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.

Revolver Bullet

Useful for many things. Shooting monsters is only one.

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.

A Bottle of Hoffenstader Honey Wheat

"Brewed right here in Amarillo by Dougie and Carmine Hoffenstader, your hometown hopsmasters!"

Doc Roslyn's Patent Nostrum

All natural. Plant-based. Highly addictive. Don't overdo it.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Sermon on the Mount

Sermon on the Mount. Community organizer. Runner of Missions. A warm imposing figure.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Man in Black

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

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

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.

Ally: Calo

Calo. As in Flaca Loca. As in crazy-skinny.

Connections: The Mission

You're working with Sermon on the Mount at the Mission.

Talking to Peter John Paul

You're talking to Peter John Paul.

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.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

Chasing Down Chickens

Surely all the Mission's chickens come from somewhere.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Conversations in the Rain

You're having conversations in the rain.

Talking to Robert Lee

You're talking to Robert Lee.

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.


Click Through

Erase Your Character

Retire Your Character

The time has come to rest your weary head.

This will allow you to delete your character and restart with a new one.

WARNING: THIS CAN'T BE UNDONE. BE VERY, VERY SURE BEFORE YOU CLICK THROUGH THIS CARD.

All things are cyclical. Opportunities come around again.

WE'RE SERIOUS: only click here if you want to delete your character PERMANENTLY and start a new one.

And please reassure us that you're sure.

Are you REALLY SURE you want to delete your character?


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.

Revolver Bullet

Useful for many things. Shooting monsters is only one.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

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.

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

Really Delete Your Character?

Are you SURE?

Avatar

Your avatar.

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.


Conversations in the Rain

Unlocked with Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington 2 - you have 2

<i><font color=#550000>Play through the dialogue branches below to learn more about Lizbeth's companions...

Pinned

Pinned


Are You Really Sure?

THIS WILL DELETE YOUR CHARACTER IF YOU CLICK THROUGH.

Pinned

Please Make Sure

BECAUSE THERE IS NO GOING BACK.

No! I Don't Want To!

This option will NOT delete your character.


Conversations in the Rain

Play through the dialogue branches below to learn more about Lizbeth's companions.

You won't have time to play through them all, so choose carefully!

Pinned

Pinned

Talk to the Driver

"How's the road look?" I asked the driver.

Talk to Marcel Cooper

Marcel was drumming his nails on his knees. We hit a bump and leaned so heavily to the side it looked for a second like he was floating backwards headfirst into the window.

Talk to Peter John Paul

There was a click from up front; the driver had thumbed the Stop button on the tape deck.

"What're they like?" the driver called back. "Monsters?"

We all looked to PJP.

            1
            You need Talking to Peter John Paul 1 and Talking to Peter John Paul no more than 1 (you have 1)

            1
            Unlocked with Talking to Peter John Paul 1 - you have 1

Talk to Robert Lee

There was this delicate balance with Robert. He wanted to be heard. He wanted you to listen. But he wanted to be pulled into it, speaking -- discoursing. And but he also didn't want to feel like he was being pulled into it, or that he wanted/needed to be pulled.

The only thing for it was to stop, sometimes, and wait for his self-consciousness to catch up, for him to restart under his own power.

            1
            You need 1 x Talking to Robert Lee  and  no more than 1 x Talking to Robert Lee (you have 1)

            1
            Unlocked with 1 x Talking to Robert Lee  - you have 1


Sleep Now

Please Make Sure

BECAUSE THERE IS NO GOING BACK.

And then awake.


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.

Revolver Bullet

Useful for many things. Shooting monsters is only one.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

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.

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

Really Delete Your Character?

Are you SURE?

Avatar

Your avatar.

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.


Even after the truck righted itself, Marcel looked sunk down into his seat like so much loose change.

"This is not," Marcel said, "how I was led to believe. It would be."

"How was that?" Robert asked, stifling a yawn.

Marcel considered. When in deep thought he looked like a puppy: head tilted, mouth slightly open. His breathing shallow and deliberate.

"More like wind whipping through a dead land," he said. "Great forces compelling us. The shredding of trees. Hostile fauna. Motion and counter-motion. Not" -- here gesturing out the window -- "a cold fall drizzle. Not motion sickness on a shabby interstate."

You're now Talking to Marcel Cooper!

You're having conversations in the rain.

Conversations in the Rain 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.

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

A Bottle of Hoffenstader Honey Wheat

1 x A Bottle of Hoffenstader Honey Wheat

"Brewed right here in Amarillo by Dougie and Carmine Hoffenstader, your hometown hopsmasters!"

Doc Roslyn's Patent Nostrum

All natural. Plant-based. Highly addictive. Don't overdo it.

Ally: Sermon on the Mount

Sermon on the Mount. Community organizer. Runner of Missions. A warm imposing figure.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Man in Black

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

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

Helping the Brothers Skunk

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

Ally: Calo

Calo. As in Flaca Loca. As in crazy-skinny.

Connections: The Mission

You're working with Sermon on the Mount at the Mission.

Talking to Peter John Paul

You're talking to Peter John Paul.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

Chasing Down Chickens

Surely all the Mission's chickens come from somewhere.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington 2

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Conversations in the Rain

You're having conversations in the rain.

Talking to Marcel Cooper

You're talking to Marcel Cooper.

Talking to Robert Lee

You're talking to Robert Lee.

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.


Pinned

Pinned


A Savage Land (CLICK ME!)

Unlocked with ; Unlocked with a stranger 1 - you have 1

The sky is blue and cloudless and filled with dust...

Pinned

Pinned


Version

Game version number.

Game version number.
Thanks for playing Zero Summer!

a stranger

A past yet to be revealed


A Savage Land (CLICK ME!)

Platform #1

The train platform in Amarillo. The number is a dry local joke; there's hardly enough traffic for one platform, let alone several.

The sky is blue and cloudless and filled with dust.

It's the first thing you notice: how billowing and unbroken it is, how it stings your eyes after the warm blackness behind your eyelids.

There must be a hundred boots kicking up sand. The platform square is filled with people, faces baked brown and chapped by the wind, all of them wearing white cotton shirts and dresses and leather vests and silk ties dusted brown and stained and carefully cleaned of forgotten mud from brief sweet rains. All of their hands rough from the rough country.

The town -- place and people -- is alive.

Pinned

Pinned

You Know This Place

This dry sea of faces is familiar. You know this place. But your memory is fogged over, a vast blank dusty plain, and even remembering its name is a struggle.


Conversations in the Rain

Play through the dialogue branches below to learn more about Lizbeth's companions.

You won't have time to play through them all, so choose carefully!

Pinned

Pinned

Talk to the Driver

"How's the road look?" I asked the driver.

Talk to Marcel Cooper

Marcel was a sophomore at Amherst before joining what was called "the accelerated program" at West Point. Why he transferred was a mystery. It had to with civil service, he told me once. How you don't take it lying down -- whatever <i>it</i> was.

            1
            You need 1 x Talking to Marcel Cooper  and  no more than 1 x Talking to Marcel Cooper (you have 1)

            1
            Unlocked with 1 x Talking to Marcel Cooper  - you have 1

Talk to Peter John Paul

There was a click from up front; the driver had thumbed the Stop button on the tape deck.

"What're they like?" the driver called back. "Monsters?"

We all looked to PJP.

Talk to Robert Lee

There was this delicate balance with Robert. He wanted to be heard. He wanted you to listen. But he wanted to be pulled into it, speaking -- discoursing. And but he also didn't want to feel like he was being pulled into it, or that he wanted/needed to be pulled.

The only thing for it was to stop, sometimes, and wait for his self-consciousness to catch up, for him to restart under his own power.


Sweet Home Amarillo

Sunny old Amarillo! A dusty frontier boom-town they used to call the Yellow Rose of Texas. A hundred miles in every direction is sand and worse; a thousand miles west of the Wall. Literally the last stop on the Rio Sur line. Population a few thousand or fewer, all of them armed. Although -- a memory twinges -- not all of them with guns. Not many guns in this gunslinger town. Not a place for soft or idle hands. Nor one for the slow or sweet.

But still it lives, and thrives, and struggles sweating in the dust and sun.

Zero Summer is a story-driven game about identity and choice. The game is played with cards (also called Storylets). Each card is a cycle of events: something happens, you choose how to act or react, your choice determines the outcome.

