Transformation Beta

ͯ ̓͌ ͂
̅ͪ ̂̏ ̅ ̏ ̑ ̓ ͪ ̇ ͪ̔ ̀ ̄ ͫ ͣͫ
︡ ̟ ᷀ ̌ͧ o ͒ ͒ ̵᷆ ̗͗ ̸ a︠ ̨ŗ̶̰̀̓̿͢͠ ̮ ͥ ͒ ͂̿ e ̃ ̉ ͤ ͩ ͋ ͥ̂
︡ ͆︢ ͋ ̑ ̇ ̄ ̴ ︣ ̧᷂̑ ͥ ͑ ̶̢n̪ ͪ̏̑ g ̸̨̣᷈̀̔᷉ ̽̅ ̞ ́ ̽̕ g
̶ .̴᷿̲᷆᷄̀ ̸̡̭᷁ͦ ͂
Y ̠̟͇ ̸̡᷾ ̟͎͚̄̑ u᷇ ̙͕̠ ̩͓ ̝ ̴᷿̣ ̪̯͉̲͋ ̸᷅᷆ c͈̜̻̹͆͞ ͜ ͟ ̶h̯̮̩̙ ͐ a ̷ ̽ ̦ i̵᷊͇̞︣᷃͘͟͜ n
̩̩ ̝̲͉̞̝
͚ ͔ ̣ ̖̳ ̘ ͉̬̺ ̫̱̭ ̰̬
̟̭
The changes started subtly—cravings or

intrusive thoughts. But they soon grew
into noticeable physical alterations
followed by wholesale changes in
perception. It isn’t clear what you
will become, but you can no longer deny
that you are becoming something new.
Do you fight the change? Embrace it? In

either case, there is no stopping the
transformation. Whatever you are becoming—
it is inevitable. At best, you might be
able to wrest enough control from the
beast within to spare those around you.
1
2
Credits
Game Design: Will Thompson
Written by: Will Thompson & David Thomas
Edited by: Jacqueline Schlasner
Lead Playtester: Harley Raptor
Illustrations: Aster Kordona
Spot Illustrations: Jason McNaughton & Charlie Kim
Book Layout: Will Thompson
Typefaces: Adkinson Hyperledgable, Chainprinter,

OCR A Extended, Demon Sker
Some background images were

created with MidJourney. All primary
illustrations were created by current
or former humans.
3
Inspiriations for this game
Movies
• The Fly (1986)
• Videodrome (1983)
• Altered States (1980)
• Ginger Snaps (2000)
• The Thing (1982)
• Alien (1979)
• Hellraiser (1987)
• Crimes of the Future (2022)
Stories
• Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka (1915)
• Annihilation: A Novel by Jeff
VanderMeer (2014)
• Gothic tales of vampires, werewolves,
and possession
• Indigenous stories of shape changers,
skinwalkers, and other bad medicine
RPGs
• The Portal at Hill House by Travis D. Hill
• The Wretched by Chris Bissette
• The Quiet Year by Avery Alder
• Thousand Year Old Vampire by Tim
Hutchings
Land Acknowledgement
This book was written on the lands of the Kiikaapoi,
Osage, Wichita, Caddo, and Commanche. Portions
were also written in the Cherokee Nation Reservation.
Copyright Absurdist Productions, LLC, 2022.
4
Introduction
Transformation is a solo horror role-playing game in which
you chronicle the metamorphosis of an ordinary human
into something monstrous while their companion attempts
to cope.
You, the player, will create a fictional, point-of-view

character to center your experience of the story
around. As your character struggles through their
transformation, you will describe their thoughts,
feelings, and actions in your journal as if your character
were writing the experience themselves. The story is
yours to create. The rules presented here provide the
framework around which you will craft your story.
Each journey through Transformation will tell a different

story as a result of your choices and the random events
your character encounters. You’ll see the monster your
character becomes and how that horror affects those
around them.
Though the exact ending is unknown, one thing

is certain: the transformation is inevitable. Your
character might embrace it or struggle against it,
but as the player, you know that it will happen.
While Transformation is about an experience rather than

an objective, your character will have their own desires
and goals they are striving for. Play to see if your character
achieves them.
What You’ll Need to Play

To play Transformation, you will need the following supplies:
• This book
• A writing utensil
• A notebook, paper, or word processor program
• A standard deck of playing cards
Optionally, you may use the Transformation Notebook and
the memento sticker sheets if you have them.
5
Safety and Content Warnings
Transformation is a horror game. As such, it is designed
to elicit feelings of fear, discomfort, and well, horror. If you
are reading this, that is likely something you are actively
seeking. Experiencing horror in a controlled way should
be fun. Still, not all content is suitable for all audiences.
Transformation is intended for adult audiences; it isn’t
suitable for children.
The game’s events do touch on many uncomfortable topics.

It is up to you, the player, to decide how far you want to
delve into any particular aspect. It can be as gruesome
or tame as you choose. Remember, it is in your control.
The game may ask you to journal about some difficult

subjects. Violence, death, and physical changes occur
throughout this text. The game does not involve the loss of
body parts, bodily functions, or senses.
The game will ask you to draw cards that depict

events or changes your character is experiencing.
Passage tiles will be denoted with a superscript
numeral if they contain any of the following:
1. Body image issue
2. Animal harm or death
3. Intimate violence
4. Self-harm or suicide
5. Mental illness
6. Physical illness
7. Abduction
If you’d prefer to avoid a certain topic, simply discard the

card that led you to the event in question and draw another.
If an event or change causes you considerable, unwanted
anxiety, discard the card and draw another. If a single
aspect of an event bothers you, cross it out and rewrite it.
At times, the game depicts scenes of horror or violence

involving the player character and the companion. We
recommend not modeling the companion character after
a real person. We suggest using the optional companion
generator presented in the Appendix.
Don’t hesitate to take breaks.
6
The Rules
Make sure you have everything you need to play; a list is on page.
At a minimum, you will need a standard deck of playing cards
to determine some of the game’s random elements. You’ll also
need a notebook or journal and something to write with to record
your story.
Setup
Sort your deck into three piles. All the Spades will go into one
pile, the Clubs in a second pile, and all the red cards (Hearts
)and Diamonds ) in the third. You won’t need the jokers.
1. Shuffle each pile.
2. Clubs represent the changes that are
happening to your body and mind. Place
this stack to the upper left of your journal.
3. Spades represent the events that are
happening around you each day. Place this
stack to the upper right of your journal.
4. The red cards will be used to determine the
outcomes of your daily challenges. Place this
stack in the center or below your journal.
The diagram to the right will be present on future pages to help
you remember which stack is which.
Note: You’ll always discard cards after drawing them. Never

return cards to the decks.
7
Daily Event and Changes
Transformation is played over seven in-game days. Once you start
playing, don’t read ahead of where you are in the story.
The spread for each day contains two tables: changes and events.
At the start of each day, you’ll draw a card from the Clubs
deck and consult the transformation table for that day. This will
indicate what changes are occurring to your body and mind.
After writing about your change, you’ll draw a card from the
Spade deck and consult the table for the current day. The card
you drew will determine which event occurs on that day. The table
will tell you what page to turn to.
Each event will walk you through what happens, what you should
describe in your journal, and the possible outcomes of the event.
Text in green boxes are narrative descriptions related to

what your character is experiencing. This text tells you what
is happening to your character in the story of the game. For
example:
The changes feel overwhelming. The feelings

of power and terror mix in your brain.
The rest of the text is instructions for you, the player, to follow.
These instructions include gaining or losing Mementos or Bonds
(covered in the next section) and specific writing prompts.
When you begin the game, you’ll start with the

Prologue on page 11.
Journaling
Each event will ask you to make a journal entry. Try to write at
least two to four sentences for each journal entry, but you can
write as much or as little as you wish. You aren’t expected to
write a novel. If you get stuck, just jot down what makes sense
and move on.
Often, journal prompts will be accompanied by a list of questions.

These questions are just suggestions. You don’t have to answer
any of them but doing so may make your story richer.
8
Mementos and Bonds
Mementos and Bonds are your two
resources in Transformation.
As you play, events may cause you to gain or lose either

or both of these resources. Each event will give specific
instructions related to tracking your Mementos and
Bonds in your journal.
Mementos
Mementos can be anything that reminds your character
of their humanity and who they are. These might be
photographs, old toys, or other items that would remind
your character of their past life and happy memories.
They can also be scars (physical or emotional) that
contribute to a sense of self.
Certain prompts will tell you that you “lose” a Memento.

When this happens, select the Memento that makes the
most sense in the context of the prompt, and cross it
out in your journal. Your character no longer has access
to that Memento. It is lost, broken, stolen, or otherwise
gone.
If a prompt tells you to lose a

Memento and you don’t have one,
simply ignore that. If you have the
option to lose a Memento, but you have
none to lose, you can’t select that option.
9
Bonds
Bonds connect your character to their companion. They
are the memories, responsibilities, and feelings that
create their relationship with one another.
Bonds have two states of depletion: checked and

broken. Checking a Bond means that the Bond is
strained but not broken.You’ve used up that piece of
social capital. If the game directs you to check a Bond,
select one and put a checkmark next to it in your journal.
Each Bond can only be checked once, though the game
will occasionally allow you to uncheck a Bond.
If a Bond is checked twice, it is considered broken.

