joshuaandClaude Opus 5.5
62245ca67a
Estimates were 2-8x longer than actual playthroughs. Base them on recorded best times, rounded up to a multiple of 5 minutes, and drop difficulties to 1-2 keys since no game warrants 3. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
324 lines
12 KiB
YAML
324 lines
12 KiB
YAML
id: southern-star
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engine: story
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category: murder-mystery
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title: Murder on the Southern Star
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tagline: An overnight train through the Karoo. A diamond king. A long, cold night.
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estimatedMinutes: 25
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difficulty: 2
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players: { min: 2, max: 2 }
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theme: { primary: "#2e4a3a", accent: "#c9a227", background: "#0d1411", headingFont: "Playfair Display" }
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roles:
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A:
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name: The Passenger Detective
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blurb: You're travelling in carriage 5. You have the crew's notebooks and the passengers' papers.
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B:
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name: The Railway Inspector
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blurb: You work for the line. You have the train plans, the timetable, and the platform reports.
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intro: |
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1936. The **Southern Star** sleeper leaves Cape Town for Johannesburg at 18:00.
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Leather, brass, and a dining car that serves oysters in the middle of the desert.
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At 06:30, the steward knocks on the Gold Suite with **Lord Henry Ashby's** morning tea.
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No answer. The door is locked.
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Ashby made his fortune in diamonds and his enemies in everything else.
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The train won't stop until Kimberley. **You have until then.**
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suspects:
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- id: thomas
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name: Thomas Webb
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role: Ashby's valet
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description: Served him for fifteen years. Knows every habit, every grudge.
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- id: vera
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name: Countess Vera Orlova
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role: Travelling aristocrat
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description: Glamorous, charming, dripping in diamonds. Dined with Ashby last night.
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- id: hugo
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name: Dr Hugo Brandt
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role: Physician
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description: Says he's travelling to a medical conference. Asks a lot of questions for a doctor.
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- id: penny
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name: Miss Penny Lowe
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role: Governess
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description: Travelling alone. Was seen crying in the dining car.
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- id: abel
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name: Abel Mokoena
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role: Conductor
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description: Twenty years on the line. Holds the master key box.
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chapters:
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- id: ch1
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title: The Gold Suite
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narrative: |
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The Gold Suite is locked from the inside. The conductor's master key box has a
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four-digit lock, and the conductor swears he "always works it out from the plans."
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clues:
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A:
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- id: a1-conductor
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title: Conductor's notebook (inside cover)
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type: note
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body: |
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*Master box, my little rule so I never write it down:*
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**carriage number × compartment number. Always four digits, pad with zeros at the front.**
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B:
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- id: b1-plan
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title: Southern Star, first-class plan
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type: map
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body: |
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```
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CARRIAGE 4 | Comp 10 Orlova | Comp 11 Lowe | Comp 12 (empty)
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CARRIAGE 5 | Comp 17 Brandt | Comp 18 (you) | Comp 19 Webb
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CARRIAGE 6 | Comp 23 ★ GOLD SUITE ★ (Lord Ashby) | Comp 24 Linen
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```
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lock:
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id: lock-master
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prompt: Open the master key box.
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inputType: code
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format: 4 digits
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answers: ["0138"]
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hints:
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- You need two numbers from the train plan and one rule from the conductor.
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- Gold Suite is carriage 6, compartment 23.
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- 6 × 23 = 138, padded to four digits.
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successText: |
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The box opens. The conductor's master key turns the lock.
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Lord Ashby lies on the floor of the Gold Suite. His gold pocket watch, shattered, lies beside him.
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keyName: Master Key
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- id: ch2
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title: The Stopped Watch
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narrative: |
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The pocket watch smashed when he fell. Its hands are frozen.
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An obvious clue. Maybe too obvious.
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clues:
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A:
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- id: a2-watch
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title: Ashby's broken pocket watch
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type: photo
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body: |
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*A gold hunter watch, glass cracked. The hands are stopped at exactly **01:15**.
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Engraved inside the lid: "Greenwich, always."*
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- id: a2-valet
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title: Statement of Thomas Webb, valet
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type: transcript
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body: |
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"His Lordship never changed that watch from **Greenwich time**. Drove me mad.
