Babes in the Wood 2nd Edition

by Adam Vass
published by World Champ Game Co.
illustrated by Kim Nguyen
edited by Tyler Crumrine
poetry by Seb Pines
calligraphy by Rachael Barlock Contents
Introduction - 2
Made possible by Kickstarter backers in January 2021.
Safety Tools - 4
Special thanks to The Brain Trust design community,
Playing The Game - 6
especially my co-conspirator Will Jobst.
Characters - 9
Thanks as well for consulting: Chris Bissette, Clayton
Basic Moves - 14
Notestine, Viditya Voleti, and Aaron King.
Additional Rules - 16
Hollows - 18
BitW 2e is inspired by, derivative of, or otherwise
The Wood - 22
owes gratitude to games by Vincent & Meguey Baker,
The Fiend - 26
Jason Cordova, Jesse Ross, Sage Latorra, Sam Tung,
Home - 30
Sam Roberts, Chris P. Wolf, Jamila R. Nedjadi, Batts,
Narrator Section - 32
Brandon Leon-Gambetta, and countless more.
Composing A Problem - 36
Playing Without A Narrator - 37
Download playbooks, resources, and more games
Sample Hollows - 38
at www.worldchamp.io
Player Sheets - 46
Printed in PRC.
2
Overview
Babes in the Wood is a tabletop
roleplaying game for two to six people.*
One person acts as the Narrator,
describing the world and its inhabitants
(non-player characters or Folks) and
inserting challenges into the game’s
story. The rest of the group each
control individual Player Characters
(PCs) called Kids, describing their
thoughts, words, and actions over the
course of the story and reacting to
the circumstances presented by the
Narrator.
In this game, Kids are children, critters,
and toys wandering a dark, mysterious,
and eternal forest. Along the way, they
encounter peculiar people, welcoming
witches, crafty creatures, and more
denizens of the Wood. Players then
help those in need in creative and
obscure ways befitting the logic of
children, simultaneously exploring and
confronting their own feelings and
fears. All the while, an evil presence
stalks from the shadows of the Wood: a
Fiend who manipulates the area and its
inhabitants according to its dark whims.
Things You’ll Need
• Access to the list of Basic Moves (p. 14),
whether printed, passed around the
table, or shared digitally.
• The playbook specific to each chosen
character type: Big Kid, Lil Kid,
Critter, Toy, or Woodschild. These
archetypes are detailed later in the
book (p. 9). Each playbook contains
the information needed by that
player.**
• Each Kid needs three six-sided dice
(3d6).
• The Narrator-specific Move list and
sheet (p. 52).***
* Of course you can play with
more or less players than this,
but you may need to take special
consideration to ensure every player
has fun and feels involved in making
your story!
** Players can choose all different
playbooks or have multiples of
particular types, whatever you
choose is fine!
*** You can play this game without
a Narrator by using some special
rules explained on page 37, in which
case you’ll want to also have the
Shadow Moves accessible to all
players (p. 51). Downloadable files
for these Move lists and all Babes-
related resources are available free
at worldchamp.io.
3
 SAFETY TOOLS
The comfort of all participants is paramount when
roleplaying and takes precedence over any aspect of the
game itself. Check in with one another to make sure everyone
is still having fun over the course of play. The following tools
can help ensure everyone enjoys themselves while avoiding
unwanted or triggering content:
Open Door
Players should feel free to quit play at any time if needed. A
player’s obligation to do what’s right for themself outweighs
finishing the game. Be upfront with the rest of the group if
you need to leave and be understanding if a fellow player
decides to do so.
4
Lines & Veils
Before the game begins, players are encouraged to voice
anything they don’t want included at all—these are Lines
and should not be crossed. Topics established as Lines can
still exist in the world of your story, but will not be explored
or discussed at all during play. Lines are often used to avoid
offensive content or subjects a player finds upsetting or
triggering.
Veils are things that players are comfortable including in the
story but want to control how overt they are. Metaphorically,
these events or topics are hidden behind a veil—they happen
in the world of the story but aren’t described in detail. Veils
are often used to censor graphic content that serves some
purpose in the story but does not need to be described
explicitly.
Using Lines & Veils allows players to make clear boundaries
about the content in the game, and—since the game has
players often interacting with aspects of fear (that of your
character, yourself, or both)—respects the emotional
limitations of the people involved while maintaining
important themes of the game in a healthy way.
To supplement Lines & Veils and focus on the positive
and exciting elements of the game, consider including
Palettes—themes and instances that you specifically do
hope are included in the setting and story. While some
may be reserved for later use and others will immediately
be included, Palettes further allow players to manage their
expectations and make sure the game satisfies everyone
involved.
CATS
The CATS acronym stands for Concept, Aim, Tone, and
Subject Matter. Before diving into play, go over these with
each player to ensure everyone is on board and knows what
they’re signing up for.
Concept: Babes in the Wood is a game about confronting
fears, establishing and strengthening friendships, and
helping out those in need. It is also about exploring
the fun and creativity of youth in a strange land that
fluctuates between charming, comical, and scary.
Aim: To inspire creativity among players, to practice
empathy, to explore and engage in interpersonal drama
to further a shared narrative, and to resolve that drama
in healthy and fun ways via dynamic character arcs and
relationships.
Tone: The game fluctuates often between extremes of
comedy, charm, fright, and vulnerability. While the
setting can sometimes be weird or unsettling, player
responses can easily shift the tone back to a lighthearted
experience or double down on serious drama. Curate the
emotional tone of your own game as needed!
Subject Matter: Interpersonal relationships and subjective
morality are the main focus of this game. Manipulation or
coercion from outside forces is a possible touchstone but
should be used carefully with regards to player comfort.
Elements of suspense and horror are important but not
ever-present. Slapstick comedy is common but should be
the furthest extent of any physical violence.
Script Change
Because most players are familiar with television and movies,
consider using language from those mediums to help guide
your play experience. Script Change is a tool created by Beau
Jágr Sheldon that integrates screen conventions into your
gameplay to maintain the enjoyment and comfort of all of
your players.
At any time during play, any player can simply use the
following words to guide your story or conversation safely:
• Fast Forward lets you skip over things that you don’t want
to describe or interact with. They may still take place in
the narrative, but you don’t need to go into detail and can
skip ahead to a moment in the future where you want to
continue interacting with the story.
• Rewind allows you to go back and change things,
removing events and instances that don’t fit your
narrative or that make someone uncomfortable.
• Pause gives players a moment to think or find their center
when things get challenging or intense. Use this when
you need a minute to yourself, whether in response to
content or simply to leave the room to grab a drink.
• Frame-by-frame slows things down and encourages
players to tread lightly when dealing with content that
they may be unsure about. Continue playing while
being careful of potential harm in these moments. The
initiating player can at any time say Play to exit frame-
by-frame mode and resume your usual method of play.
Using these terms in sentences can be helpful too, so instead
of shouting “rewind,” you can instead say, “let’s rewind to just
before the witch offered me that bowl of soup,” and continue
from there. The full text of Script Change is available at
briebeau.com/scriptchange.
5
 PLAYING THE GAME
Babes in the Wood is played through conversation. The
Narrator describes the setting and situations surrounding
characters, and the players describe how their characters
react and interact. This conversation continues until a
player wishes to do a certain action called a Move. There
are particular instances in the story where fate and luck get
involved and players are required to roll dice to determine
what direction the story moves in. You don’t need to be
familiar with all of the game’s Moves at once—it may be easier
to only focus on Moves in your given situation and learn more
as you go. Moves are divided into a few groups:
6
• Basic Moves are common actions any player can take at any
time.
• Special Moves are only used by particular types of
characters or in particular situations.
• The Wood Move is a singular special action that occurs
when characters travel between Hollows and are forced to
enter the depths of the dangerous and ethereal forest.
• Fiend Moves occur as a result of particular negative Wood
Move outcomes or when darkness seeps into the everyday
lives of those living in Hollows. They involve Kids facing
their fears, literal and metaphorical, by interacting with
various shadowy villains.
• Rare Moves are special Moves designed for very specific
instances like interacting with particular characters or
rare items. These are rare, so you may never encounter
one in your story, which is fine! Examples of Rare Moves
are included in the sample Hollows provided at the end of
this book (p. 38-43). You can also create your own unique
Moves with Narrator permission or when designing your
own adventures!
• Narrator Moves are used by the Narrator in response
to Kids’ actions to create or maintain the drama and
momentum of your shared story.
When a particular thing happens in the game’s story, a Move’s Trigger tells you to Advantage & Disadvantage
do a particular thing at the table to determine what happens next, usually involving Occasionally, your story may dictate
dice. Most often you are required to roll two six-sided dice (2d6) and add the two that a character is in better or worse
resulting numbers to a relevant stat listed in the Move’s text. You’ll then compare positioning to enact an intended Move.
your result to the options shown for that Move before deciding along with the When it makes narrative sense that you
Narrator what happens next in your story. would be able to perform a Move with a
high likelihood of Success, the Narrator
• 10+ results are Successes and When a player wants to do something can assign you Advantage. That means
mean you accomplish what you that isn’t covered by a Move, their you roll 3d6 and use the two highest
intended to. There are often character simply succeeds at doing it. results, increasing the odds of Success.
additional rewards for succeeding If a Move is necessary, however, you
in this way listed in the Move’s text may call it out before an attempt or the ex: While placing a glue bucket trap
as well. Narrator or another player may make on the door frame, another player
you aware of it before reminding you distracts your target outside, so the
• 7-9 results are complicated and there’s a chance of failure. Helping Narrator grants you Advantage on
usually ask you to make a hard each other navigate play is an essential your Cause Mischief roll.
decision between options where part of the game for both the narrative
you take two steps forward but one and for your experience at the table. Conversely, when you would potentially
step back. These are called Partial Being transparent and clear about have a more difficult time pulling off
Successes and are the most which Moves you use and when will an intended action, the Narrator can
common result. help everyone understand how things assign you Disadvantage, making it
work and propel the story through harder for you to get a Success. In this
• 6- results are Misses and mean dice-infused moments of tension and instance, you roll 3d6 and take the two
your attempted action has an resolution. Remember, having fun while lowest results, increasing the chances
unintended and occasionally dire telling a story together is always more of a Miss.
consequence. The Move’s text important than how closely you adhere
will guide you and the Narrator to the rules in this book. ex: You rush to set up a glue bucket
in describing the fallout of your prank because your target is
attempt. Often, you’ll be given a approaching, so the Narrator gives
consolation prize for a Miss such you Disadvantage on your Cause
as XP, but other times you may Mischief roll.
receive Harm instead of a boon or
in addition to. There are other instances that can
change how you use dice during play,
but we will dig into those later. First, let’s
see what kinds of Kids you want to be.

