Sunday, September 5, 2021

Trials of the Discerning

"Captain! We're listing!"
"Captain! The waves are rising!"
"We have to make landfall! Captain! Captain!"
"If you knew the true nature of those islands as I do, you would think your lives cheap to avoid them. No ship I command will ever make for the Boardgame Islands."
The timbers creaked, groaned, and began to split, and even veteran sailors lost their footing on the ocean-washed deck. At last the captain of the Wise Salmon submitted to his crew's entreaties and ordered a course to seek salvation at the mysterious islands few had ever seen.

"Hey Captain, this place is great! There are boardgames scattered all over for us to play, and sandwiches and orange juice next to them for our convenience. What's the problem?"
"The problem, Mr. Winton, is that because of the eccentricities of the currents in this region, only badly designed games wash ashore here. Look at Mr. Sendsgate over there as he runs a rousing game of Moonbound. Mr. Vendale won that game twenty minutes ago, but it will continue for another twenty. If not more."
"Maybe so, Captain, but is that so bad?"
"They waste time! It will take those sailors days to learn the proper rules for Fire and Sand. And they steal attention from games with better balance and easier to understand rules. Truly, these islands are a trap and a punishment for the careless."
"I see. Well, I'm off to play, sir."
Captain Sternwright nodded and sent Mr. Winton on the way, while he maintained his vigil and thought of how much more fun he could be having in the parlors on the continent.
Finis

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