Cross it out. This Bond is lost and can never be reformed.
If you have no unchecked Bonds and a prompt tells you
to check one, you must break a Bond instead.
You’ll create your first Mementos in the Prologue and

may also gain your first Bond.
Challenges
Each daily event will be accompanied by a challenge.
Draw a card from the red ( / ) deck. The table located
on the event page will tell you what the card means.
Typically, low-numbered cards indicate a negative
outcome. Higher value cards indicate a positive outcome.
For some of the cards in the middle, you’ll be able to

choose to lose a Memento or check a Bond to ensure
the most positive outcome. The game will tell you which
resources you can spend. If you don’t have the required
resource for an option, or if you don’t have a Memento or
Bond that makes sense to use, you can’t select that option.
Since most of the cards in the red ( / ) deck will make

up this middle group, you’ll need to think carefully about
when to spend your Mementos and Bonds to improve
your outcome. These are limited resources, and if you
don’t have one to spend, you’ll be stuck with the worse
of the two outcomes.
10
Prologue
You awaken, just like any day. Time seems to have
lost all meaning. Each day is a repetition of chores,
silence, and finding ways to pass the endless time.
Still, there is comfort in being alone together. You’ve reached a

routine, a rhythm, that makes the monotonous days bearable.
Only today, something feels different. It’s hard

to put your finger on it, but it’s there.
In your journal, create the world that you live in:

• Describe the time period in which you live.
• Describe what caused your isolation. Here are some ideas:
° There is a global pandemic.
° You are hiding from persecution by the ruling regime.
° You are criminals, laying low.
° You are the only survivors in your colony or village.
° You are snowed in, trapped in an isolated cabin.
• Describe the place to which you are confined. It should
be a dwelling in which you and your companion have free
movement and the option of privacy, such as a house, a
cabin, or something of that nature
• Describe yourself and your companion. Your companion
should be a person or being with whom you can
converse.Note: We recommend not modeling the
companion after a real person. Instead, you may use the
Companion Generator on page 85.
° What do you look like?
° Is your companion human, or some other intelligent being?
° How did you meet?
° How do you feel about one another?
• Create two Mementos. Here are some ideas:
° An amulet given to you by your mother
° A mix tape made by a lost friend
° A picture of the house you’ll one day own
° Your faith in God
Do not define what caused your transformation. That may
(or may not) be revealed over the course of the story.
Your companion enters the room as you wake.
11
Challenge
Draw a card from the red ( / ) deck
and read the indicated outcome.
• 2–8 / : Read and follow Outcome A.
• 9–Ace / : Read and follow Outcome B.
Outcome A:
This strange feeling persists, but your companion is

oblivious to how you feel. Your responses are short
with irritation. Your companion leaves, saying that
they are busy today. You spend the day alone.
In your journal, describe the interaction with your companion

and how you spend the day in isolation together.
• What are your daily chores?
• How do you pass the time alone?
• Where does your companion go when you are apart?
When you are done, turn the page and begin
Day 1 on page 13.
Outcome B:
You bury the strange feeling deep down. It tugs at the back
of your mind, but it’s probably nothing. You spend the rest of
the day with your companion, trying to make the most of it.
In your journal, describe the interaction with your companion

and how you spend the day in isolation together.
• What are your daily chores?
• How do you pass the time?
• Does your companion notice that you are hiding something?
• Do they bring it up?
Create a new Bond based on what you and your
companion did this day. When you are done, turn
the page and begin Day 1 on page 13.
Here are some examples of Bonds:

• Reminiscing about your time together in the war
• Your shared faith in God
• Your unflagging attraction to one another
• A shared intellectual respect
• Friday movie nights
• An inside joke
12
Day 1
Draw a Club to determine what transformations you undergo
this day. Describe those changes in your journal. Then, draw a
Spade and turn to the indicated page.
Transformations
2 : You can taste anything 8 : Your sense of smell
that touches your bare is heightened. Scents
skin. The flavors of are all around: dirt,
everyday objects are filth, food, sweat, and
scintillating, but you could possibly even fear.
never have imagined
the taste of flesh under 9 : Your nails have grown
your fingertips. noticeably. They are so
hard and sharp they
3 : Your skin is dry, may as well be called
rough, and cracking. “claws” or “talons”.
No treatment
lessens the pain. 10 : You feel spry and youthful.
You are filled with an
4 : You break out in a sweat. energy you haven’t
The heat is suffocating had since childhood.
everywhere you go.
J : Your skin is clammy,
5 : Chunks of hair fall from moist, and almost slimy.
your head and body. Your clothes stick to you.
By the end of the day, You leave a residue on
you’ll be nearly bald. everything you touch.
6 : Your skin is pale and cold Q : You are shivering with

to the touch. When you cold. You crave heat of
sleep, you could pass any kind. Fire does not
for dead. You’ve lost any burn you. In fact, its
sense of hot and cold. warmth barely registers.
The world is a tepid place.
K : Your speech is slurred
7 :
Any light burns your eyes. and garbled. It is hard
Shadows feel like a warm to communicate. Even
blanket, wrapping you in the words in your
comforting darkness. head are garbled.
A : Don’t draw a Spade

 . Instead, turn to
13 Ace on page 81.
Event
2–7 : Go to Hopeful Beginning on page 27.
8–K : Go to Foreboding Omen2 on page 28.
A : Go to Ace5 on page 81.
14
Day 2
Transformations
2 : With clicks and taps you 9 : Your tongue has forked
can echo-locate like a bat. like a snake. You can taste
the air. It is delicious.
3 : You can see in the dark
as clearly as the day. 10 : A tiny set of insect-like
The world of the night arms has sprouted mid-
is revealed to you. torso. They sing when
you rub them together.
4 : You begin to see auras
and trails of light following J : Hard plates of shell
anything emitting heat. form a suit of armor
around your body.
5 : Course, dark fur is
beginning to grow Q : You can painlessly
across your body. dislocate every bone
in your body, allowing
6 : You have grown a tail like you to squeeze into
that of a fish. Is it scaled incredibly small spaces.
or rough like a shark’s
skin? Can you control it? K : Two tentacles have grown
somewhere on your
7 :
You can see more body. Where do they
colors than you ever sprout from? You can
thought possible. The control them with ease.
world shimmers with
beauty and detail. A : Don’t draw a Spade
8 : Your human teeth have Ace on page 81.
been replaced by sharp,
pointed teeth. You find
your old teeth scattered
on your blood-soaked
pillow. Your lips won’t
close around your new
teeth, leaving you with a
perpetual macabre grin.
15
Event
2–5 : Go to Sickness6 on page 29.
6–9 : Go to Inner Strength on page 30.
10–K : Go to It’s Probably Nothing on page 31.
A : Go to Ace on page 81.
16
Day 3
Transformations
2 : The flesh of your face 9 : Your fingernails fall out at
and body begin sagging. the root, exposing the soft
The lose skin flops freely pus and flesh beneath.
over the damp folds.
10 : Your limbs and fingers
3 : There are swollen lumps have grown unnaturally
beneath your skin. long. Your legs are
The cysts are visible spindly stalks beneath
from the surface. What you and your fingers
pattern do they form? touch the ground.
4 : You vomit up any normal J : Your skin starts to

food you eat. What do crack and flake off.
you crave instead? What is exposed?
5 : Your hair turns milky white. Q : Your spine protrudes from

your back. Bony spikes
6 : You’ve sprouted a tail with sprout through your skin.
wispy fur. Its wagging
gives a way your mood. K : Thick, spiny hairs grow
from your limbs. They
7 : Your eyes have grown can sense the electricity
large and doe-like in in the air or water.
your distorted skull.
They glow bright yellow A : Don’t draw a Spade
in the darkness.  . Instead, turn to
Ace on page 81.
8 : Your teeth are falling out.
Your bile is a white acid
that dissolves food so that
you can slurp it up. This is
the only way you can eat.
17
Event
2–4 : Go to Curse on page 32.
5–7 : Go to Test Subject7 on page 33.
8–10 : Go to Attacked on page 34.
J–K : Go to No Explanation on page 35.
18
Day 4
Transformations
2 : Your face grows long like 9 : Your fingers have
the muzzle of a canine. fused. Your hands are
claws or pincers.
3 : Your ears have grown
long and pointed. 10 : Your body is gelatinous
and bloblike. You can
4 : You get glimpses of extend pseudopods
the near future, but from your body at will.
you can never change
it. Things always play J : You shed your skin,
out as you foresee. revealing a new one
beneath. Your new skin
5 : You can change the color is not like the old one.
and patterns of your What does it look like?
skin. You can blend in
with most surroundings, Q : Your heartbeat has
but strong emotions stopped. You feel
cause your skin to nothing. You crave
flash and flicker. sensations of any kind.
6 : You have grown a thick, K : You can speak with the

scaly tail. If it’s cut non-human creatures of
off, it will regrow. the world. They obey you.
7 : You are compelled to lick A : Don’t draw a Spade

your eyes, and you can.  . Instead, turn to
Ace on page 81.
8 : Mandibles and maxillae
of an insect grow
from your mouth.
19
Event
2–3 : Go to Loss on page 36.
4–5 : Go to Buying Time on page 37.
6–7 : Go to Unhinged 2,3 on page 38.
8–9 : Go to Nature in Revolt2 on page 39.
10–J : Go to Predator on page 40.
Q–K : Go to Intrusion on page 41.
20
Day 5
Transformations
2 : Tentacles grow from 8 : Your mouth is filled
your face like a with too many teeth.
squid. How many?
9 : Your fingers have
3 : You can expel a thick multiplied.
ink-like substance
from your body. Where 10 : Your arms have grown
does it come from? into leathery wings.
You take flight.
4 : Your body produces
no heat. You are J : You crave the coppery
cold-blooded and taste of warm blood. It
must warm yourself. is the only thing that can
satisfy your hunger.
5 : Your skin is replaced
with glistening scales. Q : You can hear the slightest
sounds: a mouse
6 : Gossamer wings like breathing, the heartbeat
a dragonfly emerge of your companion, wind
from your back. Can through tiny cracks.
you fly or is this but
another cruel joke? K : You have grown
several feet taller.
7 : You see the world as if
through a broken mirror. A A : Don’t draw a Spade
hundred fractured images  . Instead, turn to
make up your field of view. Ace on page 81.
21
Event
2–3 : Go to I Need Some Air on page 42.
4–5 : Go to Anhedonia 4,5 on page 43.
6–7 : Go to Sisyphus3 on page 44.
8–9 : Go to Conflict on page 41.
10–J : Go to Anamnesis on page 42.
Q–K : Go to Enantiodromia1,5 on page 47.
22
Day 6
Transformations
2 : You can dislocate and 8 : Two long fangs extend
distend your jaw to an from your upper jaw.
enormous size. What is They are twice as long
the first thing you eat? as your other teeth.
3 : You’ve developed a 9 : You can move with

powerful venom. How do unnatural speed.
you deliver it: bite, claws,
sting, or something else? 10 : Your desire to hunt is
uncontrollable. You
4 : You stick to surfaces must pursue live prey,
and can climb walls. something that will run.
5 : Hard chitinous plates J : Your feet are replaced

above your skin join to with canine paws. You pad
support your body. Your silently when you walk.
bones are no more.
Q : Holes of different sizes
6 : A second mouth sprouts have opened across your
from somewhere on back, each covered with
your body. Where is it? a thin membrane. What
What does it want? emerges when they burst?
7 : Your eyes pop from K : Your lips have hardened

your head and extend and elongated into
on long stalks. What a sharp beak.
do you see that you
never saw before? A : Don’t draw a Spade
Ace on page 81.
23
Event
2 : Go to Redemption 2 on page 48.
3 : Go to Confinement5 on page 49.
4 : Go to Sublimation 3 on page 51.
5 : Go to I’m The Only One5 on page 52.
6 : Go to Actualization on page 53.
7 : Go to Aporia on page 54.
8 : Go to Charybdis3 on page 55.
9 : Go to Abyss4,5 on page 56.
10 : Go to Deception on page 57.
J : Go to Ritual on page 58.
Q : Go to Pandemonia on page 59.
K : Go to Horrified 1 on page 60.
24
Day 7
Transformations
2 : You’ve begun laying 8 : You are contagious.
eggs. How many? You can spread the
Where? When they hatch, changes to others. How
what comes out? does it spread: touch,
breath, bite, sex, or
3 : You form a chrysalis and some other way? Do you
fall into a deep sleep. avoid passing it on?
How will you emerge?
9 : It hurts to be upright. You
4 : You’ve spawned a clone can only walk on all fours.
from your body. What
is its one difference? 10 : You can breathe
What does it want? only water.
5 : Your mind is open. You J : Your legs (and tail) fuse

can hear the thoughts into one appendage.
of others. You can move
objects with a whim. Q : With a hefty breath, you
can expel a substance
6 : Normal wounds heal from your mouth. What
instantly, but you have one is it: fire, acid, poison,
weakness. What is it: iron, something else?
silver, blessed items, fire,
cold, or something else? K : You can’t remember
yesterday—or much
7 : Sunlight burns and would of anything, really.
kill you in seconds. Break all Bonds. Lose
all Mementos.
A : Don’t draw a Spade

