CROSSROADS

About this game

Welcome to the CROSSROADS, an ethereal, extradimensional space that invites you to explore a loss that you have experienced. You are here because some part of you, however small and quiet, wants to be here.

The overarching theme of this game is grief, which could be related to the physical, literal absence of something or someone that is no longer present or accessible to you in your mundane life, or it could be in the metaphorical sense, such as the feeling of having lost something, someone, or some part of yourself. It could also be a feeling of loss about an experience that you missed out on, or the worry that a chance you had is now unattainable forever.

Your grief can manifest in many ways, and each of them is real. You are welcome here. 

In this game for up to 4 players, take turns drawing cards from a deck, reading the prompt on the card, and answering the prompt in character. Use the prompts to share stories, build and break bonds, create a group map, and leave on a path of your own choosing. You can also treat the prompts as a journalling exercise and play on your own.

This game comes with:

• A 7-page document containing the rules and prompt text
• 46 high-res 3x5 inch cards and card backs as .png files
• A tagged PDF for use with screen readers
• A .mp3 audiobook file
• A streaming asset package with overlays and promotional images to use when you play this game live

Please note that safety tools are mandatory for this game. The game rules include information on how to use them, as well as a link to the  TTRPG Safety Toolkit.

If you're not sure how to use this game, try one of these ideas:

• Play solo and explore a new or existing character's story
• Play as a stand-alone game with a group
• Use this game as the first session of a campaign game as a way for the characters to meet
• Play this game within a larger setting by connecting it to a deity or a supernatural occurrence in your universe
• Stream this game for an audience and invite viewers to suggest features for the map

What are people saying about CROSSROADS?

Sebastian has written thoughtful and emotive questions that really guided me to explore my grief. It's just really, really well written folks. It's a simple game, yet devastatingly impactful. It's such a good game for exploring something which may be uncomfortable, and being held in that. Not being made to feel ashamed of it, or like you're 'doing it wrong'. I want to play CROSSROADS again and again and again. Literally CROSSROADS is in the top 2 of my all time favourite tabletop games ever."

— Logan Timmins (@ink_and_stories)

"As I played, it felt like a lot of the pieces of the story I was creating just fell together, which is my favourite thing in TTRPGs. This game really was a magical experience for me."

— cryss (@princryss)

"The prompts here are really good! I don't want to give spoilers, but I really like "How did the events in this memory change you" and "A loud noise shakes you to your core. Draw what overwhelms you" Evocative. All the italicized text is wonderful. I really want to share it all, but instead I'll tell you to go to itch right now and read it. That alone is worth the price of admission."

— Alexander Rinehart (@AlexRinehart_)

"I'm a big fan of player agency and 'bending' the rules this way came naturally to me, but it is great that the game text explicitly mentions your agency as a player! The section about player agency also includes something very neat that I think many might overlook: Things can be described in different ways and still all of what was said can be true at the same time! Maybe read this statement again, it really makes a difference!"

— WuDeRPG (@WuDeRpg)

In other media

• Check out cryss playing CROSSROADS on her solo game stream!
• Watch me chat with the RPG Internationale about CROSSROADS
• Included in Huetopia's Creators to Support collection, featured in Dicebreaker
• Included in the Nonbinary TTRPG Month: Designers of Color bundle
• Recommended in The Office Type Kickstarter Update #49
• Included in the Queer Games Bundle 2022, mentioned by name in Polygon