I got the idea for this game from the “spoons” representation of energy for chronic/mental illness. Recovery from collective trauma, slowly, as best as you can.
The world as it is now is not at all as it once was. But, well, it’s getting there. It’s weird. It’s always weird. For now, you’re just trying to get through the day and recover. Easier said than done.
First, we must know what kind of world still remains. What happened here? For the survivors of this apocalypse, what does life look like now? Work with your fellow players to come up with a world that has been shattered, along with what society looks like, now clinging to the pieces.
If you need help, roll a d6 to figure out what kind of apocalypse befell your world:
1 – Eldritch
2 – Human
3 – Natural
4 – Monstrous
5 – Quiet
6 – Disease
You may also roll a d6 to figure out where the remnants of society still lives on:
1 – Above
2 – Below
3 – Surface
4 – Space
5 – Ruins
6 – Living
Now, you can flesh out your world as it is! Talk about the kind of social structure that exists. What roles are people needing to play in this new world? Education, law, health, resources, art, culture, religion. What still remains? What has changed? What was lost?
Character Creation
Now, you can figure out how you, individually fit into all this.
Each PC has 3 stats:
- Brains: Academic stuff! Smart stuff! If you’re good at Brains, you’re good at the brain stuff!
- Bond: Talking to people, connecting to them. Your Bond score will help with all of that!
- Being: In order to do well in other ways, you have to take care of yourself first. Represented by this score!
Take a +1, a +2, and a -1 and assign these to each stat. This bonus will be added to any roll which uses this stat.
You take two tags that can help inform your character. One for your lowest stat, one for your highest.
Lowest:
- Brains – Stressed
- Bond – Lonely
- Being – Tired
Highest:
- Academia – Gifted
- Bond – Social
- Being – Adjusted
Now, you can use these tags to come up with a person. Your character can be anyone but it’ll help to come up with an archetype and a role within this new society.
Playing the Game
Starting something new is a bit of a nightmare and there will always be a tonne of challenges. It’s up to you to tell the story of how these challenges arise and how you’ll figure them out. Or… well, not figure them out.
Introduce your character to everyone. Why are they here? What are they like? What do they look like? Do any of you know each other?
From there, you can start the game.
Energy
At the start of each turn, you roll 3d6. Note down each result separately, as both the sum and the individual numbers are important.
The sum determines what kind of day you’re having.
The individual numbers represent the energy you have to face each challenge.
A sum of 3-6 is a very bad day. The penalties and rewards are high stakes, low reward. With a day like this, it might not take much to send you spiralling. There isn’t always a silver lining, either. You can only learn or grow so much from a truly awful day.
A sum of 7-10 is a bad day. The penalties are fairly high stakes, high reward. A bad day getting worse can really be the terrible cherry on top of this terrible, terrible sundae. However, managing to overcome it may just be what you need to put a spring in your step and have a little confidence in yourself.
A sum of 11-14 is a good day. The penalties are fairly low stakes, high reward.
A sum of 15-18 is a very good day. The penalties are low stakes, low reward.
The Lethe 
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