Crying Wolf

Part I of the Dark Aesop trilogy.

One month ago, by the light of a full moon, a small band of young shepherds caught sight of a monstrous predator among their flock. The children cried ‘Wolf!’ and the adults of the village came running, but the creature possessed terrifying powers to elude the village’s attention. The grown ups scoffed at the children’s fanciful tale. Nobody believed them.

Tonight, the wolf returns. If the children survive, it shall return next month and the month after that. The shepherds know the wolf can be deterred by the villagers, but only if the villagers answer their pleas for help. If the adults don’t come when the children cry ‘Wolf!’ they’ll be on their own. And to the monster, meat-of-child is as delicious as meat-of-lamb...

Crying Wolf is a short, sharp, violent survival horror game about Cassandra truths and monsters hidden in plain sight. It is a tabletop roleplaying game for one GM and three to six players. All rules for the game's unique, simple system are included, along with GM advice for striking the right note of desperate terror in your games.

Like the fable that inspired it, this game features dead animals, dead children, neglect, and behavioural discipline enforced through threat of violence. Use of safety tools is highly recommended.