The Way Out RPG

Same characters. New Apocalypse. Again and Again.
The Way Out is a GMless roleplaying game about the end of the world. 2-5 players roleplay as a coterie of characters living their shared life as the endtimes begin again and again. When one world ends, the coterie will reappear at another time and place in history that's hovering on the brink of destruction. Chapter after chapter, the coterie tries in vain to settle in to a normal life and avoid certain doom.

Staying In Character
In The Way Out, players must remain in character once a chapter starts. All narration and roleplaying must be from the perspective of your character. You are free to describe things happening in the world, changing the fiction and situation drastically, but must do so through the perspective of your character. You'll work their senses, thoughts, and intuition into your descriptions of the world and actions of non-player characters.

The Talon of Tarot
When the in-character rule feels too restrictive, you can play a card in the talon of tarot cards at the center of the table to activate one of the game's many moves. These moves are inspired heavily by Belonging Outside Belonging games, and let you shape the scene in a number of ways. Perhaps you'll use a move to complicate the current situation, cut the scene, experience déjà vu, embody a different character, or request an out-of-character moment of silence.

The End of the World.
As the talon dwindles, the end of the world draws near. Cards are played in ascending order, and if there's no next card to play, the world gets worse and the count starts again. When there are no cards left in the talon, that world and chapter end. The end of the world can take many forms, from grand events of cataclysm and social upheaval to minute instances of a coffee shop closing or a group of friends disbanding.

After each chapter, your characters find themselves in a different time and place in history trying to live their lives, but the end of the world is never far away. Will you find the way out?

This game is inspired largely by a manuscript found by a character in László Krasznahorkai's War and War, as well as many solitaire card games, particularly those found in Zachtronics Solitaire Collection, and the many Belonging Outside Belonging games that followed Dream Askew/Dream Apart.

book and tarot cards

The Endtimes Trilogy
The Way Out is game three of The Endtimes Trilogy, along with Quy Serra Serra and Into A Warm Sun. It does not require the others to play, each is a standalone game.



5.5x5.5" 28 page color zine with sewn binding