The Vamp

Velvet voice, sharp claws, loves to make you squirm

The Vamp has all the time in the world and spends every second of it on you. Good news arrives as a purr and bad news arrives as a smile, and you will not know which you got until it is too late. Their favourite rules make the whole table pay in charm: a compliment before every card, an apology to the person on your left, a confession with a straight face. Make it sound like you mean it, darling.

One night with The Vamp

Somebody had been quietly winning for an hour and thought nobody had noticed. The Vamp had noticed. "Darling," the Vamp purred, and announced that before anyone played a card they must pay a compliment to the person on their left, and mean it.

The first few came out as stiff as a school photograph. "Nice... table," somebody managed, and the Vamp let it hang in the air until it curdled. By the third lap the compliments had become so specific and so sincere that two people were quietly moved and one had to lie down on the sofa for a minute.

The leader had the hardest time of all. They had to compliment the person they were beating. "You play... generously," they said.

"Closer," said the Vamp.

Hear The Vamp

“Darling. Everyone has to pay you a compliment before they play a card. Make them mean it.”

Rules The Vamp says

Ticket Inspector
Look at ____'s train cards, not their tickets, and take one.

From Signal Failure, by zaragata, house rules for Ticket to Ride
Sneak Peek
Look at the top three cards of the draw pile and put them back in any order you like.

From Waiting for a Three, by zaragata, house rules for Skip-Bo
Bow Down
For the rest of the game, anyone who passes on your play must say Your Excellency as they pass.

From Pecking Order, by zaragata, house rules for President
Puppet Master
Choose a player. On their next turn, they show you their hand and you pick the card they discard.

From Show Your Work, by zaragata, house rules for Phase 10
Compliments First
For the rest of the game, anyone who pays you rent must first say "What a lovely property."

From Old Money, by zaragata, house rules for Monopoly
Insider Trading
Look at the top three cards of both the Chance and the Community Chest piles, then put them back in any order you like.

From Hostile Takeover, by zaragata, house rules for Monopoly

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