moonflower

a story game for three pilgrims

sapling edition
moonflower is the work of

Sangjun Park

moonflower is currently in its

sapling edition

this document was prepared on

2019/01/01

moonflower’s stories before the journey starts on page 3.

moonflower’s dreams on the last night before the journey starts on page 6.

moonflower’s rules for the journey starts on page 8.

moonflower’s fates at the end of the journey starts on page 14.

moonflower’s Signs starts on page 15.

moonflower’s Flowerbed Sheet is found on page 21.

 stories before the journey

~*~

after 10,648 years, flowers bloom again in the garden.

~*~

an unbelievably long time ago, people who no longer live here used to live here.
they loved the light of the sun. they could not stand to let a single ray leave them; they
broke open their world and created a great sphere to envelop their sun entire. this
garden must have filled with endless and flawless light and warmth. their garden must
have overflown with beauty, filling the skies like the morning tide.

they could pluck worlds and prune stars, but they were not almighty. these people,
who came before us, no longer live here.

but the garden was not abandoned. they hung a satellite around the orbit of the sun,
where they could gaze and rejoice at its brilliance. none has been to the moon. yet, all
say it is home to what the people who came before us left behind.

~*~

the moon rolls across the sky and eclipses the sun. a ray of moonlight reaches down
to the garden to greet a newborn child. it does not understand words yet, but this voice
of the moon reaches its soul. though afraid of having been born, the baby stops to cry
and listens. then the ray of moonlight gives it a gift of a seed and asks it to tend to the
garden. like so, the moon meets everyone who is born. then the sun reveals its light
and scatters the dark of the night.

after 10,648 years, flowers bloom again in the garden. old stories say this place used
to be a wasteland of stone and steel, but the gardeners have returned green colors to
the garden. the same stories say the voice we all remember is the voice of the
gardeners, who live on the moon.

~*~
 ~*~

beneath the canopy of great trees that those who have left us planted, a new
civilization grows. it reaches ever skyward. every forest has peoples of different colors
and they live lives of different colors. however the legends of the gardeners is all the
same across the garden. all the peoples of the garden care for the seed that the moon
gave them. in loving it, they remember the voice of the moon and their great quest to
fill the garden with green life.

all of us love our moonflower. we care for it with tears and laughters.

~*~

some winters ago, a new kind of flower bloomed for the first time. it was a flower
that the garden had never seen before.

people used to say: we wish to go to the moon, for we cannot forget its voice. we
wish to go to the moon so that we can sing praises of the gardeners, because of whom
our garden is living. it is a common tale. it is a dream shared by many. yet nobody has
made it real.

one cold winter day, a seductive flower bloomed amidst a blizzard and promised to
give the time necessary to reach the moon.

~*~

many summers have passed and the blueflower have consumed the garden entire. a
pale and strange flower has latched on to the moonflower, for which we used to care.
the blueflower digs into our soul, drinks its honey, and withers the leaves. but the scent
and colors of the blueflower is sweeter than anything.

now, people tell different stories. people tell stories where the blueflower is the
truth.

~*~
 ~*~

those addicted to the blueflower’s honey no longer die. instead they melt into
saccharine eternities, full of endless and flawless bliss. but every once in a while, they
return to the garden. they have powers – to twist hearts with a breath, to shatter
boulders with a gaze, to know secrets with a gesture.

a beautiful and strange flower is spreading across the garden. one day all the
peoples of the garden will dissolve into timeless bliss.

~*~

the blueflower grows on all living things now, but your moonflower still lives. cold
and blue tendrils tangle it, but you still weep and laugh for your moonflower.

one day, you recalled a story. the story about how the blueflower will reveal the
path to the moon. you do not know where it will be or how it will be, but no matter –
you choose to find the path.

the voice of the moon gave you a gift. it still lives. you must tend to the garden, for
the gardeners have asked you.

~*~
 dreams on the last night before the journey

The Garden is a beautiful place. Now, however, a strange hue spreads across it, as if
intent to consume it entirely. Your Moonflower, which the Moon gave you, thrives still
but, one day, the Blueflower will swallow its colors. The Pilgrims now take on a path to
reach the Moon, so that they can ask the Gardeners for a favor – but what will they
experience and find during the journey?

Come together to imagine a world

Before starting moonflower, read stories before the journey and discuss what you
imagined with other players. That chapter is ripe with gaps. I wanted to help start
imagining instead of completing it. But moonflower’s story is not imagined alone; you must
harmonize your imagination with other players.

