Maps and Legends

By Michael Klamerus

A map-drawing game about small towns

Version 0.1
What is Maps and Legends?
Maps and Legends is a tabletop roleplaying game for three or more players about the people
living in a small town in the United States. It’s based on my experiences being in small towns in
Michigan and built around that, but it can be modified to reflect other parts of the world. The
game is strongly influenced by Avery Alder’s The Quiet Year.

What is Required to Play Maps and Legends?

You will need a deck of playing cards, a blank sheet of paper, some pencils or pens, and
something to write notes in.

Setup
Before the game starts, the deck of playing cards must be separated by suite, with each suite
representing a different season of the year. When you start a new season, select the
corresponding suite listed at the back of this book.

Safety Procedures
While not a certainty, bad things can sometimes happen in small towns and it’s never a bad idea
to talk with the rest of your group about the content you are not comfortable with being in your
game and listen to others if they do not want something in their game.

How to Play
Before starting your game, answer the following questions:
1. Where is the town located?
2. What is the name of the town?
3. A factory that served as a major source of employment in town has recently shut down.
What was this place and what happened?

Start with a blank piece of paper and draw a street going through the middle of the sheet long
ways as well as a couple of side streets branching from your town’s main street.

Add a compass and legend to the corner of your map. Each time you introduce new elements to
your map, add them to your legend.

Once this is completed, the rest of the game has players taking turns until the card for the
mayoral election in the fall is drawn.

Each turn, the player does three things:

1. Draw a card
2. Advance projects
3. Take an action
1. Draw a Card
At the beginning of a turn, the player draws a card from the appropriate deck. The pages for the
seasons at the end of the book will have the suite listed next to the season name. When the player
draws a card, they must answer the question for the card using the appropriate seasonal table.
Some cards will have players make a choice between two prompts.

Add to the map when it makes sense, such as when you introduce new buildings or people to the
city. If it’s a new person, add their house to a street or move them into an empty house or
apartment building. When streets fill up, add more streets to create room for additional buildings.

2. Advance Projects
Advance all the current project dice by one. If a project dice reaches zero, describe the
completion of the project and what happens next.

3. Take an Action
The final step of a player turn is to take an action. A player may choose from one of the
following: Introduce a Person, Start a Rumor, Start a Town Project, Create a Headline, Add a
Detail, or have a Town Council Meeting.

Introduce a Person
Introduce a person who lives in the town. Describe what they are like, their occupation,
relationship to other townspeople, name, and other important details. If needed, add their
residence or other places they interact with to the map.

When people are introduced, it is recommended that you write their names and a short
description in your notes to help keep track of them.

Start a Rumor
Describe what people in town are saying a person or place in town and if desired, state if the
rumor is true or false and what the truth is. This action can be used to add additional drama or
storylines.

Create a Headline
Describe an event in town that is being talked about in the local news. It can be either good or
bad and can be anything interesting enough to be considered newsworthy to your small town.
Use this action to add additional drama to your town

Add a Detail
Create additional info about something that already exists in your town. This action can be used
to add depth to your town.
Start a Town Project
Projects are actions that take multiple turns. Determine a project that the town could realistically
complete and determine the number of weeks it will take from a range of one to six and place a
dice with that number on the map where the project is taking place. When it’s time to advance a
project during a turn, decrease the number on the dice by one. Once a project reaches zero
weeks, the player that created the project describes the completion of the project and how the
town reacts.

Town Council Meeting

The player calling for the meeting plays as a citizen of the town with the rest of the group
playing members of the town council. The citizen brings up a concern they have and each person
in the town council makes a statement about the concern. The citizen makes a final comment on
the issue and the meeting ends. The concern can be of any importance, from a huge problem in
the town or a minor grievance that only they care about.

Ending the Game

The game ends when the card for the mayoral election in drawn in the fall. The group describes
the results of the election and a summary of the next few years of the town.
 Winter ♥
Card Prompt

1 The town’s annual Winter Fest is making some big changes this year and people are up in arms.
What are the controversial changes?

2 Two people in town are now in a relationship. Who are they and is their relationship a secret?

3 Name a group in town that isn’t part of the government but has influence over local politics

4 The current mayor has been caught in a scandal. What was it and how does the town react?

5 Someone has moved back into town after a long absence. Who was it and why did they return?

6 Someone aspires to leave town. Who is it and how are they planning on leaving?
OR
Someone who used to work at the factory has found an unusual way to make money. What is
it?

7 Someone in town is known for keeping to themselves. What are the rumors about them and
what is the actual reason why they seldom interact with other people in town?

8 Poor management has caused a project to fail. What is the project? Who is suspected for
botching the project and what really happened?

