A Sovereign Design

In the twilight hours of a sovereign's rule, six courtiers glimpse a future where they are called to reign. When the Sovereign Power changes hands, who will be asked to wield it?

A Sovereign Design is a role playing game about courtiers vying for power in a sovereign's messy succession. It is played by tying and cutting strings and telling stories through quick vignettes that explore the tangled relationships between the members of the sovereign's court as they make moves to hoard power.

Inspired by films like Dangerous Liaisons (1988) and similar media, this game spotlights the dramatic tension, backroom schemes, and cruel failings of the court and its constituents. As written, the stories revolve around sex, romance, blackmail, conspiracy, alliances, and debt.

FEATURES

• A print-and-play zine game
• Cut and tie strings on a hex board to map out tangled relationships
• Troupe style role playing; any player can play any character
• Designed for both solo and group play

WHAT IS INCLUDED?

Your purchase of this game includes:

• A letter-size one-sheet printable zine that includes both the rules and the play-space
• An appendix sheet, which contains random roll tables to set up your game
• An .rtf version of the rules and appendix, compatible with screen-readers and printed in 16pt OpenDyslexic typeface
• An image of the play-space for use in online tabletop applications

To play this game on a physical board you will also need:

• Access to a printer to print the zine
• A small board or surface that can be punctured (such as a cork board)
• Six thumb tacks
• Six spools of string, each a different colour
• Scissors
• One or two six-sided die
• An index card to take notes (optional)

FUTURE PLANS

This game was designed for World Champ Game Co.'s Hex Jam and is complete in its current state. If I were to continue working on this game in the future, I would like to prioritize:

• creating a printer ink lite black-and-white version of the zine
• play with different structures for vignettes and narrative pacing
• provide rules for alternate settings
• Change the layout for visual appeal and to accommodate larger text

THANKS

• To my play testers, Owen Brush and Keb
• To the Brain Trust 🧠🤝