Death In The Park Wherigo Cache

Death In The Park

A murder mystery game inspired by Cluedo.

Nobles Park is the scene for the prizegiving following the All Island Community Games. The well-known sporting celebrity, the team captain of the Isle of Man Winter Olympics team and multiple medal winner, Bob Sled, is the guest of honour and is to perform the ceremony.

Six special events have been organised around the park. There is to be a band playing in the bandstand, a banquet to be served in the restaurant, a special floral display created by the gardeners in the picnic garden, stunts performed by the Cunning Stunts motorcycle display team on the playing fields, a children’s re-creation of the TT races in the Splash Park, and a display by the Dogberry canine display team in the dog exercise area.

Before the ceremony, there are refreshments in the café for Bob Sled and the leaders of the special events, then Bob is scheduled to visit the location of each event to check that everything is ready for the launch. He has with him the bronze, silver and gold medals ready for the presentation. But as the ceremony is about to begin, his murdered body is discovered. The medals are nowhere to be seen.

Can you solve the case? You must say where the murder took place, who was the culprit and what weapon was used. You will then be told the location of the cache of loot where you may find the missing medals.

What was the motive?

Because Bob Sled is a big celebrity, the games have attracted a great deal of sponsorship and the medals are valuable, being made of real bronze, silver and gold. Each of the event leaders is very jealous, thinking they could have made better use of the funds

Who could be the culprit? Do any of them have alibis? Were any of them alone at any time?

	Sir Tom Bone is the band leader. The band have had a break-in at their instrument store and desperately need cash to replace the stolen instruments. He says he was practising with his band the entire time. But Jackie Russell says she saw him returning from his car with some sheet music.
	Lady Rosemary Leek is the restaurant manager. The cupboard containing the restaurant’s crockery fell off the wall and new china is urgently required. She says she was polishing the cutlery and setting the tables with her waiting staff the whole time. But Tom Bone says he saw her through the window of the downstairs laundry room carrying some table cloths.
	Miss Poppy Bloom is the head gardener. The parks department have purchased some exotic plants for the ceremony and now need a new heated greenhouse to store them over winter. She says she was in the equipment store with the other gardeners, cleaning the lawnmowers and oiling the hedge trimmers. But Rosemary Leek says she saw her taking a bag of dead flower heads to a corner of the gardens.
	Mr. Handel Barr is the spokesman for the Cunning Stunts. They have had a fire in their garage and several of their bikes need replacing. He says he was going through the order of the stunts with the team and helping them to fill buckets for the water routine. But Poppy Bloom says she saw him returning from the nearby filling station with a can of petrol.
	Mrs. S. Kate Boardman is the children’s teacher. Mrs. Boardman desperately wants to help those children who cannot afford their own skateboard or bicycle. She says she was with the children and their parents helping them to put on their knee and elbow pads and helmets. But Handel Barr says he saw her waiting for a couple of children outside the toilets.
	Ms. Jackie Russell is the lead dog trainer with the Dogberry canine display team. The team have been invited to perform in Cornwall and need transport suitable for the dogs to travel with their owners. She says she was handing out dog treats and poo bags to the Dogberry team. But S. Kate Boardman says she saw her going to the doggy bin with some used poo bags.

Where did the murder take place?

Did the perpetrator kill him before he left the café, or at one of the event sites?

Was it in the café, in the picnic garden, on the playing field, at the bandstand, in the restaurant, in the splash park or in the dog exercise area?

What was the murder weapon?

Was it:

	A small gardening fork belonging to Poppy Bloom
	A spike for anchoring dog leads into the ground, as used by the Dogberry team
	A spanner from the toolkit of one of the motorcycles
	A carving knife used in the restaurant for carving Sunday roasts
	A starting pistol, borrowed for starting the children’s races
	A violin string from Sir Tom Bone’s instrument maintenance kit

Each person claims their item went missing shortly before the event.

The local detective, Hugh Dunnit, has been summoned to solve the case. You will accompany him to the various possible locations, but can you solve it first?

How is the game played?

We recommend that you print out the detective notepad (below) or take some paper, and a pen, with you so that you can make a note of your discoveries during your investigations.

The game begins at the park entrance near the given co-ordinates, where you will need to discover some information about the park before you can proceed.

As with Cluedo, there are game cards, with the names of the suspects, the murder weapons and the locations. At the beginning of the game, a suspect, weapon and location card will be chosen randomly and secretly. These are the murderer, the murder weapon and the crime scene.

Then 4 random “clue” cards will then be placed in 4 random locations. The remaining cards are dealt equally between you and the detective, Hugh Dunnit. Your cards are placed in your inventory.

Both you and the detective will move from location to location to make your enquiries. You can only ask about a location when you are in that location. Once there, you may or may not discover a “clue” card, which you can look at if you wish. Whatever is on this card can’t be involved in the murder! You can also ask Hugh Dunnit if he has the card for that location, any suspect or any murder weapon. Hugh is an honest detective and if he holds the card you suggest, he will tell you. It is then Hugh Dunnit’s turn to suggest a card you might have and you should answer him honestly.

By clever deduction, you'll eventually be ready to make an accusation. When you think you know the crime scene, the murder weapon and the murderer then you may make your accusations to Hugh. If your guess for the location is correct you will go there to suggest the weapon and the culprit.

On solving the case, you will be given the location of the hidden cache where you may find the missing medals. Once there, the wherigo completion code will be revealed and you must sign the log sheet to prove you solved the case. You may keep a medal as a souvenir if you wish.

If you make an incorrect accusation, you lose and Hugh Dunnit will have to solve the case himself. You will have to solve a new crime to find the cache (i.e. play again).

If you ask the right questions the game will take less than an hour to complete. Please be aware that you cannot 'Save' the game and resume it later. Each game is different as the 'cards' are randomly shuffled so if you don't finish the game, for whatever reason, you will need to start a new one.

Detective notepad:

Click here to download a printable Detective notepad.

Thanks to Douglas Town Centre Management for their permission and help in placing the container.

and thanks also to Glen Falcon Terrors for help with testing the cartridge.

There is free parking including designated disabled spaces at the co-ordinates and roadside parking adjacent to the park. The area has free wi-fi.