The Werewolves of Miller's Hollow: Characters

Expansion for The Werewolves of Miller's Hollow

The Werewolves of Miller's Hollow: Characters Rulebook

Table of Contents

The Villager-Villager

This character possesses a soul as clear and transparent as the water from a mountain stream. He will deserve the attentive ear of his peers and will speak his definitive word in crucial moments. What power could be greater than to inspire in honest people a sense of absolute confidence? Will the Werewolves rush to eliminate this being with no secret powers? Will they prefer unearthing villagers with more threatening powers?

On both of its sides, this card has the illustration of a Simple Villager. Upon distribution, the village will thus have the absolute certainty that its owner is truly an innocent Simple Villager.

Advice for the Narrator: this character can become a trusted Sheriff or Town Crier.

The Two Sisters

Some locals confuse the two of them when they meet one of the Two Sisters in the bend of a deep road. The smile which lights up the face of the young woman after one has tried their luck at the name game is hard to decipher: is the young one happy to have been identified, or is she laughing at the mistake? In any case, the Two Sisters are like the fingers of a hand or feathers of a bird. It's indeed comforting to have someone close you can count on during uncertain times!

The first night, upon the narrator's call, they wake together and recognize one another.

For experienced players: during the course of the game, once in a while (every other turn, or whenever the narrator feels like it), they wake up again and quickly (and quietly) agree on the decisions they take to save the village.

Advice for the Narrator: really powerful when given to players who know sign language.

The Three Brothers

The entire village rings with the joyous sound of their voices when they return home after a day of work. During the debates, a single glance at one another will allow them to take a good decision as to the future of the village.

The first night, upon the narrator's call, they wake together and recognize each another.

Advice for the Narrator: even more powerful when given to players who know sign language. To be used only in large villages. If the village is very large, you can even add the Two Sisters to it!

The Angel

The muddy life of a village infested by evil creatures disgusts him; he wishes to be the victim of the worst nightmare, to finally be able to wake up in his comfortable bed.

When the Angel is in play, the game always begins with the village's debate followed by an eliminating vote, then a first night.

If the Angel manages to attract the discriminatory vote of the villagers, or the devouring vindictiveness of the lycanthropes to be eliminated during the first turn, he'll be able to successfully leave his nightmare and win the game. The game then ends: the players can immediately begin a new game.

If he fails, he becomes a Simple Villager for the rest of the game.

Advice for the Narrator: don't hesitate to remind players of the possible presence of the Angel on the first day! The debates will only become more animated, with loudmouths being protected by this angelic menace!

The Stuttering Judge

The youngest son of the miller was good in school and dreamed about becoming a lawyer. As his father had had some success in his business, he sent him to learn law in the nearest big city. A slight speech impediment barred the young man from getting the coveted prestige of being the defender of the widow and the orphan. However, he returned to the village of Miller's Hollow proudly bearing the only slightly less prestigious title of wandering judge.

Once per game, the Stuttering Judge can decide that there will be 2 consecutive votes and two suspect eliminations.

The Stuttering Judge lets the narrator know their decision using a specific distinctive sign used to designate an inhabitant during the village's vote. The second vote starts immediately after the first one without debate.

The "St-st-stuttering Ju-ju-judge" will have shown their distinctive sign during the first night, upon the narrator's call.

Advice for the Narrator: always be very attentive to the behavior of the Stuttering Judge during the votes, in order to not miss his distinctive sign.

The Knight with the Rusty Sword

"Sir Mc Coughing" is an old retired knight. He's been rather exhausted by a life of quest throughout the world and no longer maintains his noble tool properly. Rust has slowly started appearing on the dulled edge of his faithful protector, but he'll never abandon it for another. He still sleeps with it every night: intruders beware!

If the Knight is devoured, he is eliminated, but one of the Werewolves becomes diseased from the rusted sword's wound. From among the Werewolves guilty of that elimination, the first Werewolf to the left of the Knight with the Rusty Sword will be eliminated the following night. This elimination caused by disease will be revealed in the morning by the narrator after the disappearance of the Werewolf, who will thus have survived his wound for a full day.

Note: clever players will be able to deduce that all inhabitants seated between the dead Knight with the Rusty Sword and the diseased Werewolf are innocent villagers.

