The Nurture

a game of spreading pollen and sharing joy

THE NURTURE is a collaborative storytelling roleplaying game.

Mother Nature is hurting. Long after mankind left this place, the land is
still healing her wounds. Danger lurks in the strangest places. But
where everything was once barren, love and light are slowly returning.
Creatures have gathered in tight communities for safety and to bring
solace to one another. They trade favours instead of coin. They eat
and sing and pray together.

Slowly, they are discovering that the magic of the Earth never left.

Play as a drift of bees travelling the perilous landscape as they

pollinate and nurture the flowers that have survived the dark times.
Along the way, stop by small communities or help fellow travellers who
are taking the trek alone.

THE NURTURE is a game for a Game Master and any number of

players; between 2 and 4 is suggested, but this could be played
one-to-one with the GM if desired. Players weave a narrative of
healing and camaraderie as they navigate the world, finding softness
in the harshest things.
How Do I Play?
THE NURTURE is played similarly to most narrative-based
roleplaying games. The players each create a character and
explore the story through the eyes of that creation. They describe
the actions they take and talk as if they were the characters
themselves. The Game Master (GM) will design a narrative to lead
the party through the world and will describe other characters to be
interacted with and problems to be overcome.
Unlike many tabletop roleplaying games, however, dice are never
used in this game. There is more of an emphasis on taking
in-character actions that are interesting within the story than using
dice rolling and character statistics to determine success or failure.
When a character takes an action, their player will describe what
they are trying to do and the means they are attempting to do it. The
GM will state whether the action succeeds or fails based on a
number of factors discussed later in the Game Master’s Guidelines.
Who Is My Character?
Each player’s character is a bee; they may choose between a
honeybee or a bumblebee. They will each have different
personalities and motivations for their journey, as well as different
cultural backgrounds relating to each species. There will be more
information about these backgrounds later in the Character Sheets.
Characters don’t have statistics. Instead, they have motivations,
skills and a small inventory of items that they carry with them. Most
items are practical or sentimental. Characters don’t learn new skills
by leveling up; they must actively interact with the world.
Remember!
There are some core tenets to keep in mind during play. The world
characters will explore is fraught with danger; the effects of an old
cataclysm, threats to their species and natural disasters are just a
few of the things that can be expected. Often characters will
encounter people in need in the calm before the storm or trying to
recover from the aftermath; actually facing these threats head on are
rare, but not impossible.
THE NURTURE is primarily about helping, healing and making a
difference one small act of kindness at a time. There won’t be huge
heroic feats every session. Where the party does face grave danger
head on, their success depends on teamwork and nourishing the
world around them, despite its harshness.
While the narrative is about spreading joy and building a better
world, negative themes are likely to arise. Moments dealing with
grief and loss, uncertain faith and hopelessness are natural. Pain
should not be ignored. It should be nurtured, much like a wilting
flower, and nursed back to full bloom again.
The following is a selection of key ideas that can help push your
narrative in the right direction. They are not all required in every
story, but they may be helpful in capturing the mood:
Radical kindness • Travelling through the ghost of what was •
Softness in all things • Ritualistic habits • Ceremony in the small
things • Simple gestures • Hope • Forgiveness • Magic in the
mundane • Healing the mind, body and spirit • Rustic beauty •
Worship of Mother Earth and her elements • Personal Growth •
Bittersweetness • Found family • Utopia as an means to an end
Character Sheet
HONEYBEE
You are a dedicated and resilient creature. You put full effort into
everything that you do, thriving on hard work and sharing the
rewards. You are a team player by nature; everything you have
ever done is for the good of your colony. You have a strong sense
of duty and fight to preserve the things that are important to you.
You travel because; (select one)
☐ You wish to serve the world the way you serve the colony
☐ You watched your colony fall to sickness and you survived
☐ You know that you can bring order to a chaotic world
☐ You wish to test your resilience by finally leaving the nest
You are adept in this special skill; (describe one)
This is a practical skill such as, but not limited to, the following;
navigation, astronomy, reading the wind, medicine, a specific ritual,
cooking, foraging, comforting, giving courage.
You are carrying;
• A wicker basket, worn across your body, full of pollen
• A toket from home (describe it)
• A helpful tool for the journey (describe it)
Give yourself a name and set out on your journey.
Character Sheet
BUMBLEBEE
You are a generous and kind-hearted beast. You are from an
intimate hive and love everyone as if they were family. You have so
much love to give that this compassion often extends to strangers.
You move through the world with a tender innocence, fighting hard
to warm the lives of others.
You travel because; (select one)
☐ You wish to bring light to a world full of darkness
☐ You can only protect your home by healing the land
☐ You fear a day when you can no longer fly anymore
☐ You wish to bring the sense of family to people in need
You are adept in this special skill; (describe one)
This is a practical skill such as, but not limited to, the following;
navigation, astronomy, reading the wind, medicine, a specific ritual,
cooking, foraging, comforting, giving courage.
You are carrying;
• A wicker basket, worn across your body, full of pollen
• A token from home (describe it)
• A helpful tool for the journey (describe it)
Give yourself a name and set out on your journey.
Game Master Guidelines
THE NURTURE is about storytelling before anything else. You, as
the Game Master, are responsible for guiding your players towards
an interesting narrative. As the player characters nurture the land,
you nurture the story.
A Word From The Author
THE NURTURE was created by Hannah J. Gray as a submission for
the Applied Hope: The Solarpunk & Utopias Jam in August 2021.
This document is version one; a mere bud sprouting from the dirt
which, with a little nurturing, will flourish into bright and blooming.

As previously stated, the outcome of any actions performed by Anticipate worldbuilding and character supplements in the future.
players are decided by you. You walk a fine line between realism
and satisfying the plot. The first thing to remember during this
process is that you are not playing against the players; you may
describe threats and introduce plot twists but deliberately
undermining them at every turn goes against the mood of the game.
Encourage problem-solving, team-work (in and out of character) as
well as kindness and generosity.

When a player makes a decision, consider the following:

• Is the action likely to succeed according to in-game logic?

• Are characters more likely to succeed due to special skills?
• Are characters more likely to succeed due to preparation or allies?
• Would it be more narratively rewarding for characters to fail?
• Does the action adhere to the core tenets of the game?

And, most importantly:

• How does the rule of cool change your decision?

The world that THE NURTURE takes place in is ultimately in the

hands of the table so experiment as a group to find a play-style that
suits everyone. Remember, the tenets of kindness, healing and fun
apply not only to the characters and the world, but to the players as
well.

Ultimately, the final decisions lie with you.