Lucas Falk

Encounters
Card Encounter
A lesser monster. Adversary: Draw two
♣ a–3
cards and use the lowest. Experience: 1.
A monster. Adversary: Draw one card.
♣ 4 –6
Experience: 2.
A dangerous monster. Adversary:
♣ 7 –8 Draw two cards and use the highest.
Experience: 3.
An imposing monster. Adversary:
♣ 9 –10 Draw two cards and add them together.
Experience: 4. Knight Forlorn is a storytelling game
A Tormentor. Adversary: Draw two about a lone wanderer on a futile quest
♣ j –k cards, add them together, then add 5.
Experience: 5. in a withering world
♥ a –10 An unsettling social encounter.
♦ a –10 Through improvisation and collaboration, you will craft
and narrate the story of the knight’s struggles. You’ll
♥ j –k A positive social encounter. shape and portray the world together and take turns
♦ j –k portraying the knight as they explore a forsaken and
A lesser opponent. Adversary: Draw two twisted city. By drawing playing cards from a deck,
♠ 4 –6 the story will unfold in unpredictable ways.
cards and use the lowest. Experience: 1.
An opponent. Adversary: Draw one card.
♠ 4–6
Experience: 2. You Need ň A deck of regular
A dangerous opponent. Adversary:
ň 3+ players (including playing cards.
♠ 7 –8 Draw two cards and use the highest. yourself ). ň A Knight Pamphlet.
ň 2+ hours. ň A safety tool of your
Experience: 3. ň Pencils and erasers. preference.
An imposing opponent. Adversary:
♠ 9 –10 Draw two cards and add them together.
Experience: 4.
layout:
writing, art, layout: influences:
influences:
A Tormentor. Adversary: Draw two
Lucas Falk Dark Souls,
♠ j –k cards, add them together, then add 5.
editing::
editing A Game of Voices,
Experience: 5. Alf Peter Malmberg Se och göra i Aliatra,
publishing::
publishing The Quiet Year

