We Used To Be Friends Ashcan 0510b

jonathan lavallee
jonathan lavallee
designed and written by jonathan lavallee
layout and graphic design by thomas deeny
we used to be friends (ashcan edition) is © 2018 johnathan lavalee. all rights

reserved. no part of this work may be duplicated without express permission
from the author. this is a work of fiction. any similarity to any person, place, or
event is merely coincidental.
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“I feel like I’m in a scene from the Outsiders.”
-Veronica Mars, “The Pilot”
Veronica Mars is one of my favorite TV shows of all time. I bought all the seasons
on DVD. I’ve shown it to all my friends, and family. It’s one of the best detective
shows I’ve seen, and I’ve seen a lot as detective and crime shows are a genre I love.
Part of what makes Veronica Mars great is how it layers the mysteries. You get
some immediate action with the mystery ‘du jour’, but the larger problems don’t
fade away and the show takes care to make sure that these longer mysteries aren’t
forgotten even if it’s only in moment to point out a clue or create an emotional
scene. That’s one of the things I wanted to try to encapsulate in We Used To Be
Friends. The structure allows characters who aren’t necessarily engaged with the
episode mystery to explore the season long mystery, or their personal mystery.
Detective and mystery RPGs themselves have a feature; the good ones need a
lot of prep time. Some people enjoy that, and there are some wonderful games
out there if you do. We Used To Be Friends is an attempt to create a collabo-
rative game that requires little preparation and pre-planning since there isn’t a
single person tasked with that responsibility. The hope is that you can create the
mystery as you discover your clues and even surprise yourself. The goal is to get
that feeling you get when you read Raymond Chandler novels, or watch a show
like Veronica Mars or Riverdale.
There have been quite a few people who have been a huge part of this project.
Amber has been the first one to listen to some weird ideas and push me to be able
to explain them in a way that makes them clear and concise. She’s the person who
reminds me to be happy in my creativity.
Krista by being incredibly excited by this idea when I first uttered it.
Kate for feedback and specific moves in the Yearbook Profiles when I got stuck,
and for playtesting.
Rob, Stras, Mikael, and everyone at the GREAT GAME EXCHANGE who
questioned me on how the rules would work, and for the various fixes that were
applied because of it.
Lisa Padol for the tweet storms about the whole thing.
Of course, the people who made Veronica Mars, which as I said you should
check out. And all the umpteen million PbtA games that have been an influence.
Monsterhearts, Dungeon World, Headspace, and all the other ones that are out
there. I’d list them all, but that would be a book unto itself.
—Jonathan
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we used to be friends
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All About
Leacock
Vocational and
Educational
School
Before you begin playing We Used To Be Friends, it’s important that
everyone understands the principles that push this game. In a collabora-
tive environment, the best story is created when everyone is working in
the same direction. Even if the characters disagree, the players need to
reach some sort of a consensus to move forward. These principles help
you create the most interesting story.
When anyone feels stuck, or uncertain, use these principles as a reference
guide to keep the game moving.
Play to Find Out What Happens!

You might have an idea of how you want a mystery to go when you first
create a Suspect. You might have an idea on how they are guilty. It’s okay
to have these ideas. Be prepared to throw them away or at least alter
them, because other people are going to have input, and their ideas could
make the story better. In a collaborative space, be open to finding out
what happens from the story and from other people.
Be Mysterious!
A big part of the game is to solve a mystery. Mysteries should never be
straight-forward, there should be multiple suspects, and multiple poten-
tial answers up until the last possible moment. Extend the mystery when
possible. Make the tension palatable. Keep everyone guessing, including
yourself. Surprise people with the direction of the episode!
Have a Life!
Don’t get too wrapped up in the mystery. If you don’t know what to do,
start picking on your relationships. Throw a party. Aim to get that hot
date. Get the samples for the science project. Make sure to take the time
to have messy relationships, bad ideas, or join sports teams. Fight with
your parents! Fight with your friends! Make up! Having those real-life
moments, pushes drama in your games.
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Take Risks!
Mysteries are never solved by sitting back and letting the clues comes
to you. Your characters are going to have to do things that put them in
harm’s way. They’ll have to infiltrate, lie, sneak, and reveal things that
people don’t want to have revealed. Don’t feel the need to coddle the
characters; put them where they can find information and make them
deal with the risks of wanting to uncover the truth. The game doesn’t
have a “life point” mechanic so the game doesn’t tell you when your char-
acter dies, you do. Put them at risk and let them dig their way out with a
fistful of clues and some scrapes and bruises.
Question Everything
Part of what makes mysteries complex is that very few things are what
they appear to be. People are friendly on the outside but are secretly
trying to hide their guilt. Those who wouldn’t hurt a fly can commit
murder under the correct circumstances. The simple seems too easy and
the complex is often hiding a simple truth.
Hell, it’s not like you’re even honest with yourself. Reasons for doing
things can be muddied by your character’s personal tragedies. Emotions
and memories can trigger and push in one direction or another. No one
is above suspicion, especially not your character.
Address the Action to the Characters,

Not the Players
Even if you don’t like a lot of improvisational role play, if you address your
actions to the characters rather than the players then they’ll take on a life
of their own. They’ll have their own weight, and their own believability.
You’ll find yourself thinking like the character thinks, and it’ll be easier to
jump into character.
Tie Everything to the Fiction

Don’t worry about the mechanics. They are there to do one thing, which
is make sure everything ties back into the fiction. You want to use the
Gumshoe move, say you want to use Gumshoe and then figure out how
it will work with the fiction. Pool for ideas and then figure out how your
character is going to fulfill that move in the fiction.
Same thing happens in reverse. If you think you’re going to go Open Up
to someone you can have your character talk to their father about how
they need to find their best friend’s killer so that she can feel like she can
sleep at night. You can talk about it, have the whole scene, and then roll
the dice to complete the Open Up move.
The focus should always be on the fiction. It doesn’t matter if you feel that
the moves come out of the fiction, or you want to make a move and make
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that move fit within the context of the fiction, or you can do them all
concurrently or consecutively, but you can’t do it without the fiction.
It’s all fiction, you see.
Leave Blank Spaces

There are going to be times when you want to fill in all the blanks, fight
that. Even if you solve a mystery, it might not clear everything up. On a
smaller scale, don’t try to understand every clue as soon as you get it, or
have every relationship precisely defined. Uncover those details as you
unravel the mystery, because what you might think is the truth ends up
changing as you discover more about what really happened.
Everyone’s a Suspect
While it’s a part of Question Everything, this principle really needs its
own line. Everyone can be a suspect, as long as you can come up with
some motivation. It doesn’t have to be immediate, but it could reveal
itself eventually. In the end, it’s open season, and if there’s an opening in a
mystery then feel free to put anyone down as a suspect. Another char-
acter, someone who people like, someone who people hate, just someone
who could be seen as a suspect to the crime. Even the good child can
show that with money, resources, and a distinct drive for revenge, they
can organize someone getting their brains blown out.
This could lead to your character being a suspect. If that happens, go with
it. Find out if your character would do it, or if it’s a frame job.
Normal is the New Watchword

People, player characters and NPCs, all have a normal everyday life.
Between episodes you should make a point to ask questions about what
happened from the end of the last episode to the beginning of this one.
Do it for all the characters, and maybe for some of the well-loved, and
well-hated, NPCs. Make sure that they do things beyond help your char-
acter out, and/or annoy your character’s every step. They have lives, and
the mystery interrupts that life.
Be a Bigger Fan of the Story

You’re all in this game together, be a fan of other people’s characters even
if your character hates them. When you’re all fans, you’re all engaged and
you’re more than willing to throw out suggestions. But in the end, be a
bigger fan of the story that you’re telling. Don’t be so afraid to get a char-
acter you like in trouble because everyone likes them.
Treat the NPCs Like Crooks

Be suspicious with NPCs. Be brave and foolhardy with NPCs. Everyone
will get a chance to play them, and if people get attached to them… well,
then you know it’s time to make them a victim, or a suspect in a mystery.
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Don’t be gentle with NPCs, they get beat up and taken advantage of on a
regular basis. They’re a little too helpful and get in the way.
That means you should give the NPCs simple goals. Give them one thing
that they want and run with it. If they want revenge, then that will drive
their actions. If they’re looking for closure, then they’ll jump at any
opportunity. If they’re going against their will, every opportunity to get
out of trouble is something that they should take. Give them a singular
motivation so that if someone else needs to play the NPC, they can.
If the scene changes, then their motivation can change. They may have
wanted revenge in one scene, but later on, they might want to run for the
hills at the first opportunity. As long as you tie it to the fiction, feel free to
have them change their emotions but don’t let it get muddled with having
more than one drive at a time.
Information Comes at a Cost

