TEXT: AS ABOVE, 
  a role playing game of stories and wonder
  ecboss
  May 2013
  They came in the night and took you from your bed. The smell of sandalwood and the touch of your 
  mother's hand calmed you. Hushed voices followed, accompanying the slap of soft leather on stone as 
  she carried you up the stairs. Rising with each step, the warmth fled. Emerging into the parched, cold 
  air of night in the high desert, you blinked away the darkness. Your mother wrapped a blanket close 
  about you and settled down with you on her lap. Above you, now, the heavens opened. The wanderers 
  shone, blue, red, green. The sickle wheeled around the diamond, the hunter chasing the great dragon. 
  Around you your cousins, sisters, uncles, grandmothers and their neighbors looked up to the stars 
  filling the sky. Then, each in turn, they began where the story always began, in our world. But soon a 
  door opened and the story moved down deep, deep, deep in the underdeep. Where the dragons turn and 
  twist in the roots of the mountain. Where the water slides silent into the earth, seeking its way back to 
  the end and the source, the mother ocean. And as the water climbs back into the sky, on wing of bird, 
  by rainbow, to cloud, so too did the stories that night. Each leading, spiraling round to the mystery of 
  the heavens above.
  ABOUT THE GAME
  As Above is a storytelling and role playing game for two to six players. The stories of the game are 
  inspired by fairy tales, myths and legends. They take place in a fictional world, inspired by but not 
  meant to represent any particular place or tradition on Earth. As Above is inspired by Russian 
  Matroyshka dolls. These beautifully painted dolls nest one inside another, as the stories are intended to 
  do in As Above. 
  Each story in As Above, is the tale of person or being from this world who has an encounter that takes 
  them beyond the world that they know, to discover the realms Above and Below where they live, 
  Between. The stories take a spiral path. Each one leading to the next. 
  In As Above, we follow the winding paths of the deep magic of imagination and see where each turn 
  will take us. From the depths, to the stars.
  The World
  Read these descriptions of the levels of the world out loud. Answer the questions asked about the 
  Above and Below to learn more about the world your stories will take place within. 
  Have each player answer at least one question. Each question must be answered at least once, but can 
  have multiple answers.
  Above
  The sky is a realm of spirits and imagination. Humans can travel there through their dreams and 
  
  visions, to learn and explore ideas about what the world could be. Or they may be carried aloft by wind, 
  birds or reach Above from a mountain top or tall tree, or other fantastical means. The above world is 
  grand, magical, shifting and always changing like the wind and the clouds. Beings and places 
  continually move, just as the stars wheel about the sky. The creatures there are luminous and etherial as 
  well as vibrant, and full of power and energy. 
  Above changes as the day and night change, the Sun rules the Day and Moon and Stars rule the Night. 
  Movement here is at the speed of thought, flight is possible for everyone and in all ways you are 
  bounded only by the limits of your imagination.
  Who lives in the Above Realms?
  What can you (that is, the people in the world gain) from visiting?
  What may you lose?
  Below
  The world Below is the land of the ancestors and deep spirits upon which all we live and do Between is 
  founded. Granda's Stone and Fire live in the Caverns of Below, and they sometimes speak with beings 
  from Between or Above who travel down to speak with them, and seek their wisdom. Other creatures 
  live in Below, some who were from the other Realms but who are now lost and forgotten. Some who 
  are dreaming dreams inspired by the imaginings of Above that will be born into Between. The other 
  side of Below is the Ocean Depths. Few from Between or Above travel there, but if you do, it is a 
  world full of life, action, celebration and danger. 
  Water and caves can bring you below. Beings from Between also sometimes travel below when they 
  are dreaming. Movement Below is slow, stately and full of thought. Many beings never move. Beings 
  in the Caverns or the Ocean respond best to silence, listening, and gesture. There is power here, but it is 
  deep, quiet power, which when stirred can turn the world upside down like the storm or earthquake.
  Who lives in the Below Realms?
  What can you gain from visiting?
  What may you lose?
  Between
  The world between is our world, the natural realm of earth, plant and animal. It is a world of 
  mountains, forest, and desert. Humans live there side by side with plant and animals who may talk. All 
  who live there are generally trying to live their lives and purse their goals. The Between world is a 
  practical world. Beings here are focused on living, and accomplishing the things that help keep their 
  communities flourishing. Movement here takes the time that it takes. One step at a time. Here you are 
  limited by what you can do, though that can be changed sometimes with help from those of the worlds 
  Above and Below.
  The Between World is described when play begins. The players start play by using the Painting a 
  Picture rules to start the story there. 
  