7
8
 CHARACTERS
In Babes in the Wood, each player other than the Narrator
takes on the role of a single character. You’ll speak in their
voice, think in their head, and describe their conversations,
thoughts, actions, and reactions. These are the Kids—the
wanderers of The Wood and the group of friends about
whom we’ll tell our story.
Each Kid archetype comes with a playbook detailing traits
and Special Moves available to them when customizing the
character you want to portray. Each player will need a copy
of their Kid’s playbook during play, whether printed for in-
person play or a digital facsimile when playing online. Players
are encouraged to use pencils to annotate their sheets as
details may change and need to be erased or rewritten during
play!
Unique character sheets with Special Moves, Questions, and
other particularities for your type of Kid start on page 46
and can be downloaded from www.worldchamp.io.
There are a handful of Kid archetypes to choose from:
• Big Kids (10-15 years old) - you might not consider
yourself a child anymore with all the wisdom of the
world you’ve acquired in your double-digit age. Big
Kids are often group leaders by default, regardless of
their qualifications or desire to be so. They are better at
physical tasks but less lucky with emotional actions.
• Lil Kids (9 & under) - you are excited to explore, to
interact with the world around you, and to meet its
inhabitants. Everything is fun and everyone is your
friend. Lil Kids are often rambunctious and tend to be
more concerned with immediate action as opposed
to potential repercussions. They have more skill with
emotional tasks but less physical prowess.
• Critters - you are an animal, but something about you
is special. Successfully able to blend into the Wood’s
scenery as needed, Critters are highly intelligent at the
expense of emotional and physical strength.
• Toys - you are still trying to understand what is
happening around you. Your body moves in mysterious
new ways as you traverse the forest. You were a toy,
an inanimate object, but have found animation in the
Wood. Toys are extremely loyal and caring towards their
children counterparts, often to the detriment of their
own well being.
• Woodschildren - you have been in the Wood so long
you don’t know any other way. Woodschildren have a
better understanding of some of the strange qualities
of the people and places of the Wood, but don’t
always understand the wants and fears of those more
concerned with the outside world.
9
 Regardless of your chosen Kid
A B archetype, each playbook is composed
of the same handful of building blocks:

• (A) Basics - your name, pronouns,

C D E age, costume/look, and other
cosmetic identifying traits.

• (B) Stats - how good you are at

tasks in three basic categories:
F G
• Steam (STM) - physical actions
(running, climbing, lifting,
slamming, swimming, etc.)
• Noodle (NDL) - mental actions
(planning, counting, evaluating,
remembering, navigating, etc.)
H • Mush (MSH) - social actions
(convincing, listening, consoling,
befriending, etc.)
I J
Each of your stats has a number
assigned to it between -1 and 2.
Higher numbers mean you are
K better at using that stat. These
numbers will alter the results of
your dice rolls when you attempt
Moves. Stat numbers will also
change during play.

• (C) Special Moves - Moves that

are only available to your Kid
archetype. Each Special Move is
written in the same format as the
Basic Moves. During character
creation, choose one of your
available options. You may unlock
the others through play.

10
• (D) Harm - the ways in which
you are hurt during the story,
including Mental, Emotional, or
Physical harm. The Wood does not
differentiate between these types
of Harm, so “insulted” (Emotional)
hurts the same as “frustrated”
(Mental) or “exhausted” (Physical).
Harm is cumulative, meaning the
more you have, the harder things
get for you, regardless of the type.
• (E) Items - useful tools and trinkets
you carry with you through the
Wood. Kids can only carry up to
three Items, each with up to three
uses. Items degrade and break with
repeated use, but you’ll be able to
replace broken Items with new
ones frequently.
All Kids except Critters have a
Signature Item at the start of
play—something they brought with
them on the journey. For Big & Lil
Kids, it’s an item that corresponds
to their Halloween costume. Toys
and Woodschildren should have
something relevant to their identity
or background. Signature Items do
not degrade with use and can only
be lost if you decide to give it away
or abandon it on your journey.
• (F) Hope - what motivates you to
keep going when things are bad.
Write something your character
wants—it can be as profound
(to be a better sibling, to find
your way home in time for your
parent’s birthday to give them the
thoughtful gift you made, to realize
your greater purpose) or as simple
(to eat a big sandwich) as you’d
like. As the story unfolds, you’ll
make realizations about yourself
and make progress towards
accomplishing or revising this
Hope. Collecting Hope helps to keep
you safe when you come face to
face with the Fiend or their agents
on your journey. Your Hope value
increases from 0 at the start of play
to 5 and never goes down. Next to
each of the 5 circles on this track,
you’ll record insights about how
those experiences help you achieve
your Hope.
When you have 5 Hope, you are
able to leave the Wood. More on
that on page 30.
• (G) Friendships - values
representing how strong your
relationships are. These values
do not have to be reciprocated by
each player—you might think of a
character as your best friend while
they see you as a pest. Each of your
friendships have values between 0
and 3—the higher the number, the
more you trust someone.
• (H) Fear - what causes you grief,
gives you pause, or otherwise
impedes your ability to keep going.
Write down something your
character is afraid of. Along your
journey, you will be confronted
with your Fear, both directly and in
the periphery. Your Fear is a value
that fluctuates between 0 at the
start of play and 5, representing
the intensity of scares you witness
in the Wood and how affected
you are by interacting with them.
Certain moments may have you
confronting or even giving in to
your Fear, in which case you’ll put
a mark on your Fear path and your
ability to continue traversing the
Wood with your friends will be
negatively impacted.
• (I) Wishes - a currency you can
use during the game to change the
structure of the story. You begin
the game with 1 and may hold a
maximum of 2 Wishes. More about
Wishes and their uses on page 16.
• (J) XP - experience points (XP)
earned by performing Moves and
acting in particular ways during the
story. XP can be saved and spent
to make temporary or permanent
changes to your character or the
story. You may hold a maximum of
7 unused XP at a time.
• (K) Questions - considerations
about characteristics, past
experiences, and relationships
that help define your character.
Answer these before play begins,
revealing some answers to other
players beforehand and keeping
some secret to be revealed during
the story. Some answers will have
effects on other parts of your
playbook.
11
 RANDOM CHARACTER TABLES
To randomly choose your look, roll 2d6, assigning one result to the tens digit and the other to the ones digit to make a two digit number.

Costumes

Costume Special Item Costume Special Item

11. Lion Claw Gloves 41. Marching Band Trumpet
12. Wizard Spell Book 42. Royalty Crown
13. Ballerina Ribbon 43. Pig Spring
14. Painter Paint Brushes 44. Angel Wings
15. Cowpoke Lasso 45. Devil Pitchfork
16. Rockstar Microphone 46. Pumpkin Lantern
21. Chef Whisk 51. Vampire Fangs
22. Dolphin Toy Fish 52. Mummy Toilet Paper
23. Robot Wires 53. Athlete Sport Ball
24. Biker Helmet 54. Tree Leaves
25. Superhero Disguise 55. Magician Rabbit
26. Detective Magnifying Glass 56. Car Keys
31. Scientist Microscope 61. Alien Laser Pointer
32. Witch Broom 62. Ghost Flashlight
33. Spider Silly String 63. Astronaut RC Moon Rover
34. Skeleton Bucket 64. Warrior Shield
35. Hamburger Condiments 65. Fairy Wand
36. Clown Water-Squirting Flower 66. (Your Parent’s Job) (Job-Relevant Item)

Critter
11. Songbird 21. Raccoon 31. Possum 41. Fox 51. Cat 61. Boar
12. Deer 22. Turtle 32. Squirrel 42. Rabbit 52. Owl 62. Badger
13. Wolf 23. Moose 33. Skunk 43. Porcupine 53. Mouse 63. Lynx
14. Monkey 24. Snake 34. Beaver 44. Chipmunk 54. Bear 64. Weasel
15. Puppy 25. Frog 35. Coyote 45. Otter 55. Heron 65. Cow
16. Goat 26. Hawk 36. Peacock 46. Tuirkey 56. Chicken 66. Pelican
12
 Hopes Fears
1-3 4-6 1-3 4-6
1. Impress a crush Find where you came from 1. Snakes Getting lost
2. Be a better sibling Make a best friend 2. Rejection Fire
3. Make someone laugh Learn about the world 3. Being forgotten Birds of prey
4. Win a cool trophy Protect your friends 4. Vegetables Technology
5. Find community Return home unscathed 5. Predators Darkness
6. Understand your body Find the tastiest candy 6. Loss of control Authority