Ace on page 81.
25
Event
2 : Go to Prey3 on page 61.
3 : Go to Flee on page 63.
4 : Go to Sacrifice3,4 on page 65.
5 : Go to Another on page 67.
6 : Go to Beast3 on page 69.
7 : Go to Nodus Tollens on page 72.
8 : Go to Together1 on page 73.
9 : Go to Metanoia5 on page 75.
10 : Go to Vacui on page 77.
J : Go to Taken 7 on page 78.
Q : Go to Crito on page 79.
K : Go to Ataraxia on page 80.
26
Hopeful Beginning
Despite the peculiarities of your circumstance, you
begin your day with a sense of peace and security. You
find something unique, beautiful, and unexpected. This
unexpected treasure brings you hope and gives you the
impression that maybe things are finally getting better.
Look at the number of the Spade card you drew for today:
• 2–3 : You find a delicious snack you didn’t
know you had. Maybe it’s a rare plant
in the forest, a packaged treat from
before things went bad, or something
else rare and special.
• 4–5 : You find a trinket. It is
something small that reminds you of
better times. What is it?
• 6 : You find an old book. What is it
about?
In your journal, describe what you find and list it as
a new Memento.
Challenge
Draw a card from the red ( / ) deck and
read the indicated outcome.
• 6–10 / : If you check a Bond or lose a Memento,
read and follow Outcome B. Otherwise, read and follow
Outcome A.
• J–K / : Read and follow Outcome B.
• Ace / : Gain a Bond, then read and follow Outcome B.
Outcome A:
You decide that a fresh start and a hopeful beginning mean

letting go of something old that doesn’t serve you anymore.
Lose a Memento. In your journal, describe why you are letting

it go. Turn to Day 2 on page 15.
Outcome B:
In your journal, describe your hopes for the future for yourself,
your companion, and the world around you. Gain a Bond based
on these hopes and dreams. Turn to Day 2 on page 15.
27
Foreboding Omen2
You can’t shake an overwhelming sense of wrongness
today. You can’t place it, but something is just
off. The world is too quiet. Is someone watching
you, or is it just your mind playing tricks?
Look at the number of the Spade card you drew for today:
• 8–9 : You find an animal somewhere in or near your
isolation. It shouldn’t be there. It’s dead, mangled. What
type of animal is it? What could have done this?
• 10–J : You have a disturbing, prophetic dream. What do
you dream about?
• Q–K : The omen comes in the form of a prophecy. Who
gives it to you (e.g., a strange old traveler, an AI algorithm,
a mysterious text)? What does the prophecy say?
In your journal, describe what you see.
Challenge
Outcome A.
Outcome A:
You try to dismiss the ill omen. It doesn’t affect you. You
are safe here, in this isolated place, aren’t you?
Describe the feeling of unease. Do you just shake it off, or does

it linger? How does it affect you? Turn to Day 2 on page 15.
Outcome B:
You double-check the doors and windows.

You take stock of your supplies.
What’s there? What’s missing? What can you do to batten

down the hatches even tighter? Write about it in your journal.
Gain a Memento called Security. Turn to Day 2 on page 15.

28
Sickness6
You wake in a cold sweat, your body convulsing
with sickness. Your dreams were fevered. You were
something inhuman, bestial, escaping into the night. Your
companion is beside you, comforting you, and trying
to protect you from your own spasms. As your body
calms and your senses return to the waking world, you
think back to how your companion reacted yesterday.
In your journal, describe your companion’s

actions of the previous day.
Challenge
Outcome A.
Outcome A:
̐͆
̌̈ ̌ ̈́̔̅ ͋ ̈́̑ ̎ ̎ ̄̎̾ ̀ ̎
̐
“I told you something was w̵͆r̴̛̼̖͈̄̀̕͜ ̦̥̲ ͒ ō̸̡͈͖̇͘n
̄ ̰̆ ̢g̸ ͊ ́ ̶,”̭͘ you manage to say.
̤̻̳ ̭̻̼̟ͅ ̫̬͙̗
͇̼ ̼̝̥ ͙̗̞̠
Describe your interaction with ͉͓͇ ͍ your ̟̮̤ companion. Be
̩͉͎
sure to include details about the changes you are
experiencing. Describe your voice. How has it changed?
How does your companion react to your words: fear,
anger, compassion? How do you react to your own
words and voice? Turn to Day 3 on page 17.
Outcome B:
You sob into your companion’s arms. You tremble with

fear at what you are becoming, but at least you are not
alone. Still, you sense something in your companion…
Describe your interaction with your companion. Be sure

to include details about the changes you are experiencing.
What do you sense from your companion: elevated heart
rate, hesitation, a bead of sweat, or the smell of fear?
Gain a relevant Bond. Turn to Day 3 on page 17.

29
Inner Strength
On the morning of the second day you feel lighter,
unburdened. Perhaps these changes aren’t so
bad after all. It took most of the morning to get
used to your new senses or appendages, but
now you can’t imagine living without them.
Maybe you are becoming something better.
Maybe you are becoming something more than human.
In your journal describe how you use your

new changes. What problems do they solve?
What problems do they create?
Challenge
Outcome A.
Outcome A:
In your zeal to explore your new changes,

you break something important.
Lose a Memento and describe the mistake in

your journal. How does your companion react? Are
they angry, sad, or understanding? How are you
exploring your new changes? Describe how this
exploration feels. Turn to Day 3 on page 17.
Outcome B:
Your companion watches you explore your changes.

You expected them to be horrified, but they
aren’t. They seem genuinely happy for you.
Gain a Bond. How do you and your companion bond over

these new changes? Be sure to include details about the
changes you are experiencing. Turn to Day 3 on page 17.
30
It’s Probably Nothing
Your time in isolation has made you resilient. Little
things that used to seem like a nuisance just wash
right over you. So, maybe you are sick. It’s probably
nothing. It will pass. Just give it time, you tell yourself.
Your companion is acting strange though. They keep

pestering you, doting on you, asking if you need anything.
No matter how often you assure them that everything is
fine, they just won’t stop. This attention—it’s suffocating.
Describe how you confront your companion with

your need for more space. Describe your words
and actions and their immediate response.
Challenge
Outcome A.
Outcome A:
Your companion is frustrated. They give you space, but

are angry with you. This leads to an argument.
Check a Bond. Describe the argument, how does it

leave you feeling? Be sure to include details about the
changes you are experiencing. What do you sense from
your companion: elevated heart rate, hesitation, a bead of
sweat, or the smell of fear? Turn to Day 3 on page 17.
Outcome B:
Your companion gives you some space. You

apologize and let them help.
Gain a Bond. Describe the bond and your interaction in

your journal. Be sure to include details about the changes
you are experiencing. Turn to Day 3 on page 17.
31
Curse
The changes have gone well beyond anything that could be
considered a normal illness. It’s clear that you aren’t just sick…
The puzzle pieces start to come together. What was it that

you read, saw, or dreamed about the night before? You
check the previous day’s journal. It’s all there, but you’ve
left something out. What is it that you’ve omitted?
The breadcrumbs all lead to something ancient and evil—

something that mortal eyes should not see.
You are cursed.
In your journal, describe what you omitted from

yesterday’s entry. You don’t have to explain why.
Challenge
Draw a card from the red ( /
) deck and read the indicated outcome.
Outcome A.
Outcome A:
You become obsessed. Maybe there is power here. You

want to use the curse, understand it. Your obsession
drives a rift between you and your companion.
Break a Bond. Describe how they are dealing with

your new obsession and how it’s making you feel
about them. Turn to Day 4 on page 19.
Outcome B:
You find a hint. It’s something that might help

break the curse if you can do it in time.
What is it? Gain a Memento based on the

hint. Turn to Day 4 on page 19.
32
Test Subject7
The memory comes to you in flashes, triggered by something
you read or saw. There were wires, machines, and things
they put through your skin. There were bright lights and
voices. There were men in uniforms. Why were they there?
It’s all hazy, but you know someone did something to you.
You were the subject of their experiments. Is that why you
are changing? Maybe there is something important in those
memories. Something that can help explain what is going on…
In your journal, describe your memories, fractured

though they may be. What images flash before
your eyes? What did they do to you?
Challenge
• 6–10 / : If you check a Bond or lose a Memento, read and
follow Outcome B. Otherwise, read and follow Outcome A.
Outcome A:
The memories are too fractured, too painful.

You can’t make out anything useful.
Describe how the memories make you feel. Does the failure
to make meaning of them bring anger, depression, or do
you just try to forget it, think of it merely as a bad dream?
Turn to Day 4 on page 19.
Outcome B:
Something in your flashbacks triggers an

idea about what’s happening to you.
In your journal, describe who was experimenting on

you. What did they hope to achieve? How did you and
your companion escape? What hint do you find in these
memories? Gain a Memento based on the hint.

