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>
364 lines
15 KiB
YAML
364 lines
15 KiB
YAML
id: vineyard-hollow
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engine: story
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category: murder-mystery
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title: Death at Vineyard Hollow
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tagline: A harvest gala. A priceless vintage. A host who never made it to dessert.
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estimatedMinutes: 20
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difficulty: 2
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players: { min: 2, max: 2 }
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theme: { primary: "#7b1e3a", accent: "#d4a373", background: "#160c10", headingFont: "Playfair Display" }
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roles:
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A:
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name: The Inspector
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blurb: You hold the police file. Statements, the medical examiner, the lab.
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B:
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name: The Estate Insider
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blurb: You know the estate. Logs, maps, the family's private papers.
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intro: |
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Saturday night. The Hale family's annual harvest gala at **Vineyard Hollow**.
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Candles, jazz on the lawn, two hundred guests in their best.
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At 23:05, Clara Hale goes down to the barrel cellar to find her husband, **Edmund Hale**,
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who promised to open "something special" for the toast. She finds him slumped against
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Rack 9, a wine glass shattered beside him.
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The police have locked down the estate. Nobody leaves until the truth comes out.
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One of you has the official file. The other knows every corner of this estate.
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**Neither of you can crack this alone.**
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suspects:
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- id: clara
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name: Clara Hale
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role: Wife of the victim
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description: Hostess of the gala. Married to Edmund for 37 years. Composed. Too composed?
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- id: marcus
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name: Marcus Hale
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role: Son and heir
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description: Charming, broke, and very interested in his inheritance.
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- id: nina
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name: Dr Nina Vos
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role: Family doctor
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description: Treats Edmund's heart condition. Carries her medical bag everywhere.
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- id: pieter
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name: Pieter Swart
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role: Head winemaker
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description: Twenty years at Vineyard Hollow. Made the wines that made the Hale name.
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- id: isabelle
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name: Isabelle Rourke
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role: Wine buyer
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description: Represents a group that has been trying to buy the estate for two years.
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chapters:
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- id: ch1
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title: The Cellar Door
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narrative: |
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The security system re-locked the cellar after the police went down.
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The keypad blinks red, waiting for a four-digit code. The officer who knew it went home.
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clues:
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A:
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- id: a1-butler
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title: Statement of Hendricks, the butler
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type: note
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body: |
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"Mr Hale changed the cellar code last month. He was very pleased with himself.
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He said it was *the year it all began*, read the way wine is tasted in his family:
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**from the finish back to the start.** I'm afraid I never worked it out."
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B:
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- id: b1-plaque
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title: Photo of the main gate
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type: photo
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body: |
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*A brass plaque on a stone gatepost, polished to a shine:*
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**VINEYARD HOLLOW · EST. 1874 · Stellenbosch Valley**
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- id: b1-wedding
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title: Framed photo in the hallway
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type: photo
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body: |
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*Edmund and Clara on their wedding day under an oak tree.
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Engraved on the frame: "E & C · 1989".*
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shared:
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- id: s1-suspects
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title: Who was at the gala
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type: document
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body: |
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Five people had reason to be near the cellar tonight. See the suspect list.
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Officers note everyone was in good spirits until around 20:00.
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lock:
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id: lock-cellar
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prompt: Enter the 4-digit cellar code.
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inputType: code
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format: 4 digits
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answers: ["4781"]
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hints:
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- The butler's note tells you HOW to build the code. The estate tells you WHAT number to use.
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- "\"The year it all began\" is the year the estate was founded."
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- 1874 read backwards is 4781.
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successText: |
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The keypad clicks green. Cold air rolls up the stone stairs.
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The barrel cellar smells of oak, and of something bitter underneath.
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keyName: Cellar Key
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- id: ch2
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title: The Hour of Death
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narrative: |
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Edmund lies where he fell. The medical examiner has taken her readings.
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The cellar has a keycard reader that logs every entry and exit.
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When did Edmund die? And who was down here with him?
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clues:
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A:
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- id: a2-me
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title: Medical examiner's preliminary note
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type: report
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body: |
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**Subject:** Edmund Hale, 64
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**Core body temperature at 23:10:** 34.5 °C
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**Normal living temperature:** 37.0 °C
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The cellar is held at a constant 14 °C. Under these conditions the body
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will have cooled at approximately **1.0 °C per hour**.
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Estimated margin: plus or minus 15 minutes.
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- id: a2-statements
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title: Suspect statements (summary)
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type: document
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body: |
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- **Clara:** "I was hosting on the lawn all night. I went down at five past eleven and found him."
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- **Marcus:** "I went down around half nine to talk to Dad. Lights were off. I figured he'd gone up."
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- **Dr Vos:** "Edmund asked me to check his heart in the cellar. I left him at half past eight, alive and grumbling about the band."
