Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Not to be opened until you've finished reading New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Paladin

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are mercy, compassion and justice.

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Gumption

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

The Harvestmen

You're following the trail of the Harvestmen

Aiming For

Lizbeth called the shot for this.

Bullets in the Chamber

How many bullets are left in your gun.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Avatar

Your avatar.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Lizbeth's Ailments

Physical damage.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

The Ministry of Black Powder

You're helping "Padre" Charlie with his good works.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Dragonslaying in Dixie

Progress on fighting the dragon south of Lexington.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


Shankman's Outfitters

Wall Market

The gutted husk of a pre-Longest Day supermarket and its vast parking lot have become the sprawling Wall Market, a humming place of barter and commerce where daily bread and stranger things can be bought and sold.

An assortment of trinkets and delicacies is Shankman's Outfitters! A curated display of precious things that blends the ephemeral with the practical. Proprietor the thin-eyed M. Shankman, whose hands are crisscrossed with scars. Rumors abound: that he ran a kibbutz until a stray rocket from the West Bank destroyed his family's dairy; that he served in the Pacific in WW2 and found the Fountain of Youth, or at least the Fountain of Youthfuller. M. Shankman himself is close-lipped. Buy something or move along.

Pinned

Pinned

Thorny Walking Stick

For carrying while walking softly.

+1 Gunslinger when equipped.

            30
            You need 30 x Dollars  (you have 0)

            30
            Unlocked with 30 x Dollars

Patented Leather Boots

Built with Doc Roslyn's Patented Insoles. A working man's fashion statement.

+1 Gunslinger when equipped.

A Barman's Best Friend

Kept behind the counter to resolve disputes.

+2 Gunslinger when equipped.

            90
            You need 90 x Dollars  (you have 0)

            90
            Unlocked with 90 x Dollars

Heavy Steel Wristwatch

Charming and imposing all at once.

+1 Gunslinger and +1 Cityslicker when equipped.

Long Hunting Knife

Carried by homesteaders and cowboys from Amarillo to the Wall.

+3 Gunslinger when equipped.

            270
            You need 270 x Dollars  (you have 0)

            270
            Unlocked with 270 x Dollars

Shiny-Spurred Boots

Steel-toed. Thick-soled. Surprisingly fashionable.

+2 Gunslinger and +1 Cityslicker when equipped.

Starched White Shirt

Smells of fresh laundry and respectability.

+1 Cityslicker when equipped.

            30
            You need 30 x Dollars  (you have 0)

            1
            You need Paladin 1

            30
            Unlocked with 30 x Dollars

            1
            Unlocked with Paladin 1

Black Leather Duster

For gangsters, villains, and other rough types.

+1 Cityslicker when equipped.

            30
            You need 30 x Dollars  (you have 0)

            1
            You need Man in Black 1 (you have 1)

            30
            Unlocked with 30 x Dollars

            1
            Unlocked with Man in Black 1 - you have 1

Natural Linen Suit

A breathable fabric for a miserable climate.

+2 Cityslicker when equipped.

Tweedy Jacket

Yellow tweedy wool. Liable to overheat. Confers an air of knowledge.

+1 Cityslicker and +1 Doc when equipped.

Flowing Silk Longcoat

Imported from Japan. Black silk and white flowers. Also called a "kimono."

+3 Cityslicker when equipped.

Doctor's Overcoat

Crisp medical whites. An air of sophistication and wisdom.

+2 Cityslicker and +1 Doc when equipped.

Horn-Rimmed Spectacles

Perenially in fashion. Nevertheless a little bookish.

+1 Doc when equipped.

Jar of Black Ash

Devotees of Santo Guerrero apply it to their foreheads.

+1 Doc when equipped.

Stainless Steel Stethoscope

For all your doctoring needs.

+2 Doc when equipped.

Colorfully-Banded Stetson

Shankman's Outfitters

Wall Market

The stetson impresses and intimidates. The colorful band implies cleverness.

+1 Doc and +1 Cityslicker when equipped.

The Monkey's Paw

A clenched monkey's fist. Who knows where it came from? Caveat emptor.

+3 Doc when equipped.

Ten Gallon Hat

A tall stetson for a rough-and-tumble dude. Keeps your head cool for advanced thinking.

+2 Doc and +1 Gunslinger when equipped.


Opportunities

Draw cards from here to raise your Styles, meet your Allies, and risk your Antagonists.

Pinned

Pinned

Dragonfire

Unlocked with Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington 4 - you have 4

The dragon's head reared back behind the sheet of rain...

Take the Shot!

The dragon darted in and out of the cold driving rain, its head bobbing snakelike and malicious, looking for an opportunity...


Old Fashioned Research

Unlocked with The Harvestmen 2 - you have 2

Keeping an ear to the street about the Harvestmen is good as far as it goes, but there's only so far you can go on rumors alone...

Shankman's Outfitters

An assortment of trinkets and delicacies is Shankman's Outfitters!—

Travel Around Town

Amarillo was once a largeish city; even now it covers a lot of ground...

Absolom the Tinker

Eternally present -- an abstraction in a world of speculation...

The Bazaar

The Wall Market is the noisy sweaty sprawling heart of commerce in Amarillo...

The Amarillo Exchange Commission

A little joke: the Nimble-Fingered Assistant at Traeger's forge on Short Vine will trade anything that folds for anything that shines...

Pinned

Pinned


Dragonfire

The dragon's head reared back behind the sheet of rain. For a moment, all was calm. Then an orange light began to glow behind the rain at dragon-height.

"Get Under Cover!"

I grabbed Robert -- or did he grab me? -- and we made ourselves small behind the cement barrier.


The Amarillo Exchange Commission

A little joke: the Nimble-Fingered Assistant at Traeger's forge on Short Vine will trade anything that folds for anything that shines. The Amarillo Exchange Commission. Bullets for dollars? Nothing to it. The other way round? Easy as winking. H. Traeger turns a blind eye; his bottom line is unaffected and even illicit browsing leads to buying.

Pinned

Pinned

A Bullet for a Dollar

A thumb on the scale during a quiet moment and the deed is done.

This will trade 1 Dollar for 1 Revolver Bullet at a cost of 5 Reputation.

            1
            You need 1 x Dollars  (you have 0)

            5
            You need 5 x Reputation  (you have 11)

            1
            Unlocked with 1 x Dollars

            5
            Unlocked with 5 x Reputation  - you have 11

A Dollar for a Bullet

Strapped for cash? Rich on ammo but poor on valoota? The Nimble-Fingered Assistant is happy to oblige. Only place the bullet on the counter and he'll be with you in a moment.

This will trade 1 Revolver Bullet for 1 Dollar at a cost of 5 Reputation.

            1
            You need 1 x Revolver Bullet  (you have 0)

            5
            You need 5 x Reputation  (you have 11)

            1
            Unlocked with 1 x Revolver Bullet

            5
            Unlocked with 5 x Reputation  - you have 11

Ten Bullets for Ten Dollars

A big spender? A man wealthy in dollars but poor in ammunition? The Nimble-Fingered Assistant can assist! At this he giggles, surprisingly high and pleasant. It cuts straight through the grime on his throat. Even Traeger glances over, one sooty eyebrow cocked.

This will trade 10 Dollars for 10 Revolver Bullets at a cost of 25 Reputation.

            10
            You need 10 x Dollars  (you have 0)

            25
            You need 25 x Reputation  (you have 11)

            10
            Unlocked with 10 x Dollars

            25
            Unlocked with 25 x Reputation  - you have 11

Ten Dollars for Ten Bullets

A man with too much ammunition is a dangerous thing. The Nimble-Fingered Assistant with take your surplus of bullets and in exchange ensure your wallet is well-padded.