33
Attacked
The memories come to you in flashes, triggered
by something you read or saw.
You were attacked by something. It wasn’t…natural. You didn’t

get a good look at it. It moved too quickly through the darkness.
In your journal, describe what you saw. What do you know about
the thing that attacked you? Where were you when it happened?
Challenge
Outcome A:
Just when you think it’s gone, the Beast emerges again from
the shadows. It pounces, wounding you deeply. Before the
worst can happen, your companion arrives and the beast
flees back into the darkness of your mind. The vision fades.
You look down to your wound, red and inflamed. It’s not life-
threatening, but something is definitely wrong. It looks necrotic.
Gain a Memento called Unhealing Wound.

Describe the wound and how it’s impacting
you. Turn to Day 4 on page 19.
Outcome B:
Just when you think it is gone, the Beast emerges again

from the shadows. It looks like it is going to pounce. At
the very last second, your companion appears and the
beast flees back into the darkness of your memories. You
would think it a nightmare if not for what it left behind.
The thing that attacked you left something behind. Perhaps

it was a tuft of hair, a tooth, a claw, or even a scrap of
clothing. Whatever was left behind, gain it as a Memento.
Describe what you found. Turn to Day 4 on page 19.
34
No Explanation
You’ve poured over every source of information
available to you. You’ve scoured your memory. You’ve
tried everything you can think of, but you can find
no explanation. There is no way to know why this is
happening. And that means there is no way to stop it.
Describe the research you’ve done and where you’ve looked for
answers. What did you find in the absence of an explanation?
Challenge
Outcome A:
Your frustration is unbearable. How can the world be

so cruel, so chaotic? “There must be something. Some
reason,” you tell yourself, but you find no answers.
You lash out, the frustration and rage overtaking you. You
break things. Lose a Memento and break an unchecked Bond.
Describe your rage, your frustration, and your rationalization.
Outcome B:
The absurdity of it all brings you to tears of laughter. There

was never any reason. There was never any point. This
is just the cruel fate the universe has dealt you. Why not
embrace it? Doesn’t this mean you are truly free?
Break a Bond; your connections are meaningless anyway.

Describe what you do to break this bond with your companion.
Describe your frustration, your acceptance, and your new outlook.
35
Deprivation
There are additional complications. Something
you desperately need is in short supply. You have
less than three days of this supply remaining.
What supplies are you lacking?

• Food?
• Oxygen?
• Heat?
• An essential medication for you or your companion?
• Something else?
Challenge
Outcome A:
The situation is dire. Things may soon become

desperate if you cannot get new supplies.
In your journal, describe how you attempt to ration the

missing supplies and what you plan to do when they run
out. Lose any Mementos related to the short supplies.
Outcome B:
You find a way to ration the remaining supplies. It

will be a hardship, but you can stretch things out
for a few more days. Your shared suffering brings
you and your companion closer together.
Gain a Bond, but lose any Mementos related

to the short supplies. In your journal,
describe your hardship and how you
managed to stretch out the supplies.

36
Buying Time
It’s a struggle, but you believe you have discovered
a way to stop your transformation or at least slow it
down. Unfortunately, the process causes a great
deal of strain. Is it just physical? Mental? Or
both? And how does that strain manifest itself?
In your journal, describe the process

and the effect it is having on you.
Challenge
Outcome A.
Outcome A:
Noticing your struggle, your companion attempts

to comfort you, but you push them away.
Are you protecting them? Jealous of them?

Either way, this leads to a fight. Check a Bond.
Go to the Continued section below.
Outcome B:
Your companion can see how much you

struggle and attempts to comfort you.
Gain a Bond. Describe the bond and your interaction

in your journal. Go to the Continued section below.
Continued:
You manage to complete the process—with or without the

help of your companion. When it’s done, though, you aren’t
sure if it worked. Only time will tell, but you can’t shake
the feeling that “time” is the thing you have the least of.

37
Unhinged2,3
You don’t remember waking up today. You don’t
remember what you did this morning. All you can recall
is unbridled rage, frustration, and disorientation. The
world was a blur as you lashed out in all directions.
You know you lost control. There was blood. But whose?
Describe how it felt to awaken with no memory

of your actions, how did it feel to find the
blood and other evidence of violence?
Challenge
Outcome A.
Outcome A:
It wasn’t just bad, it was worse than you feared. You also
hurt someone. Who was it: your companion, an animal, or
someone else? They lived, but the scars will last forever.
Select up to two Bonds (checked or

unchecked) to keep, and break the rest.
Outcome B:
You lashed out, destroying your surroundings.

Fortunately, your bond with your companion kept
you in check. They managed to calm you before
anyone got hurt. Still, the damage was done.
Select up to two Mementos to keep, and lose the

rest. Describe your rampage in your journal.
38
Nature in Revolt2
The scratching is unbearable. It comes at the doors and
the windows. You hear it beneath the floor and in the
ceiling. The wildlife—or at least something resembling
wildlife—is in revolt. They want to get to you, you hear
them beneath your feet and out of sight above your head.
You aren’t sure if they see you as kin, prey, or a threat.
Against the better judgment of your logical mind, you feel
a strong compulsion to go out to them or to let them in.
In your journal, describe what you hear, feel, and sense.
Challenge
read and follow Outcome B. Otherwise, read and
follow Outcome A.
• Ace / : Gain a Bond, then read and follow
Outcome B.
Outcome A:
You give in to your compulsion. Your companion

tries to stop you, but you press on. You slip outside
where countless glowing eyes greet you.
If you have Security, lose it. Otherwise,

lose another Memento. In your journal,
describe what you find outside the
isolation. How do the creatures react to
you? Turn to Day 5 on page 21.
Outcome B:
Your companion convinces you to stay and keeps

you distracted until the compulsion to leave passes.
The incident puts a strain on your relationship. The
scratching continues for the rest of the night.
Check an unchecked Bond. How do you manage? What

do you find outside the next morning left by your visitors?
Gain it as a Memento. Turn to Day 5 on page 21.
39
Predator
You’ve seen someone, or something, lurking outside,
and you can’t shake the feeling that they are looking
for you. It’s as if you can sense them, and perhaps they
can sense you as well. Every time you notice them, you
feel a shiver of fear run down your spine. Something
tells you they are hunting you—but why? What do they
want with you? How could they have found you?
In your journal, describe this person and explore how they

may have found you and what they might want with you.
Challenge
follow Outcome A.
Outcome B.
Outcome A:
Just as mysteriously as they appeared, your

stalker seems to have vanished. As you
investigate around your home, you find a small
item that you believe belonged to them.
Describe this item in your journal

and gain it as a Memento.
Outcome B:
Your companion is attacked by the one hunting

you. While you are rescuing them you lose, break,
or expend something important in the process.
Gain a Bond and lose a Memento. Describe the conflict,

how you save them, and what you lost in your journal.

40
Intrusion
You wake up with a sense of foreboding. Beyond
your physical and mental changes, which seem
to be accelerating, you feel that something
bad will happen today. You are sure of it.
As quickly as the thought enters your head, you hear a

knock. You have an unexpected guest. This can’t be good…
Someone has arrived, breaking your isolation.

This is the worst possible “guest.” Who are they?
Why are they here? What do they want?
Challenge
Outcome A.
Outcome A:
Your companion panics or refuses to engage

with the situation. You take matters into your
own hands. You take care of the intruder.
Break a Bond (checked or unchecked). In your

journal, describe how you get rid of them.
Outcome B:
You and your companion work together

to get rid of the unwanted guest.
Uncheck a checked Bond. In your journal, describe how you

get rid of the “guest.” Did they go away peacefully, or did
you take care of them in some other manner? The guest
left something behind. What was it? Gain it as a Memento.

41
I Need Some Air
This place you’ve come to call home, once a source of
comfort and safety, has begun to feel claustrophobic. You
need space, fresh air, and the open night sky above your
head. You have other urges as well. They feel almost
overwhelming. You leave the isolation for a night.
Do you tell your companion or merely

slip away? Where do you plan to go,
and what do you plan to do?
Challenge
• 6–10 / : If you check a Bond or lose a
Memento, read and follow Outcome B. Otherwise, read
and follow Outcome A.
Outcome A:
You awake on your doorstep, covered in dirt, your

head throbbing. Your memory is spotty.
What happened during the night? What do you remember?
Outcome B:
You awake in bed, refreshed, but when you roll

over, you find something that surprises and
shocks you—something you brought home.
Describe what you found and gain it as a Memento.
42
Anhedonia4,5
Is it the change or merely the isolation?
Either way, you have begun to feel
depressed and numb. Pleasure, pain,
and even sadness are dulled. You need
to feel some sensation, something to
remind you that you are alive. You need
to feel pain. You decide to hurt yourself.
What do you do? How does it feel?
Challenge
Memento, read and follow Outcome B.
Otherwise, read and follow Outcome A.
• Ace / : Gain a Bond, then read and
follow Outcome B.
Outcome A:
Your companion walks in and is, at

first, shocked by what they see. Then,
their mood changes. Do they try to
comfort you, are they angry?
Describe your encounter with them.
Outcome B:
You’ve gotten quite good at hiding things

from your companion. Your self-torture is
just one more secret. But there is evidence:
cuts, burns, and some other marks.
Describe them and how you hide them in

your journal, then gain one as a Memento.
43
Sisyphus3
You feel like you are losing control. You have
tried everything you can think of but nothing
is working. The changes keep coming and
you can feel your humanity slipping away
more each day. You fear what might happen.
Describe what you fear in your journal.

Is it what you are becoming? What
you might do? Describe what you think
your companion thinks of you.
Challenge
• Ace / : Gain a Bond, then read and
follow Outcome B.
Outcome A:
Hopelessness begets rage. In a tantrum,

you find yourself destroying things
and lashing out at your companion
when they try to calm you down.
Lose a Memento. Break an unchecked

Bond. Describe what you destroyed and the
encounter with your companion in your journal.
Outcome B:
Just when your frustration begins to

boil over into rage, your companion
manages to calm you down.
Describe the encounter in your journal.

