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The Ghost In My Machine

Stories of the Strange and Unusual

The Most Dangerous Games: The Dead Poet’s Game

June 2, 2014 by Lucia

Previously: The Shoebox Telephone.

I found the instructions for the Dead Poet’s Game wrapped up in a mediocre creepypasta; as such, I can’t vouch for the efficacy of the ritual. It does, however, appear to be one of the more dangerous games out there, largely due to the locked room required for it and its failsafe situation. If ever there was a game that shouldn’t be played this one is it.

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But if you do take that chance?… Let’s just say that I can’t be held accountable for anything that might befall you.

Players:

  • 1 principal

Requirements:

  • 1 table
  • 2 chairs
  • 1 candle
  • 1 lighter or book of matches
  • 2 wine glasses
  • 1 bottle of wine
  • 1 empty room.

Instructions:

The Prelude:

  1. Begin at night. Draw the curtains of your empty room, ensuring that no light from the outside bleeds into it.
  2. Set the table up in the center of the room and place the chairs on either side of it, opposite each other.
  3. Set one wine glass in front of each chair. Place the candle in the center of the table with the wine bottle beside it.
  4. Light the candle with your lighter or matches.
  5. Turn out the lights.
  6. Lock the door.

The Main Event:

  1. Pick up the bottle of wine from the table and pour a full measure into each glass.
  2. Replace the bottle, sit in the “head” chair, and pick up your own glass. Raise it and make a silent toast; then take a sip.
  3. If you have done this correctly, there will be a presence in the chair opposite you after you lower you glass. Remain calm; do not jump, start, or otherwise provoke the presence in any way. If the chair opposite you remains empty, blow out the candle, turn on the lights, and leave the room. Lock the door. Do not reenter the room until morning.
  4. Say aloud the words, “I wish to start a match.” If the presence agrees, you must now choose to be either Player A or Player B. Once you have chosen your letter, say aloud, “I strip you of the letter [Your Letter].”
  5. Now, ask a question. After you receive your answer, take a sip of wine. After you finish your sip, you will now become Player B.
  6. Listen closely. If Player A asks you a question, answer it. Then take a sip of your wine.
  7. Continue in this fashion, alternating between being Player A and Player B, until one or both glasses are empty. Do NOT touch any glass other than your own.

The Ending:

  1. Whoever is Player A when the wine runs out automatically wins the game.
  • If you are Player A, the presence will depart; remain seated until it has done so. Blow out the candle, turn on the lights, and exit the room.
  • If you are Player B, do not blow out the candle; that is for Player A to do. Once the candle has gone out, turn on the lights. From now on, be careful in dark spaces. If you see something out of the corner of your eye, turn to face it. If you spot something behind you in a mirror, turn around. Do NOT, under ANY circumstances, EVER say these words: “This soul is yours. It is yours to do business with.”

Additional Notes:

This game MUST be played in room where a poet has died. The deceased does not have to have been a literal poet; someone said to have had “the soul of a poet” will suffice. When setting up the space, one of the chairs should ideally be situated where the poet’s head was upon being found; the other should sit at the poet’s feet.

You MUST perform this ritual alone. No other people, animals, or other living creatures may be present.

Keep the room free of any type of technology—phones, laptops, the lot.

You must answer each question truthfully; however, you do not have to answer each question freely or completely. Guard your secrets, for giving them up could result in disaster.

Concerning Failsafes:

There are no failsafes.

The Dead Poet’s Game: FAQ.

***

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[Photo via]

Filed Under: Games Tagged With: creepypasta, games you shouldn't play, rituals, The Dead Poet's Game, The Most Dangerous Games

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cas says

    March 11, 2015 at 11:25 pm

    I would really like to play this game and an enemy of mine is a good poet… Hm, I can both get rid of him AND play this game…

    Reply
    • Laura Messi says

      May 5, 2015 at 7:26 pm

      Tell me how that goes.

      Reply
    • James says

      November 3, 2016 at 3:33 pm

      I’d just like to ask a question…do REALLY think it’s wise to summon the supernatural presence of an enemy? Especially one (Judging by your comment) you may have killed?

      I’d imagine they’d like to return the favor.

      Reply
    • EEE says

      August 26, 2020 at 8:10 pm

      That’s just crazy. You’re crazy.

      Reply
  2. zyle francisco says

    May 17, 2015 at 12:02 am

    what if theres other living creature e.g. cockroach,mosquito,lizards you know Im just curious

    Reply
    • Creeped says

      December 8, 2015 at 1:02 pm

      If there is another living creature then there are two possibilities-
      A. There will be no presence. You blow out the candle. Turn on the lights and leave the room. Lock it and never return. Not even the next morning.
      B. The presence will come, bind your soul into that creature and bind his into your body. It cannot be undone.
      Sidenote : Good luck living as a bacteria

      Reply
    • dakinuvpepr says

      March 27, 2017 at 10:37 am

      Then choose one room that has not even a hole that any living thing that can come in.
      A room without window(s), only a door perhaps?

      Reply
  3. Emperor's Warrior says

    June 29, 2016 at 3:18 pm

    What’s the reward for winning and the cost of losing?

    Reply
    • Secret artist says

      October 5, 2016 at 11:21 pm

      I’m going to guess that if you lose you loss your soul? Maybe

      Reply
  4. sparklewithcreativity says

    July 7, 2016 at 3:43 pm

    I am unclear as to at which point you become Player A. If you’ve just answered a question, you are Player B, but become Player A as soon as you take your sip of wine. So would it then be a winning condition to finish your wine after answering a question or after asking one? Because it’s pretty easy to take a sip that drains your glass at just the right time.

