A DND-inspired, high-fantasy tabletop RPG for ages 5–7 with a cozy Scottish fairy mythological theme.
This repo is intentionally art-forward:
- Images on every major book/page section.
- Dedicated image for every creature in the bestiary.
- Reproducible prompts stored in
art/prompts/. - Generated art stored in
art/generated/.
- Player Handbook
- Dungeon Master Guide
- Image-Heavy Bestiary
- Example Campaigns
- Character Sheet
- Example Character — Mairi Map-Button
- Player Races and Classes
- Guide Session Sheet
- Combined Draft
Roll 1d6 + a simple stat. A total of 5+ succeeds. On 3–4, success with a silly twist. On 1–2, try a new plan or get help from a friend.
No gore, no horror, no permanent death, simple choices, cooperative problem solving, reading-light mechanics, 20–40 minute sessions.
For grown-up helpers: This chapter is written to be read aloud. Pause at each “Your turn” box and let the child choose, point, draw, or answer with one word. A complete first character should take 5–10 minutes.
You are about to make a brave, clever, kind, quick hero for a fairy-tale adventure. Your hero does not need to be perfect. Your hero only needs three things:
- A name.
- A way to help.
- A little bit of magic or courage.
This is a talking, drawing, dice-rolling game. The Guide describes a magical place. You say what your hero tries. Then everyone helps tell what happens next.
The story is about:
- Finding lost things.
- Helping mixed-up creatures.
- Solving gentle puzzles.
- Being brave without being mean.
- Making the glen safer and happier.
- Heroes help. Kindness comes first.
- Everyone gets a turn. Invite quiet friends in.
- Lantern makes it gentler. If anything feels too spooky, say “Lantern!”
- A low roll means a new idea. It never means you are bad at the game.
When the Guide says, “That is tricky,” roll one six-sided die.
Roll 1d6 + one stat.
| Total | What happens | Say it like this |
|---|---|---|
| 5 or more | You do it! | “Yes! Tell us what it looks like.” |
| 3–4 | You do it, with a silly twist. | “Yes, but something funny happens.” |
| 1–2 | Not yet. Try a new plan or ask for help. | “Not yet. What else could we try?” |
Use these when your hero does something tricky:
- Brave — climbing, protecting, trying a hard thing.
- Clever — puzzles, clues, remembering tales, making plans.
- Kind — calming creatures, sharing, apologizing, making peace.
- Quick — racing, catching, dodging, sneaking, balancing.
In Thistlebright, a character has both a race and a class.
- Your race says what kind of fairy-tale person you are.
- Your class says what you like doing on adventures.
For ages 5–7, keep it simple: pick one race, pick one class, then choose your numbers.
These are also called kindreds in the glen. Pick the one that sounds fun. Races do not make anyone better or worse. They give a tiny story gift and a way to imagine your hero.
Curious children from villages, farms, islands, castles, and cozy cottages near the fairy roads.
- Look: tartan scarf, muddy boots, warm smile, pockets full of treasures.
- Tiny gift: Once per adventure, ask a grown-up, old sign, or village memory for a clue.
- Good for players who want: a familiar hero stepping into magic.
Children with a little fairy sparkle: bright eyes, tiny wing-glimmers, or hair that floats when music plays.
- Look: thistle-petal shimmer, star freckles, ribbon-bright clothes.
- Tiny gift: Once per scene, notice nearby fairy magic.
- Good for players who want: sparkles, secrets, and fairy manners.
Helpful wee folk who love fixing, tidying, baking, building, and making useful things.
- Look: flour on nose, tool pouch, apron, cozy cap.
- Tiny gift: Once per scene, repair, tidy, or improve one small thing.
- Good for players who want: practical problem-solving.
Gentle sea-hearted heroes with a soft seal-cloak, shell songs, or dreams of moonlit waves.
- Look: soft cloak, shell button, sea-glass charm, misty blue colors.
- Tiny gift: Once per scene, understand water, weather, or a sad feeling.
- Good for players who want: calm, kindness, and loch magic.
Forest friends watched over by rowan trees, moss, birds, and old promises.
- Look: leaf crown, berry beads, mossy boots, bark-brown cloak.
- Tiny gift: Once per scene, ask a plant, tree, or bird for a small hint.
- Good for players who want: nature, guardianship, and gentle wisdom.
A child blessed by a tiny friendly dragon: warm hands, smoke-ring giggles, or shiny scale freckles.
- Look: dragon-scale button, warm scarf, tiny harmless horn headband, smoky sparkles.
- Tiny gift: Once per adventure, make a little warm puff that dries, warms, or lights something safely.
- Good for players who want: brave wonder without scary fire.
Your turn: Point to one race. Say, “I am a ______.”
Your class is what you do when adventure starts. It gives you one bigger class gift.
A tiny knight with a big heart.
- Best at: protecting friends and trying brave things.
- Class gift: Once per adventure, stand in front of danger and make it safe.
- Starting item: soft wooden shield.
- Good name ideas: Rowan, Tam, Isla Shieldbutton.
Abilities / spells block:
- Shield of Thistles: Give a friend +1 when you protect them.
- Brave Step: Cross one scary-but-safe obstacle first so friends feel better.
