The goal of this game is to tell a weird, magical realist horror story of mutation and self discovery. A story about people who risk everything for an obsession. A story where only one will make it to the end…

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EXPEDITION 14 BRIEFING

Welcome, volunteers. I know you’ve all been wondering what The Zone really is, and if the rumors are true. As the 14th expedition, you deserve to know what we know. It’s not a lot. But it may help you.

It all started with the anomalies. Locals calling in to talk radio or visiting their doctors with stories of unseasonal weather; impossible objects; half-sightings of unknown creatures; claimed conversations with long dead loved ones. People disappeared. Medical notes describe bodies that started… changing.

We initiated special containment procedures. Performed tests on those who refused to evacuate. Then, as if reacting to our attention, The Boundary appeared and isolated everything and everyone within an area of several square miles. We don’t know if there are still survivors. Or if they’re still human.

Since that moment, not a single expedition has returned. All lose contact minutes after leaving visual range. We’re going on fragments, rumors, and occasional anomalies that seep beyond The Boundary.

We don’t know what The Zone wants—or if it wants. It seems to be a mirror. It manifests whatever Phobias, Obsessions, and Memories you bring into it. The Zone brings them to life to test you.

There are rumors that The Zone can grant your deepest Wish if it deems you worthy. Sensor readings show something incredibly powerful at its heart. Perhaps the only escape is the The Center itself.

You are the 14th Expedition. You will almost certainly not return. Good hunting. But prepare to die. The Federal Bureau of Coherence, without admitting liability, thanks you for accepting this mission.

END MISSION BRIEFING

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This is a collaborative storytelling game

1. We’re telling a movie

The game is a series of scenes, which we can choose to play in as much or as little detail as we want, describing or acting out what characters are doing. Scenes can be as short as couple minutes, but usually ~5 minutes or so. The game will last about as long as a movie.

2. We will take turns being the director

There is no GM. We take turns as director setting up and ending scenes, and all share a few key moves that anyone can trigger at any time to help the story along. No one will be forced to be on the spot for long. We’re each in charge of our characters, but share responsibility for everything else.

3. We will play to lose

We are not competing with each other. That’s why our fates are secretly decided at the start, so we can focus on creating not so easy situations which characters will always take the bait on… and suffer the consequences. You know those moments that have you yelling “DON’T GO IN THERE!” or “DON’T TOUCH THAT!” at your favorite horror film? That’s this entire game.

How long will the game last?

A game of The Zone takes 2-4 hours, depending on the number of players and how quickly you move through the scenes. The sweet spot is 4 players and about 3 hours, including rules and character creation.

Tips:

• The first half is usually slower as characters explore the environment, themselves, and get to know the rules. As with any game, there is always a bit of a hump in the first 30-45 mins
• Even though there are more locations, things tend to speed way up after the Campfire. Folks starting to die creates momentum.

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Data: I did a not very scientific analysis of 2 months of games of The Zone and tweeted about it here. You can see how wide the range of games is, but it does seem to cluster around that 2-3 hour mark (or approximately one “Rogue One”).

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Controlling the length of the game

The Zone is GM-less from a storytelling perspective and takes on much of the facilitator’s job of teaching the rules and running the game. The recommended way to play is to give yourself a spacious 3-4 hours and let the atmosphere sprawl. If you want the game to fit in a particular amount of time someone will have to play the role of Time Facilitator.

For a fast game (2 hours or less if you facilitate hard):

• Keep the group 4 or fewer
• Unless your group are naturally terse storytellers, you’ll most likely have to actively keep an eye on the time and keep things moving
• Set the tone for this time facilitation early, especially by keeping the first scene in The Zone Observation Facility tight.
• Do only one scene per location (ten scenes total) and keep each scene ~5 mins long
• Keep character creation less than 10 minutes (encourage folks to pick a random character first and add in detail later if needed)
• Get buy in: “Hey y’all, we mentioned that we wanted to try to keep this under 2 hours, is it OK if I keep us moving?”
• If you really want to go fast, keep narration to a minimum. Particularly in the final half, you may keep scenes to just a skeleton and “writers room” what happens.

If it’s your first time facilitating with this group, use The Zone Observation Facility as a diagnostic. Some groups love to sink into it and will roleplay for half an hour, letting their characters get to know each other and sharing rumors.

Rule of thumb: the whole game will last about (Length of first scene / 3) hours

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The Board