TEXT: written by
  Josh Jordan
  photos by
  J.R. Blackwell
  a storytelling game
  
  L
  et’s tell the story of 
  a brave traveler…
  Pulled through a portal to a strange land, our traveler overcomes deadly 
  challenges with daring, cleverness, and kindness. With a few quirky,  
  new companions our protagonist saves the land from terrible ruin. 
  Unlike in many stories, our brave traveler is a girl.
  Heroine is a storytelling game 
  that helps you and your friends 
  tell tales of a young heroine 
  in another world. Each time 
  you play, a heroine meets new 
  companions, faces terrible 
  dangers and a ﬁerce antagonist, 
  and struggles to overcome all 
  sorts of heroic challenges.
  
  Written by Josh Jordan
  
  Editor
  Paul Lyons
  Photos
  J.R. Blackwell
  Layout
  Daniel Solis
  Costumes
  MayFaire Moon
  Jared Axelrod
  Russell Collins
  Makeup
  Bunny Greene
  Avalon Bathory Waegel
  Models
  Avalon Bathory Waegel
  Jared Axelrod
  Jenn Steen
  Russell Collins
  Chapter Openings
  Jared Axelrod
  Playtesters
  Antonio Faloona
  Barrett Bishop
  Evelina Eriksson
  Flavio Mortarino
  Frida Ullenius
  Giulia Cursi
  Mauro Ghibaudo
  Paolo Cecchetto
  Paul Lyons
  RP Bowman
  Steven Rahn
  Wilhelm Person
  Ken Nagdar
  Little Horse
  Critical Readers
  Andrew Maddock
  Anessa Jordan
  Judy Jordan
  Lisa Padol
  Nora Last
  Sam Chupp
  Shannon Farrell
  Copyright Ginger Goat 2013.
  “Kingdom of Carrion” Copyright Jared Axelrod 2012.
  Used with permission.
  
  How to Play ................5
  Decide player roles. ...................6
  Tell your story ...........................7
  Introduction ...............................8
  Chapters .....................................10
  The Challenge...........................12
  Conclusion .................................14
  Companion’s Conclusion .........15
  Narrator’s Conclusion ............16
  Heroine ......................19
  How to Create the Heroine ...20
  How to Play the Heroine........21
  Facing a Challenge ..................21
  Playing a Great Heroine .........24
  Narrator ...................27
  How to Play the Narrator .....29
  Narrating the Chapters .........29
  Setting the Scene .....................30
  Be Dramatic ...............................30
  Feature the Antagonist ..........35
  Challenging the Heroine ......36
  Drama Points .............................38
  Playing a Great Narrator ......39
  Companion .................41
  How to Create a Companion ..42
  How to Play a Companion .......43
  Drama Points .............................47
  Playing a Great Companion ...48
  Contents
  Chapter Templates ...51
  Definitions ................55
  
  4  
  Heroine
  
  Chapter One: How to Play 
  5
  Chapter One
  How to Play
  H
  eroine is a storytelling game about a young girl with an unusual 
  chance to be heroic. Inspired by movies like Jim Henson’s Labyrinth 
  and Victor Fleming’s The Wizard of Oz and by books like Lewis 
  Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of 
  Narnia, this game creates stories about protagonists who are not powerful 
  killers or well-educated spies. Rather they are young women from the real 
  world who find themselves somewhere strange.
  When you play Heroine, at least three people tell a story together using 
  the rules in this book. Together you create the story of a young heroine who 
  travels to some other world where she meets new companions, faces terrible 
  dangers and a fierce antagonist, and struggles to overcome each Challenge 
  in a daring, clever, and kind manner.
  To play Heroine, first you will need three to six players, this book, two 
  dice, and a pile of fourteen counters. Pennies or poker chips work well.
  Now, choose a role for each player. One player is the Heroine Player, who 
  plays the young girl at the center of the story. The other players take turns 
  being Companion Players and being the Narrator. The Narrator describes 
  the world around the heroine and her companions. The Companion Players 
  take on the roles of one of the heroine’s quirky new friends from the Other 
  World. Which one of you wants to be the Heroine Player? Who wants to be 
  the Narrator first? What sort of quirky new friends do the others in your 
  group want to play?
  You are ready to tell your story together, beginning with an introduction 
  in the heroine’s regular world. After the introduction you play through several 
  chapters in the Other World, before finally giving your story a conclusion.
  
  6  
  Heroine
  Decide player roles
  A
  ny player may choose any role, though one player controls the heroine 
  through the whole game, and one player is the Narrator until another 
  player replaces him. If no one has a strong preference, then the youngest 
  player plays the heroine, and the oldest player starts as the Narrator. You 
  may want to skip to reading the chapter about your role before you read 
  the rest of this chapter.
  One player performs as the Heroine Player for the duration of the 
  game. The heroine is a troubled young lady whose obstacles in both the 
  regular world and a magical other world threaten her growth from a child to 
  an adult. She may be tempted with shortcuts and dishonesty, frightened by 
  great dangers, or confused by the unknown. The Heroine Player’s primary 
  goal is to exhibit the heroine’s tension while she attempts to overcome her 
  obstacles with kindness, daring, and cleverness. This player should read 
  Chapter Two: Heroine.
  One player begins as the Narrator. The Narrator is in charge of 
  describing the world and controlling all characters other than the heroine 
  and her companions. Among these other characters is a very special one: 
  the antagonist, a powerful being whose actions oppose the heroine and her 
  companions. The Narrator should read Chapter Three: Narrator. Eventually, 
  this player will probably take a turn as a Companion Player, so he or she 
  should also skim Chapter: Four Companion.
  The other players begin as Companion Players. These Companion 
  Players may choose to take over as Narrator later in the game, but for now, 
  they each play one of the heroine’s companions. The companions are denizens 
  of the Other World who offer support to the heroine while also making 
  her life a bit more complicated. These players should read Chapter Four: 
  Companion and skim Chapter Three: Narrator. The beginning of Chapter 
  Three gives some guidance on the different kinds of Narrators and what 
  kind of companions they might want to play. Chapter Four gives the rules 
  for playing a companion.
  
  Chapter One: How to Play 
  7
  Jo is the youngest player, but she would rather play the Narrator. Fear isn’t 
  as familiar with the rules, so he decides to play a companion. He wants to play 
  a softhearted monster. He decides to be a troll policeman named Officer Rocks. 
  Adam agrees to play the heroine. He wants to play a sixteen-year-old who is 
  angry at her parents’ divorce. He names her Alexandria, and tells Jo and Fear 
  that it’s important that Alexandria is a horseback rider.
  Tell your story
  N
  ow that each player has chosen a role, you are ready to tell your story. 
  You need an introduction, at least three chapters, and a conclusion. 
  The steps for each are below.
  The Heroine Player is in charge of narrating the beginning of the 
  introduction. Narrating means describing the scene and making choices 
  for all of the characters other than the heroine and her companions. The 
  Narrator does this during the chapters, while other players control only 
  their individual characters. During the conclusion, there are special rules 
  to determine who narrates.
  
  8  
  Heroine
  Introduction
  T
  he Narrator sets the scene for each chapter of the story, but the Heroine 
  Player sets the scene in the introduction. The Heroine Player’s goal 
  in the introduction is to narrate some aspect of her normal life, especially 
  some problem she faces at school or at home. The Companion Players’ goal 
  is to give suggestions that supernatural elements are starting to appear in the 
  background of the heroine’s daily life. These suggestions are also hints to the 
  Narrator about what kind of Other World interests the Companion Players.
   The companion characters might not make an appearance during 
  the introduction. This is fine. In the next section, there are suggestions for 
  when to introduce companions in a chapter. The Narrator’s goal during 
  the introduction is to find out what kind of story the Heroine Player and 
  the Companion Players want to tell. The Narrator may want to make notes 
  about what seems to be important to the heroine, so she can bring those 
  things up again in later chapters.
  Adam, the Heroine Player, introduces the story with Alexandria, the heroine, 
  at her horseback riding lessons. She is so angry at her parents’ breakup that she 
  takes her horse and rides to the circus. At this point, Adam asks the Narrator, 
  Jo to narrate the rest of introduction. Jo narrates that it is the middle of the day, 
  so the circus isn’t open.
   Alexandria ties up her horse, sneaks in, and finds that the tiger is missing from 
  its cage. She sees a large trap door lying open next to the tiger cage. Adam decides 
  that Alexandria goes down into the trap door. Jo narrates that Alexandria falls 
  down a ladder, and when she wakes up, she is in some sort of a park, surrounded 
  by a dozen talking kittens. (This is the heroine’s first glimpse of the Other World.)
  Fear, the Companion Player, wants his companion can appear in the 
  introduction, even though most companions appear during a chapter. Everyone 
  agrees that this would be fun. Fear describes Officer Rocks, the companion, 
  chasing some of the kittens and yelling at them, `You fuzzy truants. I’ll take you 
  back to school if I have to drag you the whole way!’ (This is Fear introducing 
  his companion.)
  
  Chapter One: How to Play 
  9
   
  H The Heroine Player Sets the Scene in her regular world. Answer these 
  questions: Where does the heroine live? How does she look? How old is 
  she? (Choose an age between 8- and 18-years-old.)
   
  H The Heroine Player chooses herself or another player to narrate a 
  conflict typical to the heroine’s life in the regular world.
   
