From a Certain Perspective

A woman just off the platform -- she's wearing an apron; it reads Butterloaf Bakery -- cries: fresh hot bread from the oven! Beside her a man is banging a ladle on a wooden bucket almost slopping over with water. Water a nickel apiece! Three ladles for a dime!

You realize gradually that you're sitting on a long wooden bench. It creaks slightly in the hot breeze; you shift and its fat legs crunch and shift in the gravel. The platform overhang is the only shade for fifty yards in any direction. The train is long gone. You can't remember any details.

The horizon is about a thousand miles away. Spotless, uninhabited. The sky is incredibly wide.

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Absence

You can catalog all the things in sight -- the dust and the watercarriers and the bakers and buskers with cracked voices and the cattails growing in the still persistent water under the parched gasping boards of Platform #1; the silk ties worn thin by frontier life and the absence of silkworms anywhere this side of the Wall, the rough cotton fibers that make up every dress and shirt and pair of trousers worn by the tanned chapped people of Amarillo --

And still, at the end of your list, you'll find you've left a place unviewed because your own personal lens is unidirectional, unreflective.

The only thing missing here is you.


The View from Inside

Amarillo swirls around you. From your elevated place on the long wooden bench at Platform #1 you can look down on most of the city: its hard dusty people and broad streets and red brick buildings. There are worse places in the desert. Distantly, you think you might have been to some.

Then the realization: you know Amarillo but not yourself. Not your face. Not the pattern of stubble on your chin or the muscles and skin and bones under the shirt you don't recall buttoning up.

Not your name.

Cold sweat pricks everywhere on your unfamiliar skin.

Your character in Zero Summer is A MAN WITH NO NAME: the Protagonist. A lot of Zero Summer is choosing how to define him -- in relation to his forgotten past and uncertain future, navigating by your own bright moral stars.

You won't have much to work with at first: just the clothes on his back and a sense, maybe vague, maybe growing, of the person you want him to be.

But stick with it and we promise, you'll find the Protagonist looking more and more like his own living, breathing self again.

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?

Far, Far From Home is increasing!


Version

Game version number.

Game version number.
Thanks for playing Zero Summer!

a stranger

A past yet to be revealed

Far, Far From Home

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?


Version

Game version number.

a stranger

A past yet to be revealed


Lost in Amarillo

Parched streams of people flow around you, over the platform and through the square and up the avenues leading into the city. No one takes note of you.

A quick motion just off the platform draws your eye: a stick-thin boy has just snatched a roll out of the Butterloaf basket and taken off running.

Not five feet out, the boy trips over a loose stone -- and then the Butterloaf woman is on him, dragging and shaking him until the stolen roll drops to the ground.

The boy shakes free and runs off. The Butterloaf woman picks up the roll and wipes it with her sleeve.

The first time you try to play this card, its branches will be locked. That's because you don't meet their Quality requirements.

(Any time you want to see a branch's Quality requirements, hover your cursor over the small square icons next to the Locked/Go button.)

To play either of these branches, you need to raise your A Stranger Quality to 4. Try playing a few cards from the Opportunity deck and see if that helps.

Note: not all branches are visible when you fail to meet their Minimums -- although all the branches on this Storylet are.

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The Miserable Ones

Look at the boy! Forty pounds if he's an ounce, and glassy-eyed from hunger. And look at the Butterloaf woman's forearms: muscles like boa constrictors from kneading dough, and the cold appraising eye of a lifelong seller of commodities. Surely the boy didn't deserve what he got. Not over a fistful of bread. Not with his ribs stuck out so far and his stomach indrawn like the hollow of a dead tree.

            4
            You need a stranger 4 (you have 1)

            4
            Unlocked with a stranger 4 - you have 1

Seems About Right

It seems about right, what happened to the boy. The Butterloaf woman probably has a family to feed, and if everyone just helped themselves, she and her children would starve. And there's this: despite the coldness of her eyes, her face has a kind softness to it. The boy could have asked for the roll, and who knows what would have happened?


Opportunities

Draw cards from here to raise your Styles, meet your Allies, and risk your Antagonists.

Lost in Amarillo

Unlocked with Far, Far From Home 2 - you have 2; Unlocked with  - you have 1

Parched streams of people flow around you, over the platform and through the square and up the avenues leading into the city...

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Your Real Actual Pockets

The trousers you're wearing are rugged indigo twill, faded on the insides of the legs from -- what?

The Love Song of Amarillo, Texas

A woman is sweeping the dusty thirsty boards of Platform #1...

Rough and Tumble

Your shirt is bleached white cotton, rough to the touch and stiff in the collar...


Your Real Actual Pockets

The trousers you're wearing are rugged indigo twill, faded on the insides of the legs from -- what?

A memory stirs: a rich sweaty animal smell; a sense of acceleration and control.

Horseback riding. Your pants are worn from the saddle. And there's this: your left pocket bulges slightly, inviting attention.

Rummage Around

Whatever's in your pocket isn't very large. And it's warm to the touch, even through the fabric of your jeans, even warmer than your own personal skin. Metal, then?


The Breadcrumbs of Memory

In your pocket is a hollow metal cylinder half the length of your thumb, warmed and pliable from soaking up the sun and your own personal heat. The cylinder is capped on one end and smells like the Fourth of July.

In Zero Summer, your progress is controlled by your Qualities. Think of them as a cross between statistics in a traditional role-playing game and road signs to show where you are in the story.

The most important Qualities in Zero Summer are your three Styles, which together represent how talented and practiced the Protagonist is.

You've just gained 1 point in Gunslinger. Gunslinger represents your physical capacity: how far you can run, jump, swim -- and, of course, how well you handle a gun.

0 change points, 2 more needed to reach level 2.

An occurrence! Your 'Gunslinger' Quality is now 1!

You started with a quality called "A Stranger", which has just changed to level 2. This will unlock more stories.


Version

Game version number.

a stranger

A past yet to be revealed

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


Version

Game version number.

a stranger

A past yet to be revealed

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


Rough and Tumble

Your shirt is bleached white cotton, rough to the touch and stiff in the collar. The shirt of somebody who in a pinch wouldn't mind getting sweaty or rolling in the dust if that's what was needed.

In Your Breast Pocket

And in your breast pocket is buttoned something flat and broad. A folded sheet of paper?


Practical and Clear-Eyed

In fact it's a letter -- a fragment of a letter. Most of the ink's by a deep red stain that smells dry and sharp and stirs a memory. Someone spilled wine on your shirt; you had to change into the one you're wearing now. The spill wasn't that long ago; the letter's still a little wet.

Not much of the text was spared. An early sentence reads, "New York is a wet stinking place I've learned to hate..." And another near the end: "Practical and clear-eyed: wasn't that always what you liked best? But not it seems when it comes to Arnie."

In Zero Summer, your progress is controlled by your Qualities. Think of them as a cross between statistics in a traditional role-playing game and road signs to show where you are in the story.

The most important Qualities in Zero Summer are your three Styles, which together represent how talented and practiced the Protagonist is.

You've just gained 1 point in Cityslicker. Cityslicker represents your social capacity: how well you can charm, chatter, fast-talk and double-deal your way through the new American frontier.

You started with a quality called "A Stranger", which has just changed to level 3. This will unlock more stories.

An occurrence! Your 'Cityslicker' Quality is now 1!


Version

Game version number.

a stranger

A past yet to be revealed

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


Version

Game version number.

a stranger

A past yet to be revealed

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


The Love Song of Amarillo, Texas

A woman is sweeping the dusty thirsty boards of Platform #1. She looks maybe fifty years old, blonde hair going gray, hands crooked with a lifetime of work in the bone-dry desert. She's humming a song.

Knowing and Unknowing

The tune flutters at the edge of your recall like a moth at a kerosene lamp. You could reach out and take it, that fluttering unknown, if only you stretch a little.


An Older, Harsher Voice

You close your eyes and concentrate. Out of the black past floats a memory: a blonde woman, young and pretty with a voice like a clear high bell, standing on a stage and singing the same song the sweeper-woman is humming. The song wasn't hers originally, the blonde's; she'd cribbed it from an older, harsher voice. The name of the song comes to you: Come On Up to the House. Tom Waits wrote it.

The sweeper-woman looks up briefly; your eyes meet. You realize she's mouthing the lyrics, making little subvocal sounds; you strain your ears and just make out a part of the chorus -- there's nothing in the world that you can do. Suddenly all the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and prickle. The lonely desert air no longer seems quite so warm.

In Zero Summer, your progress is controlled by your Qualities. Think of them as a cross between statistics in a traditional role-playing game and road signs to show where you are in the story.