The Actor

A tireless wandering artist, he stopped in the village to give a few shows before leaving to spend winter in more welcoming lands. As gifted at telling jokes and puns as at performing great tragedies, he has every talent necessary to perform the entire back catalog of national plays.

Before the game, the narrator chooses 3 character cards with special powers. After the distribution of the roles, these cards are placed face-down in the middle of the table.

Each night, upon the narrator's call, the Actor can choose one of these cards and use the corresponding power until the next night. If the Actor uses a character card, the narrator removes that card from the table. It can no longer be used.

Note: the cards offered cannot be Werewolf cards.

Advice for the Narrator: in the choice of cards offered to the Actor, you can introduce a bit of chaos for the village, or otherwise help counter a very strong clan of werewolves.

The Devoted Servant

Who could dream of a better servant than the one who gives their life for their master? Don't rejoice too fast, for the devouring ambition inhabiting her could cause the end of the village!

Before revealing the card of the player killed by the village's vote, she can reveal herself by showing her card. In that case, the Devoted Servant loses her card and gains the card of the eliminated player without showing it to the other players, taking on the role of the eliminated player until the end of the game.

Note: if she is one of the lovers, the Devoted Servant cannot use her power, as her love is stronger than her desire to change characters.

Advice for the Narrator: wait before revealing the card of the player eliminated by the village, in order to give time to the Devoted Servant to reveal herself.

After the card switch, the Narrator looks at the Devoted Servant's new card. The Servant's new role must be called on the next night, so that the Narrator and her can trade any necessary information, if need be.

As a general rule, this new role taken on by the Devoted Servant sees its power renewed and must be played as though it was the first night.

However, any potential effects previously applied to the eliminated player will be canceled.

Clarifications:

If the eliminated player was cursed*, in love, charmed, Sheriff, Town Crier, or Cupido, the ex-Devoted Servant isn't.
If the ex-Devoted Servant was charmed, Sheriff, or Town Crier, she no longer is.
If the ex-Devoted Servant was cursed*, she still is.
If the ex-Devoted Servant becomes:
- The Piper, the narrator indicates to this new Piper which players were previously charmed.
- Actor, Town Crier, Gypsy: new cards are not dealt; only those remaining are used.

* See the Cursed Wolf-Father, page 20.

To balance out the power of the Werewolves, two characters are particularly sensitive to the lycanthropic nature of the inhabitants...

The Fox

In Miller's Hollow, everyone appreciates the flair of this vivacious and discreet character, other than maybe the chickens and especially the Werewolves.

At night, upon the Narrator's call, the Fox can designate a group of three neighboring players, of which he points to the center player. If in that group is at least one Werewolf, then the Narrator makes a positive gesture to the Fox. In that case, the Fox will be able to use his power again the next night. If no Werewolf is among the chosen group, the Fox loses his power for good; however, he has important information clearing three players at once.

Note: the Narrator calls upon the Fox each night, but that player is not required to use his power each night.

For more clarifications, see from p. 27 to p. 30.

Advice for the Narrator: the Fox doesn't see the cards - the Narrator simply lets him know if there are or aren't any Werewolves among these three players.

The Bear Tamer

Oh! How nice it is, in my memories; that sound of chains clinking on the cobblestones of the "Three-Roads Plaza", accompanied by the grunting of Ursus. Oh! How long it's been since Titan, the Bear Tamer, would brilliantly lead his companion in such a graceful ballet that'd we'd cry at the sight each summer in Miller's Hollow. Ursus even had that precious power, that of detecting lycanthropes hidden near him.

Each morning, right after the revelation of any nocturnal victims, if at least one Werewolf is or becomes the direct neighbor of the Bear Tamer, then the Narrator grunts to tell the players that the Tamer's bear has smelled the danger.

Only the neighbors still in play are taken into account.

Advice for the Narrator: in order to simplify things, the eliminated players leave the game, or move away from the table. If the Bear Tamer is cursed*, then the Narrator will grunt each turn, as long as the Bear Tamer is not eliminated.

* See the Cursed Wolf-Father, page 20.

The following characters can be lethally dangerous and put into question the survival of the village.

The Prejudiced Manipulator

Since childhood, this poor soul loathed himself, probably due to a lack of affection or attention from those close to him. While growing up, he shifted that hatred to those who are different from him. It's why he is now known as the Prejudiced Manipulator.