- Kind Challenge: Ask a grumpy creature for a fair contest instead of a fight.
- Lantern Guard: Spend a charm to make a scene gentler for everyone.
A young spell-speaker who knows rhyme-magic.
- Best at: small helpful magic and fairy clues.
- Class gift: Once per scene, make a small magical light, sound, or sparkle.
- Starting item: pebble wand.
- Good name ideas: Skye, Eilidh, Pip Pebblewand.
Abilities / spells block:
- Glowbug Light: Make a soft light that shows clues.
- Pebble Ping: Your wand gently points toward nearby magic.
- Rhyme Reminder: Say a silly rhyme to remember an old fairy rule.
- Sparkle Signal: Spend a charm to send a safe sparkle message to a friend.
A fast explorer who knows paths and animal tracks.
- Best at: maps, hidden paths, and quick movement.
- Class gift: Once per scene, find a hidden path or clue.
- Starting item: ribbon map.
- Good name ideas: Mairi, Finlay, Nessa Map-Button.
Abilities / spells block:
- Ribbon Map: Ask one question about where a path goes.
- Quiet Boots: Move gently without startling a creature.
- Stepping-Stone Hop: Give yourself +1 when balancing, climbing, or crossing.
- Trail Friend: Spend a charm to help the whole group follow you safely.
A singer, dancer, joker, and friend-maker.
- Best at: cheering people up and making grumpy creatures laugh.
- Class gift: Once per adventure, turn grumpiness into giggles.
- Starting item: tiny bell or whistle.
- Good name ideas: Brodie, Callum, Heather Bell.
Abilities / spells block:
- Ceilidh Beat: Start a rhythm that helps everyone move together.
- Giggle Verse: Turn one grumpy sentence into a silly one.
- Warm Welcome: Give a shy NPC a reason to talk.
- Encore Help: Spend a charm to let a friend reroll after you cheer them on.
A child-sized friend of the fairy courts.
- Best at: nature hints and fairy manners.
- Class gift: Once per scene, ask a small nature spirit for a hint.
- Starting item: acorn cup.
- Good name ideas: Ailsa, Lorna, Thistle Pip.
Abilities / spells block:
- Acorn Cup: Offer a tiny gift and ask for fairy hospitality.
- Heather Hello: Flowers wave toward a friendly creature.
- Polite Promise: Make a simple promise that opens a fairy door or path.
- Mushroom Messenger: Spend a charm to ask a mushroom, beetle, or breeze for help.
Your turn: Point to one class. Say, “My job is ______.”
Say both pieces together:
“I am a [race] [class].”
Examples:
- Human Glenfolk Thistle Knight
- Fairy-Touched Glen Wizard
- Brownie-Kin Hearth Bard
- Selkie-Born Loch Scout
- Rowan-Kin Fairy Friend
- Dragon-Friend Thistle Knight
Write these numbers next to your stats:
+2, +1, +1, +0
Put +2 next to the thing your class is best at.
| If your class is... | Put +2 in... | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Thistle Knight | Brave | You protect and try hard things. |
| Glen Wizard | Clever | You know rhymes, signs, and tiny spells. |
| Loch Scout | Quick | You move fast and find paths. |
| Hearth Bard | Kind | You cheer people up. |
| Fairy Friend | Kind or Clever | You know fairy manners and nature hints. |
Then put +1 in two other stats, and +0 in the last one.
Grown-up helper tip: The race gift is for flavor and tiny story help. The class tells the child what they are likely to do most often.
Choose one, roll 1d6, or invent something small:
- Rowan button that feels warm near kind magic.
- Tartan ribbon that points toward music.
- Smooth loch pebble that skips once on any puddle.
- Thistle badge that glows when someone is brave.
- Heather biscuit wrapped in leaf-paper.
- Wee wooden dragon that sneezes sparkles.
Finish this sentence:
“My hero always helps __________________.”
Ideas: lost animals, shy friends, grumpy creatures, little siblings, travelers, trees, dragons, anyone who is scared.
Draw a big shape first. Then add:
- One sign of your race.
- One sign of your class.
- One tartan thing.
- One magical thing.
- One friendly smile.
- One tiny treasure.
Here is a complete example you can copy before making your own.
Grown-up: “What kind of hero sounds fun?”
Player: “I want to find secret paths and be from the loch.”
Grown-up: “Great. For race, Selkie-Born gives you gentle loch magic. For class, Loch Scout helps you find secret paths.”
Mairi chooses Selkie-Born. Her tiny race gift lets her understand water, weather, or a sad feeling once per scene.
Mairi chooses Loch Scout. Her class gift lets her find a hidden path or clue once per scene.
A Loch Scout is best at moving fast and finding paths, so Mairi puts +2 in Quick.
Then she chooses:
- Brave +1 because she likes crossing stepping stones.
- Clever +1 because she likes maps.
- Kind +0 because she is still learning how to talk to grumpy creatures.
Mairi’s stats are:
| Stat | Number |
|---|---|
| Brave | +1 |
| Clever | +1 |
| Kind | +0 |
| Quick | +2 |
Mairi picks a rowan button sewn onto her scarf. It feels warm near kind magic.
