I Post My Games Here

OH AND ALSO! The second author you see there is my good friend found here:

APPEARANCE & BIOLOGY

Anyone reading this guide would probably already know a kobold when they see one. They’re a relatively small folk, with even tall kobolds only standing around five feet high. Scaly and reptilian with fangs, horns, and sweeping tails. Their coloration and specific features can vary wildly from one individual to the next.

Even unaware of their biology, one would call a kobold’s appearance dragon-like. And this is unsurprising, since kobolds and dragons are actually the very same species.

In regions totally unfamiliar with kobolds, some have the strange impression that they gather around and serve the needs of a dragon out of religious worship. In actuality, a dragon’s warren of kobolds are their own eusocial offspring!

When a dragon produces an egg, it’s very rare for it to be another dragon. The vast majority hatch into kobolds, who are biologically unable to reproduce themselves. Instead the kobolds live with and look after the needs of the dragon who bears more siblings for them, and eventually another dragon who will move on to form a family of their own.

The natural familial love a kobold feels for their parent dragon is very similar to the familial love a mammal feels for their own child: devoted, protective, and selfless. Ask the average kobold and they’ll tell you that their dragon is the most important person in their life, that they’d readily die to protect their dragon, and that the question is a bit silly and obvious. This comes with nuance and casual familiarity of course, as every family does. Kobolds and dragons aren't above the teasing and silly bickering you'd expect in your own house. But the parental comparison is useful to help other folk understand.

Dragons aren’t able to get pregnant or lay eggs themselves, but they can couple with partners of almost any species willing to bear eggs for them. As a result, even kobolds born to the same dragon can look quite different from one another, drawing their hereditary traits more from magic than mundane genetics. This process can pass along mental traits as well as physical ones, which is why a typical kobold will be acting like an adult barely a year after hatching.

This unique genetic environment is also why the physiological traits we think of as gendered- facial features, voice, body shape, and even genitals- can develop seemingly randomly for kobolds, with little to no correlation, leaving them out of line with the mammalian sex binary.

FAMILY & HOME

Kobolds and dragons traditionally gather into warrens. A single dragon, and their own direct kobold offspring who live together in a "lair." This might mean a dragon with two or three kobolds at the least, or well over a dozen at the most.

Natural caverns and dungeons are typical lairs, refurbished into communal living spaces that can be rustic, but comfortable. And usually a lair is close by to a community of another species that the warren kobolds will interact with regularly for necessities or work or just to socialize.

But some lairs are more remote and self-sufficient, and some can be conventional housing in the heart of large cosmopolitan cities. In the north, there are entire towns composed of dozens of warrens living side by side and forming completely draconic communities.

SEX & GENDER

Because of the highly variable physiology among kobolds, and the lack of multiple reproductive sexes among dragons, gender is treated lightly in draconic culture. It's seen as something closer to a fashion statement than how humans see it: your gender can be embraced casually or can resonate strongly with you and be an important act of self-expression. But either way it's ultimately arbitrary and aesthetic, and can be changed at will by as little as changing one’s presentation.

Kobolds and dragons alike go by it/its as hatchlings to signify a lack of any assigned gender, and on reaching adulthood at one year old they choose he/him, she/her, or they/them. Though again, many kobolds take this lightly and it’s always accepted as changeable without confusion or fanfare.

Because of this loose relationship with gender, humans sometimes look at draconic culture as very personally progressive. And in this capacity, it might be. But the culture largely fails to recognize how rigidly it still adheres to another binary.

In effect there are two traditionally recognized physiological “sexes:” dragon, and kobold. But if an individual is recognized as one but would prefer to live as the other, in whole or in part, there’s little to no framework in the warren family structure to accommodate or understand this. And what’s more, there are some rare few who hatch in a state that doesn’t fit the draconic sex binary- such as those born with the body shape of a dragon and the size of a kobold, or the body shape of a kobold and the ability to reproduce, and so on. And these individuals, with what are effectively intersex conditions, are often just socially conformed to whichever label seems to fit them best in the eyes of their family: dragon, or kobold.

Not all such individuals accept this, and there are allies both in and out of draconic society encouraging a broader understanding of their lived experience, but progress is slow.

ORPHANS, ERRANTS, & ABDICANTS

Not all kobolds live in their parent dragon’s lair for their entire life. Some do! But if every kobold did so then the average warren would grow to untenable size over time, and kobolds themselves wouldn’t be such a common sight in the mixed cities of the south.

A kobold who lives on their own without a warren falls into any one of three categories.

Orphans are the most self-explanatory: a kobold who has lost their dragon, or survived their dragon in the wake of some accident or tragedy.

Errants are kobolds who have been asked or invited to leave the warren and live on their own, by their parent dragon. Errants are often sent out in conjunction with new hatchings to keep the lair at a reasonable headcount, and while seniority is a common factor there's no formal rule warrens abide by for who should leave and when. It often comes down to kobolds who volunteer, if another life path or living situation appeals to them. Even so, it’s common for errants to live close to home and keep in frequent contact with their old lair. Visiting on all the holidays, that sort of thing. These are the most common warrenless kobolds.

Abdicants are kobolds who have chosen on their own prerogative to leave their lair behind. Much like anyone who leaves their family, an abdicant kobold’s reasons can be good, or bad, or complicated. But most kobolds who hear about abdicants view them skeptically by default, and they’re often assumed to be deadbeats until proven otherwise.

Lastly: when a new hatchling dragon is born, some of the lair's kobolds will leave with that new hatchling to help raise them and establish a new lair of their own. These are not warrenless kobolds; they've simply begun a new warren with a new dragon, but it's still a touching and important family moment all the same.

Regardless of what type they are, kobolds without warrens of their own have a stereotypical tendency to grow attached to whoever else they become close with instead. A solitary kobold can grow emotionally attached to a circle of friends or colleagues as something like a found family, or develop a sense of admiration and devotion to a close companion similar to the devoted love for one’s dragon, not unlike a human who develops protective or nurturing paternal feelings for a younger companion or even for a new pet. In the kobold’s case, their own attachment and desire to serve a close companion as if they were an adoptive dragon can make them seem almost like a chivalrous knight to onlookers.

CONSORTS

(Warning for frank discussion of certain sexual topics in this section.)

As discussed above, dragons can't reproduce with other dragons. A dragon can only get a partner of another species pregnant to bear the eggs.

This obviously shapes what draconic culture defines as a normative sexual relationship. Namely: a dragon and their "consort."

Dragons typically seek out and grab potential consorts on sight. Either on intuitive impulse, or after some thoughtful observation. Preliminary chatting or dating is rare but not unheard of, and it's also rare for potential consorts to try to volunteer themselves rather than the other way around. It's much more culturally normative for a dragon to simply get a good impression of someone, and give it a try.

In fact, this is where old fashioned stereotypes of dragons snatching princesses out of their castles comes from, but modern dragons aren't nearly that brutish, or that specific. The ostensible purpose is to bear the dragon's young, which requires a partner of a childbearing sex. But consorts are often accepted regardless of their sex, gender, or biology. And while dragons sometimes surprise their consorts with these snatch-and-fly introductions, a candidate's agreement to become a consort is strictly based in consent.

A candidate who arrives in the lair is asked, not told, if they'd like to live in the lair as a consort. For those who decline, the dragon is expected to escort them to wherever they'd like to be dropped off, but for those who say yes...

A consort who lives in a dragon's lair is traditionally expected to be "free-use," for the dragon. Available at any time at all on the dragon's initiative for intimacy, sex, and breeding. This can strike other folk as scandalous, intimidating, wanton, or kinky, but for the lair it's seen as traditional and even wholesome bonding. Emotionally, the relationship is much more variable. Some dragons and consorts see their situation as romantic, and some as just a close and friendly companionship, or even a perfectly casual physical transaction.

What's more, the consort is also traditionally freely available to the kobolds. The kobolds of a given warren are siblings with no interest in one another, and folk of other species sometimes find this sharing of a sexual partner strange or even unseemly, but draconic families themselves see stark and clear intuitive lines between sharing a common sexual partner and sharing in sex acts with one another, to such a degree that the average kobold would find the comparison revolting or offensive. To the warren, a consort's body is a gift the consort chooses to give the warren as a whole: accepted with gratitude and shared freely.

The bearing of eggs intimidates some prospective consorts, but they're smaller than you may expect, and only need a few days to gestate after conception. For most folk it's a far, far easier version of motherhood than bearing offspring of their own species would be.

Aside from the physical expectations, a consort is a guest in the lair. Little is required of them, and they can roam as they like, or even come and go from the lair altogether. The consort decides, completely on their own prerogative, when they're done being a consort. That can be after a few days, a few weeks, or even a few months. (While the dragon of their kobolds can dismiss a consort as well, it's rarely done without serious reason, and seen as an embarrassment on the consort's part.)

The eggs the consort bears are stockpiled during their tenure as consort, and when the consort wants to leave, the lair traditionally celebrates with a mass hatching ceremony. Dragon eggs are magical after all, and can rest safely in stasis for months at a time without issue. They have to be triggered to hatch by being immersed in the intense heat of a bonfire. The consort is encouraged to participate as a full member of the warren: tending the fire, handling the eggs, and even coddling and helping to name the hatchlings when they emerge.

But once the hatching festivities are done, so is the consort's time as a member of the warren. The relationship is over. Not as a breakup but as a successful and amiable conclusion, and it's not strange for a former consort to remain friends with dragons or kobolds that they lived with. The sexually open polycule dynamic with a consort means that warrens generally aren't comfortable keeping a former consort around with the consort's own children, after all. So the hatching is followed by a long rearing period before another new consort is sought out. There is only a consort in the lair when everyone in the lair is an adult.

APPEARANCE & HOME

In all the broad strokes, a kith is the same type of thing that you are: two arms, two legs, and a lot of opinions. But all the little details are familiar in a different way.

Other people sometimes call the kith (singular and plural forms are just the same) "rabbitfolk," or even just "rabbits." And a kith will rarely take any offense to the words. Their fur, feet and ears, fluffy tails, and animal-like faces all make them look like someone stretched a rabbit out into the shape of a person. In fact, some say the first kith were born from rabbits or hares somehow, by magic or otherwise. (Not that any kith would tell you to believe that.)

Kith have rabbit-like advantages in their sharp hearing and quick reflexes, as well as their proportionally powerful legs. In fact kith martial arts rely heavily on kicks and leaps that other folk find impressive, and "kith kickboxer" is something of a cultural stereotype in other regions as a result. Their diet is totally herbivorous, and while they can eat a little meat, too much will make them queasy. They stand noticeably shorter than humans. Even the tallest kith is barely five feet high, discounting the ears. And this suits their home lifestyle as well.

Traditional kith make their homes in "burrows," carefully raised and landscaped hills with subterranean rotundas underneath protected from the elements. A single burrow is almost never just a residence though- it's a communal structure! The upper level is a mezzanine opening to several cozy home hovels like spokes from a wheel, while the lower level is for shared spaces. Schools, markets, places of worship, et cetera. A small kith village might be only a single burrow, but the largest kith towns are made of a dozen great rolling hills, covered in flowers and other cultivated greenery. The only things that aren't kept underground are the things that can't be: farming and gardening.

The kith homeland is called the bread basket of the region. The rich, fertile flatlands yield famously generous bounty, but the climate can be extreme. Sweltering summers, bitter winters, and intense shifts in weather that make subterranean living such a necessity in the first place.

CULTURE

Homeland kith living is heavily communal: most things that can be shared, are. Kith do still have a concept of money and trade. They sell their crops and buy foreign goods in return. But within a given burrow, the idea of trading money for basic necessities strikes the average kith as odd, needlessly roundabout, or just selfish. Toys and texts and other luxuries are bought, but food and shelter is simply given. Even hovels in a burrow are regularly shared, with a core family plus whatever partners or close friends come and go to sleep there as well.

