What Would Be In A Succubus' Study?

The question is a little more complicated than the title suggests, so let me explain. I'm using elements of the module 'Worse Than Death'. One such element is the character of Festaud il'Sook, a Lord of immense wealth and influence. He, as it happens, is actually a female succubus posing as a wealthy young noble, stealing souls for her masters.

My PCs don't know il'Sook's true identity. They're going to be attending a Masquerade Ball at his palatial manor house, and they've been hired to dig up some dirt on him. Their patron is a young Countess who (rightly) believes that Festaud murdered her father a year ago, but has no evidence. So she has set the PCs with invitations, and has set them to the task of espionage.

Festaud il'Sook did kill her father. All she has to go on is the fact that nobody can account for his whereabouts over a period of a few days when her father was murdered, which is suspicious; a man of Festaud's repute is never missing for more than a few hours. A few days is nearly unheard of. The reason for this, of course, is that Festaud was in succubus form when she killed the old Count. (Worth noting: I haven't specified in game just how the Count died, so anything goes at this point.)

So... there are two kinds of evidence in the study; things that point to the murder, and things that point to il'Sook's true identity.

What sort of items could be found that would hint at the demonic heritage? Furthermore, what sort of items could be a clue to the Count's murder?

A couple of ideas spring to mind:

A elegant painting of a strange landscape which a high planes knowledge check can be recognised as being somewhere in the abyss.
The wardrobe in the room has a false back which holds a second wardrobe containing fine female clothing.
Or it leads to the back of the wardrobe of the neighbouring room with is very well kept but never used.
Maybe she/he keeps a memento of their victims, a lock of hair, a signet ring ect.
The tried and tested method of a diary, unfortunately the drawer is trapped so that if the wrong person opens it there is a burst of fire which destroys most of the dairy.
Or to be really evil, the book contains explosive runes and the room is set to cast dispel magic if the book is removed my anyone other then the owner

Women's clothes.

edit: Leaving a hint of demonic heritage or clues to the count's murder are too easy. This is an immortal soul-sucking fiend from hell who's had countless years to perfect her art. Why would she leave her diary or her copy of "1001 things for a succubus to do on the mortal plane" lying around? Why would she keep evidence linking her to her crime?

(Actually I can see the latter, but if you go that route it had better be a huge part of her personality.)

However, a set of women's clothing - or better yet, many sets of women's clothing, all different sizes, some far too small for the young noble to wear (making cross-dressing unlikely) is something she would need. She can explain it away if pressed. It makes sense.

It's also something that will tip off the players. And they can use it to gather evidence, since it's a magical fantasy world with spells like Object Reading. Or even something like tracking down people who have seen someone wearing this dress and then tracking down her movements.

Tight leather clothes, a whip, shackles... you know, kinky stuff

Books on where and what she's impersonating (research material for things she should just know).

The Karma Sutra, snarkily annotated.

A book of demons, annotated with pet names.

Full length mirror and trappings that would make her seem vain even by noble standards.

Keepsakes from former lovers. Who all happen to be dead...

An annotated copy of Eros and Evil by Robert E. L. Masters.

probably a handbasket,

BUT DON"T OPEN IT!!!

The most evil and vile things, such as:

• Self help books of love and dating, making a relationship work.
• Cosmo magazine
• Books on abusive relationships.
• Scrapbooking materials.
  

Sometimes, the lack of evidence is a good evidence too.

Perhaps there are signs that someone cleared few specific spots in the room lately? With chemiclas, that can be identifies as a blood-cleaners?

Perhaps someone made the effort to clear all signs that a female actually lives there, but there are no signs that a male lives there either?

Or the opposite - perhaps the books on the bookshelf "shout out" "only a man would read us", but what man really have only books such as those in his bookshelf? Plus a display with oversized weapons (we all know men like big weapons) and large amounts of alcohol (we all know men are alcoholics).

Perhaps there are some items chaoticly laying around, because we all know that men can't keep their room cleaned up. But after a short examination, it could became obvious, that the disorderously laying items are carefully planted there to only look like a mess?

And the toilet seat is down... (sorry, couldn't resist)

MortalPlague said:

...He, as it happens, is actually a female succubus posing as a wealthy young noble, stealing souls for her masters... a young Countess who (rightly) believes that Festaud murdered her father a year ago... I haven't specified in game just how the Count died...

Click to expand...

A year, eh? Plenty of time for the succubus to have conceived a child by the now-murdered Count. Perhaps she wants the little half-fiend (alu-demon) to lay claim to the Count’s inheritance.

In a past issue of DRAGON, an article detailed an alternate vampire created by the life-draining kiss of the succubus. Such victims walked as vampires at night. That might prove to make an interesting plot twist.

So, in the aforementioned secret room, one might find a young girl (demonic blood being responsible for her accelerated maturation) imprisoned in an iron cage. Standing guard is a large black cat, actually a quasit in disguise.

A bureau fashioned of bloodwood is topped with a Mirror of Life Trapping. Upon the bureau are several glass ampules labeled “Pain”, “Agony”, and “Misery” (demonic perfumes), next to an ornate flask labeled “Tears”. In a decorative atomizer a tiny fey floats in translucent preservative fluids.

A nearby wardrobe holds an assortment of women’s outfits, many of which seem to be modified with slits in the back (for wings). Several outfits seem bloodied and tattered. I tend to use items from The Pyramid Collection for inspiration Apparel - New Age, Spiritual Gifts Yoga, Wicca, Gothic, Reiki, Celtic, Crystal, Tarot at Pyramid Collection

On the walls hang several tapestries, all depicting unfinished thaumaturgic circles. The stitching glows with a dim amber light when the room is dark. Over the mantle of a fireplace hangs an assortment of broken weapons, most notably three partially-melted erinyes daggers. The fireplace itself burns with a strange bluish flame, over which a small cauldron is secured. Within the cauldron is a stew made from diced stirges.