Ten Candles Horror; Survival; Quick-Play; Rules Lite; Low Prep; Narrative-Driven
At‑a‑glance: Tragic survival horror • Candle countdown • 3–6 + GM • Near‑zero prep • Rules‑lite • 2–3h sessions
Theme and Premise
Endless night has fallen. Five days ago, They came. You play ordinary people trying to survive a last, flickering span of hours before the dark takes everything. The tone is bleak but human—courage, fear, and fragile hope as you decide what matters with the end in sight.
Core Mechanics and Rules
Play uses ten real candles that mark time and escalate risk. As scenes resolve and candles go out, the room literally darkens. Resolution is a simple, fiction‑first dice pool: roll handfuls of d6s to overcome obstacles; sixes succeed, ones can remove dice from your pool. Each extinguished candle triggers a moment of communal narration called a Truth, shaping what becomes locked into the story as the end approaches. Character creation is fast and evocative—traits and moments give you levers to push hope at a price.
What Makes It Unique
The ritual is the engine. Lighting the candles at the start, speaking final recordings into the dark, and letting failures snuff light turns tension into something you feel. The mechanics stay minimal so pacing and tone drive play: choices, consequences, and when to risk the dwindling dice pool. Because the game is intentionally tragic, success isn’t about winning the apocalypse—it’s about meaning in your last hours.
Target Audience and Table Experience
Perfect for groups who want high‑tension survival without rules overhead: Halloween one‑shots, convention slots, or dramatic palate‑cleansers between campaigns. New players onboard in minutes; veterans can savor scene framing, environmental storytelling, and tough calls under pressure. If you prefer crunchy advancement or tactical maps, this stays intentionally lean; if you want unforgettable atmosphere and hard choices, it delivers.
