Welcome to the virtual universe of Cliffton, Ohio. Long known as the home of Cliff College, Cliffton has lately made headlines with the discovery of a murder that seems to be rattling skeletons in every closet in town. Please watch your step as you explore Cliff -- murder is in the air and may strike again at any time!

As you poke around, you will meet a broad range of characters involved in the mysterious goings-on. You'll find no shortage of suspects. Your job, should you choose to accept it, is to figure out who the killer is before he or she is driven to kill again.

You will be traveling not only from place to place, but through time. As your search for the truth takes you back to the '60s and beyond, you'll discover that the crimes and scandals of the present are inextricably rooted in the sins of the past.

At the bottom of many pages you'll see a navigational map that looks like this:

You can click on any of the pictures to go there. (No! Not now -- this is just an example. Be patient.) You can also click on the "Back" button on the top left of your Netscape screen to go back to the previous page.

There are five places you can go directly from the navigational map:

• THE BAG LADY
  The bag lady knows at least something about everybody! Check out her list of Hot Links to start collecting Biographical Info on the characters.

• OFF CAMPUS
  The Cliffton Chamber of Commerce runs a thriving home page for a variety of businesses in town. These are places where our characters interact -- visit these links to eavesdrop on gossip or clandestine conversations. Odds are you'll learn something useful wherever you go.

• THE MISC.
  The Cliff College Newspaper is a relatively reliable source of news about the progress of the Murder Investigation and other crimes and misdemeanors.

• COLLEGE DIRECTORY
  The College Directory can take you all over campus in search of clues. You will also find opportunities to forget Murder and Intrigue for a few minutes and learn about the history of Cliff, apply for admission, submit poems to the Cliff Poetry Review, check out our academic departments and faculty, participate in Research Surveys and Studies being conducted by various characters, confess your sins and receive penance at our nondenominational Chapel, and discover tons of other cool stuff.

• THE WATCHER
  You're not the only one who's spying on Cliffton's inhabitants! This guy (or woman) is seriously into solving the murder and always seems to be one step ahead of everyone else due to a massive surveillance network that seems to reach into every nook and cranny. Fortunately, you've got secret access to The Watcher's notes and, if you concentrate, may be able to figure out what it all means before he/she does!

• WHAT'S NEW
  Though not on the navigational map, a link to this section can be found near the bottom of the College Directory. It is recommended only for initiates. "What's New" is a good place to start if you've done considerable traveling through Cliff, but may be a bit confusing if you're new. Get to know the situations and the characters first before checking in here.

We hope you enjoy your stay in Cliffton and come back often. Whether you're into solving the mystery, reveling in romance and intrigue, or merely window-shopping on Main Street, thanks for coming.

Oh, by the way. That image map we looked at? Now'd be a good time to try it out.