Take five minutes aside to answer the following seven questions. Each player can
declare the answer for two questions, each with a phrase or a sentence. Here, other
players cannot intervene or suggest changes. But do remember that previously declared
answers cannot be broken. The seventh and last question, though, can be freely debated
and discussed.

What does the Moon mean?

What do the Gardeners mean?

What does the Moonflower mean?

What does the Garden mean?

What does the Blueflower mean?

What does the journey of the Pilgrims mean?

What does the hardship of the Pilgrims mean?

There is no correct order to answer these questions. There is no correct order for players
as well.

Wake from the dream and take the first step

Once your imaginations are harmonized, moonflower begins by reading the next aloud
together.
 The Voice of the Moon gave us a gift.

It still lives.

We must tend to the Garden, for the Gardeners have asked us.
 rules for the journey

Nobody knows what story will be told together today, but it is not difficult to find
out. I will explain how in detail. It would make things easier if everyone could read
rules for the journey in detail, but it is all right for only one to have read it.

Explain the game like this

moonflower tells the story of three travelers in a dreamlike world, where they are
looking for the path to the Moon. It is divided in seven Chapters, at the end of which
the characters definitely achieve their goal. But nobody knows how hard the journey
will be or what kind of sacrifice the journey will require. moonflower is a story game about
sacrifices and compromises.

moonflower is a game whose story ends in a single session. It takes somewhere between
two and a half hours to four hours. But moonflower asks a lot from the players in terms of
imagination, so it is not a game to be played casually.

Before starting moonflower, all players must read stories before the journey quietly. It
sets the starting point of moonflower’s story, so it cannot be brushed away.

Prepare for a session like this

To play moonflower, you need three players, twenty-two Major Arcana of the tarot deck,
a print-out of the Signs, three print-outs of the Flowerbed Sheet, and things to write
with.

You need exactly three players – no more, no less. Unlike other RPGs, each player
takes on three roles. They are the Pilgrim, the Blueflower, and the Wildflowers. One
thing to note is that nobody leads the story alone. moonflower's story is shared. Draw the
cards and see the Signs. Base your imagination on them and tell a story together.

The Major Arcana of twenty-two cards are required. How they are read in moonflower is
different from their usual readings. If you know how to read tarot cards, it may help to
tell different stories, but there’s no need to study tarot readings before playing moonflower.

The Signs show how moonflower reads the tarot cards. As you play this game, you will
draw a certain number of cards. The Signs table shows what each card means in the
context of moonflower. Note that the Signs care if the card is drawn upright or inverse –
this means the Signs has forty-four story hooks. Further, the Signs also imply the
Shadows. I will explain them later.
 The Flowerbed is where players write down things while playing moonflower. Each of
the three players require one Flowerbed. If you can’t print out Flowerbeds, you can use
a scratch paper instead. Please use a pencil if you can.

Set up the table like this

Before you place the necessary items on the table, make sure that it is clean. It is a
long-held tradition to share snacks as you play analog games, but I don’t think it suits
the mood of moonflower.

Then three players sit on three sides of the table. Afterward the opposite side of the
player sitting in the center will be empty. That is where the cards will be placed after
shuffling. In front of each player, put down a Flowerbed and a pencil.

The table has been set. The players must not change seats from now on.

Create characters like this

It only takes a session of play to finish moonflower. Each time you play moonflower, you
will create a new Pilgrim to take on a new journey. Coming up with new Pilgrims is not
very difficult.

First, look at the Flowerbed in front of you. There are many places where you can
scribble things. You can get help, however. Before you write anything down, draw three
cards. You can draw three at once or take turns with other players. These three Major
Arcana say something about your Pilgrim. You can use the fortune-telling readings.
You can find inspiration in the card’s name, illustration, or anything else. The
important thing is that the cards inspire how you think of your Pilgrim. Do not shuffle
the cards yet, even if all players have finished this step.

Now come up with and write down Signifiers at the top left of the Flowerbed. They
can be either a word or a phrase. I like to write down how the Pilgrim looks like, who
they are like in specific, or other things significantly related to the Pilgrim. The name is
usually one of them. I believe three to five Signifiers are good. After this step, introduce
your Pilgrim to other players.

