Folklore.
A collaborative storytelling system with no fixed setting. Co-designed with Arran. Illustrated by Alex Collins.
These illustrations for Folklore were designed to inspire a story — often they were inspired by stories we made while designing the game.
Where it started
Folklore was designed in response to a common dynamic in most TTRPGs like D&D — mechanically the game master is the challenge, and often encouraged to work against the other players. We wanted to know if mechanics could actively help players tell better stories, not get in the way of players coming together to tell a story.
One of our core references is Blades in the Dark. It has great mechanics for prompting players to make interesting fiction choices. Yet it still relies on one player being the game master. Folklore is a system where players share that responsibility.
What Folklore is
Folklore is a storytelling system with no fixed setting. It provides guidance on building a setting and characters from scratch, then a framework for playing through scenes collaboratively. The flow of play moves through four stages: set up, build up, face the challenge, and wrap-up. It uses the questions posed by each section, as well as a d6 dice system to prompt players to take the story in one direction or the other.
The illustration work
A TTRPG can mean a lot of work before you can play — often that means hours of learning and prep before the first session. The mechanics of the system have to justify that investment, but strong artwork goes a long way in convincing players to give it a shot. For players, they need to feel excited and have somewhere to start creatively.
The illustrations serve different purposes inside the book. Some bring written concepts or examples to life. Others decorate and punctuate the text. The chapter banners work in a wide format, prompting readers to read on.
The cover
The cover had a specific brief: grab attention and communicate what the game is about without implying any particular setting. Most TTRPG covers lean on their setting to do that work — a world, a character type, a recognisable tone. Folklore has none of those anchors. The solution had to communicate the experience of collaborative storytelling rather than the content of any specific story.
Where it is
Folklore has been in development for over five years and is set for self-publication in 2026.