Before the beginning of the game, the Narrator divides the village into 2 groups, according to an obvious criterion (gender, glasses, size, age, etc.) and announces it out loud to the village. The Prejudiced Manipulator will obviously be part of one of these two groups. The goal of that character is the elimination of all the players from the group he doesn't belong to. In that case, and only in that case, he wins the game. He has no special powers: his skill at manipulating the inhabitants of the village is his only weapon!

Advice for the Narrator: it's not necessary to make up 2 groups of identical sizes. Don't hesitate to specify, if necessary, in front of everyone to which group which inhabitant belongs.

The Wild Child

Abandoned in the forest from his earliest years, he was raised there by wolves. As soon as he could walk on all fours, the Wild child began wandering near Miller's Hollow.

One day, he was fascinated by an inhabitant from the village who walked on two legs with grace and presence, and secretly made him his role model. He thus decided to join the community of Miller's Hollow and entered, unsure, in the village. The community was moved by his frailty, adopted him and welcomed him among them.

What will happen to him: will he become an honest Villager or a terrible Werewolf? For his entire life, the heart of the Wild Child has balanced between these two alternatives. May his model confirm the newfound humanity in his soul.

The Wild Child is a Villager. The first night, upon the Narrator's call, the Child chooses a role model. If, during the game, that model is eliminated, the Wild child becomes a Werewolf and will wake up the following night with his brethren, to devour with them each night until the end of the game.

However, as long as his model is alive, the Wild Child remains a Villager. Whether or not his role model is a Werewolf makes no difference!

Nothing keeps the Wild Child from taking part in the elimination of his role model if he so desires.

If his role model is alive when all the Werewolves are eliminated, he wins with the Villagers. If his model is eliminated and the Werewolves win, then it's also a victory for our Wild Child.

Advice for the Narrator: not revealing the true nature of the Wild Child eliminated by the village's vote can be amusing. The doubt regarding his true identity will then remain: was he a Villager or a Werewolf before being eliminated?

The Wolf Hound

All dogs know in the bottom of their hearts that their ancestors were wolves and that it's Man who has kept them in this state of fearful and childlike, yet faithful and generous companions.

In any case, only the Wolf Hound can decide if he'll obey his human and civilized master or if he'll follow the call of the wild hidden deep within him.

On the first night, he decides if he wants to be a Simple Villager or a Werewolf. If he wants to be a Werewolf, he'll wake up with them each night from then on and will take part in the choosing of the devoured victim. Otherwise, he keeps his eyes closed and will win with the Villagers.

This choice is final!

Advice for the Narrator: not revealing the true nature of the Wolf Hound eliminated by the village's vote can be amusing. The doubt regarding his true identity will then remain: was he a Villager or a Werewolf before being eliminated?

The White Werewolf

This very wretched character hates the Werewolves as much as the Villagers! In a recent work, entitled "The Village", it is said that a strange mutation has taken place in the very heart of the lycanthropic population.

Each night, he wakes up and devours with the other Werewolves. But every other night, upon the Narrator's call, he wakes up alone and can eliminate a Werewolf. The goal of this character is to be the sole survivor in the village. In that case, and only in that case, he wins the game.

The Big Bad Wolf

In Miller's Hollow, the little pigs are not the only ones to fear the Big Bad Wolf. He's huge and his appetite is gigantic. Because of him, entire villages were wiped from the map!

Each night, he wakes up and devours with the other Werewolves. But as long as no Werewolf, Wild Child or Wolf Hound has been eliminated, he wakes up alone a second time and devours another victim. He cannot devour a Werewolf.

The Cursed Wolf-Father

The very first Werewolf in our land, the father of all their fathers, had two powers: the first was to spread his curse through a special bite, and the second to flee our world by sleeping for a few centuries. Thankfully for our recent ancestors, he had been sleeping for quite some time.

The authors of this work wish much courage to the present-day villagers and would like to notify them that the Cursed Wolf-Father has just woken up from a long sleep and is famished!

Each night, he wakes up and devours with the other Werewolves. But, if he so wishes, after the Werewolves have gone to sleep, he raises his hand. That means that the victim isn't devoured, but is instead cursed.

