The Mystery Of The Twice-Dead Professor!

Location: Solicitors Bld, City of London

This is the mystery of the professor who, once buried, returned to die in his parlor! Meet Artie and Henry Raymond (1) in front of the Solicitors building in the City of London to start this memory.

Objective: Inspect Professor Byng’s body

Investigation Area: Byng’s Home

Clues: 7

Byng’s Home – Prof. Byng’s Body: Byng’s house is to the northeast from where you started the memory. Byng’s body (2) is on the floor at his open front door. His body shows evidence of having been in a violent struggle. There’s a deep cut to the forehead that appears to be surgical—the cut goes into the skull. He also has a sting mark on his neck.

Byng’s Home – Sculpture: This sculpture (3) is on a small decorative table in the second floor hallway. The sculpture is of African origin and there’s a small recess area where something, like a spider, could have been hidden.

Byng’s Home – Dead Spider: The spider (4) is on the floor at the top of the stairs on the third floor. It is a large, distinctive spider, curled up in death. Could it be venomous?

Byng’s Home – Legal Letter: This letter (5) is in the same hallway as the spider and sits on the edge of a half-circular table with a gas lamp glowing nearby. It’s a letter to Byng from his attorney. He is agreeing to amend his will to discourage the marriage of his son to an unnamed lady. His son’s allowance will be suspended if he marries her. Byng believes that this woman is only after his money.

Byng’s Home – Crate: The Crate (6) is in the corner on the third floor, not far from the dead spider. Shipped from London and marked: “To be opened only by Prof. Byng personally.”

Byng’s Home – Letter from Colleague: The letter (7) is on a candlelit table in the back of the room on the third floor. This letter is from a humbled and traveling researcher and admirer of the professor’s writings on unusual tribal customs, signed “Prof. Silas.”

Byng’s Home – Personal Letter: This letter (8) is on a table in a nook on the opposite side of the first floor room from where Byng’s body lies. This letter is to his son from his son’s fiancée. She doesn’t understand his father’s antipathy towards her. And if she marries him or not, she wants to make sure he is rendered his due when the time comes.

Suspect: 2

Emmett Byng: Speak to Byng’s son Emmett (9) who stands on the first floor facing the fireplace and to Angela, the maid. Talk to Emmett about Byng, the Crate, and the Will. He feels his father’s death is a great tragedy, reveals that his father was an anthropologist, and his colleagues often sent trinkets from abroad. He’s agitated when you talk about the will. He swears his father and fiancée would have become friends given the chance.

Angela: The maid, Angela (10) has all the answers. She explains that Professor Byng died of a heart attack a few days ago then showed up at the door and died again. She says a common statue was in the crate but doesn’t know who sent it. When asked about Byng’s last words she replies, “He kept repeating “Bagesu” over and over again.”

Head south to investigate the University.

Objective: Continue your investigation

Investigation Area: University

Clues: 8

University – Handkerchief: The handkerchief (11) is located on the first floor of the university. It’s on a roll-top bookshelf next to the stairs. It is a lace handkerchief with red embroidery that matches the cemetery.

University – Receipt: The receipt (12) is located on the first floor of the university. It’s non-descript and is for seven pounds.

University – Treatise by Prof. Wilson: This book (13) is located on a desk at the top of the stairs on the second floor. This treatise states that the Bolivian spider’s venom produces a state resembling death and some Andean tribes use the venom during a rite of passage in which initiate boys experience a symbolic death lasting two or three days. It sounds like Byng was first “killed” by the spider and then by some other means.

University – Small Box: This empty box (14) is located on the floor near the window on the second floor. It’s labeled “Arachnid Harpadectus.”

University – Pedestal: The pedestal (15) is located on the third floor. There’s nothing on it. A descriptive label reads: “Bagesu tribal mask: a jackal.” Bagesu is the word the maid said Byng was repeating over and over just before he died a second time.

University – Spider Illustration: The spider drawing (16) is on the east wall of the second floor, not far from the stairs. It resembles the dead spider found in the Byng home. A note describes it as a rare spider found in Bolivia whose venom is a strong tranquilizer.

University – Bookcase: The bookcase (17) is located on the third floor near a window. It’s well-stocked with anthropological books. Many are from Prof. Byng.

University – Book Written by Prof. Byng: The book (18) is located on the floor of the third story. A chapter is torn from this book named: “The Intriguing Customs of Deepest Africa.”

