From the memoirs of Dr. John Watson…
It is a somber task to set pen to paper once more, but I feel a heavy obligation to the memory of my late friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. Since those terrible events at the Reichenbach Falls—a place that shall forever haunt my dreams with its churning mist and cruel stone—I have found myself adrift in a London that seems grey and hollow. The silence at 221B Baker Street is a weight I can scarcely bear, yet I am determined that the light of reason he lit shall not be extinguished by his absence.
It was in this state of desolation that I was called upon to intervene in a matter of the most peculiar nature—what I have come to call “The Case of the Missing Monkey.” A singular affair, indeed, and one so layered with bizarre implications that I knew immediately I could not hope to unravel it alone.
To that end, I resolved to summon two men of exceptional character. The first is a detective of no small skill, a man whose path had crossed with Holmes’ on several notable occasions, earning even my friend’s rare and hard-won respect. The second is a colleague from my own profession, a distinguished lecturer at King’s College whose expertise in investigative pathology rivals any in the Empire.
Together, we formed a trio bound by a common purpose: to carry on the work of the master. Yet, as we set out from the city, none of us—not even the most cynical among us—was prepared for the atmosphere of dread and the inexplicable clues that awaited our inspection at Blackwood Manor.
Welcome to “The Case of the Missing Monkey”
Step into the fog-laden streets of Victorian England and prepare your wits. This is a game of deduction, atmosphere, and peril, where the shadow of the late Sherlock Holmes looms large over every discovery. As players, you are not merely observers—you are the vanguard of justice in a world that has lost its greatest protector.
The Objective
In this mystery, information is your most valuable currency. At the outset, only the Narrator knows the identity of the true culprit. Your task is to bridge the gap between ignorance and truth. You must:
Investigate the Crime Scene: Scrutinize every detail of Blackwood Manor.
Interrogate Witnesses: Question a cast of non-player characters (NPCs) who may be hiding secrets, nursing grudges, or simply paralyzed by fear.
Analyze Clues: Examine physical evidence—from scrawled notes to curious artifacts—and piece together their significance.
Formulate Theories: Methodically eliminate false leads and red herrings as you narrow your focus toward the solution.
How We Play: The Storium System
We will be utilizing the Storium gaming system, a narrative-driven platform where your writing drives the plot. By using Story Cards and Subplots, you will shape the direction of the investigation. Success depends on how well you collaborate and utilize your character’s unique strengths to overcome challenges.
Choose Your Persona
You may step into the shoes of one of two pre-made investigators, each essential to the trio led by Dr. Watson:
The Seasoned Detective: A man of keen observation who has assisted Holmes in the past and understands the “science of deduction.”
The Investigative Pathologist: A brilliant medical lecturer from King’s College, capable of finding the truth hidden in biological evidence and the cold realities of the mortuary.
Dr. Watson. As Narrator, I will be couching all scenes, scene continuations, and scene conclusions as excerpts from Dr. Watson’s famous diary and memoirs.
The NPCs. The Narrator will also play the roles of all the witnesses and bit players in the mystery.
The Antagonist. This is the villain/villainess ultimately behind the crime. They may be assisted by Accomplices (NPCs who for some reason are co-conspirators or somehow aid the Antagonist willingly either in the crime itself or its subsequent coverup) and Dupes (NPCs who unwittingly are manipulated by the Antagonist to aid the commission of the crime or perhaps thwart the ensuing investigation). There may also, alas, be Jerks (NPCs who are absolutely not on the side of the malefactors but by their bumbling, abrasive personality, or stubbornness, somehow impede the investigation).
A Word of Warning
While the pursuit of truth is noble, it is also inherently dangerous. Jumping to a premature or incomplete conclusion is a gamble you may not survive. If you accuse the wrong party or walk blindly into a trap without sufficient evidence, the consequences can be dire. In this game, a failed deduction doesn’t just mean a closed case—it could mean the death of your character.
The game is afoot. The mystery of Blackwood Manor awaits.
Hosted and narrated by:
Tacronicus Cornelius (Tacronicus)
Started 12/21/25.
Scenes played: 0
License: Community License