13
 BASIC MOVES
Take a Gander
When you take a second to survey
your surroundings, roll +Noodle.
On a 10+, choose two.
On 7-9, choose one:
• You infer something important
about the Folks who live in the
area. The Narrator says what it is.
• You notice an item that piques
your interest. You describe what
it is and the Narrator describes
how it is not quite in reach.
• You see someone you could help
or that could help you.
• You notice something dangerous
that would be wise to avoid.
On 6-, you see someone or something
that gives you a scare. Work with
the Narrator to relay what you saw
to the rest of the group. Mark 1XP.
Cause Mischief
When you craft a trap, cause
a distraction, pull a prank, or
otherwise introduce physical
calamity to a situation, roll +Steam.
On 10+, things go according to
your plan and you create an
advantageous situation for yourself.
On 7-9, something goes awry. You
manage to affect your target but an
unintended side effect puts one or
more of the Kids in peril. Describe
what goes wrong and the Narrator
will describe the new danger.
On 6-, your plan fails and you earn
the ire of your target. Mark 1XP.
14
Scoot Away
When you attempt to escape from
someone or something, roll +Steam.
On 10+, you get away safely.
On 7-9, choose one:
• You get away but leave something
important behind.
• You get away but leave an obvious
trail.
• You don’t escape but your
movement catches the attention
of any Folks nearby.
On 6-, you don’t escape. Describe
an opening you’d hoped to exploit
and the Narrator describes how
that path is closed to you. Mark 1
relevant Harm tag and 1XP.
Console
When you take a moment in a safe
place to try to make another Kid feel
better, describe what you do to comfort
them and roll +Friendship with that
character. Mend one relevant Harm on
that character.
On 10+, your help is exactly what
they need, gain all three of the 7-9
options.
On 7-9, you both feel a little bit better,
choose one:
• Gain 1 Wish.
• Mark 1XP.
• The character you help gains +1
Friendship towards you.
On 6-, describe how something or
someone interferes with your
attempt to heal.
Brace Yourself
When you prepare for incoming
Harm, describe how you intend to block
or deter the pain and roll +Noodle.
On 10+, you avoid the Harm and have
an opportunity to react before any
more comes your way.
On 7-9, choose one:
• You avoid the incoming Harm but
create a ruckus, environmental
danger, or other complication of
your choice.
• You take the Harm but doing so
renders the source temporarily
inert.
On 6-, you suffer the incoming Harm
regardless of your preparations.
Mark 1 Harm and 1XP.
Talk it Out
When you hesitate out of anxiety,
anger, or another emotional reason,
voice your concerns and roll +Mush.
On 10+, you talk yourself out of your
worry in the process. Remove 1
relevant Harm from yourself if
possible.
On 7-9, choose one:
• Another player steps up to calm or
motivate you, choose who. They
gain +1 Friendship towards you.
• You convince the group to pursue
multiple plans. +1 Wish.
On 6-, you carry on with the
proposed plan against your better
judgement. Mark 1XP.
Make a Friend
When you attempt to make friends
with one of the Folk, describe how you
make an appeal to them and roll +Mush.
On 10+, they respond well to your
friendly advances. Choose one:
• They give you a gift.
• They tell you important
information.
• Gain 1 Wish.
On 7-9, they are hesitant but can
be convinced to be your friend.
Choose one:
• They ask you to make an
unbreakable promise.
• They require a valuable gift in
exchange for their friendship.
On 6-, they are wary of your intent
and keep you at a distance. Mark
1XP.
Team Up
When you assist another player in an
attempted Move, describe how you
help them. If you have:
0 Friendship towards them, gain +1
Friendship towards them if their
roll yields 10+. Mark 1 Harm if they
roll 6-.
1-2 Friendship towards them, they
can choose to reroll one of their
two dice but must take the new
result.
3 Friendship towards them, they
have advantage on the roll.
Face Your Fear Make a Wish
When you would use another Move After rolling for a Move, you may
to act in direct defiance of your spend a Wish to change the result of
Fear, take a deep breath and roll with your roll to a result of your choosing.
disadvantage.
Spend XP
On 10+, reduce your Fear by 1 and At any time, you may spend the XP
succeed on your Move as if you costs below to gain the associated
rolled a 10+. benefit:
On 7-9, choose one: 2 XP: Reroll all dice
• Succeed on your Move as if you 3 XP: +1 Wish
rolled 10+. 4 XP: Unlock +1 Special Move
• Reduce your Fear by 1 and fail 6 XP: +1 to a Stat of your choice (Stat
your Move as if you rolled 6-. maximums are +3)
On 6-, your Fear gets the best of you
and your intended Move fails. Mark
1XP.
Pursue Hope
When you successfully resolve one
of the Folks’ problems and/or make a
significant realization about yourself,
voice it to the others and gain +1 Hope.
This Move can only be performed by
each player once per Hollow.
Catchphrase
You have a specific turn of phrase you
repeat often that brings joy, wisdom,
humor, or eye-rolls to those around you.
Once per Hollow, when you say it, gain
1 Wish.
15
 ADDITIONAL RULES
Using Items
When you describe using an Item to aid
in an attempted Move, add +1 to your
dice result, increasing the chances
you’ll succeed. Then, regardless of the
result, mark one use of that Item.
Most Items begin with 3 uses as
represented by candy corn segments
on your character sheet. When you
acquire a new Item during play, the
Narrator will tell you if it has less than
three uses available due to the state you
found it in.
After its third and final use, erase an
Item from your sheet and describe how
the Item was lost as a result of the Move.
Any Special Items you began the game
with do not follow this rule and can be
used as many times as you’d like. You
may lose or deliberately give away a
Special Item during your story, but it
will not break through repeated use. If
you do elect to abandon your Special
Item, the Narrator may present you with
a new one if it makes sense in the story’s
fiction.
16
Genius Plans
Occasionally, it will make sense for all of your Kids to try tackling an obstacle
together. This will likely require a Genius Plan—a group Move where Kids combine
their strengths for a better chance at success and a shared positive outcome.
When a player declares they’d like to attempt a Genius Plan, the story hits pause
while the details of the plan are sorted out. The player who initiated the Plan
declares their intent, and each Kid says how their character could help in a unique
way, choosing a Move of theirs that best fits the assistance. Each Kid rolls dice for
their individual Move, tracking Successes & Misses while the story is still on pause.
If at least half of the Kids get Successes on their rolls, the Genius Plan is going to
work! If less than half of the rolls succeed, the plan falls apart.
Now, resume play, narrating your characters’ actions and dialogue. Go around
in turns describing your contributions to the Plan (positive or negative) with
your rolls in mind. Since you know the individual successes and failures of the
Plan already, you can revel in the tension and drama or lean into slapstick antics
as things spiral hilariously out of control. Once the Genius Plan has concluded,
though, the Narrator describes its fallout in regards to the story.
Genius Plans should be used infrequently and only in situations such as tackling
large threats, reaching the climax of a particular narrative arc, or confronting
other especially significant issues in the story. The results of a Genius Plan should
be conclusive in such a way that players can’t just try again in the event of failure—
they’re used to definitively confront things for better or worse.
Making Wishes
Everyone receives one Wish mark on their playbook during character creation
and may collect additional Wishes through play, storing up to two. Wishes are
powerful and exist in a space between the story of our characters and the real-life
conversation of the players, and are earned through specific Moves, by spending
XP, or by reaching certain benchmarks in your story. A player may spend one of
their Wishes to alter the results of a Move they are taking immediately after rolling
dice. They then get to decide which result occurs, choosing from those listed on the
Move. When making a Wish, you should describe your character wishing for their
circumstance to change. This could be as simple as closing their eyes and taking
a deep breath while envisioning the future, as complex as uttering a superstitious
poem, or anything in between. Erase the spent Wish mark from your playbook and
continue play from there.
Using a Wish always results in your desired outcome. It is a powerful tool and End of Session Rewards
should be used sparingly—the randomness of dice combined with your Moves’ At the end of a session of play, talk with
outcomes drive the story, so you don’t want to disrupt it too much. That said, this is your group about your favorite parts of
your story and sometimes things should go how you want them to. the story told and share any hopes or
expectations for what might happen in
On Harm future sessions. Answer the following
Kids can acquire Harm from attempting and failing particular Moves or from questions for your Kid and gain 1XP for
particular story moments as dictated by the Narrator. Kids never receive Harm each “yes” answer:
arbitrarily, though—it is always the consequence of particular actions. • Did you help someone when they
were in need?
When you receive Harm, mark it on your character sheet and use a word or phrase • Did something you did make
to describe the harm’s nature. Keep in mind that there is no mechanical distinction another person laugh out loud?
between mental, physical, or emotional pain and that you can only receive one • Did you reveal a secret of your own
Harm at a time. or keep a secret of someone else’s?
• When you have 1 Harm, you may not spend any of your XP until it is healed. • Did you come face to face with the
• When you have 2 Harm, you receive disadvantage on all of your rolls until you Fiend or one of its agents?
are healed. • Did you have a good time?
• When you accumulate 3 Harm, your Kid is incapacitated until they are healed.
This means you are effectively taken out of the story until your pain is tended If you ended the session with zero
to by another character. You may still talk with your fellow players and their Wishes, gain 1 Wish for next time.
characters but can’t attempt Moves until healed. 3rd-degree Harm needs to be
attended to as soon as possible!
While you can be subjected to different types of Harm on your journey, Kids do not
die in this game.

Spending XP
As you play, you’ll collect XP and track it on your character sheet. You may use
these points at any time to make changes to your character. These changes happen
immediately—even if your character is in the middle of something when doing so.
2 XP: Reroll all dice
3 XP: +1 Wish
4 XP: Unlock +1 Special Move
6 XP: +1 to a Stat of your choice (Stat maximums are +3)

When you’ve accumulated enough XP to cash in for a result you want, simply erase
the number used from your playbook sheet and take that action. You cannot store
more than 7XP as designated by portions of the hard candy on your playbook. If
you are at 7XP, you must spend some before you are able to collect more.

17
 HOLLOWS
Scattered among the ever-expanding forest are small clearings, towns, homes,
and other centers of respite called Hollows. Hollows are populated by the many
denizens of the Wood: dancing vegetables, curious farmers, crafty witches,
meddlesome kittens, and more. Each Hollow carries out a particular way of life,
generally isolated from other Hollows and always disconnected from the outside
world. While these strangers may initially seem unusual, Kids quickly realize they
are all regular people with problems and aspirations just like them.

The characters Kids meet along their way that are controlled by the Narrator would
be called Non-Playable Characters (or NPCs) in other games, but we’ll refer to them
as Folks. When creating Folks, the Narrator should keep them simple enough to
easily portray and open-ended enough to adapt to player interests. There are no
numbers associated with Folks either! Instead, Folks should have just enough traits
and thoughts listed to give you what you need—the rest can be improvised through
play. Like Kids, often Folks can be defined by listing the things they have, want, or
fear.

For example, meet Gretchen Bluck (middle-aged human, warm, wants to be an

excellent host and to raise kids of her own, fears the Fiend’s influence and the coming
winter). With just this much detail, the Narrator can easily portray Gretchen as a
kindly caretaker who will offer a safe place to nap, or as overprotective, forbidding
the Kids from leaving her homestead out of fear. This mix lets the Narrator use
Gretchen to present either problems or solutions, allowing them to adapt to
however the Kids act!

18
When Kids enter a Hollow for the first time the Narrator
describes the sights, sounds, and smells prominent in the area.
This includes buildings, plant growth, Folks, and any other set
dressing that helps set the stage for the adventure to come.
While a Narrator is welcome to offer as many interesting
details as they’d like, they should make sure to clearly
present at least 3 story hooks for players to investigate
(and potentially become entangled with). Some pre-designed
Hollows in this book have story hooks built-in (p. 38-43), but
when coming up with your own, consider offering hooks
from the following categories:
• Interesting People - the citizens of a Hollow may be
eccentric, suspicious, friendly, or afraid, but they should
ALL be available to interact with the Kids. Present the
Kids with one of more Folks that pique their curiosity and
let them pursue the connections that interest them most.
• Glistening Treasures - Hollows are always full of enticing
goodies—be they magical, edible, natural, artificial, or
otherwise. Put one or more treasures just within eyesight
upon arrival and the Kids won’t be able to resist the allure.
Presenting a simple glimpse of an item is often enough
for an excitable character to set the group on a much
longer path, for better or worse.
• Events - while today may look like any old day to the Kids,
it’s a special day for the Hollow! A celebration, a holiday,
a ritual, or some other event could always be happening
right around the corner. Let the Kids catch wind of
something out of the ordinary and see if they follow up
on it.
• Noteworthy Locations - every Hollow is unique, but even
then some landmarks stand out more than others. Maybe
weather vanes grow like sunflowers in one corner while
a magnificent castle fills another. Make Kids aware of the
most eye-catching elements in the area and see where
their feet carry them.

19
Problems
In each Hollow the Kids will be tasked with helping Folks there deal with various
issues they’re having. These range from simple concerns, like fixing a broken stove
in time for dinner, to more serious troubles, like finding a missing loved one. These
dilemmas are divided into Big Problems and Little Problems.

Little Problems Big Problems

Everyone could use a helping hand from time to time, and as
such, nearly everyone in a given Hollow has a Little Problem
could use assistance with. Generally, these are tasks they
would typically handle on their own but wouldn’t say no to
someone making a little easier either.
Little Problems are fun detours in your story as opposed
to the narrative-shaping adventures of Big Problems. They
tend to be received and resolved within the same Hollow and
seldom require traveling through the Wood to overcome.
Little Problems usually focus on individuals as opposed to
Hollow-wide issues, and impact Folks’ happiness rather
than safety or other more weighty concerns. They usually
have simple solutions with little impact, but sometimes a
Little Problem can become a Big Problem after a series of
misfortunes or be a Big Problem in disguise all along
When Folks in a Hollow are overwhelmed, threatened, or just
really upset, they are likely dealing with a Big Problem. These
are not as easy to resolve and will require investigation,
planning, and creative teamwork on the Kids’ part.
Big Problems don’t always require immediate attention,
instead permeating throughout a Hollow while Kids solve
Little Problems and explore until it’s impossible to ignore.
Some Big Problems will even necessitate traveling to other
Hollows, creating openings for the the Fiend along the way.
The solving a Big Problem often changes the status quo of a
Hollow, so generally there won’t be any more Little Problems
requiring Kids attention once it’s solved. Once a Big Problem
is squashed, Kids should wrap up any loose ends and travel to
the next Hollow shortly after.