  H Before this conflict is resolved, however, the Narrator chooses one of 
  the following and describes the heroine’s trip to the Other World:
   
  Í
  Accidental Whirlwind: The heroine accidentally passes through a hidden 
  gateway to the Other World. The magic of this strange, new land is her first 
  clue that she is no longer in her own world.
   
  Í
  Rabbit Chase: The heroine follows a creature through a gateway. This 
  magical creature speaks with her, introducing her, intentionally or not, to 
  the workings of this new place.
   
  Í
  Magical Threat: Something threatens the heroine’s regular life. A magical 
  creature has committed a crime in the heroine’s world or a magical force 
  threatens the heroine and her loved ones. She goes through a gateway in 
  search of a solution.
   
  H The Narrator describes the heroine’s first glimpse of the Other World. 
  The introduction ends, and the Narrator begins the next chapter by 
  Setting the Scene.
  
  10  
  Heroine
  Chapters
  T
  he bulk of your story is told in chapters. The structure of the Chapter 
  is fairly simple: The Narrator Sets the Scene, the Heroine Player and 
  Companion Players respond, the Narrator uses special moves to make the 
  story dramatic and well-paced, and then the Narrator Challenges the 
  Heroine Player.
  The Narrator chooses to start the scene exactly where the last chapter ended. 
  (The Narrator sets the scene by describing who is in the scene, where it is taking 
  place, and what has happened right before the chapter begins. When the Narrator 
  chooses to set the scene immediately following the action of the previous chapter, 
  this description is simplified.)
  Officer Rocks explains to Alexandria that he is taking the kittens back to 
  their fourth grade class. Alexandria agrees to help. (Fear decides to Get In Trouble, 
  and describes how some of the kittens actually steal his shoes.)
  After being scratched by Tom, the bad boy kitten, Alexandria succeeds in 
  helping Officer Rocks collect all the kittens. (This is the Heroine Player’s and 
  Companion Player’s initial response to the scene. The Narrator doesn’t have any 
  drama points yet, so she can’t Injure or Divide the heroine. She can’t Injure or 
  Divide a companion until chapter three.)
  Meanwhile, Jo tells Fear that all these kittens are orphans, and that their 
  school is actually a home for orphans. Fear decides that Officer Rocks explains 
  this to Alexandria on the way to the orphanage.
  Once the characters reach the orphanage, Jo announces the Challenge of 
  this chapter: Miss Wendigo, the orphanage manager, demands that Alexandria 
  either prove she has parents or come live in the orphanage.
   
  H The Narrator chooses a chapter from Appendix One (or flies by the seat 
  of his pants), and Sets the Scene (See the Narrator Chapter). The Heroine 
  Player and Companion Players make their first response to the scenario 
  of the chapter, describing what their characters do first. (A player, whose 
  companion has yet to be introduced, may request an introduction any 
  time before the Challenge. It is best to introduce all the companions 
  during the first few chapters of your story.)
  
  Chapter One: How to Play 
  11
   
  H The Narrator keeps the pace of the story going forward by describing 
  events, offering choices, inflicting Injuries and Divisions, featuring the 
  antagonist, and generally encouraging the players to add to the story 
  (See the Narrator Chapter). The players continue to describe what their 
  characters are doing. Be sure to offer praise and helpful ideas to each 
  other and the Narrator. At any time before the Challenge (see below) 
  has been resolved, each Companion Player chooses whether to Get In 
  Trouble or Help the Heroine (See the Companion Chapter).
   
  H The Narrator announces the Challenge, some dangerous event that 
  might Tempt, Frighten, or Confuse the heroine. Challenges are moments 
  of conflict in the story when the heroine may succeed or fail and be 
  heroic or not. Follow the steps below to resolve the Challenge and end 
  the chapter. The Narrator then either begins a new chapter or announces 
  the conclusion.
  
  12  
  Heroine
  The Challenge
  T
  he Narrator describes the conflict or obstacle the heroine faces and 
  announces that a Challenge has arrived. If a Companion Player 
  whose character has been introduced has not yet chosen Get In Trouble 
  or Help the Heroine during this chapter, the Companion Player does so 
  now. Companion Players collaborate with the Narrator to decide how their 
  move choices naturally affect the tension of the Challenge.
  In one chapter, Tully’s companion character, Woodshadow, Gets In 
  Trouble, by picking a fight. In the next chapter, he Helps the Heroine, Jennifer, 
  by catching the deputy who is sabotaging Jennifer’s boat. In each chapter, once 
  Tully has picked his move, he tries to build on the scene set by the Narrator at 
  the beginning of the chapter.
  The Heroine Player announces whether she is using Be Successful, 
  Be Heroic, or Take a Chance and then ROLLS 2D6 (see Heroine Chapter). 
  If any Companion Players have chosen to Help the Heroine, they grant 
  the Heroine Player a bonus to this roll, +2 for the first helper and +1 for 
  each additional helper. If any Companion Players have chosen to Get in 
  Trouble, they ROLL 2D6. Those who roll 8 or lower give the Heroine Player 
  a penalty to her Challenge roll, -2 for the first troublemaker and -1 for each 
  additional troublemaker.
  
  Chapter One: How to Play 
  13
  Compare the total of the Heroine Player’s dice to the description of 
  her Move. This determines whether she succeeds or fails and whether she 
  behaves heroically or not. The Heroine Player describes how her character 
  responds to the Challenge.
  The Narrator can pay 1 drama point to describe how one of the 
  companions suffers some Division or Injury (See Narrator Chapter).
  The Companion Players describe how their characters behave during 
  the Challenge. A Companion Player can pay drama points to Remember a 
  Way Out or Become the Narrator. (See Companion Chapter)
  The Challenge is resolved. The Narrator describes the results of the 
  Challenge, collaborating with the Heroine Player and the Companion Players 
  to incorporate their characters’ actions. The Narrator then announces the 
  end of the chapter.
  Adam chooses to Be Heroic and rolls two dice. Fear Helped the Heroine 
  this chapter, so Adam adds two to his roll. He rolls a six, which means his total 
  is eight. That means he is not only heroic, but also successful in overcoming 
  the Challenge of the chapter. Adam describes how the heroine responds both 
  heroically and successfully to the Challenge, though he doesn’t narrate the results 
  of the heroine’s actions.
  Jo could spend a drama point to inflict an Injury or Division on Officer 
  Rocks, but she doesn’t have any drama points yet. Fear describes Officer Rocks’ 
  involvement in the Challenge but doesn’t have enough points to Become the 
  Narrator.
  Jo narrates the results of the Challenge, asking Adam for input about how 
  he wants the heroine’s success to happen, then she announces that the chapter 
  has ended.
  
  14  
  Heroine
  Conclusion
  A
  fter at least three chapters, the Narrator can announce at the end of the 
  chapter that the story is moving to conclusion rather than beginning 
  a new chapter. A Companion Player who has just Become the Narrator can 
  also announce the conclusion instead of narrating a chapter.
  The CONCLUSION shows the consequences of the heroine’s choices and 
  draws the story to a close. As your group concludes the story, remember 
  that the more heroically the heroine has behaved, regardless of success or 
  failure, the more the people of the Other World respect her. If she has been 
  immature throughout the story, they may not even like her, much less respect 
  her. On the other hand, the more successes she has had in her Challenges, 
  the greater her victory over the antagonist should be. Whether or not she 
  has been heroic, a successful heroine manages ultimately to overcome the 
  antagonist and save the Other World.
  To conclude your story, first decide based on the heroine’s response 
  to Challenges whether the heroine has been immature, somewhat heroic, 
  or very heroic. There are no numeric rules for making this decision. The 
  groups should come to a general consensus. If necessary, the Heroine Player 
  has the final say on this decision.
  Second, decide if the heroine has been unsuccessful in stopping the 
  antagonist and saving the Other World, somewhat successful, or very 
  successful. The players should come to a general consensus based on how 
  the heroine has acted during the Challenges. If necessary, the Narrator has 
  the final say on this decision.
  Third, and finally, narrate the conclusion: count each player’s drama 
  points after the last chapter. If the Narrator has the fewest drama points, the 
  story ends with the Narrator’s Conclusion below; if one of the Companion 
  Players has the fewest drama points, that player will close the story with 
  the Companion’s Conclusion; and in the case of a tie, the Heroine Player 
  decides who will narrate the story’s conclusion.
  
  Chapter One: How to Play 
  15
  Companion’s Conclusion
  O
  ne of the Companion Players narrates how the heroine manages to 
  return home safely from the Other World. We see the heroine using 
  what she has learned in the Other World to help solve a problem in her regular 
  life. We may see reflections of her companions in regular world characters, 
  but we don’t see any magic once the heroine leaves the Other World. 
   
  H The Companion Player summarizes the state of the Other World when 
  the heroine is about to depart it. Be sure that this summary of the Other 
  World reflects how heroic and how successful the heroine has been. Is 
  the antagonist defeated? Are the companions going to be okay? Will the 
  people in the Other World miss the heroine?
   
  H The Companion Player narrates the heroine’s return to her regular 
  world.
   
