Key & Token
A downloadable game
Key & Token 2e is out now!
Overview
What is this?
Key & Token is a compact GM-less tabletop role-playing game directly descended from games of Belonging Outside Belonging and the No Dice, No Masters engine, both of which were first introduced in the book Dream Askew / Dream Apart by Avery Alder and Benjamin Rosenbaum.
The game fits onto a standard business card (3.5in x 2in). A character sheet sits on the reverse. Additional information on the engine is supplied on this page.
Players create characters, scenes and play setting elements called Keys.
A Key is anything in a scene. A token is anything close to hand.
Key & Token can be played solo or with a group of friends. It uses a modified version of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
SRD
This page acts as both the System Reference Document (SRD) for the Key & Token engine, and a space to host the game for Print & Play. This is Version 1.0.
Thanks
The Key & Token engine is inspired by and indebted to the work of many great designers and podcasts:
Avery Alder, Benjamin Rosenbaum, Riley Rethal, Jay Dragon, Jack Harrison, Caro Asercion, Meguey & Vincent Baker, Tomas Herbertson, mv, Eli Seitz, Adira Slattery, Viditya, Tyler Crumrine
Tiny Tokens is also a pocket-sized No Dice, No Masters game - check it out!
Podcasts:
+1 Forward, Draw Your Dice, Saving Throw
Safety Tools
Safety tools are baked into the mechanics of Key & Token to help you and your friends stay safe while playing. You gain a token whenever you use a safety tool to make sure everyone has fun.
A QR code labelled "Safety Toolkit" links to the TTRPG Safety Toolkit created by Kienna Shaw & Lauren Bryant-Monk.
Visit The Gauntlet's Tools of the Table for an introduction to some of the most common safety tools.
Black Armada have a comprehensive list of articles on safety tools.
Use these tools as frequently as you need to .
Playing Keys
- A key is anything present in a scene.
- Conjure Keywords
- What is present in the scene?
- Consider the senses: sight · sound · feel · smell · taste
- Pick a Key
- Take responsibility for one of the Keywords in a scene.
Shyamala's key is 'Trees'
The Trees are towering, majestic and wild. The canopy has blocked out all natural light.
Lech's key is 'Squirrels'
Squirrels scamper away from us as we approach. You can see a couple climbing the trees ahead of us.
Margarit's key is 'Darkness'
We can hardly see through the thick mist. It's no doubt day, but there's a chill to the air. Life here is surely tainted.
Suus's key is 'Monsters'
Did you hear that? Sounded like a growl in the distance. The townspeople were right - things lurk in this forest.
Using Tokens
- A token can be anything close to hand.
- Spend a token
- Spend a token to make a Significant Act. It is up to you decide what is significant enough to cost a token.
- If you're unsure, consider the rule One Life, One Lock, One Love, One Token. This means that the cost of a token is roughly equal to taking someone's life, picking an impenetrable lock or winning over a rival.
- Give a token
- Ask a player a question and give them a token if they respond. Sample questions: "What are you carrying that I noticed?" or "You're hurt, what's the best way for me to heal you?"
Shyamala spends a Token
Ah, the door's locked. No matter, I spent some time hanging around the Thieves' Guild in my youth. I'll spend a Token to pick the lock.
Lech gives Margarit a Token
Hey, you looked like you strained yourself carrying those anti-grav shipments through the airlock. What would make your day?
Suus gains a Token
Ah, they've got me cornered. I'll have to surrender. I'll get 'em next time.
Create a Character
- Name
- Can be anything you like.
- Look
- Distinctive features and appearance.
- Style
- Wardrobe and equipment.
- Path
- role · career · expertise
- Memories & Experiences
- Use memories and experiences to provide context to your power, knowledge and presence.
Build a Scene
1. Create a Palette
write two lists:
·things you want to see
·things you want to avoid
2. Choose a Focus
location · landmark · event · time person · creature · object
3. Introduce a Character
Give your character a Name, Look, Style and Path.
Additionally, give your character memories and experiences to explain their power, knowledge and presence. See Character Creation.
4. Conjure Keywords
What is present in your scene?
sight · sound · feel · smell · taste
5. Pick a Key
take responsibility for a keyword
6. Act It Out
narrate the actions of your key and character spend tokens to make moves and impact the world
Usage
You are free to:
Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
Adapt - remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
Under the following terms:
Attribution — You must give appropriate credit. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
Key & and Token uses a modified version of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. This modified version first appeared in the licensing section of the Lost & Found SRD (https://srd.mousehole.press/usage/license) by Moushole Press.
Feedback
Constructive feedback is more than welcome! I'm very interested to hear what people think.
I would like to hear from you if you experience any accessibility issues playing Key & Token or navigating this page.
In the future I would like this page to also be available as an audiobook.
Key & Token is a game for everyone to enjoy - let's make it the best it can be.
Please leave a comment in the discussion board or contact me on Discord @ Gwyllgi#7978.
Purchase
In order to download this game you must purchase it at or above the minimum price of $1 USD. You will get access to the following files:
Development log
- Key & Token Second Edition is out now!Oct 16, 2022
Comments
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A good chassis, with 1 - focus on player agency over character agency for extra narrative reach 2 - focus on dramatic action rather than succcess/failure to make the game about players emotions rather than character success Answers an old question : https://rickard80.github.io/storygames/?21109
This is great. Thank you, DeReel.
Hi! This is awesome. Can you make a Canva of this? I want to make an spanish version
Thank you so much. Sure, here is a template of the master file I used to make this: Canva Template.
A Spanish version sounds great. I’ll link to it in this game’s description when it’s available.
Thanks! 🤩
here you have!
https://www.canva.com/design/DAFLXVhMYc8/0z4cxePxnH-BWYBVSAuB4A/view?utm_content...
Hey, I’m getting a 404 “page not found” error with this link. Looking forward to seeing it!
Take two 😂
https://www.canva.com/design/DAFLXVhMYc8/0z4cxePxnH-BWYBVSAuB4A/view?utm_content=DAFLXVhMYc8&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton
Fantastic, well done! Feel free to make a page for this if you like :)
So every participant creates 1 character + chooses 1 key for every scene? Or? What is the relationship/difference between characters and keys?
Thank you for your question! That’s right, generally one character and one key per scene but a player can play more of each if they want to within the narrative.
Keys replace the setting elements found in other games based on Belonging Outside Belonging. In those games, setting elements are all the pieces of a game usually controlled by a Gamemaster. They are aspects of the setting that the characters can interact with.
Anything can be a Key. The trees in a scene, the sound of a tractor tumbling along the country path, a flock of birds.
The difference between Character and Key is that you own your Character, only you decide what they can do. Nobody owns a Key, and anyone can collectively use any key to drive the narrative.
thanks for making that clear
Pure BoB. Love it. Thx for turning me on to you business card game. Yes, your safety tools innovation is great!
Davey
What a really solid, simple yet effective, deconstruction of token-based systems! I love it!
deconstruction? I think i meant to say distillation lol
Thank you, Viditya, I’m really glad you like the game!
I think Key & Token could count as both. I had a great time researching the different ways people have approached token mechanics. I love to breakdown complex systems into smaller components and make something new.
I wonder what people will make from this? So exciting!
This is really interesting. I can’t wait to do something with it and to see what other people do. Nice job. And I appreciate you including the game text on the main page too.
Thank you for the kind words! I’m very much looking forward to seeing what people do with this and I hope the game inspires more people to create and play around with this style of roleplay. If you do make something inspired by Key & Token, please let me know.