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The Queen's Word • 2018 rpg

Jabari Weathers • lunarveil.press

Two Queens, once friends, navigate a war in which they are opposed, started by their respective Kings. The war is almost a game of Chess, and requires a Chessboard and four players, taking four roles to match:

The Black Queen _______________, who newly and reluctantly opposes The White Queen _______________, sitting opposite her. At one side of the queens sits Conflict. Opposite conflict sits Fate. 

To Begin, Conflict explains the road to war. 

The Black Queen moves first, otherwise using chess rules. White Queen responds. When both Queens have moved, a year passes. Count the years. Conflict and fate act once a year at will. All roles may speak to each other.

In a Year, the Queens move one piece from their side. The Conflict may move one piece to bloodshed if it hasn't moved that year. Fate may unmake one move a year. The roles narrate their every move and name every newly moved piece.

At the End...

If a Queen dies or 33 years pass, the war never ends. 

If Checkmate occurs, the war ends.

If the queens meet in adjacent squares, a truce begins.

If a pawn traverses to the opposite end of the board, the war ends peacefully.

Author Comments

I’ve wanted to use Chess as a mechanic of resolution, while also interrogating this game that’s such a touchstone of western design in ways that are as fascinating as they are disquieting (its patriarchal and aggressively Eurocentric leanings).


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