  H The Heroine Player narrates one, final conflict in regular world. This is 
  a conflict typical to the heroine’s regular life. Because of the things she has 
  learned in the Other World, the heroine is both successful and heroic in 
  overcoming this obstacle. To end the story, the Heroine Player describes 
  a final image of her character.
  Tully, the Companion Player, describes how Jennifer, the heroine, defeats 
  the antagonist with the power of hope and returns to the regular world through 
  a cloud. He describes how the people of the Other World are not all sad to see 
  her go, because some of them still remember her early cowardice. However, she 
  was successful in defeating the General, so life in the Other World is much better 
  than it used to be. Anessa narrates that Jennifer stands up to the bully, TJ. The 
  principal catches TJ punching Jennifer, who smiles, knowing what she has gained 
  through confidence and bravery.
  
  16  
  Heroine
  Narrator’s Conclusion
  T
  he Narrator describes the heroine’s return home. The heroine is 
  finally home, but some characters or magic from the Other World 
  travel back with her.
   
  H The Narrator describes the heroine’s last glimpse of the Other World. 
  Has she been successful? Will the people of the Other World miss her? 
  What happens to the antagonist? What happens to the companions? Any 
  important unresolved questions should be addressed, but not necessarily 
  resolved, by the end of the conclusion.
   
  H The Narrator explains how the heroine returns to her regular world.
   
  H The Heroine Player narrates one, final conflict typical to the heroine’s 
  daily life, but we now see characters and magic from the Other World 
  seeping into the heroine’s non-magical world. She overcomes this conflict 
  successfully and heroically due to her experiences in the other world. The 
  Heroine Player closes the story by detailing a final, reflective scene about 
  her character.
  Jo describes how Alexandria has defeated the child slavery ring and how the 
  kittens have all been given mothers and fathers. Then she narrates Alexandria 
  returning to her mother’s apartment, where she submits to her mother’s punishment 
  for misbehaving. Adam narrates that Alexandria unpacks her backpack in her 
  bedroom and discovers that Tom and Julie, two of the talking kittens have stowed 
  away in her pack. They begin exploring her room and talking about how nice 
  her mother sounds. Adam describes Alexandria chasing the kittens and put them 
  back in her pack before her mother opens the door.
  
  Chapter One: How to Play 
  17
  
  18  
  Heroine
  
  Chapter 2: Heroine 
  19
  Chapter Two
  Heroine
  “Now, let’s look at what you have. A sphere. Hmmmph.” The Structure 
  Queen wrinkled her nose at the glowing ball. “Not my favorite. But I suppose 
  it suits you.”
  “What’s wrong with a sphere?” The girl suddenly felt very protective of the 
  ball and reached out to get her hands safely around it.
  “Nothing, nothing. It’s a fine shape. It’s just…you can’t really build anything 
  on it, can you? It won’t stay. Not like a square, or a rectangle. You place spheres on 
  top of things. Spheres are for finishing touches. You start with a sphere and, well,” 
  the Queen gave an elegant shrug. “Well, you’ve already finished, haven’t you?”
  The girl looked down at the ball, ran her fingertips over its smooth surface. 
  “It’s all that I have.”
  “Empires have been built with less,” The Structure Queen gave a half-hearted 
  smile and rose to her full, impressive height. “But not by much. If this isn’t prying, 
  could you be so kind as to tell me where you got that sphere?”
  “I…I don’t know,“ The girl looked down at the floor. “It came out of me. 
  Like it wasn’t solid. Or I wasn’t. Like it came right from my heart…”
  “My dear child, forgive me, but I may have been hasty. I don’t think that’s 
  a sphere at all. That may, in fact, be an egg,” The Structure Queen leaned in 
  close. “If that’s the case, that’s quite the hatch you’ve plotted.”
  — “You Start with a Sphere”| 
  from Kingdom of Carrion by Jared Axelrod
  
  20  
  Heroine
  Y
  ou’ve decided to play the heroine. Awesome! As the Heroine Player, you 
  control the beginning of the story by narrating the introduction, where 
  the heroine struggles with some real issue in her regular life. You may find 
  yourself cheering your character on and hoping nothing bad happens to her, 
  but the most interesting stories are about problems that the main character 
  can just barely overcome. Remember that your main goal is to help all the 
  players, including yourself, have a good time by telling an interesting story.
  The heroine is a troubled young lady whose obstacles in both the regular 
  world and a magical, Other World threaten her growth from a child to an 
  adult. She may be tempted with shortcuts and dishonesty, frightened by 
  great dangers, or confused by the unknown. The heroine tries to overcome 
  her obstacles by displaying kindness, daring, and cleverness.
  How to Create the Heroine
  Y
  ou, the Heroine Player, decide the heroine’s personality, appearance, and 
  age (between eight and eighteen. You will show how she is clever, daring, 
  and kind but also how she struggles with selfishness, fear, and naiveté. You 
  decide how her immaturity conflicts with her potential heroism. You may 
  even choose to explore struggles you have personally experienced. Perhaps 
  you will choose to tell a story about a young woman who is:
   
  H Isolated by Her Intelligence
   
  H Embarrassed about Looking Different
   
  H Angry at Her Parents’ Divorce
   
  H Jealous of Another Child
   
  H Grieving a Lost Parent
   
  H Desperate to Escape Poverty
   
  H Craving Attention from Adults
   
  H Ashamed of a Secret
  
  Chapter 2: Heroine 
  21
  How to Play the Heroine
  Y
  our goal in playing the heroine is to enjoy yourself by exploring the 
  character of this heroic young woman. The best way to do this is 
  by making decisive, interesting choices about her behavior. During the 
  introduction, offer the other players a sense of your heroine’s strengths and 
  weaknesses. You might not show them everything about her, but demonstrate 
  one of her talents as well as a source of suffering in her life.
  During the chapters, whenever the Narrator offers you a choice, don’t 
  assume that there is one good option and one bad option. It’s the Narrator’s 
  job to offer you interesting choices without clear answers. It’s your job to 
  bring the heroine to life by making choices that fit her personality and 
  motivations, blending wisdom and foolishness in a way that makes the 
  character feel real to you.
  Facing a Challenge
  A
  t the end of every chapter, the Narrator presents you with a Challenge, 
  which is some sort of big conflict that gives the heroine a chance to 
  act. The Narrator will tell you what the Challenge is and then tell you to 
  roll the dice. When facing a Challenge, choose Be Heroic, Be Successful, 
  or Take a Chance.
  General Rattan, the antagonist, has poisoned all the bamboo in the Pandali 
  Empire. The heroine and her companions have convinced all of his guards to let 
  them into his secret chamber. What happens when they capture the General?
  
  22  
  Heroine
  Be Heroic
  If you choose to Be Heroic, the heroine does something admirable, 
  but she still may not triumph over her problem: ROLL 2D6. On a 7 or lower, 
  the heroine fails to overcome the Challenge, but still manages to behave 
  heroically. Describe her noble, but doomed attempt to defeat the problem 
  in front of her. If the total is 8 or higher, the heroine succeeds in overcoming 
  the Challenge. Describe the heroine responding to the Narrator’s Challenge 
  in a clever, daring, or kind manner. (If you chose to Be Heroic for both 
  of the last two chapters, you must choose to Be Successful or to Take a 
  Chance during this chapter.)
  Two men have kidnapped Alexandria’s new friend, Peter. (The Narrator 
  has inflicted a Division on Peter the companion.) What happens during the 
  next chapter when Alexandria and her companions approach the van by the 
  suspension bridge? Adam decides to be Heroic and rolls two dice. Since his total 
  is 4, he describes Alexandria leaping onto the van and reaching inside to pull 
  Peter out. However, on the other side of the bridge the van begins to enter a low-
  ceilinged tunnel, and Alexandria must jump off the van at the last moment. The 
  drivers escape with Peter.
  
  Chapter 2: Heroine 
  23
  Be Successful
  If you choose to Be Successful, the heroine overcomes the problem 
  she faces, but it’s a struggle for her to be honorable: ROLL 2D6. On a 7 or 
  lower, the heroine still manages to overcome the Challenge, but behaves with 
  child-like confusion, fear, or selfishness. Describe the heroine overcoming the 
  Narrator’s Challenge but in a regrettable manner. If the total is 8 or higher, 
  describe the heroine overcoming the Challenge in a clever, daring, or kind 
  manner. (If you chose to Be Successful for both of the last two chapters, 
  you must choose to Be Heroic or to Take a Chance during this chapter.)
  Drea’s heroine, Liz, has agreed to officiate the goblin doctor’s wedding, 
  even though she does not speak the goblin language. Since the cooperation of the 
  goblins in the Locust War hinges on her success, Drea chooses to Be Successful. She 
  rolls a total of 10, which means she not only successfully officiates the wedding, 
  but she looks heroic doing so. Drea describes how Liz cleverly chooses the silent 
  wedding ceremony of the red goblins and officiates the wedding without speaking 
  word of Goblinese.
  Take a Chance
  If you choose to Take a Chance, the heroine throws caution to the 
  wind and acts either brilliantly praiseworthy or dangerously foolish: ROLL 
  2D6. If the total is 6 or lower, the heroine fails to overcome the Challenge 
  and behaves out of confusion, fear, or selfishness. Describe her awkward 
  and regrettable action. On a 7 or higher, describe the heroine succeeding 
  heroically. 
  What happens when Anessa’s heroine, Jennifer, is Challenged to befriend the 
  General’s bratty daughter, Wicker? Anessa doesn’t have a strong idea whether she 
  wants to be successful or heroic, so she decides to take a chance. She rolls 6, so she 
  describes Jennifer eating all of Wicker’s saltwater taffy while trying to convince 
  her how much they have in common. Jennifer is both selfish and unsuccessful in 
  convincing Wicker to be her friend.
  