Mairi writes:
“My hero always helps lost travelers.”
Because she is Selkie-Born, once per scene Mairi can understand water, weather, or a sad feeling.
Because she is a Loch Scout, once per scene Mairi can find a hidden path or clue.
The Guide says:
“A sleepy troll has lost his lullaby. The stepping stones wiggle in the moonlight. What do you do?”
Mairi says:
“I look for tiny wet footprints to see where the lullaby went.”
That is a Clever roll. Mairi rolls a 4 and adds +1 Clever.
4 + 1 = 5. Success!
The Guide says:
“You find silver footprints leading to a mossy cookie plate. The troll smiles and whispers, ‘Och, I remember the first line now.’”
Each hero starts with 3 charms.
Spend one charm to:
- Reroll a die.
- Help a friend add +1.
- Make a scene less scary.
- Remember a helpful tale.
When a friend rolls, you can help by saying one clear action:
- “I hold the lantern so they can see.”
- “I share my scarf with the chilly kelpie.”
- “I remember the fairy rhyme with them.”
Then spend 1 charm to give your friend +1. If the roll still does not work, everyone learns something useful and tries a new idea.
Tiny spells never hurt anyone and never solve a whole adventure by themselves. They are best for making clues easier to see, cheering someone up, decorating a scene, or doing one small impossible thing.
| Spell | What it does |
|---|---|
| Glowbug Light | A soft glow floats near your hand. |
| Tickly Breeze | A gentle wind moves leaves, hair, or dust. |
| Door-Knock Whisper | A door politely tells you if it wants a knock. |
| Puddle Mirror | A puddle shows the last kind thing said nearby. |
| Tartan Sparkle | A ribbon sparkles when fairy magic is close. |
| Feather Fall | Someone lands softly on moss or feathers. |
| Mossy Cushion | Soft moss appears where someone might tumble. |
| Heather Hello | Flowers wave toward a friendly creature. |
| Rowan Promise | A leaf glows when someone tells the truth. |
| Ceilidh Beat | A tap-tap rhythm helps everyone march together. |
Guide: “The bridge is guarded by a sleepy troll who lost his lullaby.”
Player: “I sing him a soft song.”
Guide: “That sounds Kind. Roll one die and add Kind.”
Player: “I rolled a 4. My Kind is +1. That makes 5!”
Guide: “You do it! The troll smiles, yawns, and lets you cross. He gives you a moss cookie for later.”
- Say what you try. “I ask the brownie what is wrong.”
- Choose the best stat. Kind, Clever, Brave, or Quick.
- Roll and tell the story. On a twist, make it funny: squeaky boots, floating hair, biscuit crumbs, or a frog clapping.
Thistlebright heroes do not use gore, cruel tricks, or permanent harm. Even “monsters” are usually hungry, lonely, mixed-up, sleepy, cursed by silly magic, or guarding the wrong thing.
The best victory is:
- A new friend.
- A fair trade.
- A safe path home.
- A creature feeling understood.
- A party under the rowan tree.
- Tiny story gift: Once per adventure, ask a grown-up, old sign, or village memory for a clue.
- Visual idea: tartan scarf, muddy boots, pockets full of treasures.
- Tiny story gift: Once per scene, notice nearby fairy magic.
- Visual idea: star freckles, thistle shimmer, ribbon-bright clothes.
- Tiny story gift: Once per scene, repair, tidy, or improve one small thing.
- Visual idea: apron, tool pouch, flour on nose.
- Tiny story gift: Once per scene, understand water, weather, or a sad feeling.
- Visual idea: seal-cloak scarf, shell button, sea-glass charm.
- Tiny story gift: Once per scene, ask a plant, tree, or bird for a small hint.
- Visual idea: leaf crown, berry beads, mossy boots.
- Tiny story gift: Once per adventure, make a little warm puff that dries, warms, or lights something safely.
- Visual idea: scale freckles, warm scarf, smoky sparkles.
- Best stat: Brave
- Class gift: Once per adventure, stand in front of danger and make it safe.
- Abilities: Shield of Thistles; Brave Step; Kind Challenge; Lantern Guard.
- Best stat: Clever
- Class gift: Once per scene, make a small magical light, sound, or sparkle.
- Spells: Glowbug Light; Pebble Ping; Rhyme Reminder; Sparkle Signal.
- Best stat: Quick
- Class gift: Once per scene, find a hidden path or clue.
- Abilities: Ribbon Map; Quiet Boots; Stepping-Stone Hop; Trail Friend.
- Best stat: Kind
- Class gift: Once per adventure, turn grumpiness into giggles.
- Spells: Ceilidh Beat; Giggle Verse; Warm Welcome; Encore Help.
- Best stat: Kind or Clever
- Class gift: Once per scene, ask a small nature spirit for a hint.
- Spells: Acorn Cup; Heather Hello; Polite Promise; Mushroom Messenger.
I am a [race] [class] who helps [someone].
Examples:
- I am a Selkie-Born Loch Scout who helps lost travelers.
- I am a Brownie-Kin Hearth Bard who helps grumpy creatures.
- I am a Dragon-Friend Thistle Knight who helps anyone who feels scared.
