The Tale of a Winter Night

Overview

The Tale of a Winter Night is a streamlined, dark-fantasy tabletop roleplaying game designed for focused campaigns spanning approximately seven to ten sessions. Developed by Gengarium and Giufia, the game features a distinct psychological narrative setup: players assume the roles of a group of children who have been cast into a terrifying dreamscape by a Christmas demon seeking to punish them for their perceived childhood mischief. Operating on a high-stakes, "one-hit-death" mechanical framework, the system prioritizes caution and strategic coordination, tasking players with navigating environmental hazards like dynamic cold levels alongside hostile entities. Character generation leverages an asymmetric "Special Trait" system, assigning non-standard polyhedral dice—ranging from a D2 to a D100—to unique childhood archetypes while shifting the standard local economy entirely onto the collection and rarity of buttons. Ultimately, the system delivers a mechanically challenging, narrative-driven survival experience where players must collaborate to defeat the overarching demon and safely awaken from the nightmare.