8: Slave Auction Stamps¶
When I was part of the crew running slave auctions up in Seattle, a perennial issue we always had was how to make it approachable for new players. We used our own money, called the “Timbuck” which was printed by us, and used to bid on the people in our auction. But this required us to have multiple streams of getting the Timbucks into the hands of the players for our little game. People who had been playing for years should still have some small advantage, but we didn’t want to exclude new people.
Over the years we had come up with a number of methods: barter for party supplies for the room party we also ran, topless poker tournaments, bounties for things like dry socks at a pirate festival where it rained for the entire event, personal bounties, etc. I had a standing offer for anyone who would perform a Japanese naked girl sushi meal for me.
But one idea I had I think stood up above all the rest, the stamp card. All staff members of the even were given a rubber stamp of their personal logo. Players would be given a blank card with slots for up to 10 stamps. For each stamp they got, they got an increasing pile of our Timbucks, to use in the auction. If a couple of players pooled their resources, they could easily compete financially with anyone who’d been around even for a few years.
We had more than 10 staff, so there were more stamps in circulation than slots on the card. Which was good as each member of staff could literally ask for anything they wanted when asked for their stamp. One person might want a drink, one person might request “A hot girl to make out with me”. If the person asking for the stamp didn’t want to, or couldn’t, fulfill the terms, that was fine, as there were lots more staff to ask. You didn’t even have to fill the card, you’d get paid for all the stamps you had gathered.
To say that this idea was a hit with both staff and players was an understatement. Everyone loved it. It turned into a kinky, alcohol-imbued game of scavenger hunt.
That little rubber stamp in each of our pockets was the key to any wish we could come up with. Sure, sometimes they wouldn’t get met. But if you were thirsty, someone would soon enough buy you a drink. Or if you were me, sooner or later they’d offer a cute girl to make out with.