EGIL

A SOLO ROLEPLAYING GAME OF BRUTAL VIKING POETRY

“Start your timer, play atmospheric Viking music and sit down on your chair. Grab your QUILL and RUNESTONES, and close your eyes. Breathe. Relax. Allow full immersion and whisper to yourself “I am Egil, I am Egil”. Whenever you are ready, open your eyes.

You are EGIL!”

• Download EGIL (PDF)

EGIL was originally written for Rollespill.infos R.I.S.K.-competition, and has been made available in English for Nørwegian Style’s readers by the creators:

Karl Otto Kristoffersen – karlokri (att) hotmail.com
Christopher Rakkestad – chrismentzen.3d (att) gmail.com

• More games from Rollespill.infos R.I.S.K (in Norwegian)

 

The Secret Room

A ritual to build a secret room in our mind’s eye.

For five, including you.

You, having read this, will lead the ritual. It is your responsibility to be the guide. Read this text a couple of times before you begin.

You need a candle. Perhaps some incense and music.

We always build secret rooms when we play roleplaying games. The intent of this ritual is to become more aware of how we conjure such illusions. How can we simultaneously experience something which doesn’t exist?

You are all seated around a table. You explain:

Together, we will envision a room. It’s a secret room inside ourselves. But we can all see it. We see the room with our eyes closed. We listen to each other, without interrupting the other participants.

If you happen to interrupt someone, it’s ok. We will pause briefly, before continuing. (You may have to remind the participants of this rule as you go).

The other rule is listening to what others add, being willing to let the inner vision change as we speak.

Everyone can describe anything in the room, but each player has a special domain (point at participants, or distribute notes with the words on): SOUNDS, SMELLS, COLORS, TOUCH.

Now close your eyes. We will rehearse listening to each other by counting downwards from ten to zero. Someone says “ten”, someone else says “nine”, someone says “eight”. If anyone speaks at the same time, we’ll start over. When we have counted from ten to zero without interruptions, we begin. Then we’ll be in the Secret Room. You answer my questions, and add your own details about the room.

(You light the candle).

(You count down from ten to zero).

Examples of things you can say and questions you can ask. Remember to pause.

(It’s good to wait awhile before saying anything. It’s good if one of the others start on their own accord).

We’re in the Secret Room. (breathe)

What sounds are there? (wait)

What does it smell like? (wait)

Is it light, or dark? (wait)

What objects are there? (wait)

(wait, don’t speak)

Can you see them? (wait)

Why is the room secret? (wait)

What has happened here in the past? (wait)

Are there still traces? (wait)

(breathe, don’t speak)

Something hangs on one of the walls, what is it? (wait)

What colors does it have? (wait)

Who is in the room? (wait)

Why is the room secret? (wait. You may start knocking slowly on the table while repeating the question)

Tips:

• Take your time. You can let a whole minute pass without speaking.
• Support initiatives.
• It’s preferable to let the participants take the lead. It’s great if they start describing without your prompts.
• Several statements in a row may be spoken without you saying anything. This is good.
• If necessary, you can remind the others not to interrupt each other.
• Breathe slowly.
• Speak softly, but clearly.
• Relax. Take your time.
• Listen carefully to what’s being said. You’ll sometimes want to tie statements together.
• You may also keep your eyes closed.
• Ask follow-up questions. It’s better if another participant answers the follow-up.
• Build on what has been said. Bring it back to the conversation.
• Remind the participants that discussions are unwanted.
• Remind them to listen to each other, not interrupting.
• The ritual is over when it feels right. You will know.
• (Breathe)

A game psychosis plays

1. Imagine all songs are addressed to you personally by [abstract concept] or [specific person].
2. Listen to a random song.

0. Get a tarot deck

1. Draw one card to inspire the setting. Take turns narrating detail, build on what is said. The setting card will remain face up on the table. During play, it’s also used for pacing. A player may place a marker on the card at any time. The third time means the game is over and it’s time to wrap up.
2. Every player draws a character card, placing it face up in front of them. Take turns introducing your characters, in light of the setting card stories. Go with your gut; what does the card say?
3. Take turns dealing three cards, face down. The Dealer uses the first card to establish how the scene begins, and who is present. She decides when it’s time to turn the next two. The second card represent a twist. The third the scene ending. Other players play their characters, narrate details and ask questions. The Dealer has final say, and a special responsibility for the scene. If the third setting card marker is placed during your scene, you help wrap up the game. The scene ending card may be used for inspiration.

(Ask questions, ask for ideas, reincorporate concepts, play secondary characters).

