Recap[]
The party is sitting and having drinks at a table when a maid comes into Shenanigans. One of the maid's employers had been killed. Lady Matilda Wilkins. The party agree to investigate.
The Crime Scene[]
The party arrive at the Wilkins Estate. The front door may have been locked, but the back door was unlocked. The back door can't be locked or unlocked from the outside. The party inspect a broken window at the rear of the building, Shag examines the window and finds it was struck at the height a human stands. The plant below the window isn't disturbed. Prospect finds a loose panel in the tall fence of the estate that could have been the point of entry.
The party go inside and see Lady Matilda Wilkins's body on the floor. The maid explains she thought that Lady Wilkins had left with Lord Wilkins last night, and didn't expect anyone to be in the estate today.
The party search the crime scene. Pepperoncini finds the cause of death was strangulation, with defensive marks under the fingernails, showing she scrated her attacker. The victim was strangled by someone with at least 12 strength to leave the degree of bruising on the body.
Shag goes into the Bedroom and looks at the paperwork. It shows that Lord Wilkins was a Doctor from a lower ranking noble family and Lady Wilkins was a land owner who rented 4 pieces of different land. The four tenants are 2 different farms, a blacksmith, a Tackle Shop on the docks. Shag looks into the rent situation and sees one farm is a month behind on the rent, the other farm was behind but is paid up, the Tackle Shop is 3 months behind due to recovering from a robbery, the blacksmith is up to date with payments.
Talking with Suspects[]
The cook, Mrs Featherbottom, arrives and answers some questions. She was left before the couple left last night before sunset. Mrs Featherbottom saw they had backed bags, and were ready to leave. They were going on a cruise down the river for their 20th anniversary all the way to the Great Bridge, then catch a carriage to Fen Den. Mrs Featherbottom reveals it wasn't a happy marriage, but the victim had been looking forward to the trip.
The party head to the river-docks on the East End of Bergshire. The harbormaster tells the story how a Lady and Lord Wilkins, with a porter carrying their luggage, went onto the boat. Lady and Lord Wilkins then got into an argument, with Lord Wilkins just planning to ride horses in Fen Den. Lady Wilkins left the and marched off in the direction of her estate. Lord Wilkins and the porter remained on the ship which then sailed off. Lady Wilkins was wearing a Green Dress, not the night robe the party found her in at the crime scene.
While at the docks, Prospect & Pepperoncini go talk with The Tackle Shop owner, "Lady" Jane. Shag talks with an underworld contact about the robbery that Jane suffered a few months ago. Both groups confirm that Jane's lock box was broken into and the money was stolen. Last week Jane got a black-eye when she confronted who she thought did the robbery. Prospect & Pepperoncini find out that Jane was considered Lady Wilkins very unlikable and hostile. Lady Jane had no scratch marks on her arms.
The party meets back up and exchange information. They then go to Harold the Blacksmith, who likewise had no kind words to say about Lady Wilkins. While Harold had the strength to pull off the attack, the scratches on his arms were old, but likely from his work as a blacksmith and not from a person.
The party then head to the farms. First to a family farm. They said polite things about the late-Lady Wilkins, but not meaning a word of it. The Father, the Mother and the Older Daughter each have the strength to cause the bruising around the Victim's neck.
The party then investigate the last farm. The Farmer is sitting on his porch drinking with a crossbow while he has workers doing the actual work. The party try to ask the Farmer, Timothy, questions, but Timothy the Farmer refuses to cooperate, and refuses to show his arms. Shag colorsprays Timothy unconscious. The party confirm there are scratches under Timothy's long sleeves.
Shag investigates inside the farmhouse, Prospect guards Timothy, Pepperoncini questions the workers. The workers says that they got a prostitute for Timothy last night from Burton's Brothel. Timothy barely has the upper-body strength to have caused the bruising around the Victim's neck. The party take Timothy to the Sheriff's Station to be held for later questioning. Pepperoncini compares Timothy's shoes with the footprint at the backdoor to the Victim's House and see they are around the same size.
The party head to Burton's Brothel and Pepperoncini confirms with the prostitute that she or another prostitute caused the scratches on Timothy. She also gives Timothy an alibi for the whole night. The party go back to the Sheriff's Station and release Timothy. Timothy is more open about the Victim, saying just how unlikable Lady Wilkins was.
Finding the Mistress[]
The party return to the Wilkins Estate. The party question the neighbours about the sound of glass breaking last night, and are told it broke half an hour after sunset. Lady Wilkins was killed shortly after returning home.
Shag & Pepperoncini looks though Lord Wilkins's Patient Records and see he has many "Emergency Calls" to see the Gymnast Annie, once a week, with no medicine ever prescribed afterwards.
The party go question Annie at Joey's Tavern, keeping her in the dark to them being here about the murder. Shag asks about an alibi, and Annie claims only her pet cat saw her come home. Shag says that is fine since he can Speak with Animals. Annie takes the party to her house. Pepperoncini goes off to questions neighbours, Shag questions the pet cat. Shag doesn't actually have the spell "Speak with Animals", so pretends to cast it by casting a different spell. Shag bluffs and says the Cat says that Annie wasn't home on time. Annie claims she went to Matty the fishmonger for fish then took a long stroll before coming home. Prospect stays with Annie as Shag goes confirm the story.
Pepperoncini speaks with Annie's neighbour and finds out after Annie returned late home last night she got inside and cried. Also that once a week Annie would have a gentleman over for sex. At the Fishmonger, Shag finds out that Annie spotted something at the docks, around the same time as Lady Wilkins's argument with her husband, and left the Fishmonger in the opposite direction to her home, but in the direction of Lady Wilkins's estate.
The party return to Annie and Prospect. With all the evidence, Annie confesses, but tries to bribe the party. The party decline the bribe, but give Annie the option of going into exile and never returning to Bergshire. Annie accepts. Prospect blesses Annie and Shag casts invisibility on her. Annie then leaves town, heading eastward to Fen Den to try to meet up with Lord Wilkins.
Prospect goes to the Sheriff's Station and reports his finding to the deputies, saying that Annie got away. The report is passed on to Baroness Jezebel who rewards the party 100g for solving the mystery. The party are offered the job of being the new town Sheriff, but they all decline.
At night, Shag robs the Wilkins Estate of the valuables found there.
Experience[]
1383 exp each (1521.3 exp with Prime Requisite)
- Shag levels up to level 5 Rogue, Stays at level 4 Wizard
- Max HP From 15 to 18
- Pepperoncini levels up to level 2
- Max HP From 4 to 8
- Max SP From 13 to 18
- Prospect levels up to level 2
- Max HP From 1 to 4
Significant NPCs[]
- Lady Matilda Wilkins - The Victim. Landowner. Unliked by most people
- Lord Wilkins - The Victim's Husband. Doctor. Airtight alibi, seen on a ship leaving town. Considered Nice and Quiet.
- The Maid - Worked for the Victim. Contacted the party to solve the murder mystery.
- Mrs Featherbottom - The Cook for the Victim. Short and Stout.
- "Lady" Jane - Pays rent to the Victim. Owner of Tackle Shop. Ugly. Was robbed 3 months ago. Had to beg to get an extension on her payments. Disliked the victim.
- Harold - Pays rent to the Victim. Blacksmith. Up to date with his payments. Didn't like the Victim.
- Family Farm - Pays rent to the Victim. Pretend to have liked the Victim, but really didn't.
- Timothy - Pays rent to the Victim. Blacksmith. A month behind with his payments. Didn't like the Victim.
- Annie - Patient of the Victim's Husband. Gymnast who works at Joey's Tavern.