Suspect: 3

Professor Silas: Speak to Prof. Silas (19) who stands on the third floor. Talk to him about Byng, Byng’s Book, and Travels. He is fond of Byng’s research and aspires to be as impactful. He tells you he’s lost his glasses when asked about Byng’s book. He’s recently traveled to Africa to continue Byng’s research.

Dr. Wilson: Speak to the doctor (20) on the second floor about Byng, the Empty Box, and the Spider. He says Byng was an enamored colleague and he holds Byng in high regard. Wilson links the spider to the empty crate. He also links the spider to the Bolivian Andes and this information is stated in the Treatise by Prof. Wilson.

Virginia: Speak to the assistant (21) who stands on the first floor. You see her when you enter the university. Talk to her about Byng and the Receipt. You can assume this is the fiancée. She plays dumb when asked about the will. The receipt question is the one that gets interesting results: several of the faculty purchased cadavers for research purposes.

Objective: Continue your investigation

Investigation Area: Cemetery

Clues: 4

Cemetery – Gravedigger’s Coat: The coat (22) is on the ground beside the suspect. One pocket contains a crumpled note: “Here’s the sum agreed upon for last night’s transaction.” This may be connected to the receipt you found for seven pounds at the University.

Cemetery – Money: The money (23) can be found on the curb behind the suspect. Seven pounds sterling. Why would this university transaction amount be here? Was someone purchasing cadavers from the cemetery?

Cemetery – Byng Family Vault: The vault (24) is not far from the suspect. It glows yellow with Eagle Vision on. You must interact with it from the north side. The lock is broken and the door is ajar. Prof. Byng’s casket is empty.

Cemetery – Handkerchief: A lace handkerchief (25) with red embroidery is located between the vault and the suspect. It matches the one at the university.

Muddy tracks: Find the muddy tracks starting near the north entrance of the cemetery and follow them to the abandoned house to the north.

Suspect: 1

Beswick: Speak to Beswick, the gravedigger, (26) about Byng, the Tomb, Grave Robbery, Body-Snatching Proven, and Money. He says he saw the son lock the tomb himself. He also admits to grave robbing to sell a body or two for a little money. He said he broke the lock and left the body on a barrel behind his tomb. He said some fella came and picked him up and it was muddy so you can still see the tracks.

Objective: Continue your investigation

Investigation Area: Abandoned House

Clues: 6

Abandoned House – Tools: Tools (27) are located on the floor to the right as soon as you walk into the abandoned house. They include a bloody saw and a small hammer. This is getting interesting. Could this be how the professor was cut on the head?

Abandoned House – Single Page: The page (28) torn from a book sits on the floor near the tools. It describes the ceremonial rituals involving sacred masks, incense, and the chanting of the Bagesu tribe. This is the word that the Professor was mumbling over and over before he died.

Abandoned House – Ripped Chapter: The ripped chapter (29) from Byng’s book is on the floor on the other side of the table from the single page. It describes how the Bagesu tribes ceremonially ingest the living brains of respected elders in order to obtain the knowledge of that elder. Interesting.

Abandoned House – Mask: The missing, wooden jackal mask (30) is on the floor in front of the ripped chapter.

Abandoned House – Ashes: The small pile of perfumed ritual incense ashes (31) is on the ground next to the wall, near blood splatter.

Abandoned House – Spectacles: There are broken eyeglasses (32) on the floor near the backdoor. You know someone who is missing some glasses. This last clue is key to making the correct accusation.

Investigation Area: University

Accuse:

While in the university you can talk to Virginia about the new evidence: handkerchief. She says she misplaced one at the funeral.

Professor Silas: Speak to Professor Silas (14) who stands on the third floor. Accuse him of the murder and he confesses because he wanted to be the greatest anthropologist in the English Empire and he believed he could do that by eating his colleague’s brain.

Motive

The esteemed Professor Byng was the victim of a diabolical plot confected by his colleague and erstwhile acolyte, Professor Silas. Using a powerful spider venom, Silas put his mentor into a deep coma. He went so far as to attempt to eat Byng`s brains in an effort to ingest his knowledge! All this was inspired by the very African tribe Professor Byng had himself discovered. No doubt Silas’s mind was unbalanced, as he believed he would surpass all anthropologists by absorbing his mentor’s cerebrum. Rest in peace, Professor Byng; The Royal Anthropological Society mourns your passing.