44
Conflict3
Tension has been building between you and your
companion from all of this time cooped up in isolation.
Now, frustration over your changes, the secrets
you are keeping, and the things they have seen are
tightening the cords. Something sets it all off.
What is it? What straw breaks the camel’s

back? Who starts the fight?
Challenge
Outcome A.
Outcome A:
Your companion vents all of their frustration,

fear, and rage. The words cut like a knife. It’s
all true, even if you don’t want to admit it.
But is it just words? Do they become

physical? What truths do they speak, and how
does it make you feel? How do you respond?
Outcome B:
Your companion’s rage builds until they begin

throwing things at you, at the wall. Eventually,
they throw something that has meaning to
both of you. As it breaks, calm descends.
Lose a chosen Memento. What is it? What does

it mean to each of you? Describe it in your journal
and gain a part of it as a new Memento.
45
Anamnesis5
A memento triggers a memory, but the events don’t add up.
Conflicting flashes of recollection dance through your mind.
Chose a Memento at random. Review your

previous journal entries and find the day̆̚ when
you first acquired it. That memory is w̶͇̬̐ ̋ r̸̡̢͂͠ ̧̮̹̱ ̌ o̵̬͖̟͗ ̓ ̕ n̵ ̡ .̵̛̭͑̄͘͜ ̋̂ ́ ́
̡ ̘̊ ̈́ ̢g
͙͓̗ ̬ ̠̟̘ ̟̫̳̤̖ ͕͙̻̭
͕ ̤ ̙ ̺̳̼̳
You consider bringing it up to your companion,
but you aren’t sure how they’ll react.
Challenge
Outcome A.
Outcome A:
You keep the discrepant memory hidden.
Cross it out in your journal. Lose the chosen Memento. Also,

break any Bonds that were gained on that day. None of it
can be trusted. Construct a new journal entry explaining that
day and this. What do you think really happened? What gaps
in your memory still exist? Turn to Day 6 on page 23.
Outcome B:
You tell your companion about the faulty memory. They

explain what really happened that day. Much of the
story remains the same, but there are some glaring
differences. It all seems plausible, but can you really
trust your companion? If your memory is faulty, what
if theirs is too? Or worse yet, what if they are lying? If
this memory is wrong, what else have you forgotten?
In your journal, describe the differences between

your companion’s story and your memories. Are there
gaps? Conflicts? Turn to Day 6 on page 23.
46
Enantiodromia1,5
You stare at the face in the mirror, confused. Is that
face really you anymore? Who are you now? Every day
it feels like you’ve lost a little more of yourself.
̂ ̆ ͑ ͝ ̿ ͝ ͋ ̑ ̈́̾ ͆
Is it the c̵̘̖̑ ͛ h̶ a̸n̶ ͓ e̸̫̜ ?̣ The isolation? Is it just your memory
̢ ̈́͘͝g̷
̳̪ ̛ ̩̰ ͉̪̙ ̫̬ ̩̺͎on
playing tricks ͈̝ you? And how does your companion
respond to these lapses into confusion and forgetfulness?
Describe your feelings in your journal.
Challenge
Outcome A.
Outcome A:
You walk into a room to find a stranger sitting.
How do you react? Fear, anger, curiosity?
You blink and realize it is your companion.
How do those emotions change? How do they

react to not being known? Check a Bond.
Outcome B:
You hear a strange voice calling a strange name from another

room. Several times they call before entering your room and
asking why you didn’t respond. That’s when you realize it
was your name that they—that your companion was calling.
How do you respond to them? How do

you react? Fear, anger, curiosity?

47
Redemption2
As you are working outside your home, you hear the
cries of an injured or trapped animal. At first, you try
to ignore it, but strange predatory instincts attempt
to overtake you, leading you to search it out.
Describe these instincts and your search

for the animal in your journal.
Challenge
Outcome A.
Outcome A:
You find the animal, trapped and scared. You are able to rein
in your instincts long enough to free it. As it runs away, it
leaves a bit of itself behind: a bit of fur or a feather, perhaps.
Describe the scene as you find the animal and what it left
behind. Whatever was left behind, gain it as a Memento.
Outcome B:
You discover the animal, badly

injured. Fighting your new instincts,
you gather it in your arms and
bring it inside to your companion.
Describe the animal and how your

companion reacts to it. Gain a Bond.
Does the animal live? Either way, gain the animal

as a Memento. Where do you keep it?
48
Confinement5
You wake full of hunger and fear, but you also have a
lucid sense of what is coming. You can feel self-control
slipping away. Soon, your mind will not be your own.
You confine yourself where you can’t hurt anyone. What place do
you choose? Why do you feel so compelled to lock yourself away?
Challenge
Draw a card from the red ( / ) deck and read the indicated outcome.
Outcome A:
Your companion knocks gently at first but quickly escalates to

banging as they plead for you to come out. You can hear the
pain and fear in their voice, but you keep the door locked. You
feel the gulf between you widen as their desire to understand
why you’re sealing yourself away from them turns to anger.
Describe their reactions and check a Bond.

Go to the Continued section below.
Outcome B:
Your companion attempts to talk you into coming

out, begging you to let them help you. Are you
afraid of hurting them or of them hurting you?
Describe the conversation as you attempt to explain your

fears. Gain a Bond. Go to the Continued section below.
Continued:
As the night grows long, you feel your mind slipping

away from you. Raw emotion and instinct take over. You
watch yourself try to break free of your confinement, but
nothing comes of the struggle. Eventually, sleep takes
hold. When you wake, your mind is your own again.
Describe your night. Turn to Day 7 on page 25.

49
Sublimation3
You have realized that fighting the change is pointless.
You can’t stop the transformation, but perhaps
you can control it. With these new abilities under
your control, the possibilities are endless. You are
stronger now; your senses and mind are clearer.
How do you take control? Consider the Mementos at

your disposal. Describe the process in your journal.
Challenge
Outcome A:
You discover that your deeper animal urges and

instincts are far stronger than you imagined. Your
companion does something that brings out a
darkness in you, driving you toward them.
Describe the encounter in your journal. Do you attack

your companion, hurt them, or merely scare them? How
hard is it to take back control? Check a Bond.
Outcome B:
At first, everything seems to be going according to plan. You

feel at peace and in control, that is until you stumble upon
an item that brings with it a flood of emotions. You
smash it as the darkness inside you surges forth.
Lose a Memento. Describe the feelings

the item invokes in your and the fight
to regain control over yourself.
51
I’m The Only One5
You seem to be alone in your changes. Your companion still
seems to be “human.” You haven’t heard any news or rumors
of any “thing” else like you. What makes you unique? Why
are you the one? Being in such emotional isolation while
already physically isolated generates feelings of depression.
Describe how it feels being so emotionally alone with

no one you can speak to who will understand.
Challenge
Outcome A:
You keep your feelings to yourself, burying them deeper

inside of you. Your depression festers into frustration and
rage and creates a rift between you and your companion.
Describe the emotional rift forming between you

and your companion. How do they react to you
pushing them away? How do you react to them?
Outcome B:
You create a new journal in an effort to confront the depression,

to try to understand your changing emotions and control them.
But you can’t bring yourself to share it with your companion.
Gain a Memento called Journal. Describe

how you hide it from your companion.
52
Actualization
It started as a tiny feeling in the back of your mind.
You didn’t even notice it growing until it was mature.
This thing you have become isn’t “less than.” You
aren’t some deviant freak of nature. No. You are the
next step. You are something greater than humanity.
When you look upon your companion for the first

time today, you don’t see them as an
equal. You see them as a pet at best
and a pitiable nuisance at worst.
Describe your revelation and

your new view of humanity.
Chal- lenge
• 2 - 7 / : Read and follow Outcome A.
• 8 - K / : Read and follow Outcome B.
Outcome B.
Outcome A:
You watch your companion going about their day

like a pathetic insect scuttling around, carrying
food to the hive. How could you have ever seen
this creature as an equal? Still, they might be
useful to you. Why not keep them around?
Break a Bond. Describe why you keep your

companion around. What purpose do they serve?
Outcome B:
You watch your companion going about their day. They

seem so far below you now, but still, you had affection
for them once. You once saw them as an equal. There
is something of that memory you can’t abandon.
Uncheck two checked Bonds. Describe how you

see your companion now with your new outlook.

53
Aporia
Once it was your home, your safe space.
Now, everything is different. Has it changed
or is it just you? It doesn’t matter. Either
way, you can’t take it anymore. It’s driving
you mad. You need to leave, now!
Do you go alone? Or does your companion come too?
Challenge
Outcome B.
Outcome A:
You need to leave immediately—no time to pack,

no time to worry about what you are leaving
behind. You need to be free of this place, but your
companion can’t understand. They won’t understand.
Describe your interaction with them. Lose

a Memento and break a Bond.
Outcome B:
You can’t just leave it all behind. You pack what

you can, trying to save those memories that still
matter to you. Still, you need to move quickly. You
need to escape before things get worse. You
try to explain things to your companion, but you
can see the fear and hurt you are causing.
Describe your interaction with

them and break a Bond.

54
Charybdis3
As each day passes and you change more and more, you
have realized that you are lost. Perhaps you can still save
your companion, but how? Do you just tell them to leave?
What if they refuse? Do you force them, lie to them?
Describe what you do to try to save your

companion in your journal.
Challenge
Outcome A:
You decide that the only way to ensure your companion

will be safe is if you drive them away—even if
that means you have to hurt them to do it.
Break a Bond. Describe what you do to

drive away your companion.
Outcome B:
Using logic (or perhaps lies) you convince your

companion to leave for a time. Before they go,
you take something to remember them by.
Gain a Memento. Describe how you convince

them to leave and what item you keep.
55
Abyss4,5
As the transformation progresses, you start to
imagine what lies ahead. Nothing you’ve tried has
slowed the changes to your body and mind.
Your fate, dire though it may be, has started to seem

inconsequential next to the pain you could bring upon
your companion, not to mention the outside world.
With how little control you have left, ending it all is no longer
an option. The Beast inside you won’t allow that. The Beast knows
what it wants. You’re resolved to take what measures you can
to mitigate the damage before you run out of options entirely.
In your journal, describe what you do to protect your

companion and the world from what you are becoming.
Challenge
Outcome A:
After you’ve finished for the day, you realize that your companion
has unwittingly done something to completely undermine your
efforts to protect them. Your day’s efforts have been in vain.
Check a Bond. Describe what transpired, and how the world is

vulnerable to the Beast inside you. Turn to Day 7 on page 25.
Outcome B:
You’ve made your preparations. Hopefully, they

will prevent the worst. But, will your companion
understand why you needed to do these things?
Describe how your companion reacts to your preparations.
Gain a Memento called Security if you don’t already

have it. Turn to Day 7 on page 25.
56
Deception
Your companion is lying about something. You
are sure of it. Have your senses changed or has
their behavior? In the end, how you know they’re
lying doesn’t matter. The point is, you know.
Select an unchecked Bond, if you have one, or a checked Bond

if you don’t. Break that Bond. If you have neither, select a broken
Bond instead. This bond was based on a lie. Describe the lie
and how you found out. What are the greater implications?
Challenge
Outcome A.
Outcome A:
The lie goes deeper than you could have imagined.

