Practice Makes Prophet

Practice Makes Prophet: Cult of the Atomic Rat

A symbolic language-learning game about deciphering ancient prophecy.

Components

• Symbol Cards: Abstract glyphs used to create prophecies.
• Prophecy Sheets: Paper for players to record guesses and notes.
• Reference Chart (Optional): Vague descriptions of each symbol to guide interpretation.

Setup

1. Shuffle the Symbol Deck and Meaning Deck.
2. Choose one player to begin as the Prophet. The rest are Apprentices.
3. Give each Apprentice a Prophecy Sheet and a pen.

Phase 1: Divination

• The Prophet draws 3 Symbol Cards.
• They secretly assign 1 Meaning to each Symbol Card.
• They place the symbols in a sequence on the table.
• The Prophet gives a short, cryptic statement or title (e.g., "The Waters Recede").

Phase 2: Interpretation

• Each Apprentice writes down:
  • What they believe each symbol means.
  • Their interpretation of the full prophecy.
• They may discuss theories with each other, but final answers are written individually.

Phase 3: Revelation

• The Prophet reveals the true meanings of each symbol.
• They may elaborate on the narrative or stay mysterious.
• Apprentices compare their guesses to the revealed meanings.

Phase 4: Reflection

• Apprentices update their Prophecy Sheets.
• They may note new patterns or redefine prior assumptions.
• Pass the Prophet role clockwise for the next round.