Wolfmond

Wolfmond Rulebook

Table of Contents

5 Werewolf cards
14 ordinary villager cards
8 special villager cards
1 Headman card
2 overview cards

Object of the Game

Wolfmond takes you to a remote, medieval village in which the capable villagers fear for their lives and face a nightly plague of werewolves. In their anger they hunt their tormentors by day and always set up a pyre at midday. The players belong to one of two factions (villagers or werewolves). But only one of these two factions can win the victory, after it has finally eliminated all members of the other faction...

May the drama now take its course and the performers prepare themselves. The play shall begin...

Prologue

Wolfmond is a group dynamics game with the character traits of a theatre play, because the players are each assigned a role which they must portray.

To play Wolfmond, the following conditions should be met:

All players sit in one circle (whether at a table, on the floor or outdoors).
The light should be sufficient for every player to recognise the faces of the others.
One player takes on the role of the Narrator and directs the play. This should be an experienced player. The other players are the performers of the play and will receive roles to portray below.
The Narrator must be able to move freely around, so that he can reach every performer of the play.

Before the curtain rises, the Narrator must put together the role deck for the round. He takes one role card for each performer. The Narrator himself does not count.

Depending on the number of players, the deck is composed differently.

The play concerns werewolves and ordinary villagers, but also some special villagers with extraordinary abilities. Special villagers are, for example, the Medic, the Gravedigger or the Assassin.

The composition shown here indicates which special villagers and how many werewolves must be included in a deck at a minimum.

8-11 players: 2 werewolves, 1 Seer 12-17 players: 3 werewolves, 1 Seer, 1 Medic 18-27 players: 4 werewolves, 1 Seer, 1 Medic, 1 Gravedigger

For the remaining performers, ordinary villagers are added to the deck. The Narrator may, however, exchange as many of the ordinary villagers as he likes for special villagers of his choice, to make the play more varied. This is left to him.

The Narrator now shuffles the deck and deals one card to each performer. No card should be left over. Each performer looks at his card in secret, memorises his role and then places the card face down in front of him. The other performers must on no account see which role anyone plays. Before the curtain rises for the first time, the Narrator should read out the dramatis personae of the dealt role cards, so that every performer understands his role.

Next comes the appointment of the Headman. Any character can become Headman if another character proposes him. It is up to the Narrator's discretion whether he decides the choice of Headman democratically or simply picks one of those proposed at random.

Now the curtain rises and the Narrator begins with the exposition. For this he tells the story of the village's recent past: of the nightly, seemingly random murders, of the strange wolf tracks on the village square, of the wolves howling when the moon rises, and so on.

Note: The Narrator has complete freedom for this introduction. He may embellish the story as he wishes.

That ends the prologue.

Plot

Several nights are played, and each night is divided into 4 acts, from evening until morning.

I. Act: Before Midnight

After the Narrator has described the scene to everyone involved, the actual game begins. At the end of a hard and anxious day, all villagers fall into their well-earned sleep. Night begins. To this end all players close their eyes and let their heads sink. Their faces may not be covered, so they must close their eyes thoroughly.

Act I covers the time before midnight. Some of the special villagers wake at this time and step onto the stage in a fixed order. The Matchmaker wakes first, but only in the very first night of the game. The Seer wakes next in every night. The Assassin wakes last. Of course this applies only if the corresponding characters are taking part and have not yet died.

Note: "Waking" means that the Narrator calls up the corresponding character and this character then opens their eyes (the performer remains seated in their place). Depending on the character, the performer may now cause something specific to happen. This is explained in detail in the chapter Dramatis Personae. Once the performer is finished, or decides to do nothing, they close their eyes again and become a sleeping villager once more.

II. Act: Midnight

Midnight is the time of the werewolves. The moon stands high in the sky and the werewolves wake. At this time only they step onto the stage and carry out their dreadful work (see The Werewolf in the chapter Dramatis Personae). Only "Jeremias" may also make an appearance during this act. This is not announced publicly. (See the chapter Dramatis Personae for details.)

III. Act: After Midnight

After the werewolves have completed their gruesome work, the time after midnight begins. Of the special villagers, only the Medic wakes at this time.

IV. Act: Morning

Now the night has come to an end. All villagers wake. The Narrator now reveals the cards of the players who have died during the night, whether through the werewolves, the Assassin or other strokes of fate. At this time, under certain circumstances, the Gravedigger, the Trapper and the Preacher may reveal themselves and use their special ability.

If the Headman was murdered, he must immediately and without discussion appoint a new Headman before he retires to eternal rest and leaves the stage for the rest of the performance.

