Charity - Charity represents a daydreamer’s demeanor

towards others and self. The higher that their Charity is

ranked, the more charitable they are towards others. A
low Charity rating denotes that the daydreamer is

Dream Weaver selfish and greedy, thinking primarily of themself.

A Twenty Minute Game Passion - Passion represents a daydreamer’s ability to

influence the world around them. The higher that a
daydreamer’s Passion is ranked, the more successful
Writing & Design: they will be in realizing their dreams.
James D. Hargrove
A player initially has seven points to distribute
among their character’s three attributes. No attribute
may be ranked more than three at this time, and all
1.0 Introduction points must be assigned to attributes.

A “twenty minute game” is an exercise in

extemporaneous game design. As the name suggests 3.0 System Basics
each twenty minute game initially took no more than
twenty minutes to conceive and design. Despite being a
product of harried creative force, each twenty minute Whenever a daydreamer conceives a dream, the
game is a fully functioning source of amusement. nature of the dream must be determined. Is it a selfless,
altruistic dream or a greedy vision of self-fulfillment?
To determine the nature of a dream, look at
1.1 Preparation the daydreamer’s Charity ranking and roll a number of
six-sided dice equal to the ranking. If at least one die
In order to play a game of Dream Weaver you result is less than the ranking, then the dream is of a
will need to gather some friends, six-sided dice, pencils, selfless and altruistic nature. If no result is produced
and paper. Once you have done this you will need to that is less than the rating, then the dream is one of
choose one friend to serve as the Game Master, the avarice.
individual responsible for making sure that the game
Once the nature of a dream has been
runs smoothly and providing story elements for the
determined, a player is free to fill in the specifics of a
other players. Ideally, the person most familiar with the
dream however they see fit, provided that they adhere to
game rules should serve as the Game Master.
the following rules:

2.0 Characters 1.The defined dream must remain true to the dream’s
determined nature.
Your character is a daydreamer, a hopeless
romantic, a relic from a time long since passed. The
2.The defined dream must have a stated overall goal,
following attributes are used to define your character:
the achievement of which signals fruition of the dream.

Desire - Desire represents the daydreamer’s wish to

Once the specific qualities of a dream have
influence the world around them. Desire is how badly
been defined, it must be determined whether the
the daydreamer wants to see their fantasies come to
daydreamer is merely content to dream, or whether they
fruition. The higher that a daydreamer’s Desire is
will act to see their dream fulfilled.
ranked, the more likely they are to take action in order
to make their dreams come true. To determine whether a daydreamer will take
action upon their dream, look at the daydreamer’s
Desire ranking and roll a number of six-sided dice equal attributes to increase, it is also possible for them to
to the ranking. If at least one die result is less than the diminish. Should a daydreamer ever fail four tests of
ranking, the daydreamer has decided that they cannot be Passion in a row, their player must test the
content merely to remain lost in thought. If no result is daydreamer’s Desire.
produced that is less than the ranking, the daydreamer If this test of Desire should also be failed, the
merrily floats into the land of dreams. daydreamer’s player subtracts one from the
Regardless of the result, the day reamer will be daydreamer’s Passion attribute. The daydreamer
doing something. Whether that something consists of abandons their current dream, and moves on to chasing
building a utopia in their mind’s eye or forging their another.
dream into reality matters not. Whenever a daydreamer
wants to take action (real or imagined), to further their
dream towards fruition, their Passion must be tested. 5.0 The End of Dreams
To test a daydreamer’s Passion, look at their
Passion rating and roll a number of six-sided dice equal
Should a daydreamer’s Passion ever be
to the ranking. If at least one die result is less than the
reduced to a rating of one, the daydreamer will cease to
ranking, then the attempted action turns out as the
dream, trading their life of passion and romance for one
player wishes and they may narrate the results. If no
of drudgery and boredom. Such former dreamers are sad
result is produced that is less than the ranking, then the
cases indeed, content to speak of dreams that they once
attempted action may not turn out as the player wishes
had, but lacking the passion to ever see them fulfilled.
and the Game Master narrates the result

6.0 Thanks
4.0 Change

Dream Weaver was inspired by the movie

When a daydreamer’s defined goal for a dream Amelie, my good friend and fellow daydreamer Rachel
is fulfilled, their player gains some points that they may Schlick, and the mysterious “xgothgrrl” of RPGnet.
use to increase the daydreamer’s attributes. Points are
gained as follows:

Dream was selfless = 2 points

Dream was self-absorbed = 1 point
Dream was achieved in the world = 2 points
Dream was achieved in the mind’s eye = 1 point

To increase a daydreamer’s attribute by one

rank costs a number of points equal to the rank times
itself. For example:

Adric has a Passion ranking of 2. In order to increase

Adric’s Passion ranking to 3, a player must spend 4
points.

Do note that a daydreamer’s attributes may

never increased to a ranking of more than six in this
manner, regardless of points spent. Dream Weaver is Copyright © 2003 by James D. Hargrove

Just as it is possible for a daydreamer’s