Whitehall Mystery
Whitehall Mystery Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Goal of the Game
Scotland Yard is hot on the heels of another serial killer, right when Jack the Ripper is active! In the tight network of streets and alleyways, a hunt for a new and mysterious murderer begins.
The Jack player wins the game if he is able to complete his crime without being caught. The Investigator players play together, and they win when one of them captures Jack.
Contents of the Box
This box contains:
- This rulebook;
- 1 game board representing London's Whitehall district circa 1888;
- 1 die-cut punchboard containing:
- 6 blue Special Movement tiles (2 Coach, 2 Alley, and 2 Boat);
- 4 black tiles (3 Investigator and 1 Smoker);
- 3 plastic Investigator figures (1 each of yellow, blue, and red);
- 1 black plastic Jack figure;
- 1 Jack screen;
- 1 pad of 30 Jack move track sheets;
- 15 transparent yellow plastic Clue markers;
- 4 transparent red plastic Discovery Location markers.
Components
- Markers: Clue (15), Discovery Location (4)
- Figures: Jack (1), Investigator (3)
- Tiles: Special Movement (6), Investigator (4)
- Jack screen
- Jack move track sheets (pad of 30 sheets)
- Map
The Designers
Born in 1973 in Ravenna (Italy), Gabriele Mari, in addition to being an educator for people with autism and psychological disorders, is a game designer and copywriter. Other games he designed are Garibaldi La Trafila and Mister X Flucht Durch Europa.
Born in 1962 in Ravenna (Italy), Gianluca Santopietro is a game designer, graphic designer, art director, developer, and playtester. His first game published was Sì, Oscuro Padrino, followed by MotoGrandPrix, Prodigy GameCards, Collapsible D — The Final Minutes of the Titanic and, together with Andrea Chiarvesio, Kingsport Festival.
Gabriele Mari and Gianluca Santopietro also worked together on Letters from Whitechapel and Whitechapel — Dear Boss.
The Game Board
The game board is marked with 189 numbered circles linked together by dotted lines. Key features of the board:
- White numbered circle — an ordinary numbered circle.
- Black numbered circle — Jack cannot choose these as Discovery Locations.
- Blue numbered circle — Jack cannot choose these as Discovery Locations.
- Black dotted line — the streets along which everyone moves.
- Blue dotted line — these lines cannot be travelled; they mark the perimeter of some block of water.
- Grid reference — the board is divided into grid squares (bA, aA, aB, and bB).
- Crossing — the spaces the Investigators move between.
- Yellow-bordered Crossing — these are deployment points for the Investigator figures.
- Yellow Clue counter — marks a numbered circle where a Clue has been found.
- Red Discovery Location marker — marks a revealed Discovery Location.
- Move Track — Special Movement tiles are played next to the move track with the coinciding symbols.
- Example of a block of water: The white circles 136, 137, 139, 156 and 159, and the blue circles 138, 157, 158 and 160 form a water block, but Jack can only use the Boat to move between the four blue circles.
- Example of a block of houses: Circles 126, 129, 141, 142, 164, 165 and 181 are part of the same block; Jack can use the Alley to move between any two of these circles.
- River Thames
Preparing the Game
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Place the game board representing Whitehall at the time of Jack the Ripper at the center of the table. It is marked with 189 numbered circles linked together by dotted lines.
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During play, everyone moves along the black dotted lines that represent London streets:
- Jack moves stealthily between numbered circles, regardless of color (black, white, or blue).
- The three Investigators move between Crossings (without worrying about whether the Crossings have yellow borders or not).
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One player becomes Jack (the most experienced player is recommended). The other players become the Investigators. The Investigators always work together. They distribute the 3 colored figures (yellow, blue, and red) among themselves in any way they agree on.
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Jack takes a fresh move track sheet from the pad and places it behind his Jack screen. He will also need a pencil (not included).
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Jack places the black figure on position "0" (red) of the move track.
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Jack secretly chooses 4 white circles on the game board, each of which must belong to a different grid square (bA, aA, aB and bB); he notes their numbers at the top of the move track sheet. These are the Discovery Locations.
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Jack collects the red Discovery Location markers and the yellow Clue markers, as well as the blue Special Movement tiles.
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All the black tiles are distributed by Investigator color, as evenly as possible, to the Investigator players. All three colors are always in play. The colors of the Investigators link the players to one or more figures. If there are fewer than four players, someone will control more than one Investigator.
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The Investigator players place all their figures in play, each on a different yellow-bordered Crossing of their choice.
The game begins!
