ACT 3: THE JELLY DAYS

Space Jellyfish Overhead LOCATIONS

1. Ninety Mile Beach
Your mind wanders home. Who do you
The jellyfish visit is fleeting, lasting only a few
days. They hover above, their tentacles
This is an ancient place, known only as Land. miss from your village? Why? swaying in the breeze. Each evening, they
The people of Land seek to live in harmony enter your dreams, conveying messages
with the sea and the sky. 2. The Flooded Lands
Marsh and pond as far as the eye can through enigmatic and surreal images.
see. How do you navigate this place?
Once a generation, a bloom of giant jellyfish Deal three big message cards (7–K) in a row
fills the skies above. The Visitors descend, 3. The Broken Lands
A graveyard of ancient war machines. facedown. These represent a major TRUTH,
stay a few days, and then leave for many THREAT and TASK. Deal a small message
years. Nobody knows why they come or where What do you find among the ruins?
(A–6) facedown on each big secret.
they go, but the Elders teach that they are 4. The Dry Lakes
messengers from the stars. Cracked earth and silence. When and
how did these lakes dry up? 7–K 7–K 7–K
A select few possess an innate ability to 5. Red Rock Canyon Big Big Big
communicate with the jellyfish. Known as Towering rust-coloured cliffs. What is TRUTH THREAT TASK
Jelly Watchers, these individuals journey inscribed on the canyon walls?
through wild places in search of signs YOUR HOME VILLAGE 6. Glaciers of Ice 1–6 1–6 1–6
heralding the Visitors’ impending arrival. Timeless frozen expanse. What oddity Small Small Small
They listen to the jellyfish songs, learn their You grew up on the edge of the Great Sea. do you glimpse encased in the ice? TRUTH THREAT TASK
secrets, and share their wisdom with the Roll twice on the table below, combining
people of Land. the results to find your village’s name. Write On your first visit to a location, read its
this name in your journal and add a prompt and write a brief evocative
sentence or two describing the settlement. description in your journal. A sentence or
WHAT YOU NEED
two is ideal.
An hour, standard playing cards, one or two Name start Name end Jellyfish communicate via visions. Choose
six-sided dice (d6), a way to take notes 1. Whisper Swans On your second visit, you find Jellysign. the type of vision you wish to receive.
2. Starlit Stone Proceed immediately to ARRIVAL.
Discard jokers from the card deck, then split 1. Each evening, select a card from the
it into two piles: one for small messages 3. Sunken Cove TRUTH, THREAT or TASK positions
(Ace–6) and another for big messages 4. Endless Springs ACT 2: ARRIVAL
2. For any position, draw the small
(7–King). Ensure that all cards are facedown 5. Dreaming Horses The atmosphere shifts. The sky ripples with message card before its big message
and shuffle each pile. otherworldly light. Thousands of enormous
6. Lonely Crossing 3. Consult the tables overleaf to find the
interstellar jellyfish descend from the heavens card’s message and suggested prompts.
OVERVIEW and hang in the air above you. Write a brief, evocative interpretation in
From an early age, Elders identified your your journal. Consider how it relates to
The game plays over four acts. Roll on the table below for the Visitors’ any cards you have already drawn.
Jelly Watcher mark. Now you are grown, it
is time to venture out and seek the Visitors. colour and appearance. How does it feel to 4. Keep drawing cards until the Visitors
1. Searching: Prelude. Years in the see a floating bloom of giant space jellyfish? have imparted four messages. After
wilderness, seeking Jellysign Describe this moment in your journal. four cards, proceed to DEPARTURE.
2. Arrival: Brief scene. Watcher’s first
ACT 1: SEARCHING
encounter with the Visitors For years, the solitary Jelly Watchers roam. Colour Appearance
ACT 4: DEPARTURE
3. The Jelly Days: Main phase. The Guided by intuition and unwavering faith, 1. Rainbow Translucent
Watcher communicates with the they traverse Land's untamed expanses in 2. Silver Iridescent Reflect upon the messages conveyed by
Visitors, receiving messages to search of the enigmatic Jellysign. the Jellyfish and then make your way back
interpret. This act concludes after the 3. Sky blue Electric
to your village. Craft a concluding passage
jellyfish impart four messages. Roll a six-sided dice and refer to the 4. Amethyst Bioluminescent detailing the reception your account of the
4. Departure: Epilogue. Visitors leave; LOCATIONS table. Each roll represents one 5. Violet Rippling encounter received from the villagers. How
Watcher returns to their village year passing. do you feel? What is the atmosphere? How do
6. Twilight Full of Stars
people react to the Visitors’ messages?