Next, draw yet another card from the remaining deck. Do not look at it; instead pass
it to the player left of you. This card shows what the Blueflower that grows on your
Pilgrim wants. The Blueflower is fragrant and pleasant, but it is all-devouring in
addictiveness. The player who received your Blueflower card will now be inspired and
tell you what your Blueflower wants out of your Pilgrim. Write this below Temptation
on your Flowerbed. You yourself will receive a card from the player right of you. Do the
same for them. As for you, you should write this down under Blueflower on your own
Flowerbed. This is to remind you how to seduce the Pilgrim right of you away from the
Moon when they ask for help.

It is now time to set the seven Moonlights of your Pilgrim. Each Moonlight shows
something specific and particular about your Pilgrim in a phrase or a short sentence,
which can be about the personality, abilities, traits, or other things. The Moonlights
part of the Flowerbed has numbers 1 from 7. The number means the Luminosity of the
Moonlight associated with it. Less Luminous Moonlights are more surface and
immediate. More Luminous Moonlights are more internal and intrinsic. Moonlights are
used up to get past troubles that happen along the journey. More Luminous Moonlights
are more able to solve problems.

What is left now is the Wildflowers, which determines what kind of everyone else
you will take as your role. Beneath Wildflowers, there are Helpful People, Bothersome
People, and Suffering People in faded letters. Each Player chooses a different kind of
Wildflowers. I noticed that, in moonflower sessions I’ve played, it is best if my Wildflowers
are a type of people my Pilgrim will interact with the least. But this is not a rule; feel
free to choose whichever you see fit. No two players can share the same Wildflowers.
Every player must commit to different Wildflowers.

Once all players have completed their Flowerbed, now return all drawn cards to the
deck and shuffle. Put it down on the table with respect.

Begin your journey like this

Before the Pilgrims’ journey begins in earnest, tell what kind of lives your Pilgrim
lived and for what reason they are heading to the Moon. On top of that, it is good to
figure out how the Pilgrims met each other. You can either say these things or roleplay
them. There is no need to spend more than five minutes on this step.

Now, the Pilgrims’ journey begins truly.

Play the game like this

A moonflower story is divided in seven Chapters. Each Chapter’s story is determined by

the cards the players draw and what the Signs say about them. You will most definitely
encounter an Obstacle each time. Even the Signs don’t know what kind of Obstacle will
get in the Pilgrims’ way. The Obstacle is utterly essential; if the chapter’s story seems
too easy, introduce an Obstacle even if it twists the story.

When the Obstacle reveals itself, the players will say something to the effect of “this
seems like our obstacle.” Now, refer to the Signs and see what the chapter’s Shadow is.
This is where Moonlights are used. If the Moonlight’s Luminosity is equal to or higher
than the Shadow, then the Obstacle is overcome once. Now, if the Moonlight was
brighter than the Shadow was dark, then the difference is subtracted from the Shadow.
For example, if the Shadow was 4 and the relevant Moonlight was 6, then the Shadow
will be reduced to 2. The Pilgrims must reduce the chapter’s Shadow to 0 or below to
progress along the story.

There is one important thing: Moonlight can be used only once per story. Once a
Moonlight was used to scatter the Shadow, draw a line across the Moonlight. This
means that, as moonflower goes on, the Pilgrims will lose the Moonlights they started with.
Does that mean that it’s possible for the Pilgrims to come across a Shadow they cannot
banish?

A different kind of light can fill in the void of a dimmed Moonlight. The Pilgrim
talks to their Blueflower and ask for its brilliance. Now, the Blueflower player for the
asking Pilgrim must look at Blueflower on their Flowerbed and seduce the Pilgrim. They
say how the Pilgrim must change; the asking Pilgrim’s player looks at Temptation and
interpret the Blueflower’s demand in a phrase or a short sentence. This is written next
to a Moonlight that has been already used. This new kind of light is called Bluelights.
Bluelights do not fade away even after they are used to banish the Shadow.

However, no Light can be used over and over against the same Obstacle.
Furthermore, no Light can be used against an Obstacle if the description has nothing to
do with it. Then, once more, is it possible to come across a Shadow they cannot
banish?

There is a final option. The Pilgrim can draw the eldritch and weird powers of the
Blueflower and cause a strange miracle, which destroys the Obstacle here and there.
Something unnatural and impossible happens and the Pilgrims’ path is instantly
cleared. However, the price is that the Pilgrim’s Blueflower grows. Draw a flower on the
bottom of the Flowerbed. This is the Bluepetal.

What happens to the Pilgrims after they reach the Moon is determined by the
Moonlights, Bluelights, and Bluepetals on the Pilgrim’s Flowerbed.

Tell stories like this

Above explains how Obstacles are resolved in moonflower. Now, let me explain how
Obstacles happen in the first place.