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He said a gentleman doesn't chase the sun. Out here it's always **two hours behind** the station clocks."
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- id: a2-doctor
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title: Dr Brandt's examination
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type: report
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body: |
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Single small puncture wound at the base of the skull. Very thin, very deep.
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Something like a long needle. Death almost instant.
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B:
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- id: b2-timetable
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title: Southern Star timetable (local time)
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type: table
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body: |
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| Station | Arrive | Depart |
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|------------------|--------|--------|
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| Cape Town | · | 18:00 |
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| Worcester | 21:05 | 21:15 |
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| Touws River | 23:40 | 23:50 |
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| **Matjiesfontein** | **03:10** | **03:20** |
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| Laingsburg | 04:05 | 04:10 |
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| Kimberley | 13:30 | · |
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- id: b2-steward
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title: Night steward's report
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type: report
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body: |
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Heard a heavy thump from carriage 6 while we stood at a platform.
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Didn't think anything of it. Luggage falls all the time.
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lock:
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id: lock-tod
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prompt: What was the real local time of the murder?
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inputType: code
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format: "HH:MM"
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answers: ["0315", "315", "315AM"]
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hints:
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- The watch shows a time, but not local time.
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- Greenwich is two hours behind local time here. Add two hours.
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- 01:15 + 2 hours = 03:15, while the train was stopped at Matjiesfontein.
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successText: |
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**03:15 local time.** The train was standing at **Matjiesfontein** platform from 03:10 to 03:20.
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That's when the thump was heard. Someone used those ten minutes.
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keyName: Watch Key
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- id: ch3
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title: The Telegram
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narrative: |
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Tucked into Ashby's Bible: a telegram, collected at Worcester. No sender's name.
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clues:
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A:
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- id: a3-telegram
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title: Telegram, received Worcester 21:10
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type: letter
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body: |
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```
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HAVE THE DOCUMENTS READY STOP
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USE THE SLEEPER NOT THE DAY COACH STOP
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GIVE NOTHING TO THE COUNTESS STOP
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ONLY CASH NO CHEQUES STOP
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DESTROY THIS MESSAGE STOP
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```
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B:
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- id: b3-ledger
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title: Note in Ashby's ledger
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type: note
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body: |
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*My private man never signs a telegram. He hides his name where every line begins.
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Clever chap. Worth every penny.*
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lock:
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id: lock-telegram
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prompt: Who sent the telegram?
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inputType: text
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format: A first name
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answers: ["HUGO", "DRHUGO", "HUGOBRANDT", "DRHUGOBRANDT", "BRANDT"]
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hints:
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- The ledger tells you exactly where to look.
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- Read the first letter of each line, top to bottom.
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- H · U · G · O.
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successText: |
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**HUGO.** "Dr" Hugo Brandt isn't going to a conference. He's Ashby's **private investigator**.
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And the telegram warned Ashby about one person by title: **the Countess**.
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keyName: Telegram Key
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- id: ch4
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title: The Ten Minutes at Matjiesfontein
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narrative: |
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Everyone says they were asleep at 03:15. One of them is lying.
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clues:
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A:
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- id: a4-corridor
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title: Night steward's corridor watch
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type: log
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body: |
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I sat at the **connecting door between carriages 4, 5 and 6** from 02:00 to 04:00.
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**Nobody passed through the corridor.** I'd swear it on my mother.
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- id: a4-luggage
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title: Passenger luggage declarations
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type: table
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body: |
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| Passenger | Notable items |
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|----------------|---------------------------------------|
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| Countess Orlova| Sable **fur coat**, fur hat, jewel case |
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| Miss Lowe | Wool cardigan, two suitcases |
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| Dr Brandt | Doctor's bag, camera |
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| Mr Webb | Valet kit, uniform |
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B:
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- id: b4-porter
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title: Matjiesfontein platform porter's report
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type: report
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body: |
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03:12 · A lady in a **long fur coat** stepped down from **carriage 6** onto the platform.
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03:18 · Same lady walked quickly along the platform and climbed back aboard at **carriage 4**.
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She was holding her hat on with one hand. Her hatpin must have come loose.
