The Market of Borrowed Names

Suri speaks for three workers who need their names for morning work; Hale represents the council and needs one valid signature; Venn represents the masked visitors and will not surrender anyone’s voice token without permission. Give each group a concrete request, then ask players which of the three staffed return hooks they will allocate. One hook serves a named group. Suri accepts priority returns, Hale accepts a witnessed signature, and Venn accepts an opt-in queue plus an audit. The same three hooks cannot also staff a private all-market audit, which needs two. Agreement depends on recorded offers, never on a persuasion roll. Keto freely explains the matching notches when asked and takes responsibility without becoming the price of settlement.

Truth and opening

Venn lent names as voluntary festival costumes. Keto spilled erasing sand over the ledger. Notched receipts and clay voice tokens still match. Borrowers may return their own names individually; a public dawn bell ends all loans and the masquerade.

120-minute route

Investigate matching without exposing names 25m → Hear and revise the three offers 45m → Staff and conduct the agreed return service 30m

Start without the matching method. Compare the tokens and allow one counterproposal per group; the two-hook audit replaces two public desks rather than adding free capacity.

People

Suri: wants Return names before bakery opening Offers One worker can staff a hook if one appointment is guaranteed. Boundary: Workers must not lose their morning names to preserve a party.

Hale: wants Make a valid morning signature Offers A witness and a quiet desk. Boundary: No signature under another person’s name.

Venn: wants Keep the masquerade reversible Offers Remaining tokens and the public reset bell. Boundary: No return spoken by a substitute.

Keto: wants Repair the return records after spilling erasing sand Offers The surviving notches and an honest demonstration. Boundary: Will not guess an owner from a laugh or be offered as the price of agreement.

Events and costs

Closures

A name returned by its speaker: Workers accept is true and Council accepts is true and Borrowers accept is true

Behind the quiet screen: Private audit reserved is true

Ordinary introductions: Available

Recovery

If a party refuses or a hook has been promised twice, keep the promises already made and announce the dawn bell. No borrower loses a name permanently; the cost is the cancelled masquerade. A blocked booth can be bypassed via the tea steps to the dais.