Prompt: Create a Kickstarter pitch from this for an actual tabletop RPG for solo or group play, to engagingly teach ages 12 to 102 about parts work.

Welcome to the Adventure Within!

Imagine a tabletop RPG where the battlefield is your inner world, the stakes are your emotional well-being, and the ultimate treasure is your True Self. “Orphans & Guardians” is a game for adventurers aged 12 to 102, blending the thrill of classic role-playing with powerful lessons from parts work therapy (inspired by Internal Family Systems (IFS) and HeartSync). Whether you play solo, with friends, or even in a therapeutic group, this game takes you on a journey of discovery, healing, and teamwork.

What’s the Game About?

In Orphans & Guardians, you embark on a deeply personal campaign where your inner parts become epic characters in a fantastical world. These parts—like Orphans (your wounded, vulnerable side) and Guardians (your protective, reactive side)—are brought to life as heroes, NPCs, and even bosses. Your mission is to help them collaborate, heal their wounds, and unlock the wisdom of your True Self, the ultimate party leader.

Through guided storylines, dice rolls, and dynamic roleplay, you’ll confront challenges like:

Shadowy fears from your past
Overzealous protectors defending old wounds
Riddles of trust, safety, and courage

You’ll grow stronger as you learn to navigate these inner landscapes, leveling up not just your character but also your real-life emotional intelligence.

How It Works

1. Build Your Party (Inner and Outer)

Solo Mode: Create your own Orphans, Guardians, and True Self, embarking on a personal journey of self-reflection and healing.
Group Mode: Play with friends, embodying each other’s parts or creating shared party dynamics. Perfect for family bonding, youth groups, or therapy sessions.

2. Choose Your Campaign

Select from premade campaigns or design your own. Examples include:

“The Cave of Shadows”: Face the fears and traumas lurking in forgotten corners.
“The Tower of Overwatch”: Negotiate with overprotective Guardians guarding your heart.
“The Garden of Connection”: Build trust between your parts and forge alliances.

Each campaign comes with modular story arcs and encounters tailored for solo or group play.

3. Level Up Through Healing

In this game, progress doesn’t come from slaying enemies but from understanding and healing your parts. Use skills like:

Curiosity: Uncover hidden truths and secret backstories.
Compassion: Soothe wounded Orphans and earn their trust.
Negotiation: Reassure Guardians and unlock their latent strengths.

Every successful encounter brings you closer to uniting your party—and reaching your True Self.

Learn about how curiosity and compassion play a role in IFS.

4. Tools of the Trade

Custom Dice: Intuition, Strategy, and Trust rolls drive the mechanics, combining classic RPG randomness with meaningful decision-making.
Character Sheets: Track your Orphans, Guardians, and True Self with beautifully illustrated sheets that grow with you.
Campaign Decks: Prebuilt story cards provide guidance for challenges, roleplay prompts, and resolution mechanics.

Why Back This Project?

A Game That Changes Lives

“Orphans & Guardians” isn’t just another tabletop RPG—it’s a transformative experience. Designed with input from therapists, game designers, and educators, it teaches emotional resilience, teamwork, and empathy through immersive play.

Whether you’re:

12 and discovering emotions for the first time,
42 and navigating complex relationships, or
102 and reflecting on a life well-lived,

this game meets you where you are.

Stretch Goals

We want to make this game as accessible and engaging as possible. Your support helps us unlock:

Digital App Integration: Guided solo campaigns, digital dice, and progress tracking.
Therapist Edition: Specialized resources for counselors to integrate the game into sessions.
Custom Minis: Bring your Orphans and Guardians to life with detailed figurines.

Pledge Levels

$10: The Curious Explorer
Digital PDF of the core rulebook + printable character sheets.
$35: The Adventurer’s Kit
Physical copy of the game, including dice, character sheets, and story decks.
$75: The DM’s Treasure Trove
All of the above + expansion campaigns and exclusive stretch goal items.
$150: The Guardian Collector
Deluxe edition with custom minis, a handcrafted DM screen, and access to design workshops.

