TheScholarsGame

Source: http://talesofagm.com/?p=397

Also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexicon_(game) .

The rules on this page are primarily Philmagpie's version, which generates 26 entries, A to Z, including footnotes on each entry by all scholars.

For a version that does not include footnotes, but includes A to Z from each scholar, see the Lexicon rules plus variants here: http://www.twistedconfessions.com/confessional/index.php?n=Lexicon.HomePage

The Twisted Confessions rules have a game's pages interact via citations of previous entries rather than writing footnotes, while avoiding citing your own entries.

The rules for DeepCourtAndHighCourt differ slightly regarding Categories of main entries. DeepCourtAndHighCourt also has a number of seed entries and scholar characters created by the organizer to shape the initial setting.

Philmagpie's rules:

The Game

Each player takes on the role of a scholar writing about a related set of places, times, events, and concepts which are of general interest but are open to multiple interpretations and perspectives.

Example premise (from Twisted Confessions, op. cit. above):

Before the game is started, the player hosting the particular Lexicon should set the general subject - being preferably vague, but giving enough guidance that the players don't start on nothing. "You are all scholars arguing about how the Void Ghost Rebellion led to the overthrow of the theocracy and the establishment of the Third Republic." What that theocracy entailed, or what happened to the first two republics, or what the Void Ghost Rebellion is, are all unknown - they are named specifically to evoke a mood and inspire the other players' creativity.

Each scholar should have a name, a biographical note, a personality evident in the scholar's writing style, and a perspective on the subjects of the game.

Players take it in turns to compose an alphabetical series of entries, writing in the voice of their scholar.

On their Main Turn, the Players create a Main Entry for the next letter in the series, following the Main Entry Rules.

The other Players each then create a Footnote disputing the Main Entry, following the Footnote Rules.

Once each Player has composed a Footnote, then a new Player creates a Main Entry, and the game rolls on.

Main Entry Rules

• Approx 100 words about a topic that begins with the appropriate letter
• Must follow the ABC Rules
• Must follow Subject Rules

• Approx 50 words that disputes, refutes or otherwise disagrees with the content of the Main Entry
• Must follow the ABC rules

• A = entry must feature subject matter that begins with the appropriate letter in the alphabetical sequence of Entries
• B = entry must cite a subject that begins with a letter LATER in the alphabetical sequence
• C = entry must cite a subject that begins with a letter EARLIER in the alphabetical sequence AND that has been previously referenced in another entry OR forms a previous Main Entry.

When to use the ABC Rules:

• Entries 1-5 (A-E) need only follow Rules A & B
• Entries 6-21 (F-U) need to follow Rules A, B & C
• Entries 22-26 (V-Z) need only follow Rules A & C

An EARLIER reference under Rule C may either be an existing Main Entry page written by a different author, or a PhantomPage referred to in a previous Main Entry page.

Subject Rules

Four categories of Subject matter are recognized for Entries;

1. People
2. Objects
3. Places
4. Ideas or Abstracts

1. No more than TWO Main Entries in the alphabetical sequence may be about the same subject category.
2. A Scholar may not write consecutive Main Entries about the same subject category, looking at their previous Entry, NOT just the alphabetical sequence.
3. A Scholar is required to write at least one Main Entry about each of the subject categories during the game.

As preferred by the GM, but it is best if the Main Entry & Footnotes form a single page.

Timeframe

As required, but a fast turnaround is recommended. Ideally, you want two or three Main Entries each week, if not more. Negotiate a suitable creation speed with the Players.

To speed the process, you can decide that so long as the previous Main Entry has at least one Footnote, then the next Main Entry can be created.

Tags: CategoryRules