  24  
  Heroine
  Playing a Great Heroine
  T
  he rules above are all you need to know in order to play a heroine. If 
  you have experience with Heroine or other storytelling games, you 
  may also use the following advice in order to contribute to an even great 
  story for the whole group.
  Remember that kids are not stupid, nor are they bad at judging people’s 
  intentions. Most of the time, kids think just like you do, but with three 
  differences. They don’t have as much patience as some adults do, so they 
  address problems right away; they think more concretely than adults do, 
  so they view decisions as black and white, right and wrong; and they don’t 
  have as much information as adults do, so they have to make guesses about 
  things that you learned in school or through experience.
  As you are making choices for your heroine, remember what it was 
  like for you to be a kid. What things scared you? What things impressed or 
  intrigued you? Use these memories to influence where your heroine chooses 
  to go and how she reacts to people.
  As you face the Narrator’s Challenges, don’t think in terms of winning 
  or losing the game. Think about your heroine’s story. Is this a moment of 
  weakness when she overcomes the Challenge but might be afraid, ignorant, 
  or selfish? Or is this a moment of strength when she takes a heroic stand by 
  being daring, clever, or kind, even if doing so doesn’t end up solving her crisis? 
  Let your answer to this question guide whether you choose to Be Heroic or 
  Be Successful. If you have no strong answer, Take a Chance and let the 
  dice inspire you. When the Narrator inflicts an Injury or Division on the 
  heroine, remember that these are temporary limitations on your character 
  that make the story more interesting. Don’t think of them as burdens but 
  as opportunities to find more creative solutions to the heroine’s problems.
  Above all, remember that your goal is the same as every other player: 
  to help everyone have a good time by telling an interesting story together.
  
  Chapter 2: Heroine 
  25
  
  26  
  Heroine
  
  Chapter Three: Narrator 
  27
  Chapter Three
  Narrator
  “I am the Rook, child. I am cobwebs and steel and feathers. I am comforting 
  and dangerous. Like a forgotten place. Like a blade. Like hope. And I am Lord 
  of this realm.”
  “But the Troll King…the Structure Queen…” she began to say, but the 
  Rook cut her off.
  “Look around you,” The Rook spread out his arms, his voluminous cape 
  opening like wings. “Their kingdoms are lost. Withered. Rotting. Does this land 
  look worth saving? As if it could be saved.”
  She looked at the crumbling tomb that was once a palace, a grand hallway 
  that was now little more than moldering walls. Whatever this place was, it was 
  far from that glory now.
  “Your cause is dead, darling. And it is upon the dead that I dine. Your 
  companions, they may rule, but I feast! Would you dine with me? Would you 
  crack through that shell of yours, and sit at my right claw? I can offer you so 
  much, child, if only you have the strength to take it.”
  She felt the sphere in her hand warm, echoing the anger in heart. “I may 
  not be much,” she said. “But I am no child.”
  — “They May Rule, But I Feast,” 
  from Kingdom of Carrion by Jared Axelrod
  
  28  
  Heroine
  You’ve decided to be the Narrator. Good for you! The Narrator usually 
  does more talking than the other players, because he sets the scene and 
  introduces events outside the other players’ control. He describes the world 
  and controls all characters other than the heroine and her companions. 
  These other characters controlled by the Narrator include the antagonist, 
  the main opposition or villain to the heroine and her companions.
  As the Narrator, you will have more time in the spotlight than the 
  Companion Players, but less than the heroine Player. You may become a 
  Companion Player in a later chapter, but while you are Narrator, you will 
  have the opportunity to describe what’s going on around the characters and 
  to paint a picture of a wondrous and threatening Other World. Remember 
  that your main goal is to help all the players, including yourself, have a good 
  time by offering interesting, open-ended scenarios.
  Before the story begins, chat briefly with the other players about what 
  kind of happy ending they want their characters to fight for and what they are 
  willing to risk to get that ending. This will help you narrate more successfully 
  to your fellow players. You would narrate a story about finding the missing 
  royal dog before the prince is grounded very differently from how you 
  would narrate the interplanetary mystery of the heroine’s missing mother 
  and murdered father. The rules for either kind of game are the same, but 
  the tone and theme of your narration should fit the expectations of players.
  
  Chapter Three: Narrator 
  29
  How to Play the Narrator
  Y
  our duty as Narrator is to craft the Other World. You describe locations, 
  offer compelling choices to the Heroine Player, and build the conflict 
  in each chapter toward a Challenge, a moment that tests the heroine’s 
  ability and resolve.
  Even though narration is a speaking job by definition, you have a 
  large responsibility to listen to the other players. During the introduction, 
  carefully absorb and consider the heroine’s merits, flaws, and issues the 
  Heroine Player wishes to explore. Let these factors inspire you to choose 
  a theme with which you will challenge the heroine and her allies.
  Sometimes choices will be simple decisions to pursue one storyline 
  or another. If you wish to establish the theme of Confusion, make choices 
  more difficult by making the results less obvious. Unpredictable outcomes 
  make the heroine question whom she can trust and force her to outsmart 
  enemies without getting lost in a convoluted, magical realm.
  Establish the theme of Fear with choices about escaping to safety 
  or braving certain trouble in pursuit of a cause. Present challenges that 
  threaten danger and torment, and are overcome by conviction and force 
  rather than cleverness and cooperation.
  Establish the theme of Temptation through choices between personal 
  goals and the needs of others. Present scenes that feature feuding tribes 
  to befriend, scarce resources to manage, and compromises with enemies 
  that threaten to corrupt the heroine through power and allegiances. 
  Challenges of temptation will frequently be conquered by sacrifice, 
  teamwork, and charity.
  Let these three themes inform each of the steps below. Whether 
  the other players know it or not, keep a theme in mind as you test the 
  heroine and bring the other world and the antagonist to life.
  Narrating the Chapters
  N
  arrating a chapter has three steps: Setting the Scene, Being Dramatic, 
  and Challenging the Heroine.
  
  30  
  Heroine
  Setting the Scene
  T
  he Narrator describes the location at the beginning of the chapter and 
  which characters are present. (The heroine and all companions who 
  have been introduced will be in the chapter). Don’t resolve any problems, 
  instead load the situation with interesting conflicts and choices. When 
  setting a scene, answer questions like the following:
   
  H In what awe-inspiring place does the heroine find herself?
   
  H What irritating or eccentric person is talking to the heroine?
   
  H What dangers are the companions in right now?
   
  H What beautiful, terrible thing just appeared?
  Elf knights are harassing Cort’s companion character, the Viking priest. The 
  heroine is nearby, but the knights haven’t spotted her yet.
  CAN THIS CHARACTER DO                 ?
  If one of the players describes an action for his character, you may wonder 
  whether to allow that action. In this game, determining whether something is 
  possible is a shared responsibility and not the Narrator’s job alone.
  The heroine’s success during the Challenge is determined by her move and 
  her roll. Otherwise, each player determines what his character does, and the 
  Narrator narrates the results of that action. If another player questions whether 
  a certain action is possible in the Other World, then...
  Does the action fit the genre? If the action involves magic or the supernatural, 
  the Narrator decides whether that effect fits with the setting.
  Does the action fit your group’s story? All the players determine whether 
  the action could possibly happen in the story.
  Is the action fair to the other players? All the players whose characters 
  would be affected by the story determine whether the action would steal too 
  much of attention or narrative control from the other players. Can the other 
  players suggest a fair alternative?
  Be Dramatic
  After setting the scene and before the Challenge, the Narrator gives 
  the other players plenty of opportunity to describe their characters. The 
  Narrator’s action during this part of the chapter is called Being Dramatic. 
  There are four ways to be dramatic: offering choices, introducing events, 
  inflicting Injuries and Divisions, and featuring the antagonist.
  
  Chapter Three: Narrator 
  31
  Choices
  Throughout the chapter, the Narrator drives the story forward by offering 
  the players choices about what to do next. While Challenges present the 
  opportunity to succeed or fail, a Choice is an opportunity to select between 
  at least two options with uncertain results. The player with a choice must 
  balance the possible consequences of each option. Does he accept the king’s 
  invitation or the carpenter’? Does she drink the truth serum or go thirsty? 
  Does he hide under the table or run for the door?
  Never offer a choice between something good and something bad; 
  rather choices are between good and possibly great, or between bad and 
  possibly worse.
  Never narrate a problem for the group that doesn’t have at least two 
  possible solutions, and be sure to help any player who is unsure what to do 
  with her character. You can help by hinting at a few alternate solutions and 
  by asking questions about the character’s strengths and talents.
  Will Liz choose to find the magic cauldron or to use Old Tom’s trumpet first?
  OFFER THE HEROINE PLAYER A CHOICE BETWEEN:
  • Two good-looking options
  • Two bad-looking options
  • Three unknown allies
  • Two forks in the road that 
  both seem dangerous
  • A safe, mediocre reward and a 
  grand but risky one
  • A painful medicine now or a 
  debilitating disease later
  OFFER CHOICES ABOUT THINGS LIKE:
  • What Path the group should 
  take
  • Which magic object the 
  character pursues
  • Whom to help
  • How soon to move on from an oasis
  • Whether to attack someone or 
  attempt to befriend
  During a chapter, you may offer one choice or several before reaching 
  a Challenge. Choices are the Narrator’s main tool during the chapters for 
  discovering what the heroine and companion characters want to do.
  
