US1716069A

US1716069A - Story game

Info

Publication number: US1716069A
Application number: US160611A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas A Loayza
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1927-01-12
Filing date: 1927-01-12
Publication date: 1929-06-04
Anticipated expiration: 1946-06-04

Description

June 4, 1929. I

A. LOAYZA STORY GAME Filed Jan. 12, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l 8 V w fl fi 3e; 31 32 3 36 in i u 33 3a 42 June 4, 1929. T. A. LQAYZA 1,716,069

ToRY GAME Filed Jan. 12, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v IIFHIIIIIIIHII IHIIHIHFIFI Llllllllll llll'llllH Ill. 0'

Patented June 4-, i929.

THOMAS A. LOAYZA, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

STORY GAME.

Application filed January 12, 1927. Serial No. 160,611.

My invention is a tile or card game of a story in which, by means of playing the game, the players work out or tell the story forming the foundation of the game.

An object of my invention is a game-which may be played with tiles, cards, or other implements, and in which the game will be founded on some story which may be historical, have a historical foundation, or be purely fictitious. The different players in striving to win the game play their tiles, cards, or other implements, in such manner as to substantially follow the lines of the story.

Another object of my invention is a game which will be amusing and educational which will be partly chance, and also require considerable skill, the greater degree of skill the player attains the less the factor of chance functions in the winning of the game, or 0btaining a high score and high winnings.

Another object is to devise a game in which if a person or side sees they are losing they can minimize their losses and in which the game may be prevented from becoming tedious or in effect a stalemate by limiting the number of rounds which can be played.

Some of the incidental objects of my game are in arranging the players on opposite sides so that they will be substantially equally matched, using a chance device, such as a roulette wheel, with correct indicia to arrange the players; giving the players opportunity to draw an additional number of tiles or cards when certain lucky tiles or cards are drawn and allowing a drawing value for discarding certain of the tiles or cards. The game also embodies allowing a player to have a greater drawing power if he uses certain tiles or cards to aid his opponents; a lesser drawing power if he aids neither his opponents nor his friends and himself; and a still lesser drawing power if he aids his friends and himself.

Another object of my invention is to utilize with the tiles or cards certain manikins such as statuettes or the like which represent some of the essential parties to the story and embodying these in with the playing of the tiles or cards to work out-the story to its proper conclusion.

In theparticular game which is used as an exponent of my invention, and which is designated by the name Khepri, which is an Egyptian word meaning wonder or marvel,

I make use of a story entitled Story of Barnes the Fisherman and His Sweetheart Nefer, and which is based on an ancient Egyptian tale entitled Story of the Shipwrecked Sailor, and which included several features of Egyptian mythology. In connection with the story and a statuette of -Rames and Nefer, I utilize a statuette of a Pharaoh and a Pharaohs messenger, a representation of a house in which Nefer is employed as a servant, tiles indicating certain Pharaohs presents, other tiles representing wedding presents, a series of tiles representing the different castes of Egyptiansociety such as the common or lower castewith their patrons such as the wealthy merchants or aristicrats; the military caste such as soldiers with a general; then the sacerdotal class being priests with their leader a prophet. Together with these are meeting places for the three different castes.

The story of Rames, in brief, is somewhat as follows:

Rames was an Egyptian fisherman who was thought to be lost at sea but who returned on an Egyptian trading vessel coming from distant part-s. He had been absent some seven years and on-his return told many wonderful stories of adventure, of the people of distant lands beyond the rising and the setting sun, and who had acquired the war like attainments of some of the people he had sojourned with and he also was able to tell things of the supernatural and even appeared to have greater knowledge than some of the prophets. Ramess fame spread most rapidly on account of his story telling ability. Some of his stories were probably substantially true stories of his adventures and people among whom he lived during his seven years absence but mostly his stories were probably fiction and were recited from generation to generation as Egyptian f0lklore, some of these tales even antedating the so called one-thousand and one tales of the Arabian Nights entertainments.

Before Rames disappeared he was in love with a young and beautiful girl by the name of Nefer and as he was a prosperous fisherman they were to be married on the return of the voyage on which he was lost. Nefer remained true to him. Although she was of the common or lowest caste, on account of her beauty and charm she had had a number of offers for marriage from men of superior ranging for the wedding festival.

station, but she had refused them all hoping and by intuition feeling that Bames would return.

l/Vhen Rames came back to Egypt there was a great deal made of him by all classes of society, such as the commoners and their patrons the aristocratic people, the military caste, and the priesthood, but he seemed depressed and brood-ed because he could learn nothing of Nefer. However, he at length found that she was a poor girl working as a servant in the household of a wealthy family and he was taken to meet her. They were overjoyed to meet each other and wished to marry but Rames was very poor and the girl was also extremely poor and, according to the custom in Egypt at that time, a marriage could not be properly celebrated without a certain amount of wealth to entertain at the wedding festival. They were, therefore, unable to be immediately married.

How they eventually came to be married is somewhat lost and confused but it appears that people in the different groups or strata of society took an interest in Rames and Nefer and wished to aid their marriage.

