Dear Lead Investigator,
I am aware you have become wrapped up in the most recent gathering of the Royal Detective Society, and have found yourself leading one of the many lessons in investigation that have become commonplace in that mediocre club. However, as a matter of fair play, I am here to support you. It is in my interest that the world is full of truth-seekers such as yourselves, as it pushes me to be more careful about my schemes.
Being the lead investigator is a challenge, and you will have a lot of pressure put on you to perform admirably. Consider the FAQ below, as well as the examples of all the possible inquiries that may be made of you (sorted alphabetically). Reach out to us for even more specific assistance, and to look at some of the bonus cases that may further intrigue you.
Best of luck,
Moriarty
General FAQ
What is my goal as the Lead Investigator?
Your goal is to win as quickly and as magnificently as possible. Solving things feels good. It is not your job to be coy, sneaky, tricky, or misleading. Finding ways to be strategic and straightforward will always serve you well.
What can't I do?
You cannot directly reveal (draw/say/write) an 'answer', which is an underlined word or phrase in each part of the case story. You also cannot reveal synonyms of those words. Finding a way around this restriction is a big part of your gameplay. Players, as they don't know these 'taboo' words, can write and say them freely, perhaps to your advantage.
When can we use an Ally?
One Ally card may be used at the end of each round. This means cases with fewer rounds use fewer Allies. If the Ally is single use, return it to the deck. If it is a permanent upgrade, tuck it under your Character deck for future plays.
When do I use my Character card?
The Lead Investigator uses this card at the start of the second round, after revealing Key Evidence. Other players do not use their ability. Choose your Lead Investigator wisely!
What if I mess up?
It is okay. You can let players know you misunderstood something and redo a previous clue, or let the mistake slide if it won't matter too much. Your judgement is fine in this, just try to keep the spirit of play and let others know if you need to redo something. As long as you don't specify why or how you messed up, it will likely not have a large effect.
What can I say?
You are in a position of a mentor to these investigators. While you cannot solve the case for them, or sway their thinking, you can remind them gently of their conversations. If they forgot if they had or hadn't said something, or if you heard them say it, clarify what you can. You can help their memory where possible, without steering their hand.
Character Cards
Dr. Emine Ali
Adding these words to mini cards with arrows allow you to point at a specific part of the body, while using mini cards without arrows can show 'general' symptoms.
Katherine Warne
Simply reveal multiple Key Evidence. In a round with three to choose from, you still have a choice of the second one you reveal.
Ato Sahle Desta
Line drawings are hard to interpret, so play it simple. A blood drop, a heart, the shape of a wound, a basic tool of a trade. Just don't draw an underlined word.
As a character note, 'Ato' is similar to 'Mr.' and is a preference he has when addressed.
Sherlock Holmes
The other investigators get to lead you on this one. Take the chance to write incorrect answers they have discussed, or invent some of your own that are adjacent but not spot-on correct.
Shih Xiuying
This can be incredibly specific and leading towards an underlined word or phrase, but it will be up to the investigators to figure out which Category it is for.
As a character note, Xiuying is her given name and Shih is her family name / last name.
Emine Inquiry Cards
Autopsy Report
Consider shapes for injuries, and filled in marks for blood, or even a blood pool. Marking pain is great to show an important location of injury, or the most fatal. It can also show starvation (stomach) or suffocation (an X on each lung).
Case Studies
You may have to take a moment to use your phone or something similar to look up some options. Then they may have to do the same after you give the answer. That is okay!
Death Mask
Your ability to make this look good may be limited. That is okay, and why the card is so cheap. But you can often get a sense of the person's job (through a hat or accessory), their method of death (through an injury) or how they are doing (hollow cheeks, sunburn, many scars, so on).
Fingerprints
This is all on the Investigators. They get to essentially list things and see if they were ever touched by the Subject. Be picky. They are likely to mostly list wrong answers; the fewer things you circle, the stronger the clue will be for success.
Impressions in the Skin
What you draw must be an outline, shape, or silhouette without internal detail. But you really do get to mark what kind of thing it is. A large gash for a stab? A hoofprint? A favorite object?
