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Sonder • 2017 rpg finalist

Eduardo Caetano • https://www.patreon.com/EduardoCaetano

sonder: realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.

game about the extras of everyday life
an exercise of empathy to strangers

get a domino set
divide the pieces equally between participants.
each piece is a character sheet with traits and connections. 

first player puts a piece of choice on the center of the table, saying: 

“I'm...__(N)__.” 

using N words to describes their character, where N = one of the numbers [0-6] on half domino piece.

then, describes an everyday life scene for their character.

next, other participantes may ask one question about that character, clockwise.

 *if (N) is the lowest choosed number, player answer the question; 
 *if (N) is the highest, other participants respond;
 *If they’re equal, alternate.

all are encouraged to build on previous answers.

when turn ends, next player connects one of their pieces to the other half, if they can [if not, skip], and starts another turn: new character, same rules applying. 

except that this new character has to had witnessed in some way the last scene, as a passerby, having made eye contact.

game ends when all pieces are rhizomatically connected on the table.

Author Comments

For those a little more curious about the feeling of the game, it was inspired by this video, from the Dctionary of Obscure Sorrows: https://youtu.be/AkoML0_FiV4

Judge Comments

This game really demonstrates something I think we’ve lost in society, which is the ability to see other individuals as people, as human beings with their own narration, own lives, and own wars they’re fighting we can’t see. I love the unique way of using the domino mechanic to learn more about each character, while also using it to carve a pathway towards seeing how interconnected and yet apart the world is. It takes a really difficult concept and makes it accessible and powerful. - Kate Bullock


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