Kickstarter (12 hours to go! Ends at 12:12 EST Saturday! 908% Funded!) Pink Cloud: The world's first 12-Step Roleplaying Game

Press Release, June 10th, 2021:

Twelvefold Works Publishing is pleased to announce our Kickstarter for Pink Cloud: An Adventure Game for Friends of Bill.
This is the world's first 12-Step Roleplaying Game. It is based on the Big Book (written in 1939) and other 12-Step literature.

Egg Embry's ENWorld Crowdfunding Spotlight: "This game promises an experience that, I think, will be unique for many: An RPG based around a gameable version of the 12-step program."

Pink Cloud Logo - for fb group header.jpg


You're invited to a Kickstarter for Pink Cloud: An Adventure Game for Friends of Bill:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/pink-cloud/pink-cloud-an-adventure-game-for-friends-of-bill
At the time of writing, we're 600% funded! And two internationally-renowned 12-Step-related historic sites have enquired about stocking the game in their gift shops!

What is Pink Cloud?:
Pink Cloud is the world's first 12-Step Roleplaying Game. It's based on the Big Book of 1939 and other 12-Step literature.
The players play themselves as Characters. Akin to the 1980s D&D Cartoon Show, they are spiritually catapulted through the Fourth Dimension of Existence, to a fantastic world called the New Land. Gifted with Higher-Powered Artifacts by the mysterious Trusted Servant (namely the GM, who actually enters into the story as a character!), the players struggle against all the dangers of the New Land in their seemingly endless (and surprisingly episodic!) quest to return to their Home Group, in Earth. Equipped with these Artifacts, they often find themselves caught up in strange adventures where only their Serenity, Courage, and Wisdom, and these powerful relics, offer any hope of protecting the New Land from the Bogeymen and shivering denizens of the Mad Realm. Pink Cloud is a game about fallible Recovery heroes helping each other, as well as reaching out their hand to those in need—while overcoming their own personal afflictions.

The world of Pink Cloud:
“The outlines and the promise of the New Land had brought lustre to tired eyes and fresh courage to flagging spirits.”
—Bill Wilson, The Big Book (1939), We Agnostics, p.53

The New Land is entirely permeated with 12-Step principles and æsthetic. For example, the Recovery monikers for emotional and moral states, such as: the "Morass of Self-Pity," the "Mainstream of Life," and the "Broad Highway"...are all actual places in this world. There are 32 Bogeymen in the book...Pink Cloud's version of "monsters." The two main Bogeymen are: 1) King Alcohol of the Mad Realm, and 2) the autocratic, sick patriarchal, false god: the Czar of the Heavens. Think of Tiamat and Venger.

Pink Cloud's game system:
Pink Cloud uses a simple D12 system called the Twelvefold Adventure System. It's adapted from the Creative Commons content of Diogo Nogueira's Lost in the Fantasy World.
Pink Cloud is likewise under the Creative Commons copyleft license, meaning that you'll be free to publish your own expansions and adventures for Pink Cloud, and even to sell them commercially.
The game also contains Open Game Content from the Modern SRD chapter on "The Fellowship" organization, by Wizards of the Coast.
For more details, check out the Kickstarter page!

What you get by backing Pink Cloud:
Maybe it goes without saying, but at every tier, you get a lot more shtuff than it will cost when made available for retail sale after the Kickstarter. The projected retail price of the $48 tier product bundle is over $100.

Everyone who contributes even $1 would have their name (first name, last initial (or nickname) + home town optional) and backer tier printed in the First Edition.
✹$1 gets a PDF of the "big book" + the character sheets PDF
✹$12 gets the softcover "big book" (and PDF) + character sheet PDF
✹$24 gets the hardcover "big book" (w/ full color interior) + PDFs of all seven Pink Cloud products (big book, character sheets, Basic Text players book (chapters 1-5 of the "big book"), Trusted Servant (GM's) Screen, 12 Accessory Tiles, poster map of the New Land, and Twelve Traditions window shade)
✹$48 is the whole shebang. The same as the previous tier (hardcover "big book"), plus printed versions of the Basic Text, GM's Screen, Accessory Tiles, Poster Map, and Window Shade.
✹There are also some "big shot" tiers ($144 and above) in case anyone has a pile of money to throw in the basket!

Backers' comments:
From a Counselor: "I am a counselor at a treatment center and have been interested in bringing tabletop RPGs into our practice. Worried that I was going to have to explain D&D to new folks and help them interpret all of the rules was daunting, at best. Your game, however, is perfect for what I want to do! So accessible and relevant."

From a 12-Step Historian: "Well, I read up on this and fell in love with it, and backed the project. I think this is genius and am very excited to see the finished game!"

