OFFICIAL RULES & REGULATIONS

For 3-6 players. Approximately 30-45 minutes. Ages 14+.

— OBJECT —

Someone Has Died... and you want their stuff! Using all the cards in your hand, craft a character and try to convince the estate keeper that you are the most deserving of inheriting the deceased’s fortune. Fun!

— set-up —

1. Separate and shuffle the cards by type: Identity (blue), Relationship (red), Backstory (green), and Objection (black).

2. Place the Backstory cards face-down in the center of the table to create the deck. Keep the Identity and Relationship cards nearby.

3. Designate who will be the estate keeper. Give this person the Objection card deck. They should hold on to it face-down. The estate keeper should also draw one Identity card, which will be used to define the deceased.

4. Give all remaining players one Identity card, one Relationship card, and two Backstory cards. They can look at these cards, but should keep them private for now.

— THE ESTATE KEEPER: Running the Estate of a Dead Person —

The estate keeper’s job is to simultaneously play game master and judge, guiding the other players through the game while also deciding who gets away with the riches at the end. They can award the grand prize to whoever they deem the most worthy, by whatever metric of their choosing, as long as they can justify their decision with in-game reasoning.

Once the role of estate keeper has been assigned and the cards are divvied up, it’s the estate keeper’s job to set the stage by:

1. Stating that “someone has died.”

2. Introducing the aforementioned “someone” and telling the story of how they passed, using an Identity card for inspiration.

3. Describing the fortune that the other players are vying for.

The estate keeper has complete control, so they can make the story and fortune as outlandish as they please. Whether the deceased left behind $100,000 cash or a lifelong collection of Snapple bottle caps, these should be treated as equally valuable.

The estate keeper is the ultimate authority on any rule leniencies and the amount of side banter that takes place around the table. They are also responsible for distributing Objection cards, which we’ll cover shortly.

— THE PLAYERS: taking the riches of a dead person —

Everyone else around the table will be playing odd characters at the arbitration as designated by the combination of cards they have. For all four rounds of play, it’s their job to make the most compelling case for why they deserve the fortune and/or why everyone else doesn’t. Players must incorporate all four of the cards they start with into their character, as well as any other cards they draw or are dealt throughout the course of the game.

As players reveal elements from their cards into their stories, they should place the corresponding card face-up and turned away from them on the table, so that others can use it for reference. Players must use all the cards in their hands.

— the cards —

Identity Cards: provide an occupation or general description for your character.

Relationship Cards - describe your relationship to the deceased.

Backstory Cards - define character quirks, items in your possession, life events, and other details that must be incorporated into your story.

These are the most varied cards, and some will encourage you to interact with players—including the estate keeper—to your right or left..

Objection Cards - provide you with a single sentence you are allowed to yell at another player (or the estate keeper!) out of turn.

Objection cards are held by the estate keeper and can be given out at any point during the game as rewards to players who say something particularly funny or clever. The estate keeper does not look at which card they give out; they just take a card from the pile and hand it over face-down.

A player who receives an Objection card can hold on to it and use it at any point during any player’s turn, including their own. Whatever is stated on the Objection card automatically becomes true and the accused player is given a chance to respond. They may provide additional details and justification as long as they don’t reject the Objection outright. Some Objection cards also include a prompt in blue text that require the accused to draw another card of the designated type. No more than two Objections can be played on a player per turn.

— HOW TO PLAY: running a will arbitration —

The will arbitration is held in four parts: 

1. Opening Statements: After introducing the deceased and their fortune, the estate keeper prompts the other players to introduce themselves and their initial claim to the fortune. Players must use all four cards in their hands during their opening statements.

2. Interrogation Round: All players draw another Backstory card. The estate keeper then gets to ask each player one direct question. The question may be directly related to their opening statement—or not. Players must incorporate their new Backstory card into the answer to this question.

3. Recess Round: Everyone takes a lunch break! Each player (except the estate keeper) gets to ask one direct question of one other player. Not everyone needs to be questioned. You may choose not to ask your question. No additional cards are drawn, but Objections are fair game as always.

4. Final Statements: The estate keeper has a decision to make! All players draw another Backstory card and use it in making their last claim to the fortune.. 

*Suggestion: Hey players! If you feel like you don’t have enough to work with using only your cards, take a look around the table. Poke some holes in the other players’ arguments. It’s fun! And you, estate keeper! Don’t forget to hand out some Objection cards. It’ll make the arbitration more scandalous!

— bequeathing the fortune —

The moment of truth has arrived! The estate keeper must decide to whom they’ll award the fortune. As with most things in this game, it’s completely up to the estate keeper how to divvy it up; they can give it all to one player or split the winnings as they see fit. However, they must offer an explanation for all their decisions. It makes for a better ending to a lovely, tragic, silly will arbitration.

— addenda —

We want players to be as creative as possible when inventing their characters and stories. Ultimately these rules are guidelines to facilitate play, not laws.

In general, we encourage players to adopt the age-old “Yes, and” rule of improvisation. However, here are some things you shouldn’t do, to maximize fun and make things run more smoothly:

1. Don’t invent un-founded relationships with other players/characters or with the deceased. If the card says you met on a plane, don’t also claim to be their long lost sibling or lover. Sometimes, surprising connections will sprout up organically—ultimately, it’s the estate keeper’s call what to allow.

2. Don’t introduce details about other players’/characters’ backstory that don’t exist on the cards, even if you’ve established that you knew them in the past.

3. Don’t cut into other players’ turns (unless you have an Objection card!). Give them their full time and your full attention; the more they say, the more that can be used against them! Wait until in between rounds to unleash your snide comments and debate skills, unless the estate keeper says otherwise..

Have fun fighting over dead people's things!