  32  
  Heroine
  Events
  An Event is a beneficial turn of events for the heroine or one of her 
  companions. Use an event to help to move the story forward when another 
  player is distracted or unsure what to do with his character. Events are not 
  roadblocks for the players. They are more the opposite of Injuries and 
  Divisions, which are described below.
  Once you have set a scene, the players will often have plenty of ideas 
  for their characters, so you don’t need an event in every chapter. Events 
  are the Narrator’s tool for giving the characters (and players!) something 
  fresh to work with.
  The crusty old horse trader gives Alexandria advice about magic saddles 
  and a place to sleep.
  INTRODUCE EVENTS LIKE:
  • A path toward their goal
  • An explanation of the object they need
  • Specific advice from an ally
  • A place to rest
  The best way for you to move the story forward is to keep things 
  simple. If the players are making interesting choices, keep doing what you 
  are doing. If the players are wary or hesitant, give them time to react, and 
  then, if necessary, present them with specific choices or an event. Don’t 
  overwhelm them with information, but make sure they always have at least 
  two different directions they can pursue.
  
  Chapter Three: Narrator 
  33
  Injuries and Divisions
  For each chapter after the first two, the Narrator can inflict an Injury or 
  Division on the heroine.  Use Injuries to give one player a more complicated 
  path to his goal, and use Divisions to make life more difficult for the whole 
  group. (During the Challenge, the Narrator can also spend drama points 
  to inflict an Injury on a companion. If the Narrator Divided a companion 
  during the last Challenge, he cannot Divide any companions during the 
  current Challenge. There is no such limit on Injuries.)
  An Injury temporarily stops a character from doing one particular 
  thing. This lasts until the end of the next chapter. Also, if the heroine is 
  Injured, the Heroine Player has -1 to her roll during the Challenge at the 
  end of this chapter.
  Steven spends a drama point to inflict an Injury on Josh’s companion 
  character. He tells Josh that the little goblin was punched in the nose, which 
  means he can’t track people until his nose is feeling better.
  A Division splits one character from another. It doesn’t give any penalties 
  to rolls, but it means that from the time it is inflicted until the end of the 
  next chapter, these two characters are in two different physical locations. 
  Any other players must then choose which group their character is in.
  Cort Divides Hapsburg, the loyal pig guardian companion, from Jennifer, the 
  heroine. He tells the players that Hapsburg is on a piece of ice that breaks away 
  from the main iceberg. The other Companion Players may choose whether their 
  characters were on the piece with Hapsburg or on the main iceberg with Jennifer.
  Two chapters later, Cort Divides Woodshadow from Hapsburg. (Cort 
  likes inflicting Divisions, but the rules only allow him to inflict Divisions on 
  companions once every other chapter.) He describes how Wicker, the antagonist’s 
  daughter, places incriminating documents in Woodshadow’s pack, and then has 
  him arrested. Hapsburg can’t enter the jail, because he is a pig. Will Jennifer go 
  with the guards arresting Woodshadow or stay with Hapsburg? Will she believe 
  that Woodshadow is guilty? Anessa, the Heroine Player, will decide the answers 
  both these questions.
  
  34  
  Heroine
  Use Injuries and Divisions that match the theme with which you are 
  narrating in this chapter. (See “How to Play the Narrator” above). Inflict 
  Injuries or Divisions that you think will make a player’s current plans more 
  difficult, but not impossible, to implement. On the other hand, never inflict 
  an Injury or Division that will leave a player with nothing to do. Always give 
  players active choices to make for their characters. If they are Divided in a 
  prison, they should have interesting people to negotiate with or experimental 
  magic to escape with, for example.
  You don’t need an Injury or Division in every chapter, but they’re fun! 
  Injuries and Divisions are the Narrator’s tools for making life more difficult 
  for the heroine and companion characters. If you inflict one of these on a 
  character and the player seems to be struggling with what to do next, offer 
  suggestions or ask for input from the other players. Injuries and Divisions 
  are tools for encouraging creativity from the other player, not discouraging 
  it. If necessary, you can always change an Injury or Division to something 
  with which the other players feel more comfortable.
  SAMPLE INJURIES
  • 
  Food Poisoning - The character cannot eat or drink any food.
  • 
  Blind - The character can only see things within ten feet.
  • 
  Hobbled - The character cannot run.
  • 
  Exile - The character cannot enter the town, or, if already in a town, 
  cannot leave the town through the main gate.
  SAMPLE DIVISIONS
  • 
  Tunnel Collapse - One character is cut off from another by falling debris.
  • 
  Closed Gate – A portcullis, drawbridge, or other gateway has shut 
  between the characters.
  • 
  Side Mission – A mentor or employer commands one character to perform 
  a task somewhere else.
  • 
  Man Overboard – A character has fallen out of a moving vehicle that 
  another character is driving.
  • 
  Teleportation – A sorcerer magically transports one character to his 
  secret lair.
  
  Chapter Three: Narrator 
  35
  Feature the Antagonist
  The antagonist is an influential figure in the Other World, whose plans 
  and actions oppose the heroine. The antagonist himself often appears in 
  the story to Tempt, Confuse, or Frighten the heroine. As the heroine and 
  her companions explore the Other World, the antagonist and his forces 
  repeatedly block the heroine’s path as they work toward their own goal. 
  Almost anything the heroine wants might interfere with the antagonist’s plans.
  When the antagonist is active in the story, bad things tend to happen. 
  The Narrator can pay 2 drama points to Feature the Antagonist, this 
  character spends the chapter “on stage,” where the other characters can see 
  him, and he actively works against the heroine’s best interests. Mechanically, 
  this also means that the Narrator can inflict both an Injury and a Division 
  on the heroine. (Normally, beginning in chapter three, the Narrator may 
  choose to inflict an Injury OR a Division on the heroine.)
  Here are a few ideas for possible antagonists:
   
  H King of Monsters
   
  H Handsome Brute
   
  H Tempting Prince
   
  H Merciless Wizard or Witch
   
  H Treacherous Rival
   
  H Hungry Beast
   
  H Mad Queen
  Steven likes the idea of a King of Monsters and decides the mechanical 
  locusts have a giant queen who is committed to growing her hive. During the 
  fourth chapter, Steven pays 2 drama points to bring the antagonist actively into 
  the scene. The Locust Queen grabs the heroine with her mandibles and flies 
  back to her lair in the Crystal Wastes. There she releases the heroine but she has 
  hidden a parasitic egg in the heroine’s wrist. The heroine is now Divided from 
  her companions and has an Injury that makes her Gravid. Steven explains that 
  a Gravid person cannot willingly harm a Locust soldier. (Divisions technically 
  separate the heroine from one other character, Steven should specify one companion 
  who remains behind and give other companions the chance to come along with 
  the heroine.)
  
  36  
  Heroine
  Challenging the Heroine
  The choices, questions, and events of each chapter build to a climactic 
  moment when the Narrator Challenges the heroine. The Challenge is the 
  moment in which the heroine might succeed or fail and might be heroic 
  or immature. As each chapter develops toward a Challenge, keep in mind 
  three guiding factors: the heroine’s goal, the antagonist’s plans, and your 
  current theme.
  Heroine’s Goal: The Challenge should be some crisis where failure will 
  cause a delay or hindrance to the heroine’s goal.
  Antagonist’s Plans: The Challenge should also potentially advance the 
  antagonist’s plans. Essentially, failure for the heroine means a little bit of 
  success for the antagonist.
  Theme: The theme of your story should determine what harassment 
  the heroine will face if she is unheroic during this Challenge and what flavor 
  the Challenge might take.
  The Challenge works as follows:
   
  H The Narrator announces the Challenge: some dangerous moment that 
  might Tempt, Frighten, or Confuse the heroine, but that demands she 
  take some action as a response.
  Cort, who is the Narrator in this chapter, has offered the players a choice of 
  whether to climb the Ladder of Abandoned Tails or to search for a way to cross 
  the Bridge of Hot Coals. They chose to search for a way across the bridge. Now 
  Cort announces the Challenge, a saleswoman tempting Jennifer with invisible, 
  fireproof shoes in exchange for her family sword.
  
  Chapter Three: Narrator 
  37
   
  H Companion Players collaborate with the Narrator to decide how their 
  move choices naturally affect the tension of the Challenge.
  Woodshadow has Gotten In Trouble earlier in the chapter. He is in a nearby 
  tree, collecting honey, despite his bee phobia. Tully chooses to ask for a suggestion 
  from Cort, the Narrator. Cort suggests Woodshadow could somehow interrupt 
  the saleswoman, or could be attacked by bees. Tully doesn’t have to take either 
  suggestion, but he decides he want Woodshadow to be stung, and he suggests 
  to Cort that the saleswoman offer to lend Jennifer the shoes in order to rescue 
  Woodshadow from the rest of the bees.
   
  H The Heroine Player rolls dice. For each Companion Player who has 
  chosen to Help the Heroine, the Heroine Player has a bonus to her roll, 
  and for each Companion Player who has chosen to Get in Trouble, the 
  Heroine Player may have a penalty to her roll.
   