Hero Name: ___________________________
Player: ______________________________
Race / Kindred: ☐ Human Glenfolk ☐ Fairy-Touched ☐ Brownie-Kin ☐ Selkie-Born ☐ Rowan-Kin ☐ Dragon-Friend
Class / Path: ☐ Thistle Knight ☐ Glen Wizard ☐ Loch Scout ☐ Hearth Bard ☐ Fairy Friend
- Brave: ____
- Clever: ____
- Kind: ____
- Quick: ____
☐ Charm 1 ☐ Charm 2 ☐ Charm 3
- Today I helped: __________________________________
- Funny thing that happened: ________________________
- Treasure/title earned: ____________________________
Hero Name: Mairi Map-Button
Player: Example Player
Race / Kindred: Selkie-Born
Class / Path: Loch Scout
- Brave: +1
- Clever: +1
- Kind: +0
- Quick: +2
☐ Charm 1 ☐ Charm 2 ☐ Charm 3
Once per scene, I can understand water, weather, or a sad feeling.
Once per scene, I can find a hidden path or clue.
A rowan button sewn onto my scarf. It feels warm near kind magic.
I always help lost travelers.
Mairi wears a warm scarf, carries a ribbon map, and keeps a tiny pencil behind one ear. A small cloud sheep follows her when she remembers to say please.
Mairi looks for wet footprints near the polite stepping stones.
She rolls 4 and adds Clever +1.
Total: 5 — success! She finds silver footprints leading toward the moss cookie plate.
You are not trying to beat the children. You are helping them feel brave, clever, and kind. Keep the pace quick, the choices clear, and the tone magical.
For ages 5–7, aim for 20–40 minutes. Use this structure:
- Wonder: show a magical place.
- Problem: someone needs help.
- Three scenes: clue, obstacle, choice.
- Happy ending: celebrate and give a sticker/title/treasure.
Use lost things, mixed-up magic, grumpy creatures, riddles, weather trouble, broken bridges, and missing songs. Avoid graphic injury, hopelessness, betrayal by trusted adults, punishing curiosity, and long tactical combat.
If a child says Lantern, immediately soften the scene. Example: “The dragon is not angry; it has hiccups and needs help.”
Every encounter should have at least three solutions:
- Kind: comfort, negotiate, share.
- Clever: solve a riddle, spot a clue.
- Brave/Quick: climb, run, distract, protect.
Calm it, help it, outwit it, return what was lost, or make a fair trade.
Use story rewards, not power creep: title, tiny treasure, helper, or a new place opens on the map.
- One big image per scene.
- One problem at a time.
- Repeat important clues three times.
- Let kids invent solutions. Say “yes, and” often.
- Scottish fairy: bright, playful, “Och, wee hero!”
- Brownie: busy, practical, loves tidy kitchens.
- Kelpies: musical, splashy, likes riddles.
- Dragon: booming but polite, sneezes smoke-rings.
Place: Misty stepping stones over a silver burn. Need: A fairy courier dropped moon-mail. Obstacle: Stones move when nobody says please. Clues: Wet envelopes, giggling reeds, hoofprints. Solutions: Ask reeds kindly, leap quickly, sing to stones. Reward: A moon-stamp that glows near secrets.
Use these as quick table reminders. Cut them into cards or copy them onto index cards.
| Card | Say to the child | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Brave | “You try something hard or stand up for a friend.” | climbing, protecting, facing a noisy-but-safe surprise |
| Clever | “You notice clues or make a plan.” | riddles, maps, remembering fairy stories |
| Kind | “You help someone feel better.” | calming, sharing, apologising, inviting |
| Quick | “You move fast or carefully.” | catching, sneaking, balancing, racing |
Give each hero 3 small tokens (buttons, shells, beads, or paper thistles). A hero may spend one to:
- reroll a die;
- add +1 to a friend’s roll after saying how they help;
- ask for one gentle clue;
- make a scene softer by holding up the Lantern card.
When a roll is almost there, let the player pick or roll 1d6:
- Your socks squeak loudly.
- A tiny fairy starts narrating everything you do.
- A tartan ribbon ties itself into a bow on your hat.
- You succeed, but the clue is covered in biscuit crumbs.
- A cloud sheep follows you for the rest of the scene.
- Everyone must do one silly dance step before moving on.
Avoid saying “you fail.” Try one of these:
- “Not yet — who can help you?”
- “That way is wobbly. What is a kinder or cleverer way?”
- “You learn one useful thing, but need a new plan.”
- “A funny complication appears; it is safe, just inconvenient.”
Before play, prepare:
- dice that are easy to see;
- pencils and blank spaces for drawing;
- one visible Lantern card;
- a 5-minute wiggle break option;
- a promise that every ending is safe, warm, and celebratory.
Every creature has a dedicated picture, a kid-safe role, and at least three non-combat ways to interact.
- Mood: Sparkly, bossy in a friendly way.
- Wants: Brave children to help fix fairy mishaps.
- Gentle Trouble: Gives too many clues at once.
- How to Help: Ask her to slow down and draw a map.
- Game Note: Can appear when players are stuck.
- Kind: Offer comfort, share something, or ask what it needs.