The lowest caste or common people wished to help them on account of Rames and Nefer springing from their own caste. They were, however, all poor and could not accomplish much in getting suificient presents or ar- The common caste were, however, aided by their wealthy patrons, the aristocrats. The military caste were also anxious to aid Barnes on account of his prowess in military affairs which was apparent from his bearing and his skill at arms and also from the honors he had won in foreign lands. The sacerdotal class were also anxious to aid as Rames was greatly respected by all the people from his prophesies, his knowledge of the supernatural, and on account of his ability in telling the wonderful stories.

It is not clear whether the groups of common people met together in the mansions of one of the aristocrats, or whether groups of soldiers met in the barracks, or the priests in the temple, and each group conferred together arranging to secure the proper pres ents and the necessary money for the wedding festival; or whether the chiefs of the differ ent castes, such as some of the aristocrats, the generals, and the prophets, arranged that all of the groups should combine to arrange the wedding. It is well founded, however, that the Pharaoh took a great interest in Rames and sent for him by his messenger to appear in his presence and tell his stories which had been disseminated throughout the whole of Egypt. The Pharaoh was so impressed with Rames that he decided to aid in the marriage of Rames and Nefer and sent valuable wedding presents to them,

My invention will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 depicts tiles or cards showing the wedding presents.

Figure 2 illustrates the meeting places.

Figure 3 is a group of the military caste, illustrating a general and common soldiers.

.Figure 4f is a group indicating the sacerdotal class, showing a prophet and priests.

Figure 5 is a group indicating the co1nmon caste with their patrons the aristocrats, showing a man and a woman.

Figure 6 indicates jokers of the different groups which may be played as hereunder described. V

Figure 7 is a group illustrating Pharaohs messenger and the Pharaohs or royal presents.

Figure 8 is a section through a small struc ture symbolizing the house in which the girl Nefer is supposed to be working as a servant, with the statuettes of N efer and Ram-es therein.

Figure 9 is a perspective of the house showing the openings in the base so thatthe players can see the relative position of Rames and Nefer by the hieroglyph on the base, this having a bearing on the playing of the game.

Figure 10 is a statuette of the Pharaoh.

Figure 11 is a plan view of a roulette with the particular markings utilized in the game. Y

Figure 12 is a side elevation of the roulette indicating the symbolic ostrich. feathers which are utilized in the ame.

Figure 13 is a plan view of a table showing the manner of laying out the tiles, the various positions of the players and the' hands, as well as the location of the building of the sets, discards, etc, also the location of the house of Figs. 8 and 9, the position of the roulette, and the Pharaoh;

The tiles of the various figures are as follows, and have the interpretative meaning:

In Fig.1 of the wedding presents there are illustrated seven presents but in the game there are utilized two of each of the pi ces in order to give opposing sides of players the opportunity of making up the sets. 1 indicates a house as a present to the married couple; 2 is a boat, a present to the fisherman; 3 is a loom, the present to Nefer; a is two cofi'erswith clothing and other aluables; 5 symbolizes Hathor the cow goddess, being a present for Nefer, which goddess is thought to make the woman a good wife and mother; 6 is a scarab, a symbol of Khepera, the sungod, for Rames, to give him health and strength; 7 represents Bes the god of laughter, beauty and the patron of children. These various tiles have matching indicia such as the single dots 8 and the double'dots 9 which are required to be matched so that the presentsmay be built up in the proper order in playing the game as hereunder described, these being an aid to the memory to show the proper arrangement of the marriage presents. All of these tiles have numerals 10, indicated as three in number, on the upper corner which designate their drawing value as hereunder described, and at the foot are three numbers, numeral 11, these being 1, 3 and 5, which designate the discard value. These numerals are in accordance with the notations used in ancient Egypt. Their use is explained hereunder.

In Fig. 2 there are three different meeting places shown but there are six tiles in the set so that opposing sides will have an even choice. 12 represents a temple, the meeting place for the prophet and priests; 13 is a mansion, the home of the wealthy or aristocrat partrons of the common caste indicated in Fig. 5; 14 represents the barracks, the meeting place of the military caste, the general and soldiers. Each of these pieces has a numeral 15 at the upper corner, this being the numeral one indicating a drawing valueof one for such tiles.

Fig. 3 represents the military caste, in which 16 is the general of which there are eight pieces. 17 represents the common soldier of which there are thirty-two in all. For varietys sake these are shown in different positions. This makes forty pieces in all of the military casts. The numeral 18, this being number four, indicates a drawing value of four for the general.

Figure 4 represents the sacerdotal class in which 19 is the prophet and 20 are priests. In the set there are eight prophets and thirtytwo priests, making a total of forty in the set. The number five at the upper corner of the prophet tile, designated 21, indicates the drawing value of five.

Figure 5 represents the people of the common caste with tiles indicating their wealthy patrons or aristocrats. 22 represents the aristocrat husband and 23 his wife. 24 are people of the common caste or lower class, showing a man and a woman. In the set there are eight of the aristocrats, four men and four women, and thirty-two of the commoners, preferably sixteen men and sixteen women. The

tiles

22 and 23 has a number three on the upper corner, indicated by 25, representing the drawing value.

