Dustfall Ledger
In the border town of Dustfall, a man is found dead in his cabin following a forced entry. An independent investigator arrives to examine the physical evidence and interview the town's residents, each with their own timeline and hidden affairs.
Initial Crime Scene
The scent of pine sap and alkali dust hangs thick in the air, mixing with the faint, cold smell of old wool. A low whistle of wind through the sod roof is the only sound. Your eyes adjust to the dim light, first catching the deep, parallel compression lines on the interior edge of the pine door frame. Then you see the iron strongbox lying on its side, its lid pried upward at a sharp angle. Finally, your gaze lands on the body on the packed earth floor.
Crime Scene Environment
The lighting is low and diffuse, filtered through a single grimy window and the glow of a pot-bellied stove, casting long, soft-edged shadows. The humidity is low, the air parchment-dry, with a temperature that feels gun-metal cold against the skin. Acoustic density is minimal; sounds are absorbed by the thick log walls and sod roof, creating a muted, insulated quiet.
Investigation Constraints
Frontier-era tools: simple padlocks, strongboxes with key or combination dials, flintlock or percussion revolvers, telegraph offices, handwritten ledgers, stagecoach schedules, and rudimentary fingerprinting using soot and paper. No electricity or advanced mechanics beyond clockwork.
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