To Embrace a Swamp Creature
A downloadable game
To Embrace a Swamp Creature gives you an austerity crushed commuter town, friendships debating their continued existence, toxic air, visions of the stench, zombies trekking out of the bog for a pub breakfast, pride and madness; asking “What do you do next?”
To Embrace a Swamp Creature is a role-playing game of Belonging outside Belonging. It is a game for 2-6 players as you all play a group of mentally ill post-teens living in Swamp Strange, a commuter town wrecked by over a decade of austerity. All players share responsibility for setting the mood and tone of the game, creating trouble and conflict, sharing the spotlight and spotlighting your setting, and looking after each other, however you can.
Reminiscent of Night in the Woods, assorted small press slice of life indie comics and films like Shiva Baby and Appropriate Behaviour (but with a swampy magical realist twist). Its a game about having come of age in a place that couldn’t handle your queerness and neurodivergence. Its game about knowing people who’ve seen you at your worst and fearing that’s all they’ll ever see you as.
Inspired by the Mountain Goats song "How to Embrace a Swamp Creature"
Purchase
In order to download this game you must purchase it at or above the minimum price of $15 USD. You will get access to the following files:
Community Copies
Support this game at or above a special price point to receive something exclusive.
Community Copies
If you're from a marginalised community or aren't able to pay full price feel free to claim a community copy.
For every rating or comment we'll add additional community copies.
Development log
- To Embrace a Swamp Creature, formerly How ToNov 23, 2023
Comments
Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.
I had been surprised by the first edition of this Belonging Outside Belonging game, which attracted me at first by its rather naive and clumsy cover, reflecting in my opinion the game's purpose: to play a bunch of losers in a small British town where toxic barrels are dumped from the neighboring factory; a bunch of irradiated losers, who don't really belong here, but wouldn't know where to go if they left. The 2nd edition is not much prettier than the first one, but it is full of intelligent additions, including excellent advice on how to set up a game of any BoB game, including on the long term, with a really great calendar principle (adapted from Wanderhome). A great read, even more so that I would have thought at first!