Fig. 6 represents the jokers which have special playing value. 26 represents a priest, of which there are three in a set, 27 the soldier caste of which there are two, and 28 the common caste of which there is one tile in the set. The circle 29 indicates that these are jokers, distinguishing such tiles from those of their respective groups. These tiles have special playing values as hereunder designated. Their drawing value is two, as indicated by the number inside the circle, designated by 30.

In Fig. 7 Pharaohs messenger is indicated by the numeral 31, the numeral 6 numbered 32 in the upper corner is the drawing value,

' and the six numbered 33 in the lower corner is the discharding value. The royal or Pharaohs presents are three in number, 34 symbolizing Kati a tailsman against black magicians; 35 represents the god Ba and shows the rams head on the suns disc, it

being a talisman which betokens the favor of 1 girl was Working as a servant. This house has a removable roof in order to insert the statuettes and has three openings 41 symbolizing doors. These openings are made of such a character that the statuettes are held in place when the house is tilted in the position of Fig. 9. The statuettes are 42 Barnes and 43 Nef'er, and on the base, 44 being a fish indicating a fisherman, and 45 being a hieroglyph Nefer meaning beautiful. These hieroglyphs on the pedestal or base of the statuettes allow the one or favored side to ascertain the relative positions of the statuettes in the house, which has a bearing on the playing of the game as hereunder set forth.

Figure 10 designates the Pharaoh, numeral 46, who has a bearing on the playing of the game.

Figure 11 is the roulette 47 with a swinging pointer 48. This roulette has a series of apertures 49 therein in which may be placed the symbolic ostrich feathers 50. The roulette has a series of segments 51 with different numerals 52 in Egyptian characters,'these being arranged in a clockwise direction, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 7, 5 and 3. 11 is on the segment having the 6, 9 on that having the 8, 10 on that having the 7, and 12 on that having the 5.

In Fig. 13 a playing table is designated by the numeral 53 and the position of the hands of the various players is indicated by the numeral 54. These Various players or hands are shown as being eight in number and bear the Egyptian numerals from one to eight in the same order as on the dial of the roulette figured in a clockwise direction of rotation each of these has its hieroglyph I around the table. The players or hands which are underlined, as at- 55, indicate parties playing together in opposition to the other group. It will, therefore, be seen that what may be termed friends are arranged alternatively to their rivals. In the game, as hereunder described, we are presuming that the player having the numeral five the leader, being choosen as subsequently described. The house 39 is placed in the center of the table and rows of tiles of thirty-six pieces in double rows are arranged around the house and numbered 56, 57, 58 and 59. i In the position 60 is arranged the six meeting places of Fig. 2, designated 12, 13 and. 14. The roulette a7 is preferably positioned as shown. (ilshows the row of general discard. 62 the row of discard for the royal presents and Pharaohs messenger. 63 is the discard row for the marriage presents. The group of

players

5, 1, 4 and 8, build their sets of presents at the position indicated at 6 1 and the other players numbered 3, 2, 6 and 7 at the position 65. The statuette 46 of Pharaoh is positioned in the corner having the 1'ou lette facing the leader of the game.

As it is advisable to have certain rules for choosing the sides and locating the players as well as the leader, I have invented the following plan:

As the game is largely a game of skill, much more so than that of chance after players have thoroughly learned the game, it is desirable to arrange the sides to be evenly matched. Therefore, the players are numbered in accordance with their known ability or skill at the game from 1 to the highest number playing the game. Twelve is presumed to be the highest and the game should be played by a number of players among whom the 144C tiles could be divided equally. Therefore, the most skilled players would be in the low numerals and the less skilled in the highest numerals. The roulette arrow 48 is then spun and the number at which the ar row stops designates the first player to take his seat and this may be any seat at the table. Then the succeeding players arrange themselves preferably in a clockwise direction around the table in accordance with the num bers 52 on the dial. Thus in the example given in Fig. 13, presuming the arrow pointed to number one the players would arrange themselves in the order shown in such figure 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 7, 5 and 3, and players 1, l, 8 and 5 are'on one side, called a party or friends; and the other players 2. 6, '4' am; 3 their rivals or opponents. A manner of testing as to whether the sides are evenly matched is to add the numerals representing the players on each side and these will be found to add to the same total.

Ten plzyers cannot play the game as the. 144 tiles in the stacks designated the swastika would not be evenly divided. If twelve players are engaged in the game. the outer spiral of numbers will be followed in seating the players and after this the inner spiral. The players on each side will then be 1, 4. 8, 12, 9 and 5. The players on the other side will benumbers 2. 6, 10, 11, 7 and 3, Each of these groups of numbers adds to 39, indicating that the sides are evenlv matched in skill if they have been correctly numbered,

giving in efi ect a handicap against the most skilled players by having the unskilled associated with them on a side.

