Overview
The Nameless Ashes Case is the first major investigation in Silver Palace. It appears in Chapter 1, titled "Burnt to Cinders," which was playable during the Monotype Beta. The case involves a series of mysterious deaths where dozens of people have been found burned to death through apparent spontaneous combustion.
The Mystery
Victims are found reduced to ashes with no obvious source of ignition. The deaths appear to be spontaneous combustion, a phenomenon without clear scientific explanation. The pattern of victims, the locations of the deaths, and the timing all become clues for the Detective to piece together.
The case draws the Detective into a web of politics, crime, and conspiracy within Silvernia. What initially appears to be a serial murder investigation expands into something connected to the city's power structures and the various factions competing for control.
Connection to Silverium
Whether the spontaneous combustions are connected to Silverium or its misuse is one of the questions the Detective investigates. Silverium's properties, including its ability to produce effects resembling magic, make it a plausible link. The "ashes" theme of the case name may hint at Silverium-related energy reactions.
Chapter 1 Structure
"Burnt to Cinders" contains three cases in total:
The Nameless Ashes Case (the spontaneous combustion deaths)
Mystery of the Stolen Silver
Case of Grimm's Death
The three cases are interconnected, with evidence from one feeding into the others. The Detective must solve all three to complete Chapter 1's story arc.
Investigation Mechanics
The Nameless Ashes Case uses the full range of investigation tools: crime scene analysis, character scanning, the Danger Radar, interrogation, the Mindpalace, and the Evidence Board. Player choices during the investigation affect how the story unfolds, meaning different players may reach different conclusions or uncover different aspects of the conspiracy.