  H Compare the total of the Heroine Player’s dice to the description of her 
  Move. This determines whether she succeeds or fails and whether she 
  behaves heroically or not. The Heroine Player describes how her character 
  responds to the Challenge.
   
  H The Narrator can pay 1 drama point to describe how one of the 
  companions suffers some Division or Injury (See Narrator Chapter).
   
  H The Companion Players describe how their characters behave during 
  the Challenge. A Companion Player can pay drama points to Remember 
  a Way Out or Become the Narrator. (See Companion Chapter).
  Tully announces that he is paying 4 drama points to become Narrator. Cort 
  will finish Narrating this chapter, but Tully will begin narrating by Setting the 
  Scene in the next chapter.
   
  H The Challenge is resolved. The Narrator describes the results of the 
  Challenge, collaborating with the Heroine Player and the Companion 
  Players to incorporate their characters’ actions. The Narrator then 
  announces the end of the chapter.
  
  38  
  Heroine
  Drama Points
  A
  t the beginning of the game, place fourteen tokens where everyone 
  can reach them. These drama points are the currency of the story. 
  The Companion Players and the Narrator earn and spends drama points 
  on different moves, but these points always exert control over the narrative 
  and create drama for the heroine.
  Players take drama points from the pile when they earn them and 
  return them to the pile when they spend them. If the pile is empty when 
  a player earns a drama point, he takes it from the player with the most. If 
  there is a tie, he may choose which of them to take from. Whichever player 
  has the fewest drama points after the last chapter gets to take charge of the 
  conclusion of the story.
  At the beginning of the game, the first Narrator has 0 drama points. 
  A Companion Player who becomes the Narrator keeps any drama points 
  he had as a CP. The Narrator gains 1 drama point whenever a companion 
  chooses to Help the Heroine. (The Narrator can gain at most 3 drama 
  points this way in the same chapter.) The Narrator gains also 1 drama point 
  whenever the heroine rolls a 7 or lower on a Challenge roll.
  The Narrator can spend 1 drama point during the Challenge to describe 
  how one of the companions suffers a Division or Injury, which lasts until 
  the end of the next chapter. No one suffers from Divisions or Injuries 
  during the conclusion.
  The Narrator can spend 2 drama points at any time before the Challenge 
  in order to bring the antagonist into the chapter. The Narrator describes 
  the antagonist somehow being directly involved in that chapter. Using the 
  antagonist in this way gives the Narrator the chance to inflict a Division 
  and an Injury on the heroine. Normally, the Narrator must choose either 
  an Injury or a Division for the heroine.
  
  Chapter Three: Narrator 
  39
  Playing a Great Narrator
  T
  he rules above are all you need to know in order to play a Narrator. 
  If you have experience with Heroine or other storytelling games, use 
  the following advice to contribute to an even greater story for your group.
  Your mission as the Narrator is to guide the story from the Heroine 
  Player’s introduction to the conclusion. Can you craft a Challenge that reflects 
  the feeling of fear, selfishness, or confusion that the heroine displayed in her 
  regular life? Can you give the heroine opportunities to help the companions 
  with problems similar to or exactly opposite from her own?
  Your first step is to build off of the Heroine Player’s introduction. Is 
  there an important threat the heroine faces in her regular life? What would 
  an over-the-top fantastical version of it look like? Maybe a girl being bullied 
  can face a xenocidal dictator. Does the heroine feel something is missing from 
  her life? How might getting it complicate her relationships? Maybe a girl 
  with poor body image must help an invisible prince regain his normal body.
  Drea’s heroine, Liz, wants desperately for adults to take her seriously and 
  stop treating her like a child. When she becomes the sole arbiter between two 
  warring tribes, however, she must choose her words and actions very carefully, 
  because everyone around her now takes her very seriously.
  When the other players ask you about the Other World, be creative, 
  but be especially clear about the rules of magic. The others will look to you 
  to judge what is possible in the Other World, though you can certainly ask 
  for their input. Is the heroine a superhero there, who can shoot lasers and 
  fly? Or is she just a regular kid? Does the antagonist kill people? Are the 
  companions helpless without the heroine around? The other players need 
  to make informed choices for their characters, so you need to help them 
  see how the Other World works. Never narrate a scene in a way that makes 
  another player feel helpless.
  Above all, remember that your goal is the same as every other player: 
  to help everyone have a good time by telling an interesting story together.
  
  40  
  Heroine
  
  Chapter Four: Companion 
  41
  Chapter Four
  Companion
  She nestled her weary body in his powerful arms, searching for refuge from 
  the chill. “If you’re king,” she began, trying to phrase her question delicately 
  as possible. “If you’re king, then you should be ruling all over this land, right? 
  Because you’re king.”
  “I do,” said the Troll King. His powerful steps fell in to a soothing rhythm. 
  “I am king of the under places, and the ones above. Those who would look at 
  a bridge and see a roof are my subjects, as are those who would look at a roof 
  and see a bridge.”
  “Do you have many subjects?” she said, a yawn obscuring most of her words.
  “Too many to count. I rule over the forgotten, the misplaced, the unexpected. 
  All those who do not fit, fall under my rule. Which makes my kingdom very large, 
  indeed. I have been traveling it since I became king and I have yet to see the end.”
  “How did you become king?” she asked.
  “The usual way.”
  “Was your father king?” The Troll King laughed at that, a rumbling like 
  an avalanche of boulders underneath his waistcoat.
  “No, Little One. My father was not king. He and my mother drowned in 
  dirt and dust all of their lives. Nobility is not a birthright,” The Troll King looked 
  down at the brave girl in his arms, her eyes lidded with sleep. “But I imagine 
  you know that, don’t you?”
  — “King of the Under Places”
        from Kingdom of Carrion by Jared Axelrod
  
  42  
  Heroine
  You’ve decided to play a companion. Great! Companion Players don’t 
  receive as much time in the spotlight as the Heroine Player, but companions 
  add an important depth to the story by making the other players laugh at, 
  empathize with, or despise your character. Not only do you have the power 
  to give the story depth by making the heroine’s journey untidy, you also 
  have the opportunity to become the Narrator later in the game, if you wish. 
  Remember that your main goal is to help all the players, including yourself, 
  have a good time by telling an interesting story. 
  How to Create a Companion
  C
  ompanions are people in the Other World who offer the heroine support 
  and who make her life a bit more complicated. You, the Companion 
  Player, are free to create your companion character’s appearance, personality, 
  and back-story; and you are free to narrate the character’s actions and 
  speech during the chapters. At some point in the game, you should reveal 
  the following about your character to the other players:
   
  H What is one thing that your character is really good at?
   
  H What is one flaw or weakness the character has?
   
  H Is there an obvious reason why the companion immediately likes 
  the heroine?
  During the story, you’ll generate more texture for the world and tension 
  for the heroine by helping her and by getting in trouble, so pay attention 
  during the introduction in order to play off the Heroine Player’s ideas. 
  Perhaps your companion represents or contrasts one of the heroine’s strengths 
  or weaknesses. Perhaps your companion is a skewed, fantastic version of 
  someone from the heroine’s regular world. No matter what you choose, 
  your companion must be a native of the Other World who immediately 
  allies with the heroine. Here are a few suggested companion types:
   
  H Mechanical Man
   
  H Talking Animal (Rodent, Bird, Cat, etc.)
  
  Chapter Four: Companion 
  43
   
  H Softhearted Monster
   
  H Fae (pixie, brownie, leprechaun, etc.)
   
  H Magic Creature disguised as a Human (Dragon, Werewolf, Genie, etc.)
  Fear decides to play a softhearted monster who shares the heroine’s love for 
  animals. He describes his companion as a troll and a police officer. He names 
  his character Officer Rocks.
  How to Play a Companion
  Introduce Your Companion
  During the introduction or, more likely, during one of the first chapters, 
  declare to the other players that you’ll introduce your companion. Sometimes 
  you may choose to hear the Narrator set the scene in order to decide how 
  your companion will appear, but it can also be helpful to tell the Narrator 
  how you intend to introduce your companion so that she can set the scene 
  with that in mind. Some Narrators prefer one option over another, so work 
  together for the best results. If you haven’t already told the other players 
  much about your character, be sure to answer the following questions:
   
  H What does the companion look like?
   
  H What kind of trouble is the companion currently in?
  Work together with other Companion Players to coordinate introducing 
  the companions. You may want to introduce your companions in the 
  same chapter – even together, or you may each choose to spotlight your 
  companion’s arrival in separate chapters. You’ll be able to have more impact 
  on the story if your companion is introduced early on, but that isn’t always 
  on option, especially for Narrators who later become Companion Players.
  In the first chapter, Fear introduces Officer Rocks as a bulky gray man in 
  a British police uniform. Rocks is rather clumsy, but he is very strong and kind 
  and immediately likes Alexandria because she is wearing a kitten t-shirt, and 
  the trolls love cute animals.
  
