Also known as Hemlock Tea
Inspiration
This game gets people shaking hands and interacting with each other, while also being on the lookout for the “secret poisoner.”
Themes
Awareness, Learning names
Group size
12-24 players
Timing
5-10 min/round
Play area
Any clear area
Energy
Med (walking, stalking)
Age range
10+ years
Start formation
Scatter
Equipment
NONE
Hazards/safety
- Players falling onto obstacles when they pretend to die. Make sure the playing area is clear of hazards (brambles, roots, rocks).
Instructions
- Everyone circles up and closes their eyes. The facilitator walks around the outside of the circle and touches one person on the back, indicating they’re the “Poison Person.”
- Then, everyone opens their eyes and starts mingling at random, introducing themselves to other people while shaking their hands. The Poison Person acts normally in every way except one: when shaking people’s hands, the Poison Person wiggles their middle finger on the other person’s palm. The other person is supposed to pretend that nothing has happened, and proceed to shake hands with TWO MORE people. After shaking hands with two more people, they should dramatically “die” and fall to the ground. After they’ve completed their dramatic death, they lay on the ground for a moment, then get up and move to the perimeter of the group to look on as a “ghost.”
- The goal of the people who are still playing is to identify the Poison Person, and they do so by making an accusation. An accusation requires that two people agree on who they think the Poison Person is, then raise their hands together and say “We’re making an accusation!”, then the name of the person they’re accusing. If their accusation is wrong, they immediately die. If it’s correct, the game ends.
- This means that if the game ever gets down to just two people…one of them must be the Poison Person and there’s no way for the other person to make an accusation. But the remaining person can still stage a dramatic death for people’s entertainment!
Modifications
Non-collaborative accusations: If a player thinks they know who the Poison Person is, they shout, “I have an accusation!” Within five seconds, another player has to yell “I second!” If there is no second, the accuser immediately dies. If there is a second, the facilitator counts down “3, 2, 1, point,” and at “point” both accusers point a finger at the Poison Person. If they point to different people, they both immediately die (without even checking if either of them was right). If they both point to the same person but they’re wrong, they die. If they both point at the same person, and it is indeed the Poison Person, then the game is over.