Playtesters: Magnus J, Mikael T, Ola L. Thanks: Astrid, Banana C. Originally posted to the 200 Word Challenge 2017.

The Elf archaeologists are saying hurtful things about your skeleton

This is a short game for 1 passive and 1-4 active players.

You will be the passive player. You play yourself. Lie down on the floor. You’ve been dead for 1000 years.

The other players are elf archaeologists. They have dug up your skeleton and are investigating it. They’re free to say and do whatever they want; walk around the room, prod you, talk about you.

The game consists of the elves saying hurtful things about you, based on deduction and speculation. You just lie there and take it!

The game ends when all the archaeologists have left the room to go on their lunch break.

Playing with yourself?

On your way to work, standing in line, on the bus, at dinner etc.

Observe:

Everything is God, getting to know Itself

 

Dream

A solo game that takes 10-20 minutes to play

1. Write down a thing that you want to do, but haven’t done yet.

2. Roll a die.

3. Let’s see what happens!

– On a 2-6, add 3 times that number to your age. Describe a change in your life. You didn’t do that thing you wanted to do yet; explain why. Now go to step 2 again.

– On a 1, you die. Oops! No need to describe or explain anything, you’re dead.

Keramal – a GMed meditation (audio)

Keramal (audio – in English)

Requires a quiet place to sit with your eyes closed, for ten minutes.

A French translation by Sacha D (audio)

 

Inspired by Jackson Tegu’s Follow, Banana Chan’s They’re Onto Me, and other things.

#3nano16

 

I Like You!

I Like You!

A nano-larp for a group of people of different genders

0. What you need

If you can, get a bunch of little paper hearts. Have everyone write their name on 5 hearts. Have more hearts available, in case someone needs more during the game.

1. Setup

Divide the group into two factions, based on real-life experience, with this question:

«Hands up those who have experienced unwanted emotional or sexual attention during the past week».

If less than half have their hands up, ask about the past two weeks. Continue expanding the time window until about half have their hands up.

The people with their hands up will play the faction of the Undesirables. The others will play the Desirables. To make them easy to tell apart, let the desirables put a heart on their chest, for instance.

2. General rules

Nobody is allowed to initiate contact with an undesirable, not even those who are undesirable. (Desirables can contact other desirables to talk.)

Everyone needs to team up with another player from the opposite faction before the game ends. Those who don’t, lose the game.

There are no actual characters in this game. Everyone plays themselves. If you’re asked to tell anything about yourself, that means you, the player.

3. Phase one, 5 minutes

Undesirables lay their hearts on the line!

To initiate contact with a desirable, the undesirables need to give them a heart and tell them a truth about themselves. This must be something that leaves them vulnerable.

During this phase, desirables must consider the different undesirables in order to find out who they might want to team up with.

Desirables: You don’t have much time to find your ideal mates here. Remember, you have to wait for them to contact you! Don’t waste time if you’re talking to someone who’s not what you’re looking for.

4. Phase two, 1 minute

Desirables reciprocate to potential mates!

Desirables are now allowed to give away hearts as well – paired with a truth about themselves. Remember, desirables have to wait for the undesirables to contact them!

Undesirables should continue to initiate contact and spread their hearts as in phase one. Make sure to approach those you believe might reciprocate!

Desirables: Time is really running out now! Don’t waste time on those you don’t want to team up with!

5. Phase three

Desirables make their final choice!

Desirables, stand in a row.

Undesirables, if you have received a heart from one or more desirables, walk up to one of them and stand face to face. If you haven’t, sit the fuck down.

Some desirables may now be facing multiple undesirables. Desirables, if you have several undesirables in front of you, push them away until only one remains.

If you get pushed away, sit the fuck down.

6. Winners and losers

Anyone who’s still standing – that is, teamed up heart to heart with someone from the opposite faction – wins. Hold hands and smile while other winners applaud you.

Everybody else loses.

7. Debrief

DEFINITELY debrief after this game. For some, it will be a fun experience. Others might be pissed off. Others again might feel hurt. Sit in a circle, tell each other how you’re feeling, discuss the game.

#3nano16

Create three discrete nanogames in 2016 (well, actually it’s perfectly fine if they are related or intertwined, hacks of each other or something else).

By some definition of nanogame:

1-4 players, 15 minutes to 2 hours game time, short texts, with 0, 1 or several GMs.

Word limits are good, e.g: 200, 412, 777.

Publish somewhere. Please do share the link with us (in comments, at conventions, on microblog media). Play the games of others. Test your own.

It’s not a competition.