what are the possible clues in a game long before forensics
became a science?
* Was the killer right-handed or left-handed? Can they tell
from the wounds?
If the killer jumps in at the atrium, he might damage the roof on the way
there, waking slaves sleeping under him (The owners would sleep at the
other side). One of thoose might see him running into the masters bedroom
with a drawn sword.
* Get the killer in through a window, instead, where Ingrun
won't fit. She is big for a woman, right? The way out can
still be over the roof.
Roman villas usually did not have windows of a size, where anyone could
climb through. Light and air usually comes in from the various inner
yards.
* A (bloody?) footprint that is the wrong size?
* Are there guard dogs, and do they know Ingrun? If so, the
killer might have been forced to kill them, while Ingrun
could have passed silently.
There had not been dogs before and given the complicated logistics
involved in past trysts it would be not very plausible, that there would
be enough time to get any dogs used to Ingrun.
Or work on the "botched frame-up" angle. Does Ingrun have a
personalized "uniform" in the arena?
Arena armour usually has some distinctive features such as helmet shapes
or plumes or colour, though we never have established what Ingruns would
be. She does not wear her arena outfit outside the arena though. She
dresses slightly unusual, wearing trousers and always long sleeved shirts.
The killer will wear clothing like Ingrun and ditch it later. A bum might
find it and wear it, even though it has blood stains on it. And it might
not fit Ingrun.
* Somebody puts blood on Ingrun's clothing. It is still wet
when they find it, a day after the murder.
Or someone spills a mixture of wine and blood on her (a mixture, so it
does not smell "fishy"). Looks like she tried to hide bloodstains under
winestains..
* Or somebody splatters blood on a cloak and a tunic, but
the patterns don't look right if she actually wears them.
* Somebody ordered an exact copy of her uniform/armor. Can
you track the order?
It's not really an uniform, more a noticable clothing style. But the
killer might have bought such clothing, very carefully describing what
items he needs, and the taylor might be an arena geek and know exactly
what has been ordered. If the taylor just starts spreading the story i can
keep that in the quiver, just in case i need a deus ex machina, if the pcs
find no clues.
* Somebody tried to make sure that Ingrun has no alibi. An
accomplice of the killer arranged to be alone with Ingrun,
only to disappear without many traces, or to publicly say
she was late and out of breath. Any "hard questions" would
then be seen as the intimidation of a key witness.
Yes i can do that. She gets some invitation to a private party, where it
is important to keep it secret to protect the reputation of some
partygoers. There will be a handfull richly dressed party goers, she all
does not know and a few servants she does not know either and wine will be
spilt on her clothes. The only witnesses that can easily be found next day
will be people Ingrun brought to the party herself and thus unreliable
because being her friends. Even better i can have them invite Helga,
Ingruns most permanent lover and she predictably brings Ingrun along. A
party where she can bring Ingrun along, rather then the other way round,
as it usually happens, will make Helga very happy and thus she is unlikely
to smell rat, because of some weird arrangements.
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