My 3.5 Dungeons and Dragons one shot module.

Overview
     I designed this module to be role play heavy with combat at the end for the confrontation. This is meant to be a murder mystery in a close knit community. There are 11 suspects in total with the victim being the sheriff.

The suspects
   Daisy, Lily, and Chrysanthemum (male, goes by Chrys) whom are the dwarf family assigned to run the Amber Spyglass Inn & Suites and act as groundskeepers.  The daughter Daisy operates the morning shift at the front desk and cooks in the afternoon. Lily cooks in the morning, operates the desk in the afternoon, and patrols the cabins at night. Chrys gardens in the morning, in the afternoon he makes repairs, cleans, maintains any upkeep on the Inn and the cabins, in the evening he patrol the cabins. ( Not all of the cabins are maintained. This is either to a request or no one currently owns them. Have a few cabins represent this.)

  The three hooded figures: These three arrive into town shortly after the players do and quickly purchases a room at the inn. They will keep to there rooms during the majority of the events only coming down during meal times. They are meant to be mysterious and/or spooky. This is to act as the red haring. Their true purpose is one of pilgrimage. They are half-orcs traveling to Dirron or whatever is your next adventure site.

  The Outfitter. (I failed to give him a name.) This guy serves as the town's merchant and thus stays to his shop unless he is requested to leave. He is a dwarf and has dwarven goods. He mostly sells arrows and bolts. He, like the innkeepers, was assigned to this post. 

  The shrine keepers. Their names are Rodger and Lucy. Rodger is Lucy's apprentice. The shrine is a nature shrine who's duty is to bless people for a good hunt..

   Old man Timmins. He is an old Neanderthal with a grouchy attitude. He lives in the middle of woods so he can be left alone. If anyone visits him he'll be downright ornery. Often he'll have random hunting traps situated around his simple cabin. ( DC 10 or 12 spot check to notice) This man has a history of causing trouble to passer-bys and will draw attention as a red haring.

   Jacob the woodsman. This man is a ranger. It is his duty to watch over game and flora. This man is the killer. He'll disappear for the early part of the session to clean his axes then reappear during the second half to be helpful.  He will claim that he tried to track the beast all morning but claims he lost it near the lake. If left alone with another NPC he will kill them fearing that they might learn his secret. His helpfulness is meant to throw the players off the trail. Note to DM: This man will lie. Instead of asking for sense motive rolls act it out. You can do this by shifting eyes to the right or touching your face. This will give your players a chance to role play instead of roll playing.

The Setup
    Sheriff Nigel Burns, Jacob, and Rodger are on a week long survey mission to prepare for the hunting event for the nobles in a month. The nobles have first access to the grounds followed by everyone else the week after that, which also lasts a week. They will be in the tree stands at the popular watering hole, Deer Pond. They will also pay a visit to Old man Timmins to ensure he doesn't attack any of the hunters. Rodger is coming along to maintain safety and sanctify the expedition. Jacob is there because he knows the woods thoroughly. Jacob doesn't like Timmins and will mumble his disapproval as they leave. If the party has a fighter, ranger, or paladin make them the deputy. That way when the sheriff dies the responsibility of seeking the killer is thrust upon them and they will know the suspects.
    The town of Elk Head is boring. There should be a pause of some sort to allow players to introduce themselves. This will help set up the mood. If the deputy makes up a tale about the town it can be easily incorporated as Elk Head has been given vagueness.
    The next morning Rodger is pounding on the Sheriff's door crying for help. His arm is broken and his clothes are ragged from running through the woods. He will claim that the sheriff was savagely attacked by a creature during the night. It woke him up with a freight and fell out of the tree stand, breaking his arm in the process. He will be distraught.
    After the party investigates Timmins and are unsure about his innocence then have them attacked by a 1st level summon nature's ally spell. On the way to Timmin's cabin have the players roll a survival check to avoid being lost. If they stay near the deputy they will automatically succeed. The lost will end up at Deer Pond where the sheriff was killed. For those not watching their steps as they approach Timmin's cabin have them trigger a hunting trap. This trap should be minor yet annoying.

When the players investigate Jacob's cabin have a fly buzz in. This fly will be attracted to the smell of blood on the axes even though they have been cleaned. There will be evidence of a woman having stayed with Jacob inside his bedroom. Most likely in a footlocker at the end of his bed and forgotten coats hung on a post.

The Motive
Some time ago Jacob was married. He has a habit of woeing women with his woodsman charm. This one, however, stayed with him after the noble's hunting trip. It turns out that he was controlling and that the life of a woodsman's wife was unsuited for a city gal like her. She wanted out. So in the next hunting season Sheriff Burns and Lily sneaked her with one of the noblemen hunters to return her home. He found out from eavesdropping. His plan was to wait until the survey mission to hack the sheriff to bits with his axes.

The Setting
Elk Head is a small hunting and camping retreat. There are 16 cabin situated around the lake north of town. Jacob's cabin is located on the path where the main road meets the road circling the lake. The cabins are meant as a private residence for those that can afford them, typically they are used by the nobles during the Summer. The main part of town has a Sheriff station, Outfitter, and the Amber Spyglass which acts as an Inn & Suites. In the woods is old man Timmin's cabin and Deer Pond. Every once in awhile this town has travelers seeking rest and thus remains open all year round.