Outsiders visiting kith country often amuse locals with more mercantile assumptions, trying to give coin at an inn for nothing but soup and a bed. Or they annoy locals when they catch on and hospitality grows to shameless exploitation.

Kith standards of clothing ALSO tend to catch outsiders by surprise. Their bodies are covered in fur, which keeps them warm and provides just a tiny bit more "modesty" than a furless human or orc or similar can have. And so while they do still wear clothes, kith don't view exposed bodies quite as drastically as other folk sometimes do.

Exposure matters, and can even be seen as tittilating, simply not as much as human standards. A human in a low cut shirt or a short skirt is rougly culturally equivalent to a kith going topless or bottomless outright: sparse, flirty, maybe even sexy, but not inherently sexual. To the kith, merely having a body is different entirely from doing something with it. So while a little casual exhibitionism is all in good fun, sexual acts are still not acceptable in public.

A FULLY nude kith is an exception to this norm, however. The equivalent to a totally unclothed kith might be a human in their pajamas: you don't look "flirty," you just look like you failed to get dressed this morning. Dopey, maybe even slovenly.

Kith norms around partnership and romance are just as relaxed as their trade and their clothes... or at least the kith themselves would characterize it that way. Biologically, kith are every bit as "productive" as their woodland lessers, so for much of their history, same-sex relationships were taken more as a welcome form of birth control than anything else. Traditional kith culture nowadays is homonormative. That is: same gender relationships are seen as the normal and correct default, untraited. Opposite-gender relationships are traited however, called "cross." As in criss-cross, across the aisle, or similar. (The inherent cissexism in the basis for this is definitely a factor in modern social disputes among kith society, but it hasn't done much to undo the norm itself. Social norms like this perpetuate on mere inertia, not on logic.)

To an old fashioned kith, a cross relationship is only for building a family, and entertaining one for any other reason is seen as eccentric at best, or irresponsible at worst. Cross kith who are generally more attracted to their opposite gender have to navigate a subtle double standard in which their interests are not seen as immoral per se, but do face unspoken rules on which they can become perceived as wrong over far less than their mainstream peers.

All that being said, kith who feel more drawn to the opposite gender romantically or sexually are still very common- a majority of kith would freely admit they've had cross feelings plenty of times. And so the kith concept of a romantic relationship is less rigid than some human standards to allow for this. To a kith, romantic and sexual attraction are two separate feelings. A romantic relationship with no sexual component at all is seen as fully consummate and valid. And what's more, consenting to sex without attraction, simply to satisfy one's partner, is seen as perfectly normal as long as both partners are comfortable with it.

Some humans might see these standards as very open-minded and accepting compared to their own. In certain limited respects, they are! But it's also the basis on which cross kith are expected to be "flexible." To humor same gender suitors on the basis that sexual connection isn't needed, or to humor physical intimacy on the basis that outright harm or discomfort is a respectable reason to say no, but mere lack of attraction is not. This is not a basis for outright abuse, but it is a basis for a social environment certain kith sometimes call awkward or emotionally exhausting.

HUMAN NEIGHBORS & KITH PETKEEPING

The kith homeland is directly next to the mixed and fragmented city-states of the human homeland. Kith are a common sight in human cities as traders, travelers, and permanent residents, and the two lineages have a long history as close allies. In fact, there's a chapter of kith history so famous it's been mythologized as a part of their shared culture.

When Ran-Gor the Lich King waged a campaign of conquest across the region, the kith township of Marigold was burned to ash and refugees ran for the human city of High Fountain. There, human homes opened their doors to kith refugees, and human families took in kith in ones and twos who had nothing to pay their keep with. But it's said most humans gave this hospitality for nothing but household chores and friendship. And by the time Marigold was finally rebuilt, many kith wished to stay with the families that took them in as lifelong companions.

And so the story goes, the tradition of pet kith began.

Outsiders are often confused or agitated when they hear about humans owning kith as property, taking it as a form of slavery. You might see kith waiting happily on stages in pet shops to be purchased wholesale, or being traded away between friends and family. But all kith choose entirely on their own whim whether to live as independent citizens, or as pets. They enter into ownership as personal contracts, and are entitled to "emancipate" themselves at any time for any reason at all. All of these rules are held as sacredly important to the dynamic as consensual. In the culture, the option to be taken care of rather than independent is just seen as reasonable life path, even a temporary one. To those who grew up in this society, all of this simply feels normal.

Other than the strictly voluntary rules, however, an owner's relationship to a pet kith is very simple, no different than a pet cat or dog: the owner is responsible for their pet's welfare, and expected to keep their pet fed and sheltered and happy. In return, the pet is recognized as the property of the owner and expected to be obedient. An owner who works their pet hard or holds them to draconian rules is considered improper, but it's normal for a pet kith to be tasked with mild household chores and errands, have a nightly curfew, and so on.

And like any pet, physical affection is the standard. Giving and recieving love and companionship is the point of getting any pet after all! It's normal for a human owner and pet kith to hug and cuddle, to sleep in the same bed, and even to readily kiss each other on the lips. This is a close, trusting bond, and a pet and owner will readily say that they love each other like family. However: this relationship is NOT considered romantic! And it is DEFINITELY NOT considered sexual! In fact, even for a former owner and an emancipated kith to enter a sexual relationship is viewed with suspicion if they were formerly a pet and owner.

There is of course another big difference between a pet kith and a normal pet: with a kith, your pet is every bit as intelligent as you are. You don't need a leash and collar because they'll 'get lost,' you simply use them as a sentimental symbol. And even then, leashes are carried rarely, and outside of special occassions they can seem ostentatious. Collars, however, are a constant.

There's no visual difference between a kith who chooses to be a citizen and one who chooses to be owned, after all. And because of the social importance of the personal choice, it's terribly rude to mistake either status for the other. The collar and tag is how a kith socially signals "I am a pet," to be acknowledged as such. And sentimental meaning is usually placed on the collar itself as a symbol of emotional commitment on both sides.

This same divide is also where the word "bunny" gets its meaning in human culture. A bunny is solely and explicitly an owned kith, not an independent citizen, so in practice "bunny" is often used in place of "pet" or "pet kith," or similar. As in "have you met my sister and my bunny," or "I was thinking of either moving back home or becoming a bunny," and so on.

JACKS

In the world of Delve, all flesh-and-blood mortals are cosmically aligned to light. Those who become contaminated by cosmic darkness can become vampires, werewolves, zombies, revnants, and all manner of other monstrous creatures. But kith almost always have one particular affliction to worry about.

It's not transmitted by a bite or by a curse. But kith who are exposed to extreme and uncontrolled dark magic can become jacks. (Derived from jackalope, spring-heeled jack, and maybe some other things.) The transformation leaves their fur coal-black, their eyes red and pupils flattened like a goat's, and branching antlers sprout painfully from the victim's skull. The jack retains their faculties and personality, at least for the most part. And they even gain tremendously stronger muscles in their legs to leap in huge shocking bounds, and an uncanny resistance to the cold. But they also gain an innately disturbing, even skincrawling aura to others, and a craving for nothing but raw meat.

Introduction

Witness is not a roleplaying system. It is a tool to employ while using a roleplaying system of your choice for inspiration and guidance in letting the narrative unfold. In identifying NPCs, new locations, plot twists, or any element of the narrative to which you would enjoy trusting fate and interpreting its decisions.

This system is written chiefly with adventurous genres in mind- dungeon fantasy, space opera, and so on. But it should apply reasonably to a wide variety of genres with different tone, focus, and sense of scope.

The system is also mainly intended for narrators and game masters- the inspiration and guidance below is provided with this specific game role in mind. But players who find a use for it in character creation, mystical meditation or divine communion, or other decision making should feel free to use the system to its full potential if they find it helpful. Witness can even be used in freeform writing too. No other game system or dice rolling is ever really necessary. All you need is a twelve-sided die, or “Witness die.”

Witness is built to follow similar principles to real world divination such as tarot, tea leaves, casting dice or runes, or even magic 8-balls. Practitioners of any of the above should find this system’s principles of intuitive, attentive, and creative interpretation of readings familiar. In fact, Witness makes a solid system for conventional real-life divination if you’re so inclined.

Acts & Angles

Everything done though the Witness system is done on a special d12 called a witness die, and each number on the die corresponds to a specific symbol. The faces can be split into four different acts or three different angles, and every symbol is a unique combination of a certain act from a certain angle. So for example “direct fire” would point at the sword, explained below, while “indirect ice,” would point at the coin.

Acts are basic modes of change or states of being, defined in broad abstract terms.

🔥FIRE: The act of fire incites, commences, or escalates something. It’s activation or acceleration. When inspiring imagery, fire is burning hot, loud, colorful, or energetic.

❄️ ICE: The act of ice suppresses, suspends, or halts something. It’s stasis or stability. When inspiring imagery, ice is freezing cold, quiet, colorless, or calm.

☀️ LIGHT: The act of light gathers, organizes, or complicates something. It’s construction or consolidation. When inspiring imagery, light is warm, radiant, straight, or reassuring.

🌙 DARK: The act of dark banishes, separates, or simplifies something. It’s destruction or liquidation. When inspiring imagery, dark is cool, shady, winding, or weird.

Angles are approaches or modes by which a given act can take place.

➡️ DIRECT: Direct means immediate, blunt, and sometimes superficial. When inspiring imagery, direct often means tough and physical.

↪️ INDIRECT: Indirect means subtle, circuitous, and sometimes unexpected. When inspiring imagery, indirect often means adroit and tricky.

🔀 RADICAL: Radical means fundamental, transformational, and sometimes unintuitive. When inspiring imagery, radical often means clever and wise.

Most often and in most things fire leads to light, light leads to ice, ice leads to dark, and dark leads to fire. Instigation, development, stasis, entropy, and new instigation, with no beginning or end. In reverse order the acts can be associated with the seasons: light for spring, fire for summer, dark for autumn, and ice for winter.

SYMBOLS

As noted earlier, every unique combination of act and angle corresponds to one of twelve symbols, which are the basic outputs of any Witness reading, and each one corresponds to the numbers 1 through 12 on your twelve-sided die, or Witness die.

Whenever you roll your witness die to get one of these symbols, in system terms you are witnessing that symbol. After all, you aren’t choosing it, you’re simply seeing whichever one is being shown to you. Each symbol has a broad representation of changes or states of being, which can be interpreted in “good” or “bad” ways each time it’s witnessed. A symbol can also prompt specific people, places, or things rather than broad ideas.

Before you roll your witness die, that is to say: before you witness a symbol, you must declare whether you are witnessing the symbol itself (for a broad and abstract suggestion), or witnessing an item, person, place, event, or outcome. Each section on each symbol has suggestions for all of these, depending on what element of storytelling you need to witness. If several suggestions are listed, it’s up to you to figure out which one is most appropriate. You might come up with something not specifically listed, but if it aligns with the general idea that the examples represent then that’s fine.

If you only want to witness a specific act or a specific angle, simply roll and witness whatever act or angle the resulting symbol is attached to. You can do this for general imagery or tone, if you already have an idea you want to make more specific.

FOR EXAMPLE: Suppose you want to add a new character to your story. You declare that you want to witness a person, and roll the die. The result is 1 (the sword), so you witness either a hunter, a soldier, or a hated enemy. Suppose you choose a soldier, and want them to be on the way somewhere. You declare that you want to witness a place, and roll the die. The result is 6 (the cup), so you witness either a lake or river, a theater or musical hall, or a pub or tavern. In context you decide the river seems most reasonable. You wonder what kind of river, so you declare that you want to witness an act, and roll the die one more time. The result is 10 (the key) but you only meant to witness its element (fire) to characterize the river. Is it hot? Colorful? Loud?