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- **Pieter Swart:** "I lost my keycard around eight. Someone must have taken it. I was in the tasting room all evening."
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- **Isabelle Rourke:** "I never went near the cellar. Check your little log."
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B:
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- id: b2-log
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title: Cellar keycard log, Saturday
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type: log
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body: |
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| Time | Card holder | Event |
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|-------|------------------|-------|
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| 20:10 | Edmund Hale | IN |
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| 20:18 | Dr Nina Vos | IN |
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| 20:31 | Dr Nina Vos | OUT |
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| 20:35 | Pieter Swart | IN |
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| 20:52 | Pieter Swart | OUT |
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| 21:30 | Marcus Hale | IN |
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| 21:33 | Marcus Hale | OUT |
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| 23:05 | Clara Hale | IN |
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| 23:10 | POLICE OVERRIDE | IN |
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*Isabelle Rourke was not issued a cellar card.*
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lock:
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id: lock-tod
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prompt: What was Edmund's time of death? (24-hour time)
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inputType: code
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format: "HH:MM"
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answers: ["2040", "840PM", "840"]
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hints:
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- Work out how many degrees Edmund's body lost after death.
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- He lost 2.5 °C. At 1 °C per hour, that's 2 hours 30 minutes.
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- 23:10 minus 2h30 = 20:40.
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successText: |
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**Time of death: about 20:40 (± 15 minutes).**
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Check the log. In that window, two cards were in the cellar:
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**Dr Nina Vos** (until 20:31) and **Pieter Swart** (20:35 to 20:52).
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Marcus came much later. By 21:30, Edmund had been dead almost an hour.
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keyName: Pocket Watch Key
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- id: ch3
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title: The Poisoned Bottle
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narrative: |
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No wound. No struggle. The lab rushed the glass by Edmund's hand.
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Six bottles were opened in the cellar tonight. Only one killed him.
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clues:
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A:
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- id: a3-lab
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title: Forensic lab, rush result
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type: report
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body: |
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Residue in the victim's glass: **a cardiac glycoside** (a heart toxin).
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The wine in the glass came from a source bottle that was:
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- a **red** wine
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- **decanted** before serving
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- sealed with a cork whose lot number **ends in 7**
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B:
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- id: b3-cellarbook
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title: Sommelier's cellar book, bottles opened tonight
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type: table
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body: |
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| Wine | Colour | Cork lot | Decanted? |
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|-----------------------|--------|----------|-----------|
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| 2015 Chenin Blanc | White | VH-1157 | Yes |
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| 2004 Pinotage | Red | VH-3302 | Yes |
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| 2010 Merlot | Red | VH-4417 | No |
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| 1998 Cabernet Reserve | Red | VH-2207 | Yes |
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| 2019 Rosé | Pink | VH-5527 | No |
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| 2012 Shiraz | Red | VH-6608 | Yes |
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*Margin note: "1998 Reserve brought up from Rack 9 at Mr Hale's request."*
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lock:
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id: lock-bottle
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prompt: Which bottle was poisoned? (vintage year or name)
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inputType: text
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format: e.g. a year or wine name
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answers: ["1998", "1998CABERNETRESERVE", "CABERNETRESERVE", "1998RESERVE", "RESERVE", "VH2207", "2207"]
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hints:
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- Filter the cellar book using all three lab conditions at once.
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- Red + decanted leaves Pinotage, Cabernet Reserve and Shiraz. Now check the cork lots.
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- Only VH-2207 ends in 7, so it's the 1998 Cabernet Reserve.
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successText: |
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**The 1998 Cabernet Reserve.** Edmund's most treasured wine, the vintage that won
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Vineyard Hollow its first gold medal. He kept it in **Rack 9**, his private rack,
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and only opened it for the people closest to him.
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Whoever poisoned it knew exactly what he'd pour tonight.
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keyName: Silver Corkscrew Key
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- id: ch4
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title: Edmund's Diary
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narrative: |
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In Edmund's jacket: a leather pocket diary. The last entry is scrambled.
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Edmund loved puzzles. His family says he "hid his secrets where he hid his heart."
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clues:
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A:
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- id: a4-diary
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title: Diary, final entry
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type: note
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body: |
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*Clara mustn't see this yet. Rack-shift, as always.*
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## ORAN BFJAC OARMJH
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*(Below, in ordinary ink:) Tell Rourke the sale is on, once the label audit is done.*
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- id: a4-alphabet
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title: Alphabet strip (from the evidence kit)
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type: diagram
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body: |
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```
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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ... 26
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```
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B:
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- id: b4-map
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title: Barrel cellar map
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type: map
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body: |
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```
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[Rack 1] Chenin Blanc [Rack 6] Pinotage
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[Rack 2] Sauvignon Blanc [Rack 7] Shiraz
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[Rack 3] Rosé [Rack 8] Export stock
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[Rack 4] Merlot [Rack 9] 1998 Cabernet Reserve
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[Rack 5] Blends ♥ E.H. PRIVATE ♥
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```
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- id: b4-clara
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title: Clara's comment to the police
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type: note
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body: |
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"Edmund used to say Rack 9 was where he kept his heart. Sentimental old fool."
