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 Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective is a mystery-solving game originally published in 1981 by Sleuth Publications. The players (either collectively or competitively) make the choice of which clues to read, and when they think they've gathered enough information to solve the case, take a quiz. Points are awarded both for getting it right and for requiring fewer clues to do so. There are also newspapers, a map of 1890s London and a Directory to use in tracking down who to talk to and where to go. The players take on the role, not of Holmes, but of the Baker Street Irregulars, who are trying their best to match or beat Holmes by solving the crime he's working on. In fact, Holmes and the other Sherlockian characters appear to introduce the cases and give the solution at the conclusion of the case. Probably the strongest point of the game is it's ability to capture the feel of the Holmes stories. As such, it's as much an experience as it is a puzzle game to solve. Even getting a very poor score (as frequently happened to those new to the cases) can still be fun. The game's actually had quite the history over the years. Several expansion modules were published to add new cases while Sleuth was still around. In the 1990s, a computer adaptation was made using fully-produced video for the clue points. That was later released as a DVD game (as in a game you control using your DVD remote). A few years ago the original was re-released in a new edition, which included French and Italian versions. The new editions came with some minor tweaks (although from what I hear one or two things got screwed up). I'm using the original version (pictured above). How to Play This will be a collective play-through. All clue point decisions will be by thread vote. Anyone can participate with any decision, but I do hope that thought and careful consideration will be given to the votes. In general, Holmes solves the case in fewer than ten clues (sometimes far fewer), so there will not be that many steps to take. I'll provide a few tips to help out, but will avoid influencing the result. Voting by using a ranked list is allowed. This is optional; each person only gets one vote in the end. The final clue will be decided by instant run-off (eliminating the choice with the fewest votes until only one remains). Ties will likely go to the earliest votes. Once you feel we've visited enough clues, you can also vote to Close the Case. If the majority vote is to close the case, I'll post the quiz questions and after a certain amount of time, the solution. Quiz answers will not need to be collective; theoretically you don't even have to post yours in the thread except to have proof and bragging rights. I'm choosing three cases to run (from the ten in the original game), and might do another based on thread interest. If you're wondering if this will spoil the rest of the game (in case you want to get it for yourself), it will really only spoil the cases we're covering. The newspapers will reveal what the other cases are about, but only very minor clues as to what the results of them are, and you practically have to already know the outcome to even notice it. The next post will cover how the game works with a bit more detail, and after that we can get started with an introduction from Holmes. Completed Cases The Case of the Murdered Munitions Magnate The Case of the Cryptic Corpse Current Case The Case of the Pilfered Paintings Kangra fucked around with this message at 19:16 on Dec 15, 2015 |
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Oct 16, 2015 02:29
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"We are the irregulars; we must decide our own line of action." The Rules The rules of the game are fairly simple. For each case, there is an introduction from the Case Book that sets the scene. From there, the first Clue Point to visit is chosen. Once that Clue Point is read, we go on to the next, and so on, until the decision is made to Close the Case. Locations that have no Clue Point listed do not count against our score. We can visit as many Clue Points as we like, but visiting too many reduces the final score. Scoring Once we decide to stop looking up clues, the quiz questions are provided for that case. The quiz is a series of questions worth a varying amount of points each, and is divided into two parts. Part 1 is concerned with the important details of the case (as determined by Holmes). The questions here always add up to 100 points. Part 2 has bonus questions, which may cover the details of other goings-on in London that we may have stumbled into, or even trivia about the Holmes stories. The score from the Quiz is then adjusted based on the number of Clue Points visited. Holmes always sets the standard. The adjustment is determined by subtracting the number of Clue Points the Baker Street Irregulars visited from the number Holmes visited, and multiplying by 5. The Map There is a reference map of London that is used for all locations in the game. The map is divided into regions that correspond with the London postcodes. Within each region the possible locations to visit all have a number. Each Clue Point is in fact indexed in that manner, e.g. 53 EC would be location 53 within EC (East Central). That number is also the location that would be the street adress, if that is the only detail given. So if someone says they live at 34 Waterloo Road, you'd need to refer to the map to find that Waterloo Road is in SE, and go to the 34 SE Clue Point. Travel time on the map is not often of importance, but when it is, there is a scale provided (on the original, it was 1" = 5 minutes). This only applies to the characters in the case; it's not needed for players. Also, those who travel by cab or similar conveyance typically get around faster. [In the expansions it was made explicit that they move twice as fast.] Due to the nature of the game, some address can take on different meanings in different cases; there's not necessarily anything of importance about this. I interpret it as various actual rooms within a building or city block, as required. Finally, although the map is generally faithful to real-world London, the game map is the only true reference to use for what streets are called and where buildings are located. In particular, the postcodes do not match up precisely with the real world, for simplicity's sake. (An overview map will be posted with the Introductory Lecture.) SW:  NW:  WC:  EC:  SE:  The Newspapers Each case also includes an issue of The Times for the date of that case. Players are able to read the newspaper at the start of each case. They also have access to all papers published prior to that date. The cases proceed in chronological order, but spaced apart so that the results of one case will not be revealed by the newspaper for any later cases. I've mentioned that there are minor spoilers for the cases we're not playing. What happens is