How it Starts & Ends!

WHAT IS HOW IT STARTS & ENDS?

An ultra-lightweight, narrative system with an integrated adventure in just 48 words (48-word rpg jam). It was designed for quick, solo play: a quiet moment of imagining...

AVAILABLE ADVENTURES:

-1- King's Messenger (January 2026)
-2- Purple Curse (January 2026)
-3- The Last Year (January 2026)
-4- Last Race (April 2026)

THE SYSTEM

You play the 10 SCENES, in any order you prefer. The interpretation is free, based on the system's roll. Imagine what you want to do or how you want to develop the scene; the word, along with the theme and the mission, provides context.

THE ROLL 2D6

You roll a first d6 (how the scene starts) and a second d6 (how it develops and ends). The second die determines how the scene is resolved (1 Bad, 2-3 Poor, 4-5 Good, 6 Great). After the roll, interpret how the scene unfolds, taking into account the dice results.

EXAMPLE. I choose to play the “Foraging” scene in King’s Messenger. I understand that I’ve gone almost two days with barely any food. I look for something to eat. First d6 (6) = Great, second d6 (1) = Bad. I fail the second d6. I roll for the cost (6) = Health. 

I interpret this as spotting a wild boar that hasn’t noticed my presence. I shoot with my bow but miss and draw its attention… it ends up charging at me and injuring me.

FAILED SCENE

If you roll a 3 or less on the second die, you fail the scene. Then, roll a d6 and add one point to the corresponding cost. There are 3 costs (1-2..., 3-4... and 5-6...). The names of the costs depend on the adventure.

FAILURE WITH 3 COST POINTS

If you accumulate 3 points in any of the costs, you fail the mission. EXAMPLE. If you accumulate 3 points in health cost, you die. If you accumulate 3 points in time cost, you arrive too late... 

ENDING

Once you have played all 10 scenes and haven't accumulated 3 points in any of the costs, narrate the ending, drawing inspiration from the ending line, the plays, and (if you want) the costs incurred.