In Dreams
In Dreams Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
The Cards
Prompt cards carry the following printed elements:
- Location side: a location image.
- Prompt side: a number, an icon, a main prompt, and an arrow pointing at one of the prompt variants.
Event cards carry the following printed elements:
- An event (the black arrow points to it).
- An event tone (the white arrow points to it).
Character Generator
Start by generating a character. This informs how you approach each encounter, and is generated by randomly selecting an entry in each of the four tables below.
Refer to column A in the first table. Draw 2 cards and lay them beside each other. This 2-digit number is the selection for column A. Continue drawing 2 cards for each column, noting the result in your journal, like so:
I am A and am B, and before this dream ends, I must C D.
If your dream is not about yourself, give your character a name.
I am... / ... and am...
| Roll | A: I am... | B: ... and am... |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | rejoining someone from my past | frustrated with myself |
| 23 | from far away | heartbroken |
| 24 | on a long journey | jaded but coming around |
| 32 | transcending human emotion | going against the grain |
| 33 | building a home | highly motivated |
| 34 | grieving a loved one | relieved |
| 42 | returning from battle | lost |
| 43 | older | optimistic |
... and before the dream ends, I must ...
| Roll | C: ... and before the dream ends, I must... | D |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | discover | a foe |
| 23 | summon | a mystery |
| 24 | restore | the path |
| 32 | fulfill | another dreamer |
| 33 | release | something lost |
| 34 | remember | a friend |
| 42 | seek | a prophecy |
| 43 | confront | magic |
| 44 |
After generating your character, gather all the cards, shuffle the prompt deck, and generate your first encounter.
Generate an Encounter
Each encounter is created by drawing 2-4 prompt cards, followed by a location.
- Draw a card with the prompt side face-up. The number on the card tells you how many prompts will be in this encounter. Place this card to the left of your table space.
- Draw another card from the deck and place it next to the previous card. The arrow on the card points at the prompt variant you will use on the first card.
- Repeat this process until you have prompt cards equal to the number on the first card.
- Draw 1 last card, flip it to the location side, and place it next to the last card.
The row reads left to right as: prompts, then location.
Example: the encounter reads as "Awakening wonder, removal of barriers... in a jungle pyramid."
Use the prompts to journal about an encounter that takes place in the location shown by the rightmost card. Keep your character and their goal in mind, to guide how they might react to this encounter.
Events
If there are ever 2 adjacent cards with the same suit in your encounter, an event is triggered.
Draw the top event card and place it beside the event deck. The black arrow indicates the event and the white arrow indicates the tone of the event.
When you are finished journalling about the event, slide the card under the event deck without flipping it. Do not shuffle this deck until you've gone through all the cards.
The Journal
When journaling, use as many or as few details on the cards as you wish, whether in the text or images. An image might give you a vague impression of something, or there might be a detail that calls something specific to mind. Go with whatever comes to you, while framing it within the context of your character and their goal.
You may complete your character's goal in one encounter. If you don't, set aside the cards in the row, draw a new encounter, and continue the story with the same character until their goal is resolved.