Welcome to Phraseotomy, the game of storytelling and deception, where your creativity and casualness will help you fool your friends and catch them out in turn. 

Step by Step

1. Setup - Decide an order to play as Storyteller.
   It is recommended to start with the most experienced player and go clockwise (Storyteller’s left). Decide on how many rounds will be played.
   
   
2. Pick a theme - The Storyteller picks a theme from the themes available.
   
   
3. Prep the Icons - 5 icons are drawn to inspire a story.
   Randomly take 2 icons (cards, or if you are using the dice version, by rolling 2 dice) from the core set and 3 icons from the chosen theme.
   
   
4. Prep the wisp - The Storyteller randomly draws a wisp.
   The Storyteller takes a wisp card from the same theme, rolls the D10 dice looks at the corresponding word/ phrase which is known as a ‘wisp’ and remembers it.
   
   
5. Tell the Story - The Storyteller tells a story using the 5 icons and the wisp.
   The icons can be used in any order as touch points but all must be incoporated into the story. The story should take less than a minute. The Storyteller must also use the wisp somewhere in the story at least once.
   
   
6. Guess - The listeners all independently guess what the given wisp was.
   They may debate and deliberate but eventually announce (verbally should suffice) 1 answer each. Answers need not be unique.
   
   
7. Score - The Storyteller is evaluated.
   The Storyteller receives 1 point for every listener that gives an incorrect guess. The wisp card is discarded, and icon cards are shuffled back into their set. Play passes to the next player.
   

GAME MODIFIERS

Listeners Win Points - If a listener guesses the wisp correctly then they win 1 point.

Multiple Usages - If the Storyteller uses the wisp more than once, they win double the points. This in combination with Listeners Win Points means that listeners also win double points if they guess the wisp correctly.

Preserve the Word - If no one guesses the wisp correctly after a story then the storyteller wins the points, keeps that wisp and immediately draws new icons from the same theme and tells another story. All potential points won on this second story for the Storyteller and listeners are doubled. This is a good modifier to apply to the last round, like in 10-pin bowling!

Team Mode - Split the players into 2 teams. One team starts the game as the Storytellers. They draw 3 random wisps (from 3 different wisp cards) from a theme of their choice. One team member is selected to be the first storyteller and draws 1 random icon form the core set and 2 random icons from their desired theme. The storyteller must use all 3 wisps in their story. The listening team collectively makes 1 guess at a wisp. If they are correct then they win a point and can guess at another wisp. If they are correct again then they win 2 points and can guess at the final wisp. If they are correct yet again then they win 3 points and play passes to them. If the guessers are incorrect with a guess then play passes to them. Remember: At the start of any story the Storyteller must have 3 wisps all of which must be used. When play passes to a team, a new Storyteller is selected.

FAQs

What if the Storyteller fails to use an icon in the story?
The Storyteller loses 1 point for every icon that is not at least distantly used as reference in the story. 

What if the word/ phrase inserted in the story isn’t precisely the wisp on the card?
Most words/ phrases require some sort of re-declension to fit in the tense and context of the story. The wisp cards will disambiguate between homographic nouns, and homographic nouns and verbs. Pluralisation of nouns is fine. Taking the -ing form of the verb and making it past tense or present simple or future tense is fine. Making it negatory is fine. If all listeners agree that the word was not used correctly then the storyteller loses 2 points and the turn ends.

What if the storyteller is instructed to use a wisp they do not understand?
The Storyteller may not change their wisp once selected. They may look up the word/ phrase. But the misuse of it in the story is not a reason to void the round, which means that hilarity will inevitably ensue!

Do the stories have to follow on from each other?
No, but this is a nice variant to play. It’s up to you as a group to decide!

What if the story is too long?
If the listeners vote with majority then the Storyteller could lose 1 point for every extra 20 seconds taken to tell the story.

How many rounds should be played?
Players can keep playing and keep scoring to their hearts’ content, but to keep things high energy Phraseotomy is best played enjoyed by having a preset number of rounds:

4 players should do 5 rounds.  (30 min game)
5-6 players should do 4 rounds. (32-40 min)
7+ players should do 3 rounds. (36-42 min

What if the storyteller uses lists?
If the Storyteller makes regular use of lists (to include many potential wisps) then the listeners may decide to void the story. The Storyteller loses 2 points and the turn ends.