RUN!

A SLASHER HORROR CARD-BASED SOLO RPG

CEZAR CAPACLE
RUN!
A SLASHER HORROR CARD-BASED SOLO RPG

VERSION 1.2

GAME DESIGN, EDITING, LAYOUT

Cezar Capacle

COVER ART
Image by Republica from Pixabay

INTERIOR ART
Suits and card backs designed by macrovector
Freepik | http://www.freepik.com

ALL OTHER ELEMENTS FROM CANVA

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-

ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
CREDITS
This is a game based on Movin'On, a narrative game by Diego Azevedo. Get to know
other games by the author at the official site of HistoriArt:
(https://historiartstudio.wordpress.com/).

The game uses Trama Cards, a narrative system using a deck of ordinary cards to
produce peculiar narrative structures.

If you like the system and want to create something with it, the license is CC-BY-SA
(Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 4.0 International -
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode.pt).

You will need the Trama Cards and Historiart brand signatures, as well as licensing
your work in the same way.
CONTENT
Overview _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 5
Scene Creation _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 8
Scene Resolution _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 19
Special Scenes _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 26
The End _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 30
Game Sheet _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 33
You are running. Escaping, stumbling on your own legs.
Your short breaths are labored, shaky.

Something is after you. You don't know what it is,

but you know it won't quit. Your life is at stake.

You feel that it is close, as if a claw is

sliding down the back of your neck.

And you know you must not look back...

Run!
overview
WHAT IS THIS GAME
Run! is a solo narrative game inspired by the slasher horror movie genre. You play as
a survivor of a nefarious attack, and you are being chased by... something.
Whatever that is, it is relentless and it wants you dead. Throughout 16 scenes, you
play to collect Memories to try and piece together what is happening while you run
for your life and try not to run out of Breath.

HOW TO PLAY
1. Draw a card to set the scene Type, Theme, and Intention
2. Narrate the scene until you reach the Climax
3. Decide on your Approach to overcome the challenge
4. Draw cards from your chosen Approach pile up to your current Breath score
5. Keep the highest card and check the Outcome
6. Narrate Consequences and/or Contemplations
7. Update your Breath and/or Memories scores

WHAT DO YOU NEED

A standard deck of cards
A copy of the Game Sheet
Pencil and eraser

6
SETUP
Take a standard 52-card deck, without the jokers.
Shuffle all J, K, Q and A together into a single pile. This is your Mundus Deck.
Divide all other cards by their suit into 4 piles. Those are your Approach Piles.
Shuffle each pile separately and place them in front of you, as in the picture:

Place the Mundus Deck to the left of your Approach Piles.

You start the game with 4 Breath and 0 Memories.
You are ready to play.

7
scene
creation
THE SCENE CARD
Now you will play out 16 scenes as you try to escape the horror chasing you. To start play,
draw the first card from the Mundus Deck. This is your Scene Card. Place it in front of you.

Your Scene Card will tell you the Type, Theme and Intention for that scene.
The face of the card provides one of four Scene Types: Apparition (J), Bifurcation (Q),
Revelation (K) and Pursuit (A). It also provides a list of Scene Themes that you will
randomly select to color your narration.

The suit of the card provides a set of possible Mundus Intentions for that particular
scene, which represent how the horrors of the world manifest in that context.

WHAT IS MUNDUS?
Mundus does not solely represent your stalker. It is the world itself and its horrors in
all its forms and dimensions. Everything that stands in the way of your survival is
represented by Mundus. It can manifest itself in the landscape, in other people,
within you, in places and things around you.

Mundus communicates with you through abstract words, and it will be your job to
interpret what they mean in the context of your story, and to narrate a scene that
incorporates them.

9
jack
SCENE TYPE: APPARITION
What appeared? Your own pursuer? Another person or creature?
An object? A building? Something that can help or hinder you?
Something natural or supernatural?

SCENE THEMES
Spin a pencil over this chart to pick a theme to inspire this Apparition.

Belief
Risk Ally
wodah
S

aeW
nop
erutcurt
S

tsaeB
noitcaF

looT
iR
lav

e
Supp Hop
ly
Ruin

10
queen
SCENE TYPE: BIFURCATION
A Bifurcation means that you will have to make choices. A split
path? Go forward or go back? Leave something behind or not?
Respond to a call or not? Make your decision.