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Nobody else left the train.
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lock:
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id: lock-liar
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prompt: Who lied about being asleep?
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inputType: choice
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options:
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- { id: thomas, label: Thomas Webb }
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- { id: vera, label: Countess Vera Orlova }
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- { id: hugo, label: Dr Hugo Brandt }
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- { id: penny, label: Miss Penny Lowe }
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- { id: abel, label: Abel Mokoena }
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answers: ["vera"]
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hints:
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- If nobody used the corridor, how did someone get from carriage 6 back to carriage 4?
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- The porter saw a lady in a fur coat. Who packed a fur coat?
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- Countess Orlova.
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successText: |
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**Countess Vera Orlova.** She walked the platform to dodge the steward in the corridor.
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Carriage 4 is hers. Carriage 6 is the Gold Suite. And her "loose" hatpin is now missing from her hat.
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keyName: Platform Key
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- id: ch5
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title: Ashby's Last Note
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narrative: |
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In the Gold Suite's writing desk: Ashby's notebook. One line of numbers, underlined twice.
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clues:
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A:
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- id: a5-notebook
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title: Ashby's notebook, last entry
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type: note
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body: |
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*The "Countess". Her stones are paste. Ask the line, it knows:*
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## V. = 3 · 7 · 8 · 4 · 2 · 8
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*Confirm with Hugo at Kimberley. Then the police.*
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B:
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- id: b5-stops
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title: Karoo branch stopping list (numbered)
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type: document
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body: |
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1. Ashton
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2. Elandsdrift
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3. Fraserburg Road
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4. Grootvlei
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5. Klaarstroom
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6. Matjiesfontein
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7. Ottersrust
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8. Rietbron
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9. Touws River
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lock:
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id: lock-motive
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prompt: What did Ashby discover Vera was?
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inputType: text
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format: One word
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answers: ["FORGER", "AFORGER", "JEWELFORGER"]
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hints:
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- '"Ask the line": the numbers point at the railway stops.'
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- Take the first letter of each numbered stop.
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- 3=F, 7=O, 8=R, 4=G, 2=E, 8=R.
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successText: |
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**FORGER.** Ashby, the diamond king, saw it over dinner: the Countess's diamonds were fakes.
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And so was the Countess. Vera Orlova had sold forged stones to half of Johannesburg society.
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keyName: Diamond Key
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finale:
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type: accusation
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prompt: Kimberley is in sight. Name the killer before the train stops.
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maxAttempts: 2
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questions:
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- id: who
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label: Who killed Lord Ashby?
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options:
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- { id: thomas, label: Thomas Webb }
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- { id: vera, label: Countess Vera Orlova }
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- { id: hugo, label: Dr Hugo Brandt }
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- { id: penny, label: Miss Penny Lowe }
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- { id: abel, label: Abel Mokoena }
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answer: vera
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- id: how
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label: How?
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options:
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- { id: hatpin, label: Stabbed at the base of the skull with her hatpin }
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- { id: poison, label: Poison in his nightcap }
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- { id: strangled, label: Strangled with a silk scarf }
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- { id: watch, label: Struck with his own pocket watch }
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answer: hatpin
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- id: why
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label: Why?
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options:
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- { id: will, label: She was named in his will }
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- { id: expose, label: He had found out she was a jewel forger and was going to the police }
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- { id: love, label: He rejected her advances }
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- { id: debt, label: She owed him money }
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answer: expose
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successEnding: |
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The Countess laughs, then stops. "He looked at my necklace over the soup and *smiled*.
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I knew that smile. I've seen it on jewellers."
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At Matjiesfontein she stepped onto the platform, slipped into the Gold Suite from outside,
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and drove her hatpin home while the train stood still. Ten minutes. Back in her bed by 03:20.
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**Case closed.** The Southern Star rolls into Kimberley on time. 🚂🔑
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failEnding: |
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The Countess steps off at Kimberley, smiles at the police, and vanishes into the crowd.
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reveal: |
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**Countess Vera Orlova** stabbed Ashby with her **hatpin** during the Matjiesfontein stop,
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because he'd discovered she was a **jewel forger** and was going to the police.
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