Character Hunt
Game Assets
Character Hunt Rules and Game Instructions
Play Character Hunt: Step by Step Guide
Purpose of Character Hunt
The power and abilities, known as Characters, presented in Grey Tavern games belong to and are kept by two individuals: The Light Guardian and the Dark Guardian.
In this Character Hunt, Guardians are teaching their Bixies some of the abilities they possess, called Hakim. By providing Bixies with these Characters, Guardians are giving their Bixis permission to learn and practice utilizing these powers under their tutelage.
However, if a Bixi misuses or is no longer deserving of a Character, they can lose access to a Character and its Hakim.
Character Hunt Roles
The Guardians
The Light Guardian’s magnificent power can be seen throughout the entirety of the Realm. As the powerful and wise keeper of life, progression, and growth, the elements themselves bend to her commands. She stands against death itself. All within her Realm flourish in the resplendent glow of her influence. The records of the creatures in her Realm tell of her spectacular and terrible ability to save and restore what had decayed as well as her wondrous blessings of aid to those with goodness and courage.
The Dark Guardian is the strong and firm force of law, consequence, and protection against evil. Through his remarkable power, he holds the Realm in balance and order. He keeps justice so evil does not gain a foothold in the Realm. By his grand judgment, all lawbreakers suffer his curses. Curses of danger. Curses of debilitation. Curses that right the wrong. All the Dark Guardian’s awesome powers are the sword that keeps the Realm free from the terrible grasp of evil. Obey the law and respect the Light Guardian’s Realm, and his sword will always be your shield.
The two Guardians are partners in their aims, goals, and purposes. Together, their majestic and immense powers are used to help the Bixis grow into their vast potential.
How to Select Guardians
The parents or legal guardians of a child or individual should play the Guardians for that child(ren) or individual. The two parents should decide among themselves who should play the Light Guardian and who should play the Dark Guardian.
As described above, the Light Guardian, known as Huldah, is the powerful and wise keeper of life, progression, and growth. This role has a more maternal presentation and facilitation, which is why the role is referred to as “she”.
Again, the Dark Guardian, known as Ya'qub, is the strong and firm force of law, consequence, and even death (though death is delicately dealt with in this game as it focuses on children ages 4 to 12). This role has a more paternal presentation and facilitation, which is why the role is referred to as “he”.
Guardian Rules
- Once Guardians have chosen their role, the two Guardians should NEVER play each other’s role or use the other’s abilities. If their abilities are needed and if a Light or Dark Guardian is not present, the appropriate Guardian should be contacted. Otherwise, the abilities and powers of that Guardian are not present in that game.
- Guardians cannot change their roles unless they work with a Grey Tavern employee to do so and the proper qualifications are met.
- Bixis also should NEVER be allowed to use a Guardian’s ability unless stated otherwise in a specific game's rules.
Bixi
Who are Bixis
Bixis are generally children between the ages of 4 and 12. Players that are older than Bixis can play this game, but they will eventually be called something else according to their age. In all Grey Tavern games, Bixis are players of games but are not the Light Guardian or Dark Guardian.
Hakim
Each Character has their own Hakim. Hakim is the phenomenal abilities associated with each Character. It is what allows Bixis to share their energy- gained through their learnings, both successful and unsuccessful- with their Grand Symbiotes- also known as Dragons or the creatures of Anaes.
The Guardians want Bixis to learn each Character’s Hakim so the Bixis can traverse the Realms, with permission by the Realm’s creators, to gain experience and understanding. Only the Hakim of each Character can allow a Bixi to interact and learn in a more complete way from a Realm.
It is the Hakim that empowers Bixis to bond with creatures of a Realm to experience as they experience and to feel as they feel.
How to Play Character Hunt
As the two keepers of all power and Hakim in this Realm, the Guardians seek out Bixis who are ready to begin training in the 8 Hakim powers..
The first step in order to see if a Bixi is ready to receive a Character is by exposing them to it.
On this Character Hunt, the Guardians gift the Bixis with knowledge of 8 Hakims. That is, if the Bixis can discover the Characters.
Guardians: If you don’t remember where all the Characters have been hidden, don’t worry. They were hidden hundreds of years ago. It’s a good thing you made clues!
Step 1- Get the First Clue
To start the Character Hunt, go to the Grey Tavern to receive the first clue in the form of a riddle. This will be a link to a Grey Tavern webpage.
Step 2- Visit a Location and Scan
Decipher the riddle, then travel to the location.
Guardians, let the Bixis decipher the riddle, but you may help them as needed.
If Guardians need help remembering the answer to their riddle, they can look at the hints below the riddle.
NOTE: The Character will be inside the location. Some of the hints will pertain to its hiding place in the location.
Once the Guardians and Bixis arrive at a location and find the Characters (2 per location), the Guardians should scan the codes below the Hakim powers.
Step 3- Read about the Hakim of each Character and Answer the Questions
After scanning the 2 QR codes, the Guardians will be able to teach the Bixis about each Character’s specific Hakim abilities. They should read the old text aloud to the Bixis.
How Questions Work
After the Hakim is taught, the Guardians should ask each Bixi the questions found through a link on the second Hakim webpage. Submit and repeat this form for each Bixi Each question indicates an individual who should answer the question (Prophesier) and an individual who should pose and select an answer (Interpreter).
Prophesier
The Prophesier is the one who answers the question posed. They do not read the question themselves nor do they get to see the answer options. They simply answer the question with whatever comes to their mind.