SCENE THEMES
Spin a pencil over this chart twice to pick two themes to inspire this Bifurcation.

Price
age
Pass Saf
ety
em
oH

I
cneconn
ytinumm

e
oC

htaeD
noigileR

reirr
aB
eH
th la

e
adenc
Natur
e Dec
Peace

11
king
SCENE TYPE: REVELATION
Does your scene take place now or in a flashback? Or maybe it is a
scene where you are not even present? What is revealed? Is it about
you? About your stalker? Or does it reveal something else?

SCENE THEMES
Spin a pencil over this chart to pick a theme to inspire this Revelation.

Survival
e
Desir Fea
r
ned
ruB

ytuD
pihsnoita
leR

terceS
ssoL

evo
L
rP
edi

d
Dream Bon
Debt

12
ace
SCENE TYPE: PURSUIT
This means that the stalker is on your trail! It is close and catching up
with you, you can feel your life hanging by a thread. How will you
escape this time? What must you lose to save your life?

SCENE THEMES
Spin a pencil over this chart to pick a theme to inspire the risk of this Pursuit.

Skill
Blood Bat
tle
nw
onkn
U

oW
dnu
ytinutrop
pO

emiT
S
htgnert

ecn
alaB
D
lose

n
a

ctio
t
noi

te
Strate
gy Pro
Weakness

13
clubs
MUNDUS INTENTION
Spin a pencil over this chart to learn the Mundus Intention for this scene.

Scheme
te
Deba Con
tro
l
nra
eL

snI
tcep
etalupina
M

edulE
tcartsiD

erol
pxE
C
cno

e
lae

alleng
Refus
e Ch
Summon

How does this Intention manifest itself in the scene? How do you
overcome these obstacles? What will you need to do to resist Mundus?

14
hearts
MUNDUS INTENTION
Spin a pencil over this chart to learn the Mundus Intention for this scene.

Swear
e
Enrag Sur
ren
der
ecudeS

A
odnab
mlehwre

n
vO

dloH
esoL

etal
oiV
teB
yar

ct
Impre Reje
ss
Challenge

How does this Intention manifest itself in the scene? How do you
overcome these obstacles? What will you need to do to resist Mundus?

15
spades
MUNDUS INTENTION
Spin a pencil over this chart to learn the Mundus Intention for this scene.

Shock
ten
Threa We
ake
n
tru
H

rB
kae
egrahC

ksiR
evaeL

kca
ttA
S
tsu
nia

t
Push Hun
Catch

How does this Intention manifest itself in the scene? How do you
overcome these obstacles? What will you need to do to resist Mundus?

16
diamonds
MUNDUS INTENTION
Spin a pencil over this chart to learn the Mundus Intention for this scene.

Divert
ce
Redu Bui
ld
liop
S

K
pee
egnahC

evreserP
tceffA

yort
seD
R
tse

e
ero

inforc
Obtai
n Re
Transform

How does this Intention manifest itself in the scene? How do you
overcome these obstacles? What will you need to do to resist Mundus?

17
BUILD THE SCENE
After you draw the card and the words from the charts, write down the Type, Theme
and Intention for that scene on your Game Sheet.

With those aspects in mind, you begin your narrative by incorporating all these
elements into the scene. Describe what you think, feel, and see. For inspiration, answer
these questions:

How does horror overwhelm you and fear envelop you?

Where are you? Are you alone?

What do your five senses perceive?

How do the Theme and Intention of the scene manifest themselves?

How does the horror compel you to act?

Keep narrating until you reach a point where you need to make a decision or take a
risky, dramatic action of uncertain outcome—the Climax. When that point is reached,
move on to Scene Resolution.

18
scene
resolution
CHOOSE YOUR APPROACH
When you reach the Climax, the time has come to take a risky and dramatic action.
You need to decide how you face that challenge. Choose one of the 4 Approaches:

Clubs: Choose this option if you meet the challenge using your mind,
intellect, tactics, inventiveness, and creativity.

Hearts: Choose this option if you resolve the scene using your
emotions, your sensitivity, connections with others, or your hope.

Spades: Choose this option if you act impulsively, provoking direct

conflict or physical confrontation.

