Beyond the Rift

A game by Emily Pennyway

Solo Duet Three or More Free

A metroidvania-like tabletop game set in a world without memory.

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Mechanics

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Card Draws Dice pool Procedural Generation

Content

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Adventure Atmospheric Memory Loss Magic Isolation Horror Folklore

Accessibility

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Details

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Description

A metroidvania-like tabletop game set in a world without memory.

Journey into the world beyond the rift . . .

It is a futile game we play. It won't bring our friends home. But perhaps it can give us a little peace, to imagine that their struggles end with a small measure of hope.

To our friends beyond the rift, these words are for you.

It has been centuries since the end of the Endless War, when the Grey Mage destroyed the dragons and tore the city of Tower in half. The part that remains in our world stands as a reminder of the cost that was paid for peace. What happened to the other half of Tower is a mystery. The ritual game, Beyond the Rift, is a way for those in the world of Mnemonic to imagine what life might be like for those trapped on the other side of the Rift.

Beyond the Rift is a tabletop game for 1 to 3 players, which can be played together in the same place or remotely over Discord, Skype, FaceTime, or even text messages. Each player is responsible for one aspect of play, from creating the world beyond the rift, to describing its dangers, to overcoming those dangers and finding resolution for the city of Tower.

What's the game like?

The style of play is meant to model the journey of metroidvania video games like Hollow Knight. The world is developed as you explore, with mysteries being solved in your group's descriptions of them. Unlike most metroidvania games, however, Beyond the Rift doesn't ask you to spend hours backtracking through areas you've already explored, or trying again and again to defeat a challenging boss fight. Instead, you'll roll once to determine what the Echo's efforts look like in the story: do they overcome the obstacle in front of them with ease? Or do they have to try over and over again before they finally succeed?

If you want to know more about the world where Beyond the Rift takes place, the ritual's full content also includes a Setting Guide that sheds light on some of the more interesting parts of the setting. You are welcome to use or ignore any of it to suit your group's needs.

What do I need to play?

Beyond the Rift is designed to be fully playable with anywhere from one to three players, and no two players are required to share the same play materials, making this a perfect game to play remotely. You can also play it as a solo experience.

To play, you will need:
- A full deck of poker cards, including 2 Jokers (used by the Weaver)
- 4 six-sided dice (used by the Adversary)
- Some paper to write and draw on (used by the Echo)
- Something to write an draw with (used by the Echo)
The full game is expected to take between one and several hours, but your group can pause play at any time. When you set the game aside, the Weaver in your group will want to make sure that any cards that have already been played remain separate from the deck, to ensure that the same cards aren't played more than once.

Please enjoy!