You can construct your own environment using this form:You can play this game with a partner at or away from the gaming table. It is designed to structure intimate moments between characters. Ideally, these moments happen around a campfire on a lonely watch, but they can occur in any context in which two characters can speak privately without being interrupted. To play, grab a partner and follow these steps.
Describe an environment where it is possible for two people to speak openly. Focus on details that make it safe and private. Place your characters in that environment so that they are close enough to understand anything said aloud meant only for their ears. Once you have a setting, introduce your characters. This introduction should be simple, starting with their names, followed by the way the world sees them (race and class are fine for this) and what they believe their missions are. For example:
• Calavar, an Elvish paladin who seeks peace
• Melinda, a halfling bard who brings happiness with music
• Sonya, a human rogue who wants to get away from her past
• Ruga, a half-orc barbarian who wants to test his strength
You can construct your own environment using this form:
A fire burns low under a sky bright with stars. The night is cold, and the world of the earth is dark and still. Two adventurers sit close to keep warm and idly watch shadows that promise no dangers. One is ____________________, a _____________________ who _____________________. The other is _____________________, a _____________________, who _____________________. Tonight, they have no company but each other.
One player rolls a d6 to determine what to do to break the silence. You should perform this action in character. Once you have finished, tap the die against the table to signify your action is complete.
1 Ask an open-ended question: This is a question that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no.
2 Make a confession: This can be something positive or negative. It does not have to concern the character you are talking to at the moment. It can even be a confession to something obvious that you are putting into words for the first time.
3 State a fear: This can be any fear, big or small, so long as it’s something that causes you genuine concern.
4 Ask for help: This can be for a small problem that can be solved immediately or a large, abstract concern that could take months or years to attend to. It might even be a request for help with something that isn’t a problem, like learning a new skill.
5 Express regret: While it is good to pick a regret involving the other character, revealing any regret is fine.
6 Name a desire: This should be a desire for something that cannot be immediately or obviously fulfilled.
Now the other player must have her or his character respond by directly addressing what was said. This is not a time to ignore a larger issue out of a desire for stability or comfort. Both characters have to be here in this moment. This does not mean you have to answer any questions asked, but it does mean you need to acknowledge that you heard and understood what was said. If you need guidance, choose one of the suggestions that best suits the moment.
Expressing an emotion: You can state your feelings or describe a more elaborate emotional reaction without your character actually speaking.
Being open: Allow your barriers to come down and share parts of yourself that you normally hide. It does not mean you have to confess all your secrets, but it exposes a more honest version of yourself.
Empathizing: Extend understanding and care to someone in a vulnerable position. Even if you know you cannot help, honestly identify with that position and look for a way to see him or her outside yourself.
Don’t choose a reaction that closes off discussion or shortens the conversation. These two characters have nowhere to be for a while. The alternative to having this discussion is sitting in silence. Encourage the characters to talk through what happened until neither has any more to say.
Once you reach a moment when the conversation hangs on three seconds of silence, either player may end the scene by picking up the die. The player with the die will describe a detail in the environment that reflects an element of the conversation that took place. It can be very small and should be the kind of thing on which a camera might linger after a similar conversation in a movie.
Once finished with the environmental detail, the player holding the die will roll it to determine what the characters share at the end of their conversation.
Roll a d6 to determine what will underscore the connection formed between the characters during their conversation:
1 A drink: One character will take out something to drink and pass it to the other. If the two just argued, this is an apology that will allow them to continue working together. If their conversation was wholly positive, it shows care and respect.
2 A look: This is a moment of eye contact, long or short—a moment when both characters acknowledge what just took place and come to peace with it.
3 A gesture: This is a physical interaction between characters. A hug, a kiss, a handshake, or a pat on the shoulder works well as a gesture.
4 Space: One character should offer the other the opportunity to get physically closer. This symbolizes the gap between them shrinking.
5 A promise: A verbal promise between the characters. It does not have to be one the characters decide to keep long term, but it should be one that they genuinely mean to keep in the moment.
6 An understanding: The players will work together to determine what one thing both characters agree on after their conversation. There can still be miscommunication between the two, but they both agree on this fact.
If both players feel there is more they would like to discuss, they can describe an aspect of the environment to suggest the passage of time and go back to initiation. As you play through again, reverse roles by having the other character roll to break the silence.
If both players are satisfied with the story, they can end the scene by mirroring their introduction. Instead of introducing their own characters, they will summarize each other’s characters with a different formula. Start again with the character’s name and the way the world sees her and end it with how her character views him.