- Clever: Notice a clue, solve a pattern, or remember a fairy tale.
- Brave/Quick: Protect a friend, climb carefully, race, or distract with silliness.
- Mood: Hardworking, proud, flour on nose.
- Wants: A tidy home and a thank-you.
- Gentle Trouble: Hides shoes if people are rude.
- How to Help: Clean, bake, or apologize.
- Game Note: Kind roll to befriend.
- Kind: Offer comfort, share something, or ask what it needs.
- Clever: Notice a clue, solve a pattern, or remember a fairy tale.
- Brave/Quick: Protect a friend, climb carefully, race, or distract with silliness.
- Mood: Splashy, musical, mischievous.
- Wants: Someone to solve their water-riddle.
- Gentle Trouble: Carry boats in circles.
- How to Help: Answer riddle, sing, or offer a shiny shell.
- Game Note: Clever or Kind spotlight.
- Kind: Offer comfort, share something, or ask what it needs.
- Clever: Notice a clue, solve a pattern, or remember a fairy tale.
- Brave/Quick: Protect a friend, climb carefully, race, or distract with silliness.
- Mood: Gentle, wise, dreamy.
- Wants: Lost stories returned to the sea library.
- Gentle Trouble: Forgets land directions.
- How to Help: Follow moonlit shell clues.
- Game Note: Gives lore and calm scenes.
- Kind: Offer comfort, share something, or ask what it needs.
- Clever: Notice a clue, solve a pattern, or remember a fairy tale.
- Brave/Quick: Protect a friend, climb carefully, race, or distract with silliness.
- Mood: Grumpy but tiny.
- Wants: To look frightening, but mostly wants lunch.
- Gentle Trouble: Blocks a path with silly rules.
- How to Help: Compliment hat, share snack, make a fair rule.
- Game Note: Comic obstacle; never violent.
- Kind: Offer comfort, share something, or ask what it needs.
- Clever: Notice a clue, solve a pattern, or remember a fairy tale.
- Brave/Quick: Protect a friend, climb carefully, race, or distract with silliness.
- Mood: Proud, sneezy, lonely.
- Wants: A warm cave and friends who are not scared.
- Gentle Trouble: Smoke sneezes turn signs backward.
- How to Help: Find pepper-free flowers and teach calm breaths.
- Game Note: Brave to approach, Kind to soothe.
- Kind: Offer comfort, share something, or ask what it needs.
- Clever: Notice a clue, solve a pattern, or remember a fairy tale.
- Brave/Quick: Protect a friend, climb carefully, race, or distract with silliness.
- Mood: Slow, ancient, protective.
- Wants: Children to respect the forest.
- Gentle Trouble: Will not open the path without a promise.
- How to Help: Promise to protect a seedling.
- Game Note: Good moral choice scene.
- Kind: Offer comfort, share something, or ask what it needs.
- Clever: Notice a clue, solve a pattern, or remember a fairy tale.
- Brave/Quick: Protect a friend, climb carefully, race, or distract with silliness.
- Mood: Fluffy, forgetful, floaty.
- Wants: To find the sky pasture.
- Gentle Trouble: Block the sun or rain giggle-drops.
- How to Help: Herd with music or colored ribbons.
- Game Note: Quick or Hearth Bard spotlight.
- Kind: Offer comfort, share something, or ask what it needs.
- Clever: Notice a clue, solve a pattern, or remember a fairy tale.
- Brave/Quick: Protect a friend, climb carefully, race, or distract with silliness.
- Mood: Shy stone puppy energy.
- Wants: To learn how to be a proper gargoyle.
- Gentle Trouble: Practices scary faces at bad times.
- How to Help: Teach silly faces, then guardian faces.
- Game Note: Turns a scary visual into comedy.
- Kind: Offer comfort, share something, or ask what it needs.
- Clever: Notice a clue, solve a pattern, or remember a fairy tale.
- Brave/Quick: Protect a friend, climb carefully, race, or distract with silliness.
- Mood: Very dramatic washer spirit, but child-safe.
- Wants: Clean socks for the fairy ball.
- Gentle Trouble: Floods paths with soap bubbles.
- How to Help: Sort colors, rinse socks, fix plug.
- Game Note: Puzzle + sensory fun.
- Kind: Offer comfort, share something, or ask what it needs.
- Clever: Notice a clue, solve a pattern, or remember a fairy tale.
- Brave/Quick: Protect a friend, climb carefully, race, or distract with silliness.
Length: 3 short sessions. Premise: Ailsa Thistledown baked moon-muffins for the fairy ceilidh, but they floated away.
- Wonder: A glowing path through bluebells.
- Problem: Moon-muffins are drifting into the sky.
- Scenes: Talk to a brownie, follow silver crumbs, cross polite stepping stones.
- Ending: Recover the first basket and find a feather clue.
- Wonder: A hilltop where sheep float like clouds.
- Problem: Cloud sheep ate the moon-sugar by mistake.
- Scenes: Herd sheep with ribbons, calm a sneezy dragonling, collect moon-sugar.
- Ending: Dragonling offers warm cave oven.
- Wonder: Fairy dance under a guardian tree.
- Problem: Grumpy sproutlings blocked the party path.
