The Wall Across the River

Lud-in-the-Mist, the 1926 novel by Hope Mirlees, is a fantasy about imagination, art, repression, and fear. It tells of Lud-in-the-Mist, a staid, respectable town at the convergence of the Dapple and Dawl rivers, bordering on Faerie. For generations, since the overthrow of Duke Aubrey, the town has been successful at keeping the weird unknown of Faerie at bay, and living entirely rational, practical lives. But sometimes fairy fruit floats down the river, and sometimes people eat it; and sometimes they are taken by weird fancies. Will the town be able to resist the blandishments of the world beyond the borders of Reason?

The Wall Across the River is a story game for three players—maybe more—or possibly two—inspired by Lud-in-the-Mist. The players collaborate to tell a story of the struggle between Reason and Imagination, using a deck of playing cards. Optionally, 1 six-sided die can be used to generate story prompts.

This game was created for the Gaming Like it's 1926 jam. It won Best Adaptation!