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## Guidelines 1. Always start plans with the who, the why, and the how - Who is behind the crime? * Might be the victim themselves, might be a group, might be a misunderstanding - They always have a story and a reason to do what they did * No need to tell it outright at any point, just hint with the clues - There is always a method or an opportunity * This leaves the first clues 2. Make about a **dozen** clues - While planning, order the clues by importance * Low importance means the clue is unclear and has multiple answers, high is the opposite - This allows missing some and still be able to construct the full image from them - If the game is an RPG, higher skill also may tell where the clue points to - Consider making certain clues "Core Clues" which are straightforward to find * Basically gained by managing to enter a scene - All information should have three ways to obtain * Not necessarily the same clue - *!! No red herrings unless necessary !!* 3. Clues should be behind challenges - Search? Persuation through dialogue? A chase? * Example: The eyewitness does not trust you * If the clue is important there is *no way to fail* but there is a penalty - Complicate the *challenges* to add difficulty, not the clues - Let one clue lead to the next to enhance the mental image * Example: To even find the eyewitness you need to find where a clue came from * Use *minor* clues to breadcrumb the path to the truth 4. Figure out involved factions - They all have a location, a solid concept to revolve around, and a personality - Lone individuals - Organisations * These have their own structures * The Face, The Boss, etc. - All involved characters should have a personal connection to the crime * They knew the victim, they knew the guilty party, they run the place, etc. - Have a small handful of named suspects from early on 5. Consider something like three arcs - First introduce everyone involved * Either with a scene or three, or by following the beginning clues * Characters present, who were introduced in a previous mystery, already count as introduced - Second let the mystery start properly * The crime itself might be the start of this if it didn't happen already - Round it all up together for the climax ## External links - http://site.pelgranepress.com/gumshoe/files/GUMSHOE-101-for-GMs.pdf - http://site.pelgranepress.com/gumshoe/files/GUMSHOE-102-for-GMs.pdf