- Scenes: Make fair rules, decorate lanterns, sing a welcome song.
- Ending: Feast, dance, title reward: Moon-Muffin Rescuer.
Length: 2–4 sessions. Premise: The loch cannot reflect the moon, so night travelers are lost.
- Kelpies ask riddles in ripples.
- Selkie Storykeeper reveals a stolen mirror-shell.
- Castle Gargoyle Calf accidentally hid it while practicing guarding.
- Heroes return it and the loch shines again.
Length: one-shot, 30 minutes. Premise: A tartan-patterned door appears in a grassy hill. Behind it, the fairy post office is upside down.
- Knock politely or solve the plaid pattern puzzle.
- Catch flying letters by color.
- Help the post-mouse sort invitations.
- Decide who receives the mysterious golden envelope.
Length: 1–2 sessions. Premise: A tiny heather dragon sneezed and turned all castle signs backward.
- A maze of wrong signs.
- Gargoyle Calf teaches stone directions.
- Find peppery purple flowers causing sneezes.
- Make a calm-breathing song.
Roll 1d6:
- A rainbow bridge lost the color green.
- A brownie needs help before the royal fairy inspection.
- A cloud sheep is stuck in a chimney.
- A selkie library book is overdue by 100 years.
- The Rowan Guardian wants a new bedtime story.
- The fairy queen’s crown is actually a bird nest now.
Length: 35–45 minutes
Best for: 2–5 young heroes
Big feeling: Wonder, teamwork, giggles
Safety note: Nothing chases to harm anyone. If a scene feels too spooky, say Lantern and the mist becomes friendly bubbles.
“Tonight is the Rowan Lantern Parade. Fairy folk, brownies, selkies, and gentle kelpies bring lanterns to the old rowan tree so every path in Thistlebright Glen glows safely. But oh no! The lantern lights have bounced away like golden peas. A worried fairy called Peigi Twinklecap flutters up to you. ‘We need brave, clever, kind helpers before the ceilidh music starts!’”
A baby starling heard the ceilidh fiddles and tried to dance on the lantern rope. The rope twanged, and the lights popped loose. The lights are playful, not dangerous. They will return if the heroes make them feel welcome.
Place: A purple heather hill with tartan ribbons tied to little sticks.
Problem: Three lantern lights are hiding in the heather and copying sheep noises.
Ask: “How do you find a giggling light?”
Checks:
- Kind 5+: Speak gently; the lights hop into a jar with a happy hum.
- Clever 5+: Notice the “sheep” glow gold whenever they baa.
- Quick 5+: Catch one as it bounces, then invite the others to race back.
- 3–4 twist: A light lands on someone’s nose and makes them sneeze sparkles.
- 1–2 complication: The lights scatter into a funny shape; a friend may help with +1.
Reward clue: A tartan ribbon points toward the loch.
Place: Misty blue loch, stepping stones, and moon reflections.
Problem: A friendly kelpie has lantern lights tangled in its mane but is too shy to ask for help.
Kelpie voice: Musical, splashy, and polite: “If ye please, wee heroes, could you untwinkle my fringe?”
Three solutions:
- Kind: Compliment the kelpie and gently comb the lights free with reeds.
- Clever: Solve its ripple riddle: “What shines when shared?” Answer: “Light,” “kindness,” or any sweet idea.
- Brave/Quick: Step stone to stone and toss a soft scarf for the lights to land on.
Funny twist ideas: wet socks that squeak, a frog applauds, the kelpie’s mane becomes a silly braid.
Reward clue: The freed lights drift toward the fairy ceilidh circle.
Place: The old rowan tree, lantern hooks, tiny mushroom stools, and musicians tuning fiddles.
Problem: The last lantern light refuses to hang up because it wants to dance too.
Choice: Do the heroes make a rule, invent a dance, or design a special lantern job?
Possible endings:
- Dance ending: Everyone performs the “Thistle Wiggle”; the last light dances at the front of the parade.
- Helper ending: The light becomes the “First Lantern” and leads lost guests safely.
- Craft ending: The heroes decorate a lantern with tartan ribbon so it feels special.
“The rowan tree glows gold and green. The loch reflects every lantern, the brownies pass moon-muffins, and the kelpie stamps a splashy beat from the shore. Peigi Twinklecap bows. ‘By thistle, heather, loch, and star, you are Friends of the Rowan Light!’”
Each hero chooses one:
- Title: Friend of the Rowan Light.
- Tiny treasure: A paper lantern charm that glows when someone says please.
- Map reward: The safe glowing path to the Fairy Ceilidh Circle is now open.
Ask each player to draw their lantern. Let every drawing add a tiny magical power: smells like biscuits, makes rainbows, hums lullabies, points home, or warms cold hands.
Length: 4 sessions of 25–35 minutes
Best for: families or classrooms who want a gentle continuing story
Big feeling: Mystery, friendship, ocean sparkle, high-fantasy wonder
Guide promise: Nobody is trapped forever. The sea is magical but kind. Any wave, shadow, or loud sound can become bubbles when someone says Lantern.
