The Weaver's Observatory
The Weaver’s Observatory is a two player dramatic fantasy adventure about an explorer seeking to change their destiny by asking a boon of Fate herself. Set in an ancient tower outside time, the Climber shares memories of their life as they cross a moat of living dye, ascend through the threads of discarded fates, and navigate the mechanisms that construct the fate of all living things without knowing if their request is even possible.
Written for the Ennie Award Winning Tunnel Goons (2019, Highland Paranormal Society), The Weaver’s Observatory uses a classic dungeon format to explore the life of a character for whom every other hope has been extinguished, and who knows that even if they survive they may return empty handed. Can you change your past, or are your regrets essential to who you are today? Would you ask that the thread of your life be rewoven even if it must be cut in the process? The only way to know is to climb to the top of The Weaver’s Observatory.
Featuring custom tapestry, embroidery, string figures, sculpture, photography, and illustration by fibers artist Kali Lawrie, The Weaver’s Observatory is an intimate, isolated adventure in a mostly abandoned, impossible place. As the Climber you’ll reveal memories from your past, major or mundane, as you slowly work your way through discarded realities and ancient machinery. As Fate, you’ll represent the tower and its few inhabitants, and ultimately decide if your tapestry can be rewoven and at what cost. Together you’ll learn who the Climber is, why they’ve gone to such lengths with no guarantee of success, and whether their story ends in fortune or tragedy.
Key Features
- A full set of custom Childhoods, Professions, and Paths to the Tower for use with Tunnel Goons or any Tunnel Goons-based game.
- Guidance for setting The Weaver’s Observatory within the context of a larger campaign.
- A seven-story tower of puzzles, hazards, and guards with hand-drawn maps and fiber art photography.
- Six impossible realities each with six eras to explore, six companions trapped in the tower, and thirty-six moments in the tapestry of other lives.
- Eight potential epilogues to guide the Weaver’s hand in bringing the adventure to a satisfying, if possibly tragic, conclusion.
Gem Room Games
Gem Room Games is a game design partnership based in Los Angeles, California. Dan Phipps and Kali Lawrie have been making tabletop games for a combined 9 years. Their mission: to make weirder, funnier, and faster games for people who’ve never enjoyed a tabletop RPG before.
Press Quotes
“It’s a little funny - we set out to make a quick adventure, and have instead ended up making a deeply personal piece of art that’s also a functional adventure. I learned how to weave during a rough time in my life and it was such a helpful balm to turn physical chaos into organized beauty through this labor-intensive, time-consuming process. Recently I’ve been playing with ideas of bringing more of my physical art-making experience into our games, so when Chris Bissette’s Random Adventure Jam gave us The Weaver’s Observatory the opportunity to bring that experience in directly was irresistible. Bringing Dan’s adventure design together with my fiber art has made for such a unique and personal collaboration, and I’m so excited to share it.” - Kali Lawrie
“When we were inspired to participate in Chris Bissette’s Random Adventure Jam we had no idea that we’d be setting out on a project of this ambition or scope. Writing and designing The Weaver’s Observatory really pushed Kali and I to explore what types of games and adventures we want to bring to the table, and how we can do deeply personal work through the established traditions of fantasy adventure games. I’d wanted to make something that played with the elegant and clean Tunnel Goons system and I’m a huge fan of how it contrasts against the sad weight of a confrontation with Fate herself. We’re bringing something that has a lot of opportunities to give your heart to a character while being truly unable to know how their story is going to end. It’s a quiet, solemn sort of adventure and the two-player format really brings that feeling into the room with you. This is an adventure that is trying to break your heart, and I’m extremely proud of the work we’ve done to bring it to life.” - Dan Phipps