You probably won’t want to witness this many things in a row. You’ll probably only want to witness one thing, maybe two, but you can do so as much or as little as you need.

1: THE SWORD 🗡️🔥➡️ The sword is a weapon. A tool of violence. But not the mindless violence of fists or teeth, the sword necessarily has a deliberate purpose. It passes judgment, it enacts praxis, it makes a decision and commits that decision into irreversible action. Whether this deserves to be celebrated or condemned depends heavily on who’s holding the blade, and how much thought they gave to their choices before they crossed the point of no return. Will you be proud or regretful when it’s done? Are you done? A sword often necessitates another sword, after all. When it’s good the sword is righteous and brave. When it’s bad the sword is vindictive and spiteful.

(The number 1 is the sword because the numeral follows the length of the blade.)

Item: Martial weaponry, broken pieces of something, a knife or other cutting tool.

Person: A hunter, a soldier, a hated enemy.

Place: The site of a great battle or massacre, a den of vicious foes, a court of law.

Event: A battle or duel, an argument, restitution is paid.

Outcome: “Actions have consequences.”

2: THE SHIELD 🛡️❄️➡️ The shield endures harm to spare something more vulnerable. Sometimes it even deflects that harm back at the aggressor. The shield means protection, mercy, and standing up for something. But for that purpose it can still be turned into a cudgel. Caution can become paranoia. Devotion can become zealotry. Conservation can become regression. But it’s always possible to go the other way around; to forgive, forget, and turn conflict into peace. When it’s good the shield is calm and forgiving. When it’s bad the shield is stubborn and obtuse.

(The number 2 is the shield because it follows the sword.)

Item: Armor or clothing, a sheet or blanket, a toy for a child.

Person: A protector, a survivor, a parent.

Place: A serene place, a fortress, a place made for children.

Event: Defensive measures are agitated, a siege, where there could be anger there is understanding.

Outcome: “It will not yield.”

3: THE BOOK 📖☀️🔀 Knowledge is power. Understanding is control. A book is a tool for both. The consolidation of information, and from that consolidation, the emergence of patterns, laws, codes of conduct. The achievements and benefits of technology. The book is a manifestation of an impossible goal: for all things to be known and for all things to be under control. Most who read and write books (but not all) understand that this will never happen, but aim toward it regardless, intending to go on forever. But the more is achieved the greater one’s sense of control, and with it the comfortable inertia of conceit. When it’s good the book is adroit and altruistic. When it’s bad the book is arrogant and prejudiced.

(The number 3 is the book because the numeral resembles the curve of the book as it opens.)

Item: A piece of text, a delicate or precise tool, an exotic cultural curio.

Person: A writer, a scholar, a scientist or tinkerer.

Place: A school, a library, a tower.

Event: A puzzle or riddle to solve, a question that will take time to answer, what was guarded is shared freely.

Outcome: “Asked and answered.”

4: THE GRAVE 🪦🌙↪️ Everything dies sooner or later. Death is inevitable and always coming, and afterward is nothing but quiet repose. But death can also pull everything into its orbit and spread, in the case of rotting pestilence and cycles of tragedy. So paradoxically the grave means both comfort and fear, maybe even both at once. There can be tremendous relief in accepting certainty or recognizing a wider sense of perspective, but sometimes the truth hurts. What can you do when the universe won’t show you mercy? What do you feel when perspective reduces your relevance to zero? When it’s good the grave is resolute and peaceful. When it’s bad the grave is corrosive and haunting.

(The number 4 is the grave because four is often associated with death.)

Item: Religious materials, antiques and heirlooms, poison.

Person: A religious figure, a ghastly creature, an absent party.

Place: A tomb or cemetery, a place of worship, a dark and silent place.

Event: An inevitable future is made clear, a chaotic situation is bluntly resolved, faith is rewarded.

Outcome: “Won’t see that again.”

5: THE STAR ⭐🌙🔀 Impossibly far away and out of your grasp, distant and abstract but powerful and sublime. A star is the pinnacle of naturally occurring magic and mystery, which cannot be tamed or understood. The undefined and unfamiliar are interesting specifically because it is undefined and unfamiliar. You can’t try to master it, but you can operate on its terms, and find out it’s not as scary as you might think. Or maybe it’s even scarier. You can’t really know in advance- that’s the entire definition of “unknown.” When it’s good the star is exciting and imaginative. When it’s bad the star is erratic and cruel.

(The number 5 is the star because the most commonly drawn star symbol has five points.)

Item: Something hidden in a box or package, an old or unidentified artifact, an intangible essence.

Person: A heretic, a loner, a stranger.

Place: A structure of unknown purpose, a dark pit or tunnel, a place with a full view of the sky.

Event: Uncontrolled forces emerge, someone enacts an unknown agenda, sense gives way to nonsense.

Outcome: “You don’t know what you’re dealing with.” 

6: THE CUP 🍷❄️🔀 Cups are meant to be filled. And if the cup is emptied, fill it again. The cup means abundance and indulgence. It means revelry and merry-making, eating and drinking, making music, and doing absolutely nothing of high merit. It’s said that rest and relaxation are necessary for productivity in the long run. It’s also said that they can poison any resolve. Are both true? When it’s good the cup is affectionate and relaxed. When it’s bad the cup is lazy and feckless.

(The number 6 is the cup because the numeral resembles a cup or basin.)

Item: Food and drink, a musical instrument, a bowl or vessel.

Person: A cook, a musician, a casual friend.

Place: A lake or river, a theater or musical hall, a pub or tavern.

Event: A party, a holiday, a pause from advancement toward a goal.

Outcome: “Don’t worry about it.”

7: THE PEN 🖋️🔥🔀 An essential conduit of emotion and thought, and the bridge from the individual’s will and imagination to the external world. The pen represents the act of ideas becoming actions, and notions becoming material. This represents language, but it also means art, creativity, self expression, and even magic. But it can easily lead to self-absorption and narcissistic reverie, or become a runaway train that burns up the creator as fuel for the creation. Output often precludes input, and the mania of creation can be paradoxically isolating. When it’s good the pen is confident and joyful. When it’s bad the pen is manic and volatile.

(The number 7 is the pen because the numeral resembles the shaft and clip of a typical pen.)

Item: Jewelry, artwork, a rod or baton or other such object.

Person: A magician, an artist, a lover or confidante.

Place: A gallery, a bizarre place, a brand new point of interest.

Event: Unexpected beauty, a spectacular performance, an effortful transformation.

Outcome: “More than expected.”

8: THE BEAST 🐉🌙➡️ An animal, a dragon, a monster, a creature. A beast is something wild and uncivilized. It is in fact the antithesis of civilization, representing everything that is outside of society’s collective control. Instincts, impulses, and a simpler way of existing, that nonetheless is just as successful as your own more structured ways. This necessarily also means it represents a point of view outside oneself, and a reminder that no one, no matter how accomplished, is the center of the universe. When it’s good the beast is vigorous and free. When it’s bad the beast is mindless and hungry.

(The number 8 is the beast because the numeral resembles the wide eyes of an animal.)

Item: A living creature, a living plant, a beautiful thing not made by any hands.

Person: An outsider, a child, an animal.

Place: A forest, a mountain, a place with no road or path.

Event: A natural phenomenon intrudes on plans, extreme weather, a far-away destination.

Outcome: “Something else entirely.”

9: THE COIN 🪙❄️↪️ A coin is literal material wealth. It is the fruit of ambition, in all its forms: money, power, respect, authority, attainment. The monuments are built, the title is earned. The coin is a symbol of enterprise and labor, and the most refined and developed ambitions. But are ambitions ever really satisfied? When you get what you want will you rest on your laurels or just want more? And which one is worse? When it’s good the coin is tireless and industrious. When it’s bad the coin is selfish and rapacious.

(The number 9 is the coin because the numeral resembles a coin or treasure lifted in one’s hand.)

Item: Money, precious treasure, an icon of authority.

Person: An aristocrat, a pauper, a rival.

Place: A big city, a castle or mansion, a mine or quarry.

Event: A challenge or contest, a game of chance, hunger becomes a problem.

Outcome: “What did you expect?”

10: THE KEY 🔑🔥↪️ A key opens a door. It is strictly a tool of access. We use a key to arrive somewhere we could not otherwise be, to free something contained, or to do something we’re not necessarily supposed to do. It embodies liberation and the transgression of barriers, for better or worse. Sometimes we have no way to know if something is a good or bad idea until we do it. Sometimes we do know, and we do it anyway. When it’s good the key is curious and intrepid. When it’s bad the key is covetous and reckless.

(The number 10 is the key because the numerals represent a key and a lock.)

Item: Keys and locks, contraband or forbidden material, a tool of observation or recording.

Person: A thief, an explorer, a crafter of things.

Place: A maze, a threshold or passageway, a secret hideaway.

Event: A barrier breaks, a new route opens, a total surprise.

Outcome: “The cat’s out of the bag.”

11: THE CHAIN ⛓️☀️↪️ A strong sturdy length of line that holds two ends to one another. Ropes and chains are universal necessities for people in all corners of labor to hold fast to one another, navigate treacherous terrain, or bind something loose. Sailors and artisans rely on rope to hold their worlds together and to travel freely. Guards and jailers rely on chains to trap the wanted inside and the unwanted outside. The chain embodies both the connections between people and the threads of necessity and duty, both transit and restriction- whatever purpose it needs to reliably serve, or whatever obligation it is made to fulfill. When it’s good the chain is reliable and trustworthy. When it’s bad the chain is stifling and restrictive.

(The number 11 is the chain because the parallel numerals align to one another like lengths of chain.)

Item: Chain or rope or thread or twine, a cage or manacles, a machine.

Person: A sailor or angler, a handler of a steed or vehicle, a family member.

Place: A crossroads, a prison, a place that touches the ocean.

Event: A reunion between those separated, a long journey, a meaningful gathering of people.

Outcome: “They come together.”

12: THE STONE 🪨☀️➡️ How many colossal wonders of the world are made out of stones? One stone on another on another, each one insignificant, but in such great numbers that they add up to something enormous. Even a tiny increment of progress adds up to completion over enough time and labor. The progress is real, no matter how slow, but so is the cost. The job of any given stone is to endure and withstand. To bear constant strain, and be battered by the elements every day. It’s completely constructive, completely passive, and completely self-sacrificing. In being kind to others, one can be cruel to oneself. In putting others together, one can break oneself. Was it worth it? When it’s good the stone is dutiful and patient. When it’s bad the stone is pyrrhic and meek.

(The number 12 is the stone because it’s the last and largest number in the set.)

Item: A rock or stone, medicine, a timepiece or tool of measurement.

Person: A healer, a mason or carpenter, a spouse.

Place: A farm or garden, an empty field or lot, a small community.

Event: New life, an unfinished project, an act of benevolence with a cost.

Outcome: “Wait for it…”

Split Symbols

You can pair your twelve-sided witness die with a “split die” and roll them at the same time. A split die can be any traditional shape, it just has to have an equal number of odd faces and even faces: on the split die, “odd” means “act,” and “even” means “angle.” By doing this you can subdivide every symbol into two aspects that represent its two sides. One leans more toward the symbol’s associated act, and one more toward its associated angle.

FOR EXAMPLE: Suppose you want to witness a split symbol, so you take your twelve-sided witness die, and a six-sided split die. You roll them both together. The witness die shows 4 (grave), and the split die shows 3 (odd, or act.) So you have witnessed “the open grave,” as the grave leaning more toward its act.