Black Investigator Tiles
Each Investigator is represented by a colored figure and its corresponding tile.
The priority value in the yellow oval indicates where the Investigator falls in the order of priority (lowest to highest) which the Investigators must respect in each of their phases. Yellow (1) is first, followed by blue (2), and red (3).
Each tile also features an optional ability which can be applied once per game when using the optional rule Roll Up Your Sleeves (see Optional Rules to Help the Investigators).
Attention: During setup, the Investigator players divide the black tiles. If the optional rule Roll Up Your Sleeves for the Investigators is in play, the yellow Investigator receives two black tiles, as Jasper T.C. Waring benefits from the keen nose of Smoker, his trusty hound. Otherwise, return the "Smoker" tile to the box.
How to Play
Once the game has been set up, Jack must secretly choose his starting point; this must be one of the four white numbered circles he has marked at the top of his sheet as Discovery Locations. Jack then positions one red Discovery Location marker on that circle to tell the Investigators where his flight begins. Then, Jack notes that number in the grey box under the "0" on the first line of his sheet. Jack's objective is to reach all the other Discovery Locations while escaping arrest by the Investigators.
The game is played over three rounds. In each round, Jack can make a maximum of fifteen moves, one per turn. Each turn is divided into three phases, one for Jack and two for the investigators:
The Hunt
- Jack: Escape in the Night
- Investigators: Hunting the Monster
- Investigators: Clues and Suspicion
When Jack declares he has reached a new Discovery Location, the current round finishes and the next one begins at the same time, resetting the move track.
Jack does not have to reach the Discovery Locations in a specific order; the sequence in which the four numbers at the top of his sheet are marked has no influence on the game and does not limit Jack's strategy in any way.
The game is over when Jack reaches the fourth and final Discovery Location, when one of the Investigators arrests Jack, or when Jack does not reach his next Discovery Location within the 15 available moves.
Example: The Hunt Begins
In this game, Jack has secretly chosen the numbered circles 33 (bA), 46 (bB), 147 (aB), and 159 (aA) as Discovery Locations, and has written those numbers inside the circular spaces located at the top of his move track sheet. Then, he declares circle 147 as the first Discovery Location by placing one red marker on the corresponding point of the board, and writes that number in the first grey square of the first line of his move track sheet. The hunt has begun! Jack's next goal is to reach another Discovery Location within 15 moves. It is the Investigators' job to stop him.
An Unsolved Case
October 2nd, 1888: During the construction of the new headquarters of the Metropolitan Police (later to be known as New Scotland Yard), on the Victoria Embankment near Whitehall in Westminster, a worker found a bundle of human remains.
The newspapers suggested a link with the murders of prostitutes committed by the serial killer known as Jack the Ripper, which were taking place during the same period of time, but the Metropolitan Police stated that there was no connection.
The Whitehall Mystery is another unsolved case which took place in 1888 London, during the long period in which the city followed the Whitechapel murders with bated breath. The dismembered remains of a woman will be discovered in three different locations around the center of the city.
1. Jack: Escape in the Night
Jack moves from the last numbered circle noted on his sheet to an adjacent numbered circle, following the black dotted lines. Jack studies the map and secretly chooses the circle he wants to move to, and writes that number in the next available space to the right of the previous number on his sheet, on the same line. Once the movement has been noted down on his move track sheet, Jack advances his black figure along the move track by a corresponding number of spaces.
Example: Jack makes his first move from circle 147, the first Discovery Site, to circle 114, updating his sheet and moving his figure along the move track accordingly.
Note: Jack must make a move each turn (he cannot remain on the same numbered circle for two consecutive turns). He cannot move over a Crossing occupied by an Investigator figure (unless he uses a Coach). If, for this reason, Jack cannot make a move, he loses the game.
Instead of his move, Jack can use a blue Special Movement tile (Coach, Alley, or Boat) to aid his escape (see "Special Movements").
If the number of the circle Jack moves to corresponds to the number of another Discovery Location, Jack declares this at the end of the turn to begin a new round (see "End of the Round").
If Jack completes his 15 available moves without reaching a new Discovery Location, he loses the game.
A Macabre Discovery
The dismembered torso of a woman, three months into its decomposition, was discovered in a basement. The body had been wrapped in cloth, possibly a black petticoat, and tied with string.
The torso was matched by police surgeon Thomas Bond (red Investigator) to a right arm and shoulder that had previously been discovered in the muddy shore of the River Thames in Pimlico on the 11th of September.
The Times newspaper had initially suspected that the arm had been placed in the water as a medical students' prank.
