Dustfall Shadows
An independent investigator arrives in the isolated frontier town of Dustfall. The body of a prominent rancher lies in his corral, covered by a coarse animal hide. The subsequent inquiry has drawn the attention of every resident, from the grieving daughter to the town physician, each with their own professional secrets and personal obligations that intersect with the discovery.
Initial Crime Scene
The persistent smell of coal oil, leather, and cheap whiskey from the nearby saloon hangs in the air. From the telegraph station, the mechanical, clacking rhythm of the key echoes faintly. Deep ruts from wagon wheels score the main street mud. The fragile, yellowed pages of land grant deeds are visible through a study window. Sun-bleached porch boards creak underfoot.
Crime Scene Environment
The lighting profile is the dim, flickering glow of coal-oil lamps, creating long shadows. The air is dry and dusty, with a pervasive humidity carried from the distant corral. The acoustic density is low, dominated by distant, intermittent sounds: the clack of a telegraph key, the creak of a weather-beaten sign, the faint toll of a church bell.
Investigation Constraints
Black powder revolvers and lever-action rifles; hand-cranked telegraph machines; hand-written ledgers and personal diaries; simple combination locks on strongboxes; coal-oil lamps for lighting; basic mechanical printing press for the town gazette; horse-drawn wagons for transport.
✦ Related Cases ✦
