Inspired by a game of Death Stakes I played in (Nathan Paoletta kindly posted it on his blog here: Space Opera Death Stakes.) and one I watched (Joao Wins Death Stakes) on the Foundry and my alternative idea for this years Game Chef, I wrote up this little drill/microgame.

The Book of Job

The Book of Job is a simple microgame based on Death Stakes. It is based on the story of Job in the Hebrew Bible, and it is most likely the oldest book in the Bible. The story’s origin can be traced back even further to other cultures. In the book, basically, God allows one of his good buddies, Satan, the adversary, to torment Job.  Job is a righteous pious man who tries to live his life the best he can, helping others to do the same.  He was blessed with seven sons and three daughters, and everyone thought he was a nice guy.  Here’s a wikipedia article about the Book of Job, which is surprisingly good: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Job

Set-Up: For the game, one player takes on the roll of Job. And Satan, being the slacker that he is, has divided up the responsibility of tormenting Job to his demon slacker friends. The rest of the players are these slackers.

Play Goes Like This: Job describes a rosy scene in which he is and which, at least, one something important to him per player is involved.  Like: “On a nice sunny day in my fertile farm fields, I walk among all my sheep.  My sturdy herding stick is in my hand.”

Then Play Goes Like This: Each demon slacker picks one element from the scene and describes something terrible that happens to it. Job cannot personally be touched or hurt. Like: “As Job walks around smiling among his sheep, I use my powers to change the sunny day to a storm, and send lightning down to mote and burn and splinter Job’s sturdy herding stick.”

Then Job Goes: “The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord,” and he describes what Job does because of the terrible something. He then sets a new scene.

How Play Continues: If after awhile, the demons don’t win, they can petition to be able to do mean stuff to Job, and after they petition, they can. The only rule is that they cannot kill Job.

Ending Play Goes Like This:  Just like Death Stakes, play ends in one of three ways.

• A player narrates something lame and everyone knows it. Satan releases that player from the game. Players lose.
• A player narrates something so evil that Job realizes that God wouldn’t do that to a pious person and repents his nonexistent sins and says, “I repent from my sins.” Players win.
• Despite the evils inflicted on Job’s possessions, family, and self, he remains so pious that the players reward him with a visit from God. God restores his wealth, health, and family. Players describe happy happy God gift, and everyone wins.