Your companion knows something about your
transformation. They were involved somehow.
Your companion swears that what you have together is real.

It all started with deception, but things are different now.
How can you trust that, though, knowing what you know?
Break all checked Bonds. Describe the deception. How was

your companion involved? At some point, they could have made
a choice that would have changed everything. What was it?
Outcome B:
Your companion admits to the lie, but they say it was for
your own good. They were trying to protect you. Things
are hard enough as it is. Why put this on you too?
Describe the deception. What were they trying to hide and

why? Check a Bond. Turn to Day 7 on page 25.
57
Ritual
You believe that you have found a way to stop the
transformation. You discovered a ritual that promises
to return you to your true self. Perhaps science has
failed you. Perhaps you always suspected occult forces
at work. But can this strange ritual really help you?
What is the true cost of dealing with such things?
Describe the ritual and your feelings about it in your journal.
Challenge
Outcome A:
Willing to pay any price, you press on with the ritual. But
who will pay the price, your or your companion?
Describe the price and the next step in the ritual. Check
a Bond. Go to the Continued section below.
Outcome B:
The ritual requires sacrifice. Something

cherished? Something loved?
What will you give up? Describe the next step in the ritual.
Lose a Memento. Go to the Continued section below.
Continued:
When the ritual concludes, you take a deep breath

and look at your body. It didn’t work. You are still
c̸h̷a̷n̵g̴i̸n̵g̴. However, the ritual did do something…
Describe the results of the ritual. It created something. Did

it just appear out of nowhere? Did you see it grow? Is it
something alive or merely an object? Describe whatever it is,
and gain it as a Memento. Turn to Day 7 on page 25.
58
Pandemonia
You have begun to sense others like you. You’ve seen
them off in the distance. Perhaps your companion
has mentioned hearing of others showing changes
like yours. You are not the only one, but what does
that mean? Are you all evolving or all cursed? Do you
want to meet these others or do you fear them?
In your journal, describe how you discover you are

not alone and how you feel about these others.
Challenge
Outcome A.
Outcome A:
Another like you arrives at your home, and you

feel an instant connection with them. You are the
same. Your companion notices, and they too seem
to have formed a connection with the other.
You feel jealous, but of who? Describe the

other and your feelings. Break a Bond.
Outcome B:
You feel drawn to these others, but you fight it. You
turn to your companion for strength, focusing on
them to hold onto your humanity a bit longer.
Describe the things about them that

you cling to. Gain a Bond.
59
Horrified1
You see your companion for the first time today,
and the look on their face sickens you. Your most
recent c̸h̷a̵n̸g̵e̴ was too much. Despite all the
horrific things they’ve seen, this was the final
straw. Your companion turns away, unable to make
eye contact or even look at your distorted form.
You don’t know why they’ve stayed this long.

Perhaps they have no other options. In any
case, you are sure now that it won’t last.
Challenge
Outcome A.
Outcome A:
You avoid each other for the rest of the day, and
you expect tomorrow to be no different.
Check a Bond. Describe the day, your shame,

and how you try to hide your c̴h̶a̵n̴g̴e̶s̴.
Outcome B:
Your companion avoids you for the rest of the day, but
they still do kind things. You find a prepared meal,
caring notes, and an object from your past that you’d
almost forgotten. Your feelings about your companion
are conflicted, but their feelings for you must also be.
Gain a Memento. Describe the day, what you

find, and how you try to rationalize this.

60
Prey3
You lost control of your urges and set out, stalking what
prey you could find. Now you’ve killed. The body lies
before you, mutilated. They fought back, though not
well. You saw yourself committing the act: the blood,
screaming, and struggle. Still, you could do nothing
to stop it. The Beast within you was in full control. You
turn your victim’s head to see who you’ve murdered…
Describe how you feel about this act you’ve committed.

Do you feel guilty, horrified, or was it a secret thrill?
Did it satisfy some dark part of you to hunt someone?
Challenge
• 2–J / : If you check a Bond or lose a Memento,
follow Outcome A.
• Q–Ace / : Read and follow Outcome B.
Outcome A:
The face that turns to greet you is one that you’ve seen
a thousand times. It’s the face you’ve looked upon
every day since all this began. Your companion lies
before you, dead by your hand. The expression on their
face is one of confusion more than one of terror or pain.
Describe the fate of your companion’s remains. Do you

bury them, honor them, devour them, or something
else? Go to the Continued section below.
Outcome B:
A face contorted and frozen in terror looks up

at you. With a guilt-stricken sigh of relief, you
realize it is not your companion. But who
is it? A stranger, a friend, an enemy?
Though your memory is fractured, describe what you

remember of this person. Then describe the fate of their
remains. Do you bury them, honor them, devour them,
or something else? And does your companion learn of
what you’ve done? Go to the Continued section below.
61
Continued:
Things have gotten progressively stranger, darker, and

more difficult each day for the past week. Still, today you
feel like you finally crossed a threshold. You may have
had blood on your hands before, but not like this. You
enjoyed this, though the guilt in the pit of your stomach
refuses to admit it. The honest, lucid part of your mind
knows you’ll kill again. The unchanged are just prey for you.
Where do you go? Do you give in to the

Beast or keep trying to fight it? Can you
protect the world from yourself?
Turn to conclusion on page 84.
62
Flee
You’ve spent days wondering where this was
going, trying to stop it, and trying to fight it.
Finally, you give in. It’s pointless to struggle
against your nature. And this, this is your true
nature. The wilderness calls you. You flee.
What does “wilderness” look like for

you? Describe how you view it in your
new form. What environment is it? How
do you take to it? What sights, smells,
and other sensations does it bring?
Challenge
• 8–J / : If you check a Bond or lose a
Outcome A:
You disappear into the wild, taking nothing

with you, leaving no explanation. There is
no knowing what the future will hold, but
this is you now. Free. Unburdened. Wild.
Running (or flying or swimming) free

into the wilderness, you think back on
your life as a human. You consider your
struggles, triumphs, failures, and all the
ways society and your companion held you
back. Perhaps “civilization” is the real beast,
not the thing you are now. As you reach
your stride, such human thoughts fade.
Your stomach rumbles. It’s time to hunt.
Describe your last human thoughts

before the Beast takes over.
63
Outcome B:
You plan your departure. You know your

companion will not understand, and you
won’t give them a chance to talk you out
of it. You leave a note and something to
remember you by. There is no knowing
what the future will hold, but this is
you now. Free. Unburdened. Wild.
Running (or flying or swimming) free into

the wilderness, you think back on your life
as a human. You consider your struggles,
triumphs, failures, and all the ways society
held you back. Perhaps “civilization” is the
real beast, not the thing you are now. As you
reach your stride, such human thoughts fade.
Your stomach rumbles. It’s time to hunt.
What Memento do you leave your companion

(if you have one)? Lose that Memento.
What do you write in your letter to them?
Describe your last human thoughts

before the Beast takes over.
64
Sacrifice3,4
You fear what you have become. Desperate
to protect your companion and yourself from
the darkness you feel growing within you,
you decide to act. You choose death over
whatever else awaits you as the changes
keep coming. But, what would be capable of
killing you? Are you even able to be killed?
Describe how it feels as you prepare

to end your life. Are you afraid?
Have you made peace with it?
Challenge
Otherwise, read and follow Outcome C.
• Q–Ace / : Read and follow Outcome C.
Outcome A:
You try to end your life and fail. You

are dead, but your body still lives and
now is merely a vessel for the Beast.
As it lays there, recovering from your

attempt to end it, your companion finds
your body. They run to your side in shock.
Trying to help you, to comfort you. They do
not realize that the person they know is
gone and that they have just become prey.
Describe how they react as the Beast

turns on them. Do they run or do they
accept their fate? What does the Beast
do once it has finished with them?
65
Outcome B:
The Beast is not ready to die. You find yourself

at war within yourself as it struggles to
prevent the death you have planned for you
both. But in the end, your will is stronger.
Your plan is enacted, and death comes swiftly
as both of you are consumed by the darkness.
Your companion finds your body soon after.
Describe how they react to your death.

How do they mourn you? Are they happy
that you and the threat are gone?
Outcome C:
You know that it will be a test of wills and

prepare yourself. The Beast resists violently,
not yet ready for death. You thrash about as
your body plays out the war raging within
your mind and soul. In the end, your will
is greater. You activate your plan and feel
death closing in on you both. But then—a
miracle. You awaken to find your companion
kneeling over you. You are alive. You’re still
physically changed, but there is a strange
emptiness where the Beast once dwelled.
How does it feel to live through

such an encounter, to be seemingly
free? What will you do now?
66
Another
There is nothing you could have expected
less than the visitor who arrived today.
Another like you stands inside your
home. Their “changes” (assuming they
didn’t start this way) are identical to your
own, though they wear their form with
more ease and comfort than you do.
Describe what it feels like to encounter

another like yourself. Do you feel
fear, revulsion, or acceptance?
Challenge
Otherwise, read and follow Outcome C.
• Q–Ace / : Read and follow Outcome C.
Outcome A:
Communicating in a way that only one

of your kind could understand, they
speak to you. They quickly become
aggressive. You are a mistake, a threat
to them. They have come to remove the
threat. They viciously strike out at you. You
defend yourself, but their experience and
comfort with their form gives them the
advantage. Soon, you lie broken on the
ground. They leave you there to die.
Describe your emotions as you lie

there. Are you angry at the attack or
thankful that this will soon end? Do you
accept death or fight to live on?
67
Outcome B:
Communicating in a way that only one of

your kind could understand, they speak
to you. They quickly become aggressive.
You are a mistake, a threat to them. They
have come to remove the threat. They
viciously strike out at you. You defend
yourself, but their experience and comfort
with their form gives them the advantage.
Soon, you lie broken on the ground.
Just when you think you’ve lost, your

companion appears, armed with an
unexpected weapon. With the element of
surprise, they deliver a killing blow to the
Other who slumps in a heap of mutant flesh.
Your companion helps you back to your feet.
Describe the encounter. How does

your companion defeat the Other?
What do the two of you do next?
Outcome C:
Communicating in a way that only one of

your kind could understand, they speak to
you. They embrace you as a new child of
their kind. They have come to bring you to
your new people, but you must leave your
previous life behind with no chance to say
goodbyes. You think of your companion
and choose one thing to take with you.
Gain that item as a Memento. Describe