Split symbols are more specific than whole symbols, so they’re much easier to interpret freeform. Each of these is written as an elaboration on the symbol in the section above, and can be taken similarly to how one would take a tarot reading. Ideas separated by commas, like story prompts from the symbols above, are separate ideas and examples of the whole. Witnessing a given split symbol means interpreting what particular facet of it is at play for your specific question.

1: THE BURNING SWORD 🗡️🔥 Provocation, impatience, perceived need for change.

1: THE BLOODY SWORD 🗡️➡️ Consequences, punishment, forseeable cause and effect.

2: THE TOWER SHIELD 🛡️❄️ Stubbornness, rejection or exclusion, something unaffected by outside influence.

2: THE CRESTED SHIELD 🛡️➡️ Forgiveness, vigilance, nurturing or coddling.

3: THE CLOSED BOOK 📖☀️ Expertise, arrogance of presumption, something securely under control.

3: THE OPEN BOOK 📖🔀 Collection of information, completion of a set, infinite progression.

4: THE OPEN GRAVE 🪦🌙 Mortality, inevitability, the end.

4: THE SACRED GRAVE 🪦↪️ Peace, faith in something unseen, reflection on the past.

5: THE FALLING STAR ⭐🌙 Ignorance, random happenstance, cruelty with no deliberate actor.

5: THE RISING STAR ⭐🔀 Risk and uncertainty, hidden elements, a fresh start.

6: THE EMPTY CUP 🍷❄️ Idleness, rest and recuperation, no expectations.

6: THE FULL CUP 🍷🔀 Fun and games, simple joy, sex or sensuality.

7: THE RED PEN 🖋️🔥 Infatuation, mania, focus on an imagined future.

7: THE BLACK PEN 🖋️🔀 Art or creativity, unexpected inspiration, something from nothing.

8: THE WISE BEAST 🐉🌙 An outside perspective, something foreign or alien, hidden in plain sight.

8: THE HUNGRY BEAST 🐉➡️ Brute force, basic impulses, lack of agency.

9: THE IRON COIN 🪙❄️ Theft or greed, lack of mobility, the powers that be.

9: THE GOLD COIN 🪙↪️ Consolidation of power, achievement of stated goals, ongoing abundance.

10: THE SILVER KEY 🔑🔥 Curiosity, calculated risks, unforeseen consequences.

10: THE SKELETON KEY 🔑↪️ Secrets, exposure, lack of security.

11: THE SILVER CHAIN ⛓️☀️ Freedom of movement, deliberate transition, valuable relationships.

11: THE IRON CHAIN ⛓️↪️ Restraint, entrapment or imprisonment, promises or obligations.

12: THE WHITE STONE 🪨☀️ Generosity, self-sacrifice, a zero-sum exchange.

12: THE BLACK STONE 🪨➡️ Patience, incremental work, the constant passage of time.

The use of split symbols is especially useful to divination for its granularity compared to the whole symbols, which are broad enough to only be useful for simple questions and prompts. Witnessing split symbols can communicate a more detailed narrative.

The most useful reading in my experience, for both divination and storytelling, is to witness two split symbols in order: first ask your question, then witness two results in order as: “[first result] becomes [second result].” For example, “the burning sword becomes an empty cup.” What or who is being referred to as the first, and how it becomes the second, is often intuitively clear in the context of the question that was asked.

For example the first symbol might clearly refer to a specific person who embodies its nature of motive. They “become” another symbol as their motive changes. Or if the first symbol seems to refer to an event or situation, the change signifies how that situation will develop. The results might point at almost anything within the scope of your question, so be open to whatever they suggest.

INTRODUCTION

The world has always been divided between the forces of light and darkness: between mortals and monsters. And while these two powers exist in opposed balance, they do not need to be enemies.

Dragons are the pinnacle of monstrous majesty, but they rely on mortals to survive. Though they may take any gender they please, all dragons share the same reproductive sex. Rather than bearing their own young, dragons must impregnate mortal partners. This has come by many traditions in the past, but in the modern day a dragon whisks up a single mortal they desire, and flies the prize away to their lair to live as the dragon’s consort. Both a lover, and a treasured possession in the dragon’s hoard.

If the consort consents to their role, they live in the dragon’s lair and offer their body to the dragon, mating frequently and bearing the dragon’s eggs, one clutch after another. This isn’t as scary or laborious as it sounds: a dragon egg is small enough to hold in one hand, and will rest safely in stasis for days or weeks if need be, until the ceremonial hatching.

In the meantime the dragon and consort enjoy each other’s company, as well as the dragon’s kobolds: the eusocial offspring of the dragon, and the fruit of the majority of all dragon eggs. Much like ants or honeybees that serve their queen, kobolds can have no children of their own, and so their most basic instinct toward their progeny is for their own parent dragon, who they not only obey but also dearly love and protect in much the way a mortal loves their child. Though this devoted relationship is just as prone to casual familiarity and mundane bickering as any mortal family.

Even though the kobolds cannot reproduce, they do still have a sex drive, and living among their own siblings, they have few outlets for it… other than the consort. And so a consenting consort is expected to provide themselves to the pleasure of the kobolds as well.

This is also the reason for the hatching ceremony. When a consort has decided their time in the lair is up, the eggs that the consort has provided are gathered in a great blazing bonfire, which awakens the draconic magic within them and hatches them all at once- mostly kobolds, but if the group is lucky, a new infant dragon or two as well, that will fly off to start a lair of their own.

A consort, who lives as a free communal concubine, shouldn’t linger in the lair when children are being raised, let alone their own offspring. And so after the hatching ceremony the consort departs. The lair begins a child rearing phase, though in the nature of monsterkind, the hatchlings will be fully fledged adults in less than a year, and then the dragon seeks a new consort to repeat the cycle.

~

In the story of Hoard, one player will take on the role of narrator, managing the game and navigating this guide, as well as playing the role of the dragon and their assorted kobolds as minor characters. The other player will take the role of the dragon’s new consort.

The consort has agreed to live in the lair and serve the role of lover and breeding stock, and until such time as the consort decides to leave or the lair sends them off, the story will follow the consort’s experiences and developing relationship with both the dragon and their kobold underlings.

Please take note that while this is a game meant to frankly and comfortably discuss sexual and erotic topics, in the context of a highly unconventional relationship, or even a vehicle for the theme of one exploring one’s desires or sexuality in a new and alien but intriguing situation… sex is present on a condition of consent. Monsters in this game are not brutes, consorts are always informed and willing volunteers to the position, and in the world where the story takes place, no partner should ever be given reason to fear their host. If retaining a state of safety and consent without fear in this story will be difficult, then Hoard is not for you.

This advisory should also be the starting point, not the end point, for discussion on the state of consent in this story. Hoard is intended to depict a fantasy world free from real-world constraints of rape culture or gendered expectations and social privileges, wherein the traditional trope of the princess in the clutches of the dragon is a willing and ongoing agreement and an exercise of trust and cooperation. Mortals and monsters sometimes do battle in this world, but these clashes should never be depicted as deadly. But even in this mutually respectful context, there is still a dramatic power exchange in which one party claims another as property, however temporarily or voluntarily. As players you should be alert to the ramifications and dynamics that you create when you choose to fill in the details and intentions of that exchange in your own specific story, as well as the standards of your story’s larger culture, for your own comfort and for one another.

That having been said, much of the tone and content of this story is up for discussion and agreement between the two players. What gender expressions are common or “normal” for monsters? How many kobolds does a lair typically hold, and just how dragon-like are they? Do dragons only take consorts that can physically bear children? What’s done differently with a consort who can’t? Will sex scenes in the story be handled coyly, or described in intensely explicit detail? Is it gentle, or rough? Both players should be open in discussing what they expect and what they want to avoid before the game begins.

GETTING STARTED

In addition to honest discussion of expectations, to play Hoard you will need a coin to flip with a heads side and a tails side, and a standard deck of 52 playing cards. (You won’t need jokers.) You’ll need to be able to shuffle the deck just one time and keep drawing cards from the top of it for the whole length of the game, so keep it somewhere that it’ll stay sorted. You’ll also need a sheet to keep track of a few numbers, and the time and space to write your story together at length.

HOW TO PLAY A SCENE

The core of gameplay in Hoard is to draw a card which prompts a scene, flip a coin which defines the broad strokes of the scene’s impact, and play out the details of that scene with whatever specifics best suit the demands of the prompt. While one player is the game master who references and manages the game’s rules as well as the dragon and kobolds, you can think of both players as actors, and the game itself and its prompts as the director giving them instructions as the story goes on. You’ll fill each scene with details of your own as you go, but it’s the game, not you, that will decide the broad direction of the story as it unfolds.

Within the bounds of a prompt, there aren’t dice to roll to determine success or failure of individual actions on either character’s part and so on- it’s up to the players to decide on their own what the characters will do and how their actions will turn out, as long as it suits the broadly defined outcome of the scene as it’s been given to them. Because of this, the practice of filling in the details of the scene to fulfill its needs will be called freeform roleplay in this guide.

Freeform roleplay in Hoard can take any form that you find enjoyable: a scene can be long and drawn out in lavish detail, or fast and colloquial. It can be intensely sexually explicit and heavily erotic, or it can be more suggestive and tongue-in-cheek. The two players should come to the same idea of what they want from the content of these scenes before they begin.

In format, freeform roleplay can be carried out with written text, or verbally at a live table or over voice chat, or even personally physically acted out, all the way to the sex scenes if consenting adult players want to give it a try. (If you do physically roleplay any of your Hoard scenes, or use Hoard to direct roleplay during sex, please remember to negotiate expectations, boundaries, and safewords before you start!)

But first, a scene starts from a prompt. The prompt defines a general action from the dragon or kobolds that the consort must respond to, or an event which occurs for the characters to respond to together. The prompt will also usually come with a designated relationship stat- one of six values that represent the consort’s relationship with the dragon and reputation with the kobolds. (All six are described further below.) If the prompt does have an associated relationship stat, you’ll need to flip a coin: if the coin comes up heads, the consort’s chosen response went well, and the stat increases by +1. If the coin comes up tails, the response went poorly and the stat drops by -1 instead.

Now you have the prompt for the event which describes what the dragon or kobolds are doing, you’ve decided how the consort responds to the event, and you have the coin flip that decides how the relationship will be affected. The “actors” have been given all the instructions from their “director.” The entertainment of the game is now in the freeform roleplay, to explore and realize the scene that you’ve been given.

In summary:

Draw a card from the top of your deck, and read the scene that goes with that card. Note the relationship stat relevant to the scene.

Decide on how the consort will respond to what the dragon or kobolds are doing, and how they’ll act in the scene.

Flip a coin. On heads, the relevant stat increases by +1. On tails, it decreases by -1.

Now you know the broad strokes of the scene and how it will change the relationship. Play it out using freeform roleplay, until you agree the scene is complete.

RELATIONSHIP STATS

At all times the consort shares a set of running values with the dragon and the kobolds in the dragon’s lair which describe their current relationship: romance, friendship, and lust describe the rapport between the consort and dragon, and trust, respect, and sex appeal describe the consort’s general reception among the dragon’s kobolds. (Each individual kobold may have their own feelings as an individual character, but these three relationship stats measure the overall opinion.) The values of all six of these stats will inform the general tone of the rapport in the dragon’s lair in any given scene, and your freeform roleplay should be at least loosely beholden to these values and how they change during the story. All six will change independently of one another, and so any of them can end up high or low in any potential combination, and much like the prompts themselves, these stats define the broad strokes of the relationship between your characters. The details are yours to fill in through freeform roleplay.

Romance is literally how much romantic attraction exists between the dragon and consort. If it’s low (1 to 3), the emotional connection is lukewarm but amiable. If it’s high (7 to 9), there’s a powerful romantic chemistry that both parties feel.

