This leaflet contains the rules for Feast or Famine. These game rules were written by the Harvester, also known as the goddess of death.
Objective
The goal of Feast or Famine is to survive. To do so, prevent starvation of soul and body, and evade the Harvester’s sickle.
Setting up the Game
There is no limit to the number of players, but there must be a minimum of two to start, and at least one game must always be in play.
To begin, choose a playing order. Majority rule will determine the method. If no playing order is agreed upon then all players must accept widespread famine.
Turn of Play
The premise is simple: on each turn, players take turns asking one another, “feast or famine?”
If a player chooses feast, they must offer a part of themselves to the other(s). Any offering is acceptable so long as it has value and rightfully belongs to them. Majority rule determines if an offering has value. Examples include but aren’t limited to memories, teeth, secrets, wedding rings, blood, dreams, or clumps of torn out hair.
If a player chooses famine instead, they cannot accept offerings from other players until after their next turn. Famine also occurs by default if the active player no longer possesses anything of value.
Ending the Game
The game ends when one player remains alive or by majority forfeit. The latter summons the Harvester, her crescent-blade sickle raised and glinting silver.
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Anna Madden lives in North Texas, where the prairie reaches long tallgrass fingers toward the woods. Her fiction has appeared in Medusa Tales, Metaphorosis, Deathcap & Hemlock, and elsewhere. She has an English degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. In free time she gardens, mountain bikes, and makes birch forests out of stained glass. Follow her on Twitter @anna_madden_ or visit her website at annamadden.com.