Murder on the SS AureliaPrintable 1950s ocean liner murder mystery party game · 4–20 players · October 1955 · Transatlantic ocean liner

How the ship scales

On the Aurelia both killers are always dealt. In Mini they share the deck with the captain, the surgeon, the singer and the steward, who between them hold every clue that matters. Classic brings in a gossip, a cattle baron and a gem appraiser. Grand adds a stowaway, the radio room, the galley and a tourist with a camera whose two photographs settle the second question.

What is a murder mystery party kit?

Murder on the SS Aurelia is a role-playing murder mystery party game. It is October 1955, the last night of a transatlantic crossing. During the Captain's Farewell Gala the owner of the ship, Lord Thorne, is found dead in his suite and his famous sapphire has vanished. The doors are sealed and everyone aboard is a suspect.

Each guest plays a passenger or crew member: the captain, the purser, the ship's surgeon, a cabaret singer, a stowaway and more. You get a secret, three personal goals and clues the others need. Together you solve a three-part case: how the safe was opened, how the stone left the suite, and who killed Lord Thorne. There are two killers on board.

Expect more cross-examination than in our other kits: two people are covering for each other, and their stories have to hold up against the key log and the photographs. Plan 90 minutes to 2.5 hours.

What is in the kit

• Host Guide for four rounds at sea, plus a sealed solution file for landfall.
• 20 passenger and crew files, two of them for the killers.
• 11 evidence cards and 8 search cards: deck plan, seating chart, key log, radio log, two photographs and a Morse reply.
• Party Extras: name tags, five award certificates, ship signs and a Captain's gala menu card.

How the evening runs

• Round 1 · Boarding (15 min). Guests introduce themselves in character, mingle on deck and read their first page.
• Round 2 · The Gala Dinner (25 min). The owner is found dead. Clues are traded, cabins are searched and the first question of the case is answered.
• Round 3 · Fog Horn (30 min). The fog horn sounds, the lights dim and guests move to new decks. Radio messages arrive and secrets come out. Second answer.
• Round 4 · Landfall (20 min). Everyone votes for the two killers and the host opens the solution file.
• Scoring and awards (10 min). Add up the points and hand out awards such as Best Costume and Best Liar.

The rules that make it fun

• Two killers, one vote. Each guest names two suspects. A killer who escapes half the votes scores the escape bonus.
• Ship's Favors. Search any cabin, ask the host a private question, or pass a cable that must be answered truthfully.
• The truth rule. Only the two killers may lie about their clue pages; everyone else may only bluff about their secrets.
• The fog horn. Round 3 starts with a horn and dim lights, guests move to a new muster station and the radio messages arrive.