The Quiet Year

The Quiet Year is a map game that places you in charge of a small post‑apocalyptic community during a year of relative peace. Each week is represented by a card that brings events, challenges, and opportunities, from resource scarcity to new characters arriving. The active player draws the card, reads the instructions, and decides how to react: they can discuss decisions, take individual actions, or discover something new. After resolving the card, a small upkeep advances ongoing projects, bringing them closer to completion. The drawing mechanic lets you create maps of your community as the game progresses, while Open Drafting gives everyone a chance to choose cards that shape the setting. The narrative is built in real time, with each decision influencing the story’s direction, and the game ends when the Frost Shepherds arrive in winter, marking the end of the quiet year. The post‑apocalyptic theme creates a survival and rebuilding atmosphere, but the lack of a clear win condition turns the game into a sandbox where the process and story matter more than winning. Ideal for those who enjoy collaborative storytelling, exploring complex scenarios, and experiencing the thrill of building something amid adversity.