Chapter 22 — Gaslight Detective (Detective Demo)

Part VI — Starter Worlds

A walkthrough of the detective starter.

Setting

A fog-choked Victorian estate. A man lies dead in a locked study. Everyone has secrets, and the clock is ticking before the real killer vanishes into the gaslight.

Contents

Element	Description
The Study	Starting zone — locked-room crime scene with desk, brandy glass, fireplace
The Parlour	Social zone — aristocratic setting with portrait, letter tray
Servants’ Hall	Hidden zone — below-stairs access, key rack, coal chute
Front Entrance	Transition zone — foggy public entrance
Back Alley	Danger zone — dark, ambush risk, fog chill hazard
Lady Ashford	NPC — widow and suspect, eloquence 7, branching interrogation
Constable Pike	NPC — law enforcement, grit 6
Mrs Calloway	NPC — servant and witness, perception 5
Dock Thug	Enemy — aggressive AI, guards territory
Smelling Salts	Item — restores 6 composure
Deduction Mastery	Progression tree — keen-eye → silver-tongue / iron-nerves

Ruleset: detective-minimal

Stat	Role
Perception	Notice clues, detect lies, observe details
Eloquence	Persuade, interrogate, navigate social encounters
Grit	Physical toughness, resist intimidation

Resource	Range	Notes
HP	0–30	Physical health
Composure	0–20	Mental fortitude, regens 1/tick

Unique verbs: interrogate (press for information), deduce (draw conclusions from evidence).

How the Systems Interact

1. Dialogue — The widow interrogation branches based on approach. Pressing her sets the pressed-widow global flag. Asking about keys reveals knows-spare-key.

2. Cognition — The suspect paranoia presentation rule makes suspects perceive the inspector’s arrival as threatening, influencing NPC behavior.

3. Environment — The back alley’s fog chill hazard drains composure on entry, creating tension before encounters.

4. Progression — Defeating enemies awards XP. The deduction mastery tree grants perception, eloquence, and composure boosts.

5. Districts — Ashford Estate (4 zones, aristocratic) vs The Dockyards (1 zone, dockworker-controlled).

Install

npm install @ai-rpg-engine/starter-detective

import { createGame } from '@ai-rpg-engine/starter-detective';
const engine = createGame(42);