This card came from the Pinned deck. All the available Pinned cards are always laid out face-up. Soon you'll have access to the Opportunity deck, which you pick from blindly in sets of three.

Drawing a hand from the Opportunity deck costs an Action. So does playing a Pinned card. You can never have more than 30 Actions at once -- so be sure to use them when you hit the cap!

You have moved to a new area: Platform #1: In the Beginning

You moved to a new setting: Amarillo: in the Beginning.

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?

Far, Far From Home is increasing!

You've upgraded to Zero Summer version 1.1!


Version

Game version number.

a stranger

A past yet to be revealed

Far, Far From Home

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?


Talk to Marcel Cooper

            1
            You need 1 x Talking to Marcel Cooper  and  no more than 1 x Talking to Marcel Cooper (you have 2)

            1
            Unlocked with 1 x Talking to Marcel Cooper  - you have 2

"Read this."

Marcel pushed a folded sheet of notebook paper into my hand.

"What am I reading?" I asked.

Marcel made hurry-up motions with his hand. I unfolded the paper.

 It was a letter -- "an essaylet," Marcel said -- about what the DHS was like.

How it was like Dungeons and Dragons if you took out all the dragons and dice and all you were left with was a group of strangers with no common ground moving from here to there across a flat empty plain.

How it was like going to a bar and almost getting a phone number but then not, over and over.

How it was like the heat death of the universe but lonelier.

"It's for my girlfriend," Marcel said. "At Holyoke."

The look on his face was so naked and bruised I had to turn away. He took the letter back in silence.

Talking to Marcel Cooper 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.

Revolver Bullet

Useful for many things. Shooting monsters is only one.

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.

A Bottle of Hoffenstader Honey Wheat

"Brewed right here in Amarillo by Dougie and Carmine Hoffenstader, your hometown hopsmasters!"

Doc Roslyn's Patent Nostrum

All natural. Plant-based. Highly addictive. Don't overdo it.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Sermon on the Mount

Sermon on the Mount. Community organizer. Runner of Missions. A warm imposing figure.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Man in Black

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

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

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.

Ally: Calo

Calo. As in Flaca Loca. As in crazy-skinny.

Connections: The Mission

You're working with Sermon on the Mount at the Mission.

Talking to Peter John Paul

You're talking to Peter John Paul.

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.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

Chasing Down Chickens

Surely all the Mission's chickens come from somewhere.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Conversations in the Rain

You're having conversations in the rain.

Talking to Marcel Cooper

You're talking to Marcel Cooper.

Talking to Robert Lee

You're talking to Robert Lee.

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.


From a Certain Perspective

Unlocked with Far, Far From Home 1 - you have 1

A woman just off the platform -- she's wearing an apron; it reads Butterloaf Bakery -- cries: fresh hot bread from the oven!—

Pinned

Pinned


From a Certain Perspective

A woman just off the platform -- she's wearing an apron; it reads Butterloaf Bakery -- cries: fresh hot bread from the oven! Beside her a man is banging a ladle on a wooden bucket almost slopping over with water. Water a nickel apiece! Three ladles for a dime!

You realize gradually that you're sitting on a long wooden bench. It creaks slightly in the hot breeze; you shift and its fat legs crunch and shift in the gravel. The platform overhang is the only shade for fifty yards in any direction. The train is long gone. You can't remember any details.

The horizon is about a thousand miles away. Spotless, uninhabited. The sky is incredibly wide.

Pinned

Absence

You can catalog all the things in sight -- the dust and the watercarriers and the bakers and buskers with cracked voices and the cattails growing in the still persistent water under the parched gasping boards of Platform #1; the silk ties worn thin by frontier life and the absence of silkworms anywhere this side of the Wall, the rough cotton fibers that make up every dress and shirt and pair of trousers worn by the tanned chapped people of Amarillo --

And still, at the end of your list, you'll find you've left a place unviewed because your own personal lens is unidirectional, unreflective.

The only thing missing here is you.


Conversations in the Rain

Play through the dialogue branches below to learn more about Lizbeth's companions.

You won't have time to play through them all, so choose carefully!

Pinned

Pinned

Talk to the Driver

"How's the road look?" I asked the driver.

Talk to Marcel Cooper

Marcel was staring out the window into the long sheets of rain. A strange noise came from his throat.

            2
            You need 2 x Talking to Marcel Cooper  and  no more than 2 x Talking to Marcel Cooper (you have 2)

            2
            Unlocked with 2 x Talking to Marcel Cooper  - you have 2

Talk to Peter John Paul

There was a click from up front; the driver had thumbed the Stop button on the tape deck.

"What're they like?" the driver called back. "Monsters?"

We all looked to PJP.

Talk to Robert Lee

There was this delicate balance with Robert. He wanted to be heard. He wanted you to listen. But he wanted to be pulled into it, speaking -- discoursing. And but he also didn't want to feel like he was being pulled into it, or that he wanted/needed to be pulled.

The only thing for it was to stop, sometimes, and wait for his self-consciousness to catch up, for him to restart under his own power.


The View from Inside

Amarillo swirls around you. From your elevated place on the long wooden bench at Platform #1 you can look down on most of the city: its hard dusty people and broad streets and red brick buildings. There are worse places in the desert. Distantly, you think you might have been to some.

Then the realization: you know Amarillo but not yourself. Not your face. Not the pattern of stubble on your chin or the muscles and skin and bones under the shirt you don't recall buttoning up.

Not your name.

Cold sweat pricks everywhere on your unfamiliar skin.

Your character in Zero Summer is A MAN WITH NO NAME: the Protagonist. A lot of Zero Summer is choosing how to define him -- in relation to his forgotten past and uncertain future, navigating by your own bright moral stars.

You won't have much to work with at first: just the clothes on his back and a sense, maybe vague, maybe growing, of the person you want him to be.

But stick with it and we promise, you'll find the Protagonist looking more and more like his own living, breathing self again.

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?

Far, Far From Home is increasing!


Version

Game version number.

Game version number.
Thanks for playing Zero Summer!

a stranger

A past yet to be revealed

Far, Far From Home

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?


Opportunities

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

Lost in Amarillo

Unlocked with Far, Far From Home 2 - you have 2; Unlocked with  - you have 1

Parched streams of people flow around you, over the platform and through the square and up the avenues leading into the city...

Pinned

Pinned


Talk to Peter John Paul

            1
            You need Talking to Peter John Paul 1 and Talking to Peter John Paul no more than 1 (you have 2)

            1
            Unlocked with Talking to Peter John Paul 1 - you have 2

PJP considered. He chewed his lip. He fidgeted in his breast pocket for smokes. Came back with an empty pack, repocketed it carefully.

"Hope springs," he explained to Robert, who was giving PJP that mild look of his that said you were a crazy person but he wasn't one to judge.

Then PJP scooted down the bench and stuck his head into the cab.

"The neighborhood I grew up in was lousy with dogs. As in wild packs of them. At night they were like big dumb coyotes barking at trash cans and each other and the moon and whatever.

"One night my dad was walking home from the grocery with a bag full of fruit and veg and like spaghetti and tinned tomato sauce and chickpeas and on top of all of it, as in like sitting on top of the other groceries, he had an open half-eaten pack of beef jerky.

"The dogs got straight on him. He lost the bag, lost the jerky, got his jacket ripped up, had to get a rabies shot. He called mom and she was sobbing, like you could hear the tears on the other end of the line -- I was listening on the upstairs phone; I don't think either of them knew -- and she said she'd come over right away and bring some iodine and gauze or Xanax or whatever, just saying whatever medical words came into her head, and they hadn't even spoken for eight months, I was counting, and for what? Two dogs got maybe a mouthful. It was just mean. It was hateful and mean and just way too human. Like if they'd been muggers, how would it have been different?"

PJP leaned back. "That's what monsters are like," he said.

 We could hear the driver shifting uncomfortably in his seat. A moment later the tape deck came back on.

Talking to Peter John Paul 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.

Revolver Bullet

Useful for many things. Shooting monsters is only one.

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.

A Bottle of Hoffenstader Honey Wheat

"Brewed right here in Amarillo by Dougie and Carmine Hoffenstader, your hometown hopsmasters!"

Doc Roslyn's Patent Nostrum

All natural. Plant-based. Highly addictive. Don't overdo it.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Sermon on the Mount

Sermon on the Mount. Community organizer. Runner of Missions. A warm imposing figure.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Man in Black

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

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

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.

