Island in a Sea of Solitude
a rôle playing game for two or three players by Ben Lehman
After accident or illness, long or slow, your loved one has
died. But, in your time of grief, a comfort: they have been
buffered, giving you a chance to speak to them one last
time, to resolve any last questions or last arguments, or
declare your love. Buffering is, of course, hugely expensive,
and you’re lucky that your insurance covers thirty minutes.
Island in a Sea of Solitude is a short game, ideally
played over a video chat program, about coping with
either the loss of a loved one or your loved one’s
bereavement after your own death. It is set in the
near future, with little difference from our own time,
and focuses on the relationship between two family
members after one of them dies.
Play it with one or two other people who you trust
with your heart.
Before you start, decide together:
áá Your names
áá Your relationship (by default, you were married)
áá Your ages
áá If you care for children together
áá Cause of death (optional)
Take time to check in with each other and test your
video chat equipment.
You should read the instructions for the Bereaved.
The other player should read the instructions for the
Deceased. If there are three players, the last should
join you as the Bereaved, ideally in the same location.
Take about 20 minutes to prepare seperately.
The Bereaved
instructions for preparation and play
To Prepare
Think about your loved one. Think about who they
were, how you felt about them, how your relationship
changed over time, how were you honest with each
other, how did you lie to each other, that story you tell
about the way you met, what unfinished legal matters
you have, the things you fought over that didn’t matter,
the things you didn’t fight over that mattered a lot.
Did you plan out what you’re going to say? Or not.
Figure it out. Take notes if you have to.
If there are two of you, consult with each other.
To Play
Set up a video chat call with the other player. Play
your character, interacting with their loved one for
the last time.
You might find that your understandings of your
relationship diverge from the deceased. This could be
because one of you is being disingenuous, it could be
because you genuinely have different understandings
or recollections, or it could be glitches or other
errors in the buffering process. How you react to
these divergences, and their origin, is up to you.
If your video chat program has breakdowns or glitches,
react in character.
The Deceased
instructions for preparation and play
To Prepare
The buffering process is not all that. You don’t really
have much of a sense of anything including, possibly, a
sense of self. You remember, vaguely, who this person
is that you’re talking to, and your relationship. You
have a few scattered memories, which may or may
not be yours. You feel emotions towards the other
person, particularly a strong desire to help them find
the closure they need before your time is up.
Figure out what your residual memories are. You
should have at least three. Takes notes if that helps.
Right before play, set a timer for 30 minutes.
To Play
Set up a video chat call with the other player. Play
your character, or what remains of them, interacting
with this other person.
When your understandings and memories diverge
from the bereaved, this could be because they are
lying, because you recall incorrectly, because you
have genuinely different understandings, or because
you are lying to cover up holes in your memory. You
will not be clear on which. How you react to these
divergences is up to you, though keep in mind your
strong desire to help them find closure.
After 30 minutes, your time is up. End the chat, and die.
This game exists thanks to
Alissa Mortenson-Tyka Cheryl Trooskin-Zoller
Ben Bernard Michael Fujita Wight
Josh Symonds Gaelan D’costa Who support my ongoing work
Charlton Wilbur Sean Riedinger
Philippe Debar Lapo Luchini patreon.com/benlehman
Matthew Klein Flavio Mortarino
Chad Reiss Lester Ward
John Leen Jessica Hammer
Brian Johnson Gregor Hutton
Eileen Koven Theo Clarke
Kevin Jiyang Li Vincent Baker
Tayler Stokes Kairam Ahmed Hamdan This game is dedicated to someone
Mike Sugarbaker Andrew Cain who I will never see again.
Christoph Boeckle Jeremy Zimmerman
Thom Kiraly J Li
Tony Dowler Nathan Harrison
Noah Iliinsky Brad Gravett
Olivier Murith Carolyn Lehman
Edoardo Baruzzo and Peter Lehman www.tao-games.com