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lock:
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id: lock-diary
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prompt: Decode the diary entry.
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inputType: text
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format: The decoded message (3 words)
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answers: ["FIRESWARTFRIDAY"]
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hints:
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- Every letter is shifted along the alphabet by the same number. "Rack-shift" tells you which number.
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- His heart is in Rack 9. Shift every letter BACK by 9.
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- O→F, R→I, A→R, N→E… The first word is FIRE.
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successText: |
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**"FIRE SWART FRIDAY."**
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Edmund was about to fire his head winemaker of twenty years.
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And the line underneath, "once the label audit is done," starts to look a lot less innocent.
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An auditor's letter in the study confirms it: years of cheap blends sold as Reserve.
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keyName: Diary Key
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- id: ch5
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title: The Source of the Poison
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narrative: |
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Dr Vos carries heart medication in her bag. The obvious answer. Too obvious?
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The full toxicology report has just come in.
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clues:
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A:
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- id: a5-tox
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title: Full toxicology addendum
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type: report
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body: |
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The glycoside is **not** pharmaceutical digoxin. No tablet binders, coatings, or fillers.
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Profile matches a **crude extract made from fresh leaves** of *Digitalis purpurea*,
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a common garden plant with tall purple bell-shaped flowers.
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- id: a5-bag
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title: Dr Vos, medical bag inventory
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type: table
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body: |
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| Item | Count |
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|--------------------------|-------|
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| Digoxin 0.25mg tablets | 30 / 30 (seal unbroken) |
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| Stethoscope | 1 |
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| BP cuff | 1 |
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B:
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- id: b5-groundskeeper
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title: Groundskeeper's notebook
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type: note
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body: |
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**Thu:** Someone's been cutting leaves in the foxglove bed behind the winery workshop.
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Only reachable through the workshop. Only key is Mr Swart's.
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**Sat 22:00:** Tidying the workshop. Found a cellar keycard in Mr Swart's apron pocket.
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Put it on his bench. Thought he said he'd lost it?
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lock:
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id: lock-plant
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prompt: Name the plant the poison came from.
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inputType: text
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format: One word
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answers: ["FOXGLOVE", "DIGITALIS", "DIGITALISPURPUREA", "FOXGLOVES"]
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hints:
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- The lab gives the scientific name; the estate gives the common one.
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- Digitalis purpurea = the plant growing behind the workshop.
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- Foxglove.
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successText: |
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**Foxglove.** Dr Vos's tablets are untouched.
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The poison came from a bed only reachable through Pieter Swart's workshop.
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And the keycard he swore he'd lost was in his own apron, an hour after the murder.
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keyName: Workshop Key
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finale:
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type: accusation
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prompt: You have all five keys. Make your accusation together.
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maxAttempts: 2
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questions:
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- id: who
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label: Who killed Edmund Hale?
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options:
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- { id: clara, label: Clara Hale }
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- { id: marcus, label: Marcus Hale }
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- { id: nina, label: Dr Nina Vos }
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- { id: pieter, label: Pieter Swart }
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- { id: isabelle, label: Isabelle Rourke }
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answer: pieter
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- id: how
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label: How?
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options:
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- { id: tablets, label: Crushed digoxin tablets from Dr Vos's bag }
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- { id: foxglove, label: Foxglove leaf extract in the 1998 Reserve }
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- { id: chenin, label: Poison in the Chenin Blanc }
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- { id: blow, label: A blow to the head in the dark }
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answer: foxglove
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- id: why
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label: Why?
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options:
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- { id: debts, label: To inherit and clear gambling debts }
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- { id: affair, label: Jealousy over an affair }
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- { id: fraud, label: To stop being fired and exposed for label fraud }
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- { id: sale, label: To sabotage the sale and buy the estate cheap }
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answer: fraud
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successEnding: |
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Pieter Swart sets down his glass and says nothing for a long time.
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"Twenty years," he finally says. "Every medal on that wall is mine. He was going to
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throw me out and tell the world I was a fraud."
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He brewed the foxglove in his workshop, slipped into the cellar at 20:35 while Edmund
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decanted the Reserve for the toast, and claimed his card was "lost" to cover the log.
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**Case closed.** Well played, detectives. 🍷🔑
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failEnding: |
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The police make an arrest on your theory. Three weeks later the case collapses
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and the real killer is long gone.
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reveal: |
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**Pieter Swart**, with **foxglove extract in the 1998 Reserve**, to stop Edmund
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**firing him and exposing years of label fraud**.
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