Regardless of whether none, one or several players have died, the frightened mob now demands a scapegoat. The performers whose characters were killed may not make any relevant contributions to the discussion that follows. From now on they are only silent spectators of the drama and no longer need to keep their eyes closed at night.

Note: It would be very unfair if the spectators used their position to give the performers hidden hints.

Under the direction of the Headman, those still alive discuss who is suspected of the nightly atrocities. There are no limits to the discussion. The performers may refer to things "heard" during the night, point out suspicious movements of others, or even bring forward accusations at random. Of course, werewolves not yet discovered try to direct suspicion onto innocent villagers without making themselves suspicious.

If the Narrator gets the impression that the discussion has become deadlocked or has reached its end, he declares the moment of decision to have come. He counts to 3, whereupon all villagers must point at one still-living fellow performer at the same time. Subsequent or unclear votes are invalid. All villagers have a duty to vote; no one may shirk this responsibility. The Headman should make this absolutely clear to everyone.

The votes are now counted to see on whom most fall. The Headman's vote counts double. For the restoration of public order, the character who received the most votes is thrown onto the pyre and thus leaves the drama. His card is revealed and he too goes to the "auditorium".

Note: If the vote ends in a tie, the Headman decides.

After the work is done, the villagers retire to rest in the evening and the next night falls. This night too runs through the four acts of the drama, until the finale comes.

Finale

The curtain falls as soon as the village contains either only werewolves or only human villagers. This is determined by the Narrator, and the surviving faction wins the game.

Special case: If the Betrothed belong to 2 different factions, they win only if they are the only ones left.

Dramatis Personae

1. The Headman

The Headman is the head of the village elected by the villagers and is meant to keep law and order. He is regarded as a figure of respect, yet fickle villagers have already sent more than one Headman "into early retirement".

The Headman is a card which is handed out face up to a performer in the prologue of the play. The role of the Headman is played by a performer in addition to his actual, hidden role. The Headman coordinates and moderates the morning act of retaliation against the werewolves. In the vote for the place on the pyre his vote counts double. He also decides in the event of a tie. He does not count as a special villager.

2. The Ordinary Villager

The villager is the backbone of the village community. Through hard work he secures the survival of the village. The villagers are extremely disturbed by the dreadful occurrences and ready to bring any suspect to the pyre.

Ordinary villagers have no special abilities; they sleep during the night.

3. The Werewolf

The werewolf was once an ordinary villager, until he was struck by the terrible curse of lycanthropy. Since then he roams about at night and follows his instinct by hunting villagers. By day he appears to be an ordinary villager.

Werewolves wake at midnight, when the moon stands high in the sky. When the Narrator announces that midnight is coming, all werewolves open their eyes. Silently gesturing, they now agree on a victim for this night.

This character is then declared dead by the Narrator the next morning and his role card is revealed.

Note: Werewolves may not choose themselves. If the werewolves cannot agree, nobody dies during this night.

4. The Seer (special villager)

The Seer has always had a special eye on the other villagers. She gazes into people's souls, and no one can withstand her piercing gaze. She endeavours to track down the werewolves.

The Seer acts before midnight. She may open her eyes. With silent gestures she indicates to the Narrator which of the sleeping villagers she wishes to observe in her crystal ball tonight. The Narrator goes to that person and turns their card so that the Seer can see it. Afterwards he turns the card back and the Seer falls asleep again.

5. The Trapper (special villager)

The Trapper is a bitter old man who lives on the edge of the village. He was the first to discover the wolf tracks and is wildly determined to make an end of the beasts. In doing so he distrusts everyone in the village and is well prepared for nightly attacks.

The Trapper sleeps during the night like all other villagers. However, he has set traps which snap shut should anyone try to do something to him. If the Trapper is slain by the werewolves, he may name any victim the next morning, who is likewise banished to the auditorium. If the Trapper is thrown onto the pyre by the enraged mob, his traps have no effect.

6. The Medic (special villager)

The Medic once served as a field surgeon in the king's army. Until recently he was glad to have escaped the horrors of war. But the nightly murders reopen old wounds. He tries with all his might to help.

The Medic wakes after midnight, once the werewolves have finished their mischief. The Narrator silently points to the victim of this night, whom the werewolves have chosen. The Medic now has the opportunity, by a gesture, to indicate that he wants to save the victim. He may do this only once in the game. If he himself is affected, he may also save himself.

