The Lovers

The day wears on…

We are passing through a deep canyon when we notice flowers strewn over the rocks ahead. Two winding paths of white and blue — daisy and forget-me-not — lead us on between the staggering rocks. Soon the two trails part, climbing opposite walls of the canyon. We see, perched separately on the rocks above, two figures.

The first, a young man in shepherd’s garb, crouches dolefully over his crook. “Once I had a lover,” he sighs. “He loved the smell of chimney smoke. And for all I begged, he would not come to live in the mountains with me. Now I am alone.”

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the canyon, a finely-dressed young gentleman weeps quietly into his silk cravat. “Once, I knew a boy who loved to sleep on the open hillside,” he whispers. “Though I asked him time and time again, he would never settle in the city. Now he is far away, and I am lost.”

Seeing us passing below, the two maudlin figures reach beseechingly down towards us. “Passing travellers!” they cry. “Pray, what news of our love? Tell us of their lives, and we shall reward you.”


The Challenge

Give the Thwarted Lovers news of their lost paramours.

  • Set a timer for two minutes.

  • Take the Lovers card. Face-up, it represents the industrial city. Face-down, it represents the natural wilds.

  • Clockwise starting with the Reader, travellers take it in turns to tell the Lovers something of their paramour. Begin: “Your lover loves…”, then continue to briefly describe something that the relevant lover enjoys. When the Lovers card is face-up, you must speak of the lures of the city. When the Lovers card is face-down, you must speak of the joys of the natural world.

  • When you have said your piece, flip the Lovers card the other way and pass it to your left.

  • The game ends as soon as a traveler fails to come up with a valid answer within five seconds or the timer is up.

For example, if the Lovers card begins face-up, the first traveller might say: “Your lover loves the sound of carriage wheels.” Flipping the card, they then pass it to the traveller on their left. The second traveller might then say: “Your lover loves lying in long grass.” Flipping the card again, they pass it on — and so on.

HELP FROM AN ITEM

If any traveller carries a LOCKET, they may skip their turn once.

Success. If the timer runs out before the first traveller fails, the Challenge is passed.

Failure. If any travellers fail within two minutes, suggest an activity that breaks the immersion of the game, is anachronistic, or not in keeping with the Lovers’ interests — for example, “snogging”, “computer games”, or “the breeze on a summer’s day” when the card is face-up — then the Challenge is failed. 

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If the Challenge is passed, the last traveller to complete a turn wins the Blessing of the Lovers.

If the Challenge is failed, all travellers suffer the Curse of the Lovers. Take this spirit's card and place it in a designated area on the table so everyone can see it. If this is the party's third Curse, click here.

As we speak to them of their long-lost loves, the two young phantoms nod dolefully. “Yes,” they intone softly. “And now I am alone…”

Then, with a sigh, they are both gone.