The characters want to know things, but usually this uncovers uncom-
fortable truths and painful realities that were previously hidden. Dark
connections, hidden illnesses, illicit love affairs are all brought to light,
and the consequences of those secrets will end up hurting a lot of people.
But at least you’ll know, right? Because knowing is always better, right?
Sometimes You Don’t Have to Make the Call

If you’re stuck or uncertain on what to do, you can ask the people around
you what they think. Or even give them the responsibility if you want.
Can’t think of a location, ask the player across from you what would be
the good place to open the story. Want to throw in an NPC but you aren’t
quite sure who it should be? Ask the player on your right. You can even
give up your moves in a scene if you think it’s way better that someone
else gets to do things. When you’re in control of the scene, don’t think
you need to shoulder everything if you don’t want to.
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WELCOME TO BLANK
Now that you’ve got an understanding of the mindset to play We Used
To Be Friends, here are the steps to start creating your teenage detective
drama game.
Step 1. Choose your Yearbook Profile

These are your character sheets, they’re in the back for reference but
people should be able to choose one. For a more detailed look at them,
turn to page XX.
Step 2. Build your City

After you choose your Profiles, you’re going to set up your town.
Detective stories are local, so build your local. Crime, corruption, and
inequality are the characters’ constant companions as mysteries unfurl
around them. Everyone will work together to come up with the best, and
most satisfying, answers.
There’s also a sheet for keeping track of all this information. You use, and
reference it during your game.
The Riches: They are the reasons why people are wealthy in your town,
and how the police and other authority figures are busy keeping them
safe from everyone else.
The Haves
Choose 2
• Technology
• Entertainment
• Old Money
• Real Estate
Technology: There were quite a few people who made their money
working with tech. They developed some kind of transformative software
that changed how we used the Internet, or they could have come up with
a piece of hardware that’s in every cell phone. Whatever the technology
is, it leads to a lot of money.
Entertainment: The entertainment industry bleeds money, and a lot of it
is bled on the higher-end actors and musicians. They may just be going
through the motions, but it doesn’t matter because how do you say no to 8
figures? Musicians, Movie Stars, Athletes, and Media Moguls can be congre-
gating here, or looking for some time away from the spotlight in your town.
Old Money: Some families have had money for ages. They’ve come into it
through decades, or even a century or two of wealth. You could have gotten
it from any of the ways mentioned on the list, but that was before. Now
you’ve got enough money that you use your money just to make more money.
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Real Estate: No property too large, no fee too high. That’s what these
people live by. They buy and sell what they can, and sometime create
situations that help them out regardless of who is living on the land they
are wheeling and dealing. All that matter is the commission checks that
keep coming in.
The Nots: Even though there’s a lot of wealth going on, there’s also a
reason why the two options are millionaire or barely scraping by. Choose
two from this list:
• Single Major Employer
• Only Shit Jobs Available
• Lots of Debt
• Lots of Veterans
Single Major Employer: When there is only place to get a job that’s worth
anything, there’s a fight for the few good jobs that are available. The jobs
that support that major employer don’t pay nearly as well, which means
that there’s a stranglehold on who gets the good jobs and who doesn’t.
Only Shit Jobs Available: When politicians talk about “job creating” they
count pretty much anything that pays money, even if it doesn’t pay a living
wage. If this is chosen, it means that there’s really only part-time, minimum
wage jobs, with no benefits and no flexibility. It says you work Christmas
Eve, you better damned well be there, or you can kiss your job goodbye.
It can be used alone or with Single Major Employer to help reinforce that
situation.
Lots of Debt: Because there’s a lot of wealthy people around, there’s a lot
of other people who try to keep up even if they can’t afford it. Lots of
failed businesses, and credit card bills as far as you can see.
Lots of Veterans: Veterans make up a huge percentage of the unemployed
people, particularly if they’re younger veterans. If there’s an influx of
youthful vets coming home, there are likely no jobs available for them,
and it’s not like life just stops either. They have bills to pay too.
There Goes the Neighborhood

Now that you’ve got the general background, let’s start about making
your sections of town. You’ll come up with the high school where you all
go, and four other places that you can use in your game. You can always
make more, but these will give you some places and people that will give
you some things to hang your character on.
Who is Important
There are all sorts of people who are important and influential in their
own way in your town. You’re going to come up with them here by
answering the top two questions. There are some Profiles that should
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answer these questions. If you have more than one, you can work on it
together or answer just a part of the question.
(Delinquent, Socialite) Who are the richest families associated with
the two categories you picked earlier?
(Hardboiled) Who is the local detective?
(Sidekick) What are the most popular students in school called as a
group?
(Tech Geek) What piece of technology has changed the town?
High School Confidential

To figure out what the school is like, everyone should look at their Profile
question and answer it.
(Delinquent)–Where do people go avoid the teachers?
(Hard Boiled)–Who is the teacher everyone hates?
(Sidekick)–What’s the most popular thing to do at school?
(Socialite)–How do the rich/popular kids differentiate themselves?
(Tech Geek)–What cool feature does the school have?
When you’re done, give your school a name and a mascot. Get ready to
cheer for the team at homecoming!
Where you Live

The next place is you’re going to need to find out how each side lives.
Answer the top two questions, and then answer one more:
What do you call where poor people live, and what makes it difficult?
What do you call where rich people live, and what makes it excessive?
(Delinquent)–What’s the secret, hidden spot in town?
(Hard Boiled)–Where’s the best place to get gossip?
(Sidekick)–What’s does the local community center do?
(Socialite)–What’s the name of an exclusive club?
(Tech Geek)–What problems have technology caused in the city?
Name it, Place it.

This is where you come up with your town. Where it’s located in the
world, and what’s around it. Is it out by itself in the middle of nowhere? Is
your town a suburb of a major city? Give it some geography and a name.
Finish off your Yearbook Profiles and be prepared to start mystery-ing.
Welcome to your city.
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HOW TO HOST
A MYSTERY
You have your Yearbook Profiles; you have your city. Now you have to
start building your mysteries. There are going to be two levels of mystery.
The Episode Mystery is the shared mystery, it will determine the length of
your session. The Personal Mystery is for each individual character and
can be explored at each character’s own pace.
What are the Elements of a Mystery?

There are six main elements that make up a mystery. Setting them up
before play gives you the important starting point. While these are
provided in a certain order, you don’t need to follow this order. Figure
the elements out in whatever order makes the most sense to the group as
they build and explore the fiction.
The Crime (Responsibility–Problem): This is shorthand for what
happened. Most frequently it’s going to be a type of crime. Something
illegal, or wrong, has happened and it’s the details around it that the
characters need to figure out. It doesn’t have to be illegal, missing people,
secret admirers, and lost objects can all be “the Crime” but the easiest
crimes are the ones where the law has been broken in some way.
The type of mystery that you’re figuring out will modify the intensity of
the crime. Extortion is annoying, but can be pretty mild, but murder
should be reserved for the bigger mysteries that affect everyone. You can
also take the time to determine if the results are time-sensitive or not. Is
there a deadline by which something needs to be found, or a payment
needs to be made? Figure out the important details here.
The Victim (Responsibility–People): Who did The Crime happen to?
This is the person who is immediately affected by the crime. Come up
with a few details about this person. Are they important? Do they have
some ties that might be useful to bring into play later? Use a phrase or
two to describe who they are and what kind of situation — emotional,
physical, and/or social — that they’re in.
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The Client (Responsibility–People): This is the person who brings the

mystery to the characters. The client is often the victim, but it doesn’t
have to be. It can be a well-meaning friend, or someone else close to the
victim who needs to reach out for help. Figure out why they’re coming to
the characters, and who will approach the characters. If it’s someone else
make sure to talk about why they, and not the client, are coming forward.
It’s easier when the client is a friend of one of the characters or has easy
access to one of them. Eventually, after word of the characters’ actions
grow, people can approach them on their reputation. Regardless of the
situation, you should make the connections as easy as possible for your
characters. Remember, most of the clients are going to be teenagers going
to other teenagers with their problems. If anyone else approaches them,
those clients are there because they are desperate.
The Scene (Responsibility–Place): Where did it happen? At the school?
In someone’s backyard? At the local Coffee Shop? The location of The
Crime helps set the tone. If someone does something suspicious out in
the open, then there’s a chance that they feel secure that they won’t get
caught. If they’ve done it in a dark alley somewhere, then maybe they’ve
planned ahead. The great thing about this is that you get to use this to
build up the city, and you can recycle locations to help create a memo-
rable place for your characters to live in.
The Suspect (Responsibility–Problem): You get to pick who is the first
suspect. The Client might have a suspicion as to who did this. It could
be one of the player’s characters! The police might have a prime suspect
who might be in jail or is still out on the loose. No matter what, there is
already one suspect in play for every mystery. Hell, it could even be the
Client who is busy trying to prove their innocence.
The Question (Responsibility–Place): The Question is how you frame
the mystery, which has an impact on how the characters would investi-
gate it. If your question is “Why did William Butcher disappear?” it’s a
different mystery than “Where is William Butcher?” The first is looking
for the underlying reasons as to why someone disappeared, while the
other one is looking for an individual. This is a very important part of the
mystery and helps to frame how the investigation will go.
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What are the Levels of Mystery?

