Cult Poker: The Writer 2024

The year, 1974. The life, a best-selling author, but the pressure of recent success is crushing the imagination… that and the muttering in the recesses of the mind. Perhaps a trip to the idyllic Pacific Northwest at a lakeside cabin is just what’s needed to kickstart the next novel and soothe troubled thoughts. Pleasant drives on isolated roads. Thoughtful hikes into the woods and high elevations. Perhaps even lingering by the lake for a little fishing or gazing at the night sky for inspiration. Whatever it takes to get the next book done… and keep sane. Hopefully, the disturbing long-running rumors of local disappearances won’t interfere with all this time-sensitive work.

Cult Poker: The Writer is an expansion to the solo card game, Cult Poker. As usual, you use a standard deck of cards to select poker hands to unlock and explore a world of odd secrets. This time you are also desperately trying to overcome your crippling writer’s block and finish your latest novel, but whether you succeed or how you devote your time once you start exploring is up to you.

The game is make-as-you-play, meaning you will modify a deck of playing cards throughout a campaign of games with a permanent marker. Ultimately, you will know your fate and possess a deck that reflects your character’s discoveries and memories. And maybe even you’ll have a marketable novel!

—description from the designer