A Quiet Year

A Quiet Year is a thought-provoking tabletop RPG where players collaboratively create a post-apocalyptic community struggling to survive over the course of one quiet year. With its unique card-based mechanics and focus on community-building and decision-making, the game offers a reflective and immersive narrative experience unlike any other.

At-a-glance

Post-Apocalyptic • 2-4 players • GM-less • 4/5 complexity • Low prep

A Quiet Year

'A Quiet Year' is a unique tabletop roleplaying game that blends narrative-driven gameplay with collaborative worldbuilding, set in a post-apocalyptic environment. Players guide a community through the challenges of survival during a single year following a cataclysmic event, using a deck of cards to dictate weekly events and shape the story.

Theme and Setting

The game's innovative mechanics, focus on community, and open-ended nature distinguish it from traditional RPGs, making it appealing to players interested in collaborative storytelling and emergent narratives. This report will delve into the game's themes, mechanics, unique elements, and .

How Play Feels

The central theme of 'A Quiet Year' revolves around community resilience and the struggle for survival in a post-apocalyptic setting. The game plunges players into the aftermath of a collapse, tasking them with guiding a community through a year of rebuilding and preparation before the arrival of the ominous Frost Shepherds.

What Makes It Distinct

The environment is inherently uncertain and challenging, marked by scarcity, conflict, and the constant need for adaptation. The setting is collaboratively defined; players begin by establishing the community's initial resources (one abundant, the others scarce) and drawing the starting features on a shared map, which emphasizes the importance of the physical space and its influence on the narrative.

Where It May Not Fit

You want a very light rules load You want combat and action to drive most of the session.

Decision guide

What this game is about

Key facts
Players
2-4 players
Session
180-240 minutes
Prep
Low
Play profile
Complexity
4/5
New GM Fit
3/5
Roleplay Focus
5/5
Combat Focus
2/5
Tactical Depth
2/5
Campaign Depth
4/5
Who it suits
Best for
Groups that want life after collapse to drive the tone and choicesGroups that want to help shape the setting as part of playPlayers who want character, atmosphere, or story to matter more than pure tactics
Avoid if
You want a very light rules loadYou want combat and action to drive most of the sessionYou mainly want short standalone sessions with minimal carryover

A strong fit for groups that want life after collapse to drive the tone and choices, with collaborative Worldbuilding helping define the experience.

Agent data

Structured data and an explicit decision profile JSON document are available for remote agents.

Open agent JSON