Glossary

The power or penalty printed on your character token. Lost when drunk or poisoned, and lost on death unless the ability says it triggers when you die.

The moment just before a death is finalised — some abilities interrupt here to prevent it.

The team you are currently on — good or evil. Independent of your character.

Not dead. You have your ability, may vote as often as you like, and may nominate.

The nearest living player on each side, skipping the dead.

A player of the same alignment.

Three good characters not in play, given to the Demon on the first night to claim.

The role you play, as listed on the character sheet and almanac for the chosen edition.

The public list of characters available this game.

The token showing a character name and ability, drawn from the bag at setup.

Point at a player during the night. No talking.

Short for “Blood on the Clocktower”.

The end of the night. Abilities acting at dawn resolve after almost everything else.

The phase where players have their eyes open, talk, and vote for an execution.

Not alive. You may only vote once more for the rest of the game.

The single vote a dead player has left. Once spent, it is gone.

The ability only triggers if you say it publicly during the day.

The centre of the evil team. Usually kills each night; if it dies, good wins.

The first-night step where the Demon learns its Minions and receives three bluffs.

A state with no ability. The player is unaware and the Storyteller plays along.

The start of the night, just after eyes close. Effects lasting “until dusk” end here.

The ability works every night, including the first.

The asterisk means every night except the first.

An officially published set of characters — Trouble Brewing, Bad Moon Rising, Sects & Violets.

The evil alignment. Minions and Demons (red characters) start evil.

Minions and Demons. Travellers are excluded — the Storyteller sets their alignment.

The group decision to kill a player during the day. At most once per day, and not always fatal.

The group decision to remove a Traveller. Any number per day, and unaffected by abilities.

A neutral Storyteller character, used publicly, that keeps unusual situations fair.

The night the game begins. On most scripts the Demon does not kill, and with 7+ players the Minion and Demon info steps happen.

The good alignment. Townsfolk and Outsiders (blue characters) start good.

Townsfolk and Outsiders. Travellers are excluded — the Storyteller sets their alignment.

The Storyteller’s board showing every player’s real character and state. Never shown to players.

Not poisoned.

A character somebody is actually playing this game. The opposite is not in play.

Information given by the Storyteller through an ability.

Rectangular tokens carrying information, sometimes shown to players at night.

An extra rule that applies only when two specific characters are both in play.

The small green and orange symbols on character tokens that help the Storyteller run the game.

The token in front of each player showing whether they are alive.

A neutral Storyteller character, used publicly, that adds a twist rather than fixing a problem. Cannot be killed, drunk or poisoned.

At the end of the game one team loses. Dead and alive players lose together as a team.

Having to keep trying to convince the group that something is true. Breaking it carries a penalty.

Not a guarantee — it means the Storyteller chooses.

An evil character who supports the Demon. One to three are in play.

The first-night step where Minions learn each other and the Demon. Only with 7 or more players.

When a character is perceived as a different alignment or type than they really are.

The two players seated either side of you, dead ones included.

The phase where players close their eyes and certain characters wake to act or receive information.

The fixed order in which night abilities resolve. First night and other nights differ.

The Storyteller’s night order reference — separate sheets for first and other nights.

Tokens the Storyteller places beside the night sheet to mark who may need to act tonight.

Putting a player up for execution. Once per player per day, in each direction.

A character on the character sheet that nobody is playing this game.

The player with the day’s highest vote count, due to be executed when the day ends.

Usable exactly once — and it is spent even if you were drunk or poisoned at the time.

A good character whose ability hinders the good team. Zero to two are in play.

Anyone who has an in-play character. The Storyteller is not a player.

Mechanically identical to drunk — no ability, and the player is not told.

Whispered between two players, or between a player and the Storyteller, so others do not hear.

Said or done so that most players, including the Storyteller, know it happened.

How you are perceived by another player’s ability — which may differ from what you really are.

Small tokens the Storyteller places in the Grimoire to track an ability’s effect or target.

A dead player becoming alive again. They regain their ability.

The sheet read aloud at the start so new players learn the important rules.

The list of characters available in this game. Also called an edition.

The official online character list generator for designing scripts.

Choosing the characters before the game starts. Some characters change the line-up itself at this stage.

The sheet detailing what the Storyteller must do before the game begins.

The marker placed on a player’s seat to show they are dead.

Not drunk. Together with healthy, required for your ability to work.

You receive that information on the first night.

A current property of a player: always either drunk or sober, poisoned or healthy, dead or alive, and mad or sane.

Runs the game, keeps the Grimoire, enforces the rules and makes the final call on any adjudication.

All players sharing an alignment. “Your team” means you and everyone with the same alignment.

A player who “thinks” they are another character holds a token that does not match their real character in the Grimoire.

The day that follows the current night.

The circle of players. Seating order is what defines neighbours.

A good character whose ability helps the good team. The most numerous type in play.

A character type for joining late or leaving early. Alignment set by the Storyteller; removed by exile.

The reference given to Travellers, listing how many Townsfolk, Outsiders and Minions are in play.

Whether the information the Storyteller gives is accurate. Drunk or poisoned players may receive false info.

A class of character — Townsfolk, Outsider, Minion, Demon, Traveller or Fabled. This site also covers Loric.

Raising your hand in favour of an execution. Unlimited while alive, once in total while dead.

Marks a dead player’s single remaining vote. It is handed in once used.

The Storyteller taps your shoulder at night so you open your eyes.

At the end of the game one team wins. Alive and dead players win together as a team.