2. Investigators: Hunting the Monster
After consulting together, the Investigators may move their figures. They do this in order of priority, which can be found in the yellow ovals on the black tiles. Yellow (1) is first, followed by blue (2), and red (3).
An Investigator figure can move up to a distance of two (0, 1, or 2) Crossings, moving along the dotted lines. Investigators ignore numbered circles when moving.
Example: The Investigator players move their figures in priority order (yellow, then blue, then red) from the Crossings at which they start their turn. The yellow and blue figures have moved 2 Crossings. The red figure has only moved 1 Crossing in order to block Jack's movement across the bridge.
When moving, an Investigator can move over other figures, but cannot end its move in the same Crossing as another Investigator figure.
The Inquest
The 8th of October, 1888. John Troutbeck, Westminster coroner, opened the inquest; he suggested that the woman had been "of large stature and well-nourished." The uterus had been removed from the body; the right arm had been severed by someone with knowledge of human anatomy, had been tourniqueted to stem blood flow, and was removed post-mortem. The victim had been wearing a satin dress at the time of death; the dress had been manufactured in Bradford, and the style was three years old. Pieces of paper found with the remains were from the Echo (dated August 24th) and from the Chronicle (date unknown). Although the cause of death was indeterminate, the victim had not suffocated or drowned. Though the left lung had severe pleurisy, there was no sign of pregnancy, the heart was healthy, and the right lung, liver, stomach, kidneys and spleen were all in normal condition. The fair-skinned, dark-haired victim had been dead for an estimated time of six weeks to two months; it was determined she was not someone who was used to manual labour. Later, journalist Jasper T.C. Waring (yellow Investigator), with the permission of the police and the help of a labourer, used a Spitzbergen dog to find a left leg that was severed above the knee. It was buried near the construction site. The head and remaining limbs were never found, and the identity of the victim remains unknown.
3. Investigators: Clues and Suspicion
For each Investigator, in order of priority (yellow, blue, red), their player may decide to look for clues or execute an arrest.
The range of action of an Investigator figure, both when looking for clues and for executing an arrest, comprises the numbered circles adjacent to the Crossing occupied by the figure. In other words, those numbered circles directly connected by a dotted line to the Crossing occupied by the figure.
Example: The yellow Investigator looks for clues first in circle 128, then again in circle 108; he does not find any clues. He cannot look for clues in circles 107 or 127 because they are not adjacent to his figure's Crossing. The red Investigator executes an arrest in circle 112, hoping that Jack is there. He cannot execute an arrest in 93 or 109 on this turn, even though they are adjacent to his Crossing, because the action allows only one circle to be chosen. (Jack is hiding in circle 114.)
Only one of the two actions (looking for clues or executing an arrest) can be performed with each Investigator figure. If a player controls multiple figures, different actions can be chosen for each figure.
Looking for Clues
To look for clues, an Investigator player announces, one at a time and in any desired order, the numbers of the circles he wishes to inspect with his figure. Jack must check whether these numbers appear on his sheet in any space on the row for the current round.
If a number appears, Jack places 1 transparent yellow Clue marker on that numbered circle (without revealing other information), and that Investigator's look for clues action immediately ends. Otherwise, this process repeats with the other numbered circles adjacent to that same figure until a clue marker is placed on the board or all adjacent locations have been investigated.
Optional Rules to Help Jack
Murderer at Large: When Jack uses any Special Movement tile, he follows the normal rules, but instead of placing the tiles on the move track faceup, he places them facedown and does not tell the Investigators which type of Special Movement he has made. The tiles are not revealed to the Investigators until after the end of the round.
Newspaper Fabrications: When a new round begins, Jack can reclaim 1 Alley or Boat tile from those previously used during the game.
False Clues: For every five yellow Clue markers revealed to the Investigators during a given round, Jack gains one blue False Clue counter (up to a maximum of three). At the beginning of phase 3, "Investigators: Clues and Suspects," Jack may place one blue False Clue counter to block any numbered circle of his choice. The Investigators cannot search for clues or execute an arrest on this circle for the remainder of the round. Any False Clue counters which are not played are discarded at the end of the round. Jack cannot place a False Clue counter on a circle noted as a Discovery Location on his sheet.
Example: The blue Investigator player decides to look for clues, starting with circle 84: Jack replies negatively. The Investigator continues by calling circle 70: Jack reveals a clue by placing a yellow Clue marker on that numbered circle. Jack has been there during this round, but when? Although it is adjacent to the blue Investigator's figure, circle 83 cannot be investigated this turn because the Investigator has already found a clue, which ends his action.
