Lonely Timbers

Lonely Timbers is a game about historical lumberjacks in the 19th century. It’s a game about men who leave their homes for months at a time to support their families with the only job they could get. They would cut timber in the chill of fall, the frozen winters, and treacherous spring. It’s a game about the people who did this dangerous work, the price they paid, and the bonds built in those remote cabins.

In this game, each player portrays one of the woodcutters during a year of toil and service. They work the long days to harvest timber from the forests to earn their pay to support their families. They also suffer stress, loneliness, and the other dark thoughts known as the cold. They spend their evenings caring for each other, offering comforts of home and bonds of companionship.

This is a game about masculinity in all its forms. It’s a game that explores the lives of stoic workers who leave the comforts of home for harsh and unyielding labour. It’s a game about men who provide for their families with the strength of their bodies and force of their will. It’s a game about bravado, camaraderie, and humour, which carry them through the long days. It’s a game about brave men being vulnerable with each other, asking for and providing comfort when it’s needed most. It’s about building your own family in those woods, one that you can trust and love.

Lonely Timbers was originally designed as part of the GameChef 2017 game design contest, playtested and revised to help you tell better stories.