We Used To Be Friends has several different mysteries going on simul-
taneously. There are interactions between the various layers, and some
overlap but the significant difference is in their scope. Some are huge and
affect everybody, others are personal and only affect one or two charac-
ters. They also are used to mark time in the game. At the end of a mystery,
the players get to ask some questions and the answers can change your
character, the situation, or the town.
The Episode Mystery

This is the most common mystery, since it determines when a play
session ends. When the characters solve this one, any changes made are
on the immediate, or local, level. The question has been answered, and
the client is happy (or not, it really depends on what happens after the
mystery) and it’s an appropriate time to wrap up the game for the night
and schedule your next session.
Because the scope on these mysteries are smaller, they should be less
threatening and menacing mysteries. They also need to be small enough
to be resolved in a few hours of time. Most of the crimes that should be
used are things like extortion, or blackmail. There could be a case of theft,
or mistaken identity. My suggestion would be to use things like murder
sparingly, but physical altercations can be perfectly fine. Here is a list of
some crimes that could easily fit into an Episode Mystery.
Arson Identity Theft
Assault Kidnapping
Bribery Missing Object
Burglary Missing Person
Cyber Bullying Mistaken Identity
Drug Possession Shoplifting
Extortion Stalking
Forgery Theft
Fraud Vandalism
Harassment Wrongful Accusation
The details of the crime don’t have to be serious. The school’s mascot has
been kidnapped, or the costume could have been stolen. It could be that
someone failed a drug test that they should have passed and now they’re
kicked off the team.
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The Victim should be local, and the Victim or the Client needs to be close
enough to the characters that they can contact them without any trouble.
There isn’t a PI office and a receptionist available, so proximity is how
they’ll usually interact with the characters. The location should be nearby,
so there aren’t any special visits to a prison on the outskirts of town or
traveling to the border to stop someone from crossing.
Once all the elements have been decided, ask the following question.
Which character are they going to approach, and why does that char-
acter care?
A group of people sit down to play ‘We Used To Be Friends’. Kate,
Daniel, Jonathan, Eric, and Jeanne have their characters, but they
need to come up with an Episode mystery for the session. They start
with the Crime, which Eric says should be extortion. Someone is
trying to get someone else to do something that they don’t want to
do. Daniel suggests that Nadia Shah, the student body president, is
the one being extorted, and it’s a video of her and her girlfriend Julie
making out. If Nadia doesn’t push for some changes, that video will
go to her parents and out her to people from whom she wants to
keep her sexuality a secret. Jonathan says that Julie is the Client, she
wants to help Nadia even though Nadia just wants to do whatever
the person wants and hopes they go away. Eric suggests that the loca-
tion is Julie’s bedroom, which is where the video was shot and the
first suspect is tricky, but Kate says that it should be Eric’s character,
Gia, who is the first suspect. Eric laughs and agrees. Jeanne suggests
that Julie approaches her because Jeanne is on the student council
and the extortionist is demanding Nadia to do things that Jeanne is
fighting against.
THE PILOT
When you do the Pilot episode of your game, you may want to start with
two possible suspects. It can take a lot of time to build your city and come
up with your characters, so that may not leave a lot of time for building a
satisfying mystery. Usually it doesn’t have more than two suspects. If you
have two, you can have a multi-directional pull.
Of course, you don’t have just to do this in the Pilot. If you feel it would
be good to have two suspects in an episode mystery, or even all the
possible suspects fleshed out, then go for it. The best example of that is
when something gets stolen and it had to have been someone in the room
because no one else came in, and no one left.
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The Personal Mystery

Every Yearbook Profile comes equipped with a few personal mysteries
with which each player can use to start the game. A Personal Mystery is
unique to each player, and while anyone can play a clue on any mystery,
the character must reach out to another character in order to get help.
This allows any characters who aren’t really involved in the episode
mystery to get a chance to build their own scenes and take part in the
episode even if they aren’t really pushing the plot towards its resolution.
It also provides a great break in the action if things seem to be moving
too quickly and you want to take a breather without going to a commer-
cial break.
A Personal Mystery already has a Client and a Victim, that’s the character
themselves. This is something that they want to uncover themselves. The
Crime is outlined in what they want to uncover, and it should be personal
to them. Do they want to find out where their parent’s money really is
coming from? Do they want to be the one to expose some infidelity? Is
there something bad that happened to them and they want to understand
what happened? Do they have a missing family member who has recently
vanished, or just returned? There is a little more leeway in what you can
call a mystery because there isn’t really a set time-frame for a Personal
Mystery. When you solve it, it provides you with a little bit of growth and
a way to shape and uncover things and reveal them to the other players,
but it doesn’t signal the end of anything.
Daniel looks at his Plotter Profile and sees that there’s a Personal
Mystery that involves one of his step-parents cheating on his actual
parent and that he’ll expose them for the good of the family. He
said that his character is looking into his step-father who is clearly
cheating on his mom.
A QUICK NOTE
Look, one of the crimes I didn’t mention was rape. That’s because it
could be a difficult topic for someone at the table. There are a lot of diffi-
cult emotions and feelings about rape. Using it, especially if you haven’t
discussed it with everyone ahead of time, is often an unpleasant surprise
and will severely affect them and the fun that they’re going to have. This
is a game where everyone needs to work together to make an exceptional
story, and you need to respect the limits of others. This respect is more
important than any sort of “creative license” you might feel.
My suggestion is defaulting to leaving rape as a “mystery” to be solved
off the table. Remember that everyone is here to have an enjoyable time.
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Interactions
Interactions are mechanical ways that the characters interact with
each other, with the mystery, and with the game. Because We Used To
Be Friends is collaborative, the system has to do some of that lifting to
make it easier on the players. Each player should keep track of their own
personal Interactions, and the group needs to keep track of the larger
story Interactions that take place.
Interaction come in two types: Clues and Conditions.
CLUES
Clues are the lifeblood of a mystery. They’re what’s left behind, the trail of
crumbs that the detectives use to figure out what happened. They can be
objects, pieces of information, eyewitness testimony, means, or moti-
vations that you can place on various suspects during the investigation.
Every character can find clues when they use their Gumshoe move, but
certain playbooks do more with clues than others. No matter what, every
Profile can solve crimes.
Clues are tangible because they need to tie back into the mystery, but the
question is always which mystery. There has to be some definition to it. It
may be a doctor’s file, or a photo of the scene of the crime, or a speeding
ticket. What that clue means and who it’s associated with waits until you
make the move called Putting It All Together.
It’s important to remember that clues drive the fiction. It’s how the
mystery is revealed. When they are tied to the fiction, they need to be
tied securely.
You can use Clues in the following ways.
To Further the Case Against a Suspect in a Mystery

You find a clue, and it helps you figure out that a suspect is more likely to
be guilty than innocent. When you Put It All Together (page XX), you
should explain how the clue fits with what’s going on and why you’re
placing it on that Suspect. You can use it on your Episode Mystery, or
you can use a clue to solve your Personal Mystery. It’s up to you on what
you think is important at that point in time. You might not care too much
about the Episode Mystery, so spend your time working on your Personal
Mystery. That’s fine, just remember that the end of the session only
happens when the Episode Mystery is solved.
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To Find a New Suspect in a Mystery

Creating a new suspect might seem counterintuitive, but the more
complex the mystery, the more rewards there are for solving it. You also
get rewards by making the mystery a little more complex. Whoever
places the clue is the one who gets this benefit.
The First Suspect is part of the creation of the mystery and no rewards
are given.
The Second Suspect gives the person who creates it 1XP
The Third Suspect gives the person who created it 1 Clue to use on their
Personal Mystery
The Fourth Suspect gives the person who created it 1 Clue to use on the
Episode Mystery
The Fifth Suspect gives the person who created it a lot of dirty looks
from the other players.
You can create more than 3 additional suspects, but there’s no extra
benefit from doing so. There comes a point in time when a mystery is too
convoluted, and it gets out of hand. You want to try to find the sweet spot
between a satisfying mystery and one too hard to solve.
To Solve a Mystery
Solving a mystery requires a final Clue to be placed on the suspect. How
many clues lead to a final one depends on what type of mystery it is, and
how many people are playing. When the last Clue is placed, you finish
your scene where you get to have the big reveal. You get to talk about
how the mystery all came together, and how the clues all fit properly.
That’s your dénouement, and part of that means getting some rewards
for solving the crime. Depending on the mystery, there is a distinct set
of questions. Each one has a mandatory question, and the list itself isn’t
exhaustive so if you think of better questions that you want answers to,
then go for it. These questions should be difficult and create as much
drama as they possibly can.
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Clues and the Use Thereof