Friendship is the degree to which the dragon and consort are enjoying each other’s casual company. If it’s low (1 to 3), either one might find the other boring or tiresome, but still agreeable. If it’s high (7 to 9), the dragon and consort are the best of friends.

Lust is the amount of passion and sexual energy between the dragon and consort. If it’s low (1 to 3), they find each other reasonably attractive but are going through the motions. If it’s high (7 to 9), they can’t get enough of each other.

Trust measures how the kobolds as a whole regard the consort as a good partner for their dragon. If it’s low (1 to 3), they have reservations about the consort’s appropriateness or emotional compatibility. If it’s high (7 to 9), they consider it a perfect match.

Respect measures how impressed the kobolds are with the consort, for their talents or prestige or charms. If it’s low (1 to 3), they generally find the consort a bit embarrassing or awkward. If it’s high (7 to 9), they’re slightly starstruck by the consort’s energy.

Sex Appeal measures how attractive the kobolds consider the consort. If it’s low (1 to 3), they see the consort as plain or modest. If it’s high (7 to 9), they look at the consort as a bit of a sex symbol.

None of these stats can ever rise higher than 9. If an event would increase one of these stats past 9, it just remains at 9 instead.

If any of these six stats ever fall to 0 the scene will still play out mechanically, but it will affect what scene comes next and cause an early ending, explained below.

TELLING THE STORY

Now you know how to play out a scene, how a scene can affect your stats, and what the stats mean. Your deck has been shuffled and it’s ready to go. Now it’s time to actually start playing. What scenes will you play, and when?

Before you draw any cards, you’ll start with the arrival scene, detailed below, and derive your starting values for all six relationship stats from the scene. Every game always begins with the arrival scene, and it will help determine what kind of dragon and what kind of consort the story will be about.

Next, it’s time to draw a card from the deck. Each card corresponds to a specific prompt listed in the sections below, which are divided by suits: red cards are scenes with the dragon (hearts are sexual and diamonds are not), while black cards are scenes with kobolds (spades are sexual and clubs are not). If it’s a number card, the scene also designates a stat relevant to the scene, and a coin flip to decide if that stat goes up or down. If it’s a face card, simply choose a stat to increase by one point.

If any of the six relationship stats fall to 0, the story ends. Play out the scene that caused the drop normally, and then when it’s done consult the Departure Scenes section below. Which scene to use next depends on which stat dropped to 0, but play it out normally, and conclude the story.

If your deck runs out of cards, or if both players decide the story has gone long enough and they don’t want to draw another card, play the Hatching Scene instead, to see how the consort ultimately parts ways with the dragon’s lair, and conclude the story.

In summary:

Shuffle your deck of cards.

Play out the arrival scene, and determine the type of dragon and consort in the story. Determine the starting values of your six relationship stats.

Draw a card from the top of your deck and play out the corresponding scene, adjusting relationship stats accordingly as you go.

Then draw another one, and so on.

If any relationship stat falls to zero, play the appropriate departure scene.

If you ever decide the story is over, or you run out of cards, play the hatching scene.

THE ARRIVAL SCENE

The arrival scene is always the first scene of the story, and describes the consort’s arrival at the dragon’s lair. The arrival scene doesn’t come with a card to draw, and it doesn’t involve a coin flip. Instead you’ll begin by setting all six of your starting relationship stats based on this method:

First, decide on the type of lair the dragon resides in, and the setting for the story that will follow. Fill in the details with freeform roleplay.

Cave: A cavern, grotto, cove, or natural tunnel. Dragons who choose caves tend to be animalistic, instinctive, and withdrawn. Begin with 3 romance, 4 friendship, and 5 lust.

Mountain: A snowy spire, volcano, or imposing crag. Dragons who choose mountains tend to be wild and proud. Begin with 3 friendship, 4 romance, and 5 lust.

Dungeon: A crypt, tomb, or underground maze. Dragons who choose dungeons tend to be traditionalists with old fashioned tastes. Begin with 3 friendship, 4 lust, and 5 romance.

Tower: An old temple, former wizard’s retreat, or similar. Dragons who choose towers tend to be thoughtful and caught up in their own topics of interest. Begin with 3 lust, 4 friendship, and 5 romance.

Village: A ruin or natural enclave very close to a mortal village. Dragons who choose villages tend to be social with mortals and relaxed in demeanor. Begin with 3 lust, 4 romance, and 5 friendship.

City: A fort or estate close to a mortal city. Dragons who choose cities tend to be cultured and cosmopolitan, and perhaps a bit jaded. Begin with 3 romance, 4 lust, and 5 friendship.

Next, decide on the type of consort that has arrived in the lair. Use freeform roleplay to fill in as much or as little background detail as you see fit.

Princess: Usually not a literal princess, but a term for the most traditional means of recruitment: the dragon observed and snatched a desirable mortal right out of their daily business and into the lair. Such captives commonly refuse and go back home, so when they agree it’s considered an auspicious encounter, though these types of consorts are selected with no input from the kobolds. Begin with 3 sex appeal, 4 respect, and 5 trust.

Tribute: Some mortal settlements offer mortals up as consorts to a local draconic guardian. Such consorts are well trusted, but also quaint and routine. Begin with 3 respect, 4 sex appeal, and 5 trust.

Adventurer: A heroic mortal who did battle with the dragon and lost. Sporting mortals who lose typically assent to a dragon’s claim on them as new consorts. Adventurers are exciting and interesting, but start with a cold crowd. Begin with 3 sex appeal, 4 trust, and 5 respect.

Thief: A rogue or burglar who tried to steal from the dragon’s hoard and was caught. Like adventurers, thieves who risk the dragon’s lair and fail are expected to agree to captivity fair and square. Kobolds naturally see thieves as suspicious, but fascinating. Begin with 3 trust, 4 sex appeal, and 5 respect.

Volunteer: A mortal who sought out an open lair and asked to be accepted as a consort. A volunteer’s enthusiastic consent is inviting, but their introduction is something of an audition. Begin with 3 respect, 4 trust, and 5 sex appeal.

Stray: A lost traveler or mortal down on their luck who came to the lair for hospitality, and on arriving has also chosen to stay a while as a consort. Every stray has a story, some good and some bad. Begin with 3 trust, 4 respect, and 5 sex appeal.

Your arrival scene should include some dialogue with the dragon, kobolds, and consort as they make their introductions to one another, and conclude with the consort’s consent to join the lair.

HEART SCENES

Each number card prompt begins with a designated relationship stat. As part of the prompt you’ll flip a coin to determine whether the consort’s response to the prompt is taken well (increase the stat by +1) or poorly (decrease the stat by -1). The face cards don’t designate a stat, and don’t require a coin flip.

Every heart scene is a sexual encounter with the dragon. Due to the voluntary context of the position, the consort’s consent is presumed, but never demanded. The consort can always decline, and if a scene results in a relationship stat decreasing it should never be simply because the consort withheld sex.

AH: (Lust) The dragon wants to involve physical restraints of some kind, such as traditional chains, or a leash and collar.

2H: (Lust) The dragon lets their kobolds participate in using the consort at the same time.

3H: (Lust) The dragon is in an especially intense rut today.

4H: (Lust) The dragon wants multiple rounds in a row with the consort.

5H: (Lust) The consort is woken late at night to pleasure the dragon.

6H: (Lust) For once the consort initiates, rather than the dragon.

7H: (Romance) The dragon switches the typical top/bottom role with the consort.

8H: (Romance) The dragon and consort indulge in some sexual roleplay together.

9H: (Romance) The dragon teases or edges the consort to a point of desperation.

10H: (Friendship) The dragon trades stories with the consort about past lovers and experiences during sex.

JH/QH/KH: Casual sex with the dragon. The tone of the event is free and mild. Don’t flip a coin; just choose any one of the dragon’s three relationship stats and increase it by +1.

DIAMOND SCENES

Each number card prompt begins with a designated relationship stat. As part of the prompt you’ll flip a coin to determine whether the consort’s response to the prompt is taken well (increase the stat by +1) or poorly (decrease the stat by -1). The face cards don’t designate a stat, and don’t require a coin flip.

Every diamond scene is some sort of quality time with the dragon. Due to the sexual nature of the consort’s position, even these scenes can be flirty or salacious if the players deem it appropriate, but they never have to be.

AD: (Friendship) The consort tours the dragon’s hoard, with the dragon pointing out their variety of treasures.

2D: (Friendship) The dragon flaunts the most prized treasure of their hoard for the consort’s admiration.

3D: (Friendship) The consort rides the dragon on a recreational flight.

4D: (Friendship) The consort entertains the dragon with music, dance, or some other performance.

5D: (Friendship) The dragon and consort talk about the consort’s background and upbringing, and the dragon’s history.

6D: (Friendship) The dragon and consort talk about the consort’s dreams and ambitions, and the dragon’s future.

7D: (Romance) The dragon and consort talk at length about relationships and their beliefs about love.

8D: (Romance) The consort dines with the dragon. Eating together is not uncommon, but this is a longer and more intimate private affair.

9D: (Romance) The lair is beset by an adventurer, or a group of adventurers, intent on theft or battle. The consort is in a position to assist the dragon in defense of the lair.

10D: (Lust) The consort cleans and grooms the dragon.

JD/QD/KD: A nap with the dragon. Dragons take frequent short naps, and use the habit for physical bonding. Don’t flip a coin; just choose any one of the dragon’s three relationship stats and increase it by +1.

SPADE SCENES

Each number card prompt begins with a designated relationship stat. As part of the prompt you’ll flip a coin to determine whether the consort’s response to the prompt is taken well (increase the stat by +1) or poorly (decrease the stat by -1). The face cards don’t designate a stat, and don’t require a coin flip.

Every spade scene is a sexual encounter with one or more kobolds. Due to the voluntary context of the position, the consort’s consent is presumed, but never demanded. The consort can always decline, and if a scene results in a relationship stat decreasing it should never be simply because the consort withheld sex.

AS: (Sex Appeal) Two kobolds compete over who gives better oral sex, and enlist the consort as a judge.

2S: (Sex Appeal) Two kobolds compete over who has more stamina, and enlist the consort as a judge.

3S: (Sex Appeal) Three kobolds insist on sex with the consort simultaneously.

4S: (Sex Appeal) Most or all the kobolds in the lair treat the consort to an exhausting sexual marathon.

5S: (Sex Appeal) The consort is woken late at night to pleasure a kobold, or more than one.

6S: (Sex Appeal) For once the consort initiates, rather than any kobold.

7S: (Trust) One kobold has a private encounter with the consort while bathing.

8S: (Trust) One kobold has a private encounter with the consort outside the lair.

9S: (Trust) One kobold teases or edges the consort to a point of desperation.

10S: (Respect) The consort gives a sexy performance for the entertainment of the kobolds, like a striptease or even a masturbation session.

JS/QS/KS: Casual kobold gangbang. The tone is friendly and enthusiastic. Don’t flip a coin; just choose any one of the kobolds’ three relationship stats and increase it by +1.

CLUB SCENES

Each number card prompt begins with a designated relationship stat. As part of the prompt you’ll flip a coin to determine whether the consort’s response to the prompt is taken well (increase the stat by +1) or poorly (decrease the stat by -1). The face cards don’t designate a stat, and don’t require a coin flip.

Every club scene is some sort of quality time with the kobolds. Due to the sexual nature of the consort’s position, even these scenes can be flirty or salacious if the players deem it appropriate, but they never have to be.

AC: (Respect) The consort plays a physical sport with the kobolds.

2C: (Respect) The consort plays a board game or a card game with the kobolds.

3C: (Respect) The kobolds gossip with the consort about one another.