Ally: Calo

Calo. As in Flaca Loca. As in crazy-skinny.

Connections: The Mission

You're working with Sermon on the Mount at the Mission.

Talking to Peter John Paul

You're talking to Peter John Paul.

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.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

Chasing Down Chickens

Surely all the Mission's chickens come from somewhere.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Conversations in the Rain

You're having conversations in the rain.

Talking to Marcel Cooper

You're talking to Marcel Cooper.

Talking to Robert Lee

You're talking to Robert Lee.

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.


Version

Game version number.

Game version number.
Thanks for playing Zero Summer!

a stranger

A past yet to be revealed

Far, Far From Home

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?


Pinned

Pinned


Rough and Tumble

Your shirt is bleached white cotton, rough to the touch and stiff in the collar. The shirt of somebody who in a pinch wouldn't mind getting sweaty or rolling in the dust if that's what was needed.

Opportunities

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

In Your Breast Pocket

And in your breast pocket is buttoned something flat and broad. A folded sheet of paper?


Conversations in the Rain

Play through the dialogue branches below to learn more about Lizbeth's companions.

You won't have time to play through them all, so choose carefully!

Pinned

Pinned

Talk to the Driver

"How's the road look?" I asked the driver.

Talk to Marcel Cooper

Marcel was staring out the window into the long sheets of rain. A strange noise came from his throat.

Talk to Peter John Paul

PJP tapped on the window with his knuckle.

"Days like this, it's like I'm back in Boston," he said. "The sky pissing down. Can't see the road. Too hot inside, too cold outside. No way to get comfortable. These are days I'm glad I didn't go to seminary."

            2
            You need Talking to Peter John Paul 2 and Talking to Peter John Paul no more than 2 (you have 2)

            2
            Unlocked with Talking to Peter John Paul 2 - you have 2

Talk to Robert Lee

There was this delicate balance with Robert. He wanted to be heard. He wanted you to listen. But he wanted to be pulled into it, speaking -- discoursing. And but he also didn't want to feel like he was being pulled into it, or that he wanted/needed to be pulled.

The only thing for it was to stop, sometimes, and wait for his self-consciousness to catch up, for him to restart under his own power.


Practical and Clear-Eyed

In fact it's a letter -- a fragment of a letter. Most of the ink's by a deep red stain that smells dry and sharp and stirs a memory. Someone spilled wine on your shirt; you had to change into the one you're wearing now. The spill wasn't that long ago; the letter's still a little wet.

Not much of the text was spared. An early sentence reads, "New York is a wet stinking place I've learned to hate..." And another near the end: "Practical and clear-eyed: wasn't that always what you liked best? But not it seems when it comes to Arnie."

In Zero Summer, your progress is controlled by your Qualities. Think of them as a cross between statistics in a traditional role-playing game and road signs to show where you are in the story.

The most important Qualities in Zero Summer are your three Styles, which together represent how talented and practiced the Protagonist is.

You've just gained 1 point in Cityslicker. Cityslicker represents your social capacity: how well you can charm, chatter, fast-talk and double-deal your way through the new American frontier.

You started with a quality called "A Stranger", which has just changed to level 2. This will unlock more stories.

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

An occurrence! Your 'Cityslicker' Quality is now 1!


Version

Game version number.

a stranger

A past yet to be revealed

Cityslicker

Social Style.


Talk to Robert Lee

            1
            You need 1 x Talking to Robert Lee  and  no more than 1 x Talking to Robert Lee (you have 2)

            1
            Unlocked with 1 x Talking to Robert Lee  - you have 2

"I was reflecting," Robert said, "on how at age nine it must not have been remarkable that everyone I met was black. The coconut drinks were way more incredible -- that that was the big difference between Conneticut and Jamaica, the drinks."

"And not the --"

Robert was nodding. "Not the totally-strange-to-nine-year-old-me landscape. Not that everybody was black and talked with an accent. Because they weren't strange to Robert, age nine."

"And that was --?"

"Very, very good," Robert said, with finality.

Talking to Robert Lee 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.

Revolver Bullet

Useful for many things. Shooting monsters is only one.

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.

A Bottle of Hoffenstader Honey Wheat

"Brewed right here in Amarillo by Dougie and Carmine Hoffenstader, your hometown hopsmasters!"

Doc Roslyn's Patent Nostrum

All natural. Plant-based. Highly addictive. Don't overdo it.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Sermon on the Mount

Sermon on the Mount. Community organizer. Runner of Missions. A warm imposing figure.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Man in Black

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

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

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.

Ally: Calo

Calo. As in Flaca Loca. As in crazy-skinny.

Connections: The Mission

You're working with Sermon on the Mount at the Mission.

Talking to Peter John Paul

You're talking to Peter John Paul.

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.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

Chasing Down Chickens

Surely all the Mission's chickens come from somewhere.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Conversations in the Rain

You're having conversations in the rain.

Talking to Marcel Cooper

You're talking to Marcel Cooper.

Talking to Robert Lee

You're talking to Robert Lee.

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.

Lost in Amarillo

Unlocked with Far, Far From Home 2 - you have 2; Unlocked with  - you have 2

Pinned

Pinned

Your Real Actual Pockets

The trousers you're wearing are rugged indigo twill, faded on the insides of the legs from -- what?

The Love Song of Amarillo, Texas

A woman is sweeping the dusty thirsty boards of Platform #1...


Pinned

Pinned


The Love Song of Amarillo, Texas

A woman is sweeping the dusty thirsty boards of Platform #1. She looks maybe fifty years old, blonde hair going gray, hands crooked with a lifetime of work in the bone-dry desert. She's humming a song.

Knowing and Unknowing

The tune flutters at the edge of your recall like a moth at a kerosene lamp. You could reach out and take it, that fluttering unknown, if only you stretch a little.


Conversations in the Rain

Play through the dialogue branches below to learn more about Lizbeth's companions.

You won't have time to play through them all, so choose carefully!

Pinned

Pinned

Talk to the Driver

"How's the road look?" I asked the driver.

Talk to Marcel Cooper

Marcel was staring out the window into the long sheets of rain. A strange noise came from his throat.

Talk to Peter John Paul

PJP tapped on the window with his knuckle.

"Days like this, it's like I'm back in Boston," he said. "The sky pissing down. Can't see the road. Too hot inside, too cold outside. No way to get comfortable. These are days I'm glad I didn't go to seminary."

Talk to Robert Lee

"And the crippling poverty," Robert added.

"Was what to your nine-year-old self?" I asked. "Was upsetting?"

            2
            You need 2 x Talking to Robert Lee  and  no more than 2 x Talking to Robert Lee (you have 2)

            2
            Unlocked with 2 x Talking to Robert Lee  - you have 2


An Older, Harsher Voice

You close your eyes and concentrate. Out of the black past floats a memory: a blonde woman, young and pretty with a voice like a clear high bell, standing on a stage and singing the same song the sweeper-woman is humming. The song wasn't hers originally, the blonde's; she'd cribbed it from an older, harsher voice. The name of the song comes to you: Come On Up to the House. Tom Waits wrote it.

The sweeper-woman looks up briefly; your eyes meet. You realize she's mouthing the lyrics, making little subvocal sounds; you strain your ears and just make out a part of the chorus -- there's nothing in the world that you can do. Suddenly all the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and prickle. The lonely desert air no longer seems quite so warm.

In Zero Summer, your progress is controlled by your Qualities. Think of them as a cross between statistics in a traditional role-playing game and road signs to show where you are in the story.

The most important Qualities in Zero Summer are your three Styles, which together represent how talented and practiced the Protagonist is.

You've just gained 1 point in Doc. Doc represents your mental capacity: how well you can think, learn, and research your way out of trouble.

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

An occurrence! Your 'Doc' Quality is now 1!

You started with a quality called "A Stranger", which has just changed to level 3. This will unlock more stories.


Version

Game version number.

Game version number.
Thanks for playing Zero Summer!

a stranger

A past yet to be revealed

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Far, Far From Home

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?


Talk to Peter John Paul

            2
            You need Talking to Peter John Paul 2 and Talking to Peter John Paul no more than 2 (you have 3)

            2
            Unlocked with Talking to Peter John Paul 2 - you have 3

"Oh? Why days like this?" I asked.

PJP smeared his palm down the window; it left a streak through the condensation on the glass.

