Bonds Between is Kickstarting now. Check it out here!

What is this?

Bonds Between is a cozy, duet roleplaying game about everyday dragons turning their considerable magic to home improvement as they build a hoard, restore a run-down lair, and come to know their bonded neighbor in the process. 

Set in a modern fantasy world populated by neotenic dragons you'll care for the kind of spaces you could find on a walk or a drive: Little libraries overlooking a vacant lot, neighboring vending machines on a college campus, or a pair of lonely rest stops on an underused highway. Whatever your lair is, you'll have to work with your neighbor to restore it to a state befitting your residence. 

But take care: There is an etiquette to be observed when two dragons meet. We seek not a return to the age of gold and glory, with hoards of precious things won by the tooth and the talon. That's why we have The Pact. An exchanging of gifts is customary when two dragons meet, and you cannot cast a spell without the aid of your bonded neighbor. You'll need to work together to address the threats destroying your respective domains. 

As dragons, your magic is that of objects and places. Your hoard is represented by a deck of playing cards that you'll use as components to resolve your spells. Your hoard is influenced by your dragon's power, so you'll alter cards in your deck and record their magic in your ledger. Alterations can take many forms: recoloring cards, writing on them, planting them in soil for a few days, and more. Altered cards make excellent gifts for your bonded and are more flexible in play. 

By the end of the game, your hoard, your lair, and your relationship with your bonded will be transformed forever. Plus, you'll have storied artifacts of play in your hand-altered deck of cards and your ledger. If you love tiny dragons with funky hoards, collaging, or weird card games, Bonds Between is for you. 

How do I play?

Bonds Between is a two-player (duet) tabletop roleplaying game that sees you wrecking a deck of playing cards as a part of play. 

You'll begin the game by unpacking your stuff, meeting your bonded, detailing your relationship in your respective journals, and altering a few cards to represent your hoard. You'll also inherit a domain facing some kind of problem, be it a magical blight, a mysterious haunting, or a simply unruly crop of ground-planted mint. You can use details from whatever space you're playing in to help inform your dragon's hoard and environment—there's a bit of show and tell or "look at that!" to the game. 

Whatever the problem is, you and your bonded will perform a great work of magic to address the issue. You'll draw a hand of cards, then imbue one of the items your cards represent with draconic magic by altering it. Alterations can range from drawing or writing on cards to cutting, punching, planting, or even burning them. 

In keeping with the Pact, and to better know your neighbor, you'll trade an altered card from your hand, then combine your cards to work one of many spells to address your respective problems. If you play your cards right, you'll change your hoard, your domain, and your relationship forever. If not, you'll have to find a new way to deal with the problem at hand. 

You'll cast a few spells each season to address the threats in your respective lairs. The game takes place over the course of a year, at the end of which your dragon will have a lair made new and a hoard full of storied objects. You'll end the game with a deck of hand-altered cards and a journal containing the story of your bonded dragons. 

More ways to play

While the preview edition is duet-only, the final edition of the game will include some alternate rulesets for solo players, playing with more than one bonded, or playing in larger groups. We'll also be offering some options for playing as other mythical creatures and a few guidelines for reskinning the play experience to other critters. 

To Play

1. Download the preview edition
2. Find someone to play with and a place to play
3. Gather your materials (A deck of cards, journal, and some craft supplies)
4. Meet your dragons, organize your hoard, and alter your first cards

Preview Edition Notes

This is the preview edition of Bonds Between, akin to an early-access video game demo. This edition of the game has been playtested and peer-edited, but is still awaiting professional editing, layout design, and finished art. The full game will release around August, following the conclusion of our crowdfunding campaign. 

The full game release will feature: 

• Complete rules and guidelines for play
• Guidelines for playing solo or with more players
• Guidelines for playing other mythical creatures
• Additional art
• Professional editing and layout
• And more!