4C: (Respect) The consort helps the kobolds cook.

5C: (Respect) The consort helps the kobolds clean.

6C: (Respect) The consort helps the kobolds run errands.

7C: (Trust) A kobold asks the consort for relationship advice.

8C: (Trust) Two kobolds have the consort settle a dispute or disagreement between them.

9C: (Trust) The lair is beset by an adventurer, or a group of adventurers, intent on theft or battle. The consort is in a position to assist the kobolds in defense of the lair.

10C: (Sex Appeal) The consort and kobolds bathe or swim together.

JC/QC/KC: Kobold cuddle puddle. Like dragons, kobolds take frequent short naps and do so together for social bonding. Don’t flip a coin; just choose any one of the kobolds’ three relationship stats and increase it by +1.

DEPARTURE SCENES

If any of your six relationship stats are reduced to 0, then immediately after the scene which caused the drop, you will proceed directly to one of these six alternate ending scenes which close the story out prematurely. You have not failed to play correctly if you arrive at one of these endings, but it’s normal for the characters in the story to be disappointed by the outcome, and all departure scenes end without the consort getting to witness the hatching ceremony at all.

There is no coin flip to be made! This is when the events so far culminate in their final outcome! As such there are three alternate ending scenes listed below, and which one you will play is determined entirely based on which stat fell to null.

NO MORE ROMANCE: The dragon breaks up with the consort. It may be over a heartbreaking dispute, or several little quibbles, but the dragon banishes the consort from the lair.

NO MORE FRIENDSHIP: The dragon starts to find the consort tiresome. Maybe they’re a bore, maybe something about them is annoying, or maybe they’re simply not a good personality match. The dragon cuts the consort loose.

NO MORE LUST: Lack of sexual compatibility leaves the dragon feeling too uncertain about the consort’s position. To avoid exploiting the consort’s patience, the dragon escorts the consort home, likely with some sort of deeply awkward apology.

NO MORE TRUST: Fearing for their dragon’s emotional well-being, the kobolds either privately convince the consort to leave or find an opportunity to abandon the consort entirely.

NO MORE RESPECT: During an outing from the lair, the kobolds lose track of the consort entirely, and fail to notice the consort’s absence until they have already returned to the lair.

NO MORE SEX APPEAL: Due to mounting sexual frustration, the kobolds find a new consort of their own to bring to the lair. When the new consort arrives, the standing consort is invited to return home.

THE HATCHING SCENE

At any time that the players agree the story is complete, or when the deck has run out of cards, move on to the final scene of the story: the hatching scene. During this scene a ceremony is held in which the consort’s dormant eggs are finally awakened in a blazing bonfire, in which they will all hatch at once.

There is no coin flip to be made! This is when the events so far culminate in their final outcome! As such there are several details below to further inform and prompt how the hatching scene is played out. First, check how many relationship stats are low at the time of the scene. (1 to 3.) The number of low stats determines how the hatching itself unfolds.

0: Not only are the hatched kobolds healthy and vital- one of the eggs hatched is a new infant dragon!

1: There are no new dragons but the hatchlings appear happy, healthy, and strong. The consort is invited to name some of them.

2: The hatchlings are healthy, and the dragon and kobolds alike quickly leave the consort aside in their eagerness to name their young.

3: The hatchlings are somewhat sickly and meek, provoking mixed concern among some, though others assure them the new offspring will be just fine.

4: Only a single egg has enough magic to hatch- an infant kobold that bears a resemblance to the consort.

5: The eggs don’t hatch at all. Lacking sufficient magic, they crumble away in the fire, revealing nothing inside them.

6: Rather than containing any offspring, the eggs explode. It’s quite alarming.

Next, check how many relationship stats are high at the time of the scene. (7 to 9.) The number of high stats determines the parting of the consort from the lair after the hatching.

0: The dragon and kobolds are too caught up in the hatching to pay the former consort much mind. They shoo the consort off to return home alone.

1: After a celebratory feast, the dragon sends one kobold to escort the consort all the way home and wish them well.

2: After a celebratory feast, the dragon personally flies the consort all the way home to say goodbye.

3: The consort doesn’t completely say goodbye after the hatching; at the request of the warren, the consort agrees to remain in close contact as a mortal liaison for the benefit of the lair, and maybe a casual hookup from time to time.

4: One of the kobolds elopes with the consort to live as lovers.

5: After the merriment and lovemaking of the hatching celebration, the consort goes home pregnant with one last egg- a kobold to raise as their own kin.

6: After the merriment and lovemaking of the hatching celebration, the consort goes home pregnant with one last and most auspicious egg- an infant dragon!

Let this final prompt carry on with as much freeform roleplay as you need, to tie up any loose ends to your satisfaction. The story is over.

OPTIONAL RULES

None of the rules below are required for play, and none of them are considered an inherent part of the game, but you can add any of these mechanics if they suit your preferred story.

Day Counting: Add a counter to your character sheet tracking how many days the consort has lived with the dragon. Each scene played advances the day counter: the arrival scene takes place on day 1, the following scene on day 2, and so on. This doesn’t impose any new constraints or limitations on play, but it can provide context to inform how familiar the characters may become with one another over time.

Egg Counting: Normally the amount of eggs the consort bears over time is left up to the details of freeform roleplay. Instead you can add a counter to your character sheet tracking how many eggs the consort has produced. After each heart scene, flip a coin to determine whether the consort is impregnated. The following day, if pregnant the consort shows a minor bump. At the end of that day, the consort bears an egg, and the counter increases by one. (A consort cannot become pregnant if they are already pregnant. Kobolds are unable to impregnate the consort at all.)

Kinkier Sex: Before you begin, list out six of your favorite kinks and fetishes- the more colorful and diverse, the better. Mark them on your sheet numbered 1 through 6. Each time you draw a heart scene or a spade scene, roll a six sided die, and incorporate the indicated kink into the scene. As for why these themes come up so frequently in sex, you can just assume the consort or their hosts are highly enthusiastic for them, but stranger or more interesting reasons are possible.

Limited Available Time: Consorts typically have their own lives to lead outside of their relationship with a dragon. Mortal society makes affordances for such things, but not forever. To impose some of those outside obligations, shuffle both jokers into your deck of cards when you begin play. When you draw your first joker, the consort receives some news or warning that they’ll be needed elsewhere soon. When you draw your second joker, the consort is informed that they cannot stay any longer. You must play the hatching scene immediately.

INTRODUCTION

The forces of light and darkness are in natural conflict. It is their role to oppose each other and compete for control over the earth. In ancient times this was a basis for constant war between light-aligned society and monsterkind. In the modern era light and dark have resolved the need for violence and hate, and both sides live as neighbors in peace and brotherhood, thanks to modern social conventions for expressing this conflict.

The aggression persists, but in a more civilized form, more akin to a professional sport. Every light-aligned city and town designates at least one individual as their royal. (This is the generic term, though more specific terms of prince or princess are typical, or precious if neither is preferred.) This convention is descended directly from monarchy of old, and many royal individuals are still chosen by bloodline, even if they no longer have authority over state and government. Some towns instead elect their royal or award a volunteer the role by lottery. Additionally, small towns will usually have only one, but large cities and metroplexes usually have several.

The royal goes about their life like any other citizen- it isn't a full time job in and of itself. But it does come with a castle. (Sometimes literal, sometimes just a normal house.) The city government provides this lodging free of charge, and the city's role and responsibility is to protect the castle, and by extension the royal, from enemy attack. Some royal positions are more glamorous or come with more ceremonial responsibility, while others are more informal, but the official rules are always the same.

Monsters, dragons, dark sorcerers, goblin kings, vampire queens, and other dark aligned parties are free at any time they choose to attempt an attack on the castle with the goal of capturing and removing the royal. Attackers who do so are called villains. The city appoints guards or adventurers to resist these attacks, and there is usually dueling or sparring, but it’s a far cry from the deadly battles of antiquity.

If a villain successfully kidnaps the royal, they may keep their prize in their own fortification for as long as they're able, and for that duration darkness is known to reign superior. Some villains may also demand ransom or other conditions for the safe return of the royal, or attempt dramatic gestures of victory such as marriage ceremonies and dark rituals using the royal as a component. A light-aligned hero or group of heroes must attempt to storm the lair and bring the royal home, subject to the same rules and restrictions of lawful combat. Some heroes are freelance, others defend a specific community or even a specific royal, and occasionally an ordinary citizen can take up arms and become a reactionary hero in response to a kidnapping event. Hero guilds are a common but not universal institution.

While in dark custody, the royal is generally presented in demonstrations and other acts to taunt the powers of light, and villains usually perform a dramatically menacing persona to oppress heroes in public. And in private, it’s also traditionally the successful villain’s privilege to the royal’s body. The ravishment of the royal is never mandatory, and is strictly on the condition of the royal’s consent, but it is a time honored symbolic extension of the successful villain’s conquest and corruption of their prize.

However, none of the villain’s posturing, public or private, is never allowed to extend to actual abuse or mistreatment. The wellbeing of the royal is the villain's responsibility, and it’s normal for villains to be polite and friendly to a captive royal behind closed doors.

Abductions and rescues are recognized as acts of war. But the civilized format encourages enemies to treat one another with respect. Villains, royals, and heroes who repeatedly interact become familiar, often interacting informally and even developing romantic relationships, which can occur in any combination and are not considered taboo.

~

In the story of Royal Rescue, one player will take the role of narrator managing the game and navigating this guide, as well as the role of an ambitious villain. The other player will take the role of that villain’s royal captive, kept in the villain’s lair as their prize. (Alternatively, one player may play alone in both roles, using the dice based prompt system of this game.)

A lover, local protector, or hired band of adventurers will rescue the royal… eventually. And in the meantime, there’s nothing to do than indulge in the villain’s hospitality. With the consent of their new prize, the villain expects company, conversation, entertainment, and of course: sex. It’s simply traditional, after all.

Please take note that while this is a game meant to frankly and comfortably discuss sexual and erotic topics, in the context of a highly unconventional relationship, or even a vehicle for the theme of one exploring one’s desires or sexuality in a new and alien but intriguing context… sex is present on a condition of consent. Villains in this game are not brutes, royals are always informed and willing volunteers to the position, and in the world where the story takes place, no partner should ever be given reason to fear their host. If retaining a state of safety and consent without fear in this story will be difficult, then Royal Rescue is not for you.

This advisory should also be the starting point, not the end point, for discussion on the state of consent in this story. Royal Rescue is intended to depict a fantasy world free from real-world constraints of rape culture or gendered expectations and social privileges, wherein the adversarial behavior of dark and light is a socially enshrined and sporting practice which does not moralize either side. The captive’s heroic rescuer may do battle with the villain, but these clashes should never be depicted as deadly. But even in this mutually respectful context, and even with the royal’s freely given consent to take on their position, a captive is still a captive, and as players you should be alert to the ramifications and power dynamics that you create when you choose to fill in the details and intentions of that exchange in your own specific story, as well as the standards of your story’s larger culture, for your own comfort and for one another.

That having been said, much of the tone and content of this story is up for discussion and agreement between the two players. How diverse or inhuman can dark-aligned villains be? What genders are involved, or normative? Does this story take place in a high fantasy world, or somewhere more modern and contemporary? Will sex scenes in the story be passed over coyly, or described in intensely explicit detail? Can they result in pregnancy? And if so, are they meant to? Both players should be open in discussing what they expect and what they want to avoid before the game begins.

In addition to honest discussion of expectations, to play Royal Rescue you will need two six-sided dice, or 2d6. Each player can have their own, or they can share. You’ll also need a way to keep track of a few numbers, and the time and space to write your story together at length.