it and what it means to you. How do
you feel about leaving? How do you
feel about joining your new people?
68
Beast3
You knew this was coming and could feel it happening more
every day. You tried to fight it. You tried to retain some shred
of your humanity, but it’s too late. Who and what you were
is gone. You have ceased to be. The Beast has taken over.
What once was a human being with rational thoughts and

emotions is now governed by nothing but instinct, hunger,
and rage. But the Beast is not simply a mindless creature. No.
It is darker, more cunning, and it likes to play with its food.
Describe the feelings as the Beast takes over. Do you

fear it? Welcome it? Is there pain or merely peace
as your mind is devoured by its darkness?
Challenge
• 8–J / : If you check a Bond or lose a Memento, read and
69
Outcome A:
Innocent and unknowing, your companion tries to stay by

your side, tries to comfort you through the torment they
know you are feeling. But, they are unprepared for the
Beast. Their final moments are full of fear, pain, and blood.
Describe their efforts to comfort you and the aftermath of

the attack in your journal. What does the Beast do once it has
finished toying with them? Go to the Continued section below.
Outcome B:
You find yourself stalking your companion. They are so

weak, so innocent, such easy prey. Your attack happens
without warning. The smell of blood fills your nostrils. Their
screams echo through the air. Using every last bit of your
willpower, you manage to draw back, to turn, to run. Their
sobs are the last things you hear as you leave them forever.
Describe their efforts to comfort you and the

aftermath of the attack in your journal. Break a
Bond. Go to the Continued section below.
continued:
The Beast leaves your place of isolation unsatisfied,

its hunger ever-growing. It seeks out new prey to
hunt, toy with, and devour. You are nothing more
than a fading memory as it stalks into the night.
Describe the days that follow the Beast going out into the world.
How does the world react to it? How long does it survive?
If your companion survived, how do they react to it all?
70
Nodus Tollens
On the morning of the seventh day, you receive news that
the circumstances that led to your isolation have ended.
Your world is returning to normal. You, however, are far
from normal. The changes you’ve experienced remain.
Despite the fact that you are no longer what could

be called “human,” the world doesn’t seem to
care. Your companion returns to their old life
and seems to expect you to do the same.
Describe what news you receive that allows you to

leave your isolation. Do you attempt to return to
your old life or is that all behind you now?
Challenge
Outcome A:
The world seems to have lost its mind. You are a monster. You
aren’t even human anymore, but they just roll their eyes and
call you dramatic. Even your companion thinks you should
just return to life as normal, but things aren’t normal anymore.
Check a Bond. Describe your new life. How is it different from

the one you used to lead? How is it surprisingly the same?
Outcome B:
Life goes on despite you, and you come to accept this thing
you have become. Maybe your changes make life better
in some ways but worse in others. In any case, the world
treats you as just another face, no different than any other.
Describe your new life. How is it different from the

one you used to lead? How is it surprisingly the
same? Turn to conclusion on page 84.
72
Together1
You didn’t notice it immediately, but as you consider
the last few days, it begins to come together. Your
companion has been changing as well. It started a
few days after yours. Their changes started small, but
today it became obvious: they share your fate.
In your journal, describe your companion’s

changes. Are they the same as yours or somehow
different? What is the first change you notice?
Challenge
• 2–5 / : If you check a Bond or lose a Memento, read
Outcome B. Otherwise, read and follow Outcome A.
• 6–8 / : Read and follow Outcome B.
• 6–8 / : Read and follow Outcome C.
• Q–Ace / : Read and follow Outcome D.
Outcome A:
The resentment is plain on their face. Your companion

blames you for this. Through that resentment, you see their
true nature for the first time. They stuck with you through
your changes and through the isolation out of pity. You are
a wretched thing to them, and now they’ll be wretched too.
Describe how this realization makes you feel. How does it change
your feelings toward your companion? Will you stick by them?
Lose a Memento. Turn to conclusion on page 84.
Outcome B:
Your companion wants to keep their distance from

you now—not out of fear of you but out of the fear
of what they are becoming. You know how they are
feeling. You’ve already gone through it all yourself.
Describe how you react to their changes. How

does it feel to know that you are not alone in
facing what you are both becoming?
Gain a Bond. Turn to conclusion on page 84.

73
Outcome C:
Over the next few days, your companion’s changes

continue as predicted. Before they catch up to you,
though, things take a strange turn. The two of you grow
closer, physically, until you are in near-constant contact.
Eventually, your forms conjoin, slowly merging you into

one unified being. As the second week closes, you are
no longer individuals. Instead, you are one entity with a
shared mind and a jumble of faded human memories.
Describe your new existence as a merged being. How

is it different from what you were before? Are you
happy? Do you long to separate yourselves?
Outcome D:
Your companion’s changes may have begun later than

your own, but they progress quickly. Together, your
once-human thoughts and desires turn to the impulses
of a Beast. You both crave to run, hunt, and mate. Where
once two companions stood, two creatures now stalk the
darkness in search of meat and others of your kind.
Describe your last human thoughts before the Beast takes

over. What is your new relationship with your companion?
Where do the two of you go and what do you find?
74
Metanoia5
Along with your body, your mind continues to change
and expand. You can see so much further than you ever
imagined. You are becoming part of something greater.
If only you could let go of the last vestiges of your ego,

forego the “self,” then you could truly transcend. Only then
could you experience higher dimensions of consciousness.
You decide to meditate in an attempt

to surmount this final summit.
Where do you go to meditate? What does

meditation look like for you?
Challenge
• 9–Q / : If you check a Bond or lose a Memento, read
and follow Outcome B. Otherwise, read and follow
Outcome A.
• K–Ace / : Read and follow Outcome B.
Outcome A:
Slowly at first, your consciousness expands. Then, a

tidal wave of awareness rushes over you. You see
the greater being that pulled you on this journey. ̈́
̃ ̤̱ ͋̐ n̸̤ e̷̦͂̿ ̢s͙͑ s̷̸ ̞̓ ͂̑ ̡.
You see their wisdom, their will, their… m̷̘͌ ̕ ḁ̵̾̈́ d̴ ̥ ̀ ͚͚
The last vestiges of what you could call “self” are
psychically ripped apart and devoured by this great
and terrible intelligence, this thing that made you.
Quickly, you are no more.
Describe what you experience in those final moments before

your consciousness is snuffed out. Do your best to describe
this greater being and what you sense their will to be.
Though you are no more, your body persists. It

is now simply an extension of the being that
made it, enacting their will upon this world.

75
Outcome B:
The mysteries of the universe unfold before you. The

elegant machinations of chaos and order are laid bare
before your eye. Your own pain and suffering fade
to insignificance in the expansive face of eternity.
Describe, if you can, transcendence.
You’ve become something greater—not quite a god

but no longer a mortal. Before giving up all earthly
connections, you decide to bless others with your gifts.
Count the number of Bonds you have (checked or

unchecked). For each Bond, select any change from
the transformation tables on pages 13 - 25. These
are the blessings you bestow upon your companion.
They begin manifesting those changes.
With your companion on the road to transcendence and

armed with the knowledge of the cosmos, you depart.
As an enlightened being, what do you

do next? Do you take your companion
with you or leave them to seek
transcendence on their own?
Turn to
conclusion on page 84.
76
Vacui
You awake to a cold and empty home. You search, but there
is no sign of your companion. You are alone—completely
alone—surrounded only by silence and memories.
Describe the feel of your home now that they

are gone. How does it feel to be alone?
Challenge
Outcome A:
Searching the house, you realize several photos are

missing— pictures of the two of you in happier times,
before the changes. A letter left on a table finally shares
with you what your companion could not: their fears, their
sadness, how much they care, and how much they will miss
you. Your companion felt they had no choice; they had to
get away from you and from what you had become…
Describe how it makes you feel, and gain the letter as a Memento.
Outcome B:
As you search the house, you find signs of struggle: the

front lock broken, small splatters of blood. You can come
to only one conclusion. Your companion was taken. But
by who or what? And what will you do about it?
Describe how it feels to know your companion was violently

taken. Will you look for them? Do you care that they are gone
or are they merely a memory of the human you once were?
77
Taken7
You’ve been taken. You don’t know where they have taken you.
You try to speak to them, to get answers, but they ignore you.
You don’t know who they are, but their intentions seem clear. To
them, you are merely an experiment. You exist to be studied.
Describe those who took you. How were they able to capture
you? Did your companion betray you? Was it something you did?
Describe your capture and your new “home” in your journal.
Challenge
Outcome A:
Every day is filled with pain now. What they call experiments feel
more like torture. To them you are no longer human, you are
merely a thing, a lab rat. Worst of all, they refuse to let you die.
They keep you plugged into machines and pumped full of drugs
to ensure you’ll last until they have the answers they seek. You
can’t fathom what these torturers hope to extract from you or
how they have yet to find it. Occasionally, you get glimpses of
what might be others like you or, perhaps, others made from you.
Describe your new life. Do you accept this

fate, search for an escape, or wish for it all to
end? Turn to conclusion on page 84.
Outcome B:
They strip you of your clothes, of your remaining humanity,

and throw you in a cage to observe your body as it changes
into its final form. The only blessing is that once the
change is complete, they have no need to keep you alive.
Your death is painless. You are finally free.
Is your death the end? Is there an afterlife for you or, perhaps,
a return to the land of the living? Describe what comes
next in your journal. Turn to conclusion on page 84.
78
Crito
You have felt the rumblings building, and now they
are finally coming. A mob of angry, terrified people.
You have become their monster, and they intend to
see you dead. But your companion cannot let you
go. Despite the changes, they stand by you.
In your journal, describe the mob’s approach

and how your companion tries to save you.
Challenge
Outcome A:
The mob cannot be dissuaded. They swarm upon

you, swinging makeshift weapons and screaming.
Your companion is caught in the middle, far more
fragile than your bestial form, and they fall.
Do you run? Do you fight? Does it matter now that your

companion is gone? Describe your actions in your journal.
Outcome B:
Your companion delays the mob, giving you just enough

time to escape. In the chaos, you lose something
precious to you, but there’s no time to go back for
it. The mob quickly swarms upon your home.
Once safe, you watch from a distance as it

burns. The Mob’s anger is satiated for the
moment, but you know that you will be hunted.
Describe how it feels to know your companion was

violently taken. Will you look for them? Do you care that
they are gone or are they merely a memory of the human
you once were? Turn to conclusion on page 84.
79
Ataraxia
You aren’t sure if the change is complete, but you know
that you have long since ceased to be human. The
creature staring back at you from the mirror is something
indescribable, alien, and yet you know that it is you. And
for the first time in many days, you feel at peace. You
have accepted yourself, but does your companion?
Describe your new form in your journal. What does it feel

like? What new senses and sensations does it give you?
Challenge
Outcome A:
You have become something totally new. The old you is gone,
dead. You are ready to move on. Your companion begs you
to stay, but they are a remnant of a life you have given up.
Describe how you leave them and your old life behind. Where
do you go? Lose a Memento and break all checked Bonds.
Outcome B:
Despite what you have become, your companion still

looks at you with the same eyes they always have. They
look so strange—so weak and human beside your new
form. They have accepted you, just as you have accepted
yourself. Your connection has changed, but it is still there.
Describe your new reality with your companion.