The most important Qualities in Zero Summer are your three Styles, which together represent how talented and practiced the Protagonist is.

You've just gained 1 point in Doc. Doc represents your mental capacity: how well you can think, learn, and research your way out of trouble.

An occurrence! Your 'Doc' Quality is now 1!

You started with a quality called "A Stranger", which has just changed to level 4. This will unlock more stories.


Version

Game version number.

a stranger

A past yet to be revealed

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


Lost in Amarillo

Parched streams of people flow around you, over the platform proper and through the square and up the avenues leading into Amarillo proper. Not one person notices you -- not a single one, not a single glance. A quick motion just off the platform draws your eye: a stick-thin boy has just snatched a roll out of the Butterloaf basket and taken off running.

Before anyone can react, the boy trips over a loose stone -- and then the Butterloaf woman is on him, dragging him out of the dust and shaking him until the stolen roll drops to the ground. The boy shakes free and runs off, rubbing his neck as he goes, while the Butterloaf woman picks up the roll, wipes it with her sleeve and goes back to hawking to the crowd.

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The Miserable Ones

Look at the boy! Forty pounds if he's an ounce, and glassy-eyed from hunger. And the Butterloaf woman's forearms: muscles like boa constrictors from kneading dough! Surely the boy didn't deserve what he got. Not over a fistful of bread. Not with his stomach indrawn like the hollow of a dead tree.

            4
            You need a stranger 4 (you have 4)

            4
            Unlocked with a stranger 4 - you have 4

Seems About Right

It seems about right, what happened to the boy. The Butterloaf woman probably has a family to feed, and if everyone just helped themselves, she and her children would starve. And there's this:  her face does have a certain kindness to it. The boy could have asked for the roll, and who knows what would have happened?


Man in Black

            4
            You need a stranger 4

            4
            Unlocked with a stranger 4

In your heart you know that justice was done. The boy learned a lesson and the Butterloaf woman got her bread back. It's a hard world, but all anyone can do is live in it. Perhaps next time things will be different.

Zero Summer tracks the Protagonist's moral compass with two Qualities: Paladin and Man in Black.

You've just gained your first point in Man in Black, which represents efficiency and results.

When you gain points in Paladin or Man in Black, you'll lose an equal number of points from the opposing Quality. It's possible to have both Qualities, but you probably won't have them in equal amounts.

A twist in your tale! You are now Man in Black.

Far, Far From Home is increasing!

Your "A Stranger" quality has gone. Welcome to the world!


Version

Game version number.

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Far, Far From Home

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?


The Man in the Stetson

Someone coughs politely.

Only now does it become clear that you aren't alone on the bench and haven't been for -- how long? A little while. Maybe longer.

Sitting next to you is a man in a brown leather vest and dusty white Stetson. He's cleaning his nails with a knife.

"You were out for awhile there," the man says. "Looks like somebody caught you upside the head with a gun. And you were snoring. Think of that. Haven't slept like that in years."

He smiles. It doesn't reach his eyes.

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The Friendly Approach

Yes, it's a strange way to say hello, and yes, you don't know him from Adam, but the Man in the Stetson is about the only person in Amarillo so far who's even noticed you.

A Thousand Things

You don't know this man. You don't know his name, or what he's about. And you don't know what he's doing here at the station. He might have been the one who hit you. He might a grifter or a thousand other things, none of them good.


Smart or Cunning

You give the Man in the Stetson a long once-over. He's tanned and dressed like a local: dusty clothes, rough hands. But not as sticky-sweaty -- he's been in the shade awhile. Knows how to smile without smiling. Smart or cunning or both, meaning dangerous. But a potential ally if he's friendly.

Without warning, the Man in the Stetson grabs your right hand and pumps it up and down, extra-hard, as if saying: look, it's fine -- alright?

"You're thinking I don't like or trust you," he says. "Or maybe you don't like or trust me. But that lump on your head says maybe you don't know your own name. Yes?"

You don't have a good reply. His smile widens: confidence, and a real spark of warmth.

"Then you can have mine. Warren Castillo. From the Jackrabbits. At the Burrow and Briar?" A short pause. "Don't worry about it. You'll get it all back, name and all. Just give it time."

Far, Far From Home is increasing!


Version

Game version number.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


Going Home

The morning crowd at Platform #1 has started to thin; the watercarriers are gone to their wells, the bankers to the Wall Market, the laborers to their fields.

Warren gives your hand a final pump, stands and stretches. "Partner, the smart money says you don't have anywhere to go. I'm headed home to the Burrow. You're welcome if you like."

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No Way but Forward

You don't have a whole lot of options. And Warren seems decent. This doesn't have to be forever, but it's a good start for now.

Your Way in the World

It's a tempting offer given it's the only one on the table, but you can make your own way in the world. You don't know Warren, and there's got to be other doors open to you here somewhere. All you need is time to find them.


Odysseus and Diomedes

Another memory stirs: the smell of apple trees in June, and perfume, and dark sun-warmed hair falling in curled waves on an open book; though you can't see it, the cover reads Odysseus and Diomedes at the Gates of Troy. You explain to Warren that you've got to strike out on your own, but thanks and all. He shrugs easily.

"Suit yourself. The offer stands, though. Look us up if you find yourself."

You can't help but wonder: who, exactly, is us?

Far, Far From Home is increasing!


Version

Game version number.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


The View from Platform #1

The sky over Amarillo is clear as a bell; the sun shines down in full force on the ramshackle town and its rough hardy people.

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Pattern Recognition

From the crowd, certain patterns start to form. Most people wear jeans and leather and cotton shirts and move in family units.

(Here your memory twinges: families here are much larger than up norte. Someone once told you Amarillo is an all-hands-on-deck situation. You remember well-rounded vowels and the late afternoon bite of sour mash...)

But not everyone wears simple clothes and moves in duckish lines. A few men -- mostly they're men; a handful are women, strong-featured with sharp hard eyes -- are wandering alone, purposeful and not, wearing different and sometimes nicer clothes. One or two are carrying clubs.

Who are they? you wonder.


Rough Hands, Silk Sleeves

Eventually you're able to pick out two distinct groups apart from the families and buskers and water-carriers.

One group is just as roughly dressed as everyone else but more heavily armed. Over the course of half an hour, you spot three or four of them. All men. Two carrying battered nightsticks, one with a baseball bat and one with his hand stuck into a pocket bulging with brass knuckles.

Another group is very well-dressed indeed: silk and cotton shirts, collars, silk ties, vests with pinstripes, shoes recently-polished, watches uncracked and shining in the sun. You see a group of them pass by, mostly men, a few women, all of them laughing and flirting and having -- a memory stirs -- a Grand Old Time.

Their eyes, though. Hard and sharp as German steel.

You're so intent on the better-dressed group that you don't spot the one next to you until he's on top of you. He pushes a coin into your unprotesting hand. "Noticed you noticing," he says. Cautious, not unfriendly. His breath smells like peppermint. "Show us a little charity at St. Francis and we'll find you."

He pats your cheek and moves swiftly off. There's cologne on his wrist. It lingers for several long minutes after he's gone.

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.

You now have 1 x 20th Century Penny.


Version

Game version number.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.


One Friendly Face

There's a certain beauty to Amarillo: its dryness, its resilience. But as the crowd empties out of Platform #1, a certain reality sinks in: under the clear blue sky, here, over the Wall, as far from up norte as you can be without falling into the Gulf of Mexico, you are friendless and alone.

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Offers

You notice Warren has sat back down on the platform proper and is waiting with one leg crossed and his arms stretched over the rim of the bench. Everything about him -- his posture, the distant look on his face -- screams playing it cool.

He said the offer would stay open, didn't he? And then he stuck around, but didn't push. Didn't press. Just made himself available. That at least is how a decent man might act. And really, how many offers do you have? Of friendship, or even places to sleep?


Friendship and Discomfort

You climb back onto the platform. Warren turns his head to look at you, face somewhere between sheepish and uncomfortable. "Just couldn't leave you here," he says, and shrugs. It's hard to say which of you sticks out his hand first, but a moment later you're shaking, first hesitantly, then more firmly. "Alright then," Warren says briskly. "Let's go see the Burrow."

You have moved to a new area: Burrow and Briar: In the Beginning

Far, Far From Home is increasing!


Version

Game version number.

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Far, Far From Home

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?


An Unexpected Rabbit

Into the front door of the house on Burrow and Briar is carved a rabbit. The carving is done at eye-level; the detail is incredible. You think you can make out individual hairs if you look closely enough.