In My Experience
This is a chance to provide a descriptive word that can help with the method of death ('bloody', 'cold') or to give more of an idea of where the location is ('sandy', 'loud'). There is a further method to use this to help give clues to identity or purpose.
Medical Training
While you can rearrange just about anything to the body diagram, remember you can also move Key Evidence.
Polyglot
Start by writing the word for reference. Then write all the consonants from it in alphabetical order, then erase the reference. So a word like BOOMERANG will become BGMNR.
Report of Findings
Symbols is a loose term defined by the Investigators, but often will be drops of blood, bullets, or injuries. Be sure they are drawn on cards with arrows so you can point the chosen card!
Refusing to place a card is also quite telling.
Under the Fingernails
You can use regular mini cards, but the ones with arrows go really far in being specific. Things on hands may have to do with their identity, while on their feet can be their location.
Katherine Inquiry Cards
Academy Work
Each Key Evidence usually correlates with a Category. This is a chance to make that clear.
A Brilliant Observation
Simply reveal multiple Key Evidence. In a round with three to choose from, you still have a choice of the second one you reveal.
Confession
This is really great for murders. Hearing, perhaps, what the Foe said would show a lot about identity and motive. But for events where no one else was present, it is trickier. It may be the last three words heard before a journey, even days earlier.
Remember not to pose, but your face can show emotion.
Damaged Papers
You get to choose which category, which can be tricky. Several underlined words or phrases end in common endings like 'ing', so be careful!
For phrases, the last three letters of the last underlined word are intended here.
Field Notes
This is a chance to do a Venn diagram. There are several circles to use, and you don't have to use all of them. Oftentimes, categories like Weapon and Cause go together, but maybe Weapon overlaps with Foe's Identity. There are many ways to interpret and place the numerals. You can help make it clear what you meant.
Finding Witnesses
As long as it doesn't reveal an underlined word, there are quite a few options, especially using animals to help signify a place or situation.
A Fresh Lead
The Investigators really can write anything they want, but you are still restricted by not using underlined words. Be sure to remind them of that.
Last Words
While the words cannot be underlined words, these can show a lot about emotion (e.g. "But our friendship?") or motive ("You deserve this").
Left Behind
Drawing anything detailed with these markers is tricky, and there is no chance to label the object. Try to go simple.
Next of Kin
Simply circle the words that related to the Subject or the situation at hand.
Strangely, this is also the card that lands the most questions of why it is named like that; each card represents the work of that Investigator. In this case, Katherine interviews the next of kin or descendants of the deceased for context.
Sahle Inquiry Cards
The Beauty of Damaged Things
You may draw an underlined word or phrase very clearly, or as clearly as you can. However, you should be sure the image is as centered as possible, as the players will remove half of it.
When selected a 'half' to remove, remove everything on that side of an axis line. So removing the 'bottom' is removing everything below the horizontal line.
Echoes of Images
Consider that many things are larger than a person, like vehicles, trees, mountains, the ocean, and so on. Just don't include underlined words.
Few Words Worth Saying
Based on the word game Hangman, use the spaces to write in the letters as they are guessed. If there are multiple E's, for instance, write them all in. The back of the card does have more space than you usually need, and you can explain that. Do not reveal the length of the underlined word or phrase. Feel free to write 'wrong' letters and X them out, for tracking.
Gallery of Possibilities
It is intended that the Investigators work together to settle on three drawings of their own creation. They may tell you what the drawings are, but it is not int he spirit of the card to draw incomplete images and just orally explain what is missing. Recall that Investigators have no restrictions around underlined words; they may draw an answer on accident!
You get to place them, so this is also like submitting a set of guesses.
The Masterpiece
Go nuts. Find stuff int he environment to hold or have near your body. Make a whole thing of it. Just remember not to speak, make sounds, or include any motion.
This is a great one for the players to simply photograph, if they can.
A Matter of Imagination
This card is cheap because the drawing requirement is hard. You will essentially draw one shape, without overlapping the line at any point. Symbols like hearts, crowns, and drops will do well for you.
Remember to not draw an underlined word.
Palette of the Crime
This is the most sorely underappreciated card. You may add color words to three different categories, which can help signal materials, emotions, vibes, or even just two things being related. Marking each category that has to do with 'love' or 'blood' using red is a strong use.