Should the arrow point to one of the segments having two numbers, the players having such tie would spin the arrow and the one receiving the highest number would be regarded as the starting player in positioning the others, the numbers on the dial then being followed in the manner above described. After the players are seated, in order to ascertain the leader the arrow is spun and the number at which it points is regarded as the leader. In choosing the leader, should there be a tie, this is dissolved by the tie players spinning the arrow and the one receiving the highest number being considered the leader. In the table illustrated in 18 the player No. 5 is considered to be the leader.

The playing is substantially as follows:

As above pointed out, the players having alternate seats are on the same side, as indicated in Fig. 18, the underlining 55 showing the players on one side, the others being their opponents. Player 5 being ehoosen as the leader, those associated with him are regarded as his friends, and he has the privilege of bringing Rames to the house in which Nefer is working as a servant. He can place the statuettes in this house in any of the three positions 41 that he desires but, in accordance with the rules of the game and the Egyptian marriage customs of the time, in taking them out of the house for a later part of the game the woman precedes the man and hence must be located at the right hand door. As shown in Fig. 8, before these statuettes could be taken from the house it would be necessary to place flames at the left hand side of Nefer, which replacing would require one move or play of the player so shifting the statuettes. The

leader after placing the statuettes shows the base of the house to his friends so they may see by the heroglyphs 44 and l5 the relative position of Barnes and Nefer in the house so that his friends will know if they can be removed at the proper time of the game without losing a play in shifting their positions. This point the opponents are ignorant of.

The leader takes three tiles from the si astika starting at the row 59 on his left hand side. All the other players in succession take threetiles. These roun are continued until the players have a certain designated number of ti es and as there are 72 tiles in the top layer of the swastika, these are equally divided between the players, taking them three at a time, thus 3 players receive 24 tiles, 4 players 18, 6

players

12, 8

players

9, and 12 players 6. If there are only 2 players, each takes 27 pieces, three at a time, leaving one of the four upper rows of the swastika intact. The players arrange their tiles in companies of either priests, soldiers or commoners, there bein a leader and four of the lower pieces for each group. The jokers may be either leaders or lower order, at option of player. If stands are used by the players, the pieces are placed so the presents show their backs to opponents above the stands and the group tiles are invisible. If no stands are used, the groups of companies are arranged on the fiat side and the presents on their narrow side. It is to be understood that the tiles in the swastika are sorted and placed face down.

In one way of playing, the players strive to secure a sufficient number of companies in accordance with the rules to obtain a meeting place so that they can formulate plans to efiect the marriage of Rames and Nefer. If

upon drawing in the first round, after the preliminary draws, a player finds that he has a sufficient number of companies-2 players, 6 companies; 3 players, 5 or 6 companies; 4 players, 4 companies; 6 players, 3 companies; 8 players, 2 or 3 companies; 12 players, 1 or 2 companies; he can declare them, announcing his intention of helping the boy and the girl to get married, and he must then get a meeting place and Rames and Nefer. If he succeeds, he is considered to have won the game. It is notnecessary to have the marriage presents nor the royal presents in order to win the game in the first round.

In the first round after securing the preliminary tiles, they are drawn from the swastika one at a time, and if the first tile drawn has any drawing value, as indicated by the upper numbers 10 for the marriage presents, the

numbers

21, 18, 25, 29 or 37, for the chiefs of the groups, the jokers and the royal presents, additional tiles can be drawn according to the number indicated, thus for marriage presents three extra tiles may be drawn; leaders of

groups

5, 4 and 3; jokers 2; royal prescuts 5; and if the Pharaohs messenger is drawn 6. If a player so desires, after looking at the piece drawn, he may elect not to draw others, or draw as many as called for, or less. However, to take the option of the larger number of draws the player must show to all the players the first tile he has drawn and it may be to his advantage to keep this a secret rather than disclosing it to the,whole table. For instance, it would be inadvisable, as shown in the later part of the game, for the player to disclose the Pharaohs messenger.

As above mentioned, the leaders party has the privilege of placing Rames and Nefer in the house 39 in the order in which they so desire, and to compensate for this the opposing side, or the leader of the opposing players, has the opportunity of placing the meeting places, which are located in a position 60, being placed face down and in any order the leader of such side desires to place them. He shows his friends the position in which they are placed but not his rivals, this being an advantage to his friends when they wish to draw meeting places.

A player can also win with companies of leaders comprising a prophet, a general, and an aristocrat, in which'the jokers can be considered as leaders if desired. With these companies, in order to win in the first round after the preliminary draw, the players must secure the following number of companies, with 2 players 7 companies, 3 players 6, 4 players 5, 6

players

4, 8

players

3, and 12 players 2 companies.

After the first round subsequent to the preliminary drawing, a player to win with ordinary companies mustsecure the following number of companies, if there are 2 players 6 companies, 3 players 5, 4 players 4, 6

players

3, 8 players 2, and'12 players 1 company.

If the companies are formed of leaders, a player is to secure the same number as if in the first round after a preliminary drawmg.