HOW TO PLAY A SCENE

The core of gameplay in Royal Rescue is to receive a prompt which establishes a scene, make a dice roll which defines the broad strokes of the scene’s impact, and play out the details of that scene with whatever specifics of tone and content will best live up to the demands of the prompt. While one player is the game master who references and manages the game’s rules as well as the villain character, you can think of both players as actors, and the game itself and its prompts as the director giving them instructions as the story goes on. You’ll put your own spin and feeling on things as they go, but it’s the game, not you, that will decide the broad direction of the story as it unfolds.

Within the bounds of a prompt, there aren’t dice to roll to determine success or failure of individual actions on either character’s part and so on- it’s up to the players to decide on their own what the characters will do and how their actions will turn out, as long as it suits the broadly defined outcome of the scene as it’s been given to them. Because of this, the practice of filling in the details of the scene to fulfill its needs will be called freeform roleplay in this guide.

Freeform roleplay in Royal Rescue can take any form that you find enjoyable: a scene can be long and drawn out in lavish detail, or fast and colloquial. It can be intensely sexually explicit and heavily erotic, or it can be more suggestive and tongue-in-cheek. The two players should come to the same idea of what they want from the content of these scenes before they begin.

In format, freeform roleplay can be carried out with written text, or verbally at a live table or over voice chat, or even personally physically acted out, all the way to the sex scenes if consenting adult players want to give it a try. (If you do physically roleplay any of your Royal Rescue scenes, or use Royal Rescue to direct roleplay during sex, please remember to negotiate expectations, boundaries, and safewords before you start!)

But first, a scene starts from a prompt. The prompt defines a general action from the villain or event which occurs for the villain and royal together. It also comes with a choice for the royal player to make, which describes broadly how the royal will respond. Each choice will have an impact on the relationship between the villain and royal reflected in their three main relationship stats, which are described in the Relationship Stats section below. The impact the royal’s choice has on these stats will be determined by a roll of two dice, or 2d6.

The higher individual die result is the amount that the increased stat will increase by. The lower individual die result is the amount that the decreased stat will decrease by. (This means that overall, the relationship’s stats can all increase over time.)

Now you have the prompt for the event which describes what the villain does, the selected choice which describes what the royal does, and the dice roll which informs how this scene will affect the relationship. The “actors” have been given all the instructions from their “director.” The entertainment of the game is now in the freeform roleplay, to explore and realize the scene. You can even insert freeform roleplay into every step of this process if you choose: after revealing a prompt, and after deciding on a choice for the captive, and again after rolling the dice. Or you can do it all at the end.

In summary:

Read the initial prompt for the scene.

Provide the royal player with their choices and select one of them. The choice will designate that one stat increases and one decreases.

Roll 2d6.

The higher face shows how much the first stat increases. The lower face shows how much the other stat decreases.

Now you know the broad strokes of the scene and how it will change the relationship. Play it out using freeform roleplay, until you agree the scene is complete.

RELATIONSHIP STATS

At all times the royal and the villain share a set of three running stats that measure their developing relationship: passion, affection, and trust. (Only one set between them- they do not have stats separate from one another.) The values of all three of these stats will inform the general tone of the relationship in any given scene, and your freeform roleplay should be at least loosely beholden to these values and how they change during the story. All three can change independently of one another, and so any of them can end up high or low in any potential combination, and much like the prompts themselves, these stats define the broad strokes of the relationship between your characters. The details are yours to fill in through freeform roleplay.

Passion represents how much sexual excitement and desire is present between the royal and villain. Are the sparks flying? Are they both into each other? At 1 to 9 the passion is chilly. There’s a bit of distance, or disinterest, or uncertainty. At 10 to 19 the passion is warm. There’s a baseline mutual attraction expected in any royal abduction, and both parties can see that they’re both reasonably interested. At 20+, the passion is hot. The royal and villain openly desire one other. They both like it and they both know it.

Affection represents how much the royal and villain are enjoying each other’s company. Is it fun for them to spend time with each other? Do they have common ground to talk about or do together? At 1 to 9 the affection is half-hearted. Either one of them may be feeling weary of the things that the other says or does. At 10 to 19 the affection is friendly. The royal and villain clearly find each other’s company comfortable, and have no reason to avoid one another. At 20+ the affection is familiar. The royal and villain feel like real friends, actively seeking out time with each other.

Trust represents the emotional intimacy between the royal and villain. Are they being honest and vulnerable with each other? Are they close? At 1 to 9 the trust is guarded. The air is cautious and short. One or both of them are not being emotionally open. At 10 to 19 the trust is comfortable. The royal and villain feel reasonably safe with one another, and speak honestly to each other. At 20+ the trust is tender. The royal and villain are both coming to acknowledge a true closeness between them, and one or both may be entertaining romantic feelings.

If any of these three stats ever falls to zero (or lower) the scene will still play out mechanically, but it will affect what scene comes next and cause an early ending, explained below.

TELLING THE STORY

Now you know how to play out a scene, how a scene can affect your stats, and what the stats mean. Now it’s time to actually start playing. What scenes will you play, and when?

Before you even start your first scene, establish your royal character: their name, gender, general demeanor, and whatever else you want to pin down in advance. You can do the same for the awaited hero. (You can consult the random tables in the appendix for this if you wish.) Also, start your tally for your three stats:  passion, affection, and trust always begin at 10.

This is not a scene unto itself, but it does lay the groundwork for the story. From the perspective of the royal, you have agreed to an adventure that you weren’t sure would even happen, or when, or with who. And once it begins, you don’t know how much time you’ll have to enjoy it. It’s an exciting and uncertain tone from which to begin the story.

The first scene of the story will always be the capture scene: it has six choices for the royal player to decide what type of villain their character will be abducted by. As this first dice roll for the story, this won’t “change” the relationship so much as establish its starting state. (Since this affects the game master’ main character, you can also have both players choose together. You can even roll a die to choose one at random.)

The capture scene will detail how the villain attacks the castle and makes off with the royal, naturally. This is how the story always begins.

Next, it’s time for the game master to draw a day scene. The game master will roll 1d6 to determine which of the six day scenes to read from the section below. (Day scenes involve conversation and other shared activities between the royal and villain.) Carry it out, and then mark that scene off as complete.

Once you’ve done that, the game master draws a night scene for the following evening. Just like a day scene the game master will roll 1d6 to decide which night scene to read from the section below. (Night scenes invariably involve sex. It is the privilege a consenting royal traditionally offers after all.) Carry it out and mark it off as complete, the same as a day prompt.

Continue rolling day and night scenes in alternating fashion, until something ends the story. Depending on your rolls you may end up going through numerous prompts, or only get to do a few.

If any of your three stats falls to 0 (or lower) the story ends. Play out the scene which caused the drop normally, and then consult the Alternate Ending Scenes section below to determine which of the three endings you’ve earned. Each one is a normal scene, but has no royal choice. Simply realize it as you see fit in freeform roleplay. The story is over.

If you roll a day prompt or a night scene that you’ve already completed, you’ve arrived at the moment of rescue. Don’t repeat the prompt! Instead, consult the Rescue Scenes section to determine which of the six rescue scenes will be the final scene of your story. Which one depends on which of your three stats is highest and which one is lowest at the moment of rescue. Realize the ending scene as you see fit in freeform roleplay. The story is over.

In summary:

Decide on a royal concept, and optionally a hero concept.

Play the capture scene, and determine the villain type and concept in the choice.

Roll for day and night scenes, back and forth, and play them out as you go.

If any stat reaches zero, play an alternate ending scene.

If you roll an already-completed scene, play a rescue scene instead. Which one depends on your stats at the moment of rescue.

THE CAPTURE SCENE

This is the first scene of the story, and it determines when, how, and why the royal is abducted, and the initial relationship between them and the villain. To set the scene, choose one of these six villain types. (You can even roll a die to choose one at random.)

“You” in these descriptions refers to the royal, for the convenience of both a narrator addressing these prompts to the royal, and for a single player exploring these prompts from the royal’s perspective.

Dragon: The oldest and most traditional type of villain. Dragons abduct royals that they desire as part of their hoard of treasures and pretty things. As a rule, they’re personally interested in any royal they capture, but they can be jealous and possessive.

Increase affection.

Decrease trust.

Monster: A chimeral mix of humanoid and bestial features, such as a minotaur or mermaid. Monsters are intelligent and can speak, but they have animalistic values and sensibilities, and may even steal royals on a whim. Their feral nature means they get along easily, but are also easily bored.

Increase trust.

Decrease affection.

Demon: A manifestation of the very darkness itself, summoned into the world to undermine the forces of light. A demon has an appetite for desecration, but little else in common with light-aligned mortal folk.

Increase passion.

Decrease affection.

Abomination: An eldritch thing of eyes and tentacles, either manifested by magic run amok or conjured from the astral plane. They crave the warmth of flesh, but they can be inscrutable and difficult to communicate with.

Increase passion.

Decrease trust.

Mage: A formerly light-aligned sorcerer who turned to the power of darkness, and may have even been changed by it. Dark mages are known to be thoughtful or soulful, but those who volunteer to be royals aren’t expected to be that sexually interested in their own species.

Increase trust.

Decrease passion.

Warlord: A bandit or marauder who has turned against light-aligned society for glory or profit, despite being of a light-aligned race themselves. It’s not what a volunteer royal generally expects physically, but they do have more common ground to start from than other villains.

Increase affection.

Decrease passion.

DAY SCENES

The day scenes are arranged in a list of six, which the game master will consult by random die roll according to the rules in the Telling the Story section. Remember that you aren’t going down the list from 1 to 6, but rolling them randomly, and you will likely only play out some of them in your story.

DAY SCENE 1: The villain wants to converse about your background. Where you came from, where you’re going, your livelihood, your personal hobbies.

Talk a lot: You share freely and generously, or even volunteer extra information. Maybe you just talk at length about a subject of great interest to you. It doesn’t make for a sexy mood, but it does make you fun to talk to.

Increase affection.

Decrease passion.

Talk a little: You’re curt and taciturn, or you’re just politely private, or you evasively turn the subject back to the villain. Whatever your reasons, you don’t share much about yourself. It’s intriguing, but it isn’t friendly.

Increase passion.

Decrease trust.

DAY SCENE 2: The villain asks you about your religious standing, between light and dark. As a member of light-aligned culture there is a default expectation from you, but even in your own community, alignment with the darkness is not taboo.

Praise the light: You profess your devotion to the forces of light, which govern your society. This reinforces your role and makes you more tempting to play with and defile, though it is also a reductive stance to take.

Increase passion.

Decrease affection.

Indulge the darkness: You present yourself as more agnostic than the average royal, or as sympathetic to the darkness, or even show how you’ve dabbled in dark magic. This doesn’t reflect on your moral character- your villainous host is of the dark after all- but it does reveal a deceptive nature.

Increase affection.

Decrease trust.

DAY SCENE 3: The villain wants to converse about your love life. Who have you had before? Who do you have now? Do you see yourself with your own species? Your sexual behavior with the villain as a captive is not considered infidelity, at least not by the prevailing social standards, so this is a benign topic as far as the villain is concerned.

Talk about others: You mention a lover waiting for you, or possibly even on the way to rescue you, or you fawn over your crush at home, or you share anecdotes about an ex, but you don’t mention the villain at all on this topic. You open your heart to the villain, but don’t describe a place for them in it.

Increase trust.

Decrease passion.

Talk about the villain: You flirt, or you tease the villain for their own motives, or you even openly express romantic interest for the villain. It stokes the villain’s ego, but also shows a presumptuous view of your place here.

Increase passion.

Decrease affection.

DAY SCENE 4: The rescuer arrives, and meets you before they meet the villain, either by stealth or by timing while the villain is away. This rescue attempt will end in failure and retreat for a future return, but before it does you have a part to play.