Executing an Arrest
To execute an arrest, an Investigator player announces the number of one (and only one) circle that is adjacent to his figure, in the hope of making an arrest. Jack checks whether his current position (the last number marked on his sheet on the line for the current round) matches the number called. If it does, Jack is arrested and loses the game; otherwise, he does not have to reveal any further information.
Optional Rules to Help the Investigators
Roll Up Your Sleeves: The Investigators can use the abilities on their black tiles. Each ability can only be used once per game. Once used, the Investigator must flip the tile facedown; it cannot be reused.
Smoker's Nose: The yellow Investigator, in addition to his own black tile, also receives the Smoker tile. He can use the ability described on it once per game. Once used, the Investigator must flip the tile facedown; it cannot be reused.
(The yellow Investigator's helper tile shows the Investigator color, and the ability used with this optional rule.)
End of the Round
When Jack reaches a new Discovery Location, he knows that it is the last turn of the round, but he must not reveal this information yet.
At the end of phase 3, "Investigators: Clues and Suspicion" for that turn, if Jack has not been arrested, he declares that he has reached the next Discovery Location, and places a new red marker on the corresponding white numbered circle on the board.
Then, the next round begins. Jack resets the move track by placing his black figure back onto the space marked "0" (red), removes all the yellow Clue markers from the board (the red markers remain in play), and discards any blue Special Movement tiles he played in the previous round.
Jack must now note down the number of the Discovery Location he has reached in the grey box on the next line of his move track sheet. The new round begins with phase 1, "Jack: Escape in the Night."
End of the Hunt
When Jack places the fourth red marker on the corresponding white numbered circle of the board, the Hunt ends and Jack has won the game.
Special Movements
Jack may use one of his blue Special Movement tiles instead of making a normal move.
When Jack uses a Special Movement tile, he must place it next to the move track aligned with the number of the turn during which the movement was made. Each Special Movement tile can be used only once per game.
If a Special Movement tile is used, Jack must apply its effects.
(The Special Movement tiles are: Coach, Alley, and Boat; all six tiles share a common back.)
Note: Jack cannot use a Special Movement tile to move into the next Discovery Location's numbered circle.
If You Also Own ...
Letters from Whitechapel: For 2-6 players; five victims in four long, terror-filled nights.
The Three Types of Special Movement Tiles
Coach: Jack can use a Coach to move to two adjacent numbered circles (white or black) in succession at once (a double move). Coaches can move through Crossings containing Investigator figures. The two numbered circles must be different from each other and the circle from which Jack started the move. Both of the circles he moves to must be recorded in separate places, in the proper order, on Jack's sheet. Jack can use two Coaches during the entire game.
Example: Jack decides to use a Coach from circle 40, where he is currently hiding. He declares he is using a Special Movement by placing the blue Coach tile next to the move track aligned with the corresponding numbers of the moves (4 and 5). Jack chooses the two numbered circles he is going to move to with the Coach, and secretly writes them down on his sheet: circle 37, followed by circle 34. Jack is now hiding on circle 34. Because he used the Coach, Jack was able to move through the blue Investigator figure, who would normally have prevented Jack's move from circle 40 to circle 37. (Move track row: 46 43 42 40 37 34; circle 37 is the intermediate circle, circle 34 the destination circle. It is possible to move through the blue Investigator using a Coach.)
Alley: Jack can use a blue Alley tile to cross a block of houses. A block of houses is an area of the game board that is completely bounded by black dotted lines, and which does not contain blue numbered circles. Alleys allow Jack to move from one circle to any other circle within that block's perimeter. Jack can use two Alleys during the entire game.
Example: Jack decides to use an Alley from circle 85, where he is currently hiding. He declares he is using a Special Movement by placing the Alley tile next to the move track aligned with the corresponding numbers of the moves (4 and 5). Jack chooses the numbered circle he is going to move to with the Alley, and secretly writes it down on his sheet: circle 121, which is within the block of houses. Jack is now hiding on circle 121. (Move track row: 33 52 70 83 85 121.)
Boat: Jack can use a Boat tile to move from one blue numbered circle to another blue circle within the same block of water. A block of water is an area of the game board that is completely bounded by black and blue dotted lines which contains blue numbered circles. Jack can use two Boats during the entire game.
To Help the Investigators, If You Also Own ...
Whitechapel Dear Boss: New components and additional rules for Jack, the Police, and the Wretches.
Reinforcements: When using the optional rule Roll Up Your Sleeves, you can replace any figure in this game with the green and/or brown figures. The abilities of those figures are as follows:
- Green Investigator (priority 4): When executing an arrest, the green Investigator can call out the numbers of all the circles adjacent to his figure, instead of only one.