that on occasion the name of someone in an earlier case might show up in a later paper. For instance, if Terrence Spaulding is the victim's brother-in-law in Case 2, and then in Case 7 you notice that 'Mr. T. Spaulding' had taken a position at the University of London, you might deduce that he was not a suspect in Case 2. It's the sort of thing you almost have to look closely at to notice, and is pretty rare. I'll be providing scans of the newspapers as required for the cases. The London Directory The last major resource at hand is the London Directory. The game provides a lengthy alphabetical index, more or less like a phone book, that gives the address for any person you might think to look for, and for many businesses as well. Since I'm not going to input every last name in the book, I'll do look-ups upon request. Typically I'll provide a few names around the requested name. Look-ups are free. There are also a fair number of what I'd call 'Category Listings' that group several locations under a bolded heading. Since these are relatively easy to spot when reading through the directory, I'll allow a look-up to get whoever's in the category, and I am giving the full category listing below. Category Directory Auction Houses Banks Barristers Baths Boardinghouses Booksellers Booksellers-Used & Rare Carpets Charities Chemists Churches Clubs Cocoa Manufacturers Coroner's Office Cycles Dentists Department Stores Detective Agencies Docks Doctors Embassies Florists Furriers Government Offices Guides Gunsmiths Hospitals Hotels Inns Inns of Court Insurance Companies Jewelers Libraries Map Sellers Music Halls Newspapers Parks Pawnbrokers Police Stations Post Offices Printers Public Houses Restaurants Settlement Houses Shoemakers Solicitors Sporting Societies Stables Stationers Stations Steamship Companies Synagogues Tailors Tea Merchants Tea Rooms Theatres Tobacconists Watchmakers Wine Merchants Tips for Playing Here's a few tips that can help to get a better score. Remember that this is mostly meant to be a fun experience, and some of the cases are quite hard. (Typically you'll get about half of what is needed, and have a good vague idea, but miss some of specifics because you didn't know the right place to find them.) Holmes is not only a genius who always guesses correctly, he has access and knowledge that we might never have. So even if we were to visit the exact same locations as him, we won't necessarily be able to solve it the way he does. Just accept that and realize there are also bonus points to be had. This is actually the game being rather faithful to Arthur Conan Doyle - the mysteries are not always fair. [The cases are overall, but sometimes the key detail is very well hidden.] It's best to treat this the way Holmes himself solves cases (despite everything he says): Build a chain of reasonable inference and see where it leads. If you try to work from merely the evidence as given and build a case only on that, you're not likely to get much. Along with that, don't try to corroborate every detail. If you can make a guess, stick with it. Trying to gather all the evidence leaves you with a low score. It's generally better to test another line of inquiry instead of pursuing one you already have some good ideas about, unless you think more is available. That said, don't just abandon something that hasn't yielded any information, unless you're sure it's a dead-end. Remember that some of the red herrings will show up as bonus points. Also, consider that a typical question might be worth 20 points, so visiting three extra clue points to find the answer still puts you ahead. Carefully consider who or where the best source of information will be. If you strongly suspect Person X is the culprit, it's a fair chance they won't want to talk to you (or are already on the run). There aren't going to be any magic clue locations that simply explain the whole case. Kangra fucked around with this message at 03:51 on Oct 16, 2015 |
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Oct 16, 2015 02:36
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An Introduction to London: Holmes' Lecture of 1886 Holmes stood next to a map of London which hung on the wall of the sitting room at 221B Baker Street. Watson intermittently surveyed the scene over the pages of his book, while Holmes paced back and forth in front of a group of attentive youths, his black brier in his right hand, his left in the pocket of his mouse-coloured dressing gown. "London is not a beautiful city. Under the soot that covers its buildings is the residue of the Empire, a teeming mass of four million souls trying to survive, mostly off of each other. Behind this assemblage is a force of evil, a legion of scoundrels weaving their web of iniquity over the city, and in the centre of the web is the master criminal himself, Professor James Moriarty, the greatest schemer of all time, the organizer of every devilry, the controlling brain of the underworld -- a brain which might have made or marred the destiny of nations. That's the man! But so aloof is he from criticism, so admirable in his management and self-effacement that his true character is unknown to the public and police. This fact must be kept in mind in all your investigations." "How has he managed to stay so unknown, Mr. Holmes?" "That is a good question, Wiggins. Moriarty insulates himself from the crimes he controls and the public with an organization of underlings and thugs who make sure that no thread of evidence can be traced to Moriarty. So you can see that we are not dealing with the ordinary criminal mind and we will need all the help we can get. "Today we will discuss some of the people who will be of help to you in your investigations. At the start of any investigation you must keep in mind that it is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. The people that I will introduce you to at this time will help you collect the facts." I'm summarizing the rest of the lecture: Holmes describes the following locations, any of which may be a Clue Point in the course of any case. Images below with a yellowish-brown background are what the game itself gives for that person.  38 EC - St. Bartholomew's Hospital Sir Jasper Meeks, the Coroner's Chief Medical Examiner. Holmes calls him "London's greatest forensic pathologist". The details about the literal corpus delicti may be obtained here, assuming it's a body that would make it to him. All murder victims under police investigation will be examined by Meeks.  22 Regency-street (SW) - Scotland Yard Criminology Laboratory The contact here is H.R. Murray, Head Chemist. He is the man to go to for the examination and interpretation of physical evidence taken from the crime scene.  13 SW - Scotland Yard The headquarters of the professional police. Holmes refers to Gregson and Lestrade as the "pick of a bad lot".  14 Chancery-Lane (WC) - The Office of Records The building houses legal records, both criminal and civil, as well as state-papers. Contact is Disraeli O'Brian, Head Clerk of the Land Records Department.  