Little Problems could include: Big Problems could include:

• Wanting a fresh haircut to impress a crush
• Ridding a group of mice from the pantry
• Finding a missing hat in a cluttered home
• Overcoming stage fright before a big show
• Finding a missing teacher while keeping students
occupied
• Solving the case of the Hollow’s chronic dessert shortage
• Bringing back rain to a Hollow experiencing drought
• Eradicating a town-wide ghost infestation

20
Solutions
Problems don’t come with pre-made solutions. There may be a seemingly obvious
answer to a Problem, but that doesn’t mean it’s obvious to the Kids. Sometimes
they will even reject solutions for being too obvious! Rather than plan for an
expected course of action, be prepared to go with the flow and play to find out what
happens—whether through a conventional or out-of-the-box approach. Solving
Problems is often a goal, but learning about your characters and having a fun time
is the ultimate goal of play. This story is about the Kids’ journey, not necessarily
their destination.

Marking Progress What warrants filling in or adding circles is subjective and up

Kids are likely to collect a few ongoing Problems at a time,
solving them whenever it makes the most sense for their
story. The Narrator can use a sheet like the one provided on
page 52 or a series of notes to track ongoing Problems and
the progress Kids have made towards their resolutions.
A Problem can be represented by an objective/title followed
by a series of marks. A completely new Problem will be
paired with a number of circles representing steps of success
the Kids must make to solve the Problem. When the Kids
make a noteworthy step towards that Problem’s solution—
whatever the solution and however abstract an approach
may be—fill in one of the open circles. If the Kids instead
make a bad mistake, such as destroying an item needed for
their proposed solution, the Narrator can add additional
hollow circles to the Problem to show that there is more work
to be done before a resolution can be reached. Little Problems
begin with only 1-2 circles, while Big Problems have 3-5.
to the Narrator (or group consensus if not using a Narrator).
And while Kids should aim to help those around them, that
isn’t the only purpose of their journey. Unsolved or growing
Problems should not be treated as liabilities or punishments,
but rather potential plot points to circle back on if players
decide to. Unsolved Problems that do re-enter the story
should always create interesting opportunities for Kids,
though, and not be an opportunity to chastise them.
Some Problems can be time sensitive, too—like making a
fancy dress in time for a big dance. Since time in the Wood
is abstracted, a “day” could take place over multiple sessions
of play or over ten minutes as the dance quickly approaches.
Marks and circles are not measures of time but rather the
amount of work and effort the Kids put in to consider a
Problem taken care of.
For more Narrator-specific advice on introducing,
accounting for, and resolving Problems, see page 32.

21
 THE WOOD

22
 The Wood is a mysterious place. It does
not follow nature’s typical rules. The sun
simply stays out until it’s tired and then
the moon takes its shift. When leaves
fall from trees, sometimes they drift
slower than you’d expect, other times
they drop like a bag of bricks. Creatures
jump from one tree to another only to
find themselves landing on the same
branch they just left. Mapping the Wood
is impossible and there’s no reliable
way to navigate it. As Hollow residents
will tell you, though: you always end up
where you’re supposed to be.

Lonebury

Paradiso
THE
WOOD Home of
the West
Witch

23
The Wood Move
Every Hollow is connected by the Wood,
and whenever Kids leave a Hollow,
they enter the Wood. When the Wood
decides they’re ready to leave, they find
an exit. Traveling through the Wood
to the next Hollow requires a special
move—the Wood Move. It is performed
exactly once per exploration and only
one Kid rolls the Wood Move between
Hollows. A Kid may not roll the Wood
Move again until all other Kids have
done so.
When you wander through the Wood, describe how your Fear is made present—
literally or figuratively. Roll -Fear +Hope.
On 10+, you see a clearing ahead and can safely emerge from the forest depths.
You also notice something that seems like fun. You may choose an unmarked
Distraction from the list below and investigate it with your friends, then mark it on
a sheet of paper. When all Distractions are marked, erase them and start over.
• A Swimming Hole • Flowers Bloom • A Wildberry Tasting
• A Friend On Their Way • A Woodland Party • A Natural Melody
On 7-9, the forest twists and turns before you, making it difficult to travel. Choose
another Kid to pull aside and Confide in. They get +1 Friendship towards you.
Choose an unmarked topic from the following list, then mark it. When all topics
are marked, erase them all and start over.

• You deeply miss • Another Kid is • You have a secret

something or making you upset you’ve avoided
someone back • You have regrets admitting
home about the way you • You hope to
• You’re scared of or the group acted find something
something you in the last Hollow important to you
saw in the Wood in the next Hollow

On 6-, you are separated from the group and confronted by the Fiend.

After resolving the prompt offered by using this move, the group immediately
exits the Wood into a new Hollow.

On 15+, you see a path that leads out of the Wood to a familiar place
near your home. Characters with 5 Hope may exit the Wood and return
home. More on returning home on page 30.

24
Distractions
Distractions are fun times between
Hollows. These moments of wonder
and goofiness are often fleeting, so
Kids should make the most of them!
There are no mechanical incentives to
engage with a Distraction, and no need
to perform Moves—simply describe the
Kids’ actions and conversations as they
have fun. There is no time limit—just
indulge in a moment of distraction until
you feel like entering the next Holow.
Sometimes, the events you encounter,
Folks you meet, or items you find
during a Distraction will set you on a
longer path that points you towards a
particular objective. If that path doesn’t
sound like fun, though, you can always
go in a different direction and trust
the Wood (and the Narrator) to get you
where you are supposed to go.
Confiding
When you walk through the Wood,
you’ll be offered moments to Confide
in a fellow Kid, strengthening your
friendship while getting things off
your chest. These are often dramatic
moments—admitting your fears &
shortcomings or confronting someone
else about theirs. When you confide in
another Kid, remember the Safety Tools
established at the start of play to avoid
a conversation getting too intense or
going in a direction someone doesn’t
appreciate.
These Confiding moments are a key
part of the heart of the game. They
allow you to more deeply understand
the motivations of your Kids and
explore their relationships. Sometimes,
Kids fight. Other times, they make up.
Use Confiding to create or ease tension
in your party and let those loaded
conversations impact the way you treat
one another in the Hollows.
25
 THE FIEND

26
The Fiend is the embodiment of fear. It wanders the Wood and manipulates both
denizens and travelers for its own gain or to sow chaos. Spoken in hushed tones,
rumors and tales of the Fiend abound, but very few are unfortunate enough to
come face to face with the thing itself. Those who do are changed—dragging panic
and dismay with them to each Hollow.

The Fiend operates from the safety of shadows, behind tall trees and obfuscated
by brush. Even when addressing its would-be victims, it prefers to be hidden or
masked, and it’s true form is still unknown. Instead, it presents itself as corrupted
creatures of the forest—tall, dark-cloaked people just off the path or blurry
apparitions of darkness in the corner of your sight. Its voice is heard within your
head unknown to those around you, and you are only made aware of the Fiend’s
presence when it wants you to be. By that point, it’s often too late to escape.

Shadows
The Fiend employs a network of rascals and pawns that enact its ill will called
Shadows. The Fiend is never seen in Hollows, but Shadows sometimes are. They do
the Fiend’s dirty work, such as heckling Hollows, collecting debts, wreaking havoc,
and otherwise disrupting the Folks’ peace. Shadows come in various forms, from
lowly beasts to full grown adults and anywhere in between. Generally speaking, the
larger the Shadow, the more impactful their presence—but this does not always
correlate with their commitment to serve the Fiend. Some are tricked into carrying
out the Fiend’s wishes, others are tarnished by fear and anger. Others still can be
rescued and brought back from the Fiend’s influence, but be wary of those who are
too far gone to be reasoned with.

The Fiend’s Shadows can be encountered at any stage, whether in Hollows or on

paths between. Some will be searching for the Kids, while others might have tasks
and preoccupations of their own. In either case, Shadows are a great tool for
adding some tension to your story. There is even a mode of play where you can
forgo a traditional Narrator role and let players insert their own Shadows to create
conflicts in a game (page 37).

The Fiend and its Shadows do not have stats, Moves, or health points. Shadows
instead complicate the Problems the group set out to solve by mirroring Kids’
Fears. To overcome Shadows’ influence, Kids must persevere and help the people
of the Wood by being forces of goodness and light. These sinister beings thrive on
their ability to wreak havoc, and the best thing the Kids can do in defiance of this
hostility is care for one another and those they encounter.

27
 Penelope (large spider, mischievous, wants to wrap things in web and cause panic,
fears thunder and water)

Penelope makes her presence known in subtle ways at first—an ornate web
cast in a dimly lit corner of the local lodge, an egg sac left in the haystacks of the
horse barn. She marks her territory and plays pranks on those who breach its
borders,using webbing to open doors or pull a freshly cooked casserole off the
counter and crashing onto the floor. Her victims often tell tales of figures with
jerking movement haunting the grounds, an unseen puppet master of the Hollow
snickering in the shadows.

Winnipeg (scarecrow, sleepy, wants a tasty breakfast and place to rest, has a never-
ending itch)

Winnipeg awoke one autumn morning stiff, sore, and tied to a board in a field while
a murder of crows hovered around making jokes. Winnipeg didn’t much care for
being awake, but what choice did they have? Craving breakfast, Winnipeg broke
away from the boards propping them up and crept into town in search of the
perfect egg sandwich. The townsfolk didn’t take kindly to Winnipeg—most kept a
cautious distance, and those who got too close were given an unending itch from
contact with Winnipeg’s brittle hay. Winnipeg was rushed out of town and now
wanders the Hollows in search of eggs, acceptance, and a nice spot to go back to
sleep, oblivious of the scratchy skins and scared crows left in their wake.

Borgle (fisherman, soaking wet, wants to fill the lake with treasures, has a wide range
of fishing supplies, fears breaking the Fiend’s contract)

Poor Borgle fished his life away, peddling perch for pennies each afternoon to
pay for pop at the soda stand each night before repeating everything the next
day. One day, though, his boat tipped over and he was pinned beneath. The Fiend
appeared swiftly to present an offer Borgle was not in a position to refuse: a rescue
in exchange for service. For each fish he took, he must bring something of value to
the lake, and failure to do so would return Borgle to the bottom of the lake himself.
The people of the Hollow didn’t notice Borgle’s slow transition to a bloated and
blue swamp being—they didn’t pay him much mind to begin with—but they surely
noticed their jewelry, tools, and crafts missing while the lake’s level rose and rose.
Now, Folks wade through wet walkways as the lake fills with stolen treasures while
the lonely thief Borgle counts the days until his debt is paid.

28
FIEND MOVES
Face Off
When you are confronted by the
Fiend, roll -Fear.
On a 10+, your resolve is strong.
While it attempts to manipulate
or frighten you, you stick up for
yourself and the Fiend retreats. +1
Hope.
On 7-9, it will offer you something
you want in exchange for (choose
one):
• Private and potentially harmful
information on another player.
• Acceptance of a private mission
or sabotage.
• Destruction of a sentimental item.
Rejecting the offer gives +1 Fear.
On 6-, it makes a threat and a future
promise. +1 Fear and +1XP.
A-HA!
When you attempt to prove the Fiend
or a Shadow are lying or wrong, call it
out and roll +Hope.
On 10+, you catch it by surprise
and reveal a weakness. The Fiend
retreats/the Shadow crumbles. -1
Fear.
On 7-9, it doubles down and tries to
talk itself out of the predicament. It
promises to return to you and make
you sorry but leaves you alone for
now.
On 6-, it laughs at you and explains
how your mind cannot comprehend
its workings. +1XP.
Find a Clue
When you find or infer evidence
of the Fiend’s recent presence or
influence, tell the others up to 3 rumors
about the Fiend that scare you. Then,
roll +Rumors.
On 10+, choose one of your rumors
to be true and another to be false.
The shadowy presence or evidence
dissipates.
On 7-9, Choose one of your rumors
to be based in truth but worse than
you thought. An agent or omen
of the Fiend presents itself to the
group in an attempt to deter you.
On 6-, all of your rumors are true.
You feel a chill up your spine and
the presence of the Fiend but you
don’t see it. +1 Fear and +1XP.
Summon Darkness
When you wish to summon the Fiend
or a Shadow, declare what you hope to
accomplish and what you offer them in
exchange and roll +Hope.
On 10+, the Fiend appears eager
to accept your offering and will
consider what you ask for in return.
On 7-9, a Shadow appears on the
Fiend’s behalf, relaying your
message in exchange for a down
payment.
On 6-, you are given a dark vision and
your offer is rejected. +1 Fear and
+1XP.
29
 HOME
Outside the Wood, our world beckons lost children to return. Mere moments after
going missing, a Kid may stumble back into their reality in whatever condition it
was left in (for better or worse) as if nothing ever occurred. What has changed,
however, is their perspective, influenced by the people and places they saw in the
Wood.

