HomeSearch
JudgesReadersPrizes
Winners & Finalists
20151617182019
Downloads & Prints

Our bed is but a mossy stone • 2019 rpg finalist

Alex Hinners • twitter.com/lxnrhinners

we are gentle souls
we are hungry to help
we are only a single inch tall

for now



our wanderpod, numbering under six, seeks chances to sow joy*
when one of us acts, the others eagerly observe
but the oracle never acts
they are even more different than we are
they only reveal perceived truths about our surroundings


if the oracle foresees potential misfortune, we toss a mathstone
its twenty faces will reveal our future
the oracle determines which two demonstrated traits sway the mathstone
one sways upward
one sways downward


if above ten, the actor's intentions bear sweet fruit
if below eleven, trouble sprouts like tangled weeds
trouble respects our immortality
the oracle relays the actor's fate, whispered from beyond


if one makes a human happy*, they grow to double their size
our shape, though stretching, remains consistent
yet with every growth, our traits transform
all seed traits fall one step
all thorn traits rise one step


before our story began, we each chose how to distribute steps, crafting our uniqueness
twenty steps raised seed traits (nimbleness, awareness, caution, kindness) above zero
twenty steps lowered thorn traits (strength, reach, boldness, hunger) below zero


*after seven growths, consuming replaces delighting

Author Comments

I’ve had ideas and doodles for ages, but only through this challenge have I actually forged something into completion. Thank you to this contest, its community, and RPGs in general. This will not be my first finished product, I can assure you. ;)


Discuss this Entry