The Lonesome Cartographer is a role playing game written and published by Wren the Forrester based on Alone Among the Stars.
The supplement is available as a ten page Pay What You Want PDF from itch.io. Two pages are the front and rear covers, one is blank and one is back matter. There is also a second, six-page PDF that is a spreads version, as well as a txt file version.
You Are a Cartographer explains that you are to make a map of this place.
The Introduction explains that this is a map making game for one player in which you are to map a place. Who you are, what the map is of and why you’re making it is up to you. It also says that every place has a people, history or culture that existed before you came and will exist after you leave. Which, if you were making a map long enough ago, is not true.
Tools of the Trade explains that what’s needed is a six-sided die, a tarot deck, writing utensils, a blank piece of paper and something for note taking.
Playing the Game explains you roll the die on the paper and where it lands is the starting location. A card is drawn, and the suit and rank are used to determine what and where the Landmark is. This is then drawn and an entry is made in the journal with a brief description. Rolling on the relationship table explains the next Landmark’s relationship to the first, and the travel table determines what the trip was like. Continue until the map is full.
The Major Arcana explains these represent settlements or sentient occupation.
Ending the Game explains this happens when the map is full or you don’t want to draw anymore. The map can be kept or destroyed.
Optional Rules has two; the die can be used to mark the location of subsequent Landmarks and the cards can be used to inspire Minor Arcana Landmarks.
The four suits of cards are then listed as to what they show.
Location is for the card values, Relationship for where the landmark is and Travel for how it was reached.
The Lonesome Cartographer in Review
The PDF lacks bookmarks and, though it’s short, it has enough sections that they would have been appreciated. Navigation is okay. The text, bar the two column tables page, is single column and appeared to be free of errors. There are some black and white illustrations. Presentation is okay.
This is a solo journalling game, and therefore not for everyone, but it does have another use, namely creating a setting map which could then be developed further, although this isn’t suggested, the game would be useful for this. The Lonesome Cartographer can be found by clicking here.
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