spellbound

Spellbound is an interactive magical mystery party for 13-17 guests (plus one or two hosts) published by Freeform Games.

(Note that if you click on the link below and then buy Spellbound I will earn a small amount of commission.)

the story

Playing the Spellbound murder mystery game

Set in the Tremaine School of Magic, Spellbound takes place on the last day before the summer break - and the Headmaster has been attacked!

Last night a red cross was painted on his door and this morning the Headmaster, Professor Bennet, has lost his memory!

Someone has used magic to attack the Headmaster - but who?

how spellbound works

Spellbound is an interactive murder mystery game, so all the players receive complete details of their character, including a detailed backstory, objectives that they must try to achieve, and information about other characters.

They also have item cards (that represent wands, magic artefacts, and so on), and abilities (that let them detect secrets find out information about other people).

In my opinion, once you've played an interactive murder mystery game, you won't want to go back to any other style.

spellbound's plot

Spellbound has a number of different plots to keep everyone busy.

For example, there is a mysterious amulet, the end of term exams - and of course a mystery to solve!

Note that this game does not contain a murder.

the cast

The cast of Spellbound includes:

Three professors:

  • Professor Lee Roderick: Professor of Alchemy
  • Professor Riley Karlsen: Professor of Transformation
  • Professor Skyler Patterson: Professor of Foretelling

Twelve students

  • Angela McIntosh: A smart, studious girl
  • Blair Jones: A fun-loving, friendly student; the class clown
  • Casey Lansing: A rebellious rule-breaker
  • Dave White: A smart, studious boy
  • Erick Bennet: The son of Professor Bennet
  • Jason Edwards: The most popular boy in school, dating Shantell Andersen
  • Julie Andersen: The smartest girl in school, Shantell’s sister
  • Nina Brown: A socially awkward, quiet student
  • Ryan O’Callaghan: A good-looking, arrogant student
  • Shantell Andersen: The most popular girl in school, Julie’s sister, dating Jason Edwards
  • Taylor Martin: A rich and popular student
  • Veronica Olsen: A rich and popular student, best friends with Shantell

Two detectives

  • Detective Kerry Stephens: The head detective investigating the case
  • Detective Alex Rogers: Detective Stephens’s partner, also investigating the case

the details

Instead of a formal dinner party, Spellbound is better suited to a buffet meal or finger food.

Everyone needs to be able to talk quietly with each other - to plot and scheme and achieve their goals.

Spellbound needs a dedicated host, someone to organise the game.

I really enjoy being the host - you know what's going on and can watch your friends scheme and plot and be devious to one another.

how to get spellbound

Cover to Spellbound mystery game

Click here to purchase Spellbound from Freeform Games.

You will be taken to the Freeform Games LLP website - follow the instructions to purchase Spellbound.

Just download the game, print it out and have a great murder mystery!

Disclosure: I am a partner at Freeform Games - feel free to ask me lots of questions! (I will also earn commission from the sale.)

Does Spellbound come with a money-back guarantee?

Yes!

Freeform Games offer a cast-iron guarantee on all their murder mystery games. If you're not completely satisfied with Spellbound  then let them know within 30 days and they will refund you.

What age is Spellbound  suitable for?

Freeform Games suggest Spellbound is suitable for anyone  aged 12+. You can play it with kids or adults - or a mixture of both!

How long does Spellbound  take to play?

I would allow 3-4 hours to play Spellbound . While the game itself takes 2.5-3 hours to play, I recommend allowing time to introduce the game and wind down after.

Where's my download?

Shortly after buying Spellbound  you should receive an email from Freeform Games explaining how to download the game files.

If you haven't received this, please first check your spam filter - sometimes the emails end up there.

If that fails, please get in touch directly with Freeform Games - with the details of which game you bought, when you bought it, and which email address you used. Or contact me (with that same information) and I'll get in touch for you.

How many guests will I need?

You need at least 13 guests and no more than 17.

If you have fewer than 13 guests you will have to drop a character (which may affect the plot), or play a character yourself (not ideal, but I talk about it here), or even ask a guest to play two characters at once.

If you have more than 17 guests you will need to create your own, or use one of the free extra characters provided by Freeform Games when you download Spellbound .

Can I host Spellbound  and also play a character?

The host has an important role in Spellbound. The organize and coordinate the party. They also act as an impartial "referee" - so it's important that they have read the game and understand what is going on.

So I recommend not playing a character and hosting the game. 

But if you still want to host a game and play a character (or you have to because a player cannot attend), I have advice on doing that here.

Click here to purchase Spellbound from Freeform Games.

Comments

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A Purrfect Murder - a cat-themed murder mystery for 9-12 guests.

Don't know where to start?

Here's my suggested quick route through the site:

Step 1 - Go to Choosing a Game to choose the game that suits your party best.

Step 2 - Review the Tips for Hosts for helpful advice.

Step 3 - If you want to keep up to date with the latest murder mystery game news, click on my What's New page.

Step 4 - Once you've had your party - tell me how it went! Click here to tell me your murder mystery party story.

Got a question? Click here to go to the FAQ.

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