Adventure Idea- the Butler Did It!

As an uncultured American almost all of my perception of the English Upper Crust comes from the Jeeves and Wooster stories by P.G Wodehouse (worth a read for the narrative conciseness alone), featuring a foolish man and his seemingly omniscient valet.  Among the many ideas worth stealing, is a Gentlemen’s club for Gentlemen’s Gentlemen: The Ganymede Club.

On their days off Valets come to the Ganymede club to enjoy the stoic camaraderie of their peers, read improving books, and enjoy a few moment of solace from the demands of their Gentlemen. Each member is required to write reports of their employers actions in the club’s record book to act as a warning to members seeking a new gentlemen and as entertainment to the club.

The idea of the Ganymede Club could make for a great opening adventure to a high class campaign.

A contact, a gentleman of means, sends a telegram asking the investigators to meet on a side street in Mayfair immediately.  On arrival, it is revealed that the contact’s Valet had sent the telegram, wishing the party to help with a delicate situation.

The valet belongs to a gentlemen’s club for male household staff (butlers, valets, and footmen). A fellow member has been murdered in the club. Senior initiates of the club are desperate to avoid scandal (its members work for important men of industry, government and finance), so they ask the investigators to collect evidence and solve the crime before the demands of propriety force them to inform the police.  If the murderer can be handed to the police when they are called, the club would be very grateful.

The players will have to act with total decorum, and undisciplined investigators will be tempted the continuous offers of food and drink by the club’s members. Potential wrinkles could include:

Blackmailing over an employer’s actions
Theft of the club book

The victim is a very new member

The victim is a senior member with something hidden in his pocket

The murder weapon is missing, but no one has left the club since the murder occurred

The porter’s keys are missing

Twin footmen who switch places sporadically unintentionally confusing others

A mysterious smelling bottle of wine in the room with the victim

The body moved to the kitchen so the carpet can be cleaned

The very stogy elderly porter constantly watching the investigators

Outsiders have never been allowed in the club since the days of Oliver Cromwell

A food delivery in the back

The victim was a notorious prankster and had nearly been kicked out 3 times

The members are so courteous and discreet, interrogation is nearly impossible!

If subtly and puzzle solving don’t work well with your group here are a couple complications that will add tension and action to a parlor mystery:

The murder has a trio of accomplices, three very sneaky ratmen thieves. The victim caught the murderer-to-be arraigning a high value theft in the club with the ratmen and had to be silenced. Until their job is done, the ratmen will use the over chintzed world of Victorian home décor to stay hidden, pop out at dramatically interesting moments to trip up the players investigation, then hide again. 

The murderer is a traitor to his country. The victim was killed to keep from divulging this fact. The traitor is trying to get a hold of secret government documents hidden in the club at an employer’s request. Agents of the czarina will visit the club in disguise to aid his search and take care of any busybodies. The players will have to deal with a deluge of chimney sweeps, deliverymen, and messengers all trying to find the documents. Senior club members will not turn them away as canceling scheduled deliveries and services would not add to an appearance of normality.

The victim was killed by a supernatural curse that followed him to the club. Anything from a barghest, mystic murderous runes, or necromantic spells. Is it a fellow member at all, or is everyone in danger?

If the crime is solved (or if an uninfluential patsy can be found) the club is very grateful and its members will prove valuable contacts. “Ordinarily I would not let sir into my master’s study while he is absent but after your service to the club I trust sir’s judgment…” “Perhaps our kitchen would prove an expedient hiding place for the moment, Sir?” “Would Sir care to use our carriage to back up his purposeful mistaken identity at the ball tonight?” etc.
 

For a predominantly lower class party, this scenario would open many doors and potential avenues for adventure.