17 WC - Somerset House Office of the Registrar-General of Births, Deaths, and Marriages Probate Registry Commons Will Office All records are open to the public - no contact necessary.  36 EC - Old Bailey The Criminal Court. Our contact is Edward Hall, a young barrister who can be found there most days. Of him Holmes says, "a cut above the other unimaginative members of his profession". "Mr. Holmes!" "Yes, Simpson?" "Could you tell me the difference between a barrister and a solicitor?" "Yes, of course. A solicitor handles the routine legal business of our society. If you do not have to go before a court, then you will have no need for a barrister. If you must go before a court, then your solicitor would engage a barrister. A barrister is a member of the highest class of lawyers who have the exclusive right to plead in superior courts. The particular business of the barrister is the advocacy of causes in open court and except in criminal cases, he may not undertake a case without the intervention of a solicitor who actually prepares the case for trial." The game was made for Americans, in case it's not obvious. Although they sometimes opted for British spellings (which I've preserved) to be more faithful to the original, I suppose.  10 WC Grey's Inn 13 WC Lincoln's Inn 33 EC The Temple The Inns of Court are legal societies. All barristers must belong to one of the four (the Temple is split into the Inner Temple and the Middle Temple), so these are potentially worth a visit when dealing with matters of the law.  52 EC The Raven and Rat Inn Shinwell Johnson, also known as Porky, did two terms at Parkhurst but is now trying to start a new life as the proprietor of a tavern. He still his a lot of contacts in the underworld, and many of his patrons have criminal connections as well.  18 Shaftesbury Avenue (NW) Parson & Sons Toy Shoppe 'Fred Porlock' is a pseudonym of a member of Moriarty's organization who has chosen to inform on his master. He leaves coded messages at the toy shop (often making use of the toys) that give a clue as to what Moriarty is up to lately.  30 EC The Times It's always good to have contacts in the press. Henry Ellis is the foreign news editor. He's the best source for what's going on in Europe, but he also takes an occasional interest in crime news.  35 EC - The Police Gazette Quentin Hogg (former police inspector turned crime reporter) is our contact at the Police Gazette.  8 SW - The Diogenes Club Sherlock's brother Mycroft is an invaluable (albeit invisible) figure in the British government. He lodges in Pall Mall and spends his days in Whitehall, but can often be found at the Diogenes Club if we need him.  2 SW - The Societies Club Langdale Pike can be located here to obtain the latest gossip on social scandal.  5 Grey's Inn-road (WC) - Central Carriage Stables All of London's cabs are stabled and dispatched from here.  5 SW - The London Library If we're searching for additional information on a subject, we can go to the library, where Watson's friend Lomax can help us out. Bonus points if you know which of the characters above are taken from the Holmes canon. One other note on names: The creators love to make references with their character names. The resemblance of any character to a fictional or real person (that would not be known to Holmes) should be assumed as purely coincidental, and of no relevance to the cases. Kangra fucked around with this message at 03:22 on Oct 16, 2015 |
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Oct 16, 2015 03:10
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Case One 20 March 1888 The Case of the Murdered Munitions Magnate  Despite the lateness of the month, March is still roaring like a lion. In fact, just as we alight from our cab in front of 221B Baker, a derby hat skitters by propelled by the fierce wind. In close pursuit is none other than Wiggins, chief of the Baker Street Irregulars and, after Dr. Watson, Sherlock Holmes' most able assistant. Before we can join in the chase, Wiggins manages to halt the flying bit of finery with a deft stroke of his umbrella. Cramming it squarely on his head, he saunters back towards us. "Hello," he says cheerily. "It would appear that Mr. Holmes is summoning the troops. Shall we?" With the point of his umbrella, a very versatile tool it appears, Wiggins stabs the doorbell. It is several moments before Mrs. Hudson answers. After a brief exchange of greetings, she sends us on our way to Holmes' apartment. Above, we find Holmes and Dr. Watson sitting at a table engaged in earnest conversation with a gentleman in his late forties, expensively dressed yet somewhat rumpled in appearance. "Warm yourselves," says Holmes, "and I will explain my reasons for calling you out on such a bitter morning." Coats and hats are immediately shed – there is a distinct 'pop' as Wiggins removes his derby - and a rush is made for the fireplace. In due course introductions are made, and the gentlemen is identified as Mr. Richard Allen, brother of the late Courtney Allen, president of the Grant Arms Company. "It is the recent death of Mr. Allen's late brother," says Holmes, "that occasions his visit to us. Briefly, Courtney Allen was found shot to death in an alley behind his office on the evening of March 9th at approximately 7:00 p.m. by the constable on patrol. Scotland Yard has put the crime down as a simple robbery 'by person or persons unknown,' largely due to the fact that the victim's wallet was found empty near the body and his gold pocket watch was missing. Mr. Allen was just telling us a bit about his brother when you arrived. Please continue, Mr. Allen." "Well, Courtney was a dynamic individual. Always busy, forever on the move. Yet he had the unique ability to make ten minutes spent with you seem like an hour, so complete was his attention to you. Of course, his charm worked like a magic potion on the ladies." "You said he was married?" asks Watson with a raised eyebrow. "Oh, yes ... poor Beatrice." "Was he involved in an, ah, in an affair at the time of his death?" asks Wiggins. "Yes, I believe he was, but I have no clue as to who the lady might have been. You see, the night before he was killed, I popped 'round to his office at about half-past five and managed to coax him to supper at Keen's. We were there but a short while when Courtney begged leave. He indicated that he had an important meeting, said 'Auf Wiedersehen,' and winked. That wink meant a woman." "Is the company financially sound?" asks Watson. "Oh, quite. A fine investment for anyone's portfolio. You see, the company was founded as a small gun shop some seventy-odd years ago by our great-uncle Thaddeus Grant. It catered to a very elite clientele." "Most of the chaps in the regiment were equipped with pistols from Grant's," nods Watson. "Why, Braxton -- you've heard me speak of Braxton, Holmes -- he had a pair of the finest duelling pistols--" "Yes, Watson. Pray