What has changed between you two? How
are you making it work? Gain a Bond.
80
Ace3,5
If this is the first Ace you have drawn from the Spade
or Club deck, continue. If this is the second Ace
you have drawn, go to second Ace on page 83.
Note: If you are avoiding events marked with 3 or 5, skip the

narrative text and only read the instruction text that follows.
You lash out against your companion in a

mindless rage. Even as you strike and gnash at
them, you feel tears pooling in your eyes.
“I don’t want this. This isn’t me,” you tell

yourself, but the carnage does not cease.
You have no control. It is as if something Other has taken

your body and left you a mere witness within your own mind.
You try to fight it, to wrest control, to stop the attack,

to silence the screams. It merely brings you more
pain as a wave of dark emotions wash over you.
You black out.
When you come to, you are exhausted. Your

head is pounding; your body, aching.
The metallic taste of blood is on your lips. Part

of you wants to gag. Another part savors the
flavor as you run your tongue over it.
You hear a faint whimpering from somewhere

in the room. Your eyes rise, following a trail
of blood. There, huddled in the corner, is your
companion, bloody and afraid but still alive.
They are in a state of shock, marked by short, quick breaths.

They sit, arms tight around their knees, their head buried in
their arms. They look like such a small, shaky ball of flesh.
The animal part of your brain wants to pounce on the

wounded prey, but you resist. Soon, the ǒ̷̦ţ̴̇h͍ ̓ ̴e̵̯̿ ȑ̵̪ , the Beast goes
back to sleep, leaving you to deal with the repercussions.
81
What effect will this have on your companion? On you? On
your relationship? Can you make them understand that it
wasn’t your fault, that you weren’t in control? Will they believe
you? Do you believe yourself? What if it happens
again? What if next time it’s much worse?
Draw and discard cards from the red (

/ ) deck until you draw a 2, 3, 4, or 5
then stop. Break all checked Bonds.
Then, check all unchecked Bonds.
In your journal, describe the

aftermath. Don’t describe the
event, only what comes after.
How do you feel? How do you
try to make things right? How is
your companion different from now on?
Finally, return to the same day you were on and

draw a new card to replace this Ace.
82
second Ace3,5
Read the below only if you have drawn your
second Ace from the Spade or Club deck.
Otherwise, return to Ace on page 81.
You, the being that can call yourself “you,” are

gone. The changes have overtaken your body,
mind, and soul. You have become something
different, something new—something truly alien.
Lucidity and control come only in fleeting moments.

Memories float through your mind in distorted
fragments, some of which may not even be your
own. Your mind has expanded and contracted so
that you perceive things you never knew possible.
Yet, only the here and now matters. The past and
future are a mere haze at the edge of your reality.
You do not think; you merely are. You have become a

creature of instinct and action. Dark animalistic urges
drive you to hunt, to feed, to reproduce. Your new form
is perfect for satisfying these needs. But there’s also
something else. Some other instinct drives you to
action. Something calls you, instructs you, and you obey.
In your journal, describe your final form. What

sort of creature have you become? What calls
you? What do your instincts drive you to do?
Continue to
conclusion on page 84.
83
conclusion
Despite your own fate, the world continues on. The
universe does not care about your pain or struggles.
It is indifferent to your joy and elation. Your fears
mean nothing to the stars or the void between them.
As locally as possible, describe the world that exists

in your aftermath. Were there others like you? Have
things changed dramatically, or does the world
merely move on as if you never were? Have you
been forgotten, or do you become a cautionary
tale, a legend, or a fable to frighten children?
You may have met others of your kind or believed you

were the only one. Perhaps you infected someone, or
maybe whatever caused your change has affected
someone else. Regardless of your experiences,
another isolated being like you eventually emerges,
cursed to face the transformation themselves.
Describe the next to share your fate. Where are

they? How and when does the change begin?
The next time you play Transformation:

• Take up the mantle of this new character.
• For each unbroken Bond remaining on your old
character, choose a card of any suit and remove it
from the deck before your next game.
• Note: You’ll need to return these cards to the deck
before subsequent games.
• Your new character begins with any Mementos that
remained from the previous game. Describe how
they came upon these items and what the items may
mean to them.
84
Companion Generator
Transformation is a horror story, and as such, emotionally and/
or physically painful things may occur that involve the in-game
companion. Some players will enjoy their transformation
experience more with a companion who is not connected to any
of the player’s real-world relationships.
This companion generator is designed to provide prompts to help

you create a dynamic fictional companion.
Note: This generator can also be used to create a random player

character as well.
To use this generator, you can either randomize traits by drawing

cards or design your own by selecting traits from each list. If you
plan to draw cards, separate out one suit and shuffle just that
suit.
To determine a random trait, choose the category you intend to

define, draw one card, write down the result, and then shuffle the
card back into the suit.
Do the same for each of the other categories until your character
has been built. For a quick character, draw only one card per
category.
Feature
2: Disfigured (missing 9: Notable nose (big,
teeth, eye, etc.) hooked, etc.)
3: Lasting injury (bad 10: Notable eyes (blue,

leg, arm, etc.) bloodshot, etc.)
4: Tattooed or Pierced J: Well-dressed or

Well-groomed
5: Unkempt or Shabby
Q: Attractive or Stunning
6: Big or Thick or Brawny
K: Pockmarked or
7: Small or Scrawny Scarred
or Emaciated
A: Has a heavy accent
8: Notable hair (wild,
long, none, etc.)
85
Gender Relationship
2–6: Female 2–5: Spouse or Lover
7–J: Male 6–10: Sibling or Parent
Q–A: Fluid, Trans, or J–A: Friend or Roommate

Nonbinary
Personality Quirk
2: Serious or Somber 2: Addict (sweets,
drugs, sex, etc.)
3: Belligerent or Bully
3: Phobia (spiders, fire,
4: Anxious or Fearful darkness, etc.)
5: Envious or Greedy 4: Skeptic or Paranoid
6: Haughty or Arrogant 5: Spiritual or Devout
7: Awkward or Shy 6: Hoarder or Pack-rat
8: Orderly or Compulsive 7: Kleptomaniac
9: Impulsive or Reckless 8: Smart aleck or

Know-it-all
10: Kind or Compassionate
9: Artistic or Dreamer
J: Easygoing or Relaxed
10: Has a stutter
Q: Cheerful or Happy
J: Loner or Antisocial
K: Optimistic or Peaceful
Q: Doubter or Cynic
A: Callous or Cruel
K: Animal lover
A: Allergic or Chronically ill

86
The changes Contains
started subtly— mature
cravings or content
intrusive thoughts.
But they soon grew
into noticeable
physical alterations
followed by
wholesale changes
in perception. It
isn’t clear what
you will become,
but you can no
longer deny that
you are becoming
something new.
Transformation
is a solo horror
role-playing
game in which
you chronicle the
metamorphosis
of an ordinary
human into
something
monstrous while
their companion
attempts
to cope.
Players record
their story
in a journal,
using standard
playing cards to
generate events
and outcomes over
seven in-game days.
©Absurdist Productions, LLC 2022

Transformation Beta

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Transformation Beta

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

ͯ ̓͌ ͂

The changes started subtly—cravings or

Do you fight the change? Embrace it? In

Typefaces: Adkinson Hyperledgable, Chainprinter,

Some background images were

Copyright Absurdist Productions, LLC, 2022.

You, the player, will create a fictional, point-of-view

Each journey through Transformation will tell a different

Though the exact ending is unknown, one thing

While Transformation is about an experience rather than

What You’ll Need to Play

The game’s events do touch on many uncomfortable topics.

The game may ask you to journal about some difficult

The game will ask you to draw cards that depict

If you’d prefer to avoid a certain topic, simply discard the

At times, the game depicts scenes of horror or violence

Don’t hesitate to take breaks.

Note: You’ll always discard cards after drawing them. Never

Text in green boxes are narrative descriptions related to

The changes feel overwhelming. The feelings

When you begin the game, you’ll start with the

Often, journal prompts will be accompanied by a list of questions.

As you play, events may cause you to gain or lose either

Certain prompts will tell you that you “lose” a Memento.

If a prompt tells you to lose a

Bonds have two states of depletion: checked and

If a Bond is checked twice, it is considered broken.

You’ll create your first Mementos in the Prologue and

For some of the cards in the middle, you’ll be able to

Since most of the cards in the red ( / ) deck will make

Still, there is comfort in being alone together. You’ve reached a

Only today, something feels different. It’s hard

In your journal, create the world that you live in:

Your companion enters the room as you wake.

This strange feeling persists, but your companion is

In your journal, describe the interaction with your companion

In your journal, describe the interaction with your companion

Here are some examples of Bonds:

6 : Your skin is pale and cold Q : You are shivering with

A : Don’t draw a Spade

8–K : Go to Foreboding Omen2 on page 28.

A : Go to Ace5 on page 81.

6–9 : Go to Inner Strength on page 30.

10–K : Go to It’s Probably Nothing on page 31.

A : Go to Ace on page 81.

4 : You vomit up any normal J : Your skin starts to

5 : Your hair turns milky white. Q : Your spine protrudes from

5–7 : Go to Test Subject7 on page 33.

8–10 : Go to Attacked on page 34.

J–K : Go to No Explanation on page 35.

A : Go to Ace on page 81.

6 : You have grown a thick, K : You can speak with the

7 : You are compelled to lick A : Don’t draw a Spade

4–5 : Go to Buying Time on page 37.

6–7 : Go to Unhinged 2,3 on page 38.

8–9 : Go to Nature in Revolt2 on page 39.

10–J : Go to Predator on page 40.

Q–K : Go to Intrusion on page 41.

A : Go to Ace on page 81.

4–5 : Go to Anhedonia 4,5 on page 43.

6–7 : Go to Sisyphus3 on page 44.

8–9 : Go to Conflict on page 41.

10–J : Go to Anamnesis on page 42.