Escape from the Starline Express
Escape from the Starline Express Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Your Story
(Read aloud by the game master.)
You are Betty Willson, an ambitious crime reporter for the "London Herald". You are known for your combativeness and never let yourself be overruled in the newsroom. Your colleagues know that you must always be reckoned with. Thanks to your investigative research, the police have already been able to bring some of London's most notorious crooks to justice. Just as you are about to set off on a holiday trip through Europe, you learn that your train to Vienna is unexpectedly to be rerouted via Paris.
Hurrying through the crowd of porters and embracing couples who, surrounded by the steam of the locomotives, are saying tearful goodbyes on the platform of the London station, you show the conductor your ticket and board the waiting train. On the way through the narrow corridor you notice that apart from you there are only six other passengers in this carriage. They huddle together in a corner, heads close, whispering quietly. Their faces seem somehow familiar; have you not seen them somewhere before? You find your seat, sink into the soft upholstery and turn your thoughts back to the journey ahead.
Suddenly the conductor hurries up to you: "Excuse me, Miss? A telegram for you." You unfold the piece of paper and let your gaze wander over the still-fresh printer's ink ...
Warning
Very important: do NOT open the envelopes before the game, and please first read these instructions carefully.
What Is Escape from the Starline Express?
"Escape from the Starline Express" is an escape-room game for a group of 2 to 5 players. As a team, the players slip into the role of Betty Willson, a crime reporter who travels undercover with the Starline Express from London to Paris. Your task is to find the stolen diamond necklace "Black Widow" again and at the same time collect evidence against the gang "Rag-Tag Crew".
Contents
The game contains 9 mysterious envelopes and a rulebook. Each envelope represents a carriage of the Starline Express and is marked with a unique name, a number or another identifying feature.
Number of Players
2-5
Duration
Approx. 90 minutes
Objective of the Game
Solve the puzzles together, move from carriage to carriage and escape from the train!
What You Need to Play
Play best at a table, because you need room for the puzzles and for the pieces you find during the game. All players should be able to see the contents of the envelopes from their seats. Have pen and paper ready, since you may need them to solve some puzzles and tasks. If you want to play against the clock, you also need a clock or stopwatch.
Anything Else?
Take the envelopes out of the box and spread them out on the table. The envelopes must not be opened yet!
Goal of the Game
You must work together as a team to uncover the secret of the Starline Express. Solve the puzzles and uncover the story step by step. Plan for about 90 minutes of play.
Each envelope contains a part of the story. The game master reads this text aloud so that every player has the same information. In addition, each envelope contains a puzzle that the team must solve. Once you have solved it, you receive the number of a carriage or another hint. This tells you which envelope to open next.
If your solution matches none of the envelopes, your solution is wrong and you must look at the puzzle again!
If you really cannot go on and time is running short, each envelope contains a secret compartment with a hint that helps you solve the puzzle. These hints are only meant as a last resort! Sometimes an envelope also contains parts that are needed to solve a puzzle. You may only need these parts later in the game, so keep them safe!
At the top of each envelope you will find a note showing which envelope you should have opened in the previous step. This lets you make sure you play the game in the correct order.
What Happens Next?
Agree on one game master. This person reads the introduction aloud and then sets the clock to 90 minutes. The game begins as soon as you open the telegram. In the small compartment you will also find the assignment of passenger seats. Please keep these safe, as you will need them later in the game.
As soon as the game master has done these tasks, he or she joins the other players in the game. Good luck!