Most Kids see returning Home as their ultimate goal while navigating the Wood,
but it’s not easily attained. To exit the Wood, a Kid must first realize who they are,
and this can be accomplished in a variety of ways depending on your style of play:

If you are playing multiple sessions of the game in a campaign style, returning
Home is the finale and epilogue to your story. When rolling the Wood move,
you must roll 15 or higher to get a glimpse of Home through the thick forest
brush. Obviously, with two six-sided dice, rolling 15 is not possible, so you’ll
need to reduce your Fear and increase your Hope to achieve such a result.
Once you’ve seen the path Home, any Kids with 5 Hope may leave. Some Kids
may wish to stay in the Wood forever and that is fine! Others may wish to
stay with their friends and help them increase their Hope so they might leave
together and that is great too. Be sure to consult with your fellow players when
the end is drawing near on whether you want to continue exploring Hollows
and playing the game or if you’d prefer to wrap up your story with a nice,
definitive ending. If you all choose the latter option, feel free to bend the rule
about needing 5 Hope to leave, allowing all Kids the opportunity for a satisfying
epilogue.

For single-session play, you may forgo the pretense of rolling the Wood Move
when you leave your last Hollow and instead play as if every player has 5
Hope and someone rolled a 15+ on the Wood Move. The group or Narrator will
potentially have made this decision before play with the understanding that
your group would not be engaging in a multiple-session story arc, especially if
you’re playing at a convention or in a short-term situation . If you started with
the expectation of only playing one session but decide you want to keep going,
don’t leave the Wood just yet! Instead, simply refer back to the multiple-session
rules for exiting the Wood.

30
Epilogues
When your journey reaches its ending—whether your Kid returns Home or
not—each player is given an opportunity to conclude their story in a satisfying or
dramatic way. Each player will offer a brief scene or vignette focusing on their Kid
after the events of the Wood.

Each Kid rolls 2d6 before telling their Epilogue. Unlike the rest of the game, keep
these values separate instead of adding them together. Each will give you a prompt
to interpret for two Epilogue scenes.
• 5-6: A Moment of Happiness - describe your Kid experiencing joy, they’ve
earned it! This can be a scene reconnecting with loved ones, pursuing
something they always wanted, giving or receiving a gift, making a profound
realization, or anything else.
• 3-4: A Memory of the Wood - describe how something that happened to
your Kid while in the Wood still resonates with them. This can be a glimpse of
something or someone who seems out of place, an event that seems to rhyme
with an experience they had, a callback to a joke they made or catchphrase you
developed, or anything else.
• 1-2: A Frightful Shiver - describe your Kid experiencing or confronting
something scary once more. This can be the Fear they suffered from
while wandering the Wood or something unrelated. This can be a scene of
confrontation, overcoming a fright, succumbing to a fear they thought they
were past, a twist that implies the Fiend might not be done with them, or
anything else.

Each player should deliver one Epilogue at a time, going around the group in a
circle one by one before performing their second Epilogue. You can describe
thoughts, actions, locations, and establishing shots for these moments or you can
choose to act them out in character, allowing your fellow players to act as any Folks
you want to interact with. Once each player has given both their Epilogues, the
story has concluded.

31
 NARRATOR SECTION
Guiding Principles
Narrators are players like anyone else at the table—they just
have a different agenda than the Kids. They may have various
responsibilities during play, but they are still playing the game
and should similarly enjoy the story being told. Using the
following guiding principles will help to ensure all players,
including the Narrator, have a good time.
A
is for “Ask Questions”
It may feel like you are accountable for making all the
world-shaping decisions of the game (as in other RPGs) but
this isn’t the case! Share the storytelling process with the
rest of the group, asking the players questions and letting
their answers shape the setting, history, and people they
encounter.
Leading questions work especially well here. For instance,
when the Kids meet new Folks for the first time (especially
one you may not have expected to pique their interest) ask
“what about this person makes you quick to trust them?” or
“what trait does this person have that is making you wary of
what they say?”
Similarly, ask about the Kids’ thoughts and emotions between
moments of excitement, allowing players to share insight into
their character with the rest of the group. A Kid might be
trying to hide their feelings from the other Kids in-game, but
simply asking that player “how does your Kid feel about this
plan?” can make those concerns explicit instead of implied.
Answering questions like these out in the open allows the
other players to interact accordingly, keeping your story
rooted in the themes and emotions you all want to pursue.
32
B is for “Be a Friend”
Remember that everyone is here to have fun. As
Narrator, you are responsible for stoking Fears, creating
drama, acting on behalf of the Fiend, and generally
antagonizing the Kids. This isn’t an excuse for you to be
antagonistic towards the actual players at the table, though.
Creating tense situations, hard choices, and scary moments
are all par for the course in this game, but you’re doing so in
the best interest of the shared narrative and enjoyment of
all players, not to beat them. Celebrate together when Kids
solve problems, laugh when jokes are made, and encourage
your players when they start to feel stuck. Don’t punish the
Kids when they do things you didn’t foresee or when they
disregard plot hooks you present to them. Also use the
safety tools mentioned on page 4 to ensure everyone stays
comfortable during play. Everyone is in this together!
C is for “Conduct the Narrative”
One of the most critical aspects of being Narrator is
managing the pace of your story. You don’t want the game to
stall out or for players to get bored, so introduce interesting
Folks, Problems, and plot twists early and often. Work with
the other players to find and flesh-out stories that excite
everyone. When things start to slow down, introduce events
that keep the momentum going.
Similarly, you want to make sure you utilize time at the
table efficiently. If you expect to play for a couple hours
but the Kids solve all the Problems in the first ten minutes,
bring in new complications that keep them going. If they’ve
been looking for something for a particularly long time
and you know the session needs to end soon, you can guide
them towards it to help things wrap-up on schedule. Talk
beforehand about whether you plan to play for a single
session or an ongoing series of sessions and plan the scope of
your story to suit.
D is for“Describe a Real/Surreal World”
Another crucial part of being the Narrator is vividly
describing the sights, sounds, and smells of the setting. You’ll
be portraying the world our Kids explore, so make it feel rich
and real! Use lots of adjectives and flavorful words to help
paint pictures in your players’ minds of the places and people
they find. Sensory descriptions help a lot here—for example:
“a gentle breeze on your face wafts the sweet scent of a rustic
bakery nearby” rather than “you smell a bakery ahead.”
The setting of our story isn’t quite the same as the world
we live in, though. Things are strange and rules are bent,
though these oddities may not ring strange to children
who are preoccupied with their own goings on. Use setting
descriptions as an opportunity to further emphasize the
differences between the game-world and our own. Changes
in physics, colors, and textures that appear out of place,
songs and sounds from unknown origins, and Folks who
are something other than human are all great additions.
The possibilities within the Wood are endless and these
eccentricities will make the world feel like your own.
E
is for “Extend Multiple Opportunities”
Each Hollow presents a lot of choices for Kids to make,
but there should never be a right and wrong path as long as
players are having a good time. Make sure there are always
a few things going on in each Hollow, presenting a variety
of avenues to pursue and styles of play to engage with. A
mystery, a parade, a robbery, and a pizza-eating contest can
all be happening on the same day—let the Kids decide which
excites them and branch out from there. You can even tie
opportunities-not-pursued back into the story later on using
the Call Back Narrator Move (more on your Moves later).
Having a lot of narrative plates spinning at once ensures
there will never be a dull moment or a lack of inspiration for
the players while ensuring the Hollows will feel lived-in.
F is for “Frighten (When Appropriate)”
This game is intended to take place on Halloween, a day
for celebrating scares. Kids bring in Fears as part of their
characters, though the intensity and tones of these will vary
widely for different play groups. Remember that while this
is not a horror game, there are elements of fright involved,
so don’t be afraid to lean into the darker tones and themes of
your story! A Hollow can be populated by ghosts or vampires
just as easily as walking zucchini squash or cute cats (or
regular old humans even). These otherworldly elements
don’t have to always be scary and can instead inspire more
Halloween hijinks in the tone of a Scooby-Doo cartoon, or you
can let Kids feel out of place or at odds with the environments
they must interact with. Either way, make sure you do so with
the consent and understanding of all the players by using
Lines & Veils or CATS from the safety tools on pages 4-5.
The Fiend and its Shadows are explicit embodiments of fright
that live in the Wood and should be treated as such. The big,
antagonistic force of the setting should not be played for
laughs, but should be something that denizens of the Hollows
speak about in hushed tones and avoid at all costs. Make the
Fiend feel like a serious threat and it will heighten the tension
of moments when Kids are made to interact with it.
G
is for “Go With The Flow”
Try as you might, you will not be able to predict how
players will react to your plot hooks every time! Instead of
getting disappointed or trying to shoehorn your story into
the game, just say “yes!” and let the Kids forge their own
paths. By rolling with the proverbial punches, your group will
arrive at a shared world and narrative and surprise you along
the way. You may think Kids will always go for the shiny piece
of candy you place before them, but what they do instead and
why can be just as interesting.
33
 NARRATOR MOVES
The Narrator primarily describes the setting and the actions of Folks, The Fiend,
and Shadows, but they have Moves at their disposal to keep the story moving as
well. Narrator Moves don’t require dice rolls—they simply happen in the narrative
and Kids react accordingly. When a player rolls 6- on any Move* or the energy and
interest in a scene starts to dip, you may take any of the following actions:

Reveal the Fiend’s Presence Call Back Inflict Harm

Introduce evidence that the Fiend is
nearby by confronting the Kids with a
clue, a chill on the spine, or a Shadow.
Entice
Introduce an item, opportunity, person
in need, or something else appealing
and place it just out of the Kids’ reach.
Ask About Feelings
Ask a player about how their Kid feels
in a given situation and how they take
action based on that feeling.
Refresh
Abruptly change the weather, time of
day, location, company present, or other
physical circumstances to keep the
Wood feeling fresh and strange.
Bring back past Folks, Shadows,
clues, omens, or Problems with new
circumstances or complications.
Cut Away
Highlight events that aren’t immediately
in the vicinity of the Kids—like
characters making plans off-screen—
introducing some dramatic irony into
the game.
Plant Clues
Use sensory clues like a glint of light or
strange noise to draw Kids’ attention to
an important or interesting thing.
Omen
Offer a vision of a grim future through
a magical force, dreams, nightmares, or
other mysterious means.
Scare
Introduce an aspect of a Kid’s Fear
into the current scene, literally or
figuratively.
When a player takes Harm as the result
of a 6- roll, help them decide the type of
Harm, remind them how Harm impacts
what their Kid can do, and ask them to
describe how the Harm affects their
Kid.
Create Danger
Create a hazardous situation for
a Kid, Folk, or Shadow. Consider
environmental danger (weather),
physical danger (a threatening
presence), emotional danger (a heated
conversation), etc.
Offer a Choice
Show multiple exciting things and force
the Kids to decide between them. This
could be a choice of reward, like having
a pie and a magic lamp falling at the
same time when they can only catch
one, or a choice between dangers, like
a thief lurking across the street from a
feral beast and you have to pick a side.
* Most Moves have story beats built into
the 6- results. Work with the player
who rolled the Move to elaborate on
these prompts and decide what to do
next, whether or not it involves using a
Narrator Move.

