Tiny Library: Modern Fantasy is a deck of single-card TTRPG fragments going to print with Long Tail Games in 2023. It is the spiritual successor of Tiny Library and Tiny Tome but will be run in a slightly different way. 

This is a jam to collect submissions. If you've made (or want to make) a single-card TTRPG fragment, this is the place for you!    

What is 'modern fantasy' in this context? 

Really that's for you to decide! 

However, if you're stuck for ideas, I personally think of Buffy, World of Darkness, Aesop Rock's Spirit World Field Guide, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The X-Files, Bright, The Lost Boys, Stranger Things, the menu music from Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, misty streets, rustling leaves, high strangeness, men in dark suits, urban decay, gnomes at the bottom of the garden, an old woman selling kittens(?) on the side of the road. 

What is a TTRPG fragment? 

Some examples of the things you could submit are: 

• Character creation rules
• Task resolution rules
• A combat system
  • A combat subsystem 
• Inventory system
  • Black market rules
• Injury rules 
• Lore and worldbuilding 
• A specific NPC
• A specific location
• A specific item
• Pure artwork 
• Lists! 
  • Rumors 
  • Secrets 
  • Spells 

Anything goes, friends. There are no rules in the jungle of game design! However, there are terms...

Mosaic Strict    

This jam will be run in the spirit of MOSAIC Strict. What is that? I strongly recommend reading the blog article (Nothing at the Bottom: MOSAIC Strict RPG Design) but the key aspects are: 

• Modular: Any game text that explicitly claims to be an entire, complete RPG is not Mosaic Strict. 
• Optional: Any game text that describes itself as necessary for play is not Mosaic Strict. 
• Short: Mosaic Strict game texts are no more than 1500 words (shouldn't be a problem here...) 
• Attested: Mosaic Strict texts say they are Mosaic Strict.
• Independent: Mosaic Strict texts do not refer to the mechanics or quantified state in any other game text. 
• Coreless: Assume nothing else is in play beyond free-form play. 

Other Terms: 

• Your game must fit on a single playing card (both sides) 
• The card size is Bridge (2.25” × 3.5”)  
• You must either include space for printing bleed or accept what happens when I make space for that printing bleed (see the card template image at the bottom of this page)
• You must agree to the licensing terms (linked below) for your submission to be eligible
• Each selected submission will earn the creator 1 free copy of Tiny Library: Modern Fantasy and 1% of profits generated
• Game fragments do not have to be new - those you've already created are encouraged!
• You may submit a maximum of 3 submissions
• No more than 1 submission will be selected from any contributor
• No AI-generated content 
• Not all submissions will be selected 

One final point:  

Ultimately, the submissions will be selected with the goal of creating a single product called Tiny Library: Modern Fantasy. 

Will that final product be coherent in terms of mechanics, tone or aesthetics? Absolutely not! 

However, I will be looking to fill gaps in the deck, and a submission is more likely to be included if it supports an area that is otherwise missing. It would be really nice if we had at least one card covering character creation for instance... 

IMPORTANT: Please read and agree to the licensing agreement at this link before submitting. You will need to submit an agreement for each submission.