The players are allowed to draw tiles and discard until they have a total number, depending on the number of players engaged in the game, two players may have 40 tiles, three players 40, four 30, six 20, eight 15, and twelve 10. The players in drawing draw from the swastika until the

arms

56, 57, 58 and 59 are exhausted, discarding any tiles they wish to discard face up into the row 61 of general discard. After this any drawing is from the row of general discard, the tiles having the same drawing power as above mentioned.

The discarding power and operation is as follows:

These discarding values only apply to the presents, the royal presents, and the Pharaohs messenger. In the presents of Fig. 1 the discarding value, indicated by the numeral 11, is 1, 3 or 5. In this case if a player discards one of these tiles by helping to build a set of presents of his own party, he may draw 1; if he discards the tile into the row of discard of marriage presents indicated by the numeral 63 he may draw 3; and if he helps to build his rivals row of presents he may draw 5. If a player discards the Pharaohs messenger, numeral 33, this has a discarding value of 6. meaning that he may draw 6 extra tiles. If he discards any one of the royal presents, numbers 34, 35 and 36, he may draw 5.

In discarding marriage presents into the discard row 63 the player so discarding a tile places it face up and the next player to play turns it face down, thus giving every player an opportunity to memorize the position of the marriage presents. Thus if in a subsequent play a player wishes to draw from the discard row of marriage presents, he must declare first which tile he is drawing and then by memory endeavor to pick the proper tile. In discarding Pharoahs messenger and the royal presents, these are placed face up and left in such position. In discarding any of the tiles which have a drawing value for discard, the player does not discard the tile first and then draw the number indicated but he shows the tile to be discarded to the table and then draws the number that he is allowed, or less, or none. and if he has a full hand he must discard as many as he has withdrawn but these may be different tiles. Presents drawn must be held.

In building a set of marriage presents, these must be matched in the relative position shown in Fig. 1 and in such case the registering

dots

8 and 9 can be utilized to ascertain the proper relative arrangement.

As above mentioned, a player may win in the first round, after completion of the preliminary drawing, if his hand has the requisite number of companies, in which case he may draw a meeting place from row 60, these being face down and, as above mentioned, arranged by the opposite party to the leader. In this the rule is followed of drawing from the right, having reference to the leader, and if the correct meeting place is not drawn corresponding to his company, he loses the play and must wait for another round, shifting the tile drawn to the left of the row face up, which takes them into the second round. However, it a player declares his companies and draws a meeting place to correspond, he

is entitled to take Rames and Nefer from the house 39 provided they are in the proper position for withdrawing, with the girl on the right side of the man. If not, they must reverse their position, which means losing a .p y-

After the first round, after the preliminary drawing, discarding of all presents becomes compulsory. Hence each side while they are building up their companies are engaged in building up marriage presents, discarding the ones they do not wish and possibly helping the other side. At the same time, the royal presents must be discarded face up. Any player may transpose one of the royal presents from the row 62 to the row 61 of general discard, this having the effect of a play. Likewise a player may transpose a royal present from row 61 to row 62, it being remembered that the drawing from either of these rows is from the right, having reference to the leader.

7 At any time after the preliminary drawing and beginning with the first round any player may declare that he has made the requisite number of companies, by the rules above es tablished, and has the opportunity of drawing for a meeting place after showing his hand and making it clear that he has such a number of companies. If he draws the correct meeting place and also has the set of marriage presents arranged in proper order, he then draws the girl and the man from the house 39, provided they are in the proper po sition for drawing, otherwise he has to shift them into proper position. This step omits the securing of the royal presents. However, should the royal presents be on the table with the Pharaohs messenger, he may then obtain these as they are presents given by Pharaoh as wedding presents and this 1ncreases his winnings, as hereunder set forth. A player holding the Pharaohs messenger would naturally not play this tile until he had the opportunity at the psychological moment to getthe royal presents as these cannot be obtained Without the messenger. Such holding, however, of the messenger enacts a penalty against him in accordance with the winnings and losses if another player Wins the game, as he' deprives Barnes and Nefer of the royal presents.

Atany stage of the game a player who holds or draws the Pharaohs messenger may take Ramos from the house 39, no matter what his location therein, to the Pharaoh to tell his stories of his adventures and he may place him either on the right or left side of the Pharaoh, having reference to the leader, except when somebody has already opened the house in order to claim the fisherman and the girl for the marriage. The messenger is then discarded on the left of the general discard row 61. Rames must be taken back to the house by the next player who draws the messenger from the discard row provided Rames is on the right side of the Pharaoh. If not, such player mustshift him to the right and the next player would take him from Pharaoh to the house, placing him in any position desired.

At any time in the game after the first round before anybody has declared a set of companies, the game may be changed into auction Khepri and is played by one or more players of one party against all the other players, or one party against the other. Thus a player to change the game into auction Khepri may bid a certain number of companies, which means that he feels confident of obtaining such number. Other players who out-bid him must bid higher companies, these being irrespective of caste.