Morag Shellsong, a selkie Storykeeper, keeps a star map that helps friendly night travelers find warm hearths, safe bridges, and the fairy ceilidh path. One windy evening the map breaks into four glowing star-stickers and flutters across Thistlebright Glen. The heroes collect the stars by helping creatures who each need kindness, cleverness, bravery, or quick feet.
Draw four empty stars on paper. At the end of each session, colour one in. When all four shine, the map becomes whole and points to a celebration.
| Star | Place | Who needs help? | Main choice | Reward |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shell-Beach by Mirror Loch | Morag the selkie | Listen, sort shells, sing | Listening Star |
| 2 | Brownie Bakery Burrow | Brochan the brownie | Tidy, trade, invent | Helpful Star |
| 3 | Castle Heatherhorn Tower | Gargoyle Calf | Encourage, puzzle, climb | Courage Star |
| 4 | Rowan Ceilidh Circle | Fairy musicians | Share, dance, lead | Welcome Star |
Read aloud: “Moonlight turns the loch silver. On the pebbly shore, a selkie in a soft seal-skin cloak pats her pockets. ‘Och, my star map has gone skittering! Without it, travelers may take the long soggy way home.’ Four tiny lights blink across the glen like shy fireflies.”
Problem: Shells are all mixed up, and the first star hides under the shell that sounds like home.
Three ways to help:
- Kind 5+: Ask Morag about her favourite home-sound. She smiles and says, “Waves, warm soup, and friends laughing.”
- Clever 5+: Sort shells by sound: whisper, hum, clack, and giggle.
- Quick 5+: Catch the rolling giggle-shell before it splashes into the loch.
3–4 twist: A shell sings your name in a very squeaky voice.
1–2 not yet: The shell pile wobbles into a tiny tower. A friend can steady it with +1.
Reward: The Listening Star sticks gently to the party map.
Read aloud: “The smell of oatcakes and moon-muffins drifts from a round green door. Inside, Brochan the brownie is floury from boots to eyebrows. ‘The Helpful Star landed in my dough, and now every muffin wants a job!’”
Problem: The muffins are marching around carrying spoons, napkins, and one very important star.
Three ways to help:
- Kind 5+: Thank each muffin for helping, then invite it to rest on a cooling rack.
- Clever 5+: Make a jobs chart: spoons in the pot, napkins on the table, star on the map.
- Brave/Quick 5+: Lead a tiny muffin parade safely around the oven rug.
Funny complications: flour moustaches, hiccuping raisins, a muffin that insists it is the captain.
Reward: Brochan gives the Helpful Star and a basket of imaginary moon-muffins for sharing.
Read aloud: “Castle Heatherhorn rises from the heather like a friendly old giant. At the top, a young gargoyle calf sniffles stone tears. ‘I was practising my guard pose and the Courage Star got stuck on the weather-vane!’”
Problem: The tower stairs are safe but very tall, and the gargoyle calf feels embarrassed.
Three ways to help:
- Kind 5+: Tell the gargoyle one thing they did well. Their wings perk up.
- Clever 5+: Notice the weather-vane turns when everyone says a rhyming direction: ‘Star so bright, turn just right!’
- Brave/Quick 5+: Climb the gentle stair, taking a wiggle break halfway.
3–4 twist: A tartan flag wraps around someone like a superhero cape.
1–2 not yet: The stair creaks a silly tune; pause, breathe, and try a new rhythm.
Reward: The Courage Star joins the map, and the gargoyle teaches a proud-but-polite guard pose.
Read aloud: “At the rowan tree, fairy fiddles tune themselves and lanterns glow like honey. The final Welcome Star bounces above the dance floor, but it will not land until everyone has a place in the ceilidh.”
Problem: Three guests feel left out: a shy kelpie at the loch edge, a cloud sheep behind the tree, and a sproutling who only knows stompy dancing.
Three ways to help:
- Kind 5+: Invite each guest by name and ask what dance feels comfortable.
- Clever 5+: Design a dance with three parts: splash, fluff, stomp.
- Quick 5+: Lead a gentle follow-the-leader parade around the rowan.
Final choice: Where does the completed star map live?
- With Morag, so stories guide travelers.
- In the brownie bakery, so every visitor finds supper.
- Under the rowan tree, so the ceilidh path always glows.
Final read aloud: “The four stars join with a soft chime. Lines of gold curl between loch, bakery, castle, and rowan tree. Every path home shines warmly. Morag bows, Brochan waves a floury spoon, the gargoyle calf stands tall, and the ceilidh begins. By thistle and star, the heroes are named Keepers of the Friendly Map!”
Each hero chooses one keepsake:
- Shell Compass: hums softly near a safe path.
- Brownie Button: smells like biscuits when someone shares.
- Gargoyle Pebble: helps you stand tall for one brave sentence.
- Ceilidh Ribbon: adds sparkles to a dance or song.
Copy one box after each session so young players remember the story.
| Session | We helped... | The funniest thing was... | Our star was... |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Morag at the loch | Listening | |
| 2 | Brochan in the bakery | Helpful | |
| 3 | Gargoyle Calf at the castle | Courage | |
| 4 | Everyone at the ceilidh | Welcome |
Print this page, cut on the lines, or copy the cards onto index cards.
Roll 1d6 + one stat.
