How to solve the first murder in Pentiment

Pentiment starts out slow, then it hits you with a murder mystery that sends the town into an uproar With several suspects and possible motives, you might be wondering who’s the real culprit. Here’s our Pentiment guide to help you investigate and solve the first murder, that of Baron Lorenz of Rothvogel.

Note: For more information, check out our Pentiment guides and features hub. Likewise, please be reminded that this guide contains spoilers.

Pentiment guide – How to solve the first murder (Baron Lorenz of Rothvogel)

The elderly Brother Piero, Andreas’ mentor and friend, is caught holding a knife next to the corpse of the baron. Andreas can’t believe that the frail old man is capable of committing the crime. Still, there are four other persons of interest in the first murder investigation in Pentiment:

• Lucky Steinauer (north of the town commons next to the bakery)
• Ottila Kemperyn (the southernmost house in the eastern section of farms)
• Sister Matilda (the convent to the left of Kiersau Abbey)
• Prior Ferenc (Kiersau Abbey scriptorium)

You’re told that you only have a couple of days to look for evidence. After that, you have to present your findings to the archdeacon. Due to how the daily cycle works, you might not be able to talk to everyone involved. Still, some character backgrounds (i.e., Hedonist or Occultist) might give you hints, though they’re not strictly required.

Screenshot by PC Invasion

Autopsy

One of the priests will tell you to return to the abbey while he’s conducting an autopsy. You can learn the following:

• Lorenz had syphilis.
• He died of blunt force trauma after a hard object was used to smash the back of his skull.
• When another NPC arrives, stay hidden.

Prior Ferenc

• Earlier in the chapter, you’ll see Ferenc holding an odd-looking disc, and he seems to have hidden a book.
• Andreas can discover that the book contained occult spells. You’ll also find a letter addressed to the baron.
• You can then investigate further and solve the Volvelle Puzzle to find other magical objects.
• By discovering the buried items and other clues, you’ll have enough evidence to pin the murder on Ferenc.

Ottila Kemperyn

• Be nice and agree to help her with her chores (i.e., collecting and breaking firewood, adjusting portraits, and reading a legal document). This will last one “work session” for that day.
• You can get her to admit that the baron beat her husband, and she resents the despicable nobleman.
• While she admits that she didn’t kill the baron, she doesn’t really care if she gets executed.

Lucky Steinauer

• Lucky doesn’t want to talk to you, but you can decide to follow him around. This will last one “work session” for that day.
• When you reach the Order of the Labyrinth, he’ll mention something about the abbey’s crypts.
• While hiding inside a tree trunk in the forest, press the correct buttons to shoo the bugs away, preventing Andreas from getting spotted.
• Lucky will leave flowers on a grave, and you can also read the killer’s note there.
• Go inside Lucky’s house when it’s time to eat. Agree to join his family for a meal. Choose positive options when these are presented.
• Talk to Helena, Lucky’s wife. If you have a positive disposition, including the Medicine background, she’ll divulge the truth.
• The baron slept with the couple’s other daughter, only to leave her eventually. She drank an abortifacient which had an adverse effect. She and the child she was carrying both died nonetheless.

Sister Matilda

• Check the garden plot in the convent to find a bloody shovel. Talk to Matilda and she’ll say that she used it to kill rabbits.
• Talk to the abbess, who notes that the baron “harmed” one of the sisters during a previous visit.
• When it’s nighttime, enter the abbey’s church and go down to the crypt.
• Head all the way to the right and press the key on the sculpture of Mary and Jesus. This will open a hidden path to the library.
• Make your way to the top floor and click on the highlighted date under the entry for Sister Matilda. You’ll learn that Matilda was “sent away” at that time.
• As you’re leaving, you’ll see Mathieu and one of the other priests get in on. You can stay hidden and wait it out, but you won’t be able to control Andreas until the morning.
• Once you regain control of Andreas, Sister Zdena will spot you. You can choose to flirt and then some, if you want. You’ll know if this tryst bore fruit in the next act.
• Talk to Sister Matilda, and she’ll admit that the baron raped her.
• Both Brother Wojslav and Mother Cecilia caution you not to divulge what happened to Sister Matilda, as that will ruin how she’s perceived by others.

Conclusion and results

With all of the above done, it’s time to solve the murder of Baron Lorenz in Pentiment. Here’s what I did on my end:

• I told the archdeacon everything I know about Ottila Kemperyn.
• I shared what happened to Lucky’s daughter and her unborn child.
• I mentioned how Prior Ferenc dabbled in the occult arts, though I did not find the hidden disc.
• I avoided telling him about what Sister Matilda went through.

Note: As an aside, do your best to be polite when talking to the archdeacon (i.e., state your name politely, don’t diss the nobility, don’t question the relevance of comments about nobles, and don’t interrupt if they consider Piero a suspect). You might be able to persuade the archdeacon, citing that a specific person is the killer. We weren’t successful in this regard.

Screenshot by PC Invasion

In any case, the above responses concerning the suspects resulted in the following:

• Brother Piero is exonerated.
• Ottila was executed by garrote.
• Lucky’s wife feels resentment that you divulged info about her husband.
• Prior Ferenc dislikes what Andreas said about him, but he’s also learned to forgive.
• Sister Matilda and Brother Wojslav seem to have renounced their holy vows. They’re happily together once you reach the game’s final act.

In any case, this completes your investigation into the first murder in Pentiment. If you discover other outcomes, let us know. Of course, Andreas’ journey doesn’t end here. He returns several years later and, naturally, there’s yet another murder in town.

Screenshot by PC Invasion

Pentiment is available via Steam.