This will trade 10 Revolver Bullets for 10 Dollars at a cost of 25 Reputation.

            10
            You need 10 x Revolver Bullet  (you have 0)

            25
            You need 25 x Reputation  (you have 11)

            10
            Unlocked with 10 x Revolver Bullet

            25
            Unlocked with 25 x Reputation  - you have 11


Burning

A long stream of fire crashed against our cement barrier and flowed over our heads. Robert's hand was on my shoulder and mine was on his back. As the fire got hotter, we cringed.

When it let up, we found we were scorched but not burned. A few sad fires sputtered and hissed on the road where they'd caught on something organic. We brought up our revolvers and waited for the dragon to swing back into view.

0 change points, 4 more needed to reach level 4.

Lizbeth's Ailments has increased to 3!


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

1 x A Wrapped Package from Absolom the Tinker

Not to be opened until you've finished reading New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Game version number.
Thanks for playing Zero Summer!

Paladin

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are mercy, compassion and justice.

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Gumption

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

The Harvestmen

You're following the trail of the Harvestmen

Aiming For

Lizbeth called the shot for this.

Bullets in the Chamber

How many bullets are left in your gun.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Avatar

Your avatar.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Lizbeth's Ailments

Physical damage.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

The Ministry of Black Powder

You're helping "Padre" Charlie with his good works.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington 4

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Dragonslaying in Dixie

Progress on fighting the dragon south of Lexington.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


Opportunities

Draw cards from here to raise your Styles, meet your Allies, and risk your Antagonists.

Pinned

Pinned


Pinned


Old Fashioned Research

Keeping an ear to the street about the Harvestmen is good as far as it goes, but there's only so far you can go on rumors alone. The public library -- a squat one-story building just outside the Wall Market with squeaky-clean windows and a tidy lawn -- is the next natural stop. There might be something in back issues of the <i>Daily Star</i>. And there's this -- you've heard the librarian, Ms. Pettle, is eccentric in a way Jack Ishiguro called "exciting, really exciting in kind of a got-schooled-on-a-Saturday-morning kind of way."

Pinned

To the Library

Outside the library are a pair of stone sculptues. At one point they might have been lions, but weather and time have made them smooth and toothless. One of their gaping mouths has a cigarette butt crushed inside; otherwise they look recently scrubbed. They're sad to look at, like a favorite blanket worn raggedy by too many washings. Best not to dwell.

            5
            You need Doc 5 (you have 4)

            5
            Unlocked with Doc 5 - you have 4


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Not to be opened until you've finished reading New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Paladin

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are mercy, compassion and justice.

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Gumption

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

The Harvestmen

You're following the trail of the Harvestmen

Aiming For

Lizbeth called the shot for this.

Bullets in the Chamber

How many bullets are left in your gun.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Avatar

Your avatar.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Lizbeth's Ailments

Physical damage.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

The Ministry of Black Powder

You're helping "Padre" Charlie with his good works.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Dragonslaying in Dixie

Progress on fighting the dragon south of Lexington.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


Opportunities

Draw cards from here to raise your Styles, meet your Allies, and risk your Antagonists.

Pinned

Pinned


Reload!

In my pocket were spare rounds. But in the crawl out of the burning truck they'd come dislodged. Some, I thought, might be on the ground beneath me. But it would take precious seconds to look, and longer to wipe them off and chamber them in.

"Buy Me Some Space!"

I ducked behind the barricade and started rooting for bullets while Robert laid down some cover.

This will completely refresh your Bullets in the Chamber!

Not Yet

The bullets could wait.


The Bazaar

Wall Market

The gutted husk of a pre-Longest Day supermarket and its vast parking lot have become the sprawling Wall Market, a humming place of barter and commerce where daily bread and stranger things can be bought and sold.

The Wall Market is the noisy sweaty sprawling heart of commerce in Amarillo. Nearly anything can be bought, sold or traded in the vast parking lot bazaar.

Pinned

Pinned


Casings

Down among the highway grit my hands found casings, their metal blood-warm from the dragonfire. Luckily none had misfired. I popped the chamber on my revolver and started slotting them in with that special callous on my thumb.

"Almost done?" Robert said. "Because there's this dragon --"

"This is the time for you to sass me?" I asked, and elbowed him in the knee -- not hard enough to throw off his aim, but hard enough to let him know I wasn't playing.

"Nope," Robert said, and squeezed off a shot. All the playfulness had run out of his voice. Did he feel genuinely bad? or was this still backtalk, only more complicated? Looking back, I never asked.

There are six bullets left in your gun!


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Not to be opened until you've finished reading New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Paladin

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are mercy, compassion and justice.

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Gumption

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

The Harvestmen

You're following the trail of the Harvestmen

Aiming For

Lizbeth called the shot for this.

Bullets in the Chamber

How many bullets are left in your gun.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Avatar

Your avatar.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Lizbeth's Ailments

Physical damage.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

The Ministry of Black Powder

You're helping "Padre" Charlie with his good works.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Dragonslaying in Dixie

Progress on fighting the dragon south of Lexington.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


Opportunities

Draw cards from here to raise your Styles, meet your Allies, and risk your Antagonists.

Pinned

Pinned


Travel Around Town

Amarillo was once a largeish city; even now it covers a lot of ground. It takes time to move from one place to another.

Pinned

Move to Burrow and Briar

Both an intersection and the tumble-down hideout of the Jackrabbits, Burrow and Briar represents a significant chunk of suburban Amarillo.

Move to Platform #1

The last stop on the Rio Sur line, located right here in Amarillo. A bustling place! Hub of commerce and social interaction! Mind the gap.

Move to St. Francis's

This tiny church near the heart of Amarillo is nevertheless a social hub -- for the worshipful few, the devotees of Santo Guerrero, and the better sort of criminal, the latter flocking like peacocks to the public fountain just outside.

Move to The Highrise Hotel

The tallest building in Amarillo was once public housing. Now its lower floors serve as flophouses for the indigent. And its upper floors? Rumors abound; no one can say for sure.

Move to the Wall Market

Beating heart of Amarillo's commercial district! Once a supermarket, now a sprawling swap meet where dollars and goods are bought and sold and bartered by hands both filthy and clean.

Move to the Scrublands

Step lightly through the lonely grass and sweeping sands north of Amarillo, where homesteaders and farmers and more unnatural things compete for water and precious black soil.

Move to the Mission

All brick and broken statues of angels. Here live the homeless and hopeless of Amarillo. The smell of chickens and the sound of singing will let you know you've arrived.

Move to Little Japan

On the west side, a forbidding place of blacked-out windows, steel doors and standoffish Japanese-Americans. Very few people are seen going in and out.

Move to Downtown Amarillo

A latter-day suburban sprawl! Choked with dust and the bright energy of commerce! Even now the wheels turn in Amarillo's rusted heart.

Move to Amarillo Academy

The former local college has been converted into an ivory fortress. Few students are accepted; none seem to leave. The masthead over the iron gate reads "Amarillo Academy of Arts and Speculative Sciences." Security is said to shoot on sight. It seems more credible than not.

A colored flyer on the gate announces a lecture series starting Friday, May 22nd on the subject of "Actuating Transposition in a Biplanar Society." The presenter will be Prof. M. J. Freiburg. The flyer promises light snacks and a Q&A.

            1
            You need An Invitation to Amarillo Academy 1

            1
            Unlocked with An Invitation to Amarillo Academy 1

Move to the Pony Express

The heart of Amarillo: its living breathing center. Its distributor of mail. Its carrier of justice. Only open when a postal rider is in town.