Diamonds: Choose this option if you use the resources at your disposal
to overcome the challenge, use material things or the fruit of a craft.

20
DRAW THE CARDS
Your choice of Approach means that you will take cards from the Approach Pile of your
chosen suit.
You can draw a number of cards up to the current value of your Breath.
You start the game with Breath 4, so you can take 1 to 4 cards from the Approach Pile
of the chosen suit.
Decide how many cards you want to take, draw and reveal them all at once. After
revealing the cards, you cannot draw any more, even if you haven't used up all your
Breath limit.
Choose only the revealed card with the highest value. Place all revealed cards in a pile
on top of your Scene Card, with the highest card on top, indicating your Outcome.

During the course of the game, if you run out of cards of a particular suit, you can no
longer use that suit to resolve your conflicts until all the other suits have also run out.
When this happens, reshuffle all the piles.

Let's say you have chosen to act impulsively and go into conflict, so you choose the
suit of Spades.
Your current Breath is 4, so you can take from 1 to 4 cards of Spades
.
Suppose you decide to take 3 cards from the Spades pile. Let's say the cards you get
are 2, 5, and 3. You don't like the result very much, but since you've already revealed
the cards, you can't get another one, even though your current limit is 4.
So your result is 5, the highest card among those revealed. You place the 3 cards
drawn on top of your Scene Card, with the 5 on top, representing your Outcome.

21
CHECK YOUR OUTCOME
With your highest ranking card, you have 3 possible outcomes:

2 to 5 — Failure
6 to 8 — Complication
9 or 10 — Success
Let's understand the implications of each one of those outcomes.

2 TO 5 — FAILURE
Your outcome was unfavorable. You failed to do what you wanted to do and Mundus
affected you in a negative way.
You lose 1 Breath. If your Breath reaches 0, you are defeated by Mundus, and succumb to
its horror.
The narrative Consequences of your failure are based on the approach you chose to take:
Clubs: think of a consequence related to your mind, such as confusion,
madness, stress. What has tormented you?

Hearts: think of a consequence related to your emotions, such as lack of

control, anger, passion, violence, anguish. How do your feelings overwhelm you?

Spades: think of a consequence related to your physical state, such as injury,

exhaustion, fractures, illness. How does your body suffer?

Diamonds: think of a consequence related to matter, such as lost or broken

objects, greed or desire, physical obstacles. How does matter make you suffer?

22
6 TO 8 — COMPLICATION
Your outcome was not the best. You have a choice. You can make an extra effort to
get the result you wanted, by losing Breath. Or you can avoid losing Breath, but not get
what you wanted.

Make an extra effort

You got what you wanted and are safe from Mundus for a brief moment. But this came
with a price. Mundus has affected you in a negative way, although it brings you a
memory, a glimpse of what is actually happening here.
You lose 1 Breath, but collect 1 Memory. Mark them on your Game Sheet.
Based on the Approach you have chosen for your action, you must think of a narrative
Consequence as if you had a Failure (see examples above, in Outcome 2 to 5). Also
based on this suit, you should answer one of the Memory-related Contemplations as if
you had had a Success (see questions below, in Outcome 9 or 10).

Avoid losing Breath

You didn't get to do what you wanted to do, but Mundus didn't affect you in any
significant way.
You don't lose any Breath, but you also don't collect any Memories.
The narrative Consequences are based on the approach you chose to take:

Clubs: think of a distraction related to your mind, such as confusion, delirium,

stress. What was going through your mind for a moment?

Hearts: think of a distraction related to your emotions, such as lack of control,

anger, passion, violence, anguish. What feeling almost overwhelmed you?

Spades: think of a distraction related to your physical state, such as injury,

fatigue, discomfort. How did your body keep you from succeeding?

Diamonds: think of a distraction related to matter, such as lost or broken

objects, greed or desire, physical obstacles. How did matter keep you from
getting what you wanted?
23
9 OR 10 — SUCCESS
You got what you wanted, and you are safe from Mundus for a brief moment. Your
success also brought you a Memory, a glimpse into what is actually happening here.
You collected 1 Memory. Mark it on your Game Sheet. Answer one of the Contemplation
questions below, according to the Approach you chose.

Clubs
Who did you leave behind to survive?
Why do you think this is all your fault?
Who have you deceived with your lies?
Why do you face death with a cold heart?