- Brown Investigator (priority 5): Instead of looking for clues or executing an arrest, the brown Investigator can call out any white numbered circle. If this circle is one of the Discovery Locations which Jack has not yet reached, the Investigators win the game.
The Police Investigate
Sergeant Arthur Ferris (blue Investigator) belongs to the Metropolitan Police Service, the police force whose jurisdiction extends to nearly the whole of London. The Met, as it is commonly called, was founded in 1829, and its headquarters are known as Scotland Yard. The name stems from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. In 1887, construction work began on a New Scotland Yard on the Victoria Embankment, directly overlooking the Thames (white numbered circle 165). It was in 1888, during these construction works, that the dismembered torso of a woman was discovered. The crime became known as "the Whitehall mystery." Today, these buildings house parliamentary offices and are known as the Norman Shaw Buildings.
Example: Jack decides to use a Boat from circle 138 where he is currently hiding. He declares he is using a Special Movement by placing the Boat tile next to the move track aligned with the corresponding numbers of the moves (8 and 9). Jack chooses the numbered circle he is going to move to with the Boat, and secretly writes it down on his sheet: circle 157, a blue numbered circle within the block of water. Jack is now hiding on circle 157. (Move track row: 121 122 139 138 157.)
End of the Game
If Jack is able to put all four red Discovery Location markers into play without being arrested, the Jack player wins the game. If any Investigator arrests Jack, or if Jack is prevented from reaching a new Discovery Location within the maximum permitted number of moves, the Investigator players collectively win the game.
Now you are ready to play!
Whitehall Casebook
Whitehall Casebook, available on the AppStore and PlayStore, can be used on all Apple and Android smartphones and tablets. This exciting app adds a new and absorbing challenge for even the most expert Jack player. The Casebook randomly selects the Discovery Locations, allowing players to choose from 4 different levels of difficulty: Normal, Easy, Medium and Difficult. Will you rise to these new challenges?
Suggestions
- Assign the role of Jack to the most experienced player in the group, at least for the first few games.
- The Jack player should use the Special Movement tiles carefully, lest he find himself without any when he needs them.
- The Jack player should pay close attention to his remaining number of moves while trying to reach a Discovery Location. An unexpected move by the Investigators could force Jack to make a costly diversion.
- When the Jack player looks at the map to strategize his next move, he should take care to hide his gaze behind the Jack screen to keep his movements hidden from the Investigator players. Otherwise, Jack risks betraying key information with his eyes.
- The Investigator players should try not to get discouraged during the Hunt – not finding a clue can be a clue in and of itself!
Summary of the Hunt
The game is played over three rounds. Each round consists of up to fifteen turns, divided into three parts: Jack's move, the investigators' moves, and the chance to search for clues and execute arrests.
The Hunt
- Jack: Escape in the Night. Jack secretly moves from the last numbered circle noted on his sheet to a different, adjacent circle, following the dotted black lines. He moves his figure along the move track on the board and records the circle's number on his move track sheet.
- Investigators: Hunting the Monster. The Investigator players consult each other, then move their pieces in order of priority: first the yellow figure, followed by blue, and then red.
- Investigators: Clues and Suspicion. The Investigator players consult each other, and can use each figure to look for clues or execute an arrest. They do this in order of priority (yellow, blue, red).
Jack can declare the round over if he has reached a new Discovery Location. If he does so, he places a red marker on that numbered circle.
Credits
Game Design: Gabriele Mari and Gianluca Santopietro Historical Research: Gabriele Mari Development: e-Nigma.it Editing: Gabriele Mari for e-Nigma.it Art Direction: Gianluca Santopietro for e-Nigma.it Artwork: Gianluca Santopietro (cover), Alan D'Amico Graphic Design: Demis Savini for e-Nigma.it Sculptures: Alan D'Amico for Orco Nero Playtesting: Livio Valentini (head), Francesco Villani, Monica Socci, Maria Vittoria Pieri, Leexena Frantini, Enrico De Cono, Salvatore Gualtieri, Matteo Pironi, the players of La Ludoteca dei Cacciatori di Teste, the players of IdeaG Costa Est 2015. Collaborators: Silvia Niccolini and Gregorio Pampaloni for their wonderful photos, Orco Nero for their magnificent sculptures. Production: Giacomo Santopietro for Sir Chester Cobblepot, Giuliana Santamaria for Giochi Uniti srl, Molly Glover for Fantasy Flight Games