When you get a Clue, while it’s abstract, it doesn’t mean that it’s not
linked to anything. The other question is who gets to place the Clue,
because if you discover something and don’t have a chance to bring it up
to anyone else, then it doesn’t make sense that another character gets to
place the Clue.
That means when a Clue is discovered you have to decide if it’s a private
or a public one. A private Clue is the type a character discovers when
they’re on their own, or when they have a realization that they don’t
want to share with the others. A public Clue is discovered by more than
two people, and quickly becomes common knowledge among the group.
It could get out and become something that everyone knows; rumors
spread quickly and viciously, but the default is that only the characters
know what’s going on.
A private Clue can be made public at any time the character wants. They
could disclose it at an opportune moment, or it could be discovered by
another character. Public Clues do not return to a private status at any
point in the game. Once a secret or a piece of information is out there, it’s
out there; for better or worse.
How to Abstract Clues

What we discovered can be difficult sometimes, is how to abstract clues
so that they can be used for any suspect. The situation might feel like
the Clue can only be applied to particular people, or that it can only go
a certain way. Regardless, there’s always a way to abstract the Clue back
one or two steps to make it possibly apply to more than one potential
suspect.
Pulling Back the Details

The first method of abstraction is to pull all the information back a step at
a time. If you are hacking someone’s computer, or searching their locker,
and you find something, it feels instinctual to make it about them. In
this case, it’s better to just focus on the object that was found rather than
make any immediate connection.
If you feel like you need to have some connection to make it easier to
place, you can always provide some context as to where the Clue was
found. That way you can remember where it was, and how it might
be easier to associate it to a suspect when the time comes to put it all
together.
Sparrow was left behind, and he starts rummaging through Emma’s
room. Emma is a suspect in the blackmail case, and Sparrow can’t
let this opportunity by. He finds a Clue, and Daegan who is playing
Sparrow decides that it’s a card from the Victim to Emma.
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Amber says that maybe it’s too specific and says what if it’s just a
birthday card. Daegan wants to add that they found it in Emma’s
room so that they remember some details, and everyone is okay with
that, so they add the clue “Birthday card found in Emma’s room.”
Fill up the Space with Other Suspects

If you have a Clue that feels like a square peg that you want to place in a
round hole, you can fill the space with another suspect. Where there is
space to make a connection, you can put the suspect in there. Make the
Cue about them, it just happened to be in the other suspect’s possession.
Then you can ask the Question, during the mystery or afterwards, why
they had it. Where they another Victim looking for answers? Where they
trying to set up their own scheme?
Later on, Amber’s character, Brenda, makes a Putting It All
Together move, and uses the Birthday card found in Emma’s
room. Amber wants to use it on a different suspect, Bradley. When
she places the Clue, Amber says it’s a Birthday card from Bradley’s
birthday last year. It’s where they humiliated a whole pile of younger
kids including the one that wound up missing.
It may feel like it’s a very tenuous connection, but a Clue doesn’t have
to always paint the Suspect with a thick brush. It can also direct further
information towards them. It can establish a connection to future clues,
or other parts of the mystery like the location of the suspect, rather than
help establish a level of guilt.
Link it to a Personal Mystery

If a Clue doesn’t seem to fit, maybe the focus is too much on one type of
mystery. Feel free to add it to a Personal Mystery. That way it can feel like
a character’s own mystery is tied up in what’s going on and makes solving
them a little more organic to the story, than something you can do only
when you don’t feel like you’re a part of the episode.
What Does a Clue do in the Fiction

With all the talk about how everything ties to the fiction, and that the
fiction ties to everything, how do Clues fit into the fiction? The type of
Clue is important to figure out how it applies to the fiction, but when in
the mystery is just as important. As the previous section explained, not
every Clue needs to be the smoking gun that clearly links a Suspect to the
mystery. Some of them hint at it, some of them place connections, and
the closer you get to the final Clue the stronger those fictional connec-
tions should be.
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Things a Clue can be About

Circumstantial evidence is evidence that creates a connection without
conclusively proving it. It creates a Suspect, and that’s the ideal time
to make that link. When you create a suspect, it’s far better to use the
first clue as a circumstantial tie into the mystery. It’s something that
hints at their involvement without screaming that they’re the ones who
committed the crime.
The character finds a clue, which is a fancy necklace with a charm on
the end, when they go to investigate the crime scene. Right now, they
don’t know what it means but because it’s a clue it means something.
Later, someone places the clue and creates a new Suspect. Edward
says that’s his and asks where you got it because he lost it and can’t
remember where it was. The players put the Clue on Edward and the
characters start asking him questions about the party last night.
Beyond circumstantial evidence, the major answers to trying to figure
out crimes are finding the motive, the method, and the opportunity to
commit the crime for the suspect. Effective clues should link the suspect
with the parts of the mystery that the players determined at the begin-
ning of the game to try to come up with those answers. Using a Clue to
place a Suspect at the location of the Crime will help provide a strong
link. Same thing if you have a clue that links the suspect to the Victim,
because it can provide you with a good motive as to why the Suspect
might have committed the Crime. The method, that’s what you tend to
want to save for the end, because the method is what links everything
together. A strong method to commit the Crime placed on a Suspect will
really drive home the idea that they are guilty.
That said, you don’t have to be correct. One of the questions you can
answer in the aftershocks is What doesn’t feel right about the case?
The answer could be that while you “placed” enough clues on the Suspect
it doesn’t feel right that they did it. Everyone at the table can use that to
create drama for the characters. What happens when you end up falsely
accusing someone? What is the fallout for them, and for the people
around them? These are questions that can come up repeatedly during
the game if you want it to.
Clues are a rewarding, and difficult part of the game. The goal is to try to
make them as broad as possible, but sometimes that’s difficult enough
that you might get stuck. As with everything do what you can to make
it useful to as many suspects as possible, but don’t worry so much that it
stops the flow of play. Sometimes you just end up with more clues than
you needed, and they can end up being ideas for future mysteries down
the road.
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Special Rules
Because this game is collaborative, there are a few extra rules that will get
referenced that you need to be aware of.
No Two Moves In a Row

Because anyone can make a move in a scene, the way to help limit a
character who might be hogging the scene is to say that if there is more
than one player character in a scene, no character can make two moves
in a row. That means if one character is the one who finds a clue, another
character might have to be the one that puts it all together in order to
place that clue in the same scene.
If you feel that you really need to have a character do two moves in a row,
that means the scene ends on a cliffhanger.
A cliffhanger happens when the scene ends on a note that leaves the
danger or the result uncertain. When it happens, a character who made
the move that caused the cliffhanger -- as well as any other characters
who are also in the scene -- are put in a dangerous or compromising
situation. Someone could show up who has been threatening the players,
and find them in a spot where help would be a long way away. It could be
someone they don’t like catching them in a compromising position. They
could get some information that is embarrassing or difficult to deal with.
If this is a TV show, this is where the music would swell and then cut to
the to next scene.
Resolving a scene after a cliffhanger means that you have to deal with the
outcome of the cliffhanger. That will usually take its own move to resolve
and then if something else needs to be done then it will probably lead to
another cliffhanger. This can happen because whoever ends up resolving
the mystery ends up getting the benefits of it, which means that some-
times you want to race to get the clues associated with the appropriate
suspects.
What if I want to have a cut scene afterwards, where we just keep going on
with the mystery without having to deal with the fallout?
This is possible, but you have to take two conditions to explain how you
got away. This can be dangerous because if you end up getting Taken Out
then you’ll end up in a worse spot than you were before. Of course, some-
times that makes it more interesting.
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CONDITIONS
There is no “damage” in We Used To Be Friends. People can still die,
harmful stuff can still happen, but damage and death aren’t the focus.
Instead of a set of numbers, characters gain conditions. Conditions are
words, or phrases that get attached to your character and will affect them
when they make sense to do so in the fiction. They’re removed when a
character uses the move Open Up or when everyone agrees that they no
longer apply because the fiction surrounding the character has changed
enough to remove the condition.
Remember, everything ties back to the fiction.
It’s important to remember that the fiction also dictates when you can
use one or more Conditions. Each Condition applies a -1 to your roll. For
example, if you character is trying to physically intimidate someone else,
but they’ve got a Condition called bruised black and blue? Then you’re
going to be a -1 to the roll. You’ll get -1 for each Condition you have that
applies to the situation. That means if you were bruised black and blue
and publicly humiliated then you might be at a -2 to a roll, but if you
have bruised black and blue and broken camera then you’re only going
to apply a -1 to the roll. Don’t try to force Conditions on a situation. A -1
is a big deal, a -2 is an even bigger deal, -3 should never happen, ever.
When a Condition gets attached, it falls into one of three distinct catego-
ries:
• Physical
• Emotional
• Social
Physical Conditions are the things you can see to you or your stuff.
Black eyes, smashed-in headlights or even something simple, like a
soot-covered face, are all Conditions that you can get depending on the
situation. If it affects physical stuff, then it’s a Physical Condition.
Emotional Conditions are the ones that hurt you in your feelings. Being
abandoned, being terrified, or intimidated are all emotional conditions. If
it’s something you’re going to feel, possible for years to come, then it’s an
Emotional Condition.
Social Conditions are placed on you when people see you differently. If
you’ve got a reputation for being a tough guy but get outed as a softie,
your threats aren’t going to have the same impact as they did before you
were exposed. Social climbing and falling, public perceptions, gossip and
rumors are all Social Conditions that your character can receive.
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How Much Punishment Can I Take?