            Unlocked when Date is:

May 22, 2026 - Morning

May 22, 2026 - Afternoon

May 22, 2026 - Evening

May 23, 2026


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Not to be opened until you've finished reading New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Paladin

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are mercy, compassion and justice.

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Gumption

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

The Harvestmen

You're following the trail of the Harvestmen

Aiming For

Lizbeth called the shot for this.

Bullets in the Chamber

How many bullets are left in your gun.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Avatar

Your avatar.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Lizbeth's Ailments

Physical damage.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

The Ministry of Black Powder

You're helping "Padre" Charlie with his good works.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Dragonslaying in Dixie

Progress on fighting the dragon south of Lexington.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


A Smallish Pilgrimage

Move to St. Francis's

Travel Around Town

Amarillo was once a largeish city; even now it covers a lot of ground. It takes time to move from one place to another.

This tiny church near the heart of Amarillo is nevertheless a social hub -- for the worshipful few, the devotees of Santo Guerrero, and the better sort of criminal, the latter flocking like peacocks to the public fountain just outside.

St. Francis's isn't hard to get to. Just find a well-dressed gangster and tail him. You follow that tried and true method and soon find yourself on the doorstep of the church.

You have moved to a new area: St. Francis's


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Not to be opened until you've finished reading New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

A Reader of New England and Lexington

You have read New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Version

Game version number.

Game version number.
Thanks for playing Zero Summer!

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Hallowed Ground

You've been taken in by the strange beautiful kindnesses of the Mission.

The Harvestmen

You're following the trail of the Harvestmen

Helping the Brothers Skunk

The Skunk brothers' farm is a local institution; you've lent a hand to keep it running.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


Dragonfire

The dragon's head reared back behind the sheet of rain. For a moment, all was calm. Then an orange light began to glow behind the rain at dragon-height.

Opportunities

Draw cards from here to raise your Styles, meet your Allies, and risk your Antagonists.

"Get Under Cover!"

I grabbed Robert -- or did he grab me? -- and we made ourselves small behind the cement barrier.


Showing a Little Charity

Unlocked when Date is:

May 21, 2026 - Morning (you have this)

; Unlocked with 1 x 20th Century Penny  - you have 1

Pinned

Pinned


Burning

A long stream of fire crashed against our cement barrier and flowed over our heads. Robert's hand was on my shoulder and mine was on his back. As the fire got hotter, we cringed.

When it let up, we found we were scorched but not burned. A few sad fires sputtered and hissed on the road where they'd caught on something organic. We brought up our revolvers and waited for the dragon to swing back into view.

1 change point, 3 more needed to reach level 4.

Lizbeth's Ailments is increasing...


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Paladin

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are mercy, compassion and justice.

Gumption

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

Aiming For

Lizbeth called the shot for this.

Bullets in the Chamber

How many bullets are left in your gun.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Avatar

Your avatar.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Lizbeth's Ailments

Physical damage.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

The Ministry of Black Powder

You're helping "Padre" Charlie with his good works.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Dragonslaying in Dixie

Progress on fighting the dragon south of Lexington.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


Showing a Little Charity

St. Francis's

A small church near the heart of town. Officially dedicated to St. Francis. Unofficially dedicated to Lee Andante. Outside is a lovely fountain known to be a haunt for the better breed of gangsters.

The public fountain outside St. Francis's is the sparking social center of half the city: dozens of children play through the dancing sprays while old men play checkers at nearby tables and fashionable women stroll or sit on the cool granite lip. Its centerpiece is a tonsured and robed St. Francis with his arms spread. Many birds perch there, both carved and alive. It's almost pleasant here, if humid. Very humid.

You flick the 20th century penny into the fountain. Quick as a whiplash, a man on the fountain lip who's mostly hidden behind a newspaper reaches out and catches it before it touches the water. He folds the newspaper and tucks it under his arm; the penny disappears into a sleeve.

Pinned

Pinned

Velvet and Steel

The man is wearing an oxblood corduroy suit and a charcoal gray fedora. His nails are perfectly manicured and he smells like mangroves and antebellum.

"Good morning," he says cheerfully. "Thank you for the penny back. We hate to lose old trinkets like that. Of course its value is sentimental, but I think we can agree that sentiment is what draws us from our beds in the morning and lays us down with a vengeance at night -- and not the common plutophiliac pursuit. Yes?"

Without waiting for a reply, he goes on: "You may call me Mr. Velvet. I work with a group of concerned ladies and gentlemen: the Stars and Spurs. We undertake the little tasks that need doing. The exportation of certain fine local products up norte. The intake of necessary ordnance to deal with unfriendly local fauna. You understand."

"I'll be frank," Mr. Velvet says: "One of my associates tagged you as a possible conspirator in our humble efforts. We'll be receiving a colleague from Denver and we need someone to arrange his stay. See to his comfort. Ensure his needs are met. That sort of thing. You're in, yes?"

WARNING: This is the beginning of a Subplot. Choosing this branch will reduce Gumption by 1. This Subplot will focus on your Gunslinger and Cityslicker Styles.

            1
            You need Gumption 1

            1
            Unlocked with Gumption 1


Pinned

Pinned

A Great Searing Fire

All of a sudden the rain receded in a great whooshing backdraft -- and there was the dragon splayed out against the sky, its wings fully extended, at least thirty feet tall and much longer across if you counted its wingspan, long serpentine neck extended, fire pouch filled and burbling, its jaw cracked wide and display a row of sharp curved teeth and a long slithering tongue and behind it all, at the back of its throat, visible even from a distance, was a small orange flame...


Pinned

Pinned


A Great Searing Fire

All of a sudden the rain receded in a great whooshing backdraft -- and there was the dragon splayed out against the sky, its wings fully extended, at least thirty feet tall and much longer across if you counted its wingspan, long serpentine neck extended, fire pouch filled and burbling, its jaw cracked wide and display a row of sharp curved teeth and a long slithering tongue and behind it all, at the back of its throat, visible even from a distance, was a small orange flame.

Engulfed

There was no time to get under cover. The flame leaped out and engulfed us.


Old Fashioned Research

Keeping an ear to the street about the Harvestmen is good as far as it goes, but there's only so far you can go on rumors alone. The public library -- a squat one-story building just outside the Wall Market with squeaky-clean windows and a tidy lawn -- is the next natural stop. There might be something in back issues of the <i>Daily Star</i>. And there's this -- you've heard the librarian, Ms. Pettle, is eccentric in a way Jack Ishiguro called "exciting, really exciting in kind of a got-schooled-on-a-Saturday-morning kind of way."

Pinned

Pinned

To the Library

Outside the library are a pair of stone sculptues. At one point they might have been lions, but weather and time have made them smooth and toothless. One of their gaping mouths has a cigarette butt crushed inside; otherwise they look recently scrubbed. They're sad to look at, like a favorite blanket worn raggedy by too many washings. Best not to dwell.


Opportunities

Draw cards from here to raise your Styles, meet your Allies, and risk your Antagonists.

Pinned

Pinned


Pain

I felt my hair catch, and the shoulders of my jacket, and Robert and I tumbled on the wet ground, trying to beat the fire out. Pain registered like a distant siren; the side of my face was icy-hot in a way that told me I would suffer, later.

"Your cheek," Robert said. His own face was charred and smeared and raw.

"Suck it up," I told him -- "pain is just weakness leaving the body" -- and forced myself to crawl back to the barricade. He followed without reply.

3 change points, 1 more needed to reach level 4.

Lizbeth's Ailments is increasing...


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Not to be opened until you've finished reading New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Game version number.
Thanks for playing Zero Summer!

Paladin

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are mercy, compassion and justice.