  PLAY
  When you are playing As Above you work together to describe the world, think about its aspects and 
  history, and play out what happens to the characters who move about in it. The group will do these 
  things by following steps that help them collaborate and build upon each others' ideas. 
  The steps take the form of three different modes of play. Each mode has a different pace and feel. Take 
  time to understand how each works, and how the players will signal that they are moving from one to 
  the next. Specific cues are used to help everyone understand what is needed to be done at any given 
  time. 
  Signals are also given for when one story, or part of a story, is interrupted by another tale. Disparate 
  parts of the same tale may circle back to the original once tale more. 
  Three Modes of Play: 
  • Painting a Picture (As Above)
  • Being in the World (As Between)
  • Reflecting on the World  (As Below)
  Painting a Picture  (SEE, DO, LOVE FEAR)
  When playing in the Painting style (which is analogous to the Above part of the world), the players sit 
  in a circle and each in turn add brief descriptions of a scene. This is Painting A Picture with their words. 
  The game always starts with a Painting a Picture phase.
  Going in turn around the circle, each person adds a short statement that contains just a single or perhaps 
  two new aspects to what is present. Each person should build on what was added by the last person (in 
  other words, each succeeding statement cannot negate what has already been said. 
  The Painting a Picture statements should each add the following:
  •
  Something to See.
  •
  Something someone can Do.
  •
  Something inspiring Love.
  •
  Something inspiring Fear.
  Players go in a circle and add things quickly, passing an object with their turn, ( for those familiar with 
  it, this is similar to building to Flashpoint in Spione by Ron Edwards). Crosstalk among the players and 
  having people give suggestions are just fine. The phase ends when something is described that someone 
  wants to know more about. At this point the players shift to another tale, or another part of the tale.
  This mode of play is inspired by the illustrations of children's fairy tale books, such as those by Ivan 
  Bilibin and others. The picture you draw will contain strong, simply but strongly realized characters, 
  with glimpses into the world that surrounds them. Think of your descriptions as Pictures that children 
  reading would peer at, think long on and imagine deeply into.  
  End this phase by asking a Question about something that has just been introduced. The person asking 
  