9 An act passed by the council has caused divisions within the town. What is the controversial
new act?
OR
The town’s annual parade is this week. What does the parade celebrate and who will be in it
this year?

10 The weather has caused a delay on one of the projects. Select a project to add two weeks to.

J What is something unique about the town that brings the occasional visitor from out of town?

Q Some of the younger people in town are becoming frustrated and hope to move out someday.
Why do they want to leave?
OR
A notable chain restaurant has opened a new location in town and people are excited. What is
the business?

K What is something people really love about living in town?

OR
What is something people really dislike about living in town?
 Spring ♠
Card Prompt

1 There are rumors about the future of the closed factory site. What are they?

2 Something has happened in town that has lifted spirits. What was it?
OR
Something has happened that has demoralized the town. What is it?

3 Primaries for the mayoral election have happened. Who are the two people that will be running
for election in November and what are their election platforms?

4 The factory shutdown has hurt tax revenue for the city. Cancel one project

5 A small business in closed. What was it and how did it happen?

OR
Some teens were caught outside after curfew. Who were they and what were they up to?

6 Higher speed internet and online shopping has impacted local businesses. What is one business
that has changed or couldn’t survive as technology has evolved.

7 Like Kohoutek, someone has left town and will never come back. Who is it and why did they
leave?
OR
What is the feud the town has with another nearby town?

8 A local organization has completed a fundraiser to help the city during this period of economic
strain. Who is the group and how were they able to help?

9 Someone in town is known by everyone for being a character? Who are they and what makes
them so unique?

10 The town has received a large donation to restore part of it and help improve the environment.
What part of town is cleaned up and restored to its former glory?

J Something has happened that has given everyone optimism about the future of the town. What
is it?

Q Some parents tell their kids to stay out of the woods at a nearby park. Why do they tell them to
stay out and what really happens there?

K The mayor has pushed for a plan to encourage younger people from moving out of town. What
is the plan? Does it work?
OR
While it would not be news in a bigger town, there’s controversy because of the menu change a
local restaurant has made. What did they change?
 Summer ♦
Card Prompt

1 The factory is now under new ownership and will be open again soon. Who are the new owners
and how do the townspeople react?

2 The mayoral election campaign is causing some divisions in town. What are the issues causing
them?

3 A highway near town has finished construction. How does this change the town?

4 Climate change is becoming more noticeable this summer. How has it affected the town and
nearby farms?

5 Fourth of July celebrations got out of control and a fire started overnight at one of the
businesses and firefighters were unable to save the building. What building was lost and what
happened?

6 Some people are becoming frustrated with the appearance of one house in town. Why and how
does the town council react?
OR
While an increasing use of high speed internet has hurt some businesses in town, others have
thrived. What is one business that has changed for the better?

7 An environmental disaster has hurt part of the town. What happened?

OR
Someone in town has started a band and has some success playing shows in bars. Who is in the
band, what is the name of the band and what is their biggest song?

8 A child received a minor injury while playing at an abandoned site. Describe the abandoned
site and how does the town react?

9 An incident has happened that has made someone want to leave town. What was the incident
and who wants to leave now?

10 A corporate chain has opened a store in town. What is it and how has it affected the town?

J A local business has managed to stay in business despite the economic strain and technology
making these types of places irrelevant in larger cities. What is the business and how have they
adapted to the world changing?

Q A bored teenager has been committing small crimes in the town. Who is it, what have they been
doing, and have they been caught?

K A video of someone in town has gone viral and made nationwide news. Who is it and what did
they do?
 Fall ♣
Card Prompt

1 The mayoral election has happened. Who won and what happens next?

2 A new fad has taken over the town. What is it?

3 One of the mayoral candidates made the news during this year’s Pumpkin Parade What
happened?

4 Cops busted a party that neighbors called the police on. Why did they call and who was there
when the police arrived?

5 Someone beloved in town has died. Who was it, why were they loved, and how do people
mourn their passing?

6 The town has some extra money from spending carefully this year. Select a project to complete
early.

7 An incident has happened with an authority figure that has caused some people in town to
distrust the authorities. What was the incident?
OR
The auctioneer has declared someone the winner of an impressive item in the county’s auction.
Who was it and what did they win?

8 Some people are upset by a new business in town. What is the business and how do the
townspeople and town council react?

9 A fight broke out at a bar last night. Who was involved and what started the fight?

10 A robbery has happened at one of the businesses. Where did it happen and how has it affected
the town?

J One of the local businesses is under new ownership. Who are the new owners and how has the
business changed?

Q A conflict in town has started over something mundane and no one knows how it got started.
What is the conflict? What is rumored to have started it? What really happened?

K Someone in town is working on an ambitious personal project. Who is it and what is their
project? Do they complete their project