There are only so many Conditions your character can take before they
get Taken Out. She can take 3 of a single type or have 1 Condition in
all three types. Once that happens, she’s Taken Out. That means the
maximum amount of Conditions a character can have at one time is four
(4). No matter how you organize and plan your conditions, as soon as
that fifth condition is attached, your character is going to be Taken Out
one way or another.
Taken Out
When you’re taken out of a scene, it doesn’t mean that you’re dead. It
means that you immediately go to a cliffhanger where something bad
happens to your character: They get kidnapped by the Irish gang at the
bar. They get beaten up by group of friends looking for revenge. They get
caught and dragged to the police station in handcuffs. They become a
Suspect in the mystery, either with a Clue to their name, or because the
police are watching them.
The consequences shouldn’t be pretty. However, all your Conditions reset
to a single one that most applies to your current situation. What came
before doesn’t really matter anymore… because everything just got worse.
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TRAITS
Traits are abstract ideas that help describe and define the limits of a
character. How they react, how they look, how perceptive they are, are all
defined through these Traits. Each Yearbook Profile has five Traits, and
two different tracks that allow the players some choice in how they want
their character to act.
Choosing which track is important because it focuses on different Traits.
Each trait is important and will define how the characters get into trouble.
EYES: If you need to be aware of something, then EYES is what you’re
going to need. This ranges from picking up on clues that were left behind,
reading a witness’ body language, or even picking apart someone’s weak
spot before jabbing with your taser buzzing in your fist. If you want a
character who is going to pick up on all the details, then you’re going to
need a good set of EYES.
RASH: There is a time for thinking, a time for plotting, and a time for
saying screw that and just doing what needs to get done. When you’re
acting without thinking, that’s using RASH. This is a trait for people who
don’t like thinking, they just want to grab what they need and go. They
can overwhelm the opposition with their aggression or pick up clues by
grabbing what they can and going. If you want a character who is way
less interested in talking, and far more interested in doing, then you’re
going to want to be RASH.
HARD: Feelings, bah. You can’t let feelings get in the way of doing what
you need to do. Feelings just make you hesitate and end up getting you
hurt. When you need to compartmentalize what’s going on, you end up
sounding HARD. People who don’t get it are just jealous. You can do
what needs to be done, regardless of what it might be.
SOFT: Everyone has needs, hopes, and dreams even if they don’t want to
admit it. You’re SOFT on those kinds of people, because you know that
they just can’t see what they really need. That’s what this skill is about,
understanding your feelings, and the feelings of everyone around them.
You know that people can’t exist on their drive for revenge, or their need
to self-destruct. There needs to be more to life than just that.
BODY: Everyone can get physical. If things aren’t hard for you to accom-
plish, then that means you have enough BODY to get the job done. This
is very much something about the physicality of your character and has
nothing to do with their looks.
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BASIC MOVES
There are five basic Moves. Everyone in a mystery story has access to
these. They will describe what fictional action triggers it, and what results
you get depending on what you roll. What’s different in is that during
character creation you will decide which Moves trigger with which
specific Trait. Each Trait can only be assigned to a single Move, which
means your character is going to be doing a few moves regardless of what
you decide their starting traits are.
As a reminder, Moves all break down into the best result (achieved on
rolling a 10+), a good result with a cost (achieved on rolling a 7-9), and
a cost (achieved on rolling a 6 or less). As a cooperative game, it’s up to
the group to decide on the bad thing that happens to your character. This
is one of the ways you can have fun, putting your character in dangerous
predicaments and seeing how they manage to get out of it.
The following moves will have some examples of how they will work if
you tie them to a particular trait. That will give you some idea of how the
two work together.
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Gumshoe
Whenever you’re looking for information, Roll+Trait.
On a 10+ you bank 2 Clues and ask 1 Question of the situation.
On a 7-9, you choose one: bank 1 Clue, ask 1 Question, or bank 1 Clue
and ask 1 Question but get a cliffhanger.
On a 6- you still bank 1 Clue but you’re going to get a cliffhanger.
You may ask one of the following questions. You may spend more banked
clues to ask more questions if you want. The rest of the group can answer
these questions.
• Who should I talk to next?
• What am I missing here?
• When is something bad going to happen?
• Where does this lead me?
• Why should I care about this?
HOW GUMSHOE WORKS WITH TRAITS

EYES: You’re good at noticing the little details. It’s the small things that
you’ll notice in a room, or in how people are reacting. Small bits like the
way a collar is turned, to a hint of lipstick on a letter, or the way someone’s
eyes keep shifting. You’re going to notice the tiny details.
RASH: You’ll pick things up quickly, things that are forced out of people
or access to places that you shouldn’t be. You push, and push, and push,
and prod, and find out what you need.
HARD: You’ll do unpleasant things to get clues. The kind of stuff that would
make people’s stomach turn. You’ll dig in places like sewers and storm
drains. Reach into whatever garbage is there to find out what you need.
Say mean things that you know will get a reaction, all for the greater good.
SOFT: You get things from people by understanding the emotions behind
things. You’re good at getting people to hand stuff over, even things that
they know that they probably shouldn’t … but you’ve got just such a
trusting face.
BODY: This is when you get physical. Reaching in hard-to-get places,
hiding out in small, tight, cramped locations to get what you need. Finding
things where other people can’t look is how you get your BODY involved.
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Putting It All Together

Whenever you want to use a clue to help solve a mystery, Roll+Trait.
On a 10+, you may place 2 Clues on a single Suspect or split 2 Clues
between 2 Suspects. If you have fewer than 2 Clues, you may place a Clue
and bank a Clue.
On a 7-9 you get to place a Clue, and everyone collaborates to either
place a Clue on a different Suspect or move a clue from one Suspect to
another.
On a 6- the other players collaborate to place a Clue on a different
Suspect, and you get a cliffhanger.
HOW PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

WORKS WITH TRAITS
EYES: You see connections where the clues link up. You understand the
little things are the ties that bind, and you can suss out all sorts of connec-
tions that other people miss. That’s your strength and how you’re going to
solve the mystery.
RASH: You get ‘a-ha’ moments. You’re too busy running around to put
things together, so they’re all percolating in the back of your mind. Then,
BANG, you’ve got the understanding. Others might view these connec-
tions as leaps of logic, but you just got a gut feeling about this.
HARD: You make the connections that no one else wants to make. You
know how to put together clues that point at loved ones, grieving widows,
and sad children. No one likes it, but that means that you’re needed,
because the people who seem the most innocent often have the most to
hide.
SOFT: There are connections and clues between people. You’re more
likely to understand what those connections are, and what drives people
to commit crimes. Motive and opportunities are what you tend to see first.
Personal secrets are things that you’re particularly good at ferreting out.
BODY: You need to make it physical. You’re all about the maps, and the
charts. You put things out there, and then the start to make sense. You
understand that things need a tangible and physical connection for them
to make sense.
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Open Up
When you connect with someone by revealing something personal,
Roll+Trait.
On a 10+ choose 2 from the first list and 1 from the second list. You can
choose the same thing twice.
On a 7-9, choose 1 from the first list, and 2 from the second list. You can’t
choose the same thing twice.
List One:
• They comfort you and you remove a Condition
• They listen to you and a NPC will do what you want short of
confessing to a crime.
• They listen to you and you can ask a PC to do what you want, if
they choose to, they get 1 XP
• They understand you and they become a Better Friend
• They work something out with you; bank 1 Clue
List Two:
• You reveal something too personal, and you get a cliffhanger
• You say something offensive, and hurt their feelings
• They tell you what they want from you
• You say something that makes a problem worse
• They don’t like what they hear, and they become a Worse Friend
HOW OPEN UP WORKS WITH TRAITS

