Tails You Lose

A MINIMALIST HORROR ENGINE BY JESSICA VALENTINE & E. R. F. JORDAN

Hide under the bed or in the closet? Fight back or run for the door? Grab the crowbar or hope the rifle is loaded? In the fugue of probability, everything comes down to a coin flip: either it works or it doesn't.

Tails You Lose is a minimalist engine for running short horror games. It centers around coin flips, with coins acting as shorthand for your ability to persevere. Spend coins from your bank, flip to see whether you succeed, and watch in horror as your coins dwindle, drawing you ever closer to the grisly end.

To play, you'll need:

• 1 player to run the game.
• 1+ player(s) to play; 3–5 is best.
• Coins (or, failing that, dice).
• Open, trusting, and honest communication at the table.