Case 01New
The Night Before the Rite
The Threshold Codex has vanished from the Vault. You have one night and three names.
FREE ONLINE DETECTIVE GAME
Collegium Mareboro
Five night-time investigations at a closed college of magic. Gather threads, test alibis and name the culprit before it’s too late.
5 cases available · 0 solved
Where it all happens
Collegium Mareboro is an old, closed college of magic on the shore of the Black Lake. It teaches shields and seals, veils, bindings and remembrance — and it breeds debts, envy and secrets, because how you do here decides who you become afterwards.
Magic in Mareboro leaves traces, and it has limits: a veil changes a face but not the bones; an echo shows someone’s memory, not the truth; the dead do not come back. So every crime here is still solved by deduction — there are simply more clues.
The Rite of the ThresholdThe third-year trial. You cannot pass it without the gift — and people will go far to get through.
The Black LakeThe edge of the campus. Its water holds magical traces for a long time and sometimes shows fragments of echo.
The Lower CourtThe Collegium’s shadow side: smuggling, potions, debt letters under someone else’s seal.
01Follow the trailCrossing the campus costs time. You can’t see everyone before dawn.
02Gather threadsSome questions only open up after other discoveries.
03Prove your theoryAt the end you need a culprit, a motive and evidence.
Five mysteries to play online
Each case is a self-contained story for one evening. Start with the first: characters and consequences carry over from case to case.
Case 02New
The Girl Who Drowned Twice
A student is pulled from the Black Lake — a student who died there three years ago.
Case 03New
The Wager in the Trial Garden
The best shield-caster of his year never came out of the maze. Everyone says “a duel.” The gate says otherwise.
Case 04New
The Dean’s Voice
The Dean ordered the Vault opened — at the very minute she was sitting in her study with a guest.
Case 05New
Echo on the Water
The lake showed Isa pushing a man off the pier. Twenty witnesses. Four seconds. One night.
FUNDING THE NEXT CASE
The Collegium’s Debt Ledger
The Collegium has debts, and so does its author — to the players. Every contribution closes a line in the ledger and brings Case 06 closer: the script, the illustrations and three translations.
VOTE
What should Case 06 be?
Choose which mystery the Collegium opens next. One vote per browser.
MEMORIAL GALLERY
Patrons of the Collegium
The names of those who support the Collegium will appear here.
Supported the Collegium and want your name here? Write to hello@kollegium.online.
Questions and answers
What is Collegium Mareboro?
Collegium Mareboro is a free detective game you play in your browser. It consists of five self-contained fantasy mysteries set in a closed college of magic: you cross the campus at night, question witnesses, gather clues and name the culprit before dawn.
How much does it cost?
The game is free: all five cases are fully open, with no subscription and no in-app purchases. The project is supported by voluntary donations from players.
Do I need to sign up or install anything?
No. The game runs directly in your browser on a computer, tablet or phone. Progress is saved in the browser itself; no account is needed.
How long does one case take?
Between 20 and 40 minutes. Cases can be played in any order, but characters and consequences carry over, so it is best to start with the first one, “The Night Before the Rite.”
How does an investigation work?
You have one night. Every move across the campus map costs an hour of in-game time, so you cannot visit everyone and have to choose a route. Questions cost no time. At the end you give the Dean a culprit, a motive and up to three pieces of evidence; the ending depends on how well your theory holds, and each case has several endings.
Can I play with a friend or a group?
The game is designed for one player, but it works well played together on one screen — arguing over theories and whom to accuse.
Which languages are available?
English, Russian and Korean. You can switch language in the site header; progress is shared across all languages.
Will there be new cases?
Yes, a sixth case is in preparation. Players choose its theme — the vote is open on the home page.