"They usually keep the actual sanctuary and pews pretty warm -- what you might call the client-side part of the building -- but I don't know any seminary that turns on the furnace before Thanksgiving. And rectories aren't any better. Early fall is just miserable. And don't get me started on the long john budget."


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.

Revolver Bullet

Useful for many things. Shooting monsters is only one.

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.

A Bottle of Hoffenstader Honey Wheat

"Brewed right here in Amarillo by Dougie and Carmine Hoffenstader, your hometown hopsmasters!"

Doc Roslyn's Patent Nostrum

All natural. Plant-based. Highly addictive. Don't overdo it.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Sermon on the Mount

Sermon on the Mount. Community organizer. Runner of Missions. A warm imposing figure.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Man in Black

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

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

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.

Ally: Calo

Calo. As in Flaca Loca. As in crazy-skinny.

Connections: The Mission

You're working with Sermon on the Mount at the Mission.

Talking to Peter John Paul

You're talking to Peter John Paul.

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.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

Chasing Down Chickens

Surely all the Mission's chickens come from somewhere.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Conversations in the Rain

You're having conversations in the rain.

Talking to Marcel Cooper

You're talking to Marcel Cooper.

Talking to Robert Lee

You're talking to Robert Lee.

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.

Lost in Amarillo

Unlocked with Far, Far From Home 2 - you have 2; Unlocked with  - you have 3

Pinned

Pinned


Your Real Actual Pockets

The trousers you're wearing are rugged indigo twill, faded on the insides of the legs from -- what?

A memory stirs: a rich sweaty animal smell; a sense of acceleration and control.

Horseback riding. Your pants are worn from the saddle. And there's this: your left pocket bulges slightly, inviting attention.

Rummage Around

Whatever's in your pocket isn't very large. And it's warm to the touch, even through the fabric of your jeans, even warmer than your own personal skin. Metal, then?


Conversations in the Rain

Play through the dialogue branches below to learn more about Lizbeth's companions.

You won't have time to play through them all, so choose carefully!

Pinned

Pinned

Talk to the Driver

"How's the road look?" I asked the driver.

Talk to Marcel Cooper

Marcel was staring out the window into the long sheets of rain. A strange noise came from his throat.

Talk to Peter John Paul

"Do you think if we looked hard enough out there that we might find God?" Marcel asked PJP. This again prompted the tape deck to click off. Everyone's attention was on Peter.

            3
            You need Talking to Peter John Paul 3 and Talking to Peter John Paul no more than 3 (you have 3)

            3
            Unlocked with Talking to Peter John Paul 3 - you have 3

Talk to Robert Lee

"And the crippling poverty," Robert added.

"Was what to your nine-year-old self?" I asked. "Was upsetting?"


The Breadcrumbs of Memory

In your pocket is a hollow metal cylinder half the length of your thumb, warmed and pliable from soaking up the sun and your own personal heat. The cylinder is capped on one end and smells like the Fourth of July.

In Zero Summer, your progress is controlled by your Qualities. Think of them as a cross between statistics in a traditional role-playing game and road signs to show where you are in the story.

The most important Qualities in Zero Summer are your three Styles, which together represent how talented and practiced the Protagonist is.

You've just gained 1 point in Gunslinger. Gunslinger represents your physical capacity: how far you can run, jump, swim -- and, of course, how well you handle a gun.

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

An occurrence! Your 'Gunslinger' Quality is now 1!

You started with a quality called "A Stranger", which has just changed to level 4. This will unlock more stories.


Version

Game version number.

Game version number.
Thanks for playing Zero Summer!

a stranger

A past yet to be revealed

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Far, Far From Home

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?


Talk to Marcel Cooper

            2
            You need 2 x Talking to Marcel Cooper  and  no more than 2 x Talking to Marcel Cooper (you have 3)

            2
            Unlocked with 2 x Talking to Marcel Cooper  - you have 3

"What is it?" I asked.

"O do not ask what is it," Marcel answered in a choked sing-songy voice. And said nothing else, only sat and stared like a cinderblock cat.

Talking to Marcel Cooper 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.

Revolver Bullet

Useful for many things. Shooting monsters is only one.

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.

A Bottle of Hoffenstader Honey Wheat

"Brewed right here in Amarillo by Dougie and Carmine Hoffenstader, your hometown hopsmasters!"

Doc Roslyn's Patent Nostrum

All natural. Plant-based. Highly addictive. Don't overdo it.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Sermon on the Mount

Sermon on the Mount. Community organizer. Runner of Missions. A warm imposing figure.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Man in Black

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

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

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.

Ally: Calo

Calo. As in Flaca Loca. As in crazy-skinny.

Connections: The Mission

You're working with Sermon on the Mount at the Mission.

Talking to Peter John Paul

You're talking to Peter John Paul.

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.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

Chasing Down Chickens

Surely all the Mission's chickens come from somewhere.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Conversations in the Rain

You're having conversations in the rain.

Talking to Marcel Cooper

You're talking to Marcel Cooper.

Talking to Robert Lee

You're talking to Robert Lee.

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.


Lost in Amarillo

Unlocked with Far, Far From Home 2 - you have 2; Unlocked with a stranger 4 - you have 4

Parched streams of people flow around you, over the platform proper and through the square and up the avenues leading into Amarillo proper...

Pinned

Pinned


Lost in Amarillo

Parched streams of people flow around you, over the platform proper and through the square and up the avenues leading into Amarillo proper. Not one person notices you -- not a single one, not a single glance. A quick motion just off the platform draws your eye: a stick-thin boy has just snatched a roll out of the Butterloaf basket and taken off running.

Before anyone can react, the boy trips over a loose stone -- and then the Butterloaf woman is on him, dragging him out of the dust and shaking him until the stolen roll drops to the ground. The boy shakes free and runs off, rubbing his neck as he goes, while the Butterloaf woman picks up the roll, wipes it with her sleeve and goes back to hawking to the crowd.

Pinned

The Miserable Ones

Look at the boy! Forty pounds if he's an ounce, and glassy-eyed from hunger. And the Butterloaf woman's forearms: muscles like boa constrictors from kneading dough! Surely the boy didn't deserve what he got. Not over a fistful of bread. Not with his stomach indrawn like the hollow of a dead tree.

            4
            You need a stranger 4 (you have 4)

            4
            Unlocked with a stranger 4 - you have 4

Seems About Right

It seems about right, what happened to the boy. The Butterloaf woman probably has a family to feed, and if everyone just helped themselves, she and her children would starve. And there's this:  her face does have a certain kindness to it. The boy could have asked for the roll, and who knows what would have happened?


Conversations in the Rain

Play through the dialogue branches below to learn more about Lizbeth's companions.

You won't have time to play through them all, so choose carefully!

Pinned

Pinned

Talk to the Driver

"How's the road look?" I asked the driver.

Talk to Marcel Cooper

"What do you think it's like to die?" Marcel asked me suddenly. "I mean: not what do people think but what do <i>you,</i> Lizbeth, think?"

            3
            You need 3 x Talking to Marcel Cooper  and  no more than 3 x Talking to Marcel Cooper (you have 3)

            3
            Unlocked with 3 x Talking to Marcel Cooper  - you have 3

Talk to Peter John Paul

"Do you think if we looked hard enough out there that we might find God?" Marcel asked PJP. This again prompted the tape deck to click off. Everyone's attention was on Peter.

Talk to Robert Lee

"And the crippling poverty," Robert added.

"Was what to your nine-year-old self?" I asked. "Was upsetting?"


Paladin

The Miserable Ones

            4
            You need a stranger 4

            4
            Unlocked with a stranger 4

What happened with the boy and the Butterloaf woman was wrong. The world might be hard place, but your heart doesn't match it -- at least not yet.

Zero Summer tracks the Protagonist's moral compass with two Qualities: Paladin and Man in Black.

You've just gained your first point in Paladin, which represents compassion and a respect for peoples' rights.

When you gain points in Paladin or Man in Black, you'll lose an equal number of points from the opposing Quality. It's possible to have both Qualities, but you probably won't have them in equal amounts.

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

A twist in your tale! You are now Paladin.

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?

Far, Far From Home is increasing!

Your "A Stranger" quality has gone. Welcome to the world!


Version

Game version number.

Game version number.
Thanks for playing Zero Summer!

Paladin

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

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Far, Far From Home

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?