EYES: You’ll talk about things that tend to be piercing. You won’t cover a
wide range of topics, but you’ll go in deep and be able to make a connec-
tion on a specific issue. Of course, you may give up more information than
you wanted, but sometimes you’ve got to do that to let things off your
chest.
RASH: You blurt things out, things that you might have been holding inside
for a long time. You connect with people through your energy, and your
fearlessness when it comes to telling people how you feel. There may be
blocks, you may not be the first one to say anything, but what you do say
is incredibly meaningful.
SOFT: You connect with people. You understand emotions and are willing
to talk about them with people. Not just your own, you know that other
people need to speak. You’re genuine, you’re honest. Even if you aren’t,
that’s how you come across.
HARD: When you talk with people, the things you talk about leave them
breathless. There’s a lot of hard topics, and you don’t shy away from any
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of them. People know that if they talk to you, they’re going to get the truth
no matter how painful it ends up being.
BODY: You connect through touch. A hand on the shoulder, a hug here.
Physical contact is what allows you to feel connected. It doesn’t have to
be sexual, though it often is, using your BODY to make a connection just
seems right to you.
And Action
Whenever you act where there’s any immediate danger, Roll+Trait.
On a 10+ you get to act with and pick 3 of the following options. On a
7-9, you pick 2:
• You deal with the danger in a way that gives you an advantage
• You don’t have to end the scene with a cliffhanger
• You don’t take a Condition.
HOW AND ACTION WORKS WITH TRAITS

EYES: You notice how to avoid the danger. You see it coming from a mile
away and can prepare and deflect it intelligently. You’ve got a plan, and
you will implement it in the best way possible.
RASH: You take the road less travelled. You act in ways that are unex-
pected. They left that door unguarded because there’s a chance you’d
break your neck crossing that beam. You get the first move in, because
they were busy talking. Whatever you do, you do it with the least regard to
your personal safety.
HARD: You take the difficult road. You’ll do dark and dirty deeds to deal
with the situation, and make sure that it’s dealt with fast. You don’t take
risks, but you don’t shy away from making hard decisions when it comes
to getting out of the way. You’ll throw other people to the wolves if it means
you’ll get out.
SOFT: You deal with dangerous situations, by dealing with the people in
those situations. You’ll know what they’re looking for and either make sure
they get what they want, or that they get what they think they want. It all
depends on what outcome you want.
BODY: Sometimes it’s all about endurance. Knowing that you’re capable
of taking a shot or two to make your escape opens up worlds of oppor-
tunities that those who don’t want to deal with a boo-boo ignore. Or you
can be particularly tiny and fit into places that aid in your escape. What
matters is that you can physically do it.
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Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!

When you want to hurt someone physically, emotionally, or socially,
Roll+Trait.
On a 10+ choose one: you give them 2 Conditions of one type, you give
them 1 Condition on two different types, get 1 Clue from them.
On a 7-9 you give them 1 Condition of one type, but they choose 1: they
make a someone a Worse Friend; they get 1 Clue from you; they give you
1 Condition of one type; they give you a cliffhanger.
HOW FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! WORKS WITH TRAITS:

EYES: You see where people’s weaknesses are. Others may throw
haymakers, or a volume of blows, but you are the master of precision.
Either with sniping words, or the perfect blow that will end things in a
single punch. That’s how you fight.
RASH: All or nothing. You go into fights, verbal or physical, with reckless
abandon like a berserker of old. You don’t think, you just do and if people
are hurt in the blast then they probably shouldn’t stand so close to ground
zero.
HARD: You don’t want to end the fight today, you want to end the fight
tomorrow. You’re brutal when it comes to hurting others because you
know it’s the only way to make sure that you won’t have to deal with this
in the future. The best defense isn’t a good offense, the best defense is to
lay your opponent to waste.
SOFT: It might not sound like something you would use to Fight! Fight!
Fight! but when you fight with SOFT, you’re the quiet one. The one who
whispers something devastating into someone’s ear, something personal
that would kill them to get out. You know everyone’s weakness, even if it
means going after the ones that they love.
BODY: You’ve got the physical skills to get what you need done. If it’s a
personal attack, then you have the evidence on hand in case someone
demands proof. If you’re punching someone in the face, then you’re strong
enough, or quick enough, or whatever is physically the right thing to get
the job done.
These five Moves cover the basic ground that is needed in a mystery story.
Finding out clues, getting in and out of danger, talking with witnesses,
taking people down, and solving mysteries. Beyond these five basic
moves, each Profile will have their own moves. These are outlined in their
profile and help define what make that character special.
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FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC
Friendships and relationships are a major part of the game. Player
Characters, as well as NPCs will come and go into the character’s lives,
and their relationships will change. Sometimes the fiction will drive this
change, other times it’s going to be an option in a Move that someone
makes.
Each Profile has sections for various types of friendships, and a number
that lists the maximum amount of characters who can fit with those
friendships. Some will have more good friends, and rivals, while others
make enemies left and right. Each friendship has its own associated
Move that you may choose to bring into play. with various numbers avail-
able at each level. This is the total amount of friendship spaces available.
The spaces used are important because the fewer spaces used, the more
intense the relationship is and the higher bonus you roll when you make
a move. To determine what the bonus is it’s +3–the number of friend
spaces used, to a minimum of 0.
If a space is all full, and you want to bring in a new character in that type
of friendship, the new name replaces an old name in that friendship. If
you can only have 2 good friends, and both of those spaces are full, you
must replace one of the current good friends with the new good friend
you want to have.
Best Friend
Every Profile has a Best Friend move that is unique to the Profile. You can
only use this with or on your best friend, depending on what the text says,
and there’s usually some XP involved in using it.
Who you consider your Best Friend is different. You write it in at the
beginning of the game, and at the end of each episode you can look at
who you consider your Best Friend and change it. Best Friends aren’t
always reciprocal either. Just because you consider someone to be your
Best Friend, doesn’t mean that they think that of you.
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Enemies
There are people you just can’t stand, and the feeling is mutual. You hate
them, and you don’t mind going out of your way a little bit if it will ruin them.
Enemy Move
Whenever you interact with your enemy, Roll+Enemy.
On a 10+, choose 2 bonuses, and 1 situation.
On a 7-9, choose 1 bonus, and 2 situations
Bonus
• Take +1 forward if you confront them about something they’ve done
• Take +1 forward if you attack them
• Take +1 forward if you interrupt their immediate plans
Situation
• They start a fight
• They get you in trouble
• The invalidate a clue on the suspect with the most clues
• They embarrass you in public
• You have an emotional moment and change your relationship
Rivals
These are the in-between people. You may have some personal animosity,
but you can put that aside for the greater good to achieve a goal. Once
that goal is out of the way, you can go back to wondering how you’re
going to beat them because you know that they’re feeling the same thing.
Rival Move
When you interact with your Rival, Roll+Rival.
On a 10+, you choose either 1 bonus, or 2 bonuses and 1 situation.
On a 7-9, you choose 1 bonus and 1 situation.
Bonus
• Take +1 forward if you challenge them
• Take +1 forward if you boast about defeating them at something
in the past
• Take +1 forward if you defend someone else in their presence
Situation
• They challenge you at something new
• They do something to get back at you for a previous loss
• They talk about how they defeated you at something in the past
• You find a new enemy to unite against and change your status
33
Acquaintances
These are the people you know, but not really. You recognize them, you know
their names, but you won’t have deep meaningful conversations with them.
Acquaintance Move
When you interact with your Acquaintance, Roll+Acquaintance.
On a 10+, you choose either 1 bonus, or 2 bonuses and 1 situation.
On a 7-9, you choose 1 bonus and 1 situation.
Bonus
• Get +1 forward if you help them with a problem
• Get +1 forward if you defend them from an attack
• Get +1 forward if you ask them for a favor
• Have a moment and make them a Good Friend
Situation
• Make a problem they had worse
• Get dragged into a problem that they had
• Remind the characters of a favor owed
• Do something that makes your relationship worse
Good Friends
You might only have one Best Friend, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t
have a lot of good friends. Good Friends are the people you want to hang
out with, your circle of friends that you can call if you need help, and in
return you’ll drop what you can to help them. They’re like your chosen
family, with all the wonderful messiness that entails.
Good Friend Move

