Follow the Bones
A downloadable supplement
Somewhere near the heart of the Wood is a cairn.
Why have you set out to find it?
Follow the Bones is a set of procedures for playing solo adventures using the role-playing game Cairn. At its heart is a system for generating and exploring weird quests in the style of medieval chivalric romances.
Blaze a path through a strange and treacherous forest.
Survive encounters with the uncanny sylvan folk and the restless undead.
Answer riddles to uncover a fate as yet unwritten.
This updated version includes:
- revised and expanded text
- new procedures, built on Riddle and Tilt, for developing scenes and finding the Cairn
- stat blocks for the creatures named in the text;
- advice for keeping notes while you play.
Purchase
In order to download this supplement you must purchase it at or above the minimum price of $5 USD. You will get access to the following files:
Exclusive content
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Review copies
Claim a copy of Follow the Bones for free. All I ask in return is that you read it over, give it a try, and express your honest opinion somewhere where people can see it—on your blog, on social media, even in the comments below.
Development log
- Encounter table corrected in all versionsJul 27, 2024
- A binder-ready US Letter versionJul 24, 2024
Comments
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Man, I'm having a struggle with my IQ to understand the procedures, hahaha. It's a delight to read, but too abstract for someone like me to put into practice. Don't you have a video or blog post teaching how to use it in a practical way?
Is it possible some community copies?
I’m trying something a little new. Check the terms under “Review copies” and grab a copy there.
Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity in providing community copies of your game. I’m a disabled pension who can’t afford much so these free gifts really help me out in playing games and keeping my mind active.
I really appreciate your hard work and kindness
This is pretty cool. I'll try it out as soon as I start a new playthrough.
I noticed a potential error. In the Encounters list one of the entries for Circumstance is "Benevolent". In the actual lists the entries are called "Auspicious". I figured you might have changed from one to the other at some point maybe? Doesn't matter much but might be good to correct for consistency.
Thanks again!
Oh wow. Yeah, the entry headings changed a ton during development, and I thought I had gotten everything revised properly, but I guess not. I’ll get that changed and a revised version uploaded. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
Is there any chance you'll make a printable pages version? I'd love to put this into my Cairn binder.
(Edit) Gold star customer service! Thank you for going above and beyond for us! 10/10 points!
What format did you have in mind? US Letter sized? Right now I’m finishing up another project that should go live soon (maybe even today), but give me a few more details on what you have in mind, and I’ll take a look at it once the new thing is in a good place.
US letter would be great but definitely don't worry about it if you're busy. Creative juices must be used before they dry up! Patience is one of my virtues so no rush.
Check the downloads.
You are the best!
Great to see a revised edition. I'm looking forward to giving it a go. And I've just read about Riddle and Tilt — really interesting. Seems pretty elegant on paper!
a very simple and elegant travel oracle. Uses 2d4 and a waypoints/stages kind of system to propel your narrative forward. Very worthy of having in a travel toolkit, especially for solo players. Doesnt present too much information to overwhelm, but the results are evocative. Glad to have picked this up!