RPG investigation documents: let the players connect the clues

A news article says the station is empty. A photograph shows someone on the platform. A note asks that the tower door be left open. When players place these documents together, they begin building their own explanation.

RPG investigation documents work best when each source adds something the group can check. The news presents the public account, the photograph provides an observable detail and the note reveals someone's intentions. Immersion grows as players discover the relationships between them.

Let's build an original case, The Twelve Chimes, using formats available in the ERPG document library. The plot and text below are suggestions to adapt. The images show actual templates with their preview contents.

The case: a stopped clock rings again

Santa Aurora station has been closed for twenty years. The night before its reopening inspection, neighbors hear twelve chimes. The tower clock remains stopped. Teresa Vidal, the watchkeeper, disappears after reporting a light on platform 3.

In your GM notes, establish the truth: Teresa found a maintenance room still in use. Someone produces the chimes to conceal the sound of a machine under the tower. She went into hiding after being spotted. The group can investigate the mechanism, find Teresa or follow whoever supplies the room.

The machine can be supernatural or entirely mechanical. Decide before the session so the evidence stays consistent.

Document 1: the news provides a starting point

The G2 online news template can present the public account. The suggested headline below is not part of this preview.

Residents hear bell at closed station Management stated that no employee remained in the building after 10 p.m. The reopening inspection is scheduled for Thursday. Reporters were unable to reach watchkeeper Teresa Vidal.

The news provides a date, a named person and a statement to verify. The group can look for Teresa, speak to management or visit the station. The investigation already has concrete paths.

Document 2: the photograph creates a contradiction

A photograph from a neighbor shows light in the tower window. A note on its back reads: “Yesterday, 11:40 p.m. The side door was open.” It challenges the account of an inactive building and points to a possible entrance.

Actual preview of Burnt Old Polaroid, still containing the template's illustrated portrait. Use an appropriate image and add a text annotation for the station case.

Damage can suggest that someone tried to destroy the evidence. Keep the window and door visible in the final image. Describe those details to the group as well if the clue depends on them; a small screen or visual impairment need not become an obstacle to the adventure.

Document 3: the note gives someone a voice

Davi, leave the tower door open until I return. The bell starts before the machine. If anyone asks, you haven't seen me since ten. T.

The group might find this note at the watch post. It connects the door, the sound and a possible witness. Davi becomes someone the characters can seek out.

Use a note template or plain paper. The message is short because its recipient already understands the situation. Talking to Davi can reveal that Teresa brought water and flashlights to the maintenance room.

Make each document support an action

| Evidence | What the group learns | Possible next actions | | --- | --- | --- | | News | The official account and Thursday's inspection | Find management or Teresa | | Photograph | Activity after 10 p.m. and an open door | Examine the tower or find the photographer | | Note | A connection between bell, machine and Davi | Question Davi or locate the machine |

Prepare more than one route to the room. If the group misses the note, they can follow the noise or speak to an employee. Documents enrich discovery without requiring a single reading order.

Let the visuals support the story

Put times where readers expect them. A signature can have personality; an address needs to remain legible. Keep stains and tears near the edges when the center holds essential information.

Organize text and images in layers in the Mini Kraken editor. You can change a headline while keeping the newspaper's visual foundation, as in this example captured while preparing the articles.

The headline and story were adapted in Jornal da Torre. Its central illustration is the original template image; replace it with a picture related to the case when preparing your version. The screenshot shows the Portuguese interface.

Give players time to read and discuss the evidence. “What would you like to check first?” is often enough to return the initiative to the group.

Explore the investigation document collection or follow the editor walkthrough. For other applications, see the benefits of RPG documents.