You’re walking down a dimly lit hallway. Suddenly a door you didn’t know was there opens and a small goblin-like creature jumps out. He reminds you of Gollum. Or Miracle Max from Princess Bride. He’s a bit strange, but you’re not scared.
BB: Oh help! Please! Something terrible has happened. I was in my cave polishing my treasure when the ground began to shake - the walls clattered and creaked and a great statue fell from the highest shelf. It bonked me on my head and now (beginning to cry) I’ve forgotten my name!
He asks your name. Maybe you have the same one? You tell him you’re Herbie. Or Stephen.
BB: Beautiful, but no! That’s not my name!
He explains to you that his name is so much more than just a name: it’s who he is. His name represents the story of his life. Without his name he has no identity, no sense of self. Someone guesses that his name is ‘Rumpelstiltskin’.
BB:Ah, a good guess, but no. That actually used to be my name but I changed it. Lot of negative connotations with that name: stealing babies, obsession with gold… didn’t really align with who I am. That’s the beautiful thing about names, we can change them if they don’t quite fit. For example I like to call elephants “Trunkerfuns”. Just makes more sense.
He tells you that out of an abundance of caution, because he loves his name very much, he prepared for this day and left himself a code to remember it should it ever be forgotten. Will you go with him to his cave and help decipher the code? As a searcher, you know it’s your duty to say ‘yes’.
Down another hallway you go through a door that leads to a large room. It sparkles, full of golden trinkets and treasures, gleaming on every surface. Despite the mess, it’s very beautiful. The creature explains that he’s a collector and that every object in his cave holds a story. He holds up an ornate golden plate.
BB:This was from my sister’s wedding. Terrible groom, beautiful ceremony.
On the wall is a giant, strange looking poster. There are blank spaces, where you might write letters, each with a picture below them. This is the code.
BB: THE CODE!!!!!!!!!
Your task: find the objects displayed on the poster - these unique objects each have unique letters attached to them. When you find one, you can bring it to the creature who will fill in the corresponding place on the poster with the correct letter. Once you fill in the poster, his name will be revealed. Your search team gets to work. You search the room for a golden candlestick that matches the image on the poster. You search high and low and eventually find it tucked under a table. You grab it and search for a letter on it. At first you can’t see anything but then, aha! There! On the bottom you see very clearly the letter “B”. You bring it to the creature.
BB:Oh I love this object very much. Got this off of a candlestick maker in a bathtub with a butcher and a baker… and it’s kind of a long story.
He writes the letter “B” on the poster above the places where the candlestick holder is pictured.
You continue your search and one by one the letters on the poster are filled out, spelling a name.
BB:That’s it! I’m BENNY BOB SNUGGLE VON SHPLITZEN PORK! That’s my name! I remember now! Doesn’t it suit me perfectly?
You agree that it does. You learn more of the names of the other searchers in your group. Their names suit them too.
BB:Every story needs a good name and your name is the story of your life. So be proud of your name, whatever you call yourself, because it represents all the treasures of your life. Thank you for helping remember mine.
As a token of gratitude, Benny Bob gives you a small golden statue of a Unicorn.
BB: Picked that up off a Minotaur in Greece. His name was Tracy.
Another story piece! Yes! You thank Benny Bob and continue on your way. There are still more story pieces to find!