If the game is continued as closed auction, the players do not show their hands, and the player declaring may, by so stating, elect to play the game alone or he may state that his bid is open to partnership, in which his friends may elect or not to play with him and in this play the single player or the partners continue playing the game without the friends which elect to stay out or the rivals taking any part in the game unless the player or partners bidding should fail to make a play.

One of the main characteristics of auction is that one player may in eifect pass tiles to his partners. This is done by discarding tiles iii of a certain caste for which they have bid, the number which may be discarded corresponding to the value of the leader, for instance, a prophet which has a drawing value of 5 will allow 5 discards, a general 4, and an aristocrat 3. The partner on showing a chief of one of such companies is entitled to draw from the discard and, to even up the total of tiles held in the hand, he passes back an equal number of tiles to his partner. If he cannot take up such discarded tiles, the other players may join in the game again and endeavor to win independently. But if they fail, the play reverts to the first bidders who, after obtaining the desired companies, secure the meeting places, the statuettes, the presents, and the royal presents, if the latter may be obtained, and hence win the game by effecting the marriage.

At any stage of the ordinary Khepri a player may call for open auction. This may be opposed by his friends and in which case the roulette is spun, as between such player and his friends. In order to make it difficult to declare open auction, the player so calling for such auction spins the roulette once and his friends each spin, if they are opposed. If any one of his friends has a higher number on the roulette, the changing of the game is defeated. Presuming a player wins against his friends, forcing them to play open auction, the rivals may still oppose, and in such case the person calling for auction and his rival directly opposite at the table spin the roulette to decide whether ordinary or open Khepri will be played. Presumingthe player wins, changing the game to open Khepri, all the players place their tiles face up on the table and the meeting places are also turned face up and the roof of the house is opened so that the position of Rames and Nefer may be ascertained. Thus all the tiles, as well as the position of the statuettes, are exposed except the discarded marriage presents which are face down. I

In open auction the factor of chance practically disappears, the only uncertain factor being whether a player will remember the relative positions of the marriage presents, otherwise the game is merely that of skill in being able to estimate whether the desired number of companies bid can be made. The players one after the other may bid companies, after looking over the hands of their friends and rivals as well as the exposed tiles on the table. The friends who have elected to play open Khepri do not need to join in the open auction Khepri if they do not wish, in which case the player bidding must play a lone hand. In bidding in open auction the first bidder may give a bid of so many companies, calling for his friends to join in partnership. Each friend if he wishes to join in may also bid a certain number of companies and on completion plete the game.

of the round the first bidder will total up the number of companies bid for his side and the player to his left the number bid for the opposing side. If the side which is lowest wishes to bid higher, one of the players may increase his first bid, thus giving an opportunity to another player in succession on the opposite side to increase the bid, until there is no further increase. The side with the highest bid has then the right of playing the open Khepri. If the leader who originally wished the auction and possibly forced it on his friends and rivals should be in the group having the highest bid, he starts to play by drawing from the general row of discard, provided that in so doing he obtains one or more pieces of the caste hehas bid for, or he passes some pieces to the partner to his left, or he declares a company of the caste bid for. If he is not able to make any of these three moves, the play passes to his opponents. The same applies to his partners. Should he lose and his friends lose the bid, the player on his left acts as the leader of the opposing side in playing the tiles of himself and his friends the object being to secure the number of companies bid, or a higher number, a meeting place, the marriage presents, the fisherman and the girl, and the Pharaohs presents if possible, thus winning-the game by effecting i the marriage of Rames and Nefer.

In all forms. of Khepri no player can drop out until some player has declared a certain number of companies, then any player whose hand has no value, as hereunder described, may on showing his hand drop out of the game. After a declaration, by the rules of the game, eight rounds areallowed to com- The player dropping out spins the roulette which decides the actual number of rounds after such spinning, in which case the declarer must win the game in such designated number of rounds or else heloses. This spinning of the roulette nearly always limits the number of rounds and this is to favor his friends who do not have his assistance. If the game closes without a winner, all the players deposit in a pot or pool the value of their hands, to. be taken up by the winner of the next game. a

In order to keep a definite score of the rounds, the eight ostrich feathers are removed one at a time from the roulette. If there are a less number of rounds than eight to be played, there will be only such number of feathers left on the roulette and one of these removed for each round.

The scoring or counting the winnings is substantially as follows: 7 I

When a player wins the game he totals the value of the tiles in his hand, the meeting place, the marriage presents built up by him and his friends, and also the Pharaohs messenger, and the Pharaohs presents if such be obtained. In scoring the commoners, the ordinary soldiers, the ordinary priests do not count. The other tiles score in accordance with their drawing and discarding value added together. Thus the marriage presents each count three plus one plus three plus five, equalling twelve. The prophets each count 5, a general 4, aristocrats 3, the jokers 2 each, the Pharaohs messenger 12, the Pharaohs presents each 10, and meeting places 1. Thus supposing a person had con'ipanies composed solely of prophets, generals and aristocrats, that is three pieces of the company, their scoring would be 12 for the three. Each set of companies including a prophet, a general, and an aristocrat, in double the value of the leader. Thus a company of priests and prophets would count 10, a general and 4 soldiers 8, an aristocrat and four commoners 6.