When you interact with your Good Friend, Roll+Good Friend.
On a 10+, you choose 2 bonuses and 1 situation.
On a 7-9, you choose 1 bonus and 2 situations.
Bonus
• Get +1 forward if you notice they are having a problem
• Get +1 forward if you defend them from someone more powerful
• Get +1 forward if you stop doing something to go help them
• Get +1 forward if they defend you from an attack
Situation
• Take on their problem as your own
• Hurt their feelings
• Create a new problem for the both of you
• Make a problem they had worse
jonathan lavallee
34
35
Yearbook
Profiles
When choosing your Yearbook Profile, don’t feel that you need to “cover
all your bases.” Each Profile has their own way to solve mysteries. The
game doesn’t require the Hard Boiled to work.
The Hard Boiled

You’ve been on the receiving end of bad news one too many times that
it’s made you tough, strong, and a bit vengeful. You find solace in making
those who have hurt others, pay. Get tough. Get even.
The Sidekick
You’re that nice person that’s always there. The one people rely on when
they need a favor. You smile, and you do it knowing that this could lead
to trouble. But they’ve been there for you when you really needed it.
Besides, you can always learn a thing or two.
The Delinquent
Your life hasn’t been the kindest, despite any advantages you may have. It
looks like you’re acting out but really, you’re just running until you hit the
thing that stops you, and if it kills you then so be it. It’s better than falling
backwards into oblivion.
The Socialite
Everything has been handed to you because of your status. Friends,
money, opportunity has never been too far from your grasp. How do you
plan to use it? For the benefit of others? Or to hide your sins? Or both, as
the need strikes you.
The Tech Geek

You know the difference between variations of Linux because you think
it’s fun. You love poking around and making things, because that’s
your ticket out of here. People might make fun of you, but they’ll come
running when they need anything fixed.
jonathan lavallee
36
THE HARD BOILED

You’ve been on the receiving end of bad news one too many times that
it’s made you tough, strong, and a bit vengeful. You find solace in making
those that have hurt others pay. Your motto is get tough; get even.
Traits
Choose your Traits:
EYES: +1 RASH: -1 HARD: +2 SOFT: 0 BODY: +1
EYES: +2 RASH: +1 HARD: +1 SOFT: -1 BODY: 0
Hard Boiled Moves

These are all the moves you get as the Hard Boiled. You get to choose
one (1).
¤¤HIT ‘EM FAST, MAKE ‘EM UNCOMFORTABLE
When you fast talk your way into some information, a place, or past
someone, Roll+EYES.
On a 10+ choose 1. You get through and bank a Clue, or you get the info
you need and bank 2 Clues.
On a 7-9, choose 1 and get a Cliffhanger. You get through, or you bank a
Clue.
¤¤GET MAD, GET EVEN
You can use HARD with any basic Move. However, you have to choose
1: you make a Friendship Worse, you take a Condition, or you get a
cliffhanger.
¤¤3RD DEGREE
When you talk to a suspect about the mystery, Roll+EYES.
On a 10+ you bank 2 Clues that you must immediately place on 2
different Suspects.
On a 7-9, you bank 1 Clue that you must immediately place on a new
Suspect if possible, or a current Suspect if not possible.
Intimacy Move
Intimacy is kind of a big deal for you, you get vulnerable in ways that you
aren’t completely comfortable with. It’s a touching moment, and you can
both make your Relationship Better. However, this doesn’t mean you
can’t do some sleuthing. Bank 1 Clue; 2 Clues if the person you were
intimate with is a Suspect.
37
Best Friend
Your Best Friend is ___________________________. If they do you a favor,
they get +1 forward when doing anything in regard to fulfilling favor. If
they complete the favor you gain 1 XP.
Other Friendships
Enemies 3 Someone ruined someone’s life, how?
Rivals 2
Acquaintances 2 There was some help in a sticky situation, what was it?
Good Friends 1
Personal Growth
You have to stay busy; putting the bad folks away is what allows you to
sleep at night. Whenever you solve a mystery, you get 1XP. When you get
5 XP, you can choose one from the following list.
¤¤¤ Gain +1 EYES (Max +3)

¤¤¤ Gain +1 RASH (Max +3)
¤¤¤ Gain +1 HARD (Max +3)
¤¤¤ Gain +1 SOFT (Max +3)
¤¤¤ Gain +1 BODY (Max +3)
¤¤¤ Gain a Hard Boiled Move
¤¤ Gain a Move from Another Case File
¤¤ Switch the Traits you have associated with two basic Moves
¤¤ Add a friendship slot
Personal Mysteries
My Best Friend vanished, and no one else seems to care. I’m going to find
them.
Is my [parent] really my biological [parent]?
Mystery Responsibilities
Primary: People. You’re going to be in charge of the human element of
a mystery. You’ll help come up with who the Victim is, who the Client is
going to be, and who the first Suspect is going to be.
Secondary: Problems. Crime and danger are what you get to play with.
When coming up with mysteries, what the Crime is falls in your hands.
If there’s a situation where you need to come up with a danger, then it’s
going to fall to you.
jonathan lavallee
38
THE SIDEKICK
You’re that nice person that’s always there. The one people rely on when
they need a favor. You smile, and you do it knowing that this could lead
to trouble. But they’ve been there for you when you really needed it.
Besides, you can always learn a thing or two.
Traits
Choose your Traits:
EYES: +1 RASH: 0 HARD: -1 SOFT: +2 BODY: +1
EYES: 0 RASH: 0 HARD: -1 SOFT: +2 BODY: +2
Sidekick Moves
These are all the moves you get as the Sidekick. You get to choose one of
them.
¤¤THOSE ARE CALLED DIMES
When you help someone investigate their personal mystery, Roll+-
SOFT.
On a 10+ pick two: you let them bank a Clue, you let them place a Clue,
or they get +1 forward on their next scene.
On a 7-9, pick one and either take a Condition, or get a cliffhanger.
¤¤THE BEDROCK UPON WHICH OUR
FRIENDSHIP IS FOUNDED
When you do a favor for your Best Friend, gain 1 XP. You can gain XP
once per episode.
¤¤YOU CAN’T TAKE THE COOL OUT OF ME
When you want to fit in, Roll+SOFT.
On a 10+ you fit in and no one will bother you, and you can add
someone as an Acquaintance.
On a 7-9 you fit in, but either someone will bother you, or you create a
problem for someone.
Intimacy Move
You’re such a nice person, everyone likes you so much. When you are
intimate with someone any characters who like this person loses a Condi-
tion. The people who hate this person gain a Condition. You included.
39
Best Friend
Your Best Friend is _________________________. You can remove all
Conditions of a single type from your bff if they change the nature of a
relationship of your choosing to the level of your choosing.
Other Friendships
Enemies 1
Rivals 2 Someone resents a friendship you have.
Acquaintances 2
Good Friends 3 What secret do you know from your good friend?
Personal Growth
You’re all about helping others. You get XP when your Best Friend solves
a mystery. When you get 5 XP, you can choose one from the following
list.
¤¤¤ Gain a Sidekick Move
Personal Mysteries
You moved recently, and your parent is secretive as to why.
Someone is trying to hurt a sibling of yours, but they won’t say who or
why.
Mystery Responsibilities
Primary: People. You’re going to be in charge of the human element of
a mystery. You’ll help come up with who the Victim is, who the Client is
going to be, and who the first Suspect is going to be.
Secondary: Places. Not only the where, but what obstacles that might be
present in the mystery, or in the scene.
jonathan lavallee
40
THE DELINQUENT
Your life hasn’t been the kindest, despite any advantages you may have. It
looks like you’re acting out but really, you’re just running until you hit the
thing that stops you, and if it kills you then so be it. It’s better than falling
backwards into oblivion.
Traits
Choose your Traits:
EYES: +1 RASH: +2 HARD: 0 SOFT: -1 BODY: +1
EYES: -1 RASH: +1 HARD: +1 SOFT: 0 BODY: +2
Delinquent Moves
Here are all the moves that come with being a Delinquent, you start with
one of them.
¤¤WHAT’S SO GREAT ABOUT LIVING?
When you get a Condition, you may gain another Condition to bank 1
Clue or gain 1 XP. You can only gain XP like this once per episode.
¤¤LOOK, THERE WAS A STRING ATTACHED...
When someone tries to make you do something, Roll+RASH.
On a 10+ You may say no, and they’ll back down. Bank 1 Clue.
On a 7-9, You can so no, and they’ll back down, but you get a Condition
or they become a Worse Friend.
¤¤I’M UP ALL NIGHT, JUST THINKING ABOUT MYSELF
If you want to turn someone on by doing something dangerous,
Roll+BODY.
On a 10+, They choose to give themselves to you, or promise something
they think you want, and you choose one from the list
On 7-9, They choose to give themselves to you, or promise something
they think you want, or they let you choose one from the list:
• Carry +1 forward against them
• Change your friendship with them
• A Clue
Intimacy Move
Woof. Your code word is endurance. If you are intimate with someone,
and you’re a Suspect in a mystery you can remove a Clue token attached
to your name and give it to the person you just slept with.
41
Best Friend
Your Best Friend is ________________________. If your Best Friend gets
in trouble or gains a Condition, you can take that trouble or Condition
on yourself and gain 1 XP. You gain XP like this once per episode.
Other Friendships
Enemies 3 You hate someone for past wrongs. Have you told
them why?
Rivals 1
Acquaintances 2
Good Friends 1 Someone looks up to you, why?
Personal Growth
You don’t really grow as much as you survive. You get 1XP whenever
you’re a Suspect in any mystery except your personal mystery. When you
get 5 XP, you can choose one from the following list.

