Murder mystery aboard the orient express

Creating your character

Character creation is completely free reign. This is your chance to create the glamorous, suspicious or downright scandalous 1920s character you’ve always wanted to play. The only requirement is that your character should have a job, profession or social position that makes sense for the 1920s setting and gives them a believable reason to be travelling aboard the Midnight Express. You could be a jazz singer, flapper, journalist, private detective, doctor, wealthy socialite, performer, photographer, boxer, businessman, maid, chauffeur, bartender, artist, criminal, fortune teller or something entirely of your own creation. Your possessions must also fit the period. Anything your character brings aboard the train should reasonably exist in the 1920s. Think pocket watches, cigarette cases, handwritten letters, cameras, hip flasks, jewellery, newspapers, luggage and other period appropriate belongings. No sneaking a mobile phone onto the Midnight Express! 😉 Beyond that, go wild. Give them secrets. Give them enemies. Give them a scandalous past. Maybe they’re travelling under a false name. Maybe they’re running from something. Maybe they know far more about the other passengers than they’re willing to admit. Once you’ve created the foundations, I’ll weave your character into the mystery, giving them connections, information and reasons to become involved in what happens aboard the train. Dress them up. Give them an accent. Become someone completely different for the evening. Just remember, on the Midnight Express, everyone has something to hide.

Preparing for the session

All links will be provided after joining

What Ringmaster brings to the table

What I Bring as Your GM You bring the suspects. I’ll bring the murder. I want the Midnight Express to feel like more than a game. I want you to feel like you’ve stepped aboard a luxurious 1920s train where something has gone terribly wrong. Detailed Maps Explore the train and its different locations throughout the mystery. Search compartments, investigate suspicious areas and perhaps wander somewhere you shouldn’t. Atmospheric Music Music changes alongside the story, from glamorous 1920s jazz to darker and more sinister sounds as the investigation unfolds. Immersive Sound Effects The train rattling along the tracks, whistles in the distance, doors opening, footsteps approaching and environmental sounds help bring every scene to life. Clues and Evidence Discover evidence, examine suspicious objects and piece together information as you attempt to uncover what really happened. Private Secrets Some information will be given directly to individual players. What you choose to reveal, conceal or lie about is entirely up to you. Fully Roleplayed NPCs Every passenger you encounter has their own personality, motives and secrets, complete with my questionable attempts at various accents. My Scottish accent occasionally refuses to stay hidden! Puzzles and Red Herrings Not everything you discover will lead directly to the murderer. You’ll need to decide what matters and what might be leading you completely off course. Character Connections I’ll take the characters you create and weave them into the story, giving you connections, relationships and reasons to care about what happens aboard the train. Custom Visuals and Artwork Characters, important locations, evidence and key moments may be brought to life visually throughout your journey. Most importantly, I bring a story that reacts to you. Search the compartments, interrogate passengers, sneak somewhere forbidden, form alliances, expose secrets or confidently accuse the completely wrong person. I’ll control the train, portray its passengers and fill your journey with maps, music, sound effects, secrets and cinematic storytelling. You just have to uncover the murderer before the Midnight Express reaches its final stop.

Homebrew rules

Just have fun

How Ringmaster creates a safe table

Consent sheets