The Cursed Wolf-Father can only use his special power once per game. The Narrator touches the cursed inhabitant who then immediately (and secretly) becomes a Werewolf - that character will now partake each night in the Werewolves' feast. If the character had a nocturnal power, he will be woken up by the Narrator the following turns to use that power, in addition to being called with the Werewolves.

General Advice for Players

More than ever, be attentive during the debates.

Who are the players who always have the same opinion?
Who regularly accuses the same players?
What are people who have important information and don't want to be found out by the Werewolves trying to make you understand?
Beware those who try to manipulate you, such as the Prejudiced Manipulator, or a cursed Villager-Villager...
The double vote of the Stuttering Judge is a fearsome weapon at the end of the game, to be used with caution!

General Advice for Narrators

With beginning players, progressively introduce new character cards. Don't put too many inhabitants with powers in a given game. That would run the risk of unbalancing the game in one direction or the other.
Don't hesitate to choose an assistant who isn't playing, or to be helped by the first player to be eliminated.

Role Division

When you call upon their role at night, you can briefly remind beginning players of how their powers are used.
It will be easier for you to manage the players if you've jotted down on a piece of paper the characters present, the calling order and their placement around the table.
When you talk, be very careful not to let slip any hints on the secret identity of the characters, i.e.: "Congratulations! The village has eliminated a Werewolf... err... no, the Wild Child...". Don't make references to the gender of the player "I'm calling the Bear Tameress, err, sorry, the Bear Tamer.".
Go completely around the table when designating the cursed inhabitant.
Thanks to the richness of these new characters, the certainties of the inhabitants are more frequently questioned. Emphasize this with your interventions, the game's ambiance will only be improved.

Easily compatible characters: Simple-Villager, Villager-Villager, Gypsy, Town Crier, Cupido, 2 Sisters or 3 Brothers, Fortune Teller, Werewolves, Wolf Hound, Wild Child, Witch, Thief, Comedian.

You need a very large village to be able to play both the 2 Sisters and the 3 Brothers at once.
Putting these characters together makes the game very hard for the Werewolves: The Fox, the Gypsy, the Bear Tamer, the Little Girl, the Fortune Teller.
These characters together makes the game very hard for the village (but is often a lot of fun): White Werewolf, Big Bad Wolf, Cursed Wolf-Father.
Putting these characters together makes the game very chaotic (but is often a lot of fun): Piper, Prejudiced Manipulator.
As a general rule of thumb, don't put too many inhabitants with powers in a given game. That would run the risk of unbalancing it in one direction or the other.

The Gypsy

For the players who own the "New Moon" expansion, here are 2 bonus characters who will allow you to use the Event and Spiritualism cards to unmask the Werewolves.

Esmeralda's sister, who was simply nicknamed the Gypsy, knew the Ways of Beyond. All she needed, with no artifice or balm, was to concentrate and gaze at the sky during the new moon to communicate with the souls of the departed.

At the beginning of the game, the Narrator takes the 5 Spiritualism cards from "New Moon" and keeps them in hand. Each night, the Narrator calls upon the Gypsy and asks her is she wants to use her power. If the answer is affirmative, the Narrator reads out loud the 4 questions of a spiritualism card of their choice. The Gypsy picks one of the questions with a gesture. Then, she points to the Narrator an inhabitant who will have to ask that question.

The next morning, the chosen player becomes spirit-talker and asks the question out loud. With a strong sepulchral voice, the first eliminated player answers the question with a "YEEEEESSSS" or a "NOOOOO". The card is then discarded.

The Town Crier

Every Villager has dreamed of one day wearing that prestigious uniform, of "rolling" the Town Crier's drum, and reading out with a powerful voice the events important to the entire hamlet, as if they had chosen them themselves.

This is an extra power granted by the Sheriff to an inhabitant of their choice, in a visible way and in addition to a character card. There is no way of combining the responsibilities: the Sheriff cannot name themself. Before the game, the Narrator chooses a certain number of Event cards (other than the Spiritualism cards). They will be given to the Town Crier as soon as they are chosen. Each morning, starting from the day after their nomination, the Narrator asks the Town Crier if they have something to announce. If the answer is affirmative, the Town Crier then reads out loud the event card of their choice, as if it was a public announcement. At any point, after the announcement of an event and before the village's vote, the Sheriff can revoke the Town Crier then name a new one.

Advice for the Narrator: don't prepare more than 5 cards for players who are unfamiliar with "New Moon". Be careful, some of these cards are lethal...

