"You are going to die. The game is about how."
Ten Candles is Stephen Dewey's tragic story-horror game for a single evening. The world went dark ten days ago, and something hunts in the darkness. It's played by the literal light of ten candles: they go out as the story unfolds, serving as a timer of doom. Zero prep, no happy ending — only how your characters meet the end.
Ten days after all the sun's light went out. In the dark live 'Them' — the things that hunt survivors. The power is dead, hope is fading. This isn't a game about winning: the ending is fixed, every character will die. The value is in the dignity, love, and fear of the final hours, told as a message for those who might still be alive.
Ten candles — the timer
Ten real candles burn on the table. They go out as play goes on (on failures and at scene ends), counting down to doom. When the last dies, everyone dies. A literal countdown to the end.
A dwindling dice pool
Tests are a d6 pool sized by the burning candles and traits. With each snuffed candle the pool shrinks: hope mechanically fades, and the world darkens with it.
Zero prep, guaranteed death
The GM needs no prep. The game tells you plainly: you will die. Cards for Virtues, Vices, Moments, and Brinks define what a character clings to — and what will break them.
Ritual and message
A session is almost a rite: dimmed light, the heroes' voices 'recorded' as a message to future survivors. Atmosphere over rules; one evening, one complete tragedy.
Open in Session Zero to let every player vote and see the results.