7. The Matchmaker (special villager)

The Matchmaker was commissioned by two families of the village to arrange a marriage. The two young betrothed wish to keep the planned marriage secret for the time being because of the dreadful events. Once the work is done, the Matchmaker intends to settle down in the village.

The Matchmaker wakes only once, at the beginning of the very first night, before any other characters are called. By gestures he indicates to the Narrator which two performers are the betrothed. He then closes his eyes again. The Narrator now touches each of the betrothed once, whereupon they open their eyes to recognise each other. The fate of the two betrothed is from then on bound together. If one of the two dies, the other's heart breaks and he dies as well. After this process the Matchmaker is from then on regarded as an ordinary villager.

Note: If the betrothed are a human and a werewolf, they can only win if they are the only inhabitants left in the village.

8. The Gravedigger (special villager)

The Gravedigger is a quirky, mute old man who lives next to the cemetery. It is said of him that he was once a wealthy man who fell out of favour, but no one knows more than that except himself. He always looks closely at every dead person.

The Gravedigger sleeps during the night like all other ordinary villagers. When a victim of the werewolves is announced in the morning, the Gravedigger may reveal himself before the victim's card is uncovered. The victim may then, in a last act of willpower, point at another performer (without speaking) before collapsing dead. There is no pursuit by the mob that day, but the indicated character is immediately and without discussion thrown directly onto the pyre. The Gravedigger keeps this ability for as long as he remains alive.

9. The Preacher (special villager)

The Preacher is a far-travelled servant of the Church who is particularly appalled by the unnatural events in the village. He is fired with true zeal to throw the guilty onto the pyre. And woe to the mob if it gets out of control.

The Preacher sleeps during the night like all other ordinary villagers. Should the Preacher be brought onto the pyre, he reveals himself immediately and from then on leads the hunt for the werewolves in the name of the Church. He takes over the title of Headman and from now on has 3 votes in every morning vote. On the morning of his revelation, after his seizure of power, there is a new vote on who is to be burned.

10. The Assassin (special villager)

The Assassin was in fact only on the run when he settled here. Having previously been pursued by the town guard, he now has the uncomfortable feeling that he is being hunted by something else. So he always keeps his knife within easy reach.

The Assassin wakes before midnight. Once during the game he may, at this time, murder another performer. That victim is then revealed in the morning by the Narrator as stabbed and leaves the drama. Independently of this, the werewolves strike at midnight. The usual morning burning takes place as normal. If he has stabbed a victim, the Assassin from then on no longer wakes during the night and counts as an ordinary villager.

Note: If the werewolves attack the victim of the Assassin, then only one stabbed victim is nevertheless reported the next morning.

11. Jeremias (special villager)

Jeremias is a large, coarse fellow with the mind of a child. He has lived in the remote village for as long as he can remember, and although he is extremely good-natured, a dangerous fire sometimes glows in his eyes.

Jeremias is protected from the terrors of the werewolves by his childlike nature. Should the werewolves choose Jeremias as their victim, his card is immediately revealed and the wolves flee disturbed into the night. Still during the night the Narrator touches Jeremias and he wakes. Jeremias may now point to 2 players, and the Narrator shows him their role cards. Jeremias is not regarded as dead and does not have to leave the stage. However, his lucky fool's fortune will not save him a second time. From this point on he counts as an ordinary villager.

Note: In the morning Jeremias may openly accuse a werewolf if he has discovered one by the revelation of his role card, since he was a witness to the events of the night. He may, however, also accuse anybody else, since he is, after all, a little simple-minded.

Epilog

Variant: Hunt for the Wolves (from 15 players)

This game variant requires the Seer and the Trapper. Their abilities are subject to a small change. The Seer and the Trapper wake simultaneously in Act I. The Seer now has the choice of either observing one performer in her crystal ball or setting the Trapper on a target. The Seer and the Trapper may communicate through silent gestures. The Trapper may, however, not object to the Seer's final decision. If the victim of the two is not a werewolf, the Trapper lands automatically on the pyre the next morning, and the Seer with him. There is no vote in this round. As soon as the Seer or the Trapper has been killed, the wolf hunt of the two can no longer be carried out.

Variant: The Holy Inquisition (from 15 players)

This game variant requires the Preacher and the Assassin. Their abilities are subject to a small change. The Preacher and the Assassin wake simultaneously at the end of Act I. They agree by silent gestures on a victim whom the Assassin dispatches in the name of God. If they cannot agree, there is no victim in this round. Once the Holy Inquisition has murdered 3 harmless villagers in total, the punishment of God strikes and the villagers lose the game.