Join the Quest!

Support “Orphans & Guardians” today, and embark on an unforgettable adventure into your inner world. Together, we’ll build not just a game but a tool for growth, connection, and healing.

Because every hero deserves to meet their True Self.

Back the Campaign Now [TBD]

Appendix: Solo Play Rules Sheet

Prototype for self-play with existing materials.

Objective

Your mission is to help your inner Orphans and Guardians work together under the guidance of your True Self. Through curiosity, compassion, and negotiation, you’ll uncover their stories, resolve their conflicts, and unlock your path to wholeness.

What You Need

A notebook or journal for tracking your adventure.
A standard deck of playing cards (jokers optional).
A six-sided die (d6) or use an online dice roller.
A quiet space and time for reflection.

Setup

1. Create Your Party

Each character in your party has three core attributes that influence gameplay:

Orphan Attributes:

Vulnerability: How strongly the Orphan feels pain or fear.
Trust: How willing the Orphan is to connect.
Creativity: The Orphan’s potential to contribute when healed.

Guardian Attributes:

Control: How strongly the Guardian tries to manage situations.
Perception: How clearly the Guardian understands the environment.
Flexibility: How easily the Guardian can adjust its methods.

True Self Attributes:

Compassion: How deeply the True Self empathizes with others.
Clarity: How well the True Self understands the situation.
Leadership: How effectively the True Self unites the party.

Assign 3 points to each set of attributes at the start of the game, distributed as you see fit. These values will increase as you level up through encounters.

How Gameplay Works

1. Start Your Campaign

Choose a goal for this session:

Heal a specific Orphan.
Help a Guardian relax or adapt.
Strengthen your True Self’s leadership.

2. Encounters

Draw a card to determine the type of encounter:

Ace or King (Guardian Challenge):
Face a situation where the Guardian resists change.
Roll to test the Guardian’s Control or Perception.
Success: Lower Control by 1, increase Flexibility by 1.
Queen or Jack (Orphan Encounter):
An Orphan reveals its wounds.
Roll to test the Orphan’s Vulnerability or Trust.
Success: Lower Vulnerability by 1, increase Trust by 1.
10, 9, or 8 (Environmental Puzzle):
Navigate an external or internal obstacle.
Roll to test the Guardian’s Perception or True Self’s Clarity.
Success: Gain insight or resolve a minor conflict.
7, 6, or 5 (Self-Reflection):
Reflect on your progress and lessons learned.
Roll to test the True Self’s Compassion or Clarity.
Success: Increase Compassion or Leadership by 1.
4, 3, or 2 (Rest and Recovery):
Rebuild trust and create safety.
Roll to test the Orphan’s Trust or True Self’s Compassion.
Success: Heal one Orphan or restore the Guardian’s Flexibility.
Joker (Breakthrough Event):
A sudden, transformative moment.
Roll to test any True Self attribute.
Success: Major progress—reduce an Orphan’s Vulnerability and a Guardian’s Control by 1 each.

3. Rolling for Outcomes

Roll a d6 to determine the result of your encounter:

1–2 (Blocked):
Progress is halted. Reflect on what resistance or fear is present.
3–4 (Partial Progress):
A small step forward is made. Increase the relevant attribute by 1.
5–6 (Breakthrough):
Significant progress occurs. Increase the relevant attribute by 2.

Leveling Up

At the end of each session, allocate additional points to your characters based on your successes:

+1 point for each successful encounter.
Points can be distributed among the three core attributes of any character.

For example, after resolving an Orphan Encounter, you might add +1 to their Trust or reduce their Vulnerability.

Victory Condition

There’s no “winning” or “losing” in Orphans & Guardians—your goal is to foster trust, growth, and self-awareness. Over time, your characters become more resilient, adaptable, and connected, led by the strength of your True Self.

Embark on your journey now. The adventure within awaits!

Kickstarter Pitch: “Orphans & Guardians: The Quest for Your True Self”

Welcome to the Adventure Within!

What’s the Game About?