The winner thus totals up the value of his hand as above 'mentioned and the tiles belonging to his side on the table, and multiplies them by the number of companies which he has. The winners friends pay him the actual value of their tiles as represented by the drawing and discard value, above mentioned, but nothing for the value of the hand of the winner and they do not pay anything for the value of the marriage presents to which they have contributed winning, nor

' for any of the tiles built up on the table. The

rivals or opposite side pay the value of the hand of the winner plus the value of their own hand multiplied by two.

In order to identify the side of the house 39, which may be considered the front, I have the Egyptian hieroglyph meaning Khepri marked thereon, as shown in Fig. 9 and indicated by the numeral 66, together with the word Khepri indicated at 67. This being on the front of the house structure, identifies which is the relative right and left opening 41 for positioning of Ramos and Nefer therein.

It is to be understood that the type of playing implements may be modified and also that the whole construction of my game may be changed to conform to different stories and these may have to dowith. human beings, animal life, or with inanimate objects. A characteristic of my game is that the playing implements may be utilized to work out or tell the story.

Various changes may be made in the principles of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof, as set forth in the description, drawings and claims.

I claim:

1. A game comprising a combination, a plurality of playing implements representing animated objects mentioned in a story, said implements being playable to form groups, and additional playing implements representing places for said groups to meet in conformity with the story, and a device representing a principal animated object or thing mentioned in the story, all these items being used in such a manner as to tell a complete story, and the first player who succeeds in telling the story being considered the winner of the game.

2. A game, as claimed in claim 1, a plural ity of playing implements representing awards or presents, some of such presents representing gifts or awards from the various groups for the principal animated object.

3. A game comprising a combination, a device representing a principal actor, playing implements representing groups of people, said groups having indicia to represent companies, playing implements representing meeting places of the companies, a series of playing implements representing awards or presents which may be obtained by a player or players securing the requisite number of companies and the meeting place, and such player being able to obtain the principal actor, all these items being used in such a manner as to tell a complete story, and the first player who succeeds in telling the story being considered the winner of the game.

4. A game, as claimed in claim 3, having in addition playing pieces representing superior presents which will be obtained after the player obtains the playing implements to obtain the principal actor.

5. A game comprising a combination, a device representing a principal actor, playing implements representing other actors in a story, said latter being in groups and having characteristics indicating their collection in companies, said implements when collected in companies by a game player at a certain stage of the game allowing such player to obtain the principal actor, all these items being used in such a manner as to tell a complete story, and the first player who succeeds in telling the story being considered the winner of the game.

6. A game, as claimed. in claim 5, the implements representing groups having distinctive characteristics showing leaders and subordinate personages.

7. A game comprising a combination, devices representing principal actors, playing implements representing a body of people, said latter being in groups, the groups having characteristics indicating companies with leaders and subordinate personages or companies of leaders, other playing devices representing meeting places, said meeting places being obtainable by a game player after securing the requisite number of companies, all these items being used in such a manner as to tell a complete story, and the first player who succeeds in telling the story being considered the winner of the game.

8. A game, as claimed in claim 7 a series of playing implements representing presents or awards, such being obtainable by a player or players after securing the requisite number of companies and a meeting place in accordance with the story.

9. A game comprising a combination, devices representing principal actors, playing implements representing the main body of people embodied in a story, said implements having major characteristics indicating their grouping into dilierent classes of society, and each group having distinction showing leaders and subordinate personages, playing pieces representing meeting places of the difierent groups, a series of playing implements representing presents or awards which may be secured by a player or players having the requisite number of companies and a meeting place, and a playing device representing a personage who may at any stage secure a principal actor and temporarily prevent a game player from securing such actor, all these items being used in such a manner as to tell a complete story, and the first player who succeeds in telling the story being considered the winner of the game.

10. A game, as claimed in claim 9, a series of playing devices representing superior presents, said presents being securable by a player or players after obtaining the principal actors in accordance with the story.

11. A game comprising a combination, de-

vices representing the principal actors of a story, a structure representing a house in which such actors are housed, means in such structure to place the devices in various relative positions, said structure having openings permitting theidentification of the relative positions of such devices, all these items being used in such a manner as to tell a complete story, and the first player who succeeds in telling the story being considered the winner of the game. a

12. A game, as claimed in claim 11, a series of playing pieces representaing various people, meeting places and presents or awards, mentioned in the story, said pieces to be obtained by a player or players before such player or players are entitled to remove the principal actors from the said structure representing the house.

13. A game comprising a combination, statuettes of a man and a woman, a house having openings in which the statuettes may be placed in any relative position, said openings permitting identification of the relative order of the statuettes, a series or playing tiles comprising a first set having pictures of people of different social castes of the community, some of these being leaders in each caste and others being subordinates, and a second set showing pictures of meeting places of the difierent castes, said first set being arranged to form groups of companies of which players must secure a predetermined number to obtain a meeting place, and after obtaining the meeting place a player may have these items bein used in such a manner as to tell a complete story, and the first player who succeeds in telling the story being considered the winner of the game.