springvillager.itch.io/space-jellyfish-overhead
 TRUTHS
A Star gazers. Ancestors study the stars. What knowledge
did they seek? What did they find? What instruments did
they use? Do remnants of their studies still exist?
2 Ancient map. A map showing the world before Land.
What geographical features no longer exist? Are lost
settlements visible? What paths have been forgotten?
3 Great battle. A conflict between unknown factions.
What triggered the battle? What banners represented the
factions? How did common people view this conflict?
4 Ruined metropolis. A vast city in ruins. What event led
to the downfall of this once-thriving place? What wonders
still stand amidst the ruins? Are there hidden dangers?
5 Leaders debates. A council of leaders convene. What
decisions were debated? Who were the key figures? What
outside factors influenced their positions?
6 Battle constructs. Ancient war machines in formation.
Who controlled them? How did the machines affect the
world around them? How did people feel about them?
7 Blasted lands. Lush grasslands, now wastelands. Who
lived here? How did once-lush fields transform into a
wasteland? What happened to the plants and animals?
8 Echoes of the future. A nexus of timelines converge.
How do different timelines converge within this vision?
What elements of the future manifest in the past? Does the
nexus exist in the present moment?
9 Arcane marker. A glowing obelisk carved in an
unknown script. Where is the obelisk located? Are there
legends about its significance? How has the passage of
time affected the obelisk?
10 Diverse assembly. A meeting between humans and
another species. What led to this historic encounter?
What challenges did the two species need to overcome to
communicate? What was the result of this meeting?
J Silent observer. A figure observing the Visitors' arrival.
Who is the mysterious figure? Why are they observing the
jellyfish? Are they from Land or elsewhere?
Q Concealed relics. Ancestors burying relics for
safekeeping. Who was responsible for hiding these
valuable items? What significance did the artefacts hold?
What events prompted their concealment?
K First Watcher. An image of the first Jelly Watcher. What
led to their emergence as a Jelly Watcher? What wisdom
did they gain from the jellyfish? How did they establish the
traditions and practices for future generations?
THREATS
A Techno sorcery. Pretending ancient technology is
magic. Why are people pretending ancient technology is
magic? Who benefits from perpetuating this illusion? How
might the truth affect those who believed in the magic?
2 Storm clouds. A storm threatens the people of Land. Is
the storm figurative or literal? What are the signs of its
approach? How will the storm impact the people of Land?
3 Crops wither. A failed harvest and looming famine.
What factors led to the crop failure? Has this happened
before? How will leaders and the people of Land respond?
4 Health crisis. A disease spreads through the
population. What is the origin of the disease? How does it
spread? How might people contain or cure the disease?
5 Ice thaw. The glaciers are melting. Are the people of
Land aware of the glacial retreat? How quickly are they
melting? What secrets lie hidden beneath the ice?
6 Alluring lies. A charismatic leader manipulating truths.
Who is the leader? Are there factions who support or
oppose them? How are people reacting to their rhetoric?
7 Neglecting nature. Ignoring signs of ecological
decline. What signs are being ignored? How will these
problems impact peoples’ daily lives? How do people
justify their inaction?
8 Weird lifeforms. Strange creatures emerge from the
wilds. What are the characteristics and behaviours of
these creatures? Do any myths or prophecies speak of
them? How will people react to their sudden appearance?
9 Puzzling aberrations. Weird anomalies disrupt nature.
How do the anomalies defy the laws of nature as known in
Land? How might local flora and fauna react? Do the
anomalies have any discernible patterns or causes?
10 Feuding factions. Conflict among the people of Land.
What are the issues or driving the disputes? How are the
disputes affecting the daily lives of Land's people? Do the
conflicts impact Land's ability to respond to other threats?
J Dark skies. Unnatural darkness blankets the sky. How
does it impact plants and animals? How will it affect the
spirits of the people of Land? Can it be slowed or halted?
Q Veil of deception. A web of lies weaves through Land.
What is the source of the deception? Do people recognise
it? Can it be stopped?
K Misguided seer. An image of the current Jelly Watcher.
How are your interactions with the Visitors different from
predecessors? How might your interpretations lead to
misunderstandings? Do any myths or prophecies tell of a
Jelly Watcher who becomes a threat?
TASKS
A Green revival. Plant trees to combat ecological decline.
How do the planted trees slow the decline of Land's
ecosystems? Are there rituals or traditions associated with
reforestation? How do the people of Land participate?
2 Festive gathering. Hold a festival to encourage unity.
How will the event bring people together? What rituals
might be involved? How might it connect with Land’s past?
3 Cultural heritage. Preserve and share historical
archives. What records are being preserved? Who should
they be shared with? What can be learnt from them?
4 Shared wisdom. Exchange knowledge with another
settlement. Which settlement should we communicate
with? How do their traditions differ from ours? What might
we learn from them?
5 Sacred renewal. Revitalise sacred sites. Why did these
places fall into disrepair? How would revitalisation impact
the spiritual well-being of Land's people? How might the
Visitors play a role?
6 Lost tongue. Translate a portion of a lost language. How
might the translation impact Land’s understanding of its
history and identity. What gaps do the missing pieces fill
in? Are there secret meanings hidden in plain sight?
7 Tech support. Repair a vital piece of technology. Which
vital piece of technology requires repair? What technical
issues must be overcome during the repair process? What
would happen if the problem is not fixed?
8 Activate relic. Activate a dormant ancient artefact.
Which LOCATION that you visited in your travels is the
location of the device? Can you do this alone or do you
need assistance? What THREAT will the relic address?
9 Mending bonds. Unite Land’s fractured factions. What
TRUTHS or THREATS caused division? How has
communication broken down? How might trust be rebuilt?
10 Renew nature. Restore balance with the ecosystem.
Which LOCATION that you visited in your travels is the
focus for restoration? What actions are needed to restore
balance? Is a practical or spiritual approach needed?
J Star secrets. Confront the truth about the Visitors. Are
the Visitors all that they seem? What is their purpose and
true nature? Can we trust them?
Q Jelly tongue. Teach others the art of jellyfish
communication. How is jellyfish communication taught?
What benefits come from learning to interact with the
Visitors? What happens when many people start
communicating with the Visitors?
K Star journey. An interstellar voyage with the Visitors.
What prompts the journey? Who is chosen to go? What is
the intended destination?