A show trial. Eight players. Three lies. One verdict.
The Premise
A show trial. One player is the Defendant (secretly innocent or guilty). Three are Prosecutors. Three are Witnesses (some lying). One is the Judge (with a secret bias card). Mid-game, two Witnesses secretly swap allegiance.
The Judge has more power than anyone — but if their bias card leaks, they lose all credibility.
The Roles
Defendant
×1Secretly Innocent or Guilty. Wins with the matching verdict.
Prosecutor
×3Wants conviction. Interrogates witnesses.
Witness
×3Has a Truth or Lie card. Mid-game, two flip allegiance.
Judge
×1Has a secret Bias card. Final ruling determines outcome.
How a Round Plays
Roles dealt
Defendant draws Innocent/Guilty. Judge draws Bias toward Conviction or Acquittal.
Three rounds of testimony
Each Witness gives a statement: true if Truth card, false if Lie card.
Mid-game flip
After Round 2, two Witnesses secretly swap allegiance. Past testimony becomes unreliable.
Interrogation
Prosecutors and Defendant cross-examine.
Verdict
Judge rules. The Bias card determines who really wanted what.
Win Conditions
Innocent + Acquitted
Defendant + Acquittal-biased players.
Guilty + Convicted
Prosecutors + Conviction-biased Judge.
Mistrial chaos win
Judge ruling against their bias = Witnesses win.
Designer Notes
Asymmetric information at every layer. The Defendant doesn't know if the Judge is biased toward them. Witnesses don't know if other Witnesses are lying. The role flip means consistency isn't proof.
Strategy Tips
- Witnesses: stay vagueSpecific lies are easy to fact-check. Vague truths read as suspicious.
- Judge: lean against your bias publiclyA Conviction-biased Judge who shows skepticism reads as fair.
- Defendant: target one ProsecutorCracking one Prosecutor's narrative cascades.