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The Secret Castle Dungeon

Group Size:

This game can be played by small and big groups. (We played it with 65 children) For each station you need sufficient leaders to play the roles of the castle residents. We divided the children into groups of six. (Mixed ages) Each group gets instructions and a start coin.

Age:

Ages 8 to 16 worked well in our camp.

Beginning and the carrying out the game:

The groups begin the game at the same time. They search for the people of the castle. The groups should not be too big (so that the game does not take too long). The important thing that the castle residents stick to the text and then the game works well. If there is nothing going on at your station, you can keep the children busy (acting is required).

Preparation: material and costumes

Costumes make the game more authentic (it's amazing what you can find on the camp as costumes). The materials you use in the game should not be obtainable anywhere else. (Coal, grindstones, children firework, coins etc.) otherwise the kids will look for them elsewhere. Do not use bottles tops as coins; you can find them everywhere on the ground.

Solutions (don't give them away):

At the beginning, the children get a thaler. So they can buy one dragon tooth from the souvenir shop.

With this tooth, they have to go to the guard of the bridge. They have to act like dragon hunters. Now they are allowed to cross the bridge.

In the castle they have to go to the maid. The maid sends them to the hair dresser Figario who gives them a side parting. Afterwards they have to go back to the maid who gives them one piece of the ticket.

After the meeting with the maid, the groups go to the fairy. She gives them a magic ball. With this magic ball, the groups go to the witch. She needs it to finish her potion.

After she has finished her potion she gives them matches.

The smith needs matches, coal and a new, strong helper.

But first they have to go to the executioner who needs a new job. They have to tell them that he should go to the smith.

For this information the executioner gives them a thaler. With the thaler they can buy coal from the souvenir shop. They have to bring the coal to the smith. He will thank them and give them a grindstone.

The knight needs a grindstone because his sword is blunt. He tells the kids that they have to sing YMCA at the station of the minstrel.

The minstrel tells them that the court jester likes jokes. He will give them the second piece of the ticket for the party this evening.

Afterwards they have to go to the guard of the castle who would like to go to the party that evening. To thank them, he lets the group visit the tower where the princess is.

Piece of paper for the groups ....

Hello knights!
You are knights and rove the countryside. You heard that a princess is held prisoner in a secret castle dungeon. Now you want to find this dungeon. But it is not easy. There are many people who live in the castle and can help you. But the problem is getting into the castle. Talk with the people and listen carefully. Few won't speak to you and you have to carry on. Collect everything you get during the game, they can be helpful. Solve the riddles and tasks. Use your grey matter to reach the goal of the secret dungeon!

Rules:

If a group is at another station, keep your distance
Be silent and don't give anything away
You cannot cheat. You have to solve the tasks one after another.
If you have reached the dungeon, be quiet so the other groups can continue the game

Souvenir shop

You are the shop seller; you sell dragon teeth and coal on a table outside. The goods cost a thaler.
You can talk to everybody
Be sure that each group only gets one tooth and one piece of coal
The children need the teeth first, so sell the teeth at the beginning of the game
During the game the groups come back to you to buy a piece of coal

Material:

Seller's costume
Table
Approx. 10 pieces of coal
Approx. 10 dragon teeth

Guard of the bridge

You are the guard of the bridge (two folded down tables on the floor form the bridge)
Only dragon hunters are allowed to pass over the bridge
As evidence you want to see the dragon teeth
Those who have the teeth get a DT stamped on their hand

Hint:

Many groups will come to you. Hurry up because without the DT on their hands the children cannot play the game
The children only have to pass over the bridge once to receive the hand stamp. However they have to leave the castle during the game. It does not matter whether thy use your bridge or not.
Result: If all groups have passed you can dismantle your bridge; this happens near the beginning.

Material:

Two tables
Benches as markers
Black felt tip

Maid

You are the maid and you just talk with children who have a DT on their hands
You say: "Oh no, you look terrible! So you can't go to the party looking like that.
Go to the hair dresser and let him do you hair. Come back and you get a present.
When the children come back give them a piece of the ticket (front half).
Tell the children that they need the other piece too but you don't have it.

