Friday February 23, 2007
Book 8: The Sharp End of the Stick — Part V: Dropping The Other Shoe
Note: As anyone who has played Turbingian shells can tell you, keep your hands off the table, and in your pockets where you can keep track of the rest of your valuables.

It's a simple game, really. The pickpocket places something of great value to you (jewelry, currency wad, ident implant [don't ask how he picked THAT off your person]) under one of the shells, along with an exploding bean. He gives you a mallet, then he starts shuffling. You guess by banging on shells. The goal is to pick the two shells your valuables are NOT inside by smashing them flat. If you're wrong, and your valuables were sturdy, you're still screwed because the bean explodes hotly on impact. Oh, and when you took your hands out of your pockets to use the mallet, a member of the audience behind you (the pickpocket's partner) will rob you blind.

For those who think this is a stupid game that they would never consider playing, it's a great alternative to Turbingian 10-chamber pistol-roulette.

Transcript

Commodore Shufgar: Commander Teff, your detail will take the prisoners to Cage Three for transport

Send the rest of the troops home, too.

Commodore Shufgar: Captain Tagon and I will be discussing a few of the finer points of the Turbingian shell-game.
Kevyn: Isn't that the one with the exploding beans?
Commodore Shufgar: Oh, good. You've heard of it.