14-. A game, as claimed in claim 13, a third set of the tiles having pictures representing marriage presents, and representing gifts from the groups on the marriage of the man and woman in accordance with the story.

15. A game comprising a combination, statuettes of a man and a woman, a house in which they may be placed in relative position to 211 low withdrawal when in a predeter-minedposition by a player, playing tiles having a first set with pictures representing different castes in a social state of a body of people, some of these being leaders and others subordinates, 3;85 second set of the tiles representing meeting places for the difie'rent castes, a third set having pictures representing marriage'presents, a tile having a representationof a messenger, the player playing said tile being empowered to remove the man from the house independent of any relative position, all these items being used in such a manner as to tell a complete story, and the first player who 7 succeeds in telling the story being considered the winner of the game.

16. A game, as claimed in claim 15, a statuette representing the ruler, the player removing the statuette of'the man being enabled to place said man stat-uette in 'a relative* position to the ruler statuette, and a fourth set of the tiles representing presents from the ruler on the marriage of the man and the woman in accordance with the story.

17. A game comprising a combinatiomstat uettes of an Egyptian man and woman, a house structure having a series of openings in which the Istatuettes may be placed in relative order,devices on the statuettes to indicate through said openings their relative positions, tiles having a first set with pictures representing the sacerdotal class, including prophets and priests, the latter being of lower order; the military class, including generals and soldiers; a lower caste having aristocrats and common people; a second set representing meeting places of the different classes and castes of the first set, a. third set showing pictures of certain gifts including symbolical pictures, a statuette of a Pharaoh, a tile hav- 12 ing a Pharaohs messenger pictured thereon, and a group of tiles representing Pharaohs presents given on the marriage of the man and the Woman, said tiles being playable in various orders to work out a story, all these items being used in such a manner as to tell a complete story, and the first player who succeeds in telling the story being considered the winner of the game.

18. In a game a set of playing tiles some of which have an indicia thereon indicating an additional drawing power of tiles when a player draws tiles from a stack or the like.

19. In a game a set of playing tiles, some of which have indicia thereon indicating discard drawing power whereby a player discarding such tile may draw from a stack additional'tiles according to the number indicated by the indicia.

20. In a game a set of playing tiles, some of said tiles having drawing power indieia, some tiles having a discarding power indicia, whereby a player drawing such tile may draw additional tiles in accordance with the drawing power indicia, or if the player discards such tiles he may draw an additional number in accordance with the discarding value.

21. In a game a set of playing tiles having a discarding value, indicated by numbers, said numbers indicating a plurality of values to allow different drawings by a player from a stack in accordance with the manner in which such tile is discarded.

22. In a game a playing tile having a number thereon indicating a drawing value to allow additional drawings from a stack by a player drawing such tile, such drawing value being a factor in computing the winnings or losses of the player.

23. In a game, as claimed in claim 22, some of the tiles having numerals indicating discarding value by which a player discarding such tiles may draw additionally from the stack, thediscarding Value being a factor in computing a players winnings or losses.

24;. In a game a series of tiles having pictures thereon representing people of different -'castes or classes of society, and a marking thereon to indicate certain tiles may be used as leaders or as subordinates in such classes or castes.

25. In a game, as claimed in claim 24, having in addition numerals indicating drawing value ofsuch tiles to allow a player drawing such tiles to draw additional tiles from the stack.

26. A game comprising a combination, playing tiles having a first set representing different classes or cast-es'of people in a com-,

munity, some of which are leaders and other subordinates, the leaders having numerals thereon indicating a drawlng power by which a player drawing such leaders from a stack may draw additionally, a second set representing presents having numerals indicating additional drawing power, and a plurality of numerals indicating a'drawing power in discarding such tiles, the different discarding values being for discarding such tiles in different manners relative to the benefit of the person discarding same, and a third set of the winner of the game.

27 A game, as claimed in claim 26, the drawing and discard values on the tiles when added together being a factor in the winnings or losses of a player or players holding tiles with such numerals at the end of the game.

28. In a game a layout therefor comprising in combination a table, a house like structure having a plurality of statuettes securablc therein in different relative positions, a statuette of a ruler, a roulette having tally devices thereon,stacks of tiles for playing tiles, a row of tiles having pictures representing meeting places positioned face down, a pair of rows of tiles having pictures thereon representing presents built up by sides, placed face upon the table, a row of tiles having pictures thereon representing presents from the ruler, placed face up on the table, and a discard row of presents face dawn.

29. A game consisting of tiles representing groups of people belonging to different castes or classes of society, meeting places for said groups, marriage presents from said groups, a statuette of a ruler, presents from the ruler, a messenger from said ruler, and two statuettes representing a man and a woman, all these items being used in such a manner as to tell a complete story, and the first player who succeeds in telling the story being considered the winner of the game.

In testimony whereof I have signed name to this specification.

THOMAS A. LOAYZA.