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Look Closely

Really incredible! Each hair on the rabbit is rendered, and its limpid eyes, and its ears (flat back in -- what? affection, fear?), and its little paws tucked under its furry breast, and...


The Devil in the Details

You lean close to stare at the rabbit. Such detail! Each hair lovingly rendered. The ears are poised to twitch. The nose smells something. What does it smell? Lavender?

No: clover. Fresh green grass and clover. You can almost smell it yourself.

After a moment, Warren nudges you. "Let's get on with it, yeah? Starving here."

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

You are now a Seer of Rabbits!


Version

Game version number.

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


Burrow and Briar

A short walk into the heart of Amarillo brings you to an intersection you dimly recognize as suburban. Two story houses with largeish front yards line the streets.

But the picture isn't quaint or lovely; the paint on the houses is flaking and every roof looks like a patchwork quilt of new tile, old tile, cardboard and uncured wood. The yards are yellow and brown and probably snake-infested.

Warren stops at an intersection. One street sign reads Burrow Street. The other reads Briar Lane.

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Home Again

"Home again, home again," says Warren cheerfully. "Jiggity-jig."

He leads you to a broken-down house on the corner with no paint at all, just brown wood and insulation poking out here and there. The door has a rabbit carved into it at eye level.

On the roof, you spot a small wooden attic hatch. In fact several of the houses you've seen have them. A memory stirs: a plummy drawl explaining that hierophantic means something that clearly means... something, but you don't know what. The hatches are hierophantic; you don't have any idea what they're for.

Warren knocks three times in quick succession, pauses, repeats twice.


The Jackrabbits

The moment the final knock is struck, the door is hauled inward. Hands reach out from inside and grab first Warren, then you. You're dragged inside before you know what's happening. The door is slammed and locked behind you; the heavy bolt sounds particularly grim.

Your eyes take a moment to adjust to the unlit gloom. When they do, you find you're standing in what was clearly once a very nice living room. Now it's stuffed to overflow with couches, chairs, ottomans, loungers -- the works. Most of them are occupied, mostly with men, all of whom look carved from teak and unfriendly as hell.

Except Warren himself, whose face has gone all hundred-watt smile.

"Welcome to our little spot. These are the Jackrabbits. Say howdy, Jackrabbits." Warren nudges you. "Say howdy yourself."

Far, Far From Home is increasing!


Version

Game version number.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


First Impressions

The Jackrabbits look at you with the slow deliberateness of snakes. Warren introduces a handful; you get the sense they're in charge of -- whatever this is.

"This is "Padre" Charlie" -- an older man with the red shattered nose of a lifetime drinker. His fingertips are stained gray (your heart lurches in your chest -- why?) You eye the dingy white collar around his neck. He smiles briefly at you.

"Mr. Pinkerton, call him Old Pinkie" -- another older man, unsmiling, whip-thin, humorless. He puts you in mind of a starving wasp. In his hands are a whittling knife and a wooden peg.

"And everybody else, that's Jack Ishiguro, that's Miz Nils, that's her dad Mr. Nils back there in the kitchen."

Jack Ishiguro is the first Asian person you've seen in Amarillo; he gives you a little wave. The young petite Miz Nils bobs a curtsy that's completely sarcastic given her ripped jeans, machete and zero nonsense expression.

Everyone watches you expectantly. Jack Ishiguro giggles, high and startling.

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Vinegar

The crowd isn't exactly friendly. Well: you're here now, so you might as well explain.

You tell the Jackrabbits you can't remember your name, but it's just swell to meet them anyway. Nobody is buying it. Everybody looks at Warren.

Honey

You give a warm introduction, shaking hands where available -- that's everybody but Old Pinkie, who stares you down, and Miz Nils, who instead clutches your forearm with all the gentleness of a crocodile.

When they ask your name, you explain you've misplaced it but it'll be along soon. Everybody looks at Warren.


A Warm Reception

"He was on the train," Warren says. "It got robbed. Somebody caught him a good one upside the head. He can't remember who he is or who hit him. I found him sitting on the platform benches."

The Jackrabbits all nod. There's an uncomfortable silence before Jack Ishiguro springs out of his chair and slaps you on the back.

"You can stay with us," Jack Ishiguro says, talking fast. "As long as you like. For as long as you need. This is a safe place. A good safe place."

Far, Far From Home is increasing!

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Jack Ishiguro is now your Ally!

Miz Nils is now your Ally!


Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.


Lay Your Weary Head to Rest

A quiet period ensues. You watch the Jackrabbits; they watch you.

"Why don't I get you something to drink?" Jack Ishiguro says, and bounces off to the kitchen. He comes back with a cheap green plastic cup. It's got maybe two fingers of sticky brown liquor in the bottom. "Smells like motor oil and tastes like cat piss, but it'll help you sleep."

You look at the drink. Your stomach lurches.

"Let's get you a bed," Warren suggests.

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Bed Should Be Spelled "Heaven"

So what if it's still early? You feel suddenly, brutally tired, and your head is throbbing to match. Maybe if you nap for a couple days, the world will look a little brighter.

Sleep is for the Weak

Warren's offer is tempting, but your circadian's still ticking sluggishly along. Besides, you hardly know these people. Better mix a little before you settle down.


Sleep is Also for the Weary

Warren shrugs and asks if you're hungry instead. You say you are, then settle into an armchair.

"Padre" Charlie is telling stories about how in the war he was stationed in the Pacific islands and ran into a komodo dragon, "one of those big horrible lizards the size of Dobermans with bites that kill you dead from all the bacteria if they even nip you, and they're territorial, like tomcats in summer, hissing and spitting and making all the noise under God's bright sun..."

You hardly notice yourself sliding down the armchair, chin on your shoulder. Without realizing it, you're sound asleep in just a few minutes, "Padre" Charlie's voice coming from far above you, as if from the mouth of a deep dark well.

Far, Far From Home is increasing!


Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Far, Far From Home

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?


Overnight

Images: dry multicolored leaves carpeting the dark green grass. Inches deep in places are the leaves. Dusty and fragrant. In the distance an elm tree. A silver-haired man in a flannel suit crunches across the leaves toward a younger woman. Long dark curls nearly down to her jeans.

The man has a rifle over his shoulder. He reaches the woman, aims the rifle at the elm tree. A target is hung from a low branch. More holes than paper, the target. The man sights and fires -- pock. Again and again: pock, pock.

The air smells like November. You're dreaming.

You open your eyes. You're in the Jackrabbits' spare room. Through the small window you can see it's the middle of the night. Your boots are still on. From somewhere above you hear: pock, pock.

You may have noticed this card came up without you clicking on anything. Cards which are played automatically are called "Must" cards.

"Must" cards represent things outside your control -- an unexpected fistfight, a dream about leaves in November. They are also used to model dialog and longer events.

There aren't many "Must" cards in Zero Summer. When you draw one, you can be sure something important is happening!

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Check the Window

From the outside, it looked like Burrow and Briar was only two stories with a small attic. The <i>pocks</i> are coming from the attic or the roof. You might do to check outside the window.


Overnight

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The Night Sky

You pry open the window and stick your head out. Amarillo past midnight is quiet, even peaceful.

But the sky is a different story. Though there isn't a cloud in sight, the stars seem to boil, winking in and out of view as numberless indistinct black shapes flit back and forth. You have no idea how far up they are -- not the stars, not the shapes.

Over the lip of the roof you can just make out the toe of a boot. The next pock comes with a brief orange flash that kills your night vision. You pull your head back inside. Someone is standing on the roof with a rifle, shooting at -- what?

Far, Far From Home is increasing!


Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


The Highest Point

Some part of you stirs at the orange flashes and black boiling sky. You need to get to the roof.

Pinned

Pinned

The Safe Route

At least one other person is on the roof. They probably took the stairs. Stairs seem like a good safe bet.

The Direct Route

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

A chancy challenge

The window is already open. The vinyl siding is rotting off the side of the house but the wood underneath looks solid. It's only ten feet up. And the odds of you getting shot are minimal. Probably.


A Tense Few Moments

The Direct Route

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

A chancy challenge

You were right about the siding -- it cracks and crumbles at the lightest touch -- but the wood underneath is solid oak and bears your weight uncomplainingly.

Until it doesn't. You're nearly to the roof when the top of an oak board comes away in your fingers. A few termites flee across your knuckles. You feel your weight shifting away from the wall and into hollow air. Fear clutches your heart and squeezes, hard, once. In the same moment, fingers close around your outstretched wrist. It's been awhile, you realize, since you heard any pocks. Strong hands pull you onto the roof before dumping you unceremoniously on the shingle.