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Gumption

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

The Harvestmen

You're following the trail of the Harvestmen

Aiming For

Lizbeth called the shot for this.

Bullets in the Chamber

How many bullets are left in your gun.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Avatar

Your avatar.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Lizbeth's Ailments

Physical damage.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

The Ministry of Black Powder

You're helping "Padre" Charlie with his good works.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Dragonslaying in Dixie

Progress on fighting the dragon south of Lexington.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


Opportunities

Draw cards from here to raise your Styles, meet your Allies, and risk your Antagonists.

Pinned

Pinned


Showing a Little Charity

St. Francis's

A small church near the heart of town. Officially dedicated to St. Francis. Unofficially dedicated to Lee Andante. Outside is a lovely fountain known to be a haunt for the better breed of gangsters.

The public fountain outside St. Francis's is the sparking social center of half the city: dozens of children play through the dancing sprays while old men play checkers at nearby tables and fashionable women stroll or sit on the cool granite lip. Its centerpiece is a tonsured and robed St. Francis with his arms spread. Many birds perch there, both carved and alive. It's almost pleasant here, if humid. Very humid.

You flick the 20th century penny into the fountain. Quick as a whiplash, a man on the fountain lip who's mostly hidden behind a newspaper reaches out and catches it before it touches the water. He folds the newspaper and tucks it under his arm; the penny disappears into a sleeve.

Pinned

Pinned

Velvet and Steel

The man is wearing an oxblood corduroy suit and a charcoal gray fedora. His nails are perfectly manicured and he smells like mangroves and antebellum.

"Good morning," he says cheerfully. "Thank you for the penny back. We hate to lose old trinkets like that. Of course its value is sentimental, but I think we can agree that sentiment is what draws us from our beds in the morning and lays us down with a vengeance at night -- and not the common plutophiliac pursuit. Yes?"

Without waiting for a reply, he goes on: "You may call me Mr. Velvet. I work with a group of concerned ladies and gentlemen: the Stars and Spurs. We undertake the little tasks that need doing. The exportation of certain fine local products up norte. The intake of necessary ordnance to deal with unfriendly local fauna. You understand."

"I'll be frank," Mr. Velvet says: "One of my associates tagged you as a possible conspirator in our humble efforts. We'll be receiving a colleague from Denver and we need someone to arrange his stay. See to his comfort. Ensure his needs are met. That sort of thing. You're in, yes?"

WARNING: This is the beginning of a Subplot. Choosing this branch will reduce Gumption by 1. This Subplot will focus on your Gunslinger and Cityslicker Styles.


Pinned

Pinned


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Not to be opened until you've finished reading New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Paladin

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are mercy, compassion and justice.

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Gumption

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

The Harvestmen

You're following the trail of the Harvestmen

Aiming For

Lizbeth called the shot for this.

Bullets in the Chamber

How many bullets are left in your gun.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Avatar

Your avatar.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Lizbeth's Ailments

Physical damage.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

The Ministry of Black Powder

You're helping "Padre" Charlie with his good works.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Dragonslaying in Dixie

Progress on fighting the dragon south of Lexington.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


Travel Around Town

Amarillo was once a largeish city; even now it covers a lot of ground. It takes time to move from one place to another.

Pinned

Pinned

Move to Burrow and Briar

Both an intersection and the tumble-down hideout of the Jackrabbits, Burrow and Briar represents a significant chunk of suburban Amarillo.

Move to Platform #1

The last stop on the Rio Sur line, located right here in Amarillo. A bustling place! Hub of commerce and social interaction! Mind the gap.

Move to St. Francis's

This tiny church near the heart of Amarillo is nevertheless a social hub -- for the worshipful few, the devotees of Santo Guerrero, and the better sort of criminal, the latter flocking like peacocks to the public fountain just outside.

Move to The Highrise Hotel

The tallest building in Amarillo was once public housing. Now its lower floors serve as flophouses for the indigent. And its upper floors? Rumors abound; no one can say for sure.

Move to the Wall Market

Beating heart of Amarillo's commercial district! Once a supermarket, now a sprawling swap meet where dollars and goods are bought and sold and bartered by hands both filthy and clean.

Move to the Scrublands

Step lightly through the lonely grass and sweeping sands north of Amarillo, where homesteaders and farmers and more unnatural things compete for water and precious black soil.

Move to the Mission

All brick and broken statues of angels. Here live the homeless and hopeless of Amarillo. The smell of chickens and the sound of singing will let you know you've arrived.

Move to Little Japan

On the west side, a forbidding place of blacked-out windows, steel doors and standoffish Japanese-Americans. Very few people are seen going in and out.

Move to Downtown Amarillo

A latter-day suburban sprawl! Choked with dust and the bright energy of commerce! Even now the wheels turn in Amarillo's rusted heart.

Move to Amarillo Academy

The former local college has been converted into an ivory fortress. Few students are accepted; none seem to leave. The masthead over the iron gate reads "Amarillo Academy of Arts and Speculative Sciences." Security is said to shoot on sight. It seems more credible than not.

A colored flyer on the gate announces a lecture series starting Friday, May 22nd on the subject of "Actuating Transposition in a Biplanar Society." The presenter will be Prof. M. J. Freiburg. The flyer promises light snacks and a Q&A.

Move to the Pony Express

The heart of Amarillo: its living breathing center. Its distributor of mail. Its carrier of justice. Only open when a postal rider is in town.


Distractions from the Minutemen

Marcel and PJP had taken up positions on the interstate. They were maybe fifty feet apart and thirty feet away from me and Robert. Each had their revolvers out. Every few moments one would take a shot at the dragon. Its head would swivel sharply toward whoever was shooting, which bought me and Robert a breather -- to rest, and to line up shots.

Opportunities

Draw cards from here to raise your Styles, meet your Allies, and risk your Antagonists.

"Get It Off Us a Second!"

Robert popped his head over the barricade and yelled for Marcel and PJP to lay down some suppression fire.

"Lizbeth's hurt!" he shouted. "And I'm getting a little crispy! So any time with the distraction!"

This will reduce Lizbeth's Ailments!

            1
            You need Lizbeth's Ailments 1 (you have 3)

            1
            Unlocked with Lizbeth's Ailments 1 - you have 3

"Just Shoot the Damn Thing!"

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

A tough challenge

"Forget the pouch!" Robert yelled over the barricade. "Just aim for the face! Where it eyes are! Which it needs to see us!"

"Which we'd prefer it didn't?" Marcel called back.

"Just shoot the damn thing!" I shouted.

If this succeeds, your Dragonslaying in Dixie Quality will rise significantly!

            1
            You need Aiming For 1 and Aiming For no more than 1 (you have 1)

            2
            You need Bullets in the Chamber 2 (you have 6)

            1
            Unlocked with Aiming For 1 - you have 1

            2
            Unlocked with Bullets in the Chamber 2 - you have 6

Suppression Fire

The suppression fire from Marcel and PJP was doing exactly what it was supposed to. I saw no reason to give other orders.


Head Down, Eyes Open

Move to the Scrublands

Travel Around Town

Amarillo was once a largeish city; even now it covers a lot of ground. It takes time to move from one place to another.

The scrublands are largely uninhabited, but have a care: homesteaders don't always respect the Rule of One, and the rumors of chupacabra are worryingly persistent.

You have moved to a new area: The Scrublands


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Not to be opened until you've finished reading New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

A Reader of New England and Lexington

You have read New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Version

Game version number.

Game version number.
Thanks for playing Zero Summer!

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Hallowed Ground

You've been taken in by the strange beautiful kindnesses of the Mission.