continue, Mr. Allen." "Courtney, always fascinated by firearms, apprenticed himself to Uncle Thaddeus. When Thaddeus died in 1873, he bequeathed the business to Courtney. While maintaining the original shop and its tradition, Courtney expanded into the international arms trade. With loans and the sale of public stock, he was able to build a plant at 12 Deverell-street for the manufacture of heavy ordnance. Today the firm is debt-free and very profitable. Of course, a drop in the share price occurred with the news of my brother's death." "Who has ascended to the presidency?" asks Watson. "Courtney's picked successor, Phillip Marlowe, the 2nd vice-president." "And why not the senior vice-president?" "Young Lord Ragland, who runs the Deverell-street plant is a brilliant technician but a most inept businessman." "Who inherits your brother's stock?" "His wife, Beatrice." "Now I think we might examine the effects found with your brother." So saying, Holmes turns his attention to a briefcase and a large, brown envelope. "It looks as if some sharp object has been used on it," comments Watson, referring to a long gouge on the leather of the briefcase. "Yes, and it's practically brand-new. I gave it to Courtney for his last birthday, January 6th. As you can see, it is locked. The police found it that way. Courtney kept the key on a chain attached to his watch fob. The watch, of course, was stolen." Holmes retrieves a long piece of wire from the coal scuttle. After gaining Allen's permission, he inserts it into the lock and, with a quick flick of the wrist, springs the lock open. He pulls out several folders for our examination. Each is filled with company papers and is coded to indicate its contents. One marked ML-C, for instance, concerns various coal mine leases. Another, marked S-87-R, contains a listing of sales to the Russian Government during the preceding year. One folder is empty. It is marked SP#10-A. Holmes then empties the contents of the envelope onto the table. The inventory includes: spectacles and case, a ruby ring, a gold wedding band, a key chain with keys, an empty wallet, a small notebook and a note which reads: "Meet me tonight at Spaniard's - 10 - A.M." Seizing on the notebook, Holmes observes, "There are two entries on the day of your brother's death. 'Capt. Egan -- 8:30 p.m.!!!' Can you tell us who Captain Egan might be, Mr. Allen?" "I've never heard the name." "The other entry is, 'Plant -- 8 a.m. -- surprise!'.... The previous day's entry is 'Bishop's F -- 8:30 p.m.' and a notation that it's 'Billy's Mother's Birthday.'" "'Billy' is Courtney's secretary, William Linhart." Holmes compares the writing in the notebook with that of the note. They appear to be identical. He nods and says, "I believe we have enough to begin our investigation." After Allen has gone, Wiggins comments that his hand gestures were most intriguing. "Combining infinite subtlety with tremendous force, it is easy to imagine that he has no trouble making his wishes known on the floor of the London Stock Exchange." "I don't recall Allen giving out his occupation," says Wiggins, puzzled. "No," replies Wiggins, "but certain phrases he spoke, coupled with the penciled notations on his left shirt cuff, stock prices surely, led me to conclude that he was a stockbroker." "Bravo, Wiggins! Well, Watson, our young man has come a long way since the days when you described him as 'a dirty, little street arab', eh?" "Thank you, Mr. Holmes, but, after all, I was taught by the master." "True," says Holmes matter-of-factly. "Quite true." The first case has begun! What Clue Point should we visit? Make your vote (and your case for why to go there) in the thread by giving the location to visit. e: Fixed misspelling of Keen's Newspaper #1: 20 March    Case closed. Clue Point 1 Clue Point 2 Clue Point 3 Clue Point 4 Clue Point 5 Clue Point 6 Clue Point 7 Quiz Kangra fucked around with this message at 22:44 on Nov 1, 2015 |
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Oct 16, 2015 04:30
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38 EC - St. Bartholomew's Hospital Since this is a murder, we should see if there are anymore details about the body. Side note - Is the 12 Deverell-street factory a valid location, or is it just flavor?
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Oct 16, 2015 04:37
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Delvio posted:Side note - Is the 12 Deverell-street factory a valid location, or is it just flavor? There are occasional addresses given this way. The way to check that it might be valid is to refer to the map. If you find a #12 on a Deverell-Street, that usually means it is visitable. [There is even one nasty instance where they used a street name that is unlabeled on the map for a clue point]. By the way, the way to search is not to look around for the street (unless you happen to know London well enough to do that*), but to check each region for the given number, which is a bit easier. *In the days of the internet, you can also look up the street on a London map to get a good guess. Don't use the given number, since those typically aren't real.
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Oct 16, 2015 04:59
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22 Regency Street Probably a good place to go and check up on Courtney's autopsy, if he has it (if that counts as physical evidence?) as well as anything else from the scene. Might have some information there. also quote:"Bravo, Wiggins! Well, Watson, our young man has come a long way since the days when you described him as 'a dirty, little street arab', eh?" Jeez Watson, way to be a racist within the first page of the adventure.
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Oct 16, 2015 05:01
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Look up and then head to the Russian Embassy to confront Alexi Meshkoff, one assumes the "A.M." the deceased was to meet. e: Note the munitions explosion in St. Petersburg, and the missing "SP" file. The Merry Marauder fucked around with this message at 07:51 on Oct 16, 2015 |
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Oct 16, 2015 07:48
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The Merry Marauder posted:Look up and then head to the Russian Embassy to confront Alexi Meshkoff, one assumes the "A.M." the deceased was to meet. Looking up Russian Embassy yields: Russell, Matthew ...........92 EC Russian Embassy .........54 SW Russian Social Club .........7 SE Rutherford, Gladys ........ 75 EC LordHippoman posted:22 Regency Street The two CSI guys can be a bit confusing. All autopsies and examinations of the body are handled by Meeks at St. Bart's. Murray (at the Criminology Lab) goes over the pieces of evidence found at the scene, especially if there's something odd about them. In-game, Meeks is a bit more reliable source, but rarely says more than simply how a victim died. Murray is portrayed as a little of a mad scientist, so he can be kind of hit-or-miss.
