Talking Stones
Talking Stones Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- About 300 stones
- A bag for storing the stones
- Motif lists for preparing your cards (the annex of 75 cards to print and cut out)
- An hourglass (about 2 minutes)
- A die
Setup
Before your first game, prepare at least 16 cards (more if you have time), using the list of motifs attached to these rules. You can of course invent other cards with other motifs. Simply make sure each card gives a sequence of 6 motifs, each preceded by a number from 1 to 6. A first card has been prepared as an example.
Another possible system: the player whose turn it is names a number from 1 to 65 that has not yet been named during the game, then looks at the motif list written under the chosen number on the annex sheet.
Note: the source text gives the range as 1 to 65, but the annex prints cards numbered 1 to 75 (75 cards in total). Transcribed as printed; see the annex note below.
Before playing:
- Form a pile of stones in the middle of the table.
- Shuffle your cards and create a draw pile.
- Place the die and the hourglass next to the draw pile.
The youngest player begins. Play then proceeds clockwise.
Playing the Game
The player whose turn it is is the STONE MASTER (Maître des Pierres). They draw the first card, roll the die, and secretly read the motif that corresponds to the number rolled on the die (a 3 on the die = motif 3).
As soon as they touch the stones, another player turns the hourglass over and the round begins.
The Stone Master shapes the pile of stones to show the motif they want the others to guess. They may use all of the stones or only some of them. They may take them one by one, shape the whole heap, or work with groups of stones.
The Stone Master may not speak or make any sign, on pain of immediately losing their turn. They may not point, form letters, or indicate in any way a part of what they have modelled. No indicating sign (an arrow, for example) is allowed.
The other players try to identify the motif shown by naming what they think it is. The Stone Master may not react to what they hear by saying "it's almost that". The only time they speak is to say "Got it!" (gagné !), because they have just heard the exact name written on the card.
Scoring
As soon as a player names the motif exactly, the Stone Master stops shaping and confirms the player's answer. The player who guessed correctly and the Stone Master each receive one point, that is, one stone. Players keep the stones they have won, well away from the central pile.
If there is still time, the round is not over!
If the sand has not completely run out, the Stone Master may tackle a second, or even a third, motif. They must take the next number on their card (after motif 3 comes 4; after motif 6 comes 1). Skilled players may even attempt a fourth or fifth motif.
Passing
Any player who has at least one stone may pass, either their turn or a motif on a card. To pass, they must pay one stone they already own and return it to the central pile.
Examples:
- Jean must represent motif 3, which he finds too difficult. He pays one stone and moves on to motif 4.
- Marie is modelling motif 2. She still has time left... Mars [sic] wants to move on immediately to motif 4. She pays one stone to pass motif 3.
- Luc, for one reason or another, does not want to play. He pays one stone... and the next player takes over.
End of a Round
The hourglass shows that the available time has run out. One player watches the sand running down and calls "stop". The next player takes a card and a new round begins.
End of the Game
Before any game, decide on the number of rounds to be played. For example, with 3 or 4 players each player is Stone Master four times. With 5 or 6 players, three times. Or with 7 to 8 players, twice.
When all the rounds have been played, the number of stones each player has acquired determines the winner. There may be several winners.
Tips
- Remember that it is possible to model an object from different points of view: from the front, from the side, or from above.
- Stones can be used to make lines, surfaces, or relief.
- Since you may not use indicating signs to draw attention to part of your model, make a general model... then, beside it, a second one that repeats just the part you want to draw attention to.
- With children, allow more time and permit the use of arrows.
Have fun!
Motif Annex (Cards 1 to 75)
The annex prints 75 numbered cards, each listing six motifs numbered 1 to 6. Card labels and motif numbers are transcribed as printed, and the motifs are rendered in English. The printed sheet has a few label errors, marked in the list rather than corrected: the fifth card is printed "6" (so "6" appears twice, for the fifth and sixth cards); the fifteenth card is printed "16" (so "16" appears twice); the 46th card is printed "44" (so "44" appears twice); and two motif entries are printed "8" where a 6 would be expected (card 44, motif 6, and card 52, motif 6).