34
 NARRATOR SHEET
Being a Narrator can sometimes feel
like a lot of responsibility. Luckily, Kids
will often excitedly take the story in A E
directions you could never expect on
their own—you will frequently just
need to react to their actions! To aid in
organizing information, however, you
can use the Narrator Sheet supplied at
the end of this book.

(A) At the top left, you have an area to

keep track of your game’s Kids. Next to
B C
each name, write down their Fear and
Hope for quick reference. You can of
course ask the Kids questions at any
time if you want clarification or insight,
but having this core information handy
will always be useful for making a story
specific to your players’ characters.

(B) Below the Kid section is an area for

tracking the Folks you create. Not every
Folk will warrant being written down,
D
but this allows you the opportunity
to track ones the Kids especially like
or will be interacting with frequently.
There’s space to record their individual
traits as well.

(C) Next to the Folks area lives a space

to track Problems. Kids will likely
discover quite a few and leave some
unattended for a while. If you find
yourself running out of space to track
Problems, you may have offered the
Kids too many choices—feel free to
erase ones they seem less interested in.
(D) The last thing on the left half of the
Narrator sheet is a table for quickly
generating new Folks and locations.
If the Kids go down a path you didn’t
prepare for, roll up something or
someone unique to add to your story!
(E) Finally, on the right half of the sheet
is a list of your Narrator Moves for easy
reference. Once you’re comfortable
enough with the rules, you should be
able to play the game without opening
and closing the book, instead just
relying on this reference sheet.

35
 COMPOSING A PROBLEM
A bulk of your work as Narrator is creating and pacing a satisfying story despite unpredictable characters. This is an easier
task than it sounds, though, so don’t fret! You’ve likely read enough books, watched enough cartoons, or been exposed to
enough stories to know how they work without even realizing it. Using a three-act structure can make an entire session of play
out of a single Big Problem or be used to thread together a handful of Little Problems. Here is a quick and simple breakdown of
how to manage a session of play around a particular Problem.
Act I: We are introduced to our Act II: The Kids pursue their goal. Act III: The Problem has a pay-off,
setting and the people therein. We learn They interact with the setting in pursuit a twist, a goodbye, or other satisfying
about a Problem that needs attention. of an objective. resolution.

Offer at least three branching options
(p. 19) to entice your players. Be
prepared to improvise reactions to
the Kids’ ideas and actions. If this
is the first time you’re playing the
game, Kids might be hesitant to rush
into something, so you can present
situations that require immediate
attention, like Folks running up to the
Kids to immediately present a Problem
or an exciting event that demands their
attention. If your players are more
excitable, they may discover problems
and events on their own rather quickly.
Once the Kids have an understanding
of the setting and situation, you can
present a Problem (Big or Little). Work
with the players to make clear what
their goal is and what is at stake. If the
Problem is time-sensitive, make that
known before they begin. Similarly,
while all Problems have the potential
to spin out of control, warn players if
a particular issue is tied to danger, the
Fiend, or other important hazards.
Most of the game takes place in this
section of the story. This is where Kids
will most frequently be using their
Moves and rolling dice, which can
have interesting and unpredictable
outcomes. Work together to describe
satisfying results for their successes
and interesting complications for
their failures. If action starts to stall or
players take too long planning instead
of acting, remember to use your
Narrator Moves to propel the story
along.
The second act of the session is when
Kids are faced with adversity and
either double-down and overcome that
adversity or abandon their goal. Neither
path is wrong, so don’t penalize players
for choosing a certain course of action.
Most of the time Kids will aspire to solve
the Problem at hand, but pivoting also
allows you to create other Problems that
your players may be more interested in.
A variety of Problems will always make
the Wood feel more lived-in as well.
You will begin to sense when a story
has reached its natural conclusion.
If attempting to solve a Problem, the
final stages of that solution tend to be
the ending. If the Problem has been
ignored or abandoned, the Kids leaving
the Hollow can serve as the third act.
Reassess the status quo of the Hollow
based on the actions the Kids took,
rewarding them for accomplishing
their goals, facing their Fears, and
chasing their Hopes. Allow the Folks to
congratulate them, offer them rewards
like unique items, a warm meal, or
even just a high-five. If your Problem
leads into another for an ongoing
series of play sessions, introduce these
complications before wrapping up.
Offer the Kids a moment of respite and
calm before setting off into the Wood
and potentially interacting with their
Fears or the Fiend between Hollows.

Different stories will follow different structures, so don’t worry if your adventure doesn’t adhere to this one. Instead, treat
three-act structure as a guideline for simple sessions that will appeal to both the Kids’ excitable playstyle and the group’s
desire to tell fun and satisfying stories within the game.

36
 PLAYING WITHOUT A NARRATOR
Your group may decide that no one
wants to be the Narrator or that you are
comfortable enough with roleplaying
games that you can forge ahead without
one. Fortunately, Babes in the Wood can
be played without a formal Narrator
by using special shared Moves called
Shadow Moves.
In this mode of play, everyone is
encouraged to add setting details and
to collaborate on creating Folks and
Hollows. You can all reference the
Narrator Move list and perform those
when appropriate, both acting as your
Kid characters and helping to direct
play. To introduce additional drama and
conflict, however, use Shadow Moves.
The Shadow Move list (p. 51) is
presented in tiers that unlock as your
Kids push forward in their plans. Some
of these Moves are new and exclusive
to this mode of play, so be sure to read
through them even if you’ve played
the game before. The beginning of the
list, Tier Zero, is unlocked at the start
of play. Tier Zero’s Moves are always
available to all players. Along the left
edge of the Shadow Move list, there are
a number of descending empty pips.
Whenever a Kid attempts a Move in
a Hollow, fill in the next empty pip.* If
the attempted Move has a 6- result, fill
in an additional empty pip. When you
fill in the pip associated with a given
tier, you unlock the Moves in that tier
for all players. Whenever a new tier is
unlocked, every player is also awarded
1 Wish.
Any player can use an unlocked
Shadow Move at any time, but you must
use a Shadow Move from the highest
unlocked tier whenever a player rolls
a 6- on a Move. Most Basic and Special
Moves include prompts for what
happens when a player rolls 6-, and
those events should also be addressed.
The player who attempted the Move
should resolve those issues, fielding
suggestions from the other players if
they choose but it is ultimately their
decision what happens to their Kid
when they fail on an attempted Move.
Then, any one of the players—including
the one who just failed on their Move—
details the Shadow Move that occurs as
a result, creating new Problems to solve
and new situations the Kids will have to
cleverly escape.
The Shadow Move tiers reset whenever
the Kids exit a Hollow, allowing for fresh
starts and a break in tension. Erase
all of the marked pips on the Shadow
Moves’ track and begin again at Tier
Zero.
* Performing the Wood Move
or using Fiend Moves while in
the Wood do not count towards
progressing the Shadow track.
37
LONEBURY is a simple village
consisting of about 30 human residents in predominantly
single-room log cabins. Homes and businesses line a main
street that ends with a large circular clearing surrounded
by public-use buildings such as a library, historical society,
museum, and post office. Beyond these structures is a wide
lake where scattered skiffs carry Folks out to silent fishing
spots away from the relative hubbub of town.

The Lonebury Sovereign Council

Operating from the seclusion of the library’s second level,
The Council oversees the goings on of Lonebury, granting
citizens permits for projects that better the town, subsidizing
the labor of the town’s workers, and dealing with the
occasional criminal case. The Lonebury Sovereign Council is
composed of three appointed leaders with equal power:
• Harriet Florence (middle-aged human, chipper, wants
everyone in Lonebury to be prosperous, fears upsetting her
council compatriots)
• Wesley Higgins (preteen human, spoiled, wants everything
for himself, hates being told no, fears “creatures” in the lake)
• Boone Daniels (elderly dog, lethargic, wants to be pet and Lonebury School House
given peanut butter, fears loud noises) The young citizens of Lonebury gather each morning to be
educated in a one-room school under the guidance of their
The Council generally acts in the best interest of the citizens eccentric professor Mr. Rockwell (adult human, rambling
but has had issues with new decrees since the appointment & distracted, loves science and history, wants to complete
of Wesley Higgins after his father Dennis retired, departing his invention that will allow lake exploration in pursuit of
from Lonebury in search of an empty Hollow where he could fabled magic minerals). Class begins with a chiming bell that
build a quiet cabin and live in isolation. Boone, on the other summons the students each morning. While lesson plans
hand, is a long-standing council member who is extremely prove the teacher’s best intentions, class quickly devolves into
well liked by everyone in town. Harriet tries her best to Mr. Rockwell’s incoherent scribbling on the chalkboard about
manage the other council members, even if it occasionally his deep-lake exploration tools while students pulling pranks
means deploying tough love. on their distracted professor.

Problems:
• Wesley convinces Harriet to step down and a new council
appointee is needed (Big)
• The Council has erroneously expanded the operating
radius of the postal service and mail carriers are going
missing (Big)
• Boone is out of peanut butter and has no way to convey
this to the others (Little)
Problems:
• Mr. Rockwell needs a final component for his machine to
work: a bolt of lightning (Big)
• The students need to perform well on their upcoming test
(Little)
• The students want help crafting the perfect reconciliation
gift for Mr. Rockwell after a prank-gone-too-far (Little)

38
Other-Worldly Thurston
Other-Worldly Thurston (unknown age & species, wants
to impress their audience, fears the truth being revealed, needs
to get paid and to leave town). A traveling magician is set to
perform in the clearing at the end of main street. Not much
is known about the person except what “Other-Worldly
Thurston” tells you (assumed to be steeped in exaggeration
and marketing): “A being from another world, Thurston
[Surname Redacted] is here to show you the wonders of
magic and the powers of the Wood that could all be yours
with a little practice and up-front payment!” No one is sure
who scheduled this performance or why it costs so much to
attend, but the citizens of Lonebury are excited regardless.

Problems:
• Thurston suddenly has stage fright and the show is in
jeopardy (Little)
• Thurston needs Kid assistants to perform their grandest
illusions (Little)
• Thurston makes a council member disappear (Big)

Magician’s Apprentice (Rare Move)

When you witness Other-Worldly Thurston perform
magic, real or perceived, roll +Noodle.

On 10+, you know the source of magic and how to wield it

but you don’t want to spoil the show.
On 7-9, choose one:
• You believe the magic is real but you cannot wield it for
your own benefit.
• You believe the magic is illusory but no one believes you.
On 6-, you simply watch full of awe and desire. The
Magician asks for your assistance on their next trick.
+1XP.

