The Centauri Tree is a story game for two or three players in which
they narrate the history of an alien world from the perspective of a
lone tree. The players describe the ecology and culture of the world,
crafting short interwoven poems as the game unfolds.
You will need a maple seed to play. Mark one side of the seed with a
pen or marker. As a player begins a new turn she tosses the seed into
the air. If it lands with the unmarked side up, her poem will be about
the ecology or natural history of the world, focusing on themes like the growth of the tree, the animals who shelter in its branches, and weather and climate. If the marked side is
showing, the poem will explore the history of the planet’s sentient inhabitants who live near the tree, which grows through the seasons as communities evolve, individuals look at the world with hope and wonder, and the families respond to crisis and change. These poems can include contact with other worlds. You can use dice or cards in lieu of a seed.
On her turn, the player will write a haiku-like poem reflecting the
theme of the seed toss. The poem should have three lines, with the
first and third having at most five syllables and the second line having
at most seven.
The next player tosses the seed and begins a new poem. The first
line of her poem, however, must be the same as the third line of the
previous poem. This pattern continues as the players alternate turns,
resulting in six interconnected poems.
After the group has created six poems, each player takes a moment to
write a seventh that connects the opening and closing of the cycle. The
final poems should use the third line from the sixth poem as the
opening, and the first line from the first poem as the final line.
