Beak, Feather, & Bone is a collaborative worldbuilding tool as well as a competitive map-labeling RPG.
Inspired by map-making games like Avery Alder's The Quiet Year and archetype-focused RPG systems like Meguey & Vincent Baker's Powered by the Apocalypse, Beak, Feather, & Bone is a zine-length game including rules of play, 11 community roles illustrated by Austin Breed, a map by Jonathan Yee, and optional lore & GM tips for running games in a city populated entirely by ravenfolk (or kenku, tengu, etc.).
While default play is lightly competitive, rules variants for solo, cooperative, and character-focused play are included as well. Similarly, while the illustrations and GM notes provided will help inspire a ravenfolk city, the beak/feather/bone labeling system can be used with any map, game genre, or populace.
How to play:
Starting with an unlabeled city map, players are assigned community roles before taking turns claiming and describing locations. Players draw from a standard 52-card deck to determine a building's purpose and then describe its beak (reputation), feather (appearance), and bone (interior). As buildings are claimed, a narrative for the town and its inhabitants emerges, including major NPCs and shifting power-dynamics.
To play Beak, Feather, & Bone, you’ll need:
- A stack of note cards
- Writing utensils
- Coloring utensils
- An unlabeled map (provided)
- A standard deck of playing cards
- A 10-sided die (extremely optional)
- Additional maps available in the supplement
Creative Team:
Words by Tyler Crumrine
Map by Jonathan Yee
Illustrations by Austin Breed
Published by Possible World Games