Note:

If a Town Crier is chosen as new Sheriff, they must pass on the charge of Town Crier to a new inhabitant.
If the Town Crier is eliminated, it's the Sheriff who chooses their successor.
If the Sheriff is eliminated, the new Sheriff can choose a new Town Crier or keep the same.

Clarifications regarding the Devoted Servant

If the player eliminated by the village was:

One of the Lovers: the ex-Servant doesn't become a Lover. But the old lover, distraught at having lost their true love, dies of sorrow.
Sheriff: the ex-Servant doesn't become the Sheriff. The eliminated player, the former Sheriff, immediately chooses their next successor. Be careful - a player may not hold the titles of both Sheriff and Town Crier.
Town Crier: the ex-Servant doesn't become the Town Crier. The Sheriff immediately chooses a new Town Crier, who could be the ex-Servant. Be careful - a player may not hold the titles of both Sheriff and Town Crier.
Charmed or Infected: the ex-Servant doesn't become charmed or infected.

The ex-Devoted Servant was:

One of the Lovers: the ex-Servant cannot use her Servant power!
The Sheriff: the ex-Servant is no longer Sheriff. The ex-Servant, formerly the Sheriff, now immediately chooses their successor. The new Sheriff chooses the possible new Town Crier, who could be the ex-Servant. Be careful - a player may not hold the titles of both Sheriff and Town Crier.
The Town Crier: the ex-Servant remains the Town Crier. New cards are not dealt, only the unused ones remain.
Charmed or Infected: the ex-Servant remains chamed or infected.

The ex-Devoted Servant becomes:

Prejudiced Manipulator: her goal will be to eliminate the group to which she doesn't belong, which can bring about a change as to which group to eliminate in regards to the previous Prejudiced Manipulator.
Angel: she doesn't win the game if she gets eliminated in the next vote of the village.
Knight with the Rusty Sword: her sword will cause the death of a Werewolf if she gets eaten. From among the Werewolves who have taken part in the elimination, the first one to the left of the Knight will die the next night.
Wolf Hound: she chooses her alignment the next night, by waking up with the Werewolves or not. This can cause the immediate victory of a side over the other.
Actor: she can only use the remaining cards. Too bad if there are none left...
Cupido: the next night, she chooses 2 new lovers. So there could be 2 sets of lovers, or else one lover caught in 2 couples (ouch), or even the renewal of the 2 old lovers ;-)
Wild Child: she chooses a new model player. By coincidence, it might be the same player as the one previously chosen.
Brother or Sister: she won't know the other members of her brother/sister-hood. However, the others will know that they have a new brother or sister in their family.
Gypsy: she can only use the remaining cards. Too bad if there are none left...
Big Bad Wolf: on the following nights, after her Werewolf brethren, she will be able to devour one extra Villager, but only as long as no Werewolf is eliminated.
Cursed Wolf-Father: she will now be able to infect one, and only one, victim of the Werewolves, if no other victim had been previously infected.
Piper: on the following night, she wakes up upon being called by the Narrator, who will show her who the charmed players are. She will then charm 2 new players.
Stuttering Judge: a new code will be set up with the Narrator
Werewolf: she will wake up the next night on the call of the nightly awakening of the Werewolves.
White Werewolf: she will wake up the next night on the nightly awakening of the Werewolves and will have to wait until the following night to also be able to use her power as the White Werewolf.

Character calling order, to be modified according to their presence

Preparation at the beginning of the game

Splitting of the village in 2 groups
The Gypsy's cards
The Town Crier's cards
The Thief's cards
The Comedian's cards

At night

Actor
Fortune Teller
The Fox
The Protector
All Werewolves, Wolf Hound (first night only), Wild Child
White Werewolf (alternating nights)
Witch
Gypsy
Piper
Charmed players
2 Sisters and/or 3 Brothers (if experienced players)

Characters only called on the 1st night

Thief
Cupido
The Lovers
Stuttering Judge (sign)
2 Sisters and/or 3 Brothers
Wild Child
Bear Tamer, then other cards...

During the day

Revelation of the victims
Bear's grunt
Spirit-talker
Town Crier
Debate
Vote
Devoted Servant
Possible second vote (if the Stuttering Judge decides on it)
Angel (only during the 1st vote)
New night, etc.