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Oct 16, 2015 15:49
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This is pretty interesting I love a mystery  There was a tabletop game "Scotland Yard" that you walked around a board collecting clues to solve a case, I loved that game as a kid and this looks like an improved version. Feel free to correct me (and to add stuff) but I think this is what we got so far: code:- checking the body at 38 EC - St. Bartholomew's Hospital - examining the things found with the body at 22 Regency-street (SW) - Scotland Yard Criminology Laboratory He got shot so I don't think the coroner will say much, but maybe we can get something interesting The Criminology lab I think could give us some info on the ruby ring, wedding bands (maybe confirming that it's not the size of his wife or where they're from -- the paper said there was a robbery in a jewelry store) Later we could follow the Russian lead and check the factory
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Oct 17, 2015 09:50
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Ooh, I like this LP idea! Would we be able to look up the street addresses of the various Jewellers in town? Knowing where the jewel heist happened would be valuable just in terms of planning the investigation, and also if there're any close to the crime scene that might be relevant in determining what could have happened to the Watch!
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Oct 17, 2015 14:51
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Jewelers are indeed on the category list, so here you go: A. Marx & Co ............ 36 SE Carrington & Co ......... 33 WC De Vries Diamond ........ 34 SW Gross & Hankey's ........ 90 NW J. W. Benson Ltd ........ 17 NW Lambert's ............... 88 SW Ormer & Houle ........... 75 WC R. S. Garrard & Co ...... 44 EC Rowlands & Frazier ...... 40 NW The first clue point will be posted about 24 hours from now (roughly 8 p.m. Sunday in Holmes [London] time) so we can get started gathering clues. After that, it'll probably be more like 2-3 days between selection, depending on the clues revealed. Current choice appears to be Meeks/St. Bart's at 38 EC.
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Oct 17, 2015 20:23
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Delvio posted:38 EC - St. Bartholomew's Hospital Gonna second that. An interesting detail I noticed - according to the newspaper, Marlowe is a hell of a good shot, having scored only one point less than Col. Moran in the shooting competition (nice nod to the stories here, by the way). Seeing as he took over the business after Allen died, and Allen was shot... you can see where I'm going with this. Let's see if Allen got shot in some particularly skillful way or whether he was just riddled with bullets.
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Oct 17, 2015 21:09
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One of the things that stands out is the damage to the briefcase. It could mean an unsuccessful attempt to get inside of it, but with the key for it already on his watch which was also taken, there'd be no reason to do that. I think investigating the secretary to find out more about other people who'd be around the office where he was shot would be more fruitful. It seems pretty obvious on how the man died, and nothing about the nature of the crime or the stakes seem significant. I think that means speaking to the Registrar to find out where the secretary lives, or seeing them at the office?
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Oct 18, 2015 02:15
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Another mystery! Fantastic. I think we should visit 22 Regency Street to find out more about the victim's possessions, which seem far more interesting than concluding that yep, the guy sure got shot. On the other hand, if it turns out he was shot with an uncommon kind of pistol... The damage to the briefcase is interesting, because there is an empty file inside the briefcase. Perhaps the file was missing already, or the perpetrator stole it. The old "steal valuable information and disguise it as a robbery" is a classic trope, after all. But then, since the briefcase was locked when Sherlock got to it, it's more consistent with the killer using the key to unlock the briefcase, steal the file, and then re-lock it again. But if that's the case, why the gash? What's going on with that note, though? The suggestion of a connection with the St. Petersburg munitions explosion and the victim meeting with a Russian diplomat is tempting, but... in the introduction, the note is described as appearing to be written in the same hand as the rest of the notebook entries, i.e. by Courtney Allen. Why would he write a note to set up a meeting and sign it "A.M." himself? It's not just a reminder to himself, it says "Meet me tonight". It's a message to someone else.
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Oct 18, 2015 10:08
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Ooh, Consulting Detective! I'm playing through the game with some friends (very slowly), but I've only been party to Case 2 so far. I gotta back 22 Regency Street, as well.
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Oct 18, 2015 12:52
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Voting was a tie between Meeks (38 EC) and Murray (22 SW), so you get both! Or not really ... turns out there's no clue for Murray's lab in this case. So maybe you caught him at a time he wasn't in, or maybe he didn't find anything of note in the evidence he examined, assuming he even bothered as the police saw nothing in the case. Normally if there's a non-clue chosen I'll note it and give an extra day to switch votes, but since we're just starting out I figured it's better to get going. Case 1, Clue 1 38 EC (St. Bart's/Jasper Meeks) Sir Jasper Meeks explains that Allen was shot in the chest at close range. "From a distance of two feet, no more -- there were extensive powder burns on his overcoat." "Do you have the bullet?" "No, but it must have been of large caliber, the exit wound was massive." Thanks for the lovely image, Jasper. CPs Visited: 38 EC Non-clues: 22 SW What's next? We've seen suggestions to go after Alexi Meshkoff at the Russian Embassy, the possible office or factory, or the secretary's work/home. Next clue will be decided in 48 hours; Tuesday evening London time. Kangra fucked around with this message at 21:11 on Oct 18, 2015 |
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Oct 18, 2015 20:58
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I'm not sure if this kind of game's conducive to having clue points voted over for collaborative play, since there's SO many available at any one time and it'll feel like a slog if we only visit one after each round of voting. So I'll abstain for now. I'm interested in finding out the meaning of SP#10-A. Following the logic of the previous abbreviations: Folder Code Logic posted:ML-C = MineLeases-Coal = Coal Mine Leases I think Thaddeus Grant should be investigated in some way. Not sure where you'd go to check up on the founder of the 70 year old company, however. Maybe check the circumstances of his death in 1873 by visiting 17 WC at some point? Depending on when Courtney was shot, I think the slashed briefcase and the missing file can be explained by considering them separate events by two different individuals:
Also, we have no idea who the Spaniard in question is. Hector del Guerra, the military attache to the Spanish Embassy? The Spanish embassy itself? The name of a restaurant, bar, or other business? I guess I'd like to request a look-up for locales with Spanish/Spaniard/España/Española in their name. There's also the slight possibility that Courtney's "Auf Wiedersehen" and wink at his brother don't hint at meeting with a woman for an affair, but instead signify a different kind of meeting. But that might be reaching too far on my part, since I can't think of anything or anyone in particular yet. ElTipejoLoco fucked around with this message at 21:40 on Oct 18, 2015 |
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Oct 18, 2015 21:34
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This game has my favourite prop in all boardgames ever. The fake newspapers (at least in the new version) are a thing of beauty. Good luck to everyone, and remember that if Sherlock comes off a bit of a smartass jerk, it's because he is.