Talk to Peter John Paul

            3
            You need Talking to Peter John Paul 3 and Talking to Peter John Paul no more than 3 (you have 4)

            3
            Unlocked with Talking to Peter John Paul 3 - you have 4

Without looking at Marcel but with no hesitation at all, not even the littlest hitch, PJP stuck his hands in his pockets and nodded.

"I think," PJP said, staring out the window behind me, "if there is a God, then He better be out there. And if we do run into Him, you better get out of my way -- because I'm gonna be the first guy to shake His hand, and the first guy to lay Him out flat for what he let happen to those poor people in Texas."


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.

Revolver Bullet

Useful for many things. Shooting monsters is only one.

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.

A Bottle of Hoffenstader Honey Wheat

"Brewed right here in Amarillo by Dougie and Carmine Hoffenstader, your hometown hopsmasters!"

Doc Roslyn's Patent Nostrum

All natural. Plant-based. Highly addictive. Don't overdo it.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Sermon on the Mount

Sermon on the Mount. Community organizer. Runner of Missions. A warm imposing figure.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Man in Black

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

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

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.

Ally: Calo

Calo. As in Flaca Loca. As in crazy-skinny.

Connections: The Mission

You're working with Sermon on the Mount at the Mission.

Talking to Peter John Paul

You're talking to Peter John Paul.

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.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

Chasing Down Chickens

Surely all the Mission's chickens come from somewhere.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Conversations in the Rain

You're having conversations in the rain.

Talking to Marcel Cooper

You're talking to Marcel Cooper.

Talking to Robert Lee

You're talking to Robert Lee.

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 Man in the Stetson

Unlocked with Far, Far From Home 3 - you have 3

Pinned

Pinned


Pinned


The Man in the Stetson

Someone coughs politely.

Only now does it become clear that you aren't alone on the bench and haven't been for -- how long? A little while. Maybe longer.

Sitting next to you is a man in a brown leather vest and dusty white Stetson. He's cleaning his nails with a knife.

"You were out for awhile there," the man says. "Looks like somebody caught you upside the head with a gun. And you were snoring. Think of that. Haven't slept like that in years."

He smiles. It doesn't reach his eyes.

Pinned

The Friendly Approach

Yes, it's a strange way to say hello, and yes, you don't know him from Adam, but the Man in the Stetson is about the only person in Amarillo so far who's even noticed you.

A Thousand Things

You don't know this man. You don't know his name, or what he's about. And you don't know what he's doing here at the station. He might have been the one who hit you. He might a grifter or a thousand other things, none of them good.


Conversations in the Rain

Play through the dialogue branches below to learn more about Lizbeth's companions.

You won't have time to play through them all, so choose carefully!

Pinned

Pinned

Talk to the Driver

"How's the road look?" I asked the driver.

Talk to Marcel Cooper

"What do you think it's like to die?" Marcel asked me suddenly. "I mean: not what do people think but what do <i>you,</i> Lizbeth, think?"

Talk to Robert Lee

"And the crippling poverty," Robert added.

"Was what to your nine-year-old self?" I asked. "Was upsetting?"


Smart or Cunning

You give the Man in the Stetson a long once-over. He's tanned and dressed like a local: dusty clothes, rough hands. But not as sticky-sweaty -- he's been in the shade awhile. Knows how to smile without smiling. Smart or cunning or both, meaning dangerous. But a potential ally if he's friendly.

Without warning, the Man in the Stetson grabs your right hand and pumps it up and down, extra-hard, as if saying: look, it's fine -- alright?

"You're thinking I don't like or trust you," he says. "Or maybe you don't like or trust me. But that lump on your head says maybe you don't know your own name. Yes?"

You don't have a good reply. His smile widens: confidence, and a real spark of warmth.

"Then you can have mine. Warren Castillo. From the Jackrabbits. At the Burrow and Briar?" A short pause. "Don't worry about it. You'll get it all back, name and all. Just give it time."

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?

Far, Far From Home is increasing!


Version

Game version number.

Game version number.
Thanks for playing Zero Summer!

Paladin

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

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Far, Far From Home

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?


The driver hit Stop on the tape deck.

"Looks wet," he called back. "I can see maybe three feet past the bumper. There was this Accord ahead of me right outside Lexington. Maybe he's still up there, maybe not."

You're Talking to the Driver!


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.

Revolver Bullet

Useful for many things. Shooting monsters is only one.

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.

A Bottle of Hoffenstader Honey Wheat

"Brewed right here in Amarillo by Dougie and Carmine Hoffenstader, your hometown hopsmasters!"

Doc Roslyn's Patent Nostrum

All natural. Plant-based. Highly addictive. Don't overdo it.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Sermon on the Mount

Sermon on the Mount. Community organizer. Runner of Missions. A warm imposing figure.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Man in Black

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

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

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.

Ally: Calo

Calo. As in Flaca Loca. As in crazy-skinny.

Connections: The Mission

You're working with Sermon on the Mount at the Mission.

Talking to Peter John Paul

You're talking to Peter John Paul.

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.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

Chasing Down Chickens

Surely all the Mission's chickens come from somewhere.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington.

Conversations in the Rain

You're having conversations in the rain.

Talking to Marcel Cooper

You're talking to Marcel Cooper.

Talking to Robert Lee

You're talking to Robert Lee.

Talking to the Driver

You're talking to the driver.

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.


Going Home

Unlocked with Far, Far From Home 4 - you have 4

The morning crowd at Platform #1 has started to thin; the watercarriers are gone to their wells, the bankers to the Wall Market, the laborers to their fields...

Pinned

Pinned


Impact

Do you know the sound of metal tearing? Like a sheet of paper in calloused hands? The high rising scream like nails on a chalkboard but sharper and louder?

It took us so long to react. It felt like minutes. Long enough for a reel of impressions.

All of us went sideways, more shifted than thrown. The side of the truck crumpled like newspaper. There was a dent like a giant's fist. A crunching sound. A blast of heat. The air jumped thirty degrees. Suddenly we were weightless, in freefall.

I have separate memories of all of us calmly unbuckling our seatbelts. We were operating at a level below consciousness. In a strange moment between the light and the sound.

Pinned

And Then

We hit the ground.


Going Home

The morning crowd at Platform #1 has started to thin; the watercarriers are gone to their wells, the bankers to the Wall Market, the laborers to their fields.

Warren gives your hand a final pump, stands and stretches. "Partner, the smart money says you don't have anywhere to go. I'm headed home to the Burrow. You're welcome if you like."

Pinned

Pinned

No Way but Forward

You don't have a whole lot of options. And Warren seems decent. This doesn't have to be forever, but it's a good start for now.

Your Way in the World

It's a tempting offer given it's the only one on the table, but you can make your own way in the world. You don't know Warren, and there's got to be other doors open to you here somewhere. All you need is time to find them.


Aftermath

And Then

We hit the ground.

The truck was on its side. We were soaked in adrenaline, too focused to know whether we were hurt. I knocked out a window and crawled over the cracked and jagged pane onto the wet blacktop with the earthworms there drowning by my face. Robert, Marcel and PJP followed. The heavy ordnance was stuck under the shattered truck. We were holding our pistols. We had eased off our safeties. We looked up.

There in the sopping orange firelight cast by the smoldering truck and asphalt, there mostly behind the cold white sheet of rain that obliterated all vision past a few feet out, nevertheless still looming, impossibly large, dull green, above all -- this from Robert -- above all snakelike, though seen only in that moment by its long thick neck and blunt snout and bottomless hungry eyes --

There was a dragon.

You are no longer having Conversations in the Rain!

You are no longer Talking to Marcel Cooper!

You are no longer Talking to Peter John Paul!

You are no longer Talking to Robert Lee!

You are no longer Talking to the Driver!

Fifty Miles South of Lexington 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.

Revolver Bullet

Useful for many things. Shooting monsters is only one.

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.

A Bottle of Hoffenstader Honey Wheat

"Brewed right here in Amarillo by Dougie and Carmine Hoffenstader, your hometown hopsmasters!"

Doc Roslyn's Patent Nostrum

All natural. Plant-based. Highly addictive. Don't overdo it.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Sermon on the Mount

Sermon on the Mount. Community organizer. Runner of Missions. A warm imposing figure.

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.

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

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.

Ally: Calo

Calo. As in Flaca Loca. As in crazy-skinny.

Connections: The Mission

You're working with Sermon on the Mount at the Mission.

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.

Lizbeth's Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Lizbeth's Doc

Mental Style.

