A Solo Journaling Game of Secrets, Lies, and Betrayal

Blood In The Margins is a solo journaling game about the human instinct for survival and our ability to lie to ourselves about who we are and what we're capable of.

The Truth Lies Heavy

You are a student at one of the most prestigious academies in the world. You clawed your way in, earned your place among the brilliant and the reckless. You thought you knew what you were going to become.

You never planned to become a murderer.

You and your friends have killed someone. You tell yourselves that it was justified. An accident. A mistake. But the body is still buried, the blood is soaking into the edges of your life, and the weight of the truth won't stop pressing down on you.

The academy continues as if nothing has changed. Lectures, essays, whispered conversations in darkling halls. Professors watch you, and you can't tell if they were always this way or if they've changed. If they know something. Some of your friends are unravelling. Some, you fear, might say too much. The investigation into the death is closing in, and your story is beginning to crack beneath it.

Now it is you versus inevitability. Can you hold it together long enough to finish your studies, to step out into the world with your future intact and put all of this behind you? Can you trust the people who stood beside you that night?

Probably not. But what else is there to do?

What You'll Need

To play you'll need:

• A standard deck of playing cards (Jokers removed)
• A six-sided die
• 10 tokens that represent your character and their studies
• Something to write with
• A journal or other way to record your game

Game Features

• A three-act structure with a compelling prologue to build your character and their dark circumstances
• An innovative investigation system that tracks the closing net around you
• Prompts that help you explore themes of isolation, fear, and perseverance
• A game inspired by the 'dark academia' genre of fiction and film
• The next evolution of the Wretched & Alone system, with new mechanics tailored to this particular story

About Content & Safety

Blood In The Margins deals with themes of betrayal, murder, and violence. It also explores deception, isolation, trauma, futility, and mental and physical health. Stories may end in character death or defeat. You're trapped in a situation of your own making with no obvious way out, and this is reflected in the text of the game.

Your safety and well-being are always more important than the game. This is a solo game, and you are the best arbiter of your own limits. If a particular prompt makes you uncomfortable, ignore it or modify it. If you feel the need to alter a dice roll, revisit an earlier character choice, or select a new ending, do that. You have full authority to change the narrative as you see fit.