  44  
  Heroine
  Once you have introduced your companion, choose for him or her 
  either to Get In Trouble or Help the Heroine sometime during each 
  of the following chapters. Use your answers to the questions above to guide 
  how you describe your companion’s behavior. For each chapter, some time 
  after the narrator sets the scene but before the Challenge, each Companion 
  Player can choose to do one of the following:
  Get In Trouble
  Describe the companion doing something awkward, dangerous, or 
  otherwise troublesome in the current scene. ROLL 2D6. If the total is 8 or 
  lower, you gain 3 drama points and tell the Heroine Player that she has a 
  penalty to her roll during this chapter’s Challenge. (The penalty is -2 if you 
  are the first Companion Player to Get In Trouble during this chapter, and 
  -1 if you are one of the next three to do so.) Your companion has caused 
  some problem that does damage to someone or something in the scene. For 
  example, you hurt someone’s feelings, you break something that doesn’t 
  belong to you, or you use up a limited resource that the other characters 
  need. If the total is 9 or higher, you and the heroine player cooperate to 
  describe how the heroine helps your companion avoid causing any real 
  damage: the heroine player receives no penalty from you on her Challenge 
  roll, and you gain 2 drama points. 
  Kris chooses for her companion, The Repair Lady, to Get In Trouble. Kris 
  rolls a 5, so she tells Drea to subtract two (-2) to her roll during the Challenge 
  at the end of this chapter. Kris then describes the Repair Lady sneaking into 
  the locust cave for more healing oil. The goblin doctor catches her and bans her 
  from his wedding.
  
  Chapter Four: Companion 
  45
  Help the Heroine (1 drama point)
  Pay 1 drama point to describe your companion helping the heroine, 
  and tell the Heroine Player she receives a bonus to her Challenge roll this 
  chapter. (The bonus is +2 for the first Companion Player per chapter who 
  Helps the Heroine, and +1 for each additional helper in that chapter.) The 
  Narrator also gains a drama point when you use this move.
  In the next chapter, Kris chooses for The Repair Lady to Help the Heroine. 
  She tells Drea to add +2 to her Challenge roll, and she tells the Narrator that he 
  gets 1 drama point. Then Kris explains how The Repair Lady builds a special 
  megaphone for Liz to use when she addresses the two armies. (When the Narrator 
  Challenges the heroine to keep the human chieftain from attacking the goblin 
  chief at the beginning of the meeting, Kris suggests that the megaphone helps 
  Liz shout so loudly that the human is unable to sneak up on the goblin. Kris asks 
  that if Liz is successful, either because she chooses Be Successful or because she 
  rolls well, the megaphone be one of the reasons for her success.)
  CAN A COMPANION SIT OUT A CHAPTER?
  Once a Companion Player’s character has been introduced, that player must 
  choose to Help the Heroine or Get In Trouble during each chapter. However, 
  when the heroine has more than one companion, the Companion Players need 
  not always describe elaborate actions for their characters. They may choose to 
  Help the Heroine or Get In Trouble and then briefly describe their characters’ 
  actions. The Companion Players add complexity to the story by solving or 
  creating problems for the heroine. However, Companion Players don’t need 
  to hog the spotlight. Sometimes a brief description is best, especially if the 
  heroine has multiple companions.
  Whether you choose to Get In Trouble or Help the Heroine, 
  continue to describe what your companion is doing throughout the chapter. 
  After the Narrator has Challenged the Heroine Player, and dice have been 
  rolled, you have the option to spend drama points in order to Remember 
  a Way Out or Become the Narrator.
  
  46  
  Heroine
  Remember a Way Out (2 drama points)
  When a Heroine is unsuccessful during a Challenge, you may pay 2 
  drama points to help minimize the terrible consequences when a Heroine 
  Player fails her roll during a Challenge. (You may only Remember a Way 
  Out during a chapter in which you did not Get in Trouble and then roll 
  8 or lower.) Right after a Heroine Player fails her Be Heroic or Take a 
  Chance roll during a Challenge, but before the Narrator narrates the results 
  of the Challenge, describe an escape route, a tool, or a hidden ally that 
  allows the group to avoid part of the consequences of failing the current 
  Challenge. Avoiding part of the consequences means that the heroine is still 
  unsuccessful or immature (or both, in the case of a failed Take a Chance 
  roll), but things don’t turn out quite as badly as it seems they were going 
  to. This move cannot be used during the conclusion.
  “Remember a Way Out” is the move that the companion uses when 
  the heroine is unsuccessful at overcoming the Challenge. Of course, the 
  companion may offer the heroine a way to escape from a tough situation 
  as part of his Help the Heroine move earlier in the chapter. Don’t be 
  confused by the name. Help the Heroine is the move you can use before 
  the Challenge. Remember a Way Out is a move you only use after a 
  Challenge roll.
  Even though Alexandria failed to convince the bandits to leave the town alone, 
  Fear chooses for Officer Rocks to Remember a Way Out. He decides that Officer 
  Rocks knows where Alexandria and her companions can borrow a wagon for the 
  orphans, and he knows how get the wagon out of town before the bandits burn 
  everything to the ground. The town will still burn, but the orphans will be safe.
  
  Chapter Four: Companion 
  47
  Become The Narrator (4 drama points)
  At the end of a chapter, you may pay 4 drama points in order to take 
  over as Narrator, starting with the next chapter. If multiple Companion 
  Players attempt to use this move at the same time, let the youngest player 
  go first. The other Companion Players keep their points and may use this 
  move at the end of the next chapter. If you become the Narrator, your 
  companion character becomes just like any other character controlled by 
  the Narrator. It’s a good idea to let these inactive companions fade to the 
  background of the story. They are less important than the heroine and the 
  other player’s companion characters. The previous Narrator becomes a 
  Companion Player and may introduce a companion in the next chapter.
  Drama Points
  At the beginning of the game, place fourteen tokens where everyone 
  can reach them. These drama points are the currency of the story. The 
  Companion Players and the Narrator earn and spends drama points on 
  different moves, but these points always exert control over the narrative 
  and create drama for the heroine.
  Players take drama points from the pile when they earn them and 
  return them to the pile when they spend them. If the pile is empty when 
  a player earns a drama point, he takes it from the player with the most. If 
  there is a tie, he may choose which of them to take from. Whichever player 
  has the fewest drama points after the last chapter gets to take charge of the 
  conclusion of the story.
  At the beginning of the game, Companion Players each draw one Drama 
  Point. A Narrator who becomes a Companion Player keeps any drama 
  points he had as a Narrator. Companion Players only earn drama points 
  by using the Get In Trouble Move. (If you and another companion both 
  Get In Trouble in the same chapter, you cannot take drama points from 
  each other. Take them from the pile if you can, then from the player with 
  the most drama points who isn’t Getting In Trouble.)
  A Companion Player can spend drama points to Help the Heroine, 
  Remember a Way Out or Become the Narrator.
  
  48  
  Heroine
  Playing a Great Companion
  The rules above are all you need to know in order to be a Companion 
  Player. If you have experience with Heroine or other storytelling games, you 
  may also use the following advice to make the story even better.
  The best companion is not one that hides completely in the background 
  of the story. Nor is it one who steals attention from the heroine. The best 
  companion borrows just enough of the spotlight to send the story down 
  some unexpected angle, and then places the heroine firmly back in the 
  center of attention. Your description of how you Help the Heroine or 
  Get In Trouble may sometimes be quite short, while in other chapters it 
  can be elaborate or goofy. You may choose sometimes to do almost nothing, 
  and in other chapters you will steal drama points from other players, roll 
  dice, and pay to Remember A Way Out in order to save the heroine from 
  total failure. That’s great! As long as all the players are having fun, you are 
  playing your companion well.
  Some players struggle with making choices when their companions 
  are Divided from the heroine. How do you Help the Heroine or Get In 
  Trouble when you are miles apart? Feel free to think of your own solution, 
  but here are three quick and dirty ways I solve this problem. 
  First, your companion can’t be there himself, so you send a friend to 
  help—some character who may not have been introduced in the story so 
  far, but who can help (or trouble) the heroine on your behalf. As long as 
  you don’t derail the Narrator’s scene too much, it is perfectly fine for you to 
  introduce another minor character. I call this approach, “Meet my friend, 
  Pete the Ninja.”
  
  Chapter Four: Companion 
  49
  Second, your companion may help the heroine in spirit. Describe 
  a flashback scene in which your companion privately tells the heroine 
  something encouraging—or discouraging in the case of Get In Trouble—
  but that the other players are only now hearing about. Describe the heroine 
  remembering your companion’s words, even though the Heroine Player is 
  hearing them for the first time. I call this approach, “And then I told you 
  the secret password. Remember?”
  Third, I recommend you describe what your character is doing, and 
  then think of an elaborate chain of events that would cause that to affect 
  the heroine. Perhaps you are fighting a wolf, who howls, which startles some 
  cattle a few miles away that stampede, which in turn disrupts the heroine’s 
  showdown at high noon miles away from you. Your actions help or trouble 
  the heroine, even though a great distance stands between you. I call this 
  approach, “Kiss a butterfly to cause a flood.”
  