The Scene in the Mind
Drawing top-down is difficult. You cannot do additional words or labels, and many things drawn from above are hard to interpret. It is meant to be messy and hard to figure out, that is why it is a cheap card.
Sketchbooks
This is essentially a single-line drawing but done for times. Making a larger image, or using arrows to show effect or transformation, are all legal. No words or letters.
Studies
This is a fairly niche card, requiring other drawings (likely from other characters) to be in play. But you do get to move all of them.
Sherlock Inquiry Cards
Drawings of Dancing Men
Drawing human stick figures without props will only give a little information, like an action (e.g. throwing) or how many people were present. Or, in the case of an accident or self-caused event, you could treat the figure as both Subject and Foe!
The Game is Afoot
While you cannot use an underlined word or any synonyms, you can use something very close to really focus your investigators, or introduce something they were not considering. You don't have to write three words.
I Guess You'll Do
You can let the Investigators give some theories before pointing, or even place this arrow on a specific Category when playing it. Be sure to remember to repoint it after placing guess tokens at the end of each round!
The Irregulars
Sift through the mini cards and take the first Ally you find and place it by the Lead Investigator as an additional temporary Ally (you don't keep it after this case). You also may use an additional Ally this game at the end of any round- and it doesn't have to be the one you just drew.
This is also an excellent way to play around with Allies if you have not earned or used any so far.
It's Elementary
You will essentially circle all the letters that are in an answer, but not how many of each or the order. Shorter words can be guessed, while longer words may only be confirmed with this clue.
A Letter to Watson
This is a powerful chance to change how everyone thinks. As long as you avoid the underlined words, you can really push the focus onto anything you would like. That is why it costs so much.
Master of Disguise
Use mini cards, especially with arrows, to spread around these words on the play area to your heart's desire, like a ring on each of two Categories, or a boot on each foot. Consider even adding to the Key Evidence.
Message from Mycroft
After listening to players discuss many incorrect theories, this can be used to tell them one to avoid.
Simple Deduction
Using a mini card, you can write some Category numerals that are 'related', like Weapon and Cause, but more importantly, place it anywhere. You can place it on a played card, or a Key Evidence, or another Category.
Whatever Impossible
As long as you do not choose an underlined word, this is a great chance to reveal an important word, like an action, object, place, or feeling.
Xiuying Inquiry Cards
Where You Stand
This is a chance to give words related to identity, location, and even cause of death, but underlined words cannot eb included or referenced.
Evidence on the Black Market
The players may even write underlined words, as they don't have restrictions like you do.
You can place up to one card anywhere, which can be powerful if they draw the right thing.
Sailor's Advice
Mini cards are filled out over the course of play by many Inquiry cards. This is good to save for later to see specific clues moved to specific categories.
Network of Rumors
This is an open chance to draw an underlined word, but with one chance, it is easy to mess up. Keep it simple, and go slow.
Scuttled Plans
This is a highly creative card. Most Subject's have jobs, plans, or purposes that can be alluded to here. Using a next place clue may also help with motive or location.
Marks of a Life Lived
This is not restrictive as to where they are placed, so you may place each of the two words you choose on Key Evidence, categories, the body diagram, and so on.
Ask the Crew
This is a fairly minor card that holds some twists. While players can use it to determine information like how many people were present at the death/murder, it can also allow players to ask about the categories themselves, which are represented by numbers (e.g. "Which category has the most to do with the boots?")
Shadows of Truth
Use your face, hands, and arms to help relay information, but do not include a motion, and words or sounds, or your body below the shoulder. Pose for as long as players need to make notes.
Let's Take a Bet
This is a chance for players to submit some answers into play, including underlined words, as they are not restricted as you are. However, once they start the process of using this card, they cannot confer and prevent writing down the same answers multiple times. Split responsability as best you can, but players should not share in creating any individual card.
Be sure to take the cards carefully, as they can smudge and erase.
Contemplations
While the Investigators can essentially give three guesses (even underlined words), if they are not spot on, you may erase all but the letters needed to potentially spell an underlined word.