-Waving Hands for Duel Purpose-
A hand game by Richard Bartle.
A number of years ago, Richard Bartle published a zine called Sauce of the Nile.
One feature I particularly liked was the rules for new games which he produced.
One game appealed to me more than the others but it never seemed to achieve the fame it deserved.
Since then Richard has rewritten some of its rules and has tried to have it produced commercially but, as his proposed publishers have been using delaying tactics for some time now, he has given me permission to reprint the game.
The original name of the game was Spellbinder but, as that name has been used in a commercial game since Richard thought of it, he told me to think up some other name.
The game is a rarity as it can be classed as a fairy game which is totally dependent upon skill!
🤚👋👆👌👏
Introduction
This is a game concerning the imaginary conflict between two powerful wizards in a duel of sorcery.
The two opponents perform magical gestures with their hands to create their supernatural weapons - spells.
Some spells are so potent as to be able to blind a man, call forth terrifying creatures, or even kill the unfortunate victim instantly. Consequently, each wizard must rely on his own cunning to be able to time enough defensive spells to avoid the brunt of his adversary's attack, yet deliver sufficient offensive spells of his own to crack the magical armour of his opponent, and kill the wizard outright.
The game is an attempt to capture the spirit of such a battle in as simple yet exciting way as possible.
The only equipment needed is pencil, paper and opponent.
Time taken varies between 15 - 30 minutes.
The inventor wishes to state that he has never been involved in a magical duel but would be interested to discover how realistic the game is for those who have been involved in such a bout.
🤚👋👆👌👏
The Turn
Each turn both player's will write down in secret the directions for their wizards and the monsters under their wizards control.
After both players have written their directions for this turn, the moves are revealed at the same time and dealt with as if the actions specified therein occur simultaneously.
Certain spells may alter these circumstances.
For example, you don't get to see all of your opponent's moves if their wizard is invisible.
Each turn a player's wizard can either gesture with their hands to weave part of a spell, stab with their knife, or do nothing.
They use both hands and each hand can act independently or in concord with the other.
Monsters will obey their master's commands exactly.
Monster's may change hands (as it were) as a result of enchantment.
From that point on the monster's attacks are directed by the new master.
Monsters may make a single attack each turn against a target chosen by their master or they may spend the turn doing nothing.
Monsters may attack on the turn in which they are summoned.
Monsters are untrained, unintelligent creatures and can neither gesture nor cast spells.
Players personally acquainted with monsters who wish to vouch for their ability to cast spells are requested to keep quiet.
🤚👋👆👌👏
Gestures
Spells are created by strings of gestures made with the hands. There are five single-handed gestures:
the wiggled fingers (F)
the proferred palm (P)
the snap (S)
the wave (W)
the digit pointing (D)
There is one two-handed gesture: the clap (C). Both hands must be specified as clapping in the same turn for this gesture to be valid.
There also two non-gestures:
stab (stab)
nothing ( )
The abbreviation for each gesture (or non-gesture) is used when specifing directions for the turn.
Spells are cast using an ordered series of gestures.
A list of spells and the gestures used to cast them is given in the final section.
For example, three wiggling finger gestures on consecutive turns (noted as F-F-F) evokes a paralysis spell.
The uniqueness of the game, however, is that a single gesture in more than one series and, hence, can be used to cast more than one spell.
Gestures may be used in multiple series provided that:
1. The gestures have been made in the correct sequence without interruption.
2. No more than one spell is created per gesture.
3. All gestures for one spell are made with the same hand.
For instance, the left hand could cast the F-F-F above.
In the following four turns the left hand could gesture (S-S-D-D) to finish off a fireball spell since the last five gestures would then be (F-S-S-D-D).
Another alternative is to simply perform another (F) for a second paralysis spell, as the last three gestures are still (F-F-F). If spells are used in a wise manner and frequently overlap, the overall number of gestures needed to cast them can be cut dramatically.
If a gesture can be construed to create two or more spells then the caster chooses which one to cast.
For example, the last two gestures of a finger of death are the same as missile, yet only on odd occasions would the latter spell be chosen in preference to the former.
Another example of the one-spell-per-gesture concept is the following:
Right hand: P P W S Last 4 gestures form invisibility
Left hand: W W W S Last 3 gestures form counter-spell
The trouble here is the invisibility spell needs both hands to perform certain gestures.
However, since the final S of the left hand cannot be used to cast two spells, it is clear that a choice must be made between the W-W-S of the counter-spell and the P-P-(w-(s of the invisibility.
Here and in the rest of the document an open parenthesis, followed by a lowercase letter, denotes a gesture to be performed with both hands simultaneously. E.g. (w denotes a W by each hand.