  50  
  Heroine
  
  Appendix One: Chapter Templates 
  51
  Appendix One
  Chapter Templates
  This appendix is for Narrators who want a little more guidance on 
  creating a chapter. If you use these chapter templates, ignore any elements 
  that do not make sense for your story. For example, do not use an outer 
  space location if you are telling a purely fantasy story. 
  Every chapter has the same basic structure. First the Narrator Sets the 
  Scene, then the other players describe how their characters respond to the 
  situation. Then the Narrator offers the players choices about what to do 
  next and describes Events if the heroine’s circumstances start to seem too 
  stressful. During this part of the chapter, new companions may be introduced. 
  Before the Challenge, previously introduced companions choose either 
  to Get In Trouble or Help the Heroine. When the Narrator decides 
  that the players have had a chance to explore the scene and make at least 
  one important choice, he presents the heroine a Challenge. The heroine 
  chooses a move and roles the dice. If the heroine is unsuccessful against 
  the Challenge, Companion Players may choose to Remember a Way Out. 
  They may also choose to become Narrator for the next chapter. The current 
  Narrator then narrates the results of the Challenge.
  If you would like some inspiration for building a chapter, use the 
  templates below. Each of these templates includes a one sentence description, 
  examples for the opening location in which you Set the Scene, a list of 
  characters you might introduce, and some suggested Challenges with which 
  to end the chapter.
  
  52  
  Heroine
  Through the Looking Glass
  The heroine has her first chance to explore the Other World.
   
  H Opening Location: Maze, giant garden, hollow glacier, outer space, a 
  castle
   
  H Characters Introduced: companions, Other World inhabitants, 
  antagonist’s minions
   
  H Challenge: Is the heroine terrified by the task of fighting the antagonist 
  who rules the Other World? Is she tempted to hide and avoid everyone? 
  Does she recognize the safe place to rest?
  Trouble with a Companion
  One of the heroine’s companions is in danger, and the heroine can help. 
  This danger is more serious than when a Companion Player chooses to 
  Get In Trouble.
   
  H Opening Location: Jail, a pit, the dragon’s belly, a battlefield
   
  H Characters Introduced: companions, Other World inhabitants, 
  antagonist’s minions, antagonist
   
  H Challenge: Will the heroine overcome her fear and rescue her 
  companion from danger? Can she determine whether a companion is 
  truly trustworthy?
  Innocents Suffer
  The antagonist or his minions are hurting people that have done nothing 
  wrong.
   
  H Opening Location: Village, city, prison, inhabited forest, refugee 
  caravan, someone’s house
   
  H Characters Introduced: Other World inhabitants, antagonist’s 
  minions, antagonist
   
  H Challenge: Does the heroine rescue the innocents from danger? Does 
  she choose the easy way out, even though it may cost her later? Does she 
  recognize how to equip them to defend themselves?
  
  Appendix One: Chapter Templates 
  53
  Friends in Low Places
  A wild, dangerous creature offers the heroine some useful advice or a 
  needed tool.
   
  H Opening Location: An inn, the sacred grove, the space station’s hospital
   
  H Characters Introduced: A new ally, Other World inhabitants, 
  antagonist’s minions, antagonist
   
  H Challenge: Does the heroine accept help from a frightening new friend? 
  Does she recognize which offer of help is genuine? Is she kind to the ally 
  in disguise?
  Minions Pursue
  The antagonist’s minions are chasing the heroine, hoping to capture her.
   
  H Opening Location: Corn field, the village, hunting grounds
   
  H Characters Introduced: Other World inhabitants, antagonist’s 
  minions, antagonist
   
  H Challenge: Does the heroine find a safe path away from those who 
  pursue her? Can she resist accepting help from an untrustworthy source?
  The Dark Place
  The heroine and her companions must travel a dark or dangerous path.
   
  H Opening Location: A dangerous place that is not easily traversed or 
  escaped, such as a maze, forest, dream world, dungeon, difficult mountain 
  pass, the Fire Swamp
   
  H Characters Introduced: Other World inhabitants, antagonist’s 
  minions, antagonist
   
  H Challenge: Does the heroine travel fast enough to stop someone from 
  getting hurt? Does she resist the urge to give up and wait for someone to 
  rescue her?
  Inside the Lair
  The heroine is finally inside the antagonist’s lair.
   
  H Opening Location: The antagonist’s lair, a magic castle, volcano, creepy 
  mansion, huge cave
   
  H Characters Introduced: None
   
  H
  Challenge: Is the heroine tempted to join the antagonist? Will she figure 
  out how to stop him? Is she brave enough to defeat the antagonist’s defenses?
  
  54  
  Heroine
  
  Appendix Two: Definitions 
  55
  Appendix Two
  Definitions
   
  H Be Dramatic – After the Narrator Sets the Scene, and before he declares 
  the Challenge, he is being dramatic. This means that he is offering choices, 
  introducing events, featuring the Antagonist, and inflicting Injuries and 
  Divisions.
   
  H Be Heroic – The heroine behaves in an admirable way during the 
  Challenge at the end of the chapter. She does something daring, clever, 
  or kind. The Heroine Player rolls to determine whether or not she is 
  successful in overcoming the Challenge.
   
  H Be Successful- The heroine overcomes the Challenge at the end of the 
  chapter. The Heroine Player rolls to determine whether she behaves 
  heroically, or whether she succumbs to fear, temptation, or confusion.
   
  H Become the Narrator – After the Heroine Player rolls during the 
  Challenge, but before the Narrator describes the outcome of the roll, a 
  Companion Player can pay drama points to become the Narrator of the 
  next chapter.
   
  H Challenge the Heroine – At the end of each chapter, the Narrator 
  describes some climactic event, an opportunity for the heroine to succeed 
  or fail and to demonstrate heroism or immaturity.
   
  H Division – During the Challenge, the Narrator may pay 1 drama point 
  to describe the heroine or one of the companions becoming separated 
  from one of the other characters. The other Players may choose which 
  group their characters go with. This separation lasts until the end of 
  the next chapter. Also, beginning in chapter three, at any point during 
  
  56  
  Heroine
  the chapter, the Narrator may describe either an Injury or a Division 
  happening to the heroine without paying any drama points.
   
  H Feature the Antagonist – While the Narrator is Being Dramatic, he 
  may pay drama points in order to introduce the antagonist into the scene 
  in an active way. This allows him to inflict both an Injury and a Division 
  on the heroine during this chapter.
   
  H Get In Trouble – The Companion Player chooses for her companion 
  to do something that causes problems for the heroine sometime during 
  the chapter before the Challenge. He then rolls to determine whether the 
  Heroine Player has a penalty on her roll during the Challenge.
   
  H Help the Heroine – The Companion Player chooses for her 
  companion to assist the heroine sometime during the chapter before the 
  Challenge, so the Heroine Player has a bonus on her Challenge roll.
   
  H Injury – During the Challenge, the Narrator may pay 1 drama point to 
  describe something bad happening one of the companions. This causes 
  the character to be unable to do one specific thing until the end of the next 
  chapter. Also, beginning in chapter three, at any point during the chapter, 
  the Narrator may describe either an Injury or a Division happening to 
  the heroine without paying any drama points.
   
  H Introduce an Event – After setting the scene and before stating the 
  Challenge, the Narrator may describe something helpful happening to 
  the heroine or the companions in order to make their lives easier.
   
  H Introduce Your Companion – The Companion Player brings his 
  companion into the story for the first time. This usually happens during 
  a chapter after the Narrator has Set the Scene, though it can happen 
  during the introduction.
   
  H Offer a Choice – After setting the scene and before stating the 
  Challenge, the Narrator gives the other players opportunities to act by 
  giving them multiple-choice decisions. These choices should be balanced 
  so that both options are good or both options are bad.
  
  Appendix Two: Definitions 
  57
   
  H Remember a Way Out – After the Heroine Player fails her roll during 
  the Challenge, but before the Narrator describes the outcome of the roll, 
  a Companion Player can pay drama points to describe his companion 
  somehow minimizing the consequence of the heroine’s failure.
   
  H Set the Scene – At the beginning of each chapter, the Narrator 
  describes the location and the characters present. He tries to set up a 
  situation loaded with interesting opportunities and conflicts. The 
  Heroine Player Sets the Scene during the introduction.
   
  H Take a Chance – The Heroine Player chooses to roll to determine the 
  heroine’s behavior during the Challenge at the end of the chapter. The 
  heroine either overcomes admirably or fails immaturely.
  
  58  
  Heroine
  Overview of Play
  DECIDE ROLES
  Choose a Heroine player, a Narrator and Companion players.
  INTRODUCTION
  Introduce the Heroine and bring her to the Other World.
  Heroine Sets the Scene
  Heroine Chooses Player to Narrate Conflict
  Narrator Describes Trip to Other World
  INTRODUCTION
  Player with Fewest Drama Points Narrates
  Player Narrates the Heroine’s Effect on the Other World
  Player Narrates the Heroine’s Return to the Regular World
  Heroine Player Narrates One Conflict in Regular World
  CHAPTER
  Narrator Sets the Scene
  Heroine And Companion Players Respond
  Companion Players may Introduce a Companion
  Narrator uses Be Dramatic
         OFFER CHOICE             INTRODUCE EVENT                   INJURE                              DIVIDE
  Heroine and Companions Respond
  Companion Players Choose a Move
    GET IN TROUBLE          HELP THE HEROINE
  Narrator Challenges
  Heroine Player Chooses a Move
  BE SUCCESSFUL                   BE HEROIC                   TAKE A CHANCE
  Narrator can Injure or Divide Companion
  Companion Player Chooses a Move
  REMEMBER A WAY OUT            BECOME THE NARRATOR
  Narrator Narrates results of the Challenge
  Narrator Announces end of Chapter
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Collections/Collaborative & Peer & Gm-less & Shifting GM/Heroine/Heroine - Core Rulebook.pdf