    Reply
    • James says

      November 3, 2016 at 3:39 pm

      I can think of two things:

      1.) They may have the same idea.

      2.) If you do it too early the presence may consider it cheating. Many times cheating at a game results in automatic loss/disqualification.

      My suggestion is not to play a game with the supernatural. You never know exactly with whom you’ve started the game. And even if you did, you won’t know until the die is cast.

      Reply
  5. Swagger224 says

    July 10, 2016 at 11:40 am

    What if the presence refuses to start a match with me?

    Reply
    • AryWhereArtThou says

      August 27, 2016 at 6:28 pm

      Then, if it wishes to do so, have a conversation and get to know each other over some wine. I presume that the spirit is a poet so, it should make for some intellectual and/or deeper conversations than with some other spiritual beings. If you are respectful, you may gain a friend and someone to have SPIRITED debates with. Whatever you do don’t make a ghost pun though…

      Reply
      • Lucifer says

        September 24, 2017 at 1:59 am

        I thought you were gonna talk about a supernatural relationship]

        Reply
      • One_Blue_Glove says

        October 23, 2017 at 6:11 pm

        Ya know, that’s interesting. I’ve always wondered if in the middle of one of these games you just started having a platonic conversation with the spirit involved and how they would react.

        Reply
    • dakinuvpepr says

      March 27, 2017 at 10:39 am

      Blow out a candle and turn the lights on and leave the room until morning
      maybe…

      Reply
  6. Gail says

    August 3, 2016 at 5:15 pm

    If you lose, can the other player harm you if it chooses or only if you give it your soul?

    Reply
    • Meteor Girl says

      October 20, 2017 at 8:41 pm

      Player A would do nothing to you, he just blows out the candle and suff, the end. Unless you give your soul.

      Reply
      • Tanner says

        February 5, 2020 at 10:32 pm

        Here’s just a general question, I guess this is as good a place as any to ask it. At the conclusion of some these rituals, including this one, the instructions say something along the lines of, “Be careful in the dark from now on.” Would “dark” mean completely pitch-black, or a room with the lights turned off, but you have some form of light, for example, a candle, lamp or nightlight?

        Reply
  7. vaysay says

    February 19, 2017 at 6:36 am

    “Do NOT, under ANY circumstances, EVER say these words: “This soul is yours. It is yours to do business with.”” What if we say it?

    Reply
    • dakinuvpepr says

      March 27, 2017 at 10:27 am

      Ehm… You die?

      Reply
    • lucy fir says

      June 5, 2017 at 2:08 pm

      uh… yeah. that’s something you shouldn’t do

      Reply
    • One_Blue_Glove says

      October 23, 2017 at 6:12 pm

      Well, if you lost, saying these words will give the spirit you lost to (possibly full) ownership of your soul.

      Reply
    • Qt.__.trash says

      March 30, 2020 at 4:04 pm

      It will take your soul

      Reply
    • 9SMILLER says

      May 6, 2020 at 4:14 pm

      You are basically telling the spirit that it can have your soul, so… just don’t say it

      Reply
  8. Eveien says

    March 25, 2017 at 1:23 pm

    Are there any “loopholes” in answering each question?

    Reply
  9. dakinuvpepr says

    March 27, 2017 at 10:34 am

    If I am player B and decides to blow out a candle, what happens?

    Reply
  10. Emily says

    April 20, 2017 at 8:48 pm

    So cool I’ll have to try some of these some time!!!

    Reply
    • One_Blue_Glove says

      October 23, 2017 at 6:13 pm

      Be careful, stay safe, and if you’re still alive, then please, write your experience.

      Reply
  11. yd2710 says

    May 5, 2017 at 1:47 am

    What if I win the game and say to the presence, “Your soul is mine. It’s mine to do business with”?

    Reply
    • One_Blue_Glove says

      October 23, 2017 at 6:14 pm

      You’re basically mocking the spirit that lost to you.

      They probably won’t like that.

      Reply
  12. Swagger224 says

    June 18, 2017 at 10:52 am

    Would it be possible to play this game with a non alcoholic beverage (like water or juice or something)?

    Reply
  13. Marion says

    July 31, 2017 at 2:33 pm

    If the poet was someone who was close to you, such a relative or good friend, would that up your chances of safety?

    Reply
    • Wolf123 says

      October 1, 2017 at 12:27 pm

      I doubt that would happen. You’re dealing with an ENTITY HERE! I doubt a close relative or something like that would be what you do this ritual with.

      Reply
  14. TotalyHuman says

    September 25, 2017 at 5:45 pm

    Why the heck would someone even say “This soul is yours. It is yours to do business with.”

    Reply
    • One_Blue_Glove says

      October 23, 2017 at 6:14 pm

      We dunno
      ¯_(ツ)_/¯

      Reply
    • Vixen Marie Croscher says

      April 30, 2018 at 12:47 am

      Because they’re stupid?

      Reply
  15. Idiot says

    April 29, 2018 at 6:29 pm

    Can there be in a spider in my room while playing? I don’t wanna get rid of it. :/

    Reply
    • Idek says

      April 5, 2019 at 10:04 pm

      Nope! Ya gonna remove EVERYTHING. And by everything I mean everything.

      Reply
  16. Cool dude says

    August 30, 2018 at 2:40 pm

    What does the poet look like? I mean it says you will see a presence. So is it like an outline or a shadowy figure or something?

    Reply

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