As said before, a moonflower story is divided in seven Chapters. How each Chapter
starts is determined by drawn cards and their corresponding Signs. At the start of a new
Chapter, draw the top five cards from the Major Arcana deck. Remember that upright
and inverse are important. Reveal these five cards on the table and read their
corresponding Signs. Three out of these five will be important in this Chapter.

The first thing to do is to see which card fits in the least or has more potential in a
later Chapter. Discuss and pick one; it returns to the deck. Of the four remaining, one
becomes the Shadow. The Sign for the Shadow does not have to show up in the
Chapter. Turn the Shadow card sideways so it is easy to distinguish.

There are three Signs now. Talk briefly and ambiguously about how the Signs could
be combined into the Chapter’s story and, then, roleplay the story. The goal is to
discover the Chapter’s story together and to come across an Obstacle. I think it is
prudent to keep each Chapter under 30 minutes. If a Chapter drags along, I suggest
that you introduce an Obstacle even if it seems sudden.

Once the Obstacle has been completely overcome and the Chapter’s story comes to
a conclusion, close the Chapter. Talk freely and see which of the Signs was the least
utilized. That specific card goes back to the deck; that means it can come back again.
The cards that still remain on the table are now discarded. They are completely
resolved now.

This means that each Chapter discards three cards at the end. Shuffle the remaining
deck. After six Chapters, you will reach Chapter Seven which has to work with four
cards. This Chapter is different in that all four cards are used as Signs. The Pilgrims are
at the great gate of the Moon, where white brilliance makes it impossible for a Shadow
to exist.

After Chapter Seven, the moonflower story comes to an end.

Special cards work like this

The Signs have some strange cards. They are Cards 0, XIII, XX, and XXI.

These four cards cannot be drawn until Chapter Five. Especially, Card XXI cannot
be drawn until Chapter Seven, where it must be drawn. For convenience, you can set
aside these four cards from Chapters One to Four. Otherwise, draw a new card when
you draw a special card too early. Put the special card back to the bottom of the deck.

Another thing is that these four cards can only be used as Signs and never as
Shadows. They are very important in a moonflower’s story.

I want to say these things

There is no more to the setting of moonflower other than what’s written in stories
before the journey. Feel free to add new ideas while you combine the Signs, as long as
you keep to what the players dreamed together. If you feel that what you are about to
say might turn the story weird, say it. This weird idea might turn out to be something
interesting in a later chapter. Alternatively, it might just be an interesting background
detail.

moonflower focuses on the three Pilgrims, but their story cannot be complete without
the Wildflowers. If a character that is neither the Pilgrim nor the Blueflower shows up
in the story, note the Wildflowers you have chosen. The supporting character you have
just introduced is one of your Wildflowers. That is to say that, if your Wildflowers are
Helpful People, the supporting character you just introduced must help the Pilgrims. If
you think a supporting character is better described as another Wildflower, hand over
the control to the player with the more appropriate role. Further, if a supporting
character’s role, purpose, intent or such changes during the story, you must transfer
character ownership to a more appropriate Wildflower player.

The three roles that each player has are unbalanced. It is probably best if each
player focuses the most on their Pilgrim. The Blueflower role is activated only when the
Pilgrim right of you requests. The Wildflowers will show up naturally, but they are
supporting characters at best. I think moonflower is most fun when you sympathize with
your Pilgrim. Be brief with the Wildflowers.
 fates at the end of the journey

After seven Chapters, the Pilgrims arrive at the great gates of the Moon. As it opens,
white brilliance envelops them. The Pilgrims wished to reach the Moon and they made
it a reality. However, beyond the gates, there are the Gardeners. What do they think?
Will they accept the Pilgrims? What will they do about the Garden?

All players must look at the Flowerbeds of every player. The Luminosity of
remaining Moonlights, that of Bluelights, and the number of Bluepetals are important
here. Look back on the Pilgrims’ journey. The story so far guides how the players tell
the ultimate fate of each Pilgrim.

The story until now followed the Signs. Now, the only guidance is your memories.

What does it mean to have reached the Moon?

Briefly describe your Pilgrim’s fate. This concludes a session of moonflower.

 Signs

0: The Fool I: The Magician

Shadow Shadow
Special & Chapters 5-7 Only 5
Upright Inverse Upright Inverse

You come across

You come across
The Pilgrims tell each Something unknown another pilgrim.
another pilgrim.
other. tells the Pilgrims.
They know how to pry
They know how to draw
The journey nears its The journey nears its off the Blueflower, but
the true power of the
end. end. they must see the
Blueflower.
Moonflower up close.

