Murder Mystery Party Case Files: Underwood Cellars
Murder Mystery Party Case Files: Underwood Cellars Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Party Guide
Game Materials
1 Party Planner, 8 invitations with envelopes, 8 character booklets, 6 secret clues, 1 solution, 8 place cards.
The accompanying audio material can be downloaded for free through the KOSMOS explainer app (Erklär-App).
The audio material gives a short introduction to the crime, summaries after each round, and at the end the reveal of the murderer. It is up to you whether to use the audio material. If you play without the audio material, skip the corresponding parts of the game flow and continue immediately with the next point.
Party Planning
As host, your task is to moderate the game, motivate your guests, and make sure the evening runs smoothly. This Party Planner helps you with that. It is the only material you should read thoroughly before the game.
IMPORTANT! Under no circumstances may you read the character booklets or listen to the audio material beforehand. Hand out the roles to your guests according to the descriptions on the invitations, and keep one role for yourself.
There are eight roles in total: six suspects and two additional guests. The six suspects must be present at the party for the game to work. The two additional roles are not suspects and are therefore not part of the murder case.
We recommend playing with six players. With more than six players, the additional roles can be given to guests who do not like to take on roles or who prefer to stay in the background.
The Roles
- RALPH ROTTINGGRAPE – Winery owner
- TINY BUBBLES – Wife of the winery owner
- OTTO VON LEMBERG – Wine merchant
- MARILYN MERLOT – Actress
- PAPA VITO – Winemaker
- HEDY SHABLEE – Vineyard owner
- BONNIE LASS – Crime writer (additional guest, not a suspect)
- BUD WIZER – Police officer (additional guest, not a suspect)
Invitations and Dress Suggestions
Send or hand out the invitations early. Encourage your guests, as recommended on the invitation, to contribute with clothing that matches the atmosphere of the evening. Guests can dress according to their role or simply bring one or more suitable accessories. Improvisation is the key to a successful evening. If more additional guests join, they can take part without difficulty and likewise question the suspects.
IMPORTANT! Keep the character booklets with you and hand them out only on the day of your party.
At the Start of the Murder Dinner
Once the guests have arrived, hand them their character booklets and, if necessary, the corresponding clues. Ask them to read the game rules, the sections "Motive, Means and Opportunity" and "Cast", and the introduction pages. The clues may only be opened and read during the game. Tell your guests that for now they should read only up to the STOP note, and that they should not show their character booklet to any other player.
Once everyone has had enough time to read the information, the audio introduction follows. If you use the audio material, play the first track now so that the players learn which crime has taken place. If you play without the audio material, Tiny Bubbles reads the introduction from her character booklet aloud. Then ask your guests to introduce themselves and their role; each person uses the facts from the section "Official Introduction" in their character booklet.
The information in the section "The Truth" is known only to the respective player: keep it to yourselves for now. The character booklet will tell you when it is time to tell the truth.
Then the game can begin!
Game Flow and Rules
Overview
As host you should know the sequence and moderate it. Keep it within easy reach so that you can glance at it during the evening. If you play without the audio material, skip the corresponding points.
- AUDIO: Start the audio material. The narrator, Bridget Bordeaux, will tell you when to stop the recording.
- INTRODUCTION: Tiny Bubbles reads the introductory text aloud. Afterwards all guests briefly introduce themselves using the description in their character booklets.
- FIRST DIALOGUE: The first dialogue is read aloud together. Each person takes on their respective role.
- FIRST ROUND – QUESTIONING: Take a few minutes now to read the next individual information in your character booklet. Then begin to question each other and reveal the facts in any order. (As host, make sure all facts have been revealed before the next step follows.)
- AUDIO: The audio material now continues and concludes the first round.
- SECOND DIALOGUE: The dialogue is read aloud together. Each person takes on their respective role.
- SECOND ROUND – QUESTIONING: Now look at the individual information in your character booklet. Afterwards you accuse each other again, press follow-up questions, and gradually bring all facts to the table.
- AUDIO: The audio material now continues and concludes the second round.
- THIRD DIALOGUE: The dialogue is read aloud together. Each person takes on their respective role.
- THIRD ROUND – QUESTIONING: Now look at the individual information in your character booklet. Then ask each other questions again and bring all facts to the table.
- OPTIONAL: Anyone who wishes may now read aloud their closing statement from their character booklet.
- ACCUSATIONS: Take time to consider who among you is the murderer. Write your suspicion on a slip of paper. Then explain in turn who, in your opinion, is the murderer.
- SOLUTION: If you play without the audio material, take the sheet "Solution" and read the text aloud. If you play with the audio material, play the last track now. Bridget Bordeaux will tell you what really happened at "Deadly Wine".
The Individual Rounds
After you have heard the first section of the audio material and introduced yourselves, each person turns in their character booklet to the "First Dialogue". Prepare for the first round of questioning, which follows directly. Each round has a page of important facts in the character booklet. These are divided into a section "Facts you reveal" and, for the suspects, a section headed "Facts you reveal only when pressed". Give your guests enough time between the rounds to take in this information before moving on.
In each round, use the information in "Facts you reveal" as prompts for questioning the other players. Information from "Facts you reveal only when pressed" is disclosed only when you are asked about it directly.
IMPORTANT: If you are asked a question, you may not lie, but you may answer evasively. However, if someone asks directly and presses you, you must reveal the whole truth.
At a certain point in the course of the game, the murderer is informed in their character booklet that they committed the crime. In addition, the murderer receives information intended to help them avoid being exposed.
At the end of the first and second rounds, play the audio material. Bridget Bordeaux summarises what you should have found out up to that point.
As host, you end each round by asking your guests whether everyone has disclosed all the required facts. This is also a suitable moment to move on to the next course of your dinner or to fetch new snacks and drinks.
Remind your guests that their character booklet is intended exclusively for their own eyes, and that they should not read beyond the STOP note. It is best to ask your guests to turn the pages: before and after the dialogues, as well as at the end of the questioning in the third round.
Secret Clues and Solution
There are seven documents: six clues and the solution. Do not look at any of them before the game. At the start, give each clue to the player of the role noted on it. Clues may only be opened and read when the character booklet says so. The solution is set aside closed; it is only needed at the very end of the evening.
After the third round you may read aloud your version of events, as printed on the last page of your character booklet. You may also go directly to the accusations.
If statements are read aloud, remember that for one person they do not match the facts: the murderer, of course, lies.
When all guests have voiced a suspicion, the solution follows. If you play without the audio material, take the sheet "Solution" and read the text aloud. If you play with the audio material, listen to the solution from Bridget Bordeaux, who tells you what really happened back then.
Planning
You will need about three to four hours for the murder dinner. The Party Planner also contains preparation notes, decoration and music suggestions, and menu suggestions. These are only suggestions to help create a fitting atmosphere, and they are not game rules, so they are not transcribed here.