In this variant the Assassin loses his regular ability. The Preacher, however, keeps his. As soon as the Assassin or the Preacher has been killed, the Inquisition can no longer act.

Variant: The Broken Curse (from 20 players)

In this variant there are 5 werewolves and the game proceeds fundamentally differently. The Seer and the Medic try to cure the werewolves of lycanthropy. The Seer and the Medic wake simultaneously in Act I. They agree by silent gestures on one performer whose card they look at. If it is a werewolf, he is automatically cured. The Narrator touches the corresponding performer to inform him of this. A cured werewolf has all the abilities of an ordinary villager, but keeps the winning conditions of the werewolves. He does not wake at midnight, but is nevertheless on the side of the werewolves and should therefore not be devoured by them. The Seer and the Medic win the game together with the werewolves as soon as at least 3 werewolves have been cured. At the first waking of the werewolves the Narrator silently points to the Seer and the Medic, so that the werewolves know whom they should not devour.

If the Seer or the Medic is thrown onto the pyre, the survivor may carry out the cure alone. If both die, the werewolves must win the game in the conventional way. Werewolves already cured remain on their side and need not be killed. Cured werewolves also do not wake at midnight; their only contribution remains their vote when it comes to the pyre.

In Act IV there are always two votes. The first vote concerns a character who is unmasked, and whose card is permanently revealed. The second vote proceeds as described in the standard rules and ends with the burning of a character (for example a werewolf who has just been unmasked).

The villagers win if at least 3 werewolves, whether cured or still infected, are dead.

Variant: The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing (for 8 players)

At the start two decks are formed. The first deck contains one werewolf, the Seer, 5 ordinary villagers and either the Medic or Jeremias (chosen at random and face down). The second deck contains one werewolf, 6 ordinary villagers and the special villager card left over from the previous selection (that is, the Medic or Jeremias).

Before the game begins, the Narrator deals each performer one card from each deck. The performers may look only at the first card. The second remains face down in front of them and is unknown even to its owners. So there should now be exactly one werewolf in the village. But in most cases a second performer also holds a werewolf card, of which he does not yet know.

At the start of the second morning, before the vote, the performers may look at their second card. In most cases a second villager has now caught the werewolf sickness. As soon as a performer holds at least one werewolf card (and knows of it), he counts as a werewolf and wakes at midnight. Any special abilities of his other card may nevertheless still be used.

Tips for the Narrator

Remember that you are the director of the drama. Much of the atmosphere of the performance depends on your imagination. So speak in a loud, theatrical voice and encourage the performers to take an eager part in the discussions.
In the first performances, put only the Seer into the role deck. When you and your performers have gained some experience and are familiar with the play, you can slowly add the other roles.
When the Seer looks into her crystal ball, pick up the cards of several performers, but show her only the one card she wanted to see. In this way the other performers do not know exactly whom the Seer has been observing.
When you give your stage directions, try not to speak in a particular direction. Otherwise you might unintentionally give your performers hints as to where a particular character is sitting.

Tips for the Performers

Werewolf: Try to identify and eliminate the special villagers as quickly as possible. Do not ally too openly with the other werewolves, and in case of doubt act against them once, to divert suspicion from yourself.

Ordinary villager: While you sleep, pay particular attention to suspicious noises or movements next to you. During the morning discussion observe the other performers very attentively and try to recognise who is behaving conspicuously or getting entangled in contradictions.

Seer: Look at the Headman in your crystal ball early on. Since his vote counts double, he is particularly dangerous as a werewolf. If you have unmasked a werewolf, you should tell the other performers of this without fail. But try to find a different justification for your suspicion than your clairvoyance, since otherwise you will become the sure prey of the werewolves in the following night.

Trapper: When you are about to be thrown onto the pyre, reveal your identity. The card of course must not be uncovered.

Medic: Keep your ability for as long as possible. Try either to save yourself, or a performer of whom you are certain that he is playing a special villager.

Gravedigger: Use your ability as early as possible, while your character is still alive. With some luck a Medic is present, who can then be sure that you are a special villager and may perhaps save your life one day.

Preacher: You must land on the pyre in order to use your special ability. So behave as conspicuously and nervously as possible. Try to appear like a werewolf.

Jeremias: Your ability is very powerful, but it is tied to a werewolf attack. Try to provoke the werewolves until they want to devour you. Otherwise behave inconspicuously, so that you certainly do not land on the pyre.

Headman: Try, as a werewolf, to become Headman yourself, but do not behave too conspicuously. You can assume that the Seer will sooner or later look at you in her crystal ball as Headman.