Hint:

Each group gets only one piece of the ticket. But he children still need the second piece. Watch out.

Material:

Costume for a maid
Approx. 10 pieces of the half tickets

Hairdresser Figaro

You are the hairdresser and you just talk with children who have a DT on their hands
The children have you to tell that they come from the maid and that you should do their hair
After doing their hair, you send them back to the maid
Do the same hairstyle on all children e.g. a side parting
Ask the children who has sent them
If they don't know, they don't get a hairstyle

Material:

Costume for a hairdresser
Table
Hair gel

The good fairy

You are the fairy and you just talk with children who have a DT on their hands
You float around the place
If a group arrives tell them fairy tales and stories about good deeds
Give them a magic ball
The children don't need to do anything
Each group gets only one magic ball
If there are no more balls, you can finish your role

Material:

Costume for a fairy
Approx.10 magic balls

Witch

You are a witch. You sit behind a cauldron with something in it; you are brewing a magic potion.
You only talk with children who have a DT on their hands and who bring you a magic ball from the fairy.
A special ingredient is missing for your potion
Light the magic ball and throw it into the cauldron. !! CAUTION - BANGS AND SPARKLES!!
Than your potion is completed and you give the group a box of matches

Material:

Costume for a witch, a broom
Cauldron, pot or a bucket
Approx.10 boxes of matches

Smith

You are the smith and you just talk with children who have a DT on their hands
You tell them: "I am the smith and I need new matches and coal. If you can bring it to me you get a grindstone.
But you have to bring the things together, not one after another. Oh and I need a strong helper not such weaklings like you. I need a strong guy who can help me. If you find such a guy send him to me. That would be very nice!
The children have to bring him matches (from the witch) and coal to get the grindstone
The executioner is an unemployed guy. The children have to find him
But he won't come to you, because he has to be spoken to by each group.

Material:

Costume for a smith, anvil, hammer
Approx. 10 grindstones

Unemployed executioner

You are the executioner and you just talk to children who have a DT on their hands
You just walk around slowly
If a group arrives you tell them: "I am unemployed and looking for a new job. Do you know anybody who needs help?"
If the children know the smith they will send you to him
You thank them and give them your "last thaler"
If they don't know the smith, don't tell them anything. Tell them that they should ask around.

Material:

Costume for a executioner, axe, belt
Approx.10 thaler

Knight

You are the knight
You only talk to children who have a DT on their hands
You tell them: How annoying. My sword is blunt I need a grindstone. If you bring one, I'll tell you something. You tell them that the minstrel wants them to sing and dance YMCA. You also tell them the secret code "Village People". You need this code because other groups could see that they are dancing to YMCA and do the same.

Material:

Knight armour
Sword

Minstrel

You are the minstrel
You just talk with children who have a DT on their hands
You don't tell them anything, you are just singing your own songs about the camp
The children arrive your station at the end of the game
They have to dance YMCA and say the secret code "Village People"
If the know both things you tell them that the court jester likes jokes about blondes

Material:

Minstrel costume

Court jester

You are the court jester and you just talk with children who have a DT on their hands
You tell them jokes; some funnier than others
If the children tell you a blonde joke they get the second piece of the ticket
The children arrive at the end of the game so it may take some time before the first group comes

Material:

Jester costume
Approx. 10 half tickets

Castle guard

You are the guard.
You only talk with children who have a DT on their hands
Nobody comes in the castle
If a group comes you tell them: "What do you want? I am sure that you want to go to the party tonight. Everybody is there. But I have no ticket. Go away, you won't get in.
If the children give you both halves of the ticket you let them into the tower where the princess is.
Your station is the last one. When the groups solves the puzzles, tell them to be quiet so that the other children can continue the game

Material:

Costume for a castle guard
Long lance

Princess

You are a princess
You sit in a secret castle dungeon that is guarded by a guard
If the children arrive, they have solved the game and get a little present
Tell them that they should be quiet so that the other children can continue the game

Material:

Costume for a princess
Give-a-ways

Author: M. O.