Lizbeth's Cityslicker

Social Style.

Chasing Down Chickens

Surely all the Mission's chickens come from somewhere.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington 3

You're reading Fifty Miles 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.


Odysseus and Diomedes

Your Way in the World

Going Home

The morning crowd at Platform #1 has started to thin; the watercarriers are gone to their wells, the bankers to the Wall Market, the laborers to their fields.

Warren gives your hand a final pump, stands and stretches. "Partner, the smart money says you don't have anywhere to go. I'm headed home to the Burrow. You're welcome if you like."

It's a tempting offer given it's the only one on the table, but you can make your own way in the world. You don't know Warren, and there's got to be other doors open to you here somewhere. All you need is time to find them.

Another memory stirs: the smell of apple trees in June, and perfume, and dark sun-warmed hair falling in curled waves on an open book; though you can't see it, the cover reads Odysseus and Diomedes at the Gates of Troy. You explain to Warren that you've got to strike out on your own, but thanks and all. He shrugs easily.

"Suit yourself. The offer stands, though. Look us up if you find yourself."

You can't help but wonder: who, exactly, is us?

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?

Far, Far From Home is increasing!


Version

Game version number.

Paladin

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

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Far, Far From Home

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?


Cover

Unlocked with Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington 3 - you have 3

In that weird calm lull -- while we regarded the dragon and it regarded us -- I clearly heard Robert say, in a narcotized voice, "I think I had this dream before...

Pinned

Pinned


The View from Platform #1

Unlocked with Far, Far From Home 5 - you have 5; Unlocked with

The sky over Amarillo is clear as a bell; the sun shines down in full force on the ramshackle town and its rough hardy people...

One Friendly Face

There's a certain beauty to Amarillo: its dryness, its resilience...

Ashling the Witch

The flame-haired witch of Amarillo can be found rain or shine among the cobbles and crowds of Platform #1 with a wicked pack of cards...

Takers Among the Wheat

Unlocked with  - you have 1; Unlocked with Far, Far From Home 5 - you have 5

"What I heard is they come at night to those they got the smell of in the field and find the parts of them that look like the things they grow during the day and -- <i>schkkk!—

Pinned

Pinned


Cover

In that weird calm lull -- while we regarded the dragon and it regarded us -- I clearly heard Robert say, in a narcotized voice, "I think I had this dream before."

The dragon's head snaked out of the rain. A pouch or membrane bulged on the underside of its neck. Its jaw distended. A gout of sullen orange fire spewed out and over the truck.

We scattered. What was cover? A built-up cement railing; a low bridge not twenty feet ahead. Behind us was a sharp incline leading to what through the rain looked like a dense forest swell. No good just then. Cement was safer.

Pinned

We Dove Behind the Cement Railing

It was closer, and while it had scorched under the dragonfire, it had neither caught nor melted.

We Ran for the Overpass

It was further away, but it looked better-protected and had a stream underneath -- "in case," Marcel said, "of fire."


Takers Among the Wheat

"What I heard is they come at night to those they got the smell of in the field and find the parts of them that look like the things they grow during the day and -- schkkk! -- uncobbed corn, unhulled peas."

"What I heard is the governor hired a bunch of rough types a few years back to be scarecrows because the straw ones weren't doing it, and that's where they came from, the dried-out strawmen, only now who're they scaring?"

"You're both wrong, let me tell you a thing, let me set you all straight..."

Pinned

Pinned

Scarecrow Men, Scythemen

And so on. On the lips it seems of half the people left at Platform #1, the midmorning ladlers and hawkers and barflies coming or going from their liquid breakfasts -- on their lips are these nameless horrors, scarecrow men, scythemen.


More Than a Little Singed

Robert hauled Marcel up while I grabbed PJP and all of us half ran, half stumbled to the underpass. More dragonfire chased us across the asphalt; by the time we were safely hunkered down beneath the embankment, we were all a little singed.

The dragon followed -- more waddled than walked. It was standing upright on two hind legs with two arm-wings held out for balance. The toadlike pouch under its neck bulged and puffed.

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

An occurrence! Your 'Lizbeth's Ailments' Quality is now 1!


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.

Revolver Bullet

Useful for many things. Shooting monsters is only one.

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.

A Bottle of Hoffenstader Honey Wheat

"Brewed right here in Amarillo by Dougie and Carmine Hoffenstader, your hometown hopsmasters!"

Doc Roslyn's Patent Nostrum

All natural. Plant-based. Highly addictive. Don't overdo it.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Sermon on the Mount

Sermon on the Mount. Community organizer. Runner of Missions. A warm imposing figure.

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.

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

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.

Ally: Calo

Calo. As in Flaca Loca. As in crazy-skinny.

Connections: The Mission

You're working with Sermon on the Mount at the Mission.

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.

Chasing Down Chickens

Surely all the Mission's chickens come from somewhere.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington 4

You're reading Fifty Miles 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 Truth

Scarecrow Men, Scythemen

Takers Among the Wheat

"What I heard is they come at night to those they got the smell of in the field and find the parts of them that look like the things they grow during the day and -- schkkk! -- uncobbed corn, unhulled peas."

"What I heard is the governor hired a bunch of rough types a few years back to be scarecrows because the straw ones weren't doing it, and that's where they came from, the dried-out strawmen, only now who're they scaring?"

"You're both wrong, let me tell you a thing, let me set you all straight..."

And so on. On the lips it seems of half the people left at Platform #1, the midmorning ladlers and hawkers and barflies coming or going from their liquid breakfasts -- on their lips are these nameless horrors, scarecrow men, scythemen.

One old gaffer has got a small crowd around and is setting them straight: "no, it's too horrible to say, but I'll say this: you're not far off calling them scythemen, not far off calling them scarecrows either. They're bogeymen alright, but not under-bedders. Do you remember when you were small being under the covers? When the door was cracked and the hall was dark and your parents were asleep too far to hear them breathing, and everything was dead quiet and so any little thing you heard took on a terrible significance? They're it. They're the sounds and the terror in it. Takers all. Cutters. Sicklemen."

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

An occurrence! Your 'Doc' Quality is now 2!


Version

Game version number.

Paladin

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

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Far, Far From Home

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?


Picking a Target

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

Pinned

Pinned


Pinned


Picking a Target

"The plan is?" said Robert.

"We could shoot it," said Marcel.

"We could shoot it where, is my question."

"I think that neck pouch is like its firebox," said PJP. "And it doesn't look too stable on its feet --"

"Meaning the wings," said Robert. "Are what we could shoot."

All of them looked at me. PJP spun the wheel in his revolver.

"Lieutenant?" Marcel said.

Pinned

"Aim for the Neck!"

Its fire pouch was a small target, but destroying it would cripple the dragon.

"Aim for the Wings!"

Even through the rain, I thought, the dragon's wings would be impossible to miss -- and without them, the dragon would be much easier to handle.


One Friendly Face

There's a certain beauty to Amarillo: its dryness, its resilience. But as the crowd empties out of Platform #1, a certain reality sinks in: under the clear blue sky, here, over the Wall, as far from up norte as you can be without falling into the Gulf of Mexico, you are friendless and alone.

Pinned

Pinned

Offers

You notice Warren has sat back down on the platform proper and is waiting with one leg crossed and his arms stretched over the rim of the bench. Everything about him -- his posture, the distant look on his face -- screams playing it cool.

He said the offer would stay open, didn't he? And then he stuck around, but didn't push. Didn't press. Just made himself available. That at least is how a decent man might act. And really, how many offers do you have? Of friendship, or even places to sleep?


One Two Three

"Then we'll aim for the wings," PJP said. He looked at Robert, and Robert looked back. Something passed between them. Then PJP looked back at me.

"We'll fan out," PJP said, meaning him and Marcel. "Pull fire, make some noise."

"And I'll stay here and lay down cover fire," Robert said. "While you --"

"Take the shot," Marcel finished. Robert shot him a look. Marcel smiled blandly.

"That's my line," Robert said. "Which you're stepping on."

"On three," said PJP. Hands went in. "One two three --"

Guide Lizbeth and the other minutemen through their fight with the Dragon!

Raise your Dragonslaying in Dixie Quality to 5 by succeeding at challenges on the Take the Shot! and named minutemen cards.

But be warned: if your Bullets in the Chamber Quality hits zero, you won't be able to play Take the Shot! until you Reload! -- and if Lizbeth's Ailments gets to 5...!

