I’m planing a little mystery for my next campaign, but i’m kind of stuck on what clues to place. I was wondering if you could help me come up with what type of clues I could plant to help my players identify the culprit. So far I have:
-race (Human, Elf; Dwarf ect) -type of clothing (noble; farmer, scholar ect) -smells (uses perfume; smells like fish/harbor, ect) -personal belongings (a piece of jewelry; dagger with symbols, ect) -environmental (leaves from a specific plant; animal hairs ect) -habitual (certain type of laughter; whistling/humming; rambling ect)
Anything else I am missing? I’m not looking for something specific, just generally types of indicators, that could be used to point to the culprit.
As always, thx for your help and I wish you a nice day.
Types of indicators: You mentioned personal belongings, but that’s so broad. There’s the types of things they read, collections they keep, origin of property (i.e. a dwarven pipe in a predominately elven setting).
There’s handwriting analysis, footstep stride length to indicate height, or to that end writing on the wall being done at a height only comfortable for certain heighted persons. Food crumbs leftover from a meal they enjoy. There’s wear and tear on boot soles (a chunk of missing material on the sole would leave a distinct footprint.)
If the culprit has allergies, a fine mist that has dried into a dirty spot on glass or a desk might indicate sneezing while working in the crime scene while near an irritant.
A missing bottle of liquor at the scene from the crime might indicate your culprit is an alcoholic.
Injuries sustained while committing the crime. (Think why Harry Suspected Snape in yr one. Getting his leg tore up surely meant he was trying to get past Fluffy.)
Types of indicators: You mentioned personal belongings, but that’s so broad. There’s the types of things they read, collections they keep, origin of property (i.e. a dwarven pipe in a predominately elven setting).
There’s handwriting analysis, footstep stride length to indicate height, or to that end writing on the wall being done at a height only comfortable for certain heighted persons. Food crumbs leftover from a meal they enjoy. There’s wear and tear on boot soles (a chunk of missing material on the sole would leave a distinct footprint.)
If the culprit has allergies, a fine mist that has dried into a dirty spot on glass or a desk might indicate sneezing while working in the crime scene while near an irritant.
A missing bottle of liquor at the scene from the crime might indicate your culprit is an alcoholic.
Injuries sustained while committing the crime. (Think why Harry Suspected Snape in yr one. Getting his leg tore up surely meant he was trying to get past Fluffy.)
Yeah, that's not what I meant. I'm looking for the broad categories to classify certain types of clues as. You complained that my example was "so broad", but that was exactly the point of it. All the points you bring up are just specific example of the above mentioned categories, which, while valid to a certain degree, isn't what I'm looking for.
For example, height and stride length, as an indicator of such, would both fall under the category physical appearance (that's a new one though, so thanks for that). The cultural orgin of the poetry and the broodcrumbs can both be classified as habitual, as can the bottle of liquor and to a certain degree the sneezing , while the boots on the other hand are part of the category clothing.
Again, I I'm looking for the types (or I guess categories) of clues you'd search for in an investigation, not specific examples. I'm afraid you completly misunderstood what I was going for. Sorry, if I wasn't being clear enough.
- motivation. (Clues for WHY the culprit did what they did. So that's clues like "All the drawers are pulled out and all the floorboards are torn up as if the culprit was looking for something" or "They incapacitated the guards but killed the lord")
-skills. (Clues for what the culprit had to be able to do to commit the crime - stuff like the players figuring out the culprit must be able to climb, or must be able to see in the dark)
We tend to think of material evidence as being the primary pointer to the culprit, but I think until the mid 19th century the testimony of people carried far more weight. Firstly, what did witnesses observe about the crime (what they saw/heard etc.)? Secondly, what did they observe about the suspect (what did the suspect say? can the witness provide an alibi? etc.)? Thirdly, what do people who know the suspect say about them (are they reputable or disreputable)?
Perhaps the gods could also provide information in the form of an ordeal.
I’m planing a little mystery for my next campaign, but i’m kind of stuck on what clues to place. I was wondering if you could help me come up with what type of clues I could plant to help my players identify the culprit. So far I have:
-race (Human, Elf; Dwarf ect) -type of clothing (noble; farmer, scholar ect) -smells (uses perfume; smells like fish/harbor, ect) -personal belongings (a piece of jewelry; dagger with symbols, ect) -environmental (leaves from a specific plant; animal hairs ect) -habitual (certain type of laughter; whistling/humming; rambling ect)
Anything else I am missing? I’m not looking for something specific, just generally types of indicators, that could be used to point to the culprit.
As always, thx for your help and I wish you a nice day.
Opportunity: Was it planned or spur of the moment?
pattern behavior: has this been done before? By them? Copycat?
Motive: as pointed out by FTL.
Counter forensics: did they try and cover it up? Did they not? Cover it up could also include frame someone else, or make it seem like someone else is the mastermind. (More involves than really are)
Red Herring: someone who looks like they did it but didn’t and are there to throw people off the track of the actual culprit.
i mean... between some police investigation classes (you can attend for free via a citizens academy), and some Agatha Christie book readings. You can come up with something glorious if you wanted.
