Witch Hunt 1649: Lying Lips

'woe be to seditious tale-tellers, to lying lips ... It is upon such wicked instruments that the great God hath promised to rain fire and brimstone'. -Simon Grahame, 1609

Scotland, 1649. The last decade has seen bouts of warfare, outbreaks of plague and seismic political upheaval. The religious authorities are keen to stamp down on sinful behaviour, and witch trials are gathering pace…

Lying Lips is an easy-to-learn, fast-paced game with two phases. In the trading phase, players swap assets, aiming to collect particular combinations. Meanwhile, gossip about witchcraft spreads around the village, represented by the dangerous Rumour card. Holding on to this card gives you a chance to control the village's narratives and seize victory, but it's a risky strategy! In the trial phase, players take on roles. Can the trial commissioner and jurors identify the scandal-mongerer?

Lying Lips reflects the importance of words in the witch hunts: accused witches often had a reputation for slandering or cursing others. Optionally, the second phase of the game can be used as a framework for a role-play of a trial.

Witch Hunt 1649 was developed by a team at the University of Warwick. It comprises two fun and educational card games, which can be bought or downloaded/played online for free. All proceeds go to charity.

—description from the designer