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Oct 18, 2015 22:09
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A little detail to ask for clarification on. The initial interview with the client notes that the body was found behind the office of the victim. Further, we note that the plant is located at 12 Deverell Street (#12, SE). However, it is also apparently the case that the visit by the victim to the plant would be viewed as a surprise - this leads me to assume that Courtney's office was presumably not based in the plant itself. Could we have a look at the listings on Gunsmiths in the directory to try to find where the original Grants' is located?
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Oct 18, 2015 22:33
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ElTipejoLoco posted:I'm not sure if this kind of game's conducive to having clue points voted over for collaborative play, since there's SO many available at any one time and it'll feel like a slog if we only visit one after each round of voting. So I'll abstain for now. In the end, though, we're only intended to visit a small number of points. If we visit ten, we are guaranteed to have done more than Holmes. So the number of rounds of voting won't be that high, and it is important to think about where to go after each one. I still don't want to discourage people from sticking to the case; it's better to have a fair idea of the facts before going to the quiz than to just cut it short. However, I have given some thought to how it could be better for the forum to interact with the game. I think ranked choice voting might work if people don't object to it. It could aid discussion and consideration of what others are talking about. If desired, vote for your Clue Points as a list, in order of preference. If your first choice is tossed out, the next choice will be used, going down the list one at a time. Providing a list is optional; everyone still only gets one vote. The final clue point would be decided by instant run-off (discarding last-place votegetters).
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Oct 18, 2015 22:39
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Directory Lookups: Here's the Spanish lookup (no results for Esp- words): Southwick, Collis ....... 32 EC Spaniard's Inn ........... 25 SW Spanish Embassy ...... 38 SW Spanish Synagogue .... 19 E Sparks, Ernest ........... 70 SE Here we have our first postcode outside the map. Postcodes that don't appear on the map mean that location isn't visitable [they were used in the expansions]. GUNSMITHS Colt's Fire Arms Co ..... 12 NW Grant Arms Co ............. 5 EC Rigby & Co ................... 1 SW S. Goff ........................ 28 WC Westley Richards ........ 31 NW Winchester Arms Co .... 21 EC Nice catch. This case makes you work a bit harder at the start, probably to make sure you get used to using tools like the map and directory.
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Oct 18, 2015 22:44
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Is there any reason you're not using the modern release of the game? it's nice!
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Oct 18, 2015 22:47
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Well, let's retrace the victim's steps and go to Spaniard's Inn
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Oct 18, 2015 23:11
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Disappointing that there was nothing to learn from the man's possessions. With all the jewel heists going on lately, it would've been interesting if that ring of his had turned out to be stolen, for instance. I think we should visit 1. Spaniard's Inn at 25 SW, to find out if our victim met with someone there. Failing that, in second place, 2. Grant Arms & Co at 5 EC. At some point we should probably figure out who Captain Egan is. What kind of captain might he be? Police? Military? Ship? Could we have a list of docks we could visit?
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Oct 18, 2015 23:13
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One last Directory lookup from me: could we check out Kern's? As the last presently-known whereabouts of the victim before his death, it seems like an important location to try to pin down!
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Oct 18, 2015 23:27
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Directory Lookups: DOCKS I'll save myself the trouble of typing it out and simply say except for one, all the dock listings are in the East End (postcode E). The sole exception is the Commercial Docks .. which has a postcode of 66 S. So there's no visitable docks for us to hang out at. As for the place Richard & Courtney ate dinner: Keen's Chop House ...... 37 WC Just pretend I didn't mistype Keen's as Kern's... corn in the bible posted:Is there any reason you're not using the modern release of the game? it's nice! Well, the old one is the version I have. As nice as the new one is, there's not enough changed as far as I know for me to get much out of it. But I do welcome comparisons of versions once a case is finished.
