Inkognito

Overview

A deduction game of spies in Venice. Four secret agents (Lord Fiddlebottom, Colonel Bubble, Agent X, Madame Zsa Zsa) move through the city trying to identify their partner and complete a secret mission. Players are paired into teams (Lord Fiddlebottom + Colonel Bubble vs. Agent X + Madame Zsa Zsa) but don’t know who their partner is at the start. Each player controls 4 figures (only one represents their true identity) and uses the Phantom of Prophecy randomizer to determine movement. By meeting other players’ figures and the Ambassador, players ask questions and deduce identities. Once partners find each other and exchange mission cards, they decode their joint mission and race to complete it.

Components

• 1 Game board (map of Venice with islands, channels, land/water routes, numbered mission spaces)
• 16 Figures in 4 colors (4 per color: tall, short, fat, thin builds)
• 1 Ambassador (black) figure
• 1 Phantom of Prophecy randomizer (contains 10 colored balls)
• 4 Passports (screens with mission list inside)
• 1 Notepad
• 32 Colored cards (4 sets of 8): each set has 4 Identity cards + 4 Build cards
• 12 Secret cards: 4 Identity, 4 Build, 4 Mission (A, B, C, D)

Setup

1. Place Phantom of Prophecy in the lagoon area of the board.
2. Place Ambassador on the Embassy (black circle).
3. Each player chooses a color and takes: 4 figures, 8 colored cards (4 identity + 4 build), 1 passport.
4. Place your 4 figures on the 4 starting spaces of your color.
5. Take a note sheet; write other players’ names/colors in the first three rows.
6. Set up passport as a screen.
7. Separate the 12 grey secret cards into 3 groups (identity, build, mission). Three different players each shuffle and deal one group, giving 1 card to each player face-down.
8. Each player secretly receives: 1 identity card (which agent they are), 1 build card (which figure is their true identity), 1 mission card (half of the mission code).

Turn Structure

Players take turns clockwise. On your turn:

1. Movement - Shake the Phantom of Prophecy. Three colored balls appear, determining your available movement actions.
2. Meeting Characters and Asking Questions - When your figure shares a space with another player’s figure or the Ambassador, ask questions or take alternative actions.

Actions

Movement

Shake the Phantom of Prophecy to reveal 3 colored balls:

Ball Color	Movement
Orange	Move one of your figures 1 space on a land route
Light Blue	Move one of your figures 1 space on a water route
White	Move one of your figures 1 space on land
Purple	Move one opponent’s figure 1 space (land or water)
Black	Move the Ambassador 1 space (land or water)

• Orange, light blue, and white balls can be distributed freely among your own figures (all 3 on one figure, or split).
• Movement is optional (you need not use all balls).
• You may move through occupied spaces but cannot end on a space with your own figure.
• You cannot end with more than one of your figures sharing a space with more than one of any single opponent’s figures.

Meeting and Questioning

Meeting another player’s figure: You may ask about identity OR build:

• Identity question: Opponent shows you 2 identity cards + 1 build card. At least 1 must be true.
• Build question: Opponent shows you 2 build cards + 1 identity card. At least 1 must be true.

Meeting the Ambassador: Ask about any one player. That player shows you either 2 identity cards or 2 build cards. One must be true.

Alternative to questioning: Instead of asking a question, move your figure 1 additional space (land or water), but you cannot move to a space with another figure.

Expulsion

After meeting and questioning another player’s figure, you must send that figure to any unnumbered, unoccupied space. After meeting the Ambassador, send him to the Embassy (if unoccupied) or any unoccupied colored space.

Showing Cards Penalty

You may not show the same set of 3 cards to the same player more than once:

• 2nd time caught: Show only 2 cards (1 must be true).
• 3rd time caught: Show only 1 true card.
• For Ambassador questions: cannot show a pair already shown as part of a previous set.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Finding your partner: Through deduction, identify your partner (Lord Fiddlebottom + Colonel Bubble are partners; Agent X + Madame Zsa Zsa are partners). Reveal yourself by showing secret cards or using character mannerisms.

Decoding the mission: Once you see your partner’s mission card, cross-reference both codes (yours and partner’s) on the passport mission list to determine the team’s mission.

Completing the mission: On your turn, fulfill the mission condition (e.g., move a specific character’s true figure to a numbered space). Declare “Mission Accomplished!” with a handshake between partners.

Verification: Partners must correctly identify each other and the mission. If wrong, the opposing team wins.

If the wrong player is offered a handshake: Both the offering player’s team loses, regardless of whether the refuser is on the same team or not.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Only one of your 4 figures represents your true character; the other 3 are decoys.
• When a mission names a specific character, the figure with the correct build of that character must be involved.
• When a mission says “any piece,” either team member’s true figure can be used.
• Showing a mission card does not fulfill the “at least one true card” requirement; an additional true card must also be shown.
• You may use character mannerisms and deception freely (twitching eye, tugging earlobe, etc.) to confuse or communicate; only card-showing honesty is mandatory.
• Record all information on your note sheet to track deductions.

5-Player Variant

The 5th player controls the Ambassador. The Ambassador player:

• Does not use the Phantom; moves Ambassador 1-2 spaces per turn (any route).
• Can ask questions when meeting other figures (sees 2 cards, 1 true).
• Sees all cards passed through the Ambassador by other players.
• Wins by correctly recording all 4 players’ identities and builds before any team completes its mission.
• If a mission requires moving the Ambassador, it becomes “move one of your agents” instead.

3-Player Variant

One color is removed. One player’s partner is “arrested” (not in the game).

• If you have a partner: complete the mission normally. If the mission names the missing character, substitute the active player’s character.
• If you are alone: your mission is to reach your escape space (specific numbered space per character).

Player Reference

Ball	Action
Orange	Move your figure 1 space on land
Light Blue	Move your figure 1 space on water
White	Move your figure 1 space on land
Purple	Move opponent’s figure 1 space
Black	Move Ambassador 1 space

Question Type	Cards Shown	Requirement
Identity	2 identity + 1 build	At least 1 true
Build	2 build + 1 identity	At least 1 true
Ambassador	2 identity OR 2 build	At least 1 true

Teams: Lord Fiddlebottom + Colonel Bubble vs. Agent X + Madame Zsa Zsa

Win condition: Complete decoded team mission. Declare “Mission Accomplished!”