1 change point, 1 more needed to reach level 2.

Gunslinger is increasing...

Gunslinger 1 failed in a challenge!

Far, Far From Home is increasing!

You were born on the ground and you'll die on the ground. Preferably not just after a fall.

You are now Afraid of Heights!


Afraid of Heights

You were born on the ground and you'll die on the ground. Preferably not just after a fall.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.


The Boiling Sky

Before you stands Old Pinkie. He's wearing very dark blue jeans, a black shirt and a bandana over the lower half of his face. Only his eyes are visible. They watch you calmly before resighting along the length of his rifle, which Old Pinkie angles up at the sky.

Pock.

The sprawling vault of heaven looks like engine oil on blacktop. You wait after the orange flash fades to see whether anything falls onto the roof. Nothing does.

Pinned

Pinned

Ask What's Going On

Old Pinkie seems to be in charge here. Of what, you're not sure. Best to ask.

Observe Quietly

Old Pinkie seems unwilling to talk. Perhaps you should simply watch and learn.


The Silent Treatment

Old Pinkie seems content without conversation. He's standing with his back against the house's broken-down chimey and his feet braced on the gutter. You notice the gutter has been nailed solidly to the roof. That explains the hatch, then; this isn't the first time Old Pinkie's been up here.

Doc is increasing...

Far, Far From Home is increasing!


Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Far, Far From Home

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?


A Certain Kind of Rain

Time stretches out. The sky simmers and roils. Once or twice every minute, Old Pinkie fires in a high upstretched arc, then methodically reloads. Pock. Pock.

Without warning, one of the oil-black shapes in the sky resolves into a charcoal blur. Old Pinkie tracks it and fires once; as quick as it came, it's gone again, back into the pool above.

Images: black and charcoal gray. Two glassy orbs flecked with starlight. Sinews: fat and opaque here, thinner and venous there. Stiff hairs thick as grass. Rows of sharp white pyramids. Startling pinkness: a broad pointed tongue, darting in and out of view.

Size unknown -- but larger than you.

Pinned

Pinned

Accept What You Can't Change

Old Pinkie seems undisturbed. He's already back to his regular schedule of firing and reloading. Best leave well enough alone.

Eyes Wide Open

Fear is a disease and knowledge is the cure. Old Pinkie seems to think you're safe; he hasn't even moved from his perch. You concentrate on what you saw, sifting the images for meaning.


White Noise

You force your mind's eye open. Certain images stand out. The shape of the face, the tiny sharp teeth, the pink tongue and veiny wings. It was a bat. The sky is full of bats -- innumerable bats, huge bats, their awful wings obscuring the stars. You suppress a shudder. Fear is the unknown, and now you know what flocks and darts in the sky above.

You've just gained your first points of White Noise, one of Zero Summer's Menaces.

Menaces are negative Qualities which have unpleasant consequences if they get too high. Menaces are never deadly -- but they're never comfortable either.

White Noise measures how exposed you've been to the unnatural world. The real recedes. Your ears fill with static. In time, all will be White Noise.

1 change point, 2 more needed to reach level 3.

Doc has increased to 2!

Far, Far From Home is increasing!

0 change points, 3 more needed to reach level 3.

You've gained a new quality: White Noise at 2.


Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


That Good Night

Eventually you realize nothing else is going to happen. The skies will churn, the rifle will flash; the moon will sink onto the western lip of the world. Old Pinkie is paying you zero attention. And with your body sucked dry of adrenaline, you're headed for a crash.

Any time you get a few hours of restful, natural sleep, your Action pool will be refreshed.

Pinned

Pinned

Stick It Out

Doc

Mental Style.

A straightforward challenge

There are still things you don't understand -- about the bats, about why Old Pinkie is shooting at them. This is your best chance to figure them out.

By staying up all night, you forfeit your Action refresh. And you might learn something worth your while -- but then again, you might not.

Sleep It Off

It's been a long night. It could get much longer. It could also get more dangerous. You've learned a lot already, and tomorrow is a new day -- one in which you'll hopefully be better rested.


Bed, Sweet Bed

You wish Old Pinkie a good night -- he doesn't reply, doesn't even look away from his rifle sight -- and slip back down the attic hatch and ladder. The house is still sound asleep; you tiptoe into your bedroom, shut the door quietly, and collapse into bed. The sensation is like falling into a deep black pit where the air is unbelievably, blessedly soft.

Your actions have been refreshed!

Far, Far From Home is increasing!


Afraid of Heights

You were born on the ground and you'll die on the ground. Preferably not just after a fall.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.


The Morning of May 21

The smell of frying bacon brings you downstairs. Some of the Jackrabbits are there -- Jack Ishiguro, "Padre" Charlie, Warren Castillo and a handful of others. They're eating bacon, eggs and toast off of chipped ceramic plates. Warren fetches you one and you sit down to eat. Small talk ensues. No one mentions Old Pinkie or the bats.

After breakfast, Warren takes you aside. The Jackrabbits, he explains, are what you might call a gang. But not a nefarious one! They protect Burrow and Briar Streets from other area toughs. Like the police, Warren says. The Jackrabbits keep the peace when the Pony Express can't.

"And here's the thing," Warren says. "We'd like to help you figure out what happened. On the train. You can stay with us as long as you like. Call it a good deed or charity or whatever. But that's what we're gonna do. We'd like it if you'd help out around here, but your priority numero uno has to be getting your head straight. I'll pitch in. We all will."

There are murmurs and nods all around. You realize some of the Jackrabbits were listening. Jack Ishiguro is smiling, chirpy and birdlike; "Padre" Charlie is more serious, bobbing his head like a dandelion in the breeze.

"What do you say?" says Warren. He's waiting for you to agree. To his help? To the Jackrabbits'?

Pinned

Pinned

Of Course

Of course you'll take their help. What other choice do you have?

A Great Option

Show some enthusiasm! The Jackrabbits have gone out of their way to help you. So what if taking their offer is your only option? It's a <i>great</i> option!


A New Day

You tell Warren that of course you want the Jackrabbits' help! He grabs your hand and pumps it warmly.

"I think this is the beginning," he says, "of a beautiful friendship." He beams at you, obviously pleased.

So far, you've gained three Allies: Warren Castillo, Jack Ishiguro, and Miz Nils.

Allies are a special kind of Quality. Each Ally has a special card in the Opportunity deck. You can start drawing from the Opportunity deck in just a moment.

Far, Far From Home is increasing!

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Warren Castillo is now your Ally!


Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

Far, Far From Home

You're in Amarillo -- but who exactly are you?


The Rules of the Game: Plots

This is when Zero Summer really begins: your first full day in Amarillo. But before you get started, there are a few other things you need to understand. Play through the Rules of the Game Storylets to learn more.

Pinned

Pinned

Plots

Zero Summer is a game with multiple narrative threads. We call them Plots. Click here to learn more about them.


About Plots

There are two kinds of Plots in Zero Summer. They differ in length, mechanics, and what they're doing in the narrative. They are:

- The Main Plot. There's only one of these. The Main Plot is a big part of how you advance through Zero Summer; time won't move on until you've finished the current Main Plot section.

- Subplots. At any given time, you'll be following two Subplots. Subplots are controlled by your Gumption Quality, which can never rise above 2. When you choose to follow a Subplot, your Gumption will drop. Subplots also control whether you can advance through time. You CANNOT see all of Zero Summer's Subplots in one play-through.

Far, Far From Home is increasing!

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

An occurrence! Your 'Gumption' Quality is now 2!


Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

Gumption

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


The Rules of the Game: Time

This is where Zero Summer really begins: your first full day in Amarillo. But before you get started, there are a few other things you need to understand. Play through the Rules of the Game Storylets to learn more.

Pinned

Pinned

Time

Progress through Zero Summer is closely tied to both the Date and Time of Day. Click below to learn more.


About Time

Zero Summer measures time with two different Qualities: Date and Time of Day. It might help to think of them as the hour and minute hands on a clock.

Time of Day proceeds from Morning to Afternoon to Night, while Date ticks up every time you play the Advance Time card.

To advance time -- which means changing the Time of Day and Date -- you need to finish a certain amount of content. When you reach the end of your Main Plot and Subplots for a given Date, you'll gain a point in Time to Move On.

Once your Time to Move On is high enough (usually 3), you'll have access to a Pinned card called Advance Time that will allow you to move forward.

We know this is a lot to absorb, but we promise: it's intuitive once you get going, and it's worth it.

It's now the morning of May 21, 2026.

