Haunted manor murder mystery · 6–14 players · about 2 hours
Murder at Blackwood Manor
Cornelius Blackwood invited his family, his staff and a few unwelcome guests to a Halloween séance in the house his family has haunted for a century. At midnight he was going to name a thief and a forger. At five to midnight someone made sure he never would.
- ✓ 14 characters, 6–14 players, change the count on the night
- ✓ Each guest gets a private link: character, secret, objectives, clues
- ✓ Host dashboard runs the rounds; a TV screen shows the evidence
- ✓ Nothing to print. A print view with clue cards is there if you want paper
- ✓ Three rounds of 20 to 30 minutes, then the vote and the reveal. Host it as many times as you like
The victim
Cornelius Blackwood, master of blackwood manor. Found on the library floor at midnight, struck from behind with the bronze raven from the mantelpiece. The library door was locked from the inside, with the only key in his pocket.
The suspects
The first 6 are the core cast. Add the rest as your guest list grows, and swap any optional character for another to fit your group. 7 she/her · 7 he/him. Anyone can play any character.
Core · she/her
Vivian Blackwood
The niece
The glamorous heir apparent. Expects to own this house by morning.
Costume: Something black and expensive, big earrings, a fur stole.
Core · he/him
Dr. Silas Thorne
The family physician
Has looked after the Blackwoods for twenty years. Signed the death certificate before the body was cold.
Costume: A tweed jacket, a doctor's bag, a grave expression.
Core · she/her
Madame Esmeralda
The medium
Hired for the night to summon the Blackwood ghosts. Summoned something worse.
Costume: A shawl, a turban or headscarf, every ring you own.
Core · he/him
Gideon Crane
The groundskeeper
Keeps the grounds, the boiler, and, some say, half the attic in his truck.
Costume: Work boots, a flannel shirt, a bandage on one hand.
Core · she/her
Harriet Mulgrave
The housekeeper
Thirty years at Blackwood. Knows where every key, every ghost and every skeleton is kept.
Costume: A dark dress, a ring of keys, a cameo brooch.
Core · he/him
Ambrose Fell
The town historian
Wrote the definitive history of Blackwood Manor. Was about to become part of it.
Costume: A bow tie, spectacles, a cane, a cardigan with elbow patches.
Optional · he/him
Tobias Blackwood
Vivian's brother, the actor
Two seasons of summer stock and a voice that carries. Was not in the circle.
Costume: A velvet jacket, a scarf, theatrical sideburns.
Optional · she/her
Lucinda Vane
Cornelius's fiancée
Forty years younger than her fiancé. Everyone has an opinion about that.
Costume: A white dress, a diamond that is too big, a cardigan borrowed from somebody.
Optional · she/her
Sheriff Dana Whitlock
The off-duty sheriff
Played poker with Cornelius every Thursday. Lost, mostly.
Costume: A sheriff's badge on a plain shirt, boots, a hard stare.
Optional · he/him
Percy Nightingale
The lawyer
Drafted the new will. Came from Boston to watch it announced.
Costume: A three-piece suit, a briefcase, a pocket watch.
Optional · she/her
Ruth Ashby
The cook
Cooked the Halloween dinner. Saw who wandered the kitchen corridor.
Costume: An apron, rolled sleeves, a wooden spoon.
Optional · he/him
Jasper Quill
The true-crime podcaster
Nobody invited him. He came anyway, with a tape recorder.
Costume: A leather jacket, headphones round the neck, a microphone.
Optional · she/her
Beatrice Blackwood
Cornelius's estranged sister
Left this house in 1958 and swore never to return. Returned.
Costume: Grey silk, a walking stick, a look that stops conversation.
Optional · he/him
Otto Krebs
The antiques dealer
Came from Boston to "value the archive". Values everything.
Costume: A loud waistcoat, a jeweller's loupe, a pocket square.