Hearts
What is the worst crime you have committed?
What seems to bind you to your stalker?
Why does the thought of surviving make you cry?
What anger from the past runs through you now?

Spades
Who was the first person to die? Why did they deserve it?
Who is someone you cared about that you hurt?
Why does violence make you feel alive?
Which conflict from your past has left the biggest scars on you?

Diamonds
Where were you when it all happened?
What did you give up in order to survive?
What was your greatest desire before all this?
Why do you fear your ego more than your death?

24
BREATH AND MEMORIES
As you may have noticed, Failures make you lose Breath, and Successes make you
collect Memories.
Breath represents how much you can still keep running away from the horror that is
chasing you. Your Breath value determines how many cards you can draw when you
take action. If your Breath reaches zero, your story ends, and you succumb to the
terror.
Memories are small flashes that help you try to understand what is really going on.
These flashes are made up of questions you must answer about yourself and the
horror that surrounds you. The more Memories you collect, the better your chances of
defeating the horror in the final confrontation.

OUT OF BREATH
If at any point in the game your Breath reaches 0, you are defeated by Mundus, and
surrender to his horror.
You can no longer resist... The horror is larger, stronger than you. It is your end.
Watch as your breath ends, succumbing to Mundus.
What is your last thought?

25
special
scenes
PLAYING A SPECIAL SCENE
Run! is played in exactly 16 scenes (if you survive until the end), following the dynamics
presented above. After narrating the Outcome of a scene, you start over by pulling a
new Scene Card from the Mundus Deck and placing it to the right of the previous one.
However, in Scenes 4, 8, 12, and 16, we have Special Scenes: you have achieved one of
your 4 Story Objectives and are one step closer to beating the horror.
These Special Scenes are highlighted on your Game Sheet and have some different
rules:
The Scene Card gives you only the Theme and Intention. Ignore the Scene Type.
You don't choose an Approach to act on—you won't need to draw cards from the
Approach piles.

Each Special Scene is explained below. You start all of them as usual, by drawing a card
from the Mundus Deck and placing it next to the previous one. Set the Theme and
Intention considering the context of each Special Scene.

27
scene 4 — the shelter
You have reached a place or someone to protect you. Take a deep breath, because
now you can, but not for long.

Why is this place or person important to you?

How does this situation quickly become unsafe?
Narrate what happens by answering these questions. When they are answered and the
circumstances change, move on to the next scene. Start a new line of Scene Cards in
front of you below the previous one.

scene 8 — the amulet

You have found something of great value to you. You can use this object to influence
or command something or someone.

What is this amulet and why is it important to you?

How did your command help you escape?
Why was it a bad idea to give this command?
Narrate what happens by answering these questions. When they are answered and the
circumstances change, move on to the next scene. Start a new line of Scene Cards in
front of you below the previous one.

If you arrived at Scene 8 with less than 4 Breath, recover 1 Breath.

28
scene 12 — the sacrifice
You have sacrificed something very important to you in order to move forward.
Describe this impactful scene.

What great advantage did you gain from this sacrifice?

What was the enormous burden of this sacrifice?
Narrate what happens by answering these questions. When they are answered and the
circumstances change, move on to the next scene. Start a new line of Scene Cards in
front of you below the previous one.

If you arrived at Scene 12 with less than 3 Breath, recover 1 Breath.

scene 16 — the awareness

You understand what, how, or why this is happening to you. You act using this
knowledge against the evil that afflicts you.

Describe your reaction to all the horror you have experienced.

Why knowing the truth can be worse than the illusion?

You have reached the four Story Goals. It's time to confront Mundus face to face.

29
the end
THE FINAL CONFRONTATION
If you have survived all 16 Scenes without losing all your Breath, you have reached the
end of your journey of survival. It is time for the resolution of your story.
For your final confrontation against Mundus and all the horror it represents, you will
draw cards one last time. However, this action has specific rules:

You must draw cards in the exact same amount as your remaining Breath.
You must draw each of the cards from different Approach piles, if possible.
You must choose the lowest value among the cards you draw and compare it to
the number of Memories you've collected.

31
FINAL OUTCOME
Compare the lowest card you drew against the number of Memories you collected over
the course of the game.
If your card is:

• Lower than the number of Memories - VICTORY!

