The Game

The long-serving three-master Stella Maris is sitting in a dry-dock, about to be scrapped for parts. Before the sailing ship is dismantled, you want to visit it and learn something about life aboard ship and about its journeys.

Scrimshaws & Sailor’s Yarn is a rules-light narrative game about the stories of sailors and the everyday art they have left behind, such as scrimshaws (carvings into whale bones or teeth), wood carvings, or embroidery.

For 2-6 players (no GM) and 2-4 hours of play time (one-shot). Zero prep, ideal as a one-shot.

Scrimshaws & Sailor’s Yarn was written by Jasmin Neitzel and Andrea Rick and visually designed by Andrea Rick.

It’s available in English (PDF) and in German (print + PDF).

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Die Regeln

You play Scrimshaws & Sailor’s Yarn in two phases:

• In the first phase, you draw images from the perspective of the sailors who used to live and work aboard the Stella Maris. No artistic abilities or historical knowledge necessary!
• In the second phase, your other characters discover the images many years later and contemplate them. Different readings of the same image can remain in coexistence, and your reflections about the lives of the sailors and their art last as long as you like.

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The PDF

Format:

• 6 pages DIN-long (99 x 210 mm), equivalent of 2 A4 pages
• Full-color
• Screenreader-ready with image descriptions and tags

Content:

• Complete instructions for play with ideas for images
• 8 historical scrimshaw illustrations

You also need:

• Drawing materials (physical or digital)

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More about the game

You can find more information about the game on this info page.