The Animals of Baker Street
The Animals of Baker Street Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
Cards
- 4 Character cards
- 267 Case cards, in 10 decks (leave the decks sealed for now)
- 1 Clock card
- 2 Player Aid cards
Tokens
- 16 Time tokens
- 7 Padlock tokens
Other Components
- 4 Investigators and their wooden stand
- 1 Case book (read only when instructed to)
- 1 double-sided board
Introduction
Cases must be played in order. The case number is shown on the top card of each deck of Case cards.
For your first game, begin with the tutorial case, The Case of the Dearest Deerstalker, to learn the rules while you play.
Sorting Cards
If the cards are out of order before your game, or if you want to put them away correctly at the end of the case, check the case number (I, II, ...) and the card number (1/20, 2/20, ...) in the bottom-right on the front of each card.
Setup
1
Take the deck of cards for the case you want to investigate. If the case has multiple decks, only take the one titled "Deck A" and set the others aside for now.
Open the deck, without revealing or shuffling the cards. Look at the top card, called the Title card, and follow the instructions below.
1.1 The Title card shows you which side of the board to use: day side or night side. Place the board in the middle of the table, with that side up.
1.2 Place the Clock card next to the board. Place the required number of Time tokens on top of it.
1.3 Take the required number of Padlock tokens. Place them on the golden circles fo the locations listed. To find them easily, refer to the back of the Casebook. You will not be able to visit these locations during this case.
2.4 CAREFUL! Take the Event card and any other cards beneath it (if there are any) – but do not reveal them. Place all of these cards in a stack next to the Clock card, with the Event card on top.
2
Now, starting with the top of the deck, place the cards as shown below. Do not look at the other side of these cards until you are instructed to.
2.1 Place the Title card next to the board.
2.2 Near the board, splay all of the Location cards that were between the Title card and the numbered cards, so you can easily read their names in the top-left corner. If you're low on space, you can make a stack of cards, but keep in mind that you can look through the stack and examine the backs of the cards at any time.
2.3 Take all the numbered cards. Make a stack near the board after making sure that they are all in ascending order, starting with card 1 on top.
3
Take the 4 Character cards. Split up all 4 characters between you as equally as possible. One player may control more characters than other players. Place your Character card(s) in front of you, with their name(s) visible.
Insert the 4 Character standees into the wooden stand to make the Investigators figurine. Leave it near the board.
The four Character cards are:
- CHERRYWOOD — Cherrywood is good at searching locations and finding things others might miss. And her sensitive teeth can nibble through almost anything. To use Cherrywood at a location, flip this card over.
- CLAY — Clay has a way with words, and can be very persuasive. When he's not talking, he's probably dreaming about eating fat flies, or swimming around in a nice muddy pond. To use Clay at a location, flip this card over.
- BRIAR — Briar is agile, quick, and stealthy. When he doesn't want to be heard, he won't be heard. And, of course, he can fly. To use Briar at a location, flip this card over.
- CALABASH — Calabash is forceful, strong, and frankly, quite scary. She is good at pressuring suspects into talking and anything requiring brute strength, and she's not bad at spinning webs either. To use Calabash at a location, flip this card over.
4
One of the players takes the Casebook and reads the introduction to the chosen case out loud.
After this, you can start playing by following the steps on the "How to Play" card in order.
After setting up the tutorial case, The Case of the Dearest Deerstalker, read its introduction in the Casebook.
This tutorial is specially designed to help you learn the rules, so you don't need to read the rest of this rulebook immediately. Refer to it only if you want clarification on a specific rule.
Rules
How to Play
The steps described here are the same as those on the "How to Play" card.
- Choose an available location (without a padlock) on the board to move to and to try to solve the case. IMPORTANT: You can revisit a location you have already visited, and you will certainly need to do so to solve some cases.
- Remove 1 Time token from the Clock card, and place it on the location you want to visit.
- Move the Investigators figurine to the chosen location.
- Take the corresponding Location card and, if you haven't done so yet, fleap it over and read the text out loud.
- Now decide if you want to use Character, Item, or Information cards at that location. To use one of the Character cards, flip it over.
How do I use a Character, Item, or Information card?
To use one of these cards, place it below your current Location card and carefully align the two arrows. If one or more connected magnifying glasses appear, check what the symbols inside mean below or on the Connecting Magnifiers card. You can use as many cards at your location as you like, from the ones available to you. But be careful, there may be consequences if you act without thinking!
Several magnifying glasses and handles are red herrings and don't connect to anything at all. Sometimes, not using anything is the best choice. A card can be used at multiple locations.