The Time of Day is now Morning!

Far, Far From Home is increasing!


Afraid of Heights

You were born on the ground and you'll die on the ground. Preferably not just after a fall.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.


The Rules of the Game: Items

Pinned

Pinned

Items

You'll be able to use and equip all sorts of items in Zero Summer. Click here to learn more.


About Items

Items in Zero Summer come in three flavors: general, usable, and equippable.

General items are tokens: they sit in your Inventory until a Storylet interacts with them.

Usable items can be clicked on in your Inventory. They do all sorts of things, from lowering your Menaces to giving you information about your plots.

Equippable items can be 'worn' to increase your Styles and sometimes produce other effects. You can only equip and unequip items at The Guest Room in Burrow and Briar, which can be accessed through the Burrow and Briar Area.

You have moved to a new area: Burrow and Briar

You moved to a new setting: Amarillo.

'Far, Far From Home' has been reset: a conclusion, or a new beginning?

You can now equip Gunslinger Gear!

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

You can now equip Doc Toppers!

You can now equip Cityslicker Duds!

You can now equip Talismans!

Your inventory now has space for Usables!

Your inventory now has space for Currency!

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Your inventory now has space for Consumables!


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Game version number.
Thanks for playing Zero Summer!

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


Warren Castillo

The first friendly face you saw in Amarillo, Warren's. A Jackrabbit of some authority, although really who can tell. His door, he said, is always open.

Opportunities

Draw cards from here to raise your Styles, meet your Allies, and risk your Antagonists.

The Mercurial Jackrabbit

Luck

Watch for the fall of a card.

A matter of luck: it could go either way.

His door may always be open, but whether Warren's inside is another story. When he can be found, he's solicitous and curious if also slightly withdrawn; at other times his absence is a strange ache, as from some small familiar thing suddenly gone from your bedside table.

Perhaps Not

Your plate is already full.


On Patrol

The Mercurial Jackrabbit

Luck

Watch for the fall of a card.

Warren's door is hanging open but his room is cavernous, unoccupied. One of the many indistinguishable younger Jackrabbits -- you get the feeling they're part-time neighborhood toughs, those Jackrabbits to whom you weren't introduced --  suggests he might be on patrol. As in through the neighborhood in and around Briar and Burrow. As in looking for trouble.

It seems to be Warren's job, going on patrol. That must have been how he found you in the first place.

You were unlucky. Better luck next time...


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

Gumption

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Afraid of Heights

You were born on the ground and you'll die on the ground. Preferably not just after a fall.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.


A Country Doc

Amarillo is bracketed by stone, sand and sky. There are things to see and explore beyond the Roughriders' barricades. And unexpected dangers. Which nearly anyone will tell you can add spice to an otherwise humdrum life.

This is one of Zero Summer's "grind" cards. "Grind" cards can be replayed as often as you like. And most of their branches have a chance to produce a Rare Success, which will significantly increase one of your Styles and yield certain other benefits as well.

A Walk in the Scrublands

Doc

Mental Style.

A straightforward challenge

Miz Nils turns out to be the Jackrabbits' resident naturalist. She recommends a walk through the Scrublands north of Amarillo to get a feel for what grows around here. It might look hot and dry and dead, she says, but keep an eye: the scrub is teeming, alive, and way better at surviving in the desert than any person.

            1
            You need Doc 1 (you have 2)

            1
            Unlocked with Doc 1 - you have 2


Painted in the Dust

A Walk in the Scrublands

Doc

Mental Style.

A straightforward challenge

Low sprawling tumbled-down Amarillo fades into the horizon just a few short minutes' walk past the northern barricade. The desert is a still life painted in dust: long gritty tempera stripes in umber and scarlet and a few distant threads of light-sucking black strung along the brown sandy soil.

Soon enough you come to a shallow gully filled with smooth boulders much larger than yourself. The gully walls are cracked and fissured by centuries of brief soaking rains and long bright scalding days that steam the water right out of the ground. Down in the gully is a single lonely bullet casing. No body or blood -- just the last inorganic scrap the scrub couldn't digest.

2 change points, 1 more needed to reach level 3.

Doc is increasing...

You succeeded in a Doc challenge!

You now have 1 x Reputation.


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


Travel Around Town

Amarillo was once a largeish city; even now it covers a lot of ground. It takes time to move from one place to another.

Pinned

Pinned

Move to Burrow and Briar

Both an intersection and the tumble-down hideout of the Jackrabbits, Burrow and Briar represents a significant chunk of suburban Amarillo.

Move to Platform #1

The last stop on the Rio Sur line, located right here in Amarillo. A bustling place! Hub of commerce and social interaction! Mind the gap.

Move to St. Francis's

This tiny church near the heart of Amarillo is nevertheless a social hub -- for the worshipful few, the devotees of Santo Guerrero, and the better sort of criminal, the latter flocking like peacocks to the public fountain just outside.

Move to The Highrise Hotel

The tallest building in Amarillo was once public housing. Now its lower floors serve as flophouses for the indigent. And its upper floors? Rumors abound; no one can say for sure.

Move to the Wall Market

Beating heart of Amarillo's commercial district! Once a supermarket, now a sprawling swap meet where dollars and goods are bought and sold and bartered by hands both filthy and clean.

Move to the Scrublands

Step lightly through the lonely grass and sweeping sands north of Amarillo, where homesteaders and farmers and more unnatural things compete for water and precious black soil.

Move to the Mission

All brick and broken statues of angels. Here live the homeless and hopeless of Amarillo. The smell of chickens and the sound of singing will let you know you've arrived.

Move to Little Japan

On the west side, a forbidding place of blacked-out windows, steel doors and standoffish Japanese-Americans. Very few people are seen going in and out.

Move to Downtown Amarillo

A latter-day suburban sprawl! Choked with dust and the bright energy of commerce! Even now the wheels turn in Amarillo's rusted heart.

Move to Amarillo Academy

The former local college has been converted into an ivory fortress. Few students are accepted; none seem to leave. The masthead over the iron gate reads "Amarillo Academy of Arts and Speculative Sciences." Security is said to shoot on sight. It seems more credible than not.

A colored flyer on the gate announces a lecture series starting Friday, May 22nd on the subject of "Actuating Transposition in a Biplanar Society." The presenter will be Prof. M. J. Freiburg. The flyer promises light snacks and a Q&A.

            1
            You need An Invitation to Amarillo Academy 1

            1
            Unlocked with An Invitation to Amarillo Academy 1

Move to the Pony Express

The heart of Amarillo: its living breathing center. Its distributor of mail. Its carrier of justice. Only open when a postal rider is in town.

            Unlocked when Date is:

May 22, 2026 - Morning

May 22, 2026 - Afternoon

May 22, 2026 - Evening

May 23, 2026


All Aboard!

You pick your way through town to Platform #1, where at all times of day many people and places and things to see can be found.

You have moved to a new area: Amarillo: Platform #1


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Afraid of Heights

You were born on the ground and you'll die on the ground. Preferably not just after a fall.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

Gumption

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.


Ashling the Witch

The flame-haired witch of Amarillo can be found rain or shine among the cobbles and crowds of Platform #1 with a wicked pack of cards. This you hear; where she goes, people whisper, and not quietly. You can see her coming: head and shoulders above the crowd, taller even than the tallest man, orange hair curling unruly in the wind.

("Is she the devil?" a child whispers. His mother covers his mouth and looks around. Nobody's the devil, says the mother. Her eyes linger on Ashling; they seem to say, but if someone was...)

Into your space she comes, all tangerine hair and mossy fresh lips and the frank wild stare of a hunting bird. She gropes for your hand. Her fingers are surprisingly cool.

"No armed like forearmed," she says. "No seeing like foreseeing. Pull a card and hear the Ashling."

Opportunities

Draw cards from here to raise your Styles, meet your Allies, and risk your Antagonists.

Pull a Card

What can it hurt?

And there's this: something about Ashling is electric, is in fact electrifying. She has all the glamour of a live wire. Dangerous but tame; contained by circumstance. Alive with frantic energy. Infinitely graspable -- until she frays.


A Wicked Pack of Cards

You take Ashling's hand and get a real physical shock -- her body is dripping with static. She draws you over to a small table under an awning by the platform. "Must get apart from the crush," she says. "Who can hear themselves think?"

She sits you down and takes from her sleeve an oversized deck of cards. She cuts and shuffles with an expert hand, talking all the while -- "Hot today? Yes it's hot, and dear Mrs. Matterhorn down with the sniffles, not a killer yet no fun either, the common cold, but into every life I suppose some rain" -- then fans the gray-backed Tarot in front of you and abjures you to "pick, and get us underway!"

