Mad Man's Dice

Message:

I was mocked. I did not get angry. That has only happened once in gaming, and I was sorely ashamed (later). Still, I was mocked.

I was playing Res Arcana, a rather fine game, with the wife and brother (IronPax). We all are still very new to the array of cards, and too aged of mind to truly know in Turn One a path to Victory. The game may have been less fun (as a younger man) when I could (perhaps) do just that. Be interested to see how IronSarge and ÉireMike do with the game. But I do digress....

IronPax was on first attempt at play. My cards were hard to decipher. I tried and sadly failed to gain any Place of Power. I spent most of my game afraid of multiple Dragon attacks. I should have just suffered the loss, soldier-on. Instead I mostly took a few pecks and passed early. A mistake. Lesson learned. Hence I was third-place out of three.

IronPax started the mockage, suggesting that he came in second. I beat you. In the last turn of the game I told him that he should PASS to stop my wife from getting her tenth VP to win. First to Pass gets an extra VP. Instead IronPax stated he had no chance to catch 'da wife, so he would just let her win. Did I mock him for that?

That's when Pax said he would come in second and beat me. I did not know these games had Second Place, a runner's up Trophy, Ms Congeniality. The beginner beat the game owner.

I was mocked.

The wife sniggered and also made a few jabs of erudite prose. Luckily, I am a schlub and fancy words assail unheard. Nothing bites this grognard as hard as a simple, "You Came In Last!" As if, if you had played harder, she might not have been in the spot (where she could win by IronPax conceding defeat). J'Accuse...!

This was before sleep, so I had a whole night and next day's morning to sulk (Skulk).

We played again the next day, and I was doubly focused. Again we reached a point where da Wife could win if PAX did not PASS. This time I mocked PAX, so he chose to continue the game; Passed to steal the extra VP. He was resigned that he would lose. I came back from a score of four to win in the next turn. The comeback kid scores the win. Fourteen VP to 13 VP to 12 VP. Who came in last, I shall not say as a gent'man.

I retired to sleep quite happy.




Yours,