The Harvestmen

You're following the trail of the Harvestmen

Helping the Brothers Skunk

The Skunk brothers' farm is a local institution; you've lent a hand to keep it running.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


Hot Enough?

"Get It Off Us a Second!"

Distractions from the Minutemen

Marcel and PJP had taken up positions on the interstate. They were maybe fifty feet apart and thirty feet away from me and Robert. Each had their revolvers out. Every few moments one would take a shot at the dragon. Its head would swivel sharply toward whoever was shooting, which bought me and Robert a breather -- to rest, and to line up shots.

Robert popped his head over the barricade and yelled for Marcel and PJP to lay down some suppression fire.

"Lizbeth's hurt!" he shouted. "And I'm getting a little crispy! So any time with the distraction!"

This will reduce Lizbeth's Ailments!

PJP waved distractedly and started running; Marcel rolled behind an orange cement pylon. Both brought their revolvers up and started fanning the hammer. The shots plinked off the dragon's scales and the asphalt road and plastic construction signs. The dragon's attention focused sharply on the running PJP; a lancing stream of fire followed him down the interstate.

Robert and I sunk down behind the barricade. He looked at me and, improbably, grinned.

"This is hot enough for you?" he said. "This could be hotter?"

Later, I realized: it was the first time I'd seen him really awake, really with it since New England.

2 change points, 2 more needed to reach level 4.

Lizbeth's Ailments is dropping...


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Paladin

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are mercy, compassion and justice.

Gumption

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

Aiming For

Lizbeth called the shot for this.

Bullets in the Chamber

How many bullets are left in your gun.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Avatar

Your avatar.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Lizbeth's Ailments

Physical damage.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

The Ministry of Black Powder

You're helping "Padre" Charlie with his good works.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Dragonslaying in Dixie

Progress on fighting the dragon south of Lexington.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


Opportunities

Draw cards from here to raise your Styles, meet your Allies, and risk your Antagonists.

Pinned

Pinned


Dragonfire

The dragon's head reared back behind the sheet of rain. For a moment, all was calm. Then an orange light began to glow behind the rain at dragon-height.

"Get Under Cover!"

I grabbed Robert -- or did he grab me? -- and we made ourselves small behind the cement barrier.


Old Fashioned Research

Keeping an ear to the street about the Harvestmen is good as far as it goes, but there's only so far you can go on rumors alone. The public library -- a squat one-story building just outside the Wall Market with squeaky-clean windows and a tidy lawn -- is the next natural stop. There might be something in back issues of the <i>Daily Star</i>. And there's this -- you've heard the librarian, Ms. Pettle, is eccentric in a way Jack Ishiguro called "exciting, really exciting in kind of a got-schooled-on-a-Saturday-morning kind of way."

Pinned

Pinned

To the Library

Outside the library are a pair of stone sculptues. At one point they might have been lions, but weather and time have made them smooth and toothless. One of their gaping mouths has a cigarette butt crushed inside; otherwise they look recently scrubbed. They're sad to look at, like a favorite blanket worn raggedy by too many washings. Best not to dwell.


Burning

A long stream of fire crashed against our cement barrier and flowed over our heads. Robert's hand was on my shoulder and mine was on his back. As the fire got hotter, we cringed.

When it let up, we found we were scorched but not burned. A few sad fires sputtered and hissed on the road where they'd caught on something organic. We brought up our revolvers and waited for the dragon to swing back into view.

3 change points, 1 more needed to reach level 4.

Lizbeth's Ailments is increasing...


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Not to be opened until you've finished reading New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Game version number.
Thanks for playing Zero Summer!

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

The Harvestmen

You're following the trail of the Harvestmen

Aiming For

Lizbeth called the shot for this.

Bullets in the Chamber

How many bullets are left in your gun.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Avatar

Your avatar.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Lizbeth's Ailments

Physical damage.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

The Ministry of Black Powder

You're helping "Padre" Charlie with his good works.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Dragonslaying in Dixie

Progress on fighting the dragon south of Lexington.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


Opportunities

Draw cards from here to raise your Styles, meet your Allies, and risk your Antagonists.

Pinned

Pinned


Travel Around Town

Amarillo was once a largeish city; even now it covers a lot of ground. It takes time to move from one place to another.

Pinned

Move to Burrow and Briar

Both an intersection and the tumble-down hideout of the Jackrabbits, Burrow and Briar represents a significant chunk of suburban Amarillo.

Move to Platform #1

The last stop on the Rio Sur line, located right here in Amarillo. A bustling place! Hub of commerce and social interaction! Mind the gap.

Move to St. Francis's

This tiny church near the heart of Amarillo is nevertheless a social hub -- for the worshipful few, the devotees of Santo Guerrero, and the better sort of criminal, the latter flocking like peacocks to the public fountain just outside.

Move to The Highrise Hotel

The tallest building in Amarillo was once public housing. Now its lower floors serve as flophouses for the indigent. And its upper floors? Rumors abound; no one can say for sure.

Move to the Wall Market

Beating heart of Amarillo's commercial district! Once a supermarket, now a sprawling swap meet where dollars and goods are bought and sold and bartered by hands both filthy and clean.

Move to the Scrublands

Step lightly through the lonely grass and sweeping sands north of Amarillo, where homesteaders and farmers and more unnatural things compete for water and precious black soil.

Move to the Mission

All brick and broken statues of angels. Here live the homeless and hopeless of Amarillo. The smell of chickens and the sound of singing will let you know you've arrived.

Move to Little Japan

On the west side, a forbidding place of blacked-out windows, steel doors and standoffish Japanese-Americans. Very few people are seen going in and out.

Move to Downtown Amarillo

A latter-day suburban sprawl! Choked with dust and the bright energy of commerce! Even now the wheels turn in Amarillo's rusted heart.

Move to Amarillo Academy

The former local college has been converted into an ivory fortress. Few students are accepted; none seem to leave. The masthead over the iron gate reads "Amarillo Academy of Arts and Speculative Sciences." Security is said to shoot on sight. It seems more credible than not.

A colored flyer on the gate announces a lecture series starting Friday, May 22nd on the subject of "Actuating Transposition in a Biplanar Society." The presenter will be Prof. M. J. Freiburg. The flyer promises light snacks and a Q&A.

Move to the Pony Express

The heart of Amarillo: its living breathing center. Its distributor of mail. Its carrier of justice. Only open when a postal rider is in town.


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Not to be opened until you've finished reading New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Paladin

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are mercy, compassion and justice.

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Gumption

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

The Harvestmen

You're following the trail of the Harvestmen

Aiming For

Lizbeth called the shot for this.

Bullets in the Chamber

How many bullets are left in your gun.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Avatar

Your avatar.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Lizbeth's Ailments

Physical damage.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

The Ministry of Black Powder

You're helping "Padre" Charlie with his good works.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Dragonslaying in Dixie

Progress on fighting the dragon south of Lexington.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


Back Home

Move to Burrow and Briar

Travel Around Town

Amarillo was once a largeish city; even now it covers a lot of ground. It takes time to move from one place to another.

Both an intersection and the tumble-down hideout of the Jackrabbits, Burrow and Briar represents a significant chunk of suburban Amarillo.

You make your way back to Burrow and Briar, the one place in town that's always hopping.

You have moved to a new area: Burrow and Briar


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Not to be opened until you've finished reading New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

A Reader of New England and Lexington

You have read New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Version

Game version number.

Game version number.
Thanks for playing Zero Summer!

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Hallowed Ground

You've been taken in by the strange beautiful kindnesses of the Mission.

The Harvestmen

You're following the trail of the Harvestmen

Helping the Brothers Skunk

The Skunk brothers' farm is a local institution; you've lent a hand to keep it running.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


Reload!