You draw; Ashling turns the card over. It's painted with a free-standing wood door in a sparse green-dusted meadow. In front of the door is a man doing a one-handed handstand with his back to you. One of his legs is straight out; the other is bent across the other.

Ashling sucks in through her teeth. "Bad luck," she says. "The Door. It means passages and reflections. The man in front has pearls for eyes, though you can't see them. Milky eyes unseeing. And nothing good behind the door either. Nothing comfortable."

Ashling gathers up her deck but presses The Door on you. "Can't undraw it," she says. "And if you see Miz Nils, remind her she's due for her horoscope. All her stars are out of line."

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.

You now have 1 x The Door.


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Afraid of Heights

You were born on the ground and you'll die on the ground. Preferably not just after a fall.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


A Gunslinger in Amarillo

There are endless opportunities here for you to brush up on all the things a gunslinger needs to know.

This is one of Zero Summer's "grind" cards. "Grind" cards can be replayed as often as you like. And most of their branches have a chance to produce a Rare Success, which will significantly increase one of your Styles and yield certain other benefits as well.

Getting to Know the Roughriders

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

A chancy challenge

The local police -- the Roughriders -- have exactly two jobs: keeping the Rule of One and handling the local unnatural fauna. The chief of police is fiercely-mustached Nicco Carfora. He's asked for a civilian volunteer to take one of the Roughriders' aging motorcycles out for a loop around the nearby farms and snoop for unnatural activity.

            1
            You need Gunslinger 1 (you have 1)

            1
            Unlocked with Gunslinger 1 - you have 1


Desert Driving Hazards

Getting to Know the Roughriders

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

A straightforward challenge

            1
            You need Gunslinger 1 (you have 3)

            1
            Unlocked with Gunslinger 1 - you have 3

You're in luck: the Roughriders only have one motorcycle left, a chrome diesel-coughing monster that shreds the landscape under its vulcanized treads. As loud and strong as it is, you don't spot the oversized lizard until it's too late -- for the lizard: in the sideview mirror you see its twitching remains burbling foul dark blood onto the sand. Definitely unusual. You report back and later hear from your motorcycle handler that Carfora was pleased to hear it. And Carfora, you're told, is <i>never</i> pleased.

Gunslinger has increased to 2!

You succeeded in a Gunslinger challenge!

3 change points, 1 more needed to reach level 4.

Gunslinger has increased to 3!

You've gained 2 x Reputation (new total 3).

NorteAmericano dollars. Not the only currency in Amarillo, but certainly the preferred one.

You now have 1 x Dollars.


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Dollars

NorteAmericano dollars. Not the only currency in Amarillo, but certainly the preferred one.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Afraid of Heights

You were born on the ground and you'll die on the ground. Preferably not just after a fall.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

Gumption

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Gumption

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


A Country Doc

Amarillo is bracketed by stone, sand and sky. There are things to see and explore beyond the Roughriders' barricades. And unexpected dangers. Which nearly anyone will tell you can add spice to an otherwise humdrum life.

This is one of Zero Summer's "grind" cards. "Grind" cards can be replayed as often as you like. And most of their branches have a chance to produce a Rare Success, which will significantly increase one of your Styles and yield certain other benefits as well.

Opportunities

Draw cards from here to raise your Styles, meet your Allies, and risk your Antagonists.

A Walk in the Scrublands

Doc

Mental Style.

A straightforward challenge

Miz Nils turns out to be the Jackrabbits' resident naturalist. She recommends a walk through the Scrublands north of Amarillo to get a feel for what grows around here. It might look hot and dry and dead, she says, but keep an eye: the scrub is teeming, alive, and way better at surviving in the desert than any person.


Painted in the Dust

A Walk in the Scrublands

Doc

Mental Style.

A straightforward challenge

            1
            You need Doc 1 (you have 3)

            1
            Unlocked with Doc 1 - you have 3

Low sprawling tumbled-down Amarillo fades into the horizon just a few short minutes' walk past the northern barricade. The desert is a still life painted in dust: long gritty tempera stripes in umber and scarlet and a few distant threads of light-sucking black strung along the brown sandy soil.

Soon enough you come to a shallow gully filled with smooth boulders much larger than yourself. The gully walls are cracked and fissured by centuries of brief soaking rains and long bright scalding days that steam the water right out of the ground. Down in the gully is a single lonely bullet casing. No body or blood -- just the last inorganic scrap the scrub couldn't digest.

0 change points, 4 more needed to reach level 4.

Doc has increased to 3!

You succeeded in a Doc challenge!

You've gained 1 x Reputation (new total 4).


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Game version number.
Thanks for playing Zero Summer!

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


Travel Around Town

Amarillo was once a largeish city; even now it covers a lot of ground. It takes time to move from one place to another.

Pinned

Pinned

Move to Burrow and Briar

Both an intersection and the tumble-down hideout of the Jackrabbits, Burrow and Briar represents a significant chunk of suburban Amarillo.

Move to Platform #1

The last stop on the Rio Sur line, located right here in Amarillo. A bustling place! Hub of commerce and social interaction! Mind the gap.

Move to St. Francis's

This tiny church near the heart of Amarillo is nevertheless a social hub -- for the worshipful few, the devotees of Santo Guerrero, and the better sort of criminal, the latter flocking like peacocks to the public fountain just outside.

Move to The Highrise Hotel

The tallest building in Amarillo was once public housing. Now its lower floors serve as flophouses for the indigent. And its upper floors? Rumors abound; no one can say for sure.

Move to the Wall Market

Beating heart of Amarillo's commercial district! Once a supermarket, now a sprawling swap meet where dollars and goods are bought and sold and bartered by hands both filthy and clean.

Move to the Scrublands

Step lightly through the lonely grass and sweeping sands north of Amarillo, where homesteaders and farmers and more unnatural things compete for water and precious black soil.

Move to the Mission

All brick and broken statues of angels. Here live the homeless and hopeless of Amarillo. The smell of chickens and the sound of singing will let you know you've arrived.

Move to Little Japan

On the west side, a forbidding place of blacked-out windows, steel doors and standoffish Japanese-Americans. Very few people are seen going in and out.

Move to Downtown Amarillo

A latter-day suburban sprawl! Choked with dust and the bright energy of commerce! Even now the wheels turn in Amarillo's rusted heart.

Move to Amarillo Academy

The former local college has been converted into an ivory fortress. Few students are accepted; none seem to leave. The masthead over the iron gate reads "Amarillo Academy of Arts and Speculative Sciences." Security is said to shoot on sight. It seems more credible than not.

A colored flyer on the gate announces a lecture series starting Friday, May 22nd on the subject of "Actuating Transposition in a Biplanar Society." The presenter will be Prof. M. J. Freiburg. The flyer promises light snacks and a Q&A.

Move to the Pony Express

The heart of Amarillo: its living breathing center. Its distributor of mail. Its carrier of justice. Only open when a postal rider is in town.


A Smallish Pilgrimage

St. Francis's isn't hard to get to. Just find a well-dressed gangster and tail him. You follow that tried and true method and soon find yourself on the doorstep of the church.

You have moved to a new area: St. Francis's


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Dollars

NorteAmericano dollars. Not the only currency in Amarillo, but certainly the preferred one.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Afraid of Heights

You were born on the ground and you'll die on the ground. Preferably not just after a fall.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

Gumption

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

20th Century Penny

An old but well-polished US penny. Minted in 1960. Just the thing to throw into the fountain at St. Francis's.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


Showing a Little Charity

St. Francis's

A small church near the heart of town. Officially dedicated to St. Francis. Unofficially dedicated to Lee Andante. Outside is a lovely fountain known to be a haunt for the better breed of gangsters.

The public fountain outside St. Francis's is the sparking social center of half the city: dozens of children play through the dancing sprays while old men play checkers at nearby tables and fashionable women stroll or sit on the cool granite lip. Its centerpiece is a tonsured and robed St. Francis with his arms spread. Many birds perch there, both carved and alive. It's almost pleasant here, if humid. Very humid.

You flick the 20th century penny into the fountain. Quick as a whiplash, a man on the fountain lip who's mostly hidden behind a newspaper reaches out and catches it before it touches the water. He folds the newspaper and tucks it under his arm; the penny disappears into a sleeve.

Pinned

Pinned

Velvet and Steel

The man is wearing an oxblood corduroy suit and a charcoal gray fedora. His nails are perfectly manicured and he smells like mangroves and antebellum.

