The Barmaid's Tale

The Barmaid's Tale takes place in the Ratcatcher's Rest, one of Tinderbox's more colorful establishments, and features a game known to the locals as "Pass the Buck".

The game is introduced via a story a barmaid at the Ratcatchers relates in an interview, in an obvious parody of "The Canterbury Tales". The account details the exploits of a hapless party of adventurers returning to Tinderbox to face their patron after a failed quest. Needing to set an example, but realizing that even bad help is hard to find, their benefactor decides that only one of them will be held accountable. But whose fault was it? It's at this point that the players step in to, well, pass the buck.

The Barmaid's Tale is a simple ten-minute social strategy game of blame and bribery for 4-6 players.