The  game began (eventually) outside the Cann office in the village of Llangadfan, where the group had gathered to meet their old friend and associate Professor Harrison, who had sent a vague telex the previous Thursday requesting their presence at the site of his current archaeological investigations. Those brave enough to be present were William Silver, a fellow Archaeologist; Captain Fredric Danby, a Gentlemen farmer who often funded Harrison's digs; John Hammond, another archaeologist, and his assistant Miss Emily Ross-Forsyth; Hiram Grumbacker, who also claimed to be an archaeologist though showed little understanding of the subject and had a rather unusual preoccupation with death; Dr Pieter Viljoen from South Africa (whose accent strangely fluctuated), and Michael Fox, an officer of the law from London.  Also present was Jonathan Edwards, a curator of the department of medieval antiquities at the museum of Chislehurst, and this games referee.

After Professor Harrison failed to show at the meeting point (which didn't seem to surprise some people) it was suggested that they should head off to the site, thinking that he may have forgotten the time (deemed unlikely by most people). Mr Edwards explained that he had discussed the site with Harrison on a few occasions before and so had a rough idea of it's location and so they set off in their automobiles on a journey which took them deep into a nearby forest.

After a while they finally parked their automobiles and at Mr Edwards' request and continued on foot. As they walked various questions were asked about what Professor Harrison was doing at this site. No one knew the answers but one snippet of information was revealed: That a medieval monastery had once stood at the site but had been deserted in the thirteenth century along with nearby villages, reputedly due to a plague that swept the area.

As they proceeded a man stumbled from out of the trees and rushed towards them, demanding to know their business. Then he seemed to gain some manners and introduced himself as Detective Sergeant Biggs and said that they were at a crime scene and could not walk any further. On stating that they had arranged to meet their friend the policeman seemed taken aback, and nervously informed them that the Professor was dead. Biggs said that the official word from his colleagues was suicide but he felt that the circumstances to his mind were suspicious. That was the reason why he was in the forest - he needed to look for himself.

The idea of suicide didn't sit well with what everyone knew of the Professor: He was a family man and good at cricket, there was certainly nothing to suggest that he would wish to take his own life. Requests to see the place of the tragic event were flatly refused, and Biggs became more nervous at the players insistence. They finally turned back, somewhat unimpressed by the odd policeman and his story, and Biggs climbed back into the forest, tripping over branches as he went.

  When he was sure the policeman had gone, Edward's told them that he believed he knew of another route bypassing Biggs, and quickly all agreed to attempt it.  Turning off the main track they passed through a gate and began doubling back on themselves, after two hundred yards or so the sound of raised voices was heard. A small house came into view, outside of which stood a couple, obviously in some dispute. As the party approached they abruptly stopped arguing and the woman walked away quickly, passing by the players.