This here formerly-exclusive episode is the first of two sessions we played of The Quiet Year, a collaborative map building game that we absolutely fell in love with!

From the book itself... "This is a map-drawing game. Together, you play as a community rebuilding after the collapse of civilization. Your decisions will define the values and future of this community, and these decisions will get added to a map which is constantly evolving. This map blends literal cartography with symbols, creating a rich visual record of land and people. Players collaborate to steer the fate of the community, while also introducing problems and tensions along the way."

Listen to the rest of the story and support the show on Patreon.

Enter the scenario contest (under 1500 words, theme of "Pretending to be People") by emailing PretendingPod@gmail.com with the subject line "Scenario Contest 2026."

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Soundtrack by WAAAVV.

Wolf the Dog played "My Life is Great and It's All My Fault" by Altar Girl.