Assist: You assist your hero, or try to sneak away with them while you can. When the villain catches you they’re going to enjoy the chase- this is always the fun part after all- but they’ll be both impressed and wary of your subterfuge.

Increase passion.

Decrease trust.

Abstain: You choose to give no help, or you even actively alert the villain to the hero’s presence, either out of an open desire to prolong your own captivity, or an interest in fair play, or even just to appease the villain. It firmly shows the villain you’re a willing companion, but it also undermines the dynamic a bit.

Increase trust.

Decrease passion.

DAY SCENE 5: The villain wants to make a public showing with you in tow, to taunt the people you were stolen from. It’s normal for a villain to gloat until the hero can turn the tables- this is the villain’s time, after all.

Be dramatic: You actively play into your role as the villain’s claimed prisoner. Perhaps wailing and languishing in captivity, or broken and simpering at the villain’s feet, or otherwise playing up however you’re feeling to a flamboyant degree. The villain has won and you’re letting them have their fun. It can be fun for a villain to play along with a game royal in public, but it can also feel condescending, or tricky.

Increase affection.

Decrease trust.

Be polite: You don’t put up any pretense of drama, even in front of an audience. You comport yourself mildly, or you smile and wave. Perhaps you find the performance childish, or perhaps you’re more concerned with making sure the community can see that you’re alright. It’s going to be disappointing for the villain, but it will also show a more sincere side of you.

Increase trust.

Decrease affection.

DAY SCENE 6: The villain shares in their own particular idiom with you. For a dragon this means flaunting their treasure hoard. For a monster this means roaming and hunting like a wild animal, or bringing home a fresh kill for you to eat. For a mage this means discussing the arcane or working magical rituals together. For a demon this may mean cajoling or debating with you to tempt you from light to dark. Whatever it is, the villain shares their own personal values, beyond the villainy itself.

Opt in: You’re impressed, or curious, or won over by the villain’s idiom. You have questions to ask, or an enthusiasm to participate. This is the fastest way to win their friendship, though it may distract them from the other reason you’re here.

Increase affection.

Decrease passion.

Opt out: You aren’t interested. You might be polite and diplomatic, or you might be dismissive or facetious, but the villain’s idiom is not for you. It isn’t wrong to be frank and honest, though it also isn’t encouraging.

Increase trust.

Decrease affection.

NIGHT SCENES

The night scenes are arranged in a list of six just like the day scenes. Unlike the day scenes, the night scenes focus on sex, and the rapport that develops out of and through the royal and villain’s shared enjoyment of the experiences. You’ll also notice that while day scenes have two choices each for the royal, night scenes have four, and there is always at least one option to pass the night without the royal providing themselves bodily at all. While a villain expects sex from a captive royal it’s never demanded and only happens with the captive’s approval.

Furthermore, the options are always the same between each night scene, in different combinations. You should think of this as full freedom on the royal’s part to respond according to their own proclivities. For convenience, they’re defined fully here, and listed in short form on the scenes themselves.

Gentle: You want it soft and sweet, and you want to cuddle. It’s more for you than for the villain now, but it’s hard not to be touched by tender lovemaking

Increase trust.

Decrease passion.

Rough: You want it hot and heavy, and you keep asking for more. The villain loves it, but it may give the impression that sex is all you care about.

Increase passion.

Decrease affection.

Submissive: As you wish, master. You readily and obediently service the villain. It definitely makes the villain more comfortable with you, but it’s also the least surprising thing you could have done.

Increase trust.

Decrease affection.

Dominant: Heel, beast. You fuck the villain, not the other way around. It happens on your own terms. This is the most unexpected and interesting thing you could do, but villains generally have only limited patience for submission to someone who’s supposed to be their prisoner.

Increase affection.

Decrease trust.

Decline: You say no. You don’t need to argue or put up a fight, of course, and it may be a perfectly amiable dismissal. It’s a disappointment to be denied sex, but it will turn the villain’s attention to the rest of your affair.

Increase affection.

Decrease passion.

Tease: You say no, but you make a game out of it. Maybe you get the villain excited before or after, or you make a show out of what you’re rejecting. You’ve made a playfully adversarial relationship out of this, which will only get the villain more enthused for next time.

Increase passion.

Decrease trust.

NIGHT SCENE 1: The villain rebukes a rescue attempt by the hero, and returns to the lair triumphant and excited. While the hero retreats in defeat to return another day, the villain wants to do just what villains do when they win. There is no room for power games tonight- the roles are quite certain.

Gentle, Rough, Decline, or Tease.

NIGHT SCENE 2: The villain wants to make a show of using you. This could be as tame as kissing you in a public show before whisking you out of sight, or as explicit as a full live performance, but either way, they want to make sure people know what the villain is doing to you tonight. You can’t string it along or go halfway- either you’re in or you’re out.

Rough, Submissive, Dominant, or Decline.

NIGHT SCENE 3: The villain wants to employ restraints of some kind. This could mean shackles on the wall for a classic tableau, or wrist bindings, or even something as mild as a bit of wrestling and horseplay. Power games are on tonight one way or another, though you may have your own ideas of what games to play.

Submissive, Dominant, Decline, or Tease.

NIGHT SCENE 4: The villain wants to involve others tonight. Maybe their minions, or maybe a fellow dark-aligned creature, or maybe even a lover of yours who isn’t strong enough to be a hero, but has still been allowed to visit. You won’t be in a position to take charge if you agree to be outnumbered.

Gentle, Rough, Submissive, or Decline.

NIGHT SCENE 5: There’s been some mishap- an accidental injury, or a consequence of a battle, or even an existing ailment of yours, but you’ll need some care and comfort from the villain tonight. Keeping you happy and healthy is the villain’s responsibility while they keep you, so even if it doesn’t lead to sex, some kind of closeness is expected.

Gentle, Submissive, Dominant, or Tease.

NIGHT SCENE 6: Tonight it’s you who initiates things, not the villain. It could be for any reason, but you’re hungry for it. It doesn’t let you take a reactive role tonight, and even if you decide not to act on it, you can’t help but feel how you’re feeling.

Gentle, Rough, Dominant, or Tease.

RESCUE SCENES

When a day or night scene is rolled for that has already been completed, it isn’t repeated. Instead it signifies that a successful rescue has arrived. The villain is confronted, bested in battle, and the captive royal is free to come home.

There is no royal choice to be made! This is when the choices made so far culminate in their final outcome! As such there are six rescue scenes listed below, and which one you will play is determined entirely based on which stat is lowest and which stat is highest at the moment of rescue.

If any two stats are tied (or even all three) then use your chosen villain type as a tiebreaker: whichever stat your villain type increased at the start of the story wins ties, and whichever stat your type decreased loses ties. So for example, if you chose the dragon and your affection is tied with passion, affection would still be treated like it’s “higher” than your passion.

Note that this is only based on the position of each stat relative to the others, not whether any of them are high or low in and of themselves- at the end of a long stay even the “lowest” stat might be high, and after a brief one, even the “highest” stat might be middling. All six of these prompts can be interpreted as lukewarm or casual, or taken as happy or heartfelt. You should let the values of the stats inform the tone of the scene in your freeform roleplay as well as the details, as you did with all other prompts.

PASSION HIGHEST, AFFECTION LOWEST: After the villain is defeated, they ask you if you would like to visit or be visited by them again, not for an abduction but for a date. This conversation may be immediate, or even after you return home. How you answer is up to you.

PASSION HIGHEST, TRUST LOWEST: The villain makes a show of gloatingly claiming possession of you one last time before the final battle, either to taunt the hero or for entertainment. Depending on your level of willingness this may be as simple as a kiss or as shocking as a sex act, but the villain is content to let this be the end of things, and go out with a bang.

AFFECTION HIGHEST, PASSION LOWEST: After the villain is defeated, they ask you if you would like to consider them a friend, and give them your time outside the pretense of abduction. This conversation may be immediate, or on a future visit. How you answer is up to you.

AFFECTION HIGHEST, TRUST LOWEST: After the villain is defeated, they ask the hero if they would like the villain as a nemesis. This may be a plain-faced request or a more tacit test of interest, but the villain wants to know how appropriate it would be to abduct you again soon, or even make a habit of it, to provoke another duel. This isn’t unusual, so the hero may say yes or no.

TRUST HIGHEST, PASSION LOWEST: Immediately after defeat, the villain asks for a private moment with you. Perhaps to resolve or find closure for something between you, or even just to say goodbye. This may be a tender moment, or a somber one, but either way it means ending on positive terms together.

TRUST HIGHEST, AFFECTION LOWEST: After the villain is defeated, they ask you if you would like to be abducted again- the villain wants to make you their new regular target, if you agree that you would enjoy it. This isn’t unusual, so how you answer is up to you.

ALTERNATE ENDING SCENES

If any of your three stats are reduced to 0 (or lower) then immediately after the scene which caused the drop, you will proceed directly to one of these three alternate ending scenes which close the story out prematurely. You have not failed to play correctly if you arrive at one of these endings, but none of them are “happy” endings, and it’s normal for the characters in the story to be disappointed by the outcome.

There is no royal choice to be made! This is when the choices made so far culminate in their final outcome! As such there are three alternate ending scenes listed below, and which one you will play is determined entirely based on which stat fell to null.

NO MORE PASSION: The villain is too acutely aware of the discomfort between the parties to continue. Keeping you at this point feels either untoward, unbecoming, or even outright unethical. And so the villain personally escorts you back to your castle, possibly with some significant misgivings, or even an awkward apology.

NO MORE AFFECTION: The villain is simply tired of you. Villains attack castles for the achievement of it, but afterward they keep royals around for the fun, and you no longer seem like you’re worth the trouble. The villain verbally sets you free, and invites you to make your own way home.

NO MORE TRUST: A dispute leads the villain to banish you from their lair. It may be over something serious or heartbreaking, or it may be petty quibbling that’s simply boiled over. One way or another, the villain casts you out, and will no longer tolerate your presence.

OPTIONAL RANDOM LISTS

None of these random tables are required for play, but if you find yourself struggling to decide on a concept, or simply want to introduce more randomness for the fun of it, you can consult any of these lists and roll one die, or 1d6, to decide on how to describe your villain.

Dragons 1: A wyvern with four legs and two wings. 2: A drake with two legs and two wings. 3: A multi-headed hydra. 4: A serpentine naga. 5: A long that dances on the open air. 6: A feathery-winged coatl.

Monsters 1: A minotaur. 2: A mer-creature. 3: A harpy. 4: A griffon. 5: A manticore. 6: A dryad.

Demons 1: A horned and furry-legged satyr. 2: A lithe preening incubus. 3: A curvaceous succubus. 4: A hulking muscular devil. 5: A shadowy phantom. 6: A haunted mannequin or puppet.

Abominations 1: A faceless tangle of tentacles. 2: A gooey globby slime. 3: A floating many-eyed gazer. 4: A squid-faced humanoid. 5: A floral mass of creeping vines. 6: A chitinous insectoid creature.

Mages 1: A witch. 2: A necromancer. 3: A vampire. 4: A werewolf. 5: A lich. 6: An apostate priest.

Warlords 1: A fearsome marauder. 2: A master thief. 3: A pirate captain. 4: A dark knight. 5: A leader of goblins. 6: A former hero.

For either of these lists you can roll two dice, or 2d6, and add them up to decide on your villain’s personality, or what kind of hero is coming to rescue the royal. (Entries in the middle of the lists are more common.)

VILLAIN 2: Naive 3: Doting 4: Cozening 5: Glib 6: Suave 7: Dramatic 8: Imperious 9: Mischievous 10: Chatty 11: Stoic 12: High-Strung