance the experience for everyone.
• Q: How much of the experience is spent in breakout rooms? A: Around 30% of the experience is spent in breakout rooms working as a team. The remaining time is spent together as one group.
• Q: Can this experience work for hybrid groups? A: Yes, this virtual holiday murder mystery is suitable for both fully remote and hybrid teams.
• Q: Is this experience suitable for corporate audiences? A: Absolutely. The experience is designed specifically for corporate team building, virtual Christmas parties, festive employee engagement, and end-of-year company celebrations.
• Q: Can we arrange beverages & snacks for attendees? A: Yes, beverages & snacks can be delivered alongside your experience from +£27pp + VAT (including UK delivery). Contact us for full details.

• Strengthen Team Communication: Share evidence, discuss theories, and work together to determine who murdered Jackson Frost before sunrise.
• Develop Critical Thinking: Analyse suspect accounts, solve puzzles, and connect clues from across the investigation to uncover the truth.
• Encourage Observation & Deduction: Photographs, interviews, crime scene evidence, and hidden details all play a part in identifying the killer.
• Create Friendly Competition: Teams earn points throughout the investigation while competing to reach the top of the live leaderboard.
• Deliver An Immersive Festive Experience: Live hosting, theatrical suspect interviews, snowy Venetian locations, sound effects, masquerade masks, and a dramatic final reveal create a memorable virtual holiday event.

• Payment is required upon confirmation of your booking. The full balance can be paid or a deposit if you are unsure of attendee numbers.
• Payment can be made either via card or transfer.
• A full refund can be made on cancellations more than 30 days prior to a scheduled event.
• You can change the date or time of your experience up to 14 days prior to a scheduled event based on availability.
• If you’d like to set us up as an official supplier, please send over any vendor supplier forms for review.
• Full terms and conditions available here.