  the Question says whether the group moves on into Being in the World or Reflecting on the World.
  For example: 
  Five people are playing As Above. They begin Painting a Picture:
  Alice: In this picture, we SEE a girl, Elysée..(passes object to Bao-yu)
  Bao-yu: she has black hair, cinnamon skin and brown eyes..(passes object to Celine)
  Celine: she lives on a mountain with wild trees bent by the wind... (pass object to Dan)
  Dan: every day she has to DO chores...
  Alice: (commenting on Dan's contribution) for her family?
  Dan: Yes, she does chores for her family...(passes object)
  Etienne: one of which was to gather water from the deep, deep well...
  Bao-yu: (Interrupting before the object is passed on)Hold on—that's a connection to Below.  Let's 
  Reflect on it. I have questions about the well: Who lives in it? Why do they want the girl to talk 
  to them? 
  They move on to a Reflecting on the World phase, as described below.
  Reflecting on the World (WHAT, WHY, WHO, TOUCH, HEAR)
  When you play in the style of Reflecting (which corresponds with the Below part of the World), the 
  players take long slow moments to think about what to add. There is a turn token that is used to 
  indicate who is allowed to talk. Place the turn token in the center of the group. People pick it up and 
  take a turn to speak as they are moved. No suggestions or cross talk is allowed. All wait in silence until 
  they have their turn. 
  When the token has been returned to its resting place, all should wait a few moments before thinking 
  about picking it up again. Look around to see if anyone else is reaching for the token. There will 
  always be time for you to speak, there is no need to rush or hurry to get the token.  
  The Reflecting on the World contributions would add the following:
  •
  Explain What – what has happened, what does this mean to the characters, to the world, to the 
  players?
  •
  Explain Why – why are things as they are? Why does this happen?
  •
  Explain Who – who is there? Who are they?
  After someone speaks, your group may acknowledge this by making polite tapping noises. 
  No one can pick up the token twice in a row, except at the end of this phase*.
  End the Reflection phase when:
  •
  The Question or Questions are answered and
  •
  No one has more to add
  *If a player has spoken, waits for others, then realizes they have something more to add but there is no 
  one else to speak. They may choose to speak again. The phase ends immediately after they speak. 
  The last person who spoke says whether the group moves on to Being in the World or Painting a 
  
  Picture. 
  Example: 
  The turn token is placed between the players. Celine has brought a ganzá rattle to be used as the token. 
  This allows Bao-yu, who is blind, to be able to easily tell when it has been picked up. Alice, who is 
  sitting next to him volunteers to get it for him if he signals that he'd like to speak. 
  Etienne: (takes the token) The person wants company from  Elysée (What)
  Bao-yu: (signals and is handed token by Alice) The being at the bottom of the well is a vodnik.  
  The Reflection phase can end when the question or questions have been answered.  
  Being in the World  (NAME, QUESTION)
  In the Being style of play (which corresponds with the Between part of the world), you play characters 
  experiencing the story. When you are Being in the World, you step into the role of the beings in the 
  world, as though you are stepping into a costume for a role in a play. The costume here is provided by 
  our imagination, but you speak for the character and make decisions as an actor does—but in this 
  game, there is no script, you get to decide what choices the characters make. 
  To play a character: 
  •
  Pick a Name 
  •
  Ask a question – something you want to know about what the character wants, may accomplish 
  or that may happen to it. 
  The questions should reflect a practical need or want the character has that they are working towards 
  fulfilling or achieving. 
  Examples:
  Wolf named No Tooth, Question: Will I feed my cubs?
  Hedgehog named Hedgie, Question: Will I make it to the sheltering tree house the girl invited me to 
  join her in?
  In addition to playing the character you may also say:
  •
  What the characters may Touch or feel
  •
  What the characters Hear
  Each player picks a character from those created in the other Modes of play. If you are playing at a 
  table, you may wish to fold a note card in half to make a small tent. On both sides, write the name and 
  question for the character. Place it in front of you as a reminder to yourself and the others.
  Describe your characters' actions and move toward answering your question. 
  End the scene and move to another mode when:
  •
  Someone answers their question
  •
  Someone has a question about the world
  •
  Someone does something risky or dangerous
  •
  Characters come into conflict with one another
  
  Let the player whose character was most involved choose whether the mode chosen is Painting a 
  Picture or Reflecting on the World. 
  Example: 
  Dan: The walls of the well are covered with a damp, spongy moss (TOUCH) 
  Celine: (picks up token)  Elysée is singing at the top of the well, her voice echoes downward so it 
  sounds much louder at the bottom than it should. (HEAR)
  Telling the Tale, Telling Different Tales
  When you move from one mode to another, you may continue telling the same story, or it may become 
  a new and different story all together. Either way is fine, and you don't have to know right away 
  whether a story will re-connect again. 
  To continue a thread of a story from earlier, simply ask a question during a phase about earlier story. 
  Move to a new Phase and see what develops about it. 
  Bring the Game to a close when the stories have come together and there are no more questions to ask.
  
