200 Word RPG 2018: The Wanderer (Version 2.0)


(A few modifications have been made to the game. A few bits that didn't seem particularly clear have been cleaned up a bit. I've also changed the tokens from a single black and a white to a pair of each to add a bit more choice about success and failure for the warrior's actions in the early stages of the game. It's still a case that offering more chances of success early means a higher difficulty in later stages of the game, and conversely making things harder for the wanderer early makes the climax easier. If I write a third version of this game, I'll do it after the 200 word context is over, maybe adding a 100 words, providing a character sheet, or maybe a bunch of potential companion cards with unique looks to them and advantages that can be chosen... we'll see how things go.)

The Wanderer
As she strides the Bonelands toward the Onyx Citadel, the last obstacles in her lifelong quest of vengeance await. A band of companions guide her destiny.

Three questions define you.
How do you know her?
What did you teach her? (Her advantage)
What haven’t you taught her? (Your advantage)

Everyone starts with 2 black and 2 white tokens (hidden), a blank page and pencil. A bag contains six more tokens of each colour.

Each act, everyone (including any Dead) takes turns narrating a situation, asking another player how the Wanderer faces it.

Everyone secretly contributes one of their four tokens to the situation’s narrator, one more is drawn from the bag.

Narrator reveals the contributions.
<1/3 black = full success
<1/3 white = full failure
Otherwise both apply

Narrator describes what happens.

Tokens returned to bag, everyone replenishes their spent token by drawing a random token from the bag.

Act One: Flashbacks (What challenge was faced?)
Success: She gains an advantage
Failure: Someone loses an advantage

Act Two: Bonelands (menaces confronted)
Success: Menace neutralised
Failure: Someone loses an advantage (or their life)

Act Three: Citadel (citadel’s defences)
Success: Defence overcome
Failure: Someone loses their life, or she dies (game over, you lose)

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