Players take the roles of people discussing a gruesome crime that occurred years ago, sharing elements of the story and uncanny rumors. The murderer was never caught, although they may have been identified. Decide who you are--kids at a slumber party, older people reflecting on community history, or college students learning about their new home, for example--and where you have gathered to recount the grisly tale. Spend some time discussing your characters, and how they feel before the conversation turns to the crime.
Play centers around a count from one o’clock to midnight. The first player begins the count and draws a card. The suit determines which aspect of the story they will describe:
Spades: The crime itself
Hearts: The victim(s) or their background
Diamonds: The killer
Clubs: The failed investigation
If a player draws a face card, the bit of lore has a strange or supernatural aspect.
Narrate your part of the tale in character. Use the flashlight to heighten the mood. Little kids could hold it under their chins, or older characters could use eerie shadows to make the group more aware of how late and lonely the hour has become.
Play moves around the table with each player continuing the count up to midnight. On the twelfth turn the player proclaims, “Twelve o’clock midnight–-bloody murder,” as they draw their card. Rather than adding a new aspect to the story, the player counts clockwise around the table until they reach the number drawn (jacks count as 11, queens as 12, and kings as 13).. That person’s character has been snatched by the lurking killer. The player narrates their final fate.
Bloody Murder was inspired by a very shrieky version of tag popular in early grade school. Scott Malthouse’s English Eerie and Matthijs Holter’s A Trip to the Moon helped shape the game. Bloody Murder is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 .
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