39
MORNINGGATE
is a crafty and clever Hollow dotted with makeshift shacks,
trembling treehouses, creepy cottages, and wobbling
warehouses held together with string, rusty nails, and
whatever else could be found. Many buildings are connected
to one another with precarious suspension bridges hanging
from the branches of tall trees above. During the day,
Morninggate citizens effortlessly swing on ropes, climb
on ladders, and otherwise traverse locations despite the
hazardous environment, making sure to avoid ever touching
the ground. At night, buildings on the ground bustle with
ghosts and phantoms, going about their un-lives in a Hollow
that never sleeps. The day-walkers and night-dwellers of
Morninggate respect one another’s territories and privacy,
and the two groups are said to never interact.
Lively Commons
Lively Commons is the always bustling, aptly-named central
district of Morninggate. It’s full of shops, stalls, performance
stages, and all manner of vendors.
40
Day: It is easy to get stuck in traffic on a swinging pedestrian
bridge in Lively Commons, but the Folks here leave the
hallowed ground below to the undead out of respect for a
long-standing treaty. However, a hovering lifestyle presents
unique issues for the day-walkers when they drop something
important or need to take a trip to another Hollow.
Problems:
• Folks need a way to get to The Castle On The Hill without
touching the ground (Big)
• Levi Tattenbaum (portly possum, food vendor, wants a
chef’s accolade, has incredible cooking skills) is missing an
expected delivery of fruit (Little)
• Eliza Madsen (foal, delicate, fears heights, wants to join the
party) is moving to Morninggate but unsure about living
in the trees (Little)
Night: After sunfall, the buildings on the ground open up
to a different and less opaque audience as the spirits of the
Hollow come to life. Concerts rock & roll under the stars
while the Folks above sleep softly. Ghouls and creeps from
all around revel in the moonlit amusements of Morninggate’s
nightlife, a now-famous spectacle for spectres across the
Wood. Unfamiliar few may be frightened by the sights of the
frolicking haunts in the Lively Commons, but they tend to be
a welcoming and lighthearted bunch as long as you follow
their two most important rules: 1) Everyone is welcome and 2)
hallowed ground is only for ghouls.
Problems:
• The Skeleton Band (six-piece rap/rock group, loves to push
the creative envelope, fears conformity) receives a noise
complaint (Big)
• Curly (snake-knot creature with many heads, wants to be
everyone’s friend, wants to get comfortable in their skin) is
invited to party but is afraid of ghosts (Little)
• The sun is coming up and the party shows no signs of
stopping (Big)
The Castle On The Hill
The business and busyness of Morninggate is mostly confined
to the Lively Commons. There are scarce homesteads and
monuments scattered among the grassy plains beyond,
most disconnected from the Hollow’s system of swings and
suspensions due to disrepair. Still further out, however, a lone,
stone fortress looms over the region—The Castle On The Hill.
Day: The ever-present flurry of scurrying workers around
the Castle grounds do not abide by the ground treaty
present in the Commons. The Castle is autonomous and
fully functional in isolation, sending occasional rulings and
requests into town via bird messengers. Preparations are
being made today for a spectacular royal wedding: the union
of the local citizen Poppy (adult cat, regal, wants to make
his family proud, dislikes distractors and gossips) to the expat
Madame Princess (adult cat, southern belle, wants a long
happy life with Poppy, fears interference from past suitors).
Problems:
• There aren’t enough birds to deliver Princess & Poppy’s
wedding invitations (Little)
• Oreo (adult cat, disheveled and frantic, wants to marry
Madame Princess, fears water and being ostracized) has
escaped an untimely imprisonment and aims to disrupt
the wedding and make their true feelings known (Big)
• Samantha (adult human, seamstress, disorganized, wants
to appease the royal family, wants to leave Morninggate
for somewhere more traditional) is overwhelmed and the
bridal gown isn’t finished on time (Big)
Night: As is the case in town, the action doesn’t diminish at
The Castle after sunset. The cats of the royal family slumber
peacefully while the original inhabitants of the structure
awaken, the vampyric Madsen family. Royalty in their own
right, these ageless and iridescent beings continue their work
on the stone structure each night, expanding the castle walls
and encompassing more and more of the hillside (leaving
quite the mess for the feline staff to clean up each morning).
While their goal is not immediately clear, the expansion
threatens to soon overtake a few homes among the hills of
Morninggate, evicting the peaceful and otherwise isolated
families therein.
Problems:
• Obadiah Rockwell (old coyote, crotchety, wants to be left
in peace, loves the quaint home he’s made and filled with
memories) is asked to move out to make space for Castle
expansion (Big)
• Solomon Madsen (vampire, smug, wants to control the
Hollow, fears sun and garlic) flies to the Lively Commons
to convince fellow ghouls to purge Morninggate of day-
walkers (Big)
• The Sun (the actual sun, wants to spread warmth and joy,
fears burning out) sticks around for longer times in the
summer and wants to throw an all-nighter to the ghouls’
chagrin (Big)
41
WITLEY DEN
At the edge of winter—where the frost tickles the blades of
grass in the morning but quickly retreats at the sight of the
sun—lies Witley Den. This Hollow is overgrown with vines
and trees casting shade over a stone-faced community of
caves and creatures. No humans appear to reside in Witley
Den—instead, large mammals live a relatively minimalist
lifestyle here.

The caverns of Witley Den play host to families of large bears

who come out each day in search of fish, berries, and back
scratches. With winter approaching and the days getting
shorter, the bears prepare for hibernation, ceding the day-to-
day responsibilities of the Hollow to the neighboring wolves
and deer. While winter brings a quiet lull to the area, there
is still work to be done: collecting dwindling resources for
future use, ensuring children’s happiness and safety, staving
off would-be predators, and of course appeasing the Song
Witch.

Problems:
• Hazel Basset (adult bear, hospitable, teacher, needs to care
for the youth of the Hollow, needs to take a long rest) plans
to forgo hibernation to look after the children (Big)
• A pack of human foragers arrive to steal fish and berries
from the caves (Big)
• The wolf and deer councils cannot come to consensus on
who should be in charge during hibernation (Big)
• Wyatt O’Rourke (young bear, goofy, wants to learn about
the world, fears the dark) is ready for hibernation but
can’t fall asleep (Little)
• The bats inhabiting the caves keep waking up the sleepy
bears (Little)

42
The Song Witch
A haunting melody echoes through the caves of Witley Den—
the chorus of a rumored Song Witch. Living deep in the
caverns of the Hollow, far from the eyes of brave or curious
bears, she sings her languageless carols in perpetuity. The
animal folk believe these songs protect them from intruders
who would claim Witley Den for themselves or risk its safety.
As such, offerings such as rare fruits, makeshift instruments,
and ornate crafts are frequently left in the dark recesses
of the vacant caves all summer. Many of these gifts are
acquired by brave citizens who venture through the Wood
to procure the most special trinkets possible. In winter, the
gifts are instead left at cave mouths or couriered by bats
as not to disturb the bears’ rest. No one in Witley Den has
ever witnessed The Song Witch with their own eyes—an
infectious melody the only proof of their mystical presence.

Problems:
• Dorothy (young adult human, curious, believes she’s a bear,
wants to be big and strong) wants to visit the Song Witch
despite it being forbidden by the bear council (Little)
• The Witch’s song ceases (Big)
• The deer want to leave a special offering to The Witch but
need someone to venture through the Wood and bring
back glitter and twine (Big)

Sing Along (Rare Move)

When you recite the Song Witch’s melody, roll +Mush.

On 10+, your voice echoes across the Hollow, making you

aware of a previously unseen location that may give
insight on the true nature of the Song Witch.
On 7-9, choose one:
• You feel the power of harmony move through you. The
citizens of the Hollow witness your power and will do
anything in their power to aid your quest.
• Your beautiful melody attracts the citizens of the
Hollow who shower you with gifts.
On 6-, your off-key melody insults any nearby creatures
and they insist you be quiet or leave the Hollow. +1XP.

43
 CREATE YOUR OWN HOLLOW
Welcome to...
1-3 4-6 1-3 4-6
1. Maple Grand 1. -dale Glen
2. Cherry Misty 2. -burg Grove
3. Reading
4. Friendly
Berry
Pebble + 3.
4.
-ville
-moore
Bay
Thicket
5. Bliss Whisper 5. -boro Falls
6. Arbor Grave 6. -ington Vista

We’re known for... it is currently... and the weather is...

1-3 4-5 6 1-3 4-5 6 1-3 4-5 6
Comfort Culture Calamity Daytime Evening Midnight Temperate Getting Stormy
Colder

Our town is full of... who reside in... and who love...
1. Vegetables 1. Typical Buildings 1. Dessert
2. Rodents 2. A Shared Structure 2. Building Things
3. Humans 3. Makeshift Tents 3. Competition
4. Monsters 4. Watercrafts 4. Drama
5. Fish 5. The Ground 5. Celebrating
6. Witches 6. The Trees 6. Tranquility

44
 Problems
11. My pet has run away 41. My favorite book’s pages have gone blank
12. The rain simply won’t stop 42. The flowers aren’t blooming on schedule
13. A sad clown needs cheering up 43. The haunted house isn’t haunted anymore
14. The Big Event is just hours away 44. My six-sided dice rolled a 17
15. A rumored treasure lies beneath 45. The witch needs potion ingredients
16. The Royal Family wishes to leave town 46. No one can remember the Hollow anthem
21. Someone’s magic stopped working 51. We’re woefully unprepared for the Big Game
22. Punks from out of town are breaking things 52. The stars stopped shining at night
23. We’re all out of candy 53. I need an important letter delivered
24. There’s a monster in the closet 54. I am going to fail my upcoming test at school
25. An innocent person is jailed 55. We need more players on our sports team
26. There are so many frogs here 56. A Shadow lurks beyond the treeline
31. A robot has developed a nefarious mind 61. We need to keep the ice cream from melting
32. The night is longer and darker than usual 62. No one knows where that stink is coming from
33. Our leader left us here 63. The key to the city has gone missing
34. An old statue moves when no one is looking 64. Our Hollow’s favorite diner is closing down
35. I am too nervous to talk to my crush 65. We kicked a ball over the mean neighbor’s fence
36. Harvest season starts tomorrow 66. We’re terrified by proof of the Fiend’s presence

Folks’ Names Shadows

1-2 3-4 5-6 1-3 4-6
1. Milt Emma Saunders 1. A Conniving Bug A Greedy Boss
2. Billy Vanessa Dalton 2. A Confused Painting A Muscly Brute
3. Solomon Brock Vasquez 3. A Saddened Parent A Soft-Spoken Siren
4. Ariel Cyrus Yarberry 4. A Common Thief A Dull Flame
5. Eliza Joaquin Pierce 5. A Wealthy Bully A Frigid Ghost
6. Olive Dorothy Dirgel 6. A Dashing Trickster An Arrogant Authority

45
 +1 STM
BIG KID -1 MSH

◊ Be Brave: When you stand up to a threat, protect

someone else from harm, or act in defiance of
immediate danger, say something heroic and roll +STM.

10+, you shift the tide of the situation, and the threat
backs down.
7-9, choose one:
• Mark 1 Harm but those around you are safe.
• Deter the threat temporarily but lose an important
item in the process.
6-, the threat hurts you. Mark 1 Harm and 1XP.

◊ Lighten the Mood: When you throw away your

inhibitions, act childish, make a goofy joke, or otherwise
attempt to lighten the mood by being silly, roll +MSH.

