Bast and Mouse

This is a new lawn game inspired by the lore trial about the Bast Curse. Through tag-like chasing, one bast converts mice into basts by snagging mousetails. New basts then help out the original bast in the pursuit of the mice. The bast with the most mousetails wins.

Players: 4 - 25, ages 6+

Material: socks (one less than the number of people playing)

Setup: As a group, agree upon your boundaries - choose each to identify ones like treelines, hills, etc. Choose a space larege or small enough to accomodate your group. Identify the oldest player - he or she is the first bast. Everyone except the bast tucks a sock into their back pocket or waistline (as you would in flag football). The bast stands about 10 feet from the group of mice, somewhere near the middle of the play area. On your mark - get set - go!

Playing: The bast runs around trying to pull off and collect micetails (i.e. socks) from his or her opponents. Once a mouse's tail has been pulled off, she or he is now also a bast and must run around trying to pull off and collect mousetails. Once there is only one mouse left standing - or when the last mouse has been "basted" - the round ends. The bast who collected the most mousetails is the bastiest. The last mouse standing is the first bast in the next round. Play until one player has been the bastiest 3 times. This player is the champion!

Documentation: Take photos or video during the setup. Be sure to display your family crest somewhere visible during the game and record it during documentation (tip - for added "fun" appeal, draw wiskers on your faces so you look more like cats and mice). If you have someone with you not playing, they can document the chase. If you do not have an extra person with you, just be sure to document the before and after. Also consider letting your digital camera record a short video clip from a safe distance or setting your camera timer just before the "on your mark get set go!" Post your documentation somewhere like youtube or flickr with the tag "lgfl" where Taylor and I can access it (or send it to me via email if you do not participate in those sites).

Evaluation: Answer the following questions: (1) was the game fun? why/why not? (2) was the game fair? why/why not? (3) what did players and spectators think about the game? (4) what sensations did you experience when you were playing the game? Rewrite the rules and game description to make it (1) more clear and (2) more suited for the afterlife.

Receiving your loyalty points and the challenge piece: To redeem your loyalty points, send your documentation (as links or attachments) and your evaluation to me (anna dot ravelo at g mail dot com). The depth and quality of your documentation and evaluation do not impact the loyalty award. Loyalty does not judge. But do bear in mind that your documentation and evaluation will be seen by the public at large in the afterlife.

To play this game, you must dedicate SMARTS points, on a sliding scale based on your family's standing in the extended family (1st place: 50, 2nd place: 40, 3rd place: 25, 4th place: 10). When you complete playing, documenting, and evaluating the game, your family will earn 65 LOYALTY points.

1st place family: 80

1st place family: 50