Stardrawn

You look to the stars, to space, to the vast black that is so alive and on fire and not empty at all, because each brightling flame in the sky is still there, still full of life, the planets breathing in their tidal, ancestral orbits of systems and species. You look to the stars, Pilot, fighter, ‘riser, air-breather, light-seer, you who feel warmth and cold and loss and love, and you cry for them.

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A storygame about a galaxy at the end of the war using Tarot cards to build plot, characters, relationships, and interactions. 

This is a GM-less game for 1-4 players. You will create characters, bonds, stories, hopes, dreams, and even futures together, using Tarot cards and spreads to explore the galaxy. This is a game about a struggle past and a struggle present, but, as in many stories, there is always hope. 

Characters will trade the Oculus as they play, allowing them to story build together, but also allow each player to narrate the story. There will be collaboration with the cards, with time allowed for revisions and suggestions of interpretations. 

This game is best played in-person, with a communal tarot deck, and a common reference, which can be used or ignored as desired. 

Stardrawn Quick Guide

• Read through the rules to get an understanding of the piece
• Read out loud the Scene Setting
• Use the first Galaxy pull to understand the nature of the Final Battle and its effect on those remaining
• Create your characters
• Create the celebration; the lowest-ranking character goes first and becomes the first Oculus
• Play proceeds to the left. 
• Using the Galaxy Card and the Past, determine the next spread you create
• The Oculus interprets the spread
• The Ascendancy offers Revisions
• The Oculus Reinterprets, finalizes the story, and releases the Oculus
• The Oculus moves to the left, and a new Galaxy Card is drawn
• Continue until there are only enough cards for the Final Spread. 
• Play the Final Spread

References and Inspirations

• Spindlewheel
• X-Card by John Stavropoulos
• RPG Safety Toolkit by Kienna Shaw and Lauren Bryant-Monk

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• 78 Nights of Tarot
• Angelorum
• Interrobang Tarot
• Labyrinthos

This game was written and designed in December of 2019 by Linda H. Codega for the #AdAstraJam hosted by KiennaS, deathbymage, and Dylan Grinder. You can find Linda on twitter @_linfinn, itch.io, and see their writing on their site.  If you find the price a burden, just follow Linda on twitter, send them a DM, and they will send you a copy for free!