In my pocket were spare rounds. But in the crawl out of the burning truck they'd come dislodged. Some, I thought, might be on the ground beneath me. But it would take precious seconds to look, and longer to wipe them off and chamber them in.

Opportunities

Draw cards from here to raise your Styles, meet your Allies, and risk your Antagonists.

Not Yet

The bullets could wait.

"Buy Me Some Space!"

I ducked behind the barricade and started rooting for bullets while Robert laid down some cover.

This will completely refresh your Bullets in the Chamber!


The Ministry of Black Powder

Unlocked with ; Unlocked when Date is:

May 21, 2026 - Morning (you have this)

"Padre" Charlie is sitting on the porch at Burrow and Briar behind a small wrought iron table...

The Guest Room

Your own personal space here in Amarillo...

Pinned

Pinned


At the Barricade

Not Yet

The bullets could wait.

I replanted myself at the barricade and sighted down the barrel of my revolver.


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Paladin

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are mercy, compassion and justice.

Gumption

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

Aiming For

Lizbeth called the shot for this.

Bullets in the Chamber

How many bullets are left in your gun.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Avatar

Your avatar.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Lizbeth's Ailments

Physical damage.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

The Ministry of Black Powder

You're helping "Padre" Charlie with his good works.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Dragonslaying in Dixie

Progress on fighting the dragon south of Lexington.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


The Ministry of Black Powder

Burrow and Briar

A shabby tuckaway at the corner of Burrow Street and Briar Lane. Home to the Jackrabbits, a local gang of rough characters with hearts of -- not gold, but perhaps another less precious metal that still glitters in the proper light.

"Padre" Charlie is sitting on the porch at Burrow and Briar behind a small wrought iron table. Small pieces of metal are spread across the table, and a filthy cloth, and greasy metal can.

Pinned

Pinned

The Calling

When he notices you watching, "Padre" Charlie waves you over.

This is the beginning of Zero Summer's first main plot: The Ministry of Black Powder.

Since this is part of the main story, playing this Storylet will NOT reduce your Gumption.


Pinned

Pinned

Distractions from the Minutemen

Marcel and PJP had taken up positions on the interstate...


One Man's Chapel

"Do you see what we have here? This is the bolt. It locks into the chamber with the cartridge. Here is the sight -- obvious, no need to explain. Here the barrel. Here the stock. Here the little nubbin of the firing pin tucked inside like a baby in a crib."

Your eyes move mechanically over the parts as "Padre" Charlie lists them. These things are known to you, barrel and bolt and firing pin. In this moment you're sure you could see them on the insides of your eyelids.

There's a roaring in your ears like the incoming tide. You could be swept away. O yes. You could be.

The Ministry of Black Powder has increased!


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Not to be opened until you've finished reading New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

A Reader of New England and Lexington

You have read New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Version

Game version number.

Game version number.
Thanks for playing Zero Summer!

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Hallowed Ground

You've been taken in by the strange beautiful kindnesses of the Mission.

The Harvestmen

You're following the trail of the Harvestmen

Helping the Brothers Skunk

The Skunk brothers' farm is a local institution; you've lent a hand to keep it running.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

The Ministry of Black Powder

You're helping "Padre" Charlie with his good works.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Paladin

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are mercy, compassion and justice.

Gumption

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

Aiming For

Lizbeth called the shot for this.

Bullets in the Chamber

How many bullets are left in your gun.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Avatar

Your avatar.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Lizbeth's Ailments

Physical damage.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Dragonslaying in Dixie

Progress on fighting the dragon south of Lexington.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


The Needs of the Father

Burrow and Briar

A shabby tuckaway at the corner of Burrow Street and Briar Lane. Home to the Jackrabbits, a local gang of rough characters with hearts of -- not gold, but perhaps another less precious metal that still glitters in the proper light.

"Padre" Charlie is cleaning a rifle. You want to touch every piece of it so badly that your fingernails have dug little half-moons into your palm.

Pinned

Pinned

Hope for the Wrong Thing

"Padre" Charlie's hands work the rifle together, bolt into barrel into stock. "I'm filled with hope," he says, "but for the wrong thing."


Distractions from the Minutemen

Marcel and PJP had taken up positions on the interstate. They were maybe fifty feet apart and thirty feet away from me and Robert. Each had their revolvers out. Every few moments one would take a shot at the dragon. Its head would swivel sharply toward whoever was shooting, which bought me and Robert a breather -- to rest, and to line up shots.

Opportunities

Draw cards from here to raise your Styles, meet your Allies, and risk your Antagonists.

"Get It Off Us a Second!"

Robert popped his head over the barricade and yelled for Marcel and PJP to lay down some suppression fire.

"Lizbeth's hurt!" he shouted. "And I'm getting a little crispy! So any time with the distraction!"

This will reduce Lizbeth's Ailments!

"Just Shoot the Damn Thing!"

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

A tough challenge

"Forget the pouch!" Robert yelled over the barricade. "Just aim for the face! Where it eyes are! Which it needs to see us!"

"Which we'd prefer it didn't?" Marcel called back.

"Just shoot the damn thing!" I shouted.

If this succeeds, your Dragonslaying in Dixie Quality will rise significantly!

Suppression Fire

The suppression fire from Marcel and PJP was doing exactly what it was supposed to. I saw no reason to give other orders.


The Difference

What does he mean, hope for the wrong thing?

"There's rain and there's green things and there's faith in the Book and the blood and the Man Himself. There are good things on this earth, healing things."

"Padre" Charlie spits deliberately over the porch. It lands on a dry patch of ground and kicks up a spray of dust.

"What I hope for ain't them. I want a flood of bullets and buckets of guns and a chain of hands to put the one into the other. Not very preacherly of me."


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Not to be opened until you've finished reading New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

A Reader of New England and Lexington

You have read New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Version

Game version number.

Game version number.
Thanks for playing Zero Summer!

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Hallowed Ground

You've been taken in by the strange beautiful kindnesses of the Mission.

The Harvestmen

You're following the trail of the Harvestmen

Helping the Brothers Skunk

The Skunk brothers' farm is a local institution; you've lent a hand to keep it running.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

The Ministry of Black Powder

You're helping "Padre" Charlie with his good works.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


That Horrible Shriek

"Just Shoot the Damn Thing!"

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

A tough challenge

Distractions from the Minutemen

Marcel and PJP had taken up positions on the interstate. They were maybe fifty feet apart and thirty feet away from me and Robert. Each had their revolvers out. Every few moments one would take a shot at the dragon. Its head would swivel sharply toward whoever was shooting, which bought me and Robert a breather -- to rest, and to line up shots.

"Forget the pouch!" Robert yelled over the barricade. "Just aim for the face! Where it eyes are! Which it needs to see us!"

"Which we'd prefer it didn't?" Marcel called back.

"Just shoot the damn thing!" I shouted.

If this succeeds, your Dragonslaying in Dixie Quality will rise significantly!

            1
            You need Aiming For 1 and Aiming For no more than 1 (you have 1)

            2
            You need Bullets in the Chamber 2 (you have 4)

            1
            Unlocked with Aiming For 1 - you have 1

            2
            Unlocked with Bullets in the Chamber 2 - you have 4

Suddenly all of our revolvers were trained on the dragon. Chambers spun. Bullets cracked out through the rain and slammed into the dragon's head and neck and the joints between its shoulders and wings. And one seemed to cross its eyes. It reared back; a thick translucent film -- a second eyelid? -- closed over its left eye; and it screamed, an awful gut-melting shriek like from a dying rabbit but thicker and angrier.