Handwritting/Writting etc as in maybe someones written something in elven but looks more like a dwarf or other race has written it.
This is tricky since unless in your world it’s cannon that all Dwarves write in Alphabet letters.
or all halflings write: lIkE Thi$,
then you need MULTIPLE of each race, to try writing in X style, to figure this out. Handwriting forensics is a lot more complicated than you make it seem to just blanket throw out “this looks like a dwarf wrote it”.
do all humans write the same? 7.3 billion in that sample...
Smells/odors (perfume/cologne, cigars, alcohol, animals, etc.) Scent has been proven to be more closely tied to memory than any other sensory input. What did the witnesses smell?
Hey, how’s it going?
I’m planing a little mystery for my next campaign, but i’m kind of stuck on what clues to place. I was wondering if you could help me come up with what type of clues I could plant to help my players identify the culprit. So far I have:
-race (Human, Elf; Dwarf ect)
-type of clothing (noble; farmer, scholar ect)
-smells (uses perfume; smells like fish/harbor, ect)
-personal belongings (a piece of jewelry; dagger with symbols, ect)
-environmental (leaves from a specific plant; animal hairs ect)
-habitual (certain type of laughter; whistling/humming; rambling ect)
Anything else I am missing? I’m not looking for something specific, just generally types of indicators, that could be used to point to the culprit.
As always, thx for your help and I wish you a nice day.
Handwritting/Writting etc
as in maybe someones written something in elven but looks more like a dwarf or other race has written it.
Types of indicators: You mentioned personal belongings, but that’s so broad. There’s the types of things they read, collections they keep, origin of property (i.e. a dwarven pipe in a predominately elven setting).
There’s handwriting analysis, footstep stride length to indicate height, or to that end writing on the wall being done at a height only comfortable for certain heighted persons. Food crumbs leftover from a meal they enjoy. There’s wear and tear on boot soles (a chunk of missing material on the sole would leave a distinct footprint.)
If the culprit has allergies, a fine mist that has dried into a dirty spot on glass or a desk might indicate sneezing while working in the crime scene while near an irritant.
A missing bottle of liquor at the scene from the crime might indicate your culprit is an alcoholic.
Injuries sustained while committing the crime. (Think why Harry Suspected Snape in yr one. Getting his leg tore up surely meant he was trying to get past Fluffy.)
Yeah, that's not what I meant. I'm looking for the broad categories to classify certain types of clues as. You complained that my example was "so broad", but that was exactly the point of it. All the points you bring up are just specific example of the above mentioned categories, which, while valid to a certain degree, isn't what I'm looking for.
For example, height and stride length, as an indicator of such, would both fall under the category physical appearance (that's a new one though, so thanks for that). The cultural orgin of the poetry and the broodcrumbs can both be classified as habitual, as can the bottle of liquor and to a certain degree the sneezing , while the boots on the other hand are part of the category clothing.
Again, I I'm looking for the types (or I guess categories) of clues you'd search for in an investigation, not specific examples. I'm afraid you completly misunderstood what I was going for. Sorry, if I wasn't being clear enough.
In terms of broad categories
- motivation. (Clues for WHY the culprit did what they did. So that's clues like "All the drawers are pulled out and all the floorboards are torn up as if the culprit was looking for something" or "They incapacitated the guards but killed the lord")
-skills. (Clues for what the culprit had to be able to do to commit the crime - stuff like the players figuring out the culprit must be able to climb, or must be able to see in the dark)
What about class? rich, poor, urchin etc?
We tend to think of material evidence as being the primary pointer to the culprit, but I think until the mid 19th century the testimony of people carried far more weight. Firstly, what did witnesses observe about the crime (what they saw/heard etc.)? Secondly, what did they observe about the suspect (what did the suspect say? can the witness provide an alibi? etc.)? Thirdly, what do people who know the suspect say about them (are they reputable or disreputable)?
Perhaps the gods could also provide information in the form of an ordeal.
Opportunity: Was it planned or spur of the moment?
pattern behavior: has this been done before? By them? Copycat?
Motive: as pointed out by FTL.
Counter forensics: did they try and cover it up? Did they not? Cover it up could also include frame someone else, or make it seem like someone else is the mastermind. (More involves than really are)
Red Herring: someone who looks like they did it but didn’t and are there to throw people off the track of the actual culprit.
i mean... between some police investigation classes (you can attend for free via a citizens academy), and some Agatha Christie book readings. You can come up with something glorious if you wanted.
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This is tricky since unless in your world it’s cannon that all Dwarves write in Alphabet letters.
or all halflings write: lIkE Thi$,
then you need MULTIPLE of each race, to try writing in X style, to figure this out. Handwriting forensics is a lot more complicated than you make it seem to just blanket throw out “this looks like a dwarf wrote it”.
do all humans write the same? 7.3 billion in that sample...
Blank
Huh, those are all great. Thanks guys for the help.
Smells/odors (perfume/cologne, cigars, alcohol, animals, etc.) Scent has been proven to be more closely tied to memory than any other sensory input. What did the witnesses smell?
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