In gratitude,
-Travis H., Recovered Pinkaholic
Twelvefold Works Publishing
 
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Blue Orange

Gone to Texas
Not a 12-stepper, but it's interesting to see the different applications of the RPG format people develop. I think these sorts of stories appeal to a wide variety of people. Good luck with this!
 








In the New Land, humanity's greedy conception of Santa Claus has come to life as a Bogeyman. This greedoholic fallen Santa has game stats, so that your Fellowship can scuffle with him and his vicious reindeer. Here's this Bogeyman's illustration from the Pink Cloud RPG (kickstarter link).

"Sometimes it's because [Higher Power]* has not delivered us the good things of life which we specified, as a greedy child makes an impossible list for Santa Claus."
*In Pink Cloud, "Higher Power" can mean the Deity, a deity or deities, a spiritual entity of one’s own understanding (a Higher Power), or a non-spiritual, non-theistic conception (a Higher Purpose). Reliance on any of these conceptions confers a perspective that transcends our Characters' immediate physical, social, and emotional circumstances and allows them to “keep calm and carry on” with what really matters…Adventure!

bad santa.jpg
 
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Two more Bogeymen...or rather, Bogeywomen, from our Pink Cloud RPG (kickstarter link).

In the Big Book of 1939, Dr. Bob metaphorically encounters the ancient monsters known as Scylla and Charybdis; who, according to Greek myth, harass either side of the Strait of Messina which separates the toe of Italy's "boot" from the isle of Sicily. In Dr. Bob's case, these inner Bogeys tormented his stomach and nerves. In the New Land, your Fellowship can scuffle with them directly!

"I was between Scylla and Charybdis now, because if I did not drink my stomach tortured me, and if I did my nerves did the same thing."

Here's an illustration from the Pink Cloud big book:
reduced for ENworld post - scylla and char - shutterstock_1349301740.png
 


Another undead Bogeyman from the Pink Cloud kickstarter...the Bleeding Deacon:

“Let's turn again to the deposed founder and his friends? What becomes of them? As their grief and anxiety wear away, a subtle change begins. Ultimately, they divide into two classes known in A.A. slang as ‘elder statesmen’ and bleeding deacons.’ [...] The bleeding deacon is one who is just as surely convinced that the group cannot get along without him, who constantly connives for reelection to office, and who continues to be consumed with self-pity.

Bleeding Deacon - brightened thumb - b&w - red wound - Depositphotos_36670133_xl-2015.jpg
 


Today our Pink Cloud (kickstarter link) is spotlighted in the ENWorld podcast! Here's a link to the show. The Pink Cloud segment is from 52min20sec to 55min56sec. The podcast takes the form of a gameshow, where the participants try to guess what the featured games are about, from only hearing the title!

Here's transcript:

(About the podcast participants: Russ Morrissey is the founder of the British gaming news and publishing company ENWorld, Peter Coffey is co-host, and Shane Stacks, the founder of ShanePlays.com, is the guest. Thanks to Morrus, Peter, and Shane for the fun podcast!)


RUSS MORRISSEY: So, we are now back to: Mr. Shane Stacks, the Crab. [Shane's superhero character.]

SHANE STACKS: The Crab, who scuttles for justice.

RUSS: So, Shane, what is…Pink Cloud?

SHANE: Okay, I have to…I'm going to pass this one to Peter, if that's okay. Because I got an email about this one from either the creator or a marketing person.

RUSS: Oh okay. You want to take this one Peter? And then Shane can do the next one. Okay. Pink. Cloud.

PETER COFFEY: I…I am sort of hoping it is a…erm…an off-brand knock-off of the "Monkey Magic" tv show…er…where you got a Monkey, Sandy, Pigsy, Tripitaka, and all the rest, like, just chilling around, in sort of a bad 70s or 80s tv show. And the Pink Cloud is what Monkey uses to go…scootin' around on.

[Explanatory wikipedia articles!]:

"Monkey Magic" tv series: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey_(TV_series)

Monkey: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey_King

Sandy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sha_Wujing

Pigsy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhu_Bajie

Tripitaka: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tang_Sanzang


RUSS: Okay. No.

SHANE: Yeah, this one's hard. Because it's…

RUSS: Yeah, I'd be amazed if you got this because it's…

PETER: Yeah, I'd be pretty lucky.

RUSS: This is a gameable version of the Twelve Step Program.

PETER: As in…Alcoholics Anonymous?

RUSS: Yeah, that's not the only 12-Step program; but yeah, that is an example of what…yeah. So, it's set in a fantasy world. You're part of the Fellowship of the Pink Cloud. Yeah…I'm reading this as I'm trying to understand this as I do it:

"You're invited to grab a Recovery buddy and step into the New Land, a new world of fascinating adventure!"