"Can I get an amen!" PJP shouted.

"Hallelujah!" Marcel called back.

10 change points, 12 more needed to reach level 22.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker is increasing...

You succeeded in a Lizbeth's Cityslicker challenge! (Risky challenges mean you learn more.)

3 change points, 1 more needed to reach level 4.

Dragonslaying in Dixie is increasing...

There are four bullets left in your gun!


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Not to be opened until you've finished reading New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Paladin

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are mercy, compassion and justice.

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Gumption

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

The Harvestmen

You're following the trail of the Harvestmen

Aiming For

Lizbeth called the shot for this.

Bullets in the Chamber

How many bullets are left in your gun.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Avatar

Your avatar.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Lizbeth's Ailments

Physical damage.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Dragonslaying in Dixie

Progress on fighting the dragon south of Lexington.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


The Needs of the Son

Burrow and Briar

A shabby tuckaway at the corner of Burrow Street and Briar Lane. Home to the Jackrabbits, a local gang of rough characters with hearts of -- not gold, but perhaps another less precious metal that still glitters in the proper light.

The reassembled rifle lays across the Padre's lap. Newly oiled, it gleams.

Pinned

Pinned

You Have Questions

Floods of bullets? Many hands for many triggers? What could he mean?

You Have Needs

Speeches are well and good, but your hands crave the stock and steel of a rifle. Holding it will tell you something about yourself. Something important. You're sure of it.

The Means to Power

To hell with it: take the gun! What's "Padre" Charlie going to do? He looks rough for a man of the cloth, but you feel rougher -- so very much rougher.


Opportunities

Draw cards from here to raise your Styles, meet your Allies, and risk your Antagonists.

Pinned

Pinned


Chastened!

You've very close to "Padre" Charlie now. You can smell the Brylcream in his hair. See the dandruff on his shoulders. Almost feel the heat from the rifle. He's held it long enough, has the Padre, that the metal is blood-warm. Just a touch will do, you think. And then perhaps more...

"Padre" Charlie slaps your hand away. Your eyes meet. His are blue, and blue, and at the bottom you can see the sharp edges of an awful, frozen fire. He doesn't blink. You do.

"There's just one rule here in Amarillo," the Padre says. His tone is level, as if you'd never gone for the rifle. "The Rule of One: you only get to shoot one thing, and it lives out there."

"Padre" Charlie points south. Out there means outside Amarillo. It means flying, crawling, scratching, screaming things.

"We don't shoot each other. Not ever. Not even the Stars and Spurs do it, or the Dusters. Not even the police. Because bullets are scarce and some day we might be one short because some Spur plugged  Mister Johnson from next door."

He pauses significantly. "But that won't happen. Because we won't let it."

1 change point, 1 more needed to reach level 2.

Man in Black is increasing...


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Not to be opened until you've finished reading New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

A Reader of New England and Lexington

You have read New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Version

Game version number.

Game version number.
Thanks for playing Zero Summer!

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Hallowed Ground

You've been taken in by the strange beautiful kindnesses of the Mission.

The Harvestmen

You're following the trail of the Harvestmen

Helping the Brothers Skunk

The Skunk brothers' farm is a local institution; you've lent a hand to keep it running.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

The Ministry of Black Powder

You're helping "Padre" Charlie with his good works.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


Distractions from the Minutemen

Marcel and PJP had taken up positions on the interstate. They were maybe fifty feet apart and thirty feet away from me and Robert. Each had their revolvers out. Every few moments one would take a shot at the dragon. Its head would swivel sharply toward whoever was shooting, which bought me and Robert a breather -- to rest, and to line up shots.

Opportunities

Draw cards from here to raise your Styles, meet your Allies, and risk your Antagonists.

"Get It Off Us a Second!"

Robert popped his head over the barricade and yelled for Marcel and PJP to lay down some suppression fire.

"Lizbeth's hurt!" he shouted. "And I'm getting a little crispy! So any time with the distraction!"

This will reduce Lizbeth's Ailments!

"Just Shoot the Damn Thing!"

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

A tough challenge

"Forget the pouch!" Robert yelled over the barricade. "Just aim for the face! Where it eyes are! Which it needs to see us!"

"Which we'd prefer it didn't?" Marcel called back.

"Just shoot the damn thing!" I shouted.

If this succeeds, your Dragonslaying in Dixie Quality will rise significantly!

Suppression Fire

The suppression fire from Marcel and PJP was doing exactly what it was supposed to. I saw no reason to give other orders.


The Holy Ghost

Burrow and Briar

A shabby tuckaway at the corner of Burrow Street and Briar Lane. Home to the Jackrabbits, a local gang of rough characters with hearts of -- not gold, but perhaps another less precious metal that still glitters in the proper light.

At his full height, "Padre" Charlie towers over you. The dirtiness of his coat and collar are transformed; they're splatterings of a fallen world on holy vestments.

"There is a weapon," he says. "Monsters fear it. Even the sight of it. The pistol of Santo Guerrero."

Some buried part of you lurches at the name. There's a weight on your chest and a strange lightness to your arms.

"There is a rumor that it was taken from Santo Guerrero -- the village, not the man -- by friends of Woodrow Pohoee, who never leaves his mansion on the hill."

He gestures over his shoulder into the rising sun, then levels a finger at you.

"Heaven provides. I believe it has provided you to us. This relic can't remain in darkness. Not any longer. Not with this man Pohoee, who does nothing with it. You must bring it to us."

Yes! cries the heavy aching part of you. O yes! And yes again!

Pinned

Pinned

O yes! And yes again!

You swear to "Padre" Charlie that you'll find the gun of Santo Guerrero and bring it back. Your tongue feels made of fire. Every time you've closed your eyes this morning, you've seen again the great black bats swarming in the nighttime sky. Never again. You can make it so.

For Whose Hand the Grip?

Cityslicker

Social Style.

A chancy challenge

Certainly you'll get the gun away from Pohoee. And certainly you'll use it against the great black bats that swarm behind your eyelids every time you blink. You -- not the Padre and not the Jackrabbits. Such a weapon takes strength of character. Until they demonstrate some, yours is the only proper holster.

You're sure you can make "Padre" Charlie understand your point of view. You have to. Otherwise the gun might end up in the wrong hands -- again.


A Barrage of Misses

"Just Shoot the Damn Thing!"

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

A tough challenge

            1
            You need Aiming For 1 and Aiming For no more than 1 (you have 1)

            2
            You need Bullets in the Chamber 2 (you have 2)

            1
            Unlocked with Aiming For 1 - you have 1

            2
            Unlocked with Bullets in the Chamber 2 - you have 2

We emptied our revolvers into the dragon's face, but to no effect: it reared its head back behind the curtain of rain and curled back on itself, snakelike, hiding its face behind the coils of its neck. Our bullets struck the asphalt and the road signs and the lip of the interstate -- everything but the dragon.

12 change points, 10 more needed to reach level 22.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker is increasing...

Lizbeth's Cityslicker 21 failed in a challenge! (When you try a challenge that's difficult for you, you learn more even when you fail.)

There are two bullets left in your gun!


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Not to be opened until you've finished reading New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Paladin

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are mercy, compassion and justice.

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Gumption

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

The Harvestmen

You're following the trail of the Harvestmen

Aiming For

Lizbeth called the shot for this.

Bullets in the Chamber

How many bullets are left in your gun.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Avatar

Your avatar.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Lizbeth's Ailments

Physical damage.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

The Ministry of Black Powder

You're helping "Padre" Charlie with his good works.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Dragonslaying in Dixie

Progress on fighting the dragon south of Lexington.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


An Uneasy Agremeent

For Whose Hand the Grip?

