Leylines, a line on the map
Other versions
Leylines is a short one-page (recto verso) TTRPG I recently stumbled upon. The pitch intrigued me, so I decided to check it out. And even played it!
Leylines is GM-less, and can also be played solo. Characters are relic hunters. A big evil threatens the world, and to overcome it, we need to find 5 relics throughout the world. We start with a blank map and 12 key-words that define the themes and tones of the world. That we'll (world-)build.
During the game, we'll add Places of Power on the map, each defined with one or more of the key-words. Dice are used to select the key-words. Sometimes, leylines are drawn, linking Places that share the same key-word. Sometimes, a Place of Power will be enhanced with another key-word, and players will enrich its description by combining the key-words. What does it tell about that Place ?
The game is not really about the characters and who they are (but you can do it, just the game doesn't focus on it). Instead, players build the world through the creative exploration of those Places.
The final goal is to get the right combination of dice in order to find the relics. There are five of them, one for each kind of dice we roll. And we have to find them before the end of the fifth turn. The clock is ticking!
I played a solo game, and the game runs well. A mini-world was built at the end of the session, with many evocative places. I didn't play any character during that session, focusing on the world-building. But you could do it by writing a traveling diary, for example.
This is a short game that does very well what it intends to do, with a well-rounded mechanism. You could play in any kind of universe, by choosing matching key-words and map. Maybe that's just the tiny-bit lacking: quickstart examples.
Leylines is available on itch.io