You moved to a new setting: Combat.

You are now Aiming For: the Dragon's Wings!

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.

Revolver Bullet

Useful for many things. Shooting monsters is only one.

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.

A Bottle of Hoffenstader Honey Wheat

"Brewed right here in Amarillo by Dougie and Carmine Hoffenstader, your hometown hopsmasters!"

Doc Roslyn's Patent Nostrum

All natural. Plant-based. Highly addictive. Don't overdo it.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Sermon on the Mount

Sermon on the Mount. Community organizer. Runner of Missions. A warm imposing figure.

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.

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

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.

Ally: Calo

Calo. As in Flaca Loca. As in crazy-skinny.

Connections: The Mission

You're working with Sermon on the Mount at the Mission.

Aiming For

Lizbeth called the shot for this.

Bullets in the Chamber

How many bullets are left in your gun.

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.

Chasing Down Chickens

Surely all the Mission's chickens come from somewhere.

Reading Fifty Miles South of Lexington

You're reading Fifty Miles 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.


Friendship and Discomfort

Offers

One Friendly Face

There's a certain beauty to Amarillo: its dryness, its resilience. But as the crowd empties out of Platform #1, a certain reality sinks in: under the clear blue sky, here, over the Wall, as far from up norte as you can be without falling into the Gulf of Mexico, you are friendless and alone.

You notice Warren has sat back down on the platform proper and is waiting with one leg crossed and his arms stretched over the rim of the bench. Everything about him -- his posture, the distant look on his face -- screams playing it cool.

He said the offer would stay open, didn't he? And then he stuck around, but didn't push. Didn't press. Just made himself available. That at least is how a decent man might act. And really, how many offers do you have? Of friendship, or even places to sleep?

You climb back onto the platform. Warren turns his head to look at you, face somewhere between sheepish and uncomfortable. "Just couldn't leave you here," he says, and shrugs. It's hard to say which of you sticks out his hand first, but a moment later you're shaking, first hesitantly, then more firmly. "Alright then," Warren says briskly. "Let's go see the Burrow."

You have moved to a new area: Burrow and Briar: In the Beginning

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?

Far, Far From Home is increasing!


Version

Game version number.

Paladin

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

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Far, Far From Home

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?


Burrow and Briar

A short walk into the heart of Amarillo brings you to an intersection you dimly recognize as <i>suburban</i>...

An Unexpected Rabbit

Unlocked with Far, Far From Home 6 - you have 6; Unlocked with

Into the front door of the house on Burrow and Briar is carved a rabbit...

Pinned

Pinned


Burrow and Briar

A short walk into the heart of Amarillo brings you to an intersection you dimly recognize as suburban. Two story houses with largeish front yards line the streets.

But the picture isn't quaint or lovely; the paint on the houses is flaking and every roof looks like a patchwork quilt of new tile, old tile, cardboard and uncured wood. The yards are yellow and brown and probably snake-infested.

Warren stops at an intersection. One street sign reads Burrow Street. The other reads Briar Lane.

Pinned

Home Again

"Home again, home again," says Warren cheerfully. "Jiggity-jig."

He leads you to a broken-down house on the corner with no paint at all, just brown wood and insulation poking out here and there. The door has a rabbit carved into it at eye level.

On the roof, you spot a small wooden attic hatch. In fact several of the houses you've seen have them. A memory stirs: a plummy drawl explaining that hierophantic means something that clearly means... something, but you don't know what. The hatches are hierophantic; you don't have any idea what they're for.

Warren knocks three times in quick succession, pauses, repeats twice.


The Jackrabbits

The moment the final knock is struck, the door is hauled inward. Hands reach out from inside and grab first Warren, then you. You're dragged inside before you know what's happening. The door is slammed and locked behind you; the heavy bolt sounds particularly grim.

Your eyes take a moment to adjust to the unlit gloom. When they do, you find you're standing in what was clearly once a very nice living room. Now it's stuffed to overflow with couches, chairs, ottomans, loungers -- the works. Most of them are occupied, mostly with men, all of whom look carved from teak and unfriendly as hell.

Except Warren himself, whose face has gone all hundred-watt smile.

"Welcome to our little spot. These are the Jackrabbits. Say howdy, Jackrabbits." Warren nudges you. "Say howdy yourself."

Far, Far From Home is increasing!


Version

Game version number.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


First Impressions

Unlocked with Far, Far From Home 7 - you have 7

The Jackrabbits look at you with the slow deliberateness of snakes...

Pinned

Pinned


First Impressions

The Jackrabbits look at you with the slow deliberateness of snakes. Warren introduces a handful; you get the sense they're in charge of -- whatever this is.

"This is "Padre" Charlie" -- an older man with the red shattered nose of a lifetime drinker. His fingertips are stained gray (your heart lurches in your chest -- why?) You eye the dingy white collar around his neck. He smiles briefly at you.

"Mr. Pinkerton, call him Old Pinkie" -- another older man, unsmiling, whip-thin, humorless. He puts you in mind of a starving wasp. In his hands are a whittling knife and a wooden peg.

"And everybody else, that's Jack Ishiguro, that's Miz Nils, that's her dad Mr. Nils back there in the kitchen."

Jack Ishiguro is the first Asian person you've seen in Amarillo; he gives you a little wave. The young petite Miz Nils bobs a curtsy that's completely sarcastic given her ripped jeans, machete and zero nonsense expression.

Everyone watches you expectantly. Jack Ishiguro giggles, high and startling.

Pinned

Vinegar

The crowd isn't exactly friendly. Well: you're here now, so you might as well explain.

You tell the Jackrabbits you can't remember your name, but it's just swell to meet them anyway. Nobody is buying it. Everybody looks at Warren.

Honey

You give a warm introduction, shaking hands where available -- that's everybody but Old Pinkie, who stares you down, and Miz Nils, who instead clutches your forearm with all the gentleness of a crocodile.

When they ask your name, you explain you've misplaced it but it'll be along soon. Everybody looks at Warren.


A Cold Reception

"He was on the train," Warren says. "It got robbed. Somebody caught him a good one upside the head. He can't remember who he is or who hit him. I found him sitting on the platform benches."

The Jackrabbits all nod at Warren's explanation. There's an awkward silence before "Padre" Charlie creaks to his feet; you can actually hear his knees pop, and the joints between his ankles and feet.

 "Well, make yourself at home," Padre Charlie says. "Something about entertaining angels unawares. The kindness of et cetera. Nobody's gonna hit you again here."

Far, Far From Home is increasing!

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Jack Ishiguro is now your Ally!

Miz Nils is now your Ally!


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!

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


Lay Your Weary Head to Rest

Unlocked with Far, Far From Home 8 - you have 8

Pinned

Pinned


Lay Your Weary Head to Rest

A quiet period ensues. You watch the Jackrabbits; they watch you.

"Why don't I get you something to drink?" Jack Ishiguro says, and bounces off to the kitchen. He comes back with a cheap green plastic cup. It's got maybe two fingers of sticky brown liquor in the bottom. "Smells like motor oil and tastes like cat piss, but it'll help you sleep."

You look at the drink. Your stomach lurches.

"Let's get you a bed," Warren suggests.

Pinned

Bed Should Be Spelled "Heaven"

So what if it's still early? You feel suddenly, brutally tired, and your head is throbbing to match. Maybe if you nap for a couple days, the world will look a little brighter.

Sleep is for the Weak

Warren's offer is tempting, but your circadian's still ticking sluggishly along. Besides, you hardly know these people. Better mix a little before you settle down.


Sleep Without End

Warren leads you upstairs to what's clearly a spare room: unmade bed, one broken chest of drawers, window nailed shut with actual nails. Jack Ishiguro turns up a minute later with a blanket.

"Sleep as long as you like," Warren says. "We'll get breakfast together whenever you're ready."

Like you need encouragement. Your head is so fogged and in so much pain from the lump behind your ear that you're asleep and dead to the world before you can even get your boots off.

Far, Far From Home is increasing!


Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


Overnight

Images: dry multicolored leaves carpeting the dark green grass. Inches deep in places are the leaves. Dusty and fragrant. In the distance an elm tree. A silver-haired man in a flannel suit crunches across the leaves toward a younger woman. Long dark curls nearly down to her jeans.

The man has a rifle over his shoulder. He reaches the woman, aims the rifle at the elm tree. A target is hung from a low branch. More holes than paper, the target. The man sights and fires -- pock. Again and again: pock, pock.

