The Ledger of Dust
At dawn, the wrought-iron door to the Vane family crypt stands open. Inside, a government surveyor lies dead among scattered, heavy paper. The investigation begins in an isolated frontier town where superstition and commerce intersect, and everyone carries private ledgers of debt or shame.
Initial Crime Scene
The scent of dry earth and old stone hangs in the cool air of the crypt, cutting through the dust. A faint, rhythmic creak comes from the town square beyond the door. Your first visual is the deep, jagged scratches on the wrought-iron latch. Your second is the shaft of pale light from a narrow window, illuminating motes of disturbed dust. Your third is the two parallel grooves cut into the parched floor, leading to a stone ledge.
Crime Scene Environment
The sandbox is defined by a harsh, high-angle sunlight casting sharp, short shadows, with a persistent, low humidity that parches the throat. The acoustic density is low: distant, intermittent sounds like creaking floorboards, church bells, or the scrape of metal are distinct and carry far against a baseline of wind across flat land.
Investigation Constraints
Black powder revolvers, oil lanterns, hand-drawn maps, ledger books, manual printing presses, telegraph offices (limited, 50+ miles away), mechanical pocket watches, wrought-iron locks with unique key-bit patterns, church bells for timekeeping.
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