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Oct 19, 2015 02:22
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The Arms Trade Fair seems to have lots of interesting things. Well, first, it's an arms trade fair, and our victim is in the gun industry, second, the brother hints about a meeting with a woman and a response "Auf wiedersehen" (even if it's not about the woman, it could mean something to do with the Krupp Works). "... Countess Von Schulenberg, bride of 5 months to the German Military Attache..." There's also a Spanish soldier Hector del Guerra (guerra is war in spanish ? at least it is in portuguese), and we have a meeting at the Spaniard's Inn. And at last, we got the [A]lexi [M]eshkoff, the russian. I'm thinking some possible motives 1) Revenge for the explosion in Russia if the shells were from Grant Industries 2) Krupp vs Grant industry sabotage 3) Angry husband Miss Mowcher fucked around with this message at 03:29 on Oct 19, 2015 |
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Oct 19, 2015 03:21
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The distance on the maps between either 5 EC or 12 SE and 25 SW is a little bit ridiculous to assume the body was moved on foot from the Spaniard's Inn. At least, without witnesses. I'd like to cross my fingers and hope visiting the Spaniard's Inn would reveal that it has some sort of vehicle tracks or evidence of the crime that helps at least point to either Grant Arms or the Plant, since it just occurred to me that either place could count as an Courtney Allen's office. Kangra posted:Southwick, Collis ....... 32 EC ZZZorcerer posted:The Arms Trade Fair seems to have lots of interesting things. Well, first, it's an arms trade fair, and our victim is in the gun industry, second, the brother hints about a meeting with a woman and a response "Auf wiedersehen" (even if it's not about the woman, it could mean something to do with the Krupp Works). I'm interested about the whole Krupp Works/German angle, but I'd rather have more information before following a possible dead end. I guess my votes for clue points would be, ranked in my personal opinion from most interesting at the top to least interesting at the bottom:
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Oct 19, 2015 08:35
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Kangra posted:As for the place Richard & Courtney ate dinner: Kangra posted:Grant Arms Co ............. 5 EC Knowing that, we do have a bit of allowance for how long Courtney spent at Keen's. How long is "a short while"? As we know, Courtney's company is known for making time appear to pass quickly, so on his own report, Richard might not be well placed to estimate the length of his stay. Did Courtney stay long enough for a meal? On the assumption that he did, indeed, actually eat dinner, I would propose as a working hypothesis that he and Richard departed by cab at 5.30 arrived for dinner for approximately 6.00, stayed for half an hour, then Courtney left, heading straight back to his office by cab, where he met his killer almost immediately. (If we want to test this hypothesis, we could go to Keen's itself.) The actual occasion of the murder is still unclear, so I'd propose (1) seeing what our contacts at Scotland Yard have determined about the killing itself. Secondly, I'm not wholly sure about Courtney's motivation for returning to his office, so I'd like to (2) consult with William Linhart, Courtney's secretary, and (3) visit Grants' to try to find out more about who else works there and who might have been there on the Friday evening in question. Indeterminacy fucked around with this message at 09:45 on Oct 19, 2015 |
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Oct 19, 2015 09:38
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Indeterminacy posted:Thanks for this! Courtney would not have been able to walk from Grant Arms at 5.30 to Keen's Chop House and back again for 7pm when his body was found The dinner was the night before he was killed. It's more likely he absconded from dinner to whatever meeting he had at "Bishop's F" at 8:30 that evening. Was he having an affair with his secretary's mother? How old are the people involved? Linhart does sound German. edit: Lookup, please: Are there any establishments with names like that? I would guess they would be under public houses or inns. Also, if the alphabetical index is by last name, show us everyone named Linhart, please. Hyper Crab Tank fucked around with this message at 11:28 on Oct 19, 2015 |
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Oct 19, 2015 11:21
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ElTipejoLoco posted:I'm... not sure why the entries for Southwick and Sparks snuck into the Spaniard/Spanish look-up. I can see Sparks showing up if you just stuck in "Spa" though, but.... Southwick? This is the paper version of the game, so directory searches are literally looking things up in a book. I give an expanded excerpt to show that there's nothing being left out. Since sometimes there are nearby names that could be important, and sometimes there aren't, I'm trying to do it for every entry so as not to make it obvious. That said, I noticed I missed adding extra entries for Keen's Chop House. Suppose there had been a 'Keen, Cyril' listing and you had to determine which was being referred to (there isn't). Adding the extra names avoids any question of whether it's been skipped. Category listings just get the whole category list since they're indicated by the heading. There can be minor clues revealed by the places someone did not go. To clarify how the directory works: Personal names are all by last name first. Business/other names are listed by the first word and mixed in with the rest (which is why it goes Southwick, Spaniard, etc.) I won't do any searches that can't be done by hand (e.g. I won't look up by first name or find every possible business such as 'The Lucky Spaniard') but the game doesn't expect you to do that either. I want to give a slight hint about searches in general, because there are some things that only get learned after several cases and it can be frustrating: Most people will be located at their place of employment, if that can be found in the game. Sometimes you can only get that by going to their house first, but typically if you know where they ought to be during the day, try there first. Latest lookups. Linhart's listing: Lindstrom, Brent ......... 31 SW Linhart, William ........... 61 EC Lipton, Stovall .............. 63 SE And an investigation of the Bishop: INNS Alpha Inn .................. 65 WC Bishop's Finger Inn ..... 18 EC Black Crown ................ 88 EC Blue Ball Inn ................ 50 E Crown Inn .................... 83 NW George & Vulture ......... 93 WC Raven & Rat Inn .......... 52 EC Red Boar Inn ............... 34 SE Serjeant's Inn .............. 21 NW Spaniard's Inn ............ 25 SW Staple Inn ................... 35 WC Star & Plow ................. 73 E Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese .. 34 EC Nothing under Public Houses is a good match for what you're looking for.
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Oct 19, 2015 17:44
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Kangra posted:I won't do any searches that can't be done by hand (e.g. I won't look up by first name or find every possible business such as 'The Lucky Spaniard') but the game doesn't expect you to do that either. Can I request a look-up for places whose names start with El, La, and Lugar in that case? Probably won't turn up anything, but why not check if the look-ups are free?
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Oct 19, 2015 18:10
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ElTipejoLoco posted:Can I request a look-up for places whose names start with El, La, and Lugar in that case? Probably won't turn up anything, but why not check if the look-ups are free? None of these have any hits. ('Elephant & Castle' is the closest, and that's not even real French). It's a good impulse, though. English business names starting with The will be indexed by the first non-article word (e.g. 'The Anchor' is under A) but I don't know if the same can be said for foreign words.
