The Name Game

Responses welcome, especially playtest reports.

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Pick a name.

But first, divide into at least 2 teams and choose one person to be Paragon.

Pick a name. It could be someone famous, or infamous. Someone rich, or powerful. Someone good, or great. Someone who exemplifies a virtue. Someone you know. Maybe even someone here.

Brainstorm, then vote. If tied after a runoff, Paper, Rock, Scissors for it.

Now make up as many words as you can, using only the letters in the chosen name.

Keep track of every one's contribution by writing down the words and initialing which came from who. You might need a recorder if the group is big enough. If so, just make columns for each person's contribution, recorder.

You might add tension by having a time limit--say three minutes?--to come up with as words as you can. The paragon should act as timekeeper if you've time limits.

Don't forget to keep track of how many words each person made. Each word you made counts as a point for you.


Now create a master word list with all the words made so far.

The paragon will now arrange the words in order of likeness to the chosen name.

In teams, in secret, arrange the words in like manner, attempting to mimic the paragon's choices.

You might add tension by having a time limit--say two minutes?--or even just when the paragon is finished--to arrange the words as close to the paragon's list as possible. The paragon should act as timekeeper if you've time limits.

Compare the lists. Two items in the same order made a sequence. Every sequence a team made that matches the paragon's list counts for n-1 points, where n is the number of terms in the sequence.

Sum up team points, and declare the winning team.

Sum up individual points and team points, and declare the winning individual(s).

The winning person chooses the next name. The winning team nominates the next paragon.

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Example of Play

[Insert example of play here when you decide to become professional, Will.]

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Description

Team and individual game, requires one moderator.
Play for points, in ~10 minute rounds.
Setup ~5 minutes per round.

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Summary

Pick teams, paragon. Agree on time limits.

Pick name. Make words out of that name.

Make lists. Match sequences for team points.

Record winners of the round.

Kiwi!

High points:

0. Tuba music @ .02-1.22 = Marveloso!

1. Physics @ .31 = Yay for pulleys and friction.

2. ? @ .58 = Where does the hammer come from, again?

3. He has aviator goggles @ 2.05-2.10 = The goggles, they do nothing.

4. Wings @ 2.05-2.28? = The glory of futility.

5. Tears of joy @ 2.19

Goodnight, kiwi.

Lent 1 Saturday

The cock crowed again, and several of the Irishmen cried, 'Mac na h'Oighe slan.'

'What do the say?' asked Jack, tuning to Stephen.

‘Hail to the Virgin's Son,' said Stephen. ‘We say that in Ireland, when we hear the first cockcrow of the day, so that if we meet a sudden death before the day is out , we may also meet with grace.

(O'Brian, Patrick. The Fortune of War, Chapter Nine.)


I have loved the Aubrey-Maturin seafaring novels of Patrick O'Brian since our first acquiantance, which must have been these couple or three years now. I love the superstition above. If I might quibble regarding the self interested, ungenerous theology, the object of the hail at least is dear.

Crown Him the virgin's Son
The God incarnate born
Whose arm those crimson trophies won
Which now His brow adorn

As well, I have great affection for Crowm Him With Many Crowns, the hymn by Bridges, and later, Thring. I hadn't the foggiest notion before googling "Hail to the Virgin's Son" that one of the stanzas of the old hymn referenced the Mother of God, the Christbearer.

I do wonder what the crimson trophies are that his arm won,--is suffering a crown?

Crown Him the Son of God
Before the worlds began
And ye who tread where He hath trod
Crown Him the Son of man
Who every grief hath known
That wrings the human breast
And takes and bears them for His own
That all in Him may rest

The appeal to Jesus' dominion, to the coming of his kingdom, I rarely have heard so directly expressed. Perhaps I do not attend well. Like most hymns, I take more from reading it than singing it.

The "son of man." How absurdly evocative.

Best,