Looking for tips for a werewolf mystery

[xLegionx]

Hello everyone. I need some tips. This is my first group that I am DMing for and I am working on a werewolf murder mystery. A family was brutally murdered in a village the night before and no one has any idea as to whom did it. The killer, a dangerous werewolf, is actually a deranged elven woman who has lost all her memories, as a result of her contaminating Lycanthropy in my world. I'm trying to work out connections with the murdered family and other people in the village to whom the players may suspect be responsible for this killing and the other killings that may follow if the players don't end up finding out who is responsible before the sun sets.

So, what I'm asking for help with are potential clues that the players may find. This family used to work for a company called The Seven Suns Trading company who directly oversee lumber and iron trade in the country my players are in. So far, they have zero idea as to who could've done it. The village contains a brothel, a blacksmith, an alchemist, a tyrannical mayor with cruel guards, and other important figures I may plan on adding if anyone has good suggestions for potential connections.

[willdaBEAST]

I think a common trope for this kind of situation is to have an extremely obvious suspect who turns out to be innocent. Maybe the blacksmith is especially hairy (hirsute) and is known for his bad temper. Similarly the trading company could be a red herring, where that seems to be the most logical connection, but in reality it's pure coincidence. Maybe there's some underhanded things going on with the lumber or iron. You mention a tyrannical mayor, perhaps he's desperately trying to cover up the murders so as to not cause panic or hurt the local economy, which to your players might be perceived as possible guilt or association with the attacks.

It could be a memorable session if your players capture who they assume is the culprit and lock them up somewhere, only to hear a bloodcurdling scream when the moon rises and someone else becomes a victim.

Another idea is you could have the excessive tree clearing be what caused the lycanthropy in the first place. Maybe a shrine was disturbed or an imprisoned lycan was inadvertently released.

[Droodicus]

You could also set it up so an external force, ie shadow druid circle, infected a town person in order to drive the loggers, miners and what have you away. That way when they finally catch the werewolf it's 'innocent'. Do they murder the crying woman in the torn bloodstained dress pleading for her life as she has no idea what she's done or do they risk her causing further harm while they track the druids for a cure

[Angelalex242]

Remember lycanthropy is fixable. And it only takes a remove Curse spell. Characters who simply nuke the wolf cause it's easier aren't what I'd call 'good.'

If the PCs actually rescue the werewolf with remove curse, they should get extra rewards...maybe a magic item of some kind suitable for those who go above and beyond the call of duty for compassion's sake.

[hymer]

Some thoughts on clues/connection: The victim was barred from the brothel, because he mistreated the hosts. He molested (or tried to molest) the lycanthrope (who is pretty vulnerable having lost her memories), and lycanthropes prefer to attack someone invoking the strongest emotions in them (in this case hatred or fear). Another avenue of approach for investigators could be that the victim spent unexplained time away from home, the wife suspecting an affair (or worse). Getting her to talk about it could be a little less than straightforward (pride and/or not speaking ill of the dead). Those who have seen the victim when he was away can tell whereabouts he went, and the PCs interviewing people around there will eventually hear the tale of the molestation, perhaps from the lycanthrope herself. Add some mutilation of the genital area at the scene of the crime to get players thinking of this sort of motive, and some sort of partially healed injury from the (attempted) molestation encounter (scratch from nails, e.g.).
And you can have the victim's friends know about his racism towards elves and his misogyny, and perhaps some story about how it came about (abusive step parents is a classic). They can bring it up in a roundabout way ("He was a pretty decent sort, when you consider what he had to work with.").
The possible second victim can be the local healer or cleric, trying to help the poor amnesiac, and getting feelings of gratitude. If this one goes of, there could be a witness, or they could find the lycanthrope walking around soaked in blood, if you want to wrap up the session around now.

[smcmike]

You just need a good group of NPCs. Every village needs a seer, a robber, and a troublemaker. Throw in a couple of masons, a drunk, and a minion, and you’re good to go. If you really want to make it fun, a doppelgänger can confuse everything.

The above won’t make much sense of you haven’t played One Night Ultimate Werewolf, and is mostly silliness, but I do think it is a way to think about building a social deduction scenario. Different NPCs get different bits of information, but also different motivations and different conclusions drawn from the information they have.

The “minion” may be a secret admirer of the werewolf, who will protect her by muddying the evidence. The “robber” is an actual robber, who saw something, but wants to hide his own actions on the night in question. The “troublemaker” is a gossip who just loves the drama, and isn’t too picky about truthfulness. The “drunk” thinks it might have been him, since he doesn’t remember most nights. The “doppelgänger” is a doppelgänger. The masons are a secret society in the village who are working independently to catch the werewolf, but may have been tricked by some of the mixed up evidence. And so on.