¤¤¤ Gain a Delinquent Move
Personal Mystery
One of your parents died, but you think that there is a chance that they
might still be alive.
You’ve been framed for a crime, who is doing it and why?
Mystery Responsibility
Primary: Problems. Crime and danger are what you get to play with.
When coming up with mysteries, what the Crime is falls in your hands.
If there’s a situation where you need to come up with a danger, then it’s
going to fall to you.
Secondary: People. You’re going to be in charge of the human element
of a mystery. You’ll help come up with who the Victim is, who the Client
is going to be, and who the first Suspect is going to be.
jonathan lavallee
42
THE SOCIALITE
Everything has been handed to you because of your status. Friends,
money, opportunity has never been too far from your grasp. How do you
plan to use it? For the benefit of others? Or to hide your sins? Or both, as
the need strikes you.
Traits
Choose your Traits:
EYES: -1 RASH: +1 HARD: +1 SOFT: +2 BODY: 0
EYES: 0 RASH: -1 HARD: +1 SOFT: +2 BODY: +1
Socialite Moves
Here are all the moves that come with being a Socialite, you start with
one of them.
¤¤STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT
You ignore aNy -1 forward penalties from Social Conditions. You’re
amazing, and everyone loves you. However, Social Conditions still count
for you being Taken Out.
¤¤BIGGEST NAME IN TOWN
When someone tries to make a Move against you, you may give them
-1 forward to the Move because your family is that important. If you do,
give them 1XP.
¤¤YOU’VE BEEN LISTENING TO RADIOHEAD, HAVEN’T YOU?
Whenever you want get intimate with someone by lowering your
emotional barriers, Roll+SOFT.
On a 10+, choose one from the list, and they either choose to either give
themselves to you, or promise something they think you want.
On 7-9, They choose to give themselves to you, or promise something
they think you want, or they let you choose one from the list:
• Carry +1 forward against them
• Change your friendship with them
• A Clue
Intimacy Move
Intimacy with you is great, but really complicated. It’s very nice, but
things tend happen to the people you are intimate with. When you are
intimate with someone, remove a Physical Condition, but you give them
a Social or Emotional Condition.
43
Best Friend
Your Best Friend is ___________________________. If you’re in a scene
with them, you can gain a Condition to stop them from getting Taken
Out. If you get Taken Out this way, gain 1XP.
Other Friendships
Enemies 1 Someone hates you for your family.
Rivals 1
Acquaintances 3 You’re friends with an ex, is it really over?
Good Friends 3
Personal Growth
If someone targets you and gives you a Condition the course of an
episode, gain 1XP. Like anything else, you need to wait for another
episode before you gain XP. When you get 5 XP, you can choose one
from the following list.
¤¤¤ Gain a Socialite Move
Personal Mystery
Your parents are keeping a secret from you, and you need to know what
it is.
One of your exes kept trying to call child services, and you don’t know
why, but you want to help.
Primary: Place. You’re all about where things are taking place. Not only
the where, but what obstacles that might be present in the mystery, or in
the scene.
Secondary: People. You’re going to be in charge of the human element
of a mystery. You’ll help come up with who the Victim is, who the Client
is going to be, and who the first Suspect is going to be.
jonathan lavallee
44
THE TECH GEEK

You know the difference between variations of Linux because you think
it’s fun. You love poking around and making things, because that’s
your ticket out of here. People might make fun of you, but they’ll come
running when they need anything fixed.
Traits
Choose your Traits:
EYES: +2 RASH: 0 HARD: -1 SOFT: +2 BODY: -1
EYES: +2 RASH: +1 HARD: -1 SOFT: 0 BODY: -1
Tech Geek Moves

Here are all the moves that come with being a Tech Geek, you start with
two of them.
¤¤RESPECT THE PROCESS
When you provide a piece of tech, Roll+EYES.
On a 10+ you’ve got the thing you need. You can either use it or give it to
someone else to make them a Better Friend.
On a 7-9 you can get it, but it’s going to cost you something. You can
pay the cost and use it, or you can make someone a Worse Friend and
make them pay for it.
¤¤ONLINE TEST RESULTS
When you use a computer to get information, Roll+EYES.
On a 10+ choose two: you get a Clue, you can change a relationship,
you place a Clue.
On a 7-9, choose one, and get a cliffhanger.
¤¤‘SLUTTY’ IS YOUR WORD CHOICE. MINE WAS ‘WORLDLY’
When you ask someone for help, Roll+SOFT.
On a 10+ they will help you, and you choose two: you get 1 Clue, you
improve your relationship with them, you recover 1 Condition.
On a 7-9 they will help you, choose one and the other person can
change their relationship with you.
Intimacy Move
You’re unlucky in love. The first time you use this move, you gain 1XP.
The second time you use this move, you get an Emotional Condition but
you get a Clue for it… if that’s a fair exchange. Then you switch back and
forth between these two results.
45
Best Friend
Your Best Friend is ____________________________. When you want to give your BF
a clue, Roll+EYES. On a 10+ you give them the Clue they need, and they get to place it
where they want. On a 7-9, you just give them a Clue or let them place a private Clue.
Other Friendships
Enemies 1 Who was the person who picked on you a lot?
Rivals 1
Acquaintances 5 Name someone who comes to you for IT work.
Good Friends 1
Personal Growth
Gain 1XP when you provide technological help. When you get 5 XP, you can choose
one from the following list.

¤¤¤ Gain a Tech Geek Move
Personal Mystery
You family is weird. Clearly you have to have been a changeling. Find the truth about
your real parents.
Someone has been hacking into some sensitive websites you’ve set up; you’re going to
find out who.
Primary: Problem. Crime and danger are what you get to play with. When coming up
with mysteries, what the Crime is falls in your hands. If there’s a situation where you
need to come up with a danger, then it’s going to fall to you.
Secondary: Place. You’re all about where things are taking place. Not only the where,
but what obstacles that might be present in the mystery, or in the scene.
jonathan lavallee

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we used to be friends (ashcan edition) is © 2018 johnathan lavalee. all rights

“I feel like I’m in a scene from the Outsiders.”

-Veronica Mars, “The Pilot”

Play to Find Out What Happens!

Address the Action to the Characters,

Tie Everything to the Fiction

Leave Blank Spaces

Normal is the New Watchword

Be a Bigger Fan of the Story

Treat the NPCs Like Crooks

Information Comes at a Cost

Sometimes You Don’t Have to Make the Call

Step 1. Choose your Yearbook Profile

Step 2. Build your City

There Goes the Neighborhood

High School Confidential

Where you Live

Name it, Place it.

What are the Elements of a Mystery?

The Client (Responsibility–People): This is the person who brings the

What are the Levels of Mystery?

The Episode Mystery

The Personal Mystery

To Further the Case Against a Suspect in a Mystery

To Find a New Suspect in a Mystery

Clues and the Use Thereof

How to Abstract Clues

Pulling Back the Details

Fill up the Space with Other Suspects

Link it to a Personal Mystery

What Does a Clue do in the Fiction

Things a Clue can be About

No Two Moves In a Row

How Much Punishment Can I Take?

HOW GUMSHOE WORKS WITH TRAITS

Putting It All Together

HOW PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

HOW OPEN UP WORKS WITH TRAITS

HOW AND ACTION WORKS WITH TRAITS

Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!

HOW FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! WORKS WITH TRAITS:

Good Friend Move

The Hard Boiled

The Tech Geek

THE HARD BOILED

Hard Boiled Moves

¤¤¤ Gain +1 EYES (Max +3)

¤¤¤ Gain +1 EYES (Max +3)

THE TECH GEEK

Tech Geek Moves

¤¤¤ Gain +1 EYES (Max +3)

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