What Each Player Receives
Before the first year begins, each player must be properly equipped for the journey ahead. In keeping with the physical, tactile spirit of the 1800s, LIFE SENTENCE™ is designed to be played with real components - human statues, coin, ledgers, and cards - all of which contribute to the immersive experience of living another life in another century.
Each player chooses a Character Card and takes the matching human statue - a physical representation of their presence in the game world. The human statue is used throughout play: it moves along the Life Path board, and in certain circumstances may be placed inside the Prison. The Life Ledger is your most important personal tool - it records every significant event, every consequence, and every stat change across your character's twenty-year arc. Treat it with the care a Victorian gentleman would afford his personal accounts.
Founding Player Perks:
If you are one of the first 150 backers to make a pledge will have their names or company names and intro as part of a founding team that will be added to our founding booklet which will be part of our LIFE SENTENCE™ production! So contact us with instructions of 200 words or less.
The Buzzer, The Timer & The Dice
⏱️ The Buzzer & Timer
When the buzzer sounds, the active player's decision time is over. If no choice has been made, the Default Consequence written on the card applies immediately - no appeals, no extensions. Time waits for no Victorian gentleman. Different event types carry different time limits, reflecting their urgency and complexity:
- Normal Life Event - 60 seconds
- High-Stakes Event - 30 seconds
- Moral Trial - 45 seconds
- Council Vote - 30 seconds
- Final Judgment - 90 seconds
🎲 The Dice
Use a standard six-sided die (d6) unless a card specifies otherwise. The dice introduce the uncertainty of fate.
A card's special instructions always take priority over the general dice rule.
The Bank, The Prison & The Investigation Module
🏦 The Bank
The Bank holds the shared Coin supply. Take Coin from it only when authorized by a card or rule. Return Coin to it when paying fines or debts. If the Bank runs out of Coin, record the amount owed in your Ledger as debt was a very real part of Victorian life, and the game reflects this. The Bank is a shared resource, and its management is part of the game's economic simulation.
⛓️ The Prison
Certain Life Events, Moral Trials, Council decisions, and Investigation outcomes can send a player to Prison. Place the human statue inside the Prison structure. The player continues participating in the game unless a rule specifically removes a right. Release occurs through the stated method : bail, a vote, or another permitted mechanism. Prison is not the end of your story; it is merely an unfortunate chapter.
🔍 Optional Investigation / Secret Role Module
This optional mystery module adds a fictional hidden role to the game. One player may secretly receive the designated Secret Role Card at the start of play. Investigation cards, suspicious behavior, failed tests, witness clues, or Life Events may generate clues throughout the game. Discuss suspicions only during designated Investigation windows - this is not a free-for-all interrogation.
A formal accusation can only be made when an Investigation action allows it. Resolve accusations using the game's Investigation rules. A correct accusation receives the Major Reward specified by the rules or card. An incorrect accusation receives the stated penalty. The recommended Major Reward is £30,000 + 3 Influence + 3 Standing, though this may be adjusted during playtesting. Also remember that also Euro's did not exist in the 1800's £30,000 in the 1800's is equivalent to about 4 Million now.