The Frostvale Winter Gala
During the annual Frostvale Winter Gala, the town's historical artifact, the Founder's Bell, is discovered missing from its display. The mount bracket shows physical deformation, and a single gift note is found at the scene. The investigation focuses on the guests, staff, and associates present at the event, each with their own recorded movements and interactions.
Initial Crime Scene
The air is thick with the scent of spilled champagne and floor polish. A low, persistent hum from the refrigeration units undercuts the distant, muffled thump of bass from the main hall. The glint of a discarded smartphone screen on the polished wood podium catches your eye. Nearby, a deformed metal mount bracket on an empty marble pedestal is visible. The concrete floor beneath your feet is cold and stained with old spills.
Crime Scene Environment
Lighting is provided by a mix of glittering chandeliers and weak, uneven sodium-vapor lamps in the adjacent parking lot. The humidity is low, and the temperature is cool, bordering on cold. Acoustic density is high, dominated by overlapping layers of distant music, muffled crowd chatter, and the sharp, echoing clicks of heels on hard surfaces.
Investigation Constraints
Modern consumer electronics: smartphones with cameras and social media apps, digital guest lists, social media analytics, encrypted messaging apps, basic home security cameras with SD card storage, electric keycard locks for high-end venues, digital banking apps. No advanced forensics, AI, or hacking tools.
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