- No connection — nothing happens.
- A connection! — Take the numbered card that matches the number shown.
- You've wasted time! Discard a Time token from the Clock card. If there are no tokens left, read the Event card.
- You've annoyed someone and must leave the location without using any more cards! However, you may come back to it later.
If you must discard a card, put it back in the box. You will not use it for the rest of the game.
If you draw a new Location card with the same name as a location you already have a card for, discard the old card.
- When you finish using cards at a location:
- If there are still Time tokens on the Clock card, go back to Step 1 on the last page.
- If there are no more Time tokens on the Clock card, remove the Investigators figurine from the board, then read the Event card placed near the Clock card.
If you're stuck, you can ask for Toby's help by flipping the case's Title card. This doesn't cost anything, but it's more impressive to make as much progress as you can by yourself!
Card Categories
Aside from Title cards, each card shows a category on the back, at the top under the title: Character, Location, Item, Information, Event.
Title
The Title card describes how to set up the game and is then set aside. If you are stuck during a case, you can ask Toby for help at any time by flipping it over and reading the back.
Character
There are four Character cards. It's important to read the descriptions of these characters, since you should be familiar with each of their different abilities and talents. When you think one of these characters could be useful in a specific situation, you can decide to use them (see Step 5 of the How to Play section above).
When you want to use a character, flip their card. When you have finished using them, flip it back over to the other side.
Other than when you use them, you cannot look at the back of the 4 detective Character cards. You must choose to use a character because of their skills, and not because of the position of their magnifying glasses.
Location
Location cards start face down and you reveal them when you visit the corresponding location. They stay face up until the end of the game or until you are instructed to discard them. You can reread any faceup Location cards at any time to reinforce your hunches or remind yourself of clues, but you can only use cards on a Location card if the Investigators figurine is on that location. If you are not currently at the location where you want to use a card, you must move to it.
Sometimes, you may draw a new Location card with the same name as a Location card you already have. If this happens, you must discard the old card and replace it with the one you just drew.
Item
You may find items during a case, represented by cards. When you gain an item, choose one of the four characters and place the card near them.
Item cards with magnifying glass handles can be used at locations.
Information
You can collect information during a case. When you gain an Information card, choose one of the four characters and place the card near them. Information cards can be used at locations. The bold, underlined text highlights the information you can use.
'Using' information can mean telling it to someone at that location, or it can mean using it yourselves, such as following directions through a maze.
Event
The type of Event cards you'll encounter most often are the 'Dawn' and 'Dusk' cards, but there may be other types.
Event cards are placed next to the Clock card. Any cards that were underneath them when you sorted the deck remain underneath them until the Event happens.
When there are no Time tokens left and you need to either discard a Time token or you finish using cards at a location, reveal the Event card and read it.
Sometimes the card will tell you to follow the Dawn and Dusk rules (see below).
If you are not instructed to discard it, set the Event card near the board so you can consult it if needed. Sometimes they will contain clues.
Dawn and Dusk Rules
(only for Cases II, III, IV, and VI)
Sometimes, an Event card will have you follow these set-up rules:
- Place the Investigators figurine near the board.
- Take all the Padlock tokens and Time tokens off the board and set them aside.
- Flip the board to the other side.
- Now go through the cards underneath the Event card one at a time, starting with the top of the stack (do not look at the other sides of these cards):
- I. Place all the new Location cards facedown near the board. IMPORTANT: If there are already cards for these locations (faceup or facedown) discard them.
- II. Follow the instructions on the Dawn or Dusk Setup card by adding Time tokens to the Clock card and by blocking certain locations with Padlock tokens.
- III. Flip over the Setup card and read it. Then place it above the board.
- IV. Place the new Event card (this could be Dawn, Dusk, or something else) next to the Clock card and continue the case.
The Animals of Baker Street
The residents of Baker Street include: Beatrix, Edna, Rossetti, Morris, Toby, The Porter, Nevermore, Rags, Barouche, Mylus, Raggabrag, and Isambel Queendom Brunard.
Credits
Designers: Clémentine Beauvais and Dave Neale Illustrator: Biboun Project Managers: Ludovic Papaïs and Florent Baudry Rulebook Editor: Xavier Taverne Proofing: William Niebling Additional translation: Danni Loe Graphic Designer: Lenaïg Bourgoin
Special thanks to four excellent detectives: Robyn George, Reuben Balm, Ellie Tummons & Jasmine Hirst.
© The Animals of Baker Street 2022 IELLO SARL. All rights reserved.
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