- 5+ — You do it!
- 3–4 — You do it with a funny twist.
- 1–2 — Not yet: ask for help, use a charm, or try a new plan.
No one is out of the story. Every roll moves the adventure forward.
- Brave: try hard things, protect, climb, face noisy surprises.
- Clever: spot clues, solve riddles, remember tales, make plans.
- Kind: calm, share, apologise, invite, befriend.
- Quick: catch, balance, sneak, race, move carefully.
If two stats fit, let the child choose and explain why.
Each hero starts with 3 charms.
Spend 1 charm to:
- reroll your die;
- give a friend +1 after describing help;
- ask the Guide for one gentle clue;
- soften a scene with the Lantern safety word.
Use buttons, beads, shells, or paper thistles as tokens.
If anyone says Lantern, the Guide makes the scene softer right away.
Examples:
- The dragon is not angry; it has tickly hiccups.
- The mist is not spooky; it becomes bubble fog.
- The loud noise is a giant sneezing into a handkerchief.
- The dark cave has glowworms and a friendly echo.
On a 3–4, the hero succeeds and one silly thing happens:
- Boots squeak like ducklings.
- Hair floats for one minute.
- A frog applauds politely.
- The clue is sticky with jam.
- A tartan ribbon ties itself into a bow.
- A cloud sheep follows the hero.
End each session with:
- a thank-you from someone helped;
- a title, sticker, charm, or tiny treasure;
- one chance for each player to say their favorite moment;
- a safe path home under rowan, thistle, heather, and stars.
Print these pages when you want to begin with almost no preparation. The Guide reads the setup, each child chooses a hero card, and play starts at the first scene.
- Put one die, three charm tokens, and a pencil near each hero.
- Place the Lantern safety card where everyone can see it.
- Pick one adventure from
books/example-campaigns.md. - Ask every player: “What is one kind thing your hero is good at?”
- Begin with a bright image: thistles glowing, heather waving, tartan flags, a silver loch, or fiddles at a fairy ceilidh.
“Tonight we are making a cozy fairy-tale adventure together. Nothing can remove you from the story forever. If anything feels too much, say Lantern, and it becomes softer. Your ideas matter. Kind, clever, brave, and quick choices can all save the day.”
Kind: Thistle Knight
Look: A green cloak, a wooden shield painted with a rowan leaf, and boots with thistle buckles.
Stats: Brave +2, Clever +1, Kind +1, Quick +0
Gift: Once per adventure, stand in front of danger and make it safe.
Treasure: Warm rowan button.
Always helps: Small animals and nervous friends.
“By thistle and shield, we’ll make this safe!”
Kind: Loch Scout
Look: Blue tartan scarf, map ribbon, pebble pouch, and a hat with a feather.
Stats: Brave +0, Clever +2, Kind +1, Quick +1
Gift: Once per scene, find a hidden path or clue.
Treasure: Smooth loch pebble.
Always helps: Lost travelers.
“The loch remembers the way!”
Kind: Hearth Bard
Look: Purple heather crown, tiny bell, soft mittens, and a biscuit bag.
Stats: Brave +1, Clever +0, Kind +2, Quick +1
Gift: Once per adventure, turn grumpiness into giggles.
Treasure: Tiny silver bell.
Always helps: Grumpy creatures.
“A song is a warm blanket for the heart.”
Kind: Fairy Friend
Look: Red tartan sash, acorn cup, sparkle freckles, and speedy shoes.
Stats: Brave +1, Clever +1, Kind +0, Quick +2
Gift: Once per scene, ask a small nature spirit for a hint.
Treasure: Lucky pebble with a star mark.
Always helps: Friends in a hurry.
“Quick as a fairy fiddle!”
Give each child one optional job between turns:
- Map Keeper: draws the path, loch, rowan tree, or castle door.
- Charm Keeper: reminds friends they can help each other.
- Creature Voice: makes a friendly sound for sheep, frogs, or dragon sneezes.
- Ceilidh Leader: chooses a tiny dance move when the party celebrates.
Use one of these quick resets:
- Everyone wiggles fingers like fairy lights for ten seconds.
- Ask: “What colour is the magic right now?”
- Let a player draw the next clue.
- Give a cloud sheep a silly name.
- Offer two clear choices: “Do you go to the loch or the rowan tree?”
At the end, each hero receives one star. Pick the star that fits what they did:
- Kind Star: helped someone feel better.
- Clever Star: solved a puzzle or spotted a clue.
- Brave Star: tried something hard.
- Quick Star: acted carefully or speedily.
- Ceilidh Star: made the table laugh or dance.
Stars are story keepsakes, not competition points. Everyone should leave with something to feel proud of.
Adventure: ___________________________ Date: ________________________________
| Hero | Kind | Spotlight Moment |
|---|---|---|
Lantern reminder given? ☐ Yes Tone: cozy / silly / brave / wonder
- Wonder: _________________________________________
- Problem: ________________________________________
- Scene 1: ________________________________________
- Scene 2: ________________________________________
- Scene 3: ________________________________________
- Happy ending: ___________________________________
- Kind: ____________________________________________
- Clever: __________________________________________
- Brave/Quick: _____________________________________