Tone
This game thrives when the tone is melancholic with
Bläckfisk Publishing
copyright::
copyright
© 2024 Lucas Falk,
BARE - BONES
notes of surrealism and horror. Avoid humor altogether Bläckfisk Publishing
and inject hope sparingly, if at all. When needed, take web::
web
your time and allow for silence and reflection. blackfiskpublishing.com Bläckfisk Publishing
 10 Narrate combat actions and outcomes together.
Setup Playing the Game If the Knight prevails over an adversary,
the Knight gains a number of experience
points determined by the encounter.
The City This game promotes an improv style of play where you 11 All drawn cards are returned to the deck
The game takes place within Burghal, a vast gothic colla­bo­rate to create your world and explore your story. and the deck is reshuffled.
metropolis in ruins, withering, corrupted by the Torment.
There is no longer any rhyme or reason to its architecture When the Knight leaves the encounter, the player
or layout. A scant few scattered survivors barricade Roles who was the Narrator assumes the role of the Lead,
themselves in their dwellings; only opportunists and You’ll take turns assuming three roles: the player to the left of them becomes the Narrator,
madcaps venture out into the streets where terrible and the rest are now the Chorus.
monstrosities roam. ň The Lead
Lead.. You portray the Knight’s actions, reactions,
Discuss what might have caused the state of the city thoughts, feelings, and speech. You may not portray
and brought about the Torment. Was it invaded by or craft the game world. Facing an Adversary
foreign armies, was it cursed in the ruler’s hunger for ň The Narrator
Narrator.. You portray and craft the game world, When the Knight faces a monster or an opponent
power, is it all a slumbering god’s dream, or something and facilitate exploration and adversity. You may not in battle, apply the following procedure:
else? You don’t have to determine a detailed answer. portray the Knight.
ň The Chorus
Chorus.. You help portray and craft the game world 1 The Narrator draws cards for the adversary
by adding details and mood, and you typically portray in question.
The Knight side characters. You may also portray the Knight’s 2 The Lead draws a card for the Knight.
Describe the Knight’s appearance together. Take turns thoughts and feelings, but not their actions or speech. 3 Determine the outcome:
answering the prompts with a sentence or two, in any a If the Knight’s card beats the adversary’s cards,
order; keep going until the list has been exhausted. the Knight prevails.
Note your descriptive details in your Knight Pamphlet. Exploring the World b If the value of the Knight’s card matches
The Knight should not be named, but they may One player volunteers to be the first Narrator. the value of the adversary’s cards, the Knight
be gendered. The player to the right of them assumes the role of prevails but you must also choose a conse­
the Lead. The rest act as the Chorus. quence in your Knight Pamphlet.
You explore the world through this procedure: c Otherwise, either the Knight retreats from
The Motivation the encounter, or you may try again by
The Knight is searching for a particular Tormentor— 1 The Narrator draws the top card. choosing a consequence and restarting
a once-renowned figure, now twisted into a horrifying 2 The Narrator checks the drawn card against the this procedure from the top. To retreat
living embodiment of the Torment. Describe this Encounter Table and reads the result to the others. from a Tormentor, you must choose
Tormentor together. 3 The Narrator and the Chorus gather their thoughts a consequence either way.
Also determine why the Knight is searching for it; and reflect on the encounter.
note their motivation in your Knight Pamphlet. 4 The Narrator sets a scene by beginning to describe
For example: a fitting location for the encounter. Aces are 1s, Jacks are 11s,
5 The Chorus and the Narrator take turns adding Queens are 12s, Kings are 13s.
ň They want revenge for a lost loved one. to the description, one or two sentences each, until you
ň They want its power. have made at least five additions total.
ň They hope it will end the Torment. 6 The Lead interacts with the encounter by asking
ň They have some kind of agreement with a Tormentor. questions and expressing thoughts and actions. Ending the Game
ň They hope to wake the God Who Slumbers. 7 The Narrator answers questions and expands The game truly ends when the Knight’s motivation
descriptions. The Chorus continually assists by has been fulfilled or when the Knight perishes.
embellishing the Narrator’s descriptions. You can also decide to stop playing and either
The Deck 8 If the Knight encounters a side character, one from continue another time or choose to have the Knight
Shuffle the deck and place it face down in the center the Chorus portrays that character. succumb to the Torment.
of the table. You are now ready to start playing. 9 If the Knight faces an adversary, the Narrator
facilitates it.
 Abilities Notes
Once the Knight has acquired 5 experience,
you collectively choose one available
ability for the Knight. Note your choice
in your Knight Booklet and clear the spent
experience.
□ First Prowess. When facing an adversary,
the Knight’s total card value is increased
by 2.
□ Second Prowess. When facing an
adversary, the Knight’s total card
value is increased by 5. (Requires
and replaces First Prowess.)
□ Finesse. When facing an adversary,
the Lead may draw one additional
card and discard the worst of their
drawn cards.
□ Mastery. When facing an adversary,
the Lead may draw two cards and
add them together. (Requires and
replaces Finesse.) BARE - BONES
□ Resilience. When facing an adversary,
Wounds don’t reduce the Knight’s total
card value.
□ Elusion. The Knight won’t suffer
any consequence when retreating
from a Tormentor. Knight Pamphlet
□ Hope. The Knight will never perish
from Corruption. (Requires at least
two other abilities.)
□ Immortality. When the Knight perishes,
they can sacrifice one of their acquired
abilities to rise again. (Requires at least
three other abilities.)
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Permission granted to copy for personal use
 Description Motivation Experience
Build: Tormentor: If the Knight prevails over an adversary,
the Knight gains a number of experience
points determined by the encounter.
These can be spent to gain abilities.
Posture:
□□□□□
□□□□□
Armor:

Hair:
Consequences
When the Knight suffers a consequence,
the Chorus chooses one:
Eyes: Reason:
□ First Wound. When facing an adversary,
the Knight’s total card value is reduced
by 1.

Face: □ Second Wound. When facing an adver­

sary, the Knight’s total card value is
reduced by 2 (requires and replaces
First Wound).

Accessory: □ Third Wound. When facing an adversary,

the Knight’s total card value is reduced by
3 (requires and replaces Second Wound).
□ Corruption. The Knight is infested by
Weapon: the Torment; they begin to hear sinister
whispers and experience an unsettling
physical discord (portrayed by the
Chorus). After three encounters
excluding the current one, the Knight
Scars/Tattoos: will perish.
□ Death. At the end of the current en­
counter, the Knight will perish.