Murder mystery

[Bierhoff]

I'm planning on running a murder mystery adventure (Clue d&d style). I plan on making it a skill based adventure.

Anyways, I was wondering if you guys have any advice (aka neat ways of connecting PCs with clues, balancing evidence with red herrings, etc.)

[Ganurath]

Make sure the culprit had the means to disrupt divination.

[Emperor Demonking]

Make sure the culprit had the means to disrupt divination.

Even though this post is just after that. This is worth quoting.


Don't just add red herrings, think about where they come from, plus make them work for the clues.

[AKA_Bait]

Also keep an eye on resurrection spells and speak with dead. Nothing messes up a murdery mystery like speak with dead.

[Bierhoff]

well, I think I have those things covered as I plan on starting at level 1, so they don't have easy access to mystery breaking spells.

To give a little detail on my plot: it goes something along the lines that someone assassinated a vampire while it was sleeping (no one else knew it was a vampire so everyone thinks it was a murder). The PCs are a homicide unit. To successfully complete the mystery they need to discover the victim's true identity to figure out the murder's motive (the murder is fighting a cult similar to Blood of Vol and therefore doesn't want publicity as a vampire hunter). The red herrings revolve around the victim having developed a relationship with a younger woman and thus upsetting his daughter and business partner who are hoping that he'd kick the bucket and leave his fortune to them and his man servant isn't too happy as he had the hots for the girl (who happens to be the undercover vampire hunter).

[Emperor Demonking]

It might help if you give one of the two red herring parties, proof that they didn't do it at around half way.

[sikyon]

I'd put some combat in it, like henchmen trying to intimidate them into not looking too deeply in it. Then they could beat the henchmen, and interrogate them! False information can be given then, ect.

Oh, red herring:

Make it seem like the vampire was a werewolf.