You're on a Boat . . .

[was]

If it were up to my my players they'd want to:
1. kill them all
2. take their stuff
3. sink the boat to cover their tracks

 

[enworldatemylogin]

Can I call Poirot?

Search their baggage. This is bound to turn up things not related but fun to reveal. You'll probably figure out two people who claim not to know each other are in fact lovers or brother and sister, or some weird combination. You'll find the key evidence to solve a previous crime, which nobody may have even known was committed. Finally someone is blackmailing someone else, likely the missing necklace is in fact the payoff, given to the culprit by its owner.

Nice work!

 

[Kaodi]

One denies guilt and says he was at the closing night party where anyone could see him.

I search him and his belongings. Why would he think it was relevant to point out that he was at the closing night party where he could be seen, if the necklace was last seen after the opening night party? The necklace could have been stolen at any time between those, and you would need an alibi for the whole time.

 

[Mark CMG]

I search him and his belongings. Why would he think it was relevant to point out that he was at the closing night party where he could be seen, if the necklace was last seen after the opening night party? The necklace could have been stolen at any time between those, and you would need an alibi for the whole time.

Does anyone else feel this logic is sound or believe there is some hole in it?

 

[GandalfMithrandir]

Without access to D&D spells like zone of truth I would see if I could search the cabins of all the people, if the people refuse, they could be hiding something, if they don't have anything to hide, then why not let me in to look, which, as has been mentioned earlier could have lots of plot threads open, or, as another option, once the ship reaches port it could be possible to contact local authorities to try and find it, assuming that they're not corrupt, or at least help the people from being upset with you for searching unreasonably.

GM

EDIT: The logic seems sound, the only other problem would be if no one had access to the cabin between the two events, aside from the crew, then it would eliminate a lot of options, while if someone would have had to enter unnoticed, like at a party where everyone else is, then that excuse has a lot more validity, as he would not have been able to sneak into the room unnoticed then, but he could have gone in sometime else

 

[fireinthedust]

One denies guilt and says he was at the closing night party where anyone could see him.

How do you proceed?

Well, first I check this guy out, specifically his alibi. The reason? The necklace was stashed after the first party. There were days of lounging and parties and this guy specifically points out the closing night party? It's like someone who knows where they are at 9pm on the night of the murder: Wow, you looked at your watch and remembered 9pm?

 

[GandalfMithrandir]

It's like someone who knows where they are at 9pm on the night of the murder: Wow, you looked at your watch and remembered 9pm?

The closing party is probably something that people would remember going to, and being at, especially if he ONLY went to the closing party, which would maybe raise suspicion as to what he was doing the rest of the time while everyone else was lounging, and for the time thing, he could remember that he had to leave at 9:30 to pick up his kids or something, and thus would be there at nine, but I would still check with other people to make sure his alibi works, and do some other digging myself.

 

[Mercutio01]

Beyond the volunteering of information of that one guy, it's the "where anyone can see me" bit that sends up my hackles. Combined with the exacting knowledge provided for a specific time period after the theft, and he's my prime suspect.

 

[Loonook]

Does anyone else feel this logic is sound or believe there is some hole in it?

To be honest it is the Movie of the Week solution to it... The person providing more information than absolutely needed is hiding something.

Please don't tell me you did this Mark

Slainte,

-Loonook.

 

[Mark CMG]

Please don't tell me you did this Mark

Nope, not me. The investigator was an NPC and the PCs were involved in the theft. One of the players had his PC proffer that alibi, not knowing that the necklace hadn't been checked on since the end of the first night party when it was stashed. Another PC dropped the necklace overboard so when the NPCs made a search, nothing was found. However, their other suspicious behavior earned them a swim into the harbor. The down side was that the player was very incensed that his overly precise explanation/alibi should draw suspicion. And although it immediately seemed to me that it should, I made a roll and gave the NPC only a small chance that he'd pick up on the verbal blunder. It was a fun little scenario, a successful, witness-free heist, and they'd have pulled it off if not for the verbose PC. Even so, the PCs do have an idea where the necklace was dropped, unlike the NPCs, so it is in the riverbed simply waiting for them to retrieve it someday if they get around to it.