Breathe while you can, and narrate the signs that the story continues...
How did you overcome the horror?
Why can the horror still come back?

• Higher than the number of Memories - SURPRISE!

It's time for the horror to awaken (from death, from the basement, from inside
you?) for the final scare, to drag you to hell or worse. Narrate how your story comes
to an end...
How did you think you could win?
Why were you wrong?

• Equal to the number of Memories - STALEMATE!

The die is not yet cast!
Narrate how the showdown extends for a few more dramatic moments.
Draw just one more card from any Approach pile and compare again.

Suppose you have reached the end of your journey with Breath 2, and 5 Memories
collected. You must draw two cards, from two different Approach piles of your choice.
Let's say you draw an 8 and a 4. Your lowest card is 4, so that's the chosen one.
Comparing it to the number of Memories collected, you notice that the card is lower (4
< 5). This means Victory!
32
RUN!
BREATH

MEMORIES

TYPE TYPE TYPE

J: Apparition K: Revelation J: Apparition K: Revelation J: Apparition K: Revelation THE SHELTER
Q: Bifurcation A: Pursuit Q: Bifurcation A: Pursuit Q: Bifurcation A: Pursuit
THEME & INTENTION THEME & INTENTION THEME & INTENTION
__________________________
APPROACH
01 __________________________
APPROACH
02 __________________________
APPROACH
03 04
THEME & INTENTION
OUTCOME OUTCOME OUTCOME
Failure | Complication | Success Failure | Complication | Success Failure | Complication | Success ________________________

TYPE TYPE TYPE

J: Apparition K: Revelation J: Apparition K: Revelation J: Apparition K: Revelation THE AMULET
Q: Bifurcation A: Pursuit Q: Bifurcation A: Pursuit Q: Bifurcation A: Pursuit
THEME & INTENTION THEME & INTENTION THEME & INTENTION
__________________________
APPROACH
05 __________________________
APPROACH
06 __________________________
APPROACH
07 08
THEME & INTENTION
OUTCOME OUTCOME OUTCOME
Failure | Complication | Success Failure | Complication | Success Failure | Complication | Success ________________________

TYPE TYPE TYPE

J: Apparition K: Revelation J: Apparition K: Revelation J: Apparition K: Revelation THE SACRIFICE
Q: Bifurcation A: Pursuit Q: Bifurcation A: Pursuit Q: Bifurcation A: Pursuit
THEME & INTENTION THEME & INTENTION THEME & INTENTION
__________________________
APPROACH
09 __________________________
APPROACH
10 __________________________
APPROACH
11 12
THEME & INTENTION
OUTCOME OUTCOME OUTCOME
Failure | Complication | Success Failure | Complication | Success Failure | Complication | Success ________________________

TYPE TYPE TYPE

J: Apparition K: Revelation J: Apparition K: Revelation J: Apparition K: Revelation THE AWARENESS
Q: Bifurcation A: Pursuit Q: Bifurcation A: Pursuit Q: Bifurcation A: Pursuit
THEME & INTENTION THEME & INTENTION THEME & INTENTION
__________________________
APPROACH
13 __________________________
APPROACH
14 __________________________
APPROACH
15 16
THEME & INTENTION
OUTCOME OUTCOME OUTCOME
Failure | Complication | Success Failure | Complication | Success Failure | Complication | Success ________________________
bonus content
descriptors
Spin a pencil over the charts below anytime you need more input to describe
scenery, places, people, or even actions.

QUALITIES
Strange
ed
Trapp Em
pty
dliW

elaP
gnidaels
iM

nettoR
U
elbatsn

kraD
C
ifno

iliar
den

Forsa Fam
ken
Broken

34
BEHAVIOUR
Abnormal
nt
Defia Vio
len
t
wo
lS

Q
teiu
larutaN

kaelB
H
sselepo

suoi
ruC
L
duo

us
ngero
Innoc Da
ent
Delicate

You might want to combine the results from BEHAVIOUR (adding +ly in the end)
and QUALITIES for a more specific description. So if you are describing a
building and get "Loud" and "Unstable", you combine it as "loudly unstable",
and may interpret it as a collapsing building with loud noises coming from the
structure twisting in itself.

35