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Oct 19, 2015 20:06
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Case 1, Clue 2 25 SW (Spaniard's Inn) The proprietor of Spaniard's Inn is a most co-operative fellow, for a small consideration. While he consults his records we wait at the bar sipping a glass of beer. "Two gentlemen with the initials 'A.M' reserved private rooms on the evening of March 9th," he tells us when he returns. "Alexander Mishkin and Anthony Mariano." "Can you tell us how to get in touch with them?" "I have never seen either man before or since." "Could you describe them?" "Well, that's as may be. March 9th was some days ago..." Again we grease his palm. It never ceases to amaze us how effectively a quid can jar a memory. "Alexander Mishkin was a giant of a fellow. He walked with a slight limp and spoke with an accent. He arrived at 8:30 and ordered supper. An English gentleman, about 30, I would say, joined him later. Also, both Mishkin and the Englishman carried identical briefcases. "Curiously enough, Anthony Mariano also ate alone and was joined by another man. His reservation was for 9 o'clock." "Could you describe Mariano?" "Oh, about the same age as the Englishman, thirtyish. Hmm, swarthy, shifty eyes. Medium height." We thank him for his information and start to leave when he reminds us that we have not paid for our drinks. "But then again," he adds, catching the black look Wiggins throws at him and jingling the coins in his hand, "suppose we just call it even." Turns out there is a Spaniards Inn in London, though not in this location. It isn't clear if they meant to reference it or not. Also, as for 'swarthy': The writers fully embrace the world of Arthur Conan Doyle, including the racism. Although they do try to make it a bit over-the-top when they can; sometimes it's just to be treated as of its time (whether that's the 1890s or the 1980s). CPs Visited: 38 EC, 25 SW Non-clues: 22 SW Where next? Next clue point will be decided in about two days. And a pre-emptive lookup: Marchant, Oscar ......... 42 SW Mariano, Anthony ........ 39 EC Mariner's House ......... 41 S Alexander Mishkin : no entry Note: Not every person in London is listed in the directory. Kangra fucked around with this message at 20:50 on Oct 20, 2015 |
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Oct 20, 2015 20:42
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Well, that's... interesting. Another Russian with the initials A.M.? Could be Alexi Mishkoff using a false name (although what idiot chooses a false name so obviously similar to his real name?) Either way, whoever that man met with, it wasn't our victim, since he was already dead at the time. Furthermore, if Allen had arranged a meeting with Mishkin at 10 p.m., then the Russian is there an hour and a half too early. Near the same goes for the guy with the Italian-sounding name. Ugh, this feels like a bad lead, somehow. I think we should talk to Linhart and see what the victim might have been up with his mother on the day prior, and what this surprise was at the plant on the morning of his death.
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Oct 20, 2015 21:48
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I was hoping the visit would also include us examining the vicinity. I assume that, since it didn't, there's a large possibility that the Spaniard's Inn isn't the place where the murder-theft actually took place. At least, I'd hope that a large-caliber weapon being fired nearby would be pretty hard to gloss over. The tidbit about identical briefcases is interesting though. Courtney's briefcase is currently missing, and we got one belonging to a certain A.M. Why and how were the briefcases exchanged? Was the slash on the briefcase caused by Courtney himself attempting to access a briefcase he lacked the key to? Edit: Wait, or did I misread that? Hrm. I thought for sure maybe there was one of those silly briefcase-daisy-chain-under-the-table-things old spy stories were so fond of, except in this case one of them had been lifted from the deceased prior to the exchange. If we wanted to narrow down which A.M. the briefcase belongs to, all we should need is to compare the handwriting of any one of them. I presume we can't specify we want to do this in our visit, though. So how would we go over that? And could Alexander Mishkin be an alias for Alexi Meshkoff? If so, heading to the Russian Embassy might be equivalent to confronting Mishkin. I'm assuming there's no point in revisiting Clue Points to see if there's additional information, right? So, here's my slightly updated personal vote list:
ElTipejoLoco fucked around with this message at 22:12 on Oct 20, 2015 |
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Oct 20, 2015 22:04
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The briefcases being identical is weird, though, because the man Mishkin is meeting with is not Courtney Allen and that is not his briefcase. Courtney Allen is lying dead in an alleyway at this point in time, watched over by cops, and he's got his (slashed) briefcase with him. What we have here is two men, neither of which are conclusively linked to this case, who happen to have identical briefcases, plus a third briefcase (Allen's) that we don't know whether it resembles the other two or not. It's also not missing, Sherlock Holmes was just mucking about with it. We also have no reason to believe the note signed "A.M." was written by anyone other than Courtney Allen either, since it's in the same hand as the notes that make specific reference to the plant and the mother of his secretary. Unless by some coincidence there's an A.M. who also fits those facts... but if that man is a Russian, why would he write notes to himself in English rather than Russian?
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Oct 20, 2015 22:16
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This is very entertaining, and far more coherent than my own attempts at solving the cases.
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Oct 20, 2015 22:23
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| # ? Apr 19, 2024 06:44 |
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Hyper Crab Tank posted:Courtney Allen is lying dead in an alleyway at this point in time, watched over by cops, and he's got his (slashed) briefcase with him. What we have here is two men, neither of which are conclusively linked to this case, who happen to have identical briefcases, plus a third briefcase (Allen's) that we don't know whether it resembles the other two or not. It's also not missing, Sherlock Holmes was just mucking about with it. There's a possibility that William Linhart, as Courtney's secretary, writes all his notes. But then that'd mean William Linhart sent that 'meet behind Spaniard's' note... which would be perhaps too confusing? I don't know. The notebook and the note were found outside of the suitcase, in any case. And it doesn't matter that Courtney was found dead with a suitcase at 7:00 PM- any time before that, perhaps when the actual shooting took place, is plenty of time for any one person to switch out the suitcase for another one and then make their merry way to any other place. In any case, my wild theory admittedly holds little to no water and doesn't actually help pick the next clue point. But I've got nothing in mind besides it at the moment. I don't yet know if the suspicions of an affair or the identity of Captain Egan are of any import. For all I know we're already following a pretty big red herring- but I really do want to just know what SP#10-A could've possibly been, so I've just been jumping at whatever appears to lead to a resolution for that particular mystery. If it stood for Allen Secret Payoff #10 I'd be okay with that.
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Oct 20, 2015 22:47
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