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Washerwoman

You start knowing that 1 of 2 players is a particular Townsfolk.

Bloodstains on a dinner jacket? No, this is cooking sherry. How careless.

Storyteller cues

First nightShow the Townsfolk character token. Point to both the TOWNSFOLK and WRONG players.

How to run it (Storyteller)

On the first night, show the Washerwoman two player tokens and one role token — one player genuinely holds that Townsfolk role, the other is any other player (ideally someone whose alignment won't trivially out them). The nastiest edge case: if a Spy is in play, you may legally show the Spy as the named Townsfolk, making the real Townsfolk look like the red herring. Watch for accidental confirmation — don't always seat the real Townsfolk in a predictable position between two obviously town-coded players.

How to play

  • Immediate cross-reference: the moment you learn your two players and their claimed role, privately ask both what character they are — one should match your info and that alignment lock is your most valuable early-game anchor.
  • Share early, but strategically: the Washerwoman's information is most useful on day one when it can corroborate or challenge other first-night claims, so announce it publicly rather than sitting on it unless you have a strong reason to delay.
  • Use the negative space: if your confirmed Townsfolk is already publicly claimed and believed, the second player in your pair is not that Townsfolk — file that as soft evidence against them if they later claim something suspicious.
  • Protect your confirmed Townsfolk: if you've verified who the real Townsfolk is, treat them as a strong nomination shield and be ready to vouch for them if they come under pressure — you have direct mechanical backing.
  • Most common mistake: treating both players in your pair as equally confirmed — only one is the named role, and the other could be Minion, Demon, or simply another Townsfolk; never give both a free pass.

How to bluff as the Washerwoman

  • Pick a Townsfolk that is already publicly claimed or easy to corroborate — pointing at a player who legitimately claims that role makes your fake info look clean and impossible to immediately falsify.
  • Name two players where one is a confirmed good player and the other is a fellow evil player — this gives your Imp or Minion ally a thin layer of cover as the 'innocent red herring' in your pair.
  • Avoid naming a player who has already hard-claimed a different role, since a mismatch between your stated Townsfolk and their actual claim surfaces the lie on day one with no recovery window.
  • The main tell: a real Washerwoman can usually verify their information within the first discussion, so if you're bluffing, have a ready explanation for why your 'confirmed' Townsfolk is slow to corroborate — claim they're hiding their role or that you suspect they're the Drunk.

Key interactions

Spy

The Storyteller can legally show the Spy as the named Townsfolk in the Washerwoman's information, meaning the actual Townsfolk in the pair is the red herring and the Spy is the 'confirmed' one. This can send the Washerwoman confidently vouching for a Minion, so if a Spy is suspected in the game, treat your confirmation with appropriate doubt.

Poisoner

A poisoned Washerwoman receives false information on the first night — either a wrong role, wrong players, or a player who doesn't match the role shown. Since the Washerwoman only acts once, a single poison that night corrupts the entirety of their information with no way to recheck it.

Drunk

If the Washerwoman is the Drunk, they believe they have real Townsfolk-confirming information but the Storyteller fed them arbitrary data, making their 'confirmation' potentially point at an evil player or a completely wrong role. Cross-checking your pair against other information sources helps surface whether you might be the Drunk.