  As Above is a storytelling game written for the 2013 Game Chef contest. Many thanks to the game chef 
  host, Joe Mcdaldno, and the other participants for their feedback and the inspiration provided by all the 
  amazing games they created. 
  Theme:
  Ingredients:
  As Above was inspired in particular by the Theme and the first Ingredient icon. The connection between 
  worlds above and below, with the world of humanity in between is a metaphor used in the Norse 
  tradition of the world tree, Yggdrasil, as well as shamanic and possession traditions such as forms of 
  Siberian and Central Asian shamanism and Haitian Vodoun. 
  As mentioned in the game text, the second image that inspired the game is that of a Russian 
  Matroyshka Doll, which was suggested by the first ingredient (egg shaped figure with central 
  snowflake). These beautifully painted dolls, nest one inside another, as the stories are intended to do in 
  As Above. 
  The history of the Matroyshka itself provides an set of nested stories. The first set made by Vasily 
  Zvyozdochkin, designed by Sergey Malyutin are said to have been inspired by a set of Japanese nesting 
  Fukurama dolls. The Fukurama dolls would have been inspired by Fukurokuju, a hermit or old man 
  Illustration 1: 
  Central Asian 
  shamanic 
  drum depicts 
  three levels of 
  the world.
  Illustration 2: 
  Haitian Vodou 
  ritual area, central 
  pillar (potomitan) 
  represents Legba 
  who opens 
  doorway between 
  the worlds.
  Icon 1:  
  Person within 
  double-sided, 
  up and down 
  arrow. 
  Icon 2: Egg 
  shaped 
  object, 
  striped at 
  bottom, with 
  two central 
  dots and 
  large 
  snowflake in 
  circle on 
  upper half.
  Icon 3: 
  Apple with 
  worm
   Icon 4: 
  Long tunic 
  with 
  diamonds; 
  mail shirt.
  Icon 5: Lit 
  lantern and 
  figure.
  
  with a high forehead. He is one of the 7 Lucky Gods, a personification of the southern Pole Star 
  Canopus, and is associated with wisdom and longevity.  Figures of the 7 Lucky Gods in Japan are 
  placed in a boat, the Treasure Ship, thought to bring wealth and prosperity at the New Year.   
  Fukurokuju is thought to have arisen through a popular amalgamation of Fulushou, the Three Star Gods 
  of China, who symbolize Good Fortune, Prosperity and Longevity. Fu is the planet Jupiter, said to be a 
  governor who saved his people by suffering by making a risky appeal to the Emperor. Lu is Ursa 
  Majoris, who was once a person who rose to great prominence in the government, and Shou is  
  Canopus, who lived ten years in his mothers womb before being born and who carries the elixer of life 
  and immortality. 
  Special thanks to Nick Wedig (Mr. Teapot) for his input during the contest. And for sharing about his 
  gorgeous game Baba Yaga's Dancing Hut, which was an influence on the development on this game, 
  and which I consider to be a cousin of As Above.  You can find it at: 
  http://nickwedig.libraryofhighmoon.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/baba-yaga1.pdf 
  The icons appearing in this document and part of the Game Chef competition are made by Lorc, 
  http://lorcblog.blogspot.com, and used under the Creative Commons 3.0 license. See more at 
  http://game-icons.net/.
  Game influences:
  Baba Yaga's Dancing Hut by Nick Wedig
  1001 Nights by Meguey Baker
  Spione by Ron Edwards
  Swords without Master by Epidiah Ravachol
  Apocalypse World by Vincent Baker
  Story of the String by Meguey Baker
  Happy Birthday Robot by Daniel Solis
  Beloved by Ben Lehman
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Collections/Duet/RPGS/Indie & Odd Themes/Game Chef Finalists for 2 players/Game Chef 2013 - As Above.pdf