10+, you gain the attention of those around and ease

tensions.
7-9, choose one:
• You brighten the spirits of those around you but
embarrass yourself.
• You have a good time but no one pays you mind.
6-, you make a fool of yourself and upset those you were
trying to lift the spirits of. +1XP.

◊ Share Wisdom: When you confront a problem

comparable to an experience you had in regular life and
want to impress those nearby, describe how it’s similar
and roll +NDL.

10+, you’re right. Offer an additional detail to the pending

situation that makes it less daunting.
7-9, you’re mistaken. You impress those around you but
neglect an important danger that the Narrator then details.
6-, you ignore an important detail and earn the ire of those
you are trying to impress. +1XP.

You think you’re too old for
trick-or-treating, but you
went out anyway and ended
up in the Wood. Why did you
go out on Halloween night?
Choose a following trait that
you’re worried is proven true
by this mistake:
• Arrogant • Foolish
• Immature • Other
You have a hard rule
about strangers that
makes interacting with
denizens of the Wood
challenging. What is it and
why do you abide by it?
You feel personally
responsible for the safety
of one of the other Kids.
Who & why? Gain +1
Friendship towards them.
 +1 MSH
LIL KID -1 STM

◊ Befriend an Animal: When you make friends with

the wildlife of the Wood by giving a gift or treating
them in an unconventional way, roll +MSH.

On 10+, you make friends. The animal will follow you

and act on your influence until they are harmed.
On 7-9, you befriend an unruly animal who follows
along but doesn’t listen to you and is prone to causing
problems.
On 6-, you scare them away but they leave a trail. +1XP.

◊ Stumble Upon: When you get distracted and follow

your own whims away from the group, roll +NDL.

On 10+, choose one:

• You find something valuable/useful.
• You find a clue or something fortuitous.
• You find someone in need of help.
On 7-9, you find something interesting but keep it secret.
Write it on your sheet to reveal at just the right time later.
On 6-, you are confronted by a manifestation of your
Fear. +1 Fear and +1XP.

◊ Step Up: When you present yourself to Folks as a

leader, diplomat, or other authority figure, roll +MSH.

On 10+, they believe you, respect you, and respond

accordingly.
On 7-9, they are suspicious of your claim and require
proof or convincing before they listen to your requests.
On 6-, they laugh at you. +1XP.

Most of the Folks you’ve met in

You did a bad thing back
home and you think it might
be the reason you’re stuck
here. What was it? Don’t tell
the others the answer yet.
You feel (choose one): the Wood aren’t quite the same
• Guilty as those you know back home.
• Emboldened Who is someone you met on
• Lucky your way through the forest
• Other that you can’t stop thinking
about and why?
You want to find the most
special gift to give one of
the other Kids. Who &
why? Gain +1 Friendship
towards them.
 +1 NDL
CRITTER no special item

◊ Play Possum: When you attempt to hide your sentience

in order to be perceived as a mundane animal, roll +NDL.

On 10+, you are ignored or perceived as uninteresting.

On 7-9, you gain some undesired attention.
On 6-, those around you notice something special about
you and decide to investigate. +1XP.

◊ Perk Up: When your heightened senses make you

aware of something non-Critters can’t perceive, tell the
Narrator what you sense and roll +NDL.

On 10+, you successfully pick up on something and

have and have advantage on the next Move you attempt
regarding it.
On 7-9, choose one:
• Your hunch is correct but sends you into a sensory
frenzy.
• You leave the rest of the group without explanation
to investigate further.
On 6-, you investigate for quite a while, leaving yourself
distracted and open to a surprise. +1XP.

◊ Commune with Nature: When you attempt to gain

intel or assistance from a forest animal, roll +NDL.

On 10+. you can communicate with them and they have

valuable skills or information to share.
On 7-9, choose one:
• You’re able to communicate but they are confused or
afraid of what you’re asking for.
• They understand you and are willing to help but you
cannot understand their communications.
On 6-, you fail to communicate and they leave. +1XP.

You’ve heard rumors of One of the other Kids gives

You weren’t always this way.
Are you:
• A kid turned into an animal?
• A mundane animal granted
sentience?
• Or something else?
Choose a trait that Do you tell
a powerful person in the you cause for concern and
came with this change: the other
Wood who may be able to you’re keeping them at
• Smarmy Kids about
remedy an issue you have arm’s length. Who & why?
• Confused your origin
with your current form. Gain +1 Friendship with
• Angsty or keep it
Who are they and what any Kid other than the one
• Other secret?
have you heard about them? unsettling you.
 +1 MSH
TOY -1 any

◊ Sense Intention: When someone lies or attempts to

manipulate you, you can see the true intent in their heart.
Each time you use this Move, choose a result and mark it.
• You cannot speak when in the same room as that
person.
• You share the color of the liar’s spirit with the rest of
the Kids.
• You can only tell lies for the rest of the conversation.
• You get a headache trying to make sense of it. +1 Harm.
• You make an excuse for the lie and trust them instead.
+1 Wish.
When all have been marked, erase them all & mark +1XP.

◊ Admire Craft: When you examine something con-

structed, describe what you’re looking for and roll +NDL.

On 10+, you notice a special quality that offers you

additional information on its source or creator.
On 7-9, choose one:
• You learn more about the item in question but damage
it in the process.
• You identify a puzzling trait that you can’t make sense
of.
On 6-, you instead learn something that worries you.
Decide what it is but hide that information from the other
Kids. +1XP.
◊ Come Apart at the Seams: When you detach part of
your toy, roll +STM.

On 10+, it becomes a Special Item for whomever keeps it.

On 7-9, it becomes an Item with 3 uses but irreparably
breaks after that.
On 6-, it becomes an Item with 3 uses and irreparably
breaks after that. You maintain your connection to it
and it hurts to be detached. Mark 1 Harm and 1XP.

Choose a trait your

You belong to your Best
Friend—a child who is not
part of your wandering
group. How do they make you
feel? Where are they now?
You are drawn towards Each Kid in your group
Best Friend has that
whatever power in the reminds you of your
you hope to emulate:
Wood grants you life. Is Best Friend in their
• Understanding
this beckoning enticing or own way. Describe how
• Humor
frightening? What do you and gain +1 Friendship
• Courage
hope to find at its source? towards each of them.
• Other
 +1 any
WOODSCHILD -1 any

◊ Stay Sheltered: When someone tells a story about

something that happened outside the Wood, choose
an unmarked option below and mark it:
• Describe something it reminds you of from your
time in the Wood.
• Become overwhelmed or emotional thinking
about the outside world and remove yourself
from the situation.
• Confront the storyteller about this sure mistruth.
Once all three are marked, tell the other Kids a belief
you have about the world outside the Wood and
erase them all. -1 Fear.

◊ Reach Out: When you need to find someone in the

Wood to assist in your journey or with a task, roll +NDL.

On 10+, you know someone who could help and where

they might be.
On 7-9, you’ve heard of someone but have also heard
nasty rumors about them.
On 6-, you conflate information and suggest visiting
someone unrelated to the issue at hand. +1XP.

◊ Part Leaves: When you share advice, jokes, or stories

from the Wood to help someone understand their
circumstance, roll +NDL.

On 10+, you get your point across and they understand

how it relates to their situation. If you’re helping a Kid,
they get +1 to a Move made in response.
On 7-9, they’re not quite sure they understand but they
pursue a course of action based on their interpretation.
On 6-, you scare or confuse them instead of comforting
or inspiring. They are displeased with you. +1XP.

Choose a trait that you’ve One of the other Kids

You have a deep understanding of the
developed during your What event in the Wood has a strange personality
Wood and consider it your home. Were you:
time here: caused you to join the Kids trait that you can’t make
• Born inside the Wood?
• Introspective in their wandering? Are you sense of but badly want
• Lost here so long that you forgot?
• Dubious protecting the other Kids or to understand. Who &
• Or something else?
• Superstitious are they protecting you? what? Gain +1 Friendship
• Other with them.
SHADOW MOVES
when a kid attempts a move, fill the next open pip.
when that attempted move yields a 6-, fill another.
a tier’s moves become available when the pips above it are all filled.

Embody Folks -
describe the looks,
thoughts, speech,
actions, and
reactions of the
Folks in a Hollow.
Cut Away -
Describe Your
Present a Problem - describe actions & Ask About Feelings -
Surroundings -
highlight an issue events happening ask a fellow player how
detail locations,
present in this Hollow elsewhere in the their Kid feels about
events, items,
that the Kids might Wood where something happening
and Folks in the
be able to resolve. the Kids aren’t in the story.
immediate area.
present.

Reveal the Fiend’s Create Danger - Offer a Hard Choice - make

Presence - show describe an incoming the Kids choose between
evidence of the or developing multiple story beats in
Fiend nearby, like a environmental, opposition with each other,
clue, a Shadow, or physical, or such as diverging paths,
just a bad feeling. emotional threat. time sensitive Problems, etc.

Shadows Darken - worsen

the Kids’ situation. Remove a Scare - introduce an
path, introduce a worsening aspect of a Kid’s Fear
hazard, complicate an into the scene, literally
otherwise ordinary event, etc. or figuratively.

Ruined Solution - add

The Fiend’s Touch - send
a complication, time
a Shadow to directly
sensitivity, or other setback
interfere with or attempt
that makes a pending
to undo the Kids’ progress.
Problem harder to solve.

Reveal the Fiend’s Presence -
introduce evidence that the
Fiend is nearby by confronting
the Kids with a clue, a chill on the
spine, or a Shadow.
Entice - introduce an item,
opportunity, person in need, or
something else appealing and
place it just out of the Kids’ reach.
Ask About Feelings - ask a
player about how their Kid feels
in a given situation and how they
take action based on that feeling.
Refresh - abruptly change the
weather, time of day, location,
company present, or other
physical circumstances to keep
the Wood feeling fresh and
strange.
Call Back - bring back
past Folks, Shadows, clues,
omens, or Problems with new
circumstances or complications.
Cut Away - highlight events that
Quick-Folk Quick-Hollow aren’t immediately in the vicinity
of the Kids—like characters
1-3 4-5 6 making plans off-screen—
1-3 4-5 6 Bustling introducing some dramatic irony
Tranquil Eerie
Human Animal Monster into the game.
1-3 4-5 6 Plant Clues - use sensory clues
Well-Kept Eccentric Rundown like a glint of light or strange
1-3 4-5 6 pick a side.
Friendly Worried Hostile noise to draw Kids’ attention to
an important or interesting thing.
1-3 4-5 6
Village Nature Mystery
Omen - offer a vision of a
grim future through a magical
force, dreams, nightmares, or
other mysterious means.
Scare - introduce an aspect
of a Kid’s Fear into the current
scene, literally or figuratively.
Inflict Harm - when a player
takes Harm as the result of a
6- roll, help them decide the
type of Harm, remind them
how Harm impacts what their
Kid can do, and ask them
to describe how the Harm
affects their Kid.
Create Danger - create a
hazardous situation for a Kid,
Folk, or Shadow. Consider
environmental danger
(weather), physical danger
(a threatening presence),
emotional danger (a heated
conversation), etc.
Offer a Choice - show
multiple exciting things and
force the Kids to decide
between them. This could be a
choice of reward, like having a
pie and a magic lamp falling at
the same time when they can
only catch one, or a choice
between dangers, like a thief
lurking across the street from
a feral beast and you have to