"Good morning," he says cheerfully. "Thank you for the penny back. We hate to lose old trinkets like that. Of course its value is sentimental, but I think we can agree that sentiment is what draws us from our beds in the morning and lays us down with a vengeance at night -- and not the common plutophiliac pursuit. Yes?"

Without waiting for a reply, he goes on: "You may call me Mr. Velvet. I work with a group of concerned ladies and gentlemen: the Stars and Spurs. We undertake the little tasks that need doing. The exportation of certain fine local products up norte. The intake of necessary ordnance to deal with unfriendly local fauna. You understand."

"I'll be frank," Mr. Velvet says: "One of my associates tagged you as a possible conspirator in our humble efforts. We'll be receiving a colleague from Denver and we need someone to arrange his stay. See to his comfort. Ensure his needs are met. That sort of thing. You're in, yes?"

WARNING: This is the beginning of a Subplot. Choosing this branch will reduce Gumption by 1. This Subplot will focus on your Gunslinger and Cityslicker Styles.

            1
            You need Gumption 1 (you have 2)

            1
            Unlocked with Gumption 1 - you have 2


An Offer You Can't Refuse

            1
            You need Gumption 1 (you have 1)

            1
            Unlocked with Gumption 1 - you have 1

You express your interest to Mr. Velvet. He claps briskly and stands. "Good. Well done. First things first: a soft landing. Our colleague from Denver is arriving this morning. By the overland route. We need you out there sharpish to spot him. Once you do, set off a flare."

Here Mr. Velvet produces a flare gun from inside his blazer. The level of conversation nearby drops; everyone looks studiously away. Mr. Velvet seems not to notice.

"Our colleague will be coming from the northeast. There are surely many vantage points in the scrubland there; I'm confident you'll find the right one."

You've lost 1 x 20th Century Penny (new total 0).

You've lost 1 x Gumption (new total 1).

You're performing certain necessary if distasteful tasks for the Stars and Spurs.

You are now Cutting Your Spurs!


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

Cutting Your Spurs

You're performing certain necessary if distasteful tasks for the Stars and Spurs.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


Jack Ishiguro

Always smiling is Jack Ishiguro, resident fast-talker, quick on the draw with a high pitched giggle. The life of the party. One odd Jackrabbit. But very little escapes his tiny cheerful eyes.

Opportunities

Draw cards from here to raise your Styles, meet your Allies, and risk your Antagonists.

Perhaps Not

Your plate is already full.

The Power of Confidence

Seeing Jack Ishiguro move through a crowd -- sliding unimpeded, shoulder slouching, confidence glowing off him like heat from a lamp -- is quite the thing. People smile and swoon and flutter when he bumps into them. And not just women. A friend to all, is Jack Ishiguro, and universally charming. You could learn a thing or two.

You Scratch My Back

A recurring theme in Jack Ishiguro's many upbeat rambling conversations is how he's lean on cash. Liquid assets. Valoota. He never quite explains what he needs the money for, but you get the impression that his life would be somehow even cheerfuller if he had it.

And not empty-handed is Jack Ishiguro, no beggar at the door: he's made clear -- and not just once -- that he's sitting on a box of bullets he doesn't have any plans for, and would be happy to come to an arrangement involving bullets and dollars and a quiet exchange.

            1
            You need 1 x Dollars  (you have 1)

            1
            Unlocked with 1 x Dollars  - you have 1


A Different Kind of Education

It's all, Jack Ishiguro says, in how you hold yourself. How you walk on the outsides of your feet, letting your weight roll you forward, shiplike and easy. How you walk through the saloon and lean against the bar with casual, self-focused confidence.

Want nothing. Ask nothing. And everyone will want to know you, even if they don't know your name -- even if you don't, Jack Ishiguro says, and slaps your back in a good-natured way.

1 change point, 2 more needed to reach level 3.

Cityslicker has increased to 2!


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Dollars

NorteAmericano dollars. Not the only currency in Amarillo, but certainly the preferred one.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Afraid of Heights

You were born on the ground and you'll die on the ground. Preferably not just after a fall.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

Gumption

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Dollars

NorteAmericano dollars. Not the only currency in Amarillo, but certainly the preferred one.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Cutting Your Spurs

You're performing certain necessary if distasteful tasks for the Stars and Spurs.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


O Brother, Let's Go Down

The hot dry Texas sand means hard living for the rough men and women of Amarillo.

No shirkers; too many victims -- of accidents, the environment, each other. But not as many as you might think.

There aren't many beggars or cripples outside the Highrise Hotel. Almost no one is homeless.

 And aside from the Ashling -- according to Jack Ishiguro "more like a local unconventional entrepreneur-type than your real actual crazy person-type" -- the streets are clear of mumblers, foamers and Millenarians.

All of which raises the question: where have all the destitute gone?

Pinned

Pinned

Down, Down, Come on Down

The only visible downtrodden in Amarillo are its orphans. They're not exactly chatty -- unless breakfast is on you. You won't have any problem trading a bite to eat for a little information.

WARNING: This is the beginning of a subplot. Choosing this branch will reduce Gumption by 1. This subplot will focus on your Doc and Cityslicker Styles.


Down to the River to Pray

You trade a hard roll from Butterloaf to a hard-eyed girl on Fifth who tells you -- sounding a little affronted -- that while she's fine on her own, "anybody who ain't always ends up on the west side at the Mission. Just go down Palmetto until you hit the iron cross." You can almost hear the capitals in her voice, affronted or not.

At the bottom of Palmetto where it turns into Jefferson you find yourself in the shadow of the cross. It arcs high above everything around it, an easy star to navigate by. It's attached to the roof of a long low brick building. There's a vegetable garden on one side; everywhere else there are people of all ages and colors in all stages of cleanliness and dress. They stream constantly in and out of the Mission's double-doors, which look permanently propped, and through the garden, where fat clucking chickens peck sedately at the bugs amid plantings of squash and beans. Inside you can see the pews are used for sleeping as much as sitting.

Almost everyone at the Mission is missing something -- an eye, a leg, a parent -- and almost everyone is smiling. They turn their smiles on you. A man on crutches invites you inside, where a group of dirty underfed beaming children are learning Ave Maria from a woman the size of a bear. The air smells like unwashed bodies and hope.

You have moved to a new area: The Mission

Your capacity to pursue new and exciting adventures.

You've lost 1 x Gumption (new total 0).

You've been taken in by the strange beautiful kindnesses of the Mission.

You are now investigating a certain Hallowed Ground!


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Game version number.
Thanks for playing Zero Summer!

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Hallowed Ground

You've been taken in by the strange beautiful kindnesses of the Mission.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


Travel Around Town

Amarillo was once a largeish city; even now it covers a lot of ground. It takes time to move from one place to another.

Pinned

Pinned

Move to Burrow and Briar

Both an intersection and the tumble-down hideout of the Jackrabbits, Burrow and Briar represents a significant chunk of suburban Amarillo.

Move to Platform #1

The last stop on the Rio Sur line, located right here in Amarillo. A bustling place! Hub of commerce and social interaction! Mind the gap.

Move to St. Francis's

This tiny church near the heart of Amarillo is nevertheless a social hub -- for the worshipful few, the devotees of Santo Guerrero, and the better sort of criminal, the latter flocking like peacocks to the public fountain just outside.

Move to The Highrise Hotel

The tallest building in Amarillo was once public housing. Now its lower floors serve as flophouses for the indigent. And its upper floors? Rumors abound; no one can say for sure.

Move to the Wall Market

Beating heart of Amarillo's commercial district! Once a supermarket, now a sprawling swap meet where dollars and goods are bought and sold and bartered by hands both filthy and clean.

Move to the Scrublands

Step lightly through the lonely grass and sweeping sands north of Amarillo, where homesteaders and farmers and more unnatural things compete for water and precious black soil.

Move to the Mission

All brick and broken statues of angels. Here live the homeless and hopeless of Amarillo. The smell of chickens and the sound of singing will let you know you've arrived.

Move to Little Japan

On the west side, a forbidding place of blacked-out windows, steel doors and standoffish Japanese-Americans. Very few people are seen going in and out.

Move to Downtown Amarillo

A latter-day suburban sprawl! Choked with dust and the bright energy of commerce! Even now the wheels turn in Amarillo's rusted heart.

Move to Amarillo Academy

The former local college has been converted into an ivory fortress. Few students are accepted; none seem to leave. The masthead over the iron gate reads "Amarillo Academy of Arts and Speculative Sciences." Security is said to shoot on sight. It seems more credible than not.