The air smells like November. You're dreaming.

You open your eyes. You're in the Jackrabbits' spare room. Through the small window you can see it's the middle of the night. Your boots are still on. From somewhere above you hear: pock, pock.

You may have noticed this card came up without you clicking on anything. Cards which are played automatically are called "Must" cards.

"Must" cards represent things outside your control -- an unexpected fistfight, a dream about leaves in November. They are also used to model dialog and longer events.

There aren't many "Must" cards in Zero Summer. When you draw one, you can be sure something important is happening!

Pinned

Pinned

Check the Window

From the outside, it looked like Burrow and Briar was only two stories with a small attic. The <i>pocks</i> are coming from the attic or the roof. You might do to check outside the window.


The Night Sky

You pry open the window and stick your head out. Amarillo past midnight is quiet, even peaceful.

But the sky is a different story. Though there isn't a cloud in sight, the stars seem to boil, winking in and out of view as numberless indistinct black shapes flit back and forth. You have no idea how far up they are -- not the stars, not the shapes.

Over the lip of the roof you can just make out the toe of a boot. The next pock comes with a brief orange flash that kills your night vision. You pull your head back inside. Someone is standing on the roof with a rifle, shooting at -- what?

Far, Far From Home is increasing!


Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Paladin

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

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Far, Far From Home

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?


The Highest Point

Unlocked with Far, Far From Home 10 - you have 10

Some part of you stirs at the orange flashes and black boiling sky...

Pinned

Pinned


The Highest Point

Some part of you stirs at the orange flashes and black boiling sky. You need to get to the roof.

Pinned

The Safe Route

At least one other person is on the roof. They probably took the stairs. Stairs seem like a good safe bet.

The Direct Route

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

A chancy challenge

The window is already open. The vinyl siding is rotting off the side of the house but the wood underneath looks solid. It's only ten feet up. And the odds of you getting shot are minimal. Probably.


Through the Attic

The door to the hall isn't locked. Other than the <i>pocks</i> from the roof, the house is silent, asleep. As your eyes adjust you spot a drop-ladder at the end of the hall. At the top of the ladder is an empty low-ceilinged attic with an open hatch to the roof. You grab the lip of the hatch and pull yourself up.

Far, Far From Home is increasing!


Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


The Boiling Sky

Unlocked with Far, Far From Home 11 - you have 11

Pinned

Pinned


The Boiling Sky

Before you stands Old Pinkie. He's wearing very dark blue jeans, a black shirt and a bandana over the lower half of his face. Only his eyes are visible. They watch you calmly before resighting along the length of his rifle, which Old Pinkie angles up at the sky.

Pock.

The sprawling vault of heaven looks like engine oil on blacktop. You wait after the orange flash fades to see whether anything falls onto the roof. Nothing does.

Pinned

Ask What's Going On

Old Pinkie seems to be in charge here. Of what, you're not sure. Best to ask.

Observe Quietly

Old Pinkie seems unwilling to talk. Perhaps you should simply watch and learn.


The Silent Treatment

You ask Old Pinkie a series of questions -- what is he shooting at? what's going on up there? why is nothing happening?

Old Pinkie says nothing. He glances briefly at you, then up at the sky, then back along his rifle. Pock.

Far, Far From Home is increasing!


Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


A Certain Kind of Rain

Unlocked with Far, Far From Home 12 - you have 12

Pinned

Pinned


A Certain Kind of Rain

Time stretches out. The sky simmers and roils. Once or twice every minute, Old Pinkie fires in a high upstretched arc, then methodically reloads. Pock. Pock.

Without warning, one of the oil-black shapes in the sky resolves into a charcoal blur. Old Pinkie tracks it and fires once; as quick as it came, it's gone again, back into the pool above.

Images: black and charcoal gray. Two glassy orbs flecked with starlight. Sinews: fat and opaque here, thinner and venous there. Stiff hairs thick as grass. Rows of sharp white pyramids. Startling pinkness: a broad pointed tongue, darting in and out of view.

Size unknown -- but larger than you.

Pinned

Accept What You Can't Change

Old Pinkie seems undisturbed. He's already back to his regular schedule of firing and reloading. Best leave well enough alone.

Eyes Wide Open

Fear is a disease and knowledge is the cure. Old Pinkie seems to think you're safe; he hasn't even moved from his perch. You concentrate on what you saw, sifting the images for meaning.


White Noise

You force your mind's eye open. Certain images stand out. The shape of the face, the tiny sharp teeth, the pink tongue and veiny wings. It was a bat. The sky is full of bats -- innumerable bats, huge bats, their awful wings obscuring the stars. You suppress a shudder. Fear is the unknown, and now you know what flocks and darts in the sky above.

You've just gained your first points of White Noise, one of Zero Summer's Menaces.

Menaces are negative Qualities which have unpleasant consequences if they get too high. Menaces are never deadly -- but they're never comfortable either.

White Noise measures how exposed you've been to the unnatural world. The real recedes. Your ears fill with static. In time, all will be White Noise.

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

Doc is increasing...

Far, Far From Home is increasing!

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

You've gained a new quality: White Noise at 2.


Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


That Good Night

Unlocked with Far, Far From Home 13 - you have 13

Eventually you realize nothing else is going to happen...

Pinned

Pinned


That Good Night

Eventually you realize nothing else is going to happen. The skies will churn, the rifle will flash; the moon will sink onto the western lip of the world. Old Pinkie is paying you zero attention. And with your body sucked dry of adrenaline, you're headed for a crash.

Any time you get a few hours of restful, natural sleep, your Action pool will be refreshed.

Pinned

Stick It Out

Doc

Mental Style.

A straightforward challenge

There are still things you don't understand -- about the bats, about why Old Pinkie is shooting at them. This is your best chance to figure them out.

By staying up all night, you forfeit your Action refresh. And you might learn something worth your while -- but then again, you might not.

Sleep It Off

It's been a long night. It could get much longer. It could also get more dangerous. You've learned a lot already, and tomorrow is a new day -- one in which you'll hopefully be better rested.


Sleepless in Amarillo

Stick It Out

Doc

Mental Style.

A straightforward challenge

You spend the night awake on the roof with Old Pinkie, who diligently fires at the sky every minute until the moon dips under the world and the black shapes resolve into hundreds or thousands of horrible flitting terrors and then disappear over a matter of minutes. They seemed to be moving south, but who could tell?

The moment they're gone, Old Pinkie drops into the attic and tidies up his rifle. You're left alone with the clear false dawn. For no reason you can explain, you shiver.

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

Doc has increased to 3!

You succeeded in a Doc challenge!

Far, Far From Home is increasing!

1 change point, 2 more needed to reach level 3.

White Noise is increasing...


Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Paladin

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

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Far, Far From Home

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?


The Morning of May 21

Unlocked with Far, Far From Home 14 - you have 14

The smell of frying bacon brings you downstairs...

Pinned

Pinned


The Morning of May 21

The smell of frying bacon brings you downstairs. Some of the Jackrabbits are there -- Jack Ishiguro, "Padre" Charlie, Warren Castillo and a handful of others. They're eating bacon, eggs and toast off of chipped ceramic plates. Warren fetches you one and you sit down to eat. Small talk ensues. No one mentions Old Pinkie or the bats.

After breakfast, Warren takes you aside. The Jackrabbits, he explains, are what you might call a gang. But not a nefarious one! They protect Burrow and Briar Streets from other area toughs. Like the police, Warren says. The Jackrabbits keep the peace when the Pony Express can't.

"And here's the thing," Warren says. "We'd like to help you figure out what happened. On the train. You can stay with us as long as you like. Call it a good deed or charity or whatever. But that's what we're gonna do. We'd like it if you'd help out around here, but your priority numero uno has to be getting your head straight. I'll pitch in. We all will."

There are murmurs and nods all around. You realize some of the Jackrabbits were listening. Jack Ishiguro is smiling, chirpy and birdlike; "Padre" Charlie is more serious, bobbing his head like a dandelion in the breeze.

"What do you say?" says Warren. He's waiting for you to agree. To his help? To the Jackrabbits'?

Pinned

Of Course

Of course you'll take their help. What other choice do you have?

A Great Option

Show some enthusiasm! The Jackrabbits have gone out of their way to help you. So what if taking their offer is your only option? It's a <i>great</i> option!