Shadow Soiree

THE STORY

For her 40th Birthday a Witch wants to bring harmony to the supernatural world. To end the war between Vampires and Werewolves she has invited Vampires, Werewolves, Humans and Ghosts all together for a party where there will be NO BITING. But…creatures are gonna creature (and there’s a war going on) so the Witch has prepared accordingly.

GAMEPLAY

A game of stealth, observation, conversion, and information gathering in the spirit of Mafia. We start with 1-3 Vampires, 1-3 Werewolves, The Witch and a bunch of Humans who just haven’t been bitten or become Ghosts yet. The Witch is the only one whose identity is known (because a hostess needs her own rules). There's also a Moderator who can answer questions, arbitrate disputes and introduce complications as needed (more on that later).

SHORT FORM RULES

Vampires win if there are more Vampires than Werewolves in the final count. They need to use RED Blood tokens to make more vampires.

Werewolves win if there are more Werewolves than Vampires in the final count. They need to use WHITE Moon tokens to make more werewolves.

To turn someone, you must get them to touch a bite token (e.g. by handing it to them in a handshake or setting it down for them to pick up). The risks of accepting a handshake are known, so biting has a level of consent. As Werewolf or Vampire, you must keep at least one bite token at all times, so you need an extra one to pass. You can pass multiples to enable those you turn to bite others. The Witch can not be bitten.

Once bitten, humans Turn or opt out as a Ghost (drop your token in the Ghost Jar and grab a GLOWSTICK, you’re done!) If you leave early, leave your token in the Departure Jar. Departure Jar tokens are permanent points for their side. Bite wisely!

If a Vampire bites a Werewolf or vice versa, you are both revealed to each other and become Hybrids. Surrender your tokens to The Witch and she will either cure you and let you become a Ghost (drop your token in the Ghost Jar and grab a GLOWSTICK, you’re done!) or give you a BLACK Magic token and instructions for living as a Hybrid. Hybrids can not bite, but if bitten, they make new Hybrids.

At the end of the night, The Witch will use the Black tokens to try to rebalance the sides and create a tie. She wins if everyone wins!

Ghost win by not having to play. They have cool GLOWSTICK jewelry and are incorporeal so they can not be bitten. You can opt in to being a Ghost at any time, including upon arrival.

Hunters may be introduced, armed, and instructed by the Moderator at any time. If you are handed a Stake (AMBER token) as a Vampire or Silver (SILVER token) as a Werewolf, you become a Ghost (grab a GLOWSTICK, you’re done!). Vampires may be armed with Silver and Werewolves may be armed with Stakes. Weapons are destroyed upon use. Hunters have no victory condition, they are simply a complication to…raise the stakes.

Vampires or Werewolves win if they win. The Witch wins if everyone wins. Hunters are not playing to win. Ghosts win by not having to play.

LONG FORM DESCRIPTION

How to make more creatures: The Vampires and Werewolves will each have a collection of Bite Tokens (Red blood for Vampire, White moons for Werewolves). To bite someone, you must get them to touch a token (e.g. Passing to them in a handshake, dropping it into their hand, putting it down for them to pick up). You can not use the bite you received to bite someone. So to turn someone you need at least two tokens, one to keep and one to pass. Once turned, you must have a red or white token on you at all times. You CAN however pass someone multiple bite tokens in the process of turning them, that they can then pass on. You can only bite with consent (ultimately someone must choose to shake your hand or pick up the token, They know the stakes). But you need to bite wisely to keep the points. The Witch can not be bitten.

Once Bitten a human player must choose to either Turn and become the type of creature they were bitten by, or (if they are twice shy) they can become a Ghost (and be done with the game). Some people will want to be bitten but stealth is paramount. If someone sees you pass a token they will know what species you are. Remember, this is supposed to be a peaceful gathering! The Witch wouldn’t like it if she knew you were turning folks. And there’s a rumor that a Hunter may have snuck in. So it’s dangerous to hunt in a crowd.

If a Vampire bites a Werewolf, or vice versa, they are both immediately revealed and become Hybrids. Hybrids can not create new creatures and the harmony spell compels them to surrender their tokens to The Witch. The Witch can then choose to make them her agents in service of balancing the factions (Black Tokens) OR lift their curse. If their curse is lifted, they can choose to either return to being Human (and continue playing in hopes of being rebitten) or become a Ghost (and be done with the game).

If a Hybrid is bitten the biter becomes a Hybrid and must then appear before The Witch. Hybrids may not bite people, but you can strategically bait others into biting you to recruit them to the Hybrid’s cause (aka The Witch’s quest for balance).

You can opt to become a Ghost at any time including upon arrival. If you want no part of this Venn diagram of gamer/theatre kid nonsense, you can walk straight through the door, avoid any handshakes, and grab a glowstick from the jar on the bar. Congratulations, you are now incorporeal and can not be bitten, but can still enjoy the party! If you realize you don’t want to play after being bitten, you should wait a respectful few minutes until your killer has made their escape and then drop your bite token off in the Ghost Jar on the bar and retrieve a Ghost Glowstick that will mark you publicly as incorporeal, enjoy the rest of the party. This means whoever bit you wasted a bite because ghost bites don’t count at the end. But Ghosts are clues! They don’t remember how they died or who bit them, but you may be able to make some guesses based on the timing of their demise, and the color of the bite token they drop in the Ghost Jar. Players who get tired of playing can also ask the Witch to cure them at any time and let them become Ghost.

If a Werewolf or Vampire leaves early their tokens go into the Departure Jar by the door. Those points will count for their respective team no matter what

At the end of the night, the Red and White tokens are tallied. Departure tokens count, Ghost tokens do not. Once the Vampire and Werewolf factions are counted, the Witch will use the Hybrid tokens to rebalance the numbers in an attempt to create a tie. It’s her party, she wins if everyone wins!

HUNTERS

If deemed appropriate, the Moderator can at any time designate and arm up to 2 Hunters with 3 Stakes (Amber) and 3 Silver pieces (Silver) each. They then get three chances to kill Vampires and Werewolves by passing them the corresponding weapon token. If a Hunter guesses wrong and targets a creature with the wrong weapon for their species, the Hunter immediately becomes a Ghost. If a Hunter is bitten, the creature immediately becomes a Ghost, but the weapon is lost. If a Hunter is bitten after they run out of weapons, it functions like a normal bite and they can Turn or Ghost. Alternately, the Moderator may distribute up to 6 Stakes to Werewolves, and 6 Silver pieces to Vampires as they see fit to up the…stakes… and encourage interspecies conflict. The weapons neutralize any opposing tokens but are destroyed in the process. This is a counter to Hybrids since the weapon will kill the biter before the opposite species is turned. This is a complication that carries no additional (Hunter) victory condition.(Does it mean narratively that the Moderator is secretly a Hunter? It does!)

Vampires or Werewolves win if they win. The Witch wins if everyone wins. Hunters are not playing to win. Ghosts win by not having to play.

Please send me any thoughts or questions!