A colored flyer on the gate announces a lecture series starting Friday, May 22nd on the subject of "Actuating Transposition in a Biplanar Society." The presenter will be Prof. M. J. Freiburg. The flyer promises light snacks and a Q&A.

Move to the Pony Express

The heart of Amarillo: its living breathing center. Its distributor of mail. Its carrier of justice. Only open when a postal rider is in town.


Step Lightly

Finding the Highrise Hotel is much like following the north star: aim for the tallest point in the sky and pick a path. Carefully, though; the roads are slick with human refuse and the natives are unfriendlier than usual.

You have moved to a new area: The Highrise Hotel


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Dollars

NorteAmericano dollars. Not the only currency in Amarillo, but certainly the preferred one.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Afraid of Heights

You were born on the ground and you'll die on the ground. Preferably not just after a fall.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

Hallowed Ground

You've been taken in by the strange beautiful kindnesses of the Mission.

Cutting Your Spurs

You're performing certain necessary if distasteful tasks for the Stars and Spurs.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


Miz Nils

The most appropriate thing about Miz Nils is the crocodile skin belt cinching her hips -- it's her in spades. Tough, durable, and quite reminiscent of a creature that lurks silent until snapping its jaws and locking on tight. Not one given over to the silks and velvets of the Stars and Spurs, is Miz Nils. No, she is far more enamored of the open sky, the dust outside of the town, and the rough nature of the Scrub.

Opportunities

Draw cards from here to raise your Styles, meet your Allies, and risk your Antagonists.

Perhaps Not

Your plate is already full.

Dust Devils

Out back of the Burrow, Miz Nils is ensconced by her lonesome on the creaking wooden porch. She has a small jar of oil, a whetstone, and a little dog-eared notebook on the table next to her. The expression on her face is one of very serious concentration.


Concentration

It's not that Miz Nils doesn't enjoy company. It's that she dislikes small talk. Instead of wasting breath, the two of you pass the time by sharpening the Burrow's knife collection, honing down the steel and polishing it mirror-bright. She takes down a few notes as you finish.

"Need some new blades soon," she says. "Wouldn't mind something that holds a better edge."

2 change points, 3 more needed to reach level 5.

Gunslinger has increased to 4!


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Afraid of Heights

You were born on the ground and you'll die on the ground. Preferably not just after a fall.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


Jack Ishiguro

Always smiling is Jack Ishiguro, resident fast-talker, quick on the draw with a high pitched giggle. The life of the party. One odd Jackrabbit. But very little escapes his tiny cheerful eyes.

Perhaps Not

Your plate is already full.

The Power of Confidence

Seeing Jack Ishiguro move through a crowd -- sliding unimpeded, shoulder slouching, confidence glowing off him like heat from a lamp -- is quite the thing. People smile and swoon and flutter when he bumps into them. And not just women. A friend to all, is Jack Ishiguro, and universally charming. You could learn a thing or two.

You Scratch My Back

A recurring theme in Jack Ishiguro's many upbeat rambling conversations is how he's lean on cash. Liquid assets. Valoota. He never quite explains what he needs the money for, but you get the impression that his life would be somehow even cheerfuller if he had it.

And not empty-handed is Jack Ishiguro, no beggar at the door: he's made clear -- and not just once -- that he's sitting on a box of bullets he doesn't have any plans for, and would be happy to come to an arrangement involving bullets and dollars and a quiet exchange.


I'll Scratch Yours

            1
            You need 1 x Dollars  (you have 0)

            1
            Unlocked with 1 x Dollars

The dollar is hardly out of your wallet before it disappears into Jack Ishiguro's pocket and is replaced by a single bullet delivered flipped and spinning down through the air to land smack in the middle of your palm.

"Much appreciated," Jack Ishiguro says, and grins toothily. "Pleasure doing business. And if you ever need more -- just holler!"

NorteAmericano dollars. Not the only currency in Amarillo, but certainly the preferred one.

You've lost 1 x Dollars (new total 0).

Useful for many things. Shooting monsters is only one.

You now have 1 x Revolver Bullet.


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Doc Toppers

Bowlers, stetsons, the occasional eyewear.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Revolver Bullet

Useful for many things. Shooting monsters is only one.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Consumables

Nostrums, drinkables, tobaccos and other treatlets.

Ally: Warren Castillo

Warren Castillo of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Afraid of Heights

You were born on the ground and you'll die on the ground. Preferably not just after a fall.

Ally: Jack Ishiguro

Jack Ishiguro of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Man in Black

Your ethical Orientation. Your concerns are self-empowerment and getting things done.

Seer of Rabbits

You have seen rabbits and struggle to un-see them.

Hallowed Ground

You've been taken in by the strange beautiful kindnesses of the Mission.

Cutting Your Spurs

You're performing certain necessary if distasteful tasks for the Stars and Spurs.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

White Noise

The unnatural world is becoming all too real.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

The Door

A Tarot card. It shows a door in a meadow and a man in front doing a handstand, one leg crossed over the other.


Gunslinger Gear

Guns, gloves, boots.

Cityslicker Duds

Coats and clothes for every occasion.

Talismans

Relics, charms, tokens of authority.

Currency

Spendables of all sorts.

Reputation

Your standing in the community.

Usables

Treasures, mementos, relics.

Ally: Miz Nils

Miz Nils of the Amarillo Jackrabbits.

Version

Game version number.

Time of Day

The time of day.

Date

Today's date.

Cityslicker

Social Style.

Doc

Mental Style.

Gunslinger

Physical Style.


A Gunslinger in Amarillo

There are endless opportunities here for you to brush up on all the things a gunslinger needs to know.

This is one of Zero Summer's "grind" cards. "Grind" cards can be replayed as often as you like. And most of their branches have a chance to produce a Rare Success, which will significantly increase one of your Styles and yield certain other benefits as well.

Opportunities

Draw cards from here to raise your Styles, meet your Allies, and risk your Antagonists.

Bullets for Little Japan

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

A chancy challenge

Traeger the gunsmith on Short Vine is looking for someone to deliver a package to Little Japan, an apartment building on the west side of town where every unit is owned by one large Japanese-American family. According to Traeger, they're secretive, stand-offish, and endlessly thirsty for bullets. No one but him will do business with them.

            4
            You need Gunslinger 4 (you have 4)

            4
            Unlocked with Gunslinger 4 - you have 4

Keeping the Peace

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

A very modest challenge

The beating heart of Amarillo's commercial district is the Wall Market, a sprawling parking lot bazaar and former supermarket where you can buy or barter anything you desire. Petty theft is obviously a problem.

A doughman for Butterloaf Bakery is looking for warm bodies to fill the morning security shift. A bad case of food poisoning from the salmon jerky stall has the regular crew doing the Texas two-step. The way the doughman tells it, they're having a graphic morning. Borderline tragic.

            3
            You need Gunslinger 3 (you have 4)

            3
            Unlocked with Gunslinger 3 - you have 4

Getting to Know the Roughriders

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

A straightforward challenge

The local police -- the Roughriders -- have exactly two jobs: keeping the Rule of One and handling the local unnatural fauna. The chief of police is fiercely-mustached Nicco Carfora. He's asked for a civilian volunteer to take one of the Roughriders' aging motorcycles out for a loop around the nearby farms and snoop for unnatural activity.

            1
            You need Gunslinger 1 (you have 4)

            1
            Unlocked with Gunslinger 1 - you have 4


For Your Trouble

Bullets for Little Japan

Gunslinger

Physical Style.

A very modest challenge

            4
            You need Gunslinger 4 (you have 5)

            4
            Unlocked with Gunslinger 4 - you have 5

Little Japan is topped with an ornate last-century cupola visible from nearly anywhere in Amarillo. You use it to navigate your way through the west side and knock as instructed on the solid steel front door. After a full minute you hear bolts being drawn and locks opened. Finally the door cracks open and a thin pale face appears. The doorman looks you up and down, then extends a folded white envelope. You take it and hand over the bag of bullets, which disappears into the darkness behind the door.

"And for you," the doorman says in a voice like a whisper. A surprising voice: patrician, with an accent that stirs up memories of multicolored leaves and a musty autumn smell. An American accent from up norte. The doorman presses a few dollars into your hand. "For your trouble," he says, emphasizing trouble. The face withdraws; the door thumps shut. Now what was that about?

0 change points, 6 more needed to reach level 6.

Gunslinger has increased to 5!

You succeeded in a Gunslinger challenge! (Risky challenges mean you learn more.)

4 change points, 2 more needed to reach level 6.

Gunslinger is increasing...

You now have 2 x Dollars.

You've gained 2 x Reputation (new total 6).