II: The High Priestess III: The Empress

Shadow Shadow
3 4
Upright Inverse Upright Inverse

The journey takes you The journey takes you

Not far away, there is Not far away, there is
through a rainforest. through a rainforest.
the grave of the one the grave of the one
who cultivated the first who cultivated the first
You come across a You come across a
Blueflower. Blueflower.
monster. monster.

Their tree weeps Their tree gives off a

The monster inquires They know the truth
without ceasing. honey-sweet scent.
about the new world. behind the Gardeners.
 IV: The Emperor V: The Hierophant

Shadow Shadow
4 4
Upright Inverse Upright Inverse

You arrive at a forest,

You come across ruins You come across ruins
ruled by a king.
You arrive at a forest, made of stone and iron. made of stone and iron.
ruled by a king.
The king has heard that
In it, you stumble upon In it, you stumble upon
you are on a journey to
The king threatens to an ancient book. an ancient book.
the Moon and asks you
burn the Moonflowers if
to take with you a gift.
you do not tell them The book has The book has
how to reach the Moon. illustrations of the illustrations of the
It is a pot of fragrant
Garden and the Moon. Gardeners.
honey.

VI: The Lovers VII: The Chariot

Shadow Shadow
3 5
Upright Inverse Upright Inverse

You wonder about the

Strangely, everything
Gardeners with each You face an
that hinders you
other. You start to worry if the insurmountable
crumble away.
Gardeners will accept obstacle.
How do they smell? your arrival.
You do not know why,
How do the speak? You need help.
at least yet.
How do they look?
 VII: Strength IX: The Hermit

Shadow Shadow
3 5
Upright Inverse Upright Inverse

The Pilgrims separate

You have been together
for a while.
for too long. It is
For a long and deep
You cannot give up. strange when you are
while, you consider It takes days, weeks,
apart.
giving up. months to come
You must reach the
together again.
Moon. It is even stranger when
Is this journey worth it?
someone is amongst
But you cannot go on
you.
alone.

X: The Wheel of Fortune XI: Justice

Shadow Shadow
5 4
Upright Inverse Upright Inverse

People praise you as

An inexplicable An inexplicable People curse you as
prophets of the Moon.
phenomenon helps you. phenomenon helps you. traitors to the Garden.

They say one of them is

You must repay the You must repay the They drag you to their
a sinner and you must
favor later. favor later. forest to punish you.
punish them.
 XII: The Hanged Man XIII: Death

Shadow Shadow
5 Special & Chapters 5-7 Only
Upright Inverse Upright Inverse

To go forward, you must To go forward, you must

One of you dies. One of you kills.
endure great pain. endure great pain.

XIV: Temperance XV: The Devil

Shadow Shadow
3 4
Upright Inverse Upright Inverse

You have found the During the journey, you

You have found the One of you falls with
path to the Moon, but it are surrounded by a
path to the Moon, but it grave illness.
takes a lot of time. riotous crowd.
takes a lot of time.
You have no fruit to
Thankfully, it’s enough They need a precious
An incredible lot of heal it, but there is a
time to go through your fruit to heal a diseased
time. town over there.
own thoughts. friend.
 XVI: The Tower XVII: The Star

Shadow Shadow
4 4
Upright Inverse Upright Inverse

A great and old tree A great and old tree

falls. falls.
You dream. Something critically
important distracts you
This terrible disaster You must discover who
You saw the Moon. from the journey.
has killed and hurt caused such a terrible
many people. disaster.

XVIII: The Moon XIX: The Sun

Shadow Shadow
5 3
Upright Inverse Upright Inverse

You are lost. Trying to

Strangely, the Moon The eclipse does not
track your way back
Some things that you does not eclipse the end. The night does not
only gets you further
left behind to take on Sun. turn into day.
lost.
the journey catch up to
you. Is something happening Is something happening
You do not know how
at the Moon? at the Moon?
to find a way out.
 XX: Judgment XXI: The World

Shadow Shadow
Special & Chapters 5-7 Only Special & Chapters 7 Only
Upright Inverse Upright Inverse

The Moon booms with a

The Moon booms with a mighty sound.
You knock upon the
mighty sound.
You knock upon the iron doors of the Moon.
For some reason, you
iron doors of the Moon.
The Gardeners must be feel that you must stop
Ashes surround you.
waiting for you. the journey and go
back.