Cityslicker

Social Style.

A very modest challenge

The Holy Ghost

Burrow and Briar

A shabby tuckaway at the corner of Burrow Street and Briar Lane. Home to the Jackrabbits, a local gang of rough characters with hearts of -- not gold, but perhaps another less precious metal that still glitters in the proper light.

At his full height, "Padre" Charlie towers over you. The dirtiness of his coat and collar are transformed; they're splatterings of a fallen world on holy vestments.

"There is a weapon," he says. "Monsters fear it. Even the sight of it. The pistol of Santo Guerrero."

Some buried part of you lurches at the name. There's a weight on your chest and a strange lightness to your arms.

"There is a rumor that it was taken from Santo Guerrero -- the village, not the man -- by friends of Woodrow Pohoee, who never leaves his mansion on the hill."

He gestures over his shoulder into the rising sun, then levels a finger at you.

"Heaven provides. I believe it has provided you to us. This relic can't remain in darkness. Not any longer. Not with this man Pohoee, who does nothing with it. You must bring it to us."

Yes! cries the heavy aching part of you. O yes! And yes again!

Certainly you'll get the gun away from Pohoee. And certainly you'll use it against the great black bats that swarm behind your eyelids every time you blink. You -- not the Padre and not the Jackrabbits. Such a weapon takes strength of character. Until they demonstrate some, yours is the only proper holster.

You're sure you can make "Padre" Charlie understand your point of view. You have to. Otherwise the gun might end up in the wrong hands -- again.

You explain the situation. Of course you'll get the gun from Pohoee. Of course you'll put it to good use. But you won't hand it over to the Jackrabbits. Maybe if one of them proves they can handle it. You've only just met, after all. But if you're going to take the damn thing, you get to decide who keeps it.

"Padre" Charlie searches your face for a long moment. The weight in your chest is sinking. You feel calm, confident. Convinced of your own rightness. This is the best way. This is for the best. It must show on your face; eventually, "Padre" Charlie nods -- a little hesitantly, you note.

"I leave it to you, then. But I can't say how to start. You might try St. Francis's. There's the likeness, of course, and the deacon knows Pohoee a little."

That done, "Padre" Charlie slumps back into his chair. The divine spark vanishes as quickly as it came; once again he's an unwashed old porch-sitter, soon to descend from twilight into night.

0 change points, 5 more needed to reach level 5.

Cityslicker has increased to 4!

You succeeded in a Cityslicker challenge! (Risky challenges mean you learn more.)

0 change points, 3 more needed to reach level 3.

Man in Black has increased to 2!


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Not to be opened until you've finished reading New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

A Reader of New England and Lexington

You have read New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Version

Game version number.

Game version number.
Thanks for playing Zero Summer!

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Hallowed Ground

You've been taken in by the strange beautiful kindnesses of the Mission.

The Harvestmen

You're following the trail of the Harvestmen

Helping the Brothers Skunk

The Skunk brothers' farm is a local institution; you've lent a hand to keep it running.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

The Ministry of Black Powder

You're helping "Padre" Charlie with his good works.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


Opportunities

Draw cards from here to raise your Styles, meet your Allies, and risk your Antagonists.

Pinned

Pinned


Pinned


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Paladin

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are mercy, compassion and justice.

Gumption

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

Aiming For

Lizbeth called the shot for this.

Bullets in the Chamber

How many bullets are left in your gun.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Avatar

Your avatar.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Lizbeth's Ailments

Physical damage.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Dragonslaying in Dixie

Progress on fighting the dragon south of Lexington.


The Guest Room

Burrow and Briar

A shabby tuckaway at the corner of Burrow Street and Briar Lane. Home to the Jackrabbits, a local gang of rough characters with hearts of -- not gold, but perhaps another less precious metal that still glitters in the proper light.

Your own personal space here in Amarillo. A bed, a desk, a lamp, a window. It's not much, but for now, it's home.

Pinned

Pinned

Move to the Guest Room

There's no lock, but the Jackrabbits respect your privacy.


Reload!

In my pocket were spare rounds. But in the crawl out of the burning truck they'd come dislodged. Some, I thought, might be on the ground beneath me. But it would take precious seconds to look, and longer to wipe them off and chamber them in.

"Buy Me Some Space!"

I ducked behind the barricade and started rooting for bullets while Robert laid down some cover.

This will completely refresh your Bullets in the Chamber!

Not Yet

The bullets could wait.


A Little Rest

There now. Softly now. A little rest from the dust and toil.

You have moved to a new area: The Guest Room at Burrow and Briar

You moved to a new setting: The Guest Room at Burrow and Briar.


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Not to be opened until you've finished reading New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

A Reader of New England and Lexington

You have read New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Version

Game version number.

Game version number.
Thanks for playing Zero Summer!

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Hallowed Ground

You've been taken in by the strange beautiful kindnesses of the Mission.

The Harvestmen

You're following the trail of the Harvestmen

Helping the Brothers Skunk

The Skunk brothers' farm is a local institution; you've lent a hand to keep it running.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

The Ministry of Black Powder

You're helping "Padre" Charlie with his good works.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


Casings

"Buy Me Some Space!"

Reload!

In my pocket were spare rounds. But in the crawl out of the burning truck they'd come dislodged. Some, I thought, might be on the ground beneath me. But it would take precious seconds to look, and longer to wipe them off and chamber them in.

I ducked behind the barricade and started rooting for bullets while Robert laid down some cover.

This will completely refresh your Bullets in the Chamber!

Down among the highway grit my hands found casings, their metal blood-warm from the dragonfire. Luckily none had misfired. I popped the chamber on my revolver and started slotting them in with that special callous on my thumb.

"Almost done?" Robert said. "Because there's this dragon --"

"This is the time for you to sass me?" I asked, and elbowed him in the knee -- not hard enough to throw off his aim, but hard enough to let him know I wasn't playing.

"Nope," Robert said, and squeezed off a shot. All the playfulness had run out of his voice. Did he feel genuinely bad? or was this still backtalk, only more complicated? Looking back, I never asked.

There are six bullets left in your gun!


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Not to be opened until you've finished reading New England in November and Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Paladin

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are mercy, compassion and justice.

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Gumption

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

The Harvestmen

You're following the trail of the Harvestmen

Aiming For

Lizbeth called the shot for this.

Bullets in the Chamber

How many bullets are left in your gun.

Burning Burning Burning Burning

Fire reflecting in a watery mirror.

Avatar

Your avatar.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Lizbeth's Ailments

Physical damage.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Dragonslaying in Dixie

Progress on fighting the dragon south of Lexington.


Retire Your Character

The time has come to rest your weary head...

Change Your Avatar

[Your avatar is the picture next to your character name on your sidebar...

Pinned

Pinned


Opportunities

Draw cards from here to raise your Styles, meet your Allies, and risk your Antagonists.

Pinned

Pinned


The Guest Room

Your own personal space here in Amarillo. A bed, a desk, a lamp, a window. It's not much, but for now, it's home.

Pinned

Leave the Guest Room

Back into it, then, better-equipped than before, better-rested and -prepared.


Dragonfire

The dragon's head reared back behind the sheet of rain. For a moment, all was calm. Then an orange light began to glow behind the rain at dragon-height.

"Get Under Cover!"

I grabbed Robert -- or did he grab me? -- and we made ourselves small behind the cement barrier.


Back to Burrow and Briar

The Jackrabbits take no note of your coming and going. There are always new faces about -- coming off patrol, making sandwiches, lazing in the afternoon sun through the cracked and blinded window.

You have moved to a new area: Burrow and Briar

You moved to a new setting: Amarillo.