Whoever a question indicates should Prophesy is the only person who should do so. Not at any time should another individual or group Prophesy for them. If the Prophesier is not present, that individual should be contacted and an interpretation should not be made until the Prophesier is able to Prophesy.
If the indicated Prophesier is truly unavailable or circumstances to not allow the indicated Prophesier to be contacted, please talk with a Grey Tavern employee to learn what to do.
Interpreter
The Interpreter is the one who reads the question to the Prophesier.
The Interpreter should listen to what the Prophesier says and select the answer that best fits what the Prophesier is saying.
Whoever a question indicates should be the Interpreter is the only person who should do so. Not at any time should another individual or group Interpret for them. If the Interpreter is not present, that individual should be contacted and a Prophecy should not occur until the Interpreter is ready to hear the Prophecy.
The Interpreter should never show the Prophesier what they put as the answer, or at least not until the answers have been submitted to the Grey Tavern. The only reason for this is for keeping bias and overlapping opinions out of the Prophesier/Interpreter relationship while questions are being asked and answered. However, talking about these things afterwards can lead to productive and deep conversations that can help families and friends come closer together and grow together.
If the indicated Interpreter is truly unavailable or circumstances to not allow the indicated Interpreter to be contacted, please talk with a Grey Tavern employee to learn what to do.
Question Rules
- The instructions for these questions should be strictly followed. Light Guardians CANNOT ask a question or interpret a Bixi’s answer for a Dark Guardian and a Dark Guardian CANNOT do so for a Light Guardian.
- If either Guardian is not present, that Guardian should be contacted so he or she may answer the question and interpret the answer as directed in each question’s instructions.
- As Bixis are usually the Prophesiers for these questions, each Bixi needs the opportunity to Prophecy. Guardians should NEVER treat their Bixis as a group when doing these questions. They have to treat each Bixi individually and must pose the questions to each Bixi individually and interpret each of their responses individually.
- Guardians do not need to wait for the other Guardian to ask all the Bixis their questions before asking their own. Especially if a family or group has many participants, Guardians should move through their questions at the same time to help things move faster.
Step 4- Visit all four Locations
Once the Hakim abilities have been read and questions completed for each Bixi, the Guardians may continue to the next clue that leads to the next location. The clue is accessible through a link found on the Thank You for Submitting page on the form.
The clue pattern goes as follows:
- Location 1 = Riddle
- Location 2 = Map
- Location 3 = Map
- Location 4 = Riddle
For the map, we recommend comparing the map to a map of your local area.
If you need help, please call The Grey Tavern. We’re happy to provide some mystical advice!
The Character Hunt is nearly complete when the Guardians and Bixis have visited all four locations, read about all 8 Character Hakims, and answered the 8 questions for each Bixi.
Step 5- Return to the Grey Tavern
The last step is to return to the Grey Tavern. There the Bixis can receive their Totems, indicating that they’ve begun learning the Hakim of the Characters their Guardians have gifted them.
The completion of the Character Hunt gives Guardians and Bixis all the abilities and tools needed to play all games for ages 4 -12.
Guardian Action throughout the Character Hunt
Throughout the Character Hunt, Guardians may use their powers to make things more interesting or hard for their Bixis.
Light Guardians
The powers of the Light Guardian are up for interpretation in this game based on the Light Guardian description above. But some light guidelines are as follows:
- The Light Guardian affects the world in a physical manner. The elements obey herl. If she wishes it to be night time, it is night. If she wishes the adventure to take place in a lush valley or at the peak of a volcano, that is where they are.
- Light Guardians can give boons their Bixis. If they encounter something hard and they are struggling, she can gift them a sword or other tool or gift appropriate for the situation to help them succeed.
Dark Guardians
The powers of the Dark Guardian are up for interpretation in this game based on the Dark Guardian description above. But some light guidelines are as follows:
- The Dark Guardian is the great and grand protector of the Realm. This means that justice for wrongdoing must be answered or else evil will creep in. This means that, if the Dark Guardian chooses, he may set a Bixi’s sight on a grander goal. For example, the Dark Guardian might say that Bixis must act in a kind and helpful manner to all creatures they may encounter on the Character Hunt. Basing these goals on what Bixis are currently learning within the home is always a good path.
- If any goal set down by a Dark Guardian is disobeyed or if there is any form of misbehavior, the Dark Guardian- as the warden of the Realm- should present the Bixis with a challenge. Dark Guardians have power over all Grand Symbiotes (the animals of this Realm). So, the Dark Guardian may place a curse such as “Eagle Hunted” on one or more Bixis. This may cause an enemy Eagle to appear as the group travels from location to location that Bixis must figure out how to overcome, avoid, etc. The scenario or encounter is up to the Dark Guardians imagination and discretion.
Other games will have more specific abilities that the Guardians can use, but their abilities for the Character Hunt are up to their imagination as it pertains to the guidelines.
Global Grey Tavern Rule
Due to the structure of Grey Tavern games, Guardians and/or Bixis should NEVER change game rules to make things easier or harder for players unless areas of adjustment are specifically mentioned in a game's rules.
Grey Tavern games not only provide educational material through their games that would be dampened if rules are changed, but would also be unfair to other players. Many, if not all, Grey Tavern games, provide opportunities for unlockable items, creatures, abilities, etc that are cross-compatible with the majority of Grey Tavern games. If rules are made easier or harder this robs ultimately from each player’s achievements and ability to achieve in comparison to other players in the local area.