(Huh!)

SHANE: Yeah, it's a…like the email I got on it is from Travis Henry, from Twelve…fold Works Publishing. And the subject was: "Pink Cloud: The World's First 12-Step Recovery Roleplaying Game."

(Hmm!)

SHANE: And it's…it's pretty interesting because in the email it lists ENWorld's Spotlight.

(Hmm!)

SHANE: And ENWorld said: "This game promises an experience which I think will be unique for many: an RPG based around a gameable version of the 12-Step program."

SHANE: So, I think this is actually pretty smart. Because I keep hearing how therapy and different types of programs are using tabletop roleplaying.

(Huh!)

SHANE: So, to actually put an experience around a proven program…the 12-Step Recovery program has helped a lot of people.

(Hmm.)

SHANE: To put a roleplaying experience around it, I think is pretty smart. So, very interesting.

RUSS: Hmm! Okay!

SHANE: If you guys would be interested in…I don't know if you're…I could put you in touch with the creator if y'all wanted to talk to him. But I don't know if y'all would even have time, before the Kickstarter ended.

RUSS: Yeah, we're usually booked up for like a month in advance. It's too late for that now.

(Yeah.)

RUSS: So, that leaves one to go, and this is for Shane then. So this one is called…are you ready?

SHANE: Yeah, what was Peter's score on that one?

RUSS: Oh sorry. Peter's score on that one…well I can't remember what he said now! What'd he say? (laughter) He definitely didn’t say that though! (laughter)

SHANE: He said NOT what the game was!

RUSS: He didn't say that. So I don't think he scored anythin'. (laughter)

PETER: Hey, hey look. I…I got the spirit of it. Because if you look at Journey to the West, it's all someone who has a real "oppositional defiance disorder."

Journey to the West - Wikipedia

(Yeah.)

PETER: And how they're constantly acting out. And how they're helped with…to…Recovery, with the aid of someone else. So, it may work. Spiritually, I was bang on.

RUSS: Yeeeaaaah.

(laughter)

SHANE: hmm…er…hmm…

RUSS: Wow. That was some blagging there. I don't think so.

https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Blagging

PETER: This is why I can't play narrative games. (laughter) This reflexive blagging…it just…just…yeah. (laughter)
 
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The Character Concept

In Pink Cloud (link to Kickstarter), instead of D&D's "race" and "class," each Character has a Character Concept, composed of an Adjective and a Noun. (See the Character Sheet earlier in this thread.)

For example, these are Character Concepts which players have made for Pink Cloud playtests:

Gallant Bohemian
Longtime Cook
Creative Instigator
Positive Therapist
Confused Bear
(Customarily, a player plays their ordinary self. Yet this player chose to represent themselves as a talking bear, and we ran with it. No problem.)
Gentle Rebel
Friendly Painter

If you describe, in a feasible or entertaining way, how you're going to attempt to use your Adjective or Noun during a Resolution Roll, you gain a +1 Boon on the roll; or +2 if you use both your Adjective and your Noun.
 
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The Higher-Powered Artifact

Like in the 1980s Cartoon Show of yore, in Pink Cloud (link to Kickstarter), the players are themselves spiritually catapulted to another dimension. In Pink Cloud, players play themselves...an alter ego of their earthly self.

Each Player Character finds themselves in the New Land with an Artifact: an object which has a thematic power, and which glows with an energy color, and which is gifted to them by a Higher Power of their own conception. The Artifact is a Character's primary, first Asset. When used, it grants Advantage (roll two D12 and take the highest).

The players design their own Artifact. Here are some examples from the Pink Cloud playtests:

Spatula of Iron Will. Energy Glow: Green. "A gift of my Higher Power, who I choose to call Jacques Pépin, Master Chef."
Rod of Enabling. Energy Glow: Violet. "A gift of my Higher Power, who I choose to call Tabaldak, Abenaki Creator."
Book of Infinite Wisdom. Energy Glow: Blue Mist. "A gift of my Higher Power, who I choose to call Love."
Tree of Neverending Tasty Chocolate. Energy Glow: Honey Gold. "A gift of my Higher Power, who I choose to call Rodney, Circus Zoo Master."
Flying Carpet. Energy Glow:
Turquoise. "A gift of my Higher Power, who I choose to call Universal Spirit of Love."
 


An illustration of the blue world sphere of the New Land floating in the vortex of the Fourth Dimension, from the Pink Cloud Kickstarter. The Fourth Dimension is kind of like hyperspace, warp speed, and a time vortex all rolled into one. That's how Player Characters get from Earth to the New Land.

"I was soon to be catapulted into what I like to call the fourth dimension of existence."

Vortex - horizontal for enworld preview.png
 
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