How It Works — Lantern & Ink
A mystery filed, read, and kept.
Each Lantern & Ink case is a self-contained printable investigation — structured like a literary object, solved through its evidence alone.
The Process
From file to verdict.
Download & Print
Each case is delivered as a print-ready PDF. Print at home or at a copy shop — US Letter and A4 formats are included for every case.
Read the Opening File
The player case file introduces the scenario, the setting, and the characters. It reads like a literary document, not an instruction sheet.
Examine the Evidence
Letters, dossiers, timetables, and artefacts are arranged as physical documents. Every item is a designed piece of evidence, not a game token.
Form a Theory
Annotate freely. Cross-reference names, times, and inconsistencies. The case does not guide you — it trusts your reading.
Reach a Verdict
When you are confident, consult the facilitator guide. The solution is explained through the logic of the evidence alone — nothing arrives from outside the file.
Keep the Case
A solved case is still a designed object. The files are made to last — to be filed, displayed, or passed on.
Contents
What every case contains.
Player Case File
The document the solver reads. Contains the opening scenario, suspect sheets, and all evidence.
Facilitator Guide
The complete solution logic. Used after the case is solved, or by a host running the case for a group.
Evidence Set
Designed documents — letters, telegrams, receipts, reports — formatted as if they belong to the story world.
Print Formats
Every case ships as US Letter and A4 PDFs, in English and Arabic where available.
Ready to begin?
Browse the archive.
Three cases are currently filed.