Cards 1 to 25
- 1: 1 bow tie · 2 drop · 3 rooster · 4 microphone · 5 tent · 6 rail
- 2: 1 jellyfish · 2 scissors · 3 helicopter · 4 mosquito · 5 tobacco · 6 Italy
- 3: 1 hourglass · 2 ice cream · 3 Africa · 4 purée · 5 flag · 6 oar
- 4: 1 clothes peg · 2 bridge · 3 lid · 4 catalogue · 5 veranda · 6 barrel
- 6 (fifth card, printed "6"): 1 scarf · 2 tower · 3 ladybird · 4 hair · 5 stalagmite · 6 gallows
- 6: 1 lighthouse · 2 beaver · 3 carriage · 4 bald head · 5 ice skate · 6 bed
- 7: 1 elephant · 2 locomotive · 3 Australia · 4 percolator · 5 pharaoh · 6 chair
- 8: 1 skateboard · 2 church · 3 glasses · 4 fish · 5 suitcase · 6 fence
- 9: 1 backpack · 2 kangaroo · 3 magnifying glass · 4 antenna · 5 rifle · 6 eyelash
- 10: 1 hinge · 2 teddy bear · 3 arrow · 4 hot-air balloon · 5 conductor · 6 bishop (fou)
- 11: 1 magic wand · 2 skull · 3 aquarium · 4 giraffe · 5 lightning · 6 binoculars
- 12: 1 hammock · 2 test tube · 3 dachshund · 4 guitar · 5 labyrinth · 6 bread
Cards 26 to 50
- 26: 1 statue · 2 mustard · 3 scarecrow · 4 duck · 5 house · 6 salt
- 27: 1 spring (water) · 2 tablet · 3 ribs · 4 octopus · 5 sweet · 6 shield
- 28: 1 bin · 2 ring · 3 boot · 4 alarm · 5 squirrel · 6 computer
- 29: 1 swimming pool · 2 beak · 3 dagger · 4 sandwich · 5 crow · 6 grape
- 30: 1 knight · 2 valley · 3 eagle · 4 television · 5 brawl · 6 umbrella
- 31: 1 crown · 2 hand · 3 tap · 4 mushroom · 5 rainbow · 6 frog
- 32: 1 stool · 2 penguin · 3 key · 4 painting · 5 lawnmower · 6 sailboat
- 33: 1 pear · 2 snow · 3 fork · 4 racket · 5 dog · 6 needle
- 34: 1 jug · 2 dragonfly · 3 parcel · 4 sock · 5 cannon · 6 mirror
- 35: 1 dromedary · 2 bus stop · 3 juicer · 4 egg · 5 star · 6 watermelon
- 36: 1 toe · 2 tram · 3 parrot · 4 tree · 5 wire fence · 6 ladder
- 37: 1 harp · 2 pistol · 3 tongue · 4 centipede · 5 puppet · 6 sugar
- 38: 1 mouse · 2 target · 3 forest · 4 totem · 5 witch · 6 wall
Cards 51 to 75
- 51: 1 eyebrow · 2 shelf · 3 springboard · 4 apron · 5 globe · 6 crossroads
- 52: 1 compass · 2 canoe · 3 butterfly · 4 island · 5 brick · 6 lampshade (printed "8")
- 53: 1 cactus · 2 rhinoceros · 3 fireplace · 4 devil · 5 chain · 6 treetop
- 54: 1 trunk · 2 horseshoe · 3 cow · 4 Eiffel Tower · 5 slipper · 6 steering wheel
- 55: 1 loudspeaker · 2 compass · 3 ambulance · 4 rat · 5 goal · 6 soap
- 56: 1 toilet · 2 watch · 3 hairdryer · 4 bell · 5 seagull · 6 church candle
- 57: 1 roof · 2 funnel · 3 buttonhole · 4 finger · 5 whale · 6 rocket
- 58: 1 scales · 2 sheep · 3 heart · 4 paintbrush · 5 sceptre · 6 elastic band
- 59: 1 skeleton · 2 whisk · 3 sewer · 4 shutter · 5 turtle · 6 monster
- 60: 1 radio · 2 firefly · 3 nutcracker · 4 pipe · 5 Pinocchio · 6 meatball
- 61: 1 alarm clock · 2 comb · 3 mussel · 4 mirror · 5 scythe · 6 cat
- 62: 1 jug · 2 castle · 3 mandarin · 4 bus · 5 scorpion · 6 palm tree
- 63: 1 lollipop · 2 treble clef · 3 intestine · 4 leg · 5 dinosaur · 6 turban