EGIL (2019)

What is this?

EGIL is a small game for those over 18 (due to its encouragement of graphic descriptions), where you take the chair as EGIL Skallagrimsson. You seek to confess your dark secrets before life ebbs away. EGIL is a creative exercise that can be practiced alone, or with others, in 10 minutes. You need a stopwatch, music, a set of roleplaying dice, pencil, and paper. The game is a time-efficient exercise in letting the dice bridge into a creative language, shaping mood-bearing poems under pressure, and training the ability to put yourself in someone else's place.

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Who was Egil Skallagrimsson?

The controversial skald lived in the 900s, as described in Egil's Saga. He was ugly in appearance, quarrelsome, and proud. At age seven he killed for the first time, striking down an older boy. On one of his many journeys, he broke a man's jaw open and vomited down the throat of the poor fellow, who had only offered sour milk when Egil was thirsty for mead. You play Egil as an old man, on a QUEST for reconciliation with his dark SECRETS.

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Rollespill.Info's Game Creator Competition (R.I.S.K.) 2019

In two weeks you are to create a game based on a small set of "ingredients". I chose the words QUEST and SECRETS. It was scary to submit an entry to a competition, but I was thrilled to learn that I won three prizes.

The jury wrote: "The level of the games this year was incredibly even and high. In that sense, everyone who took part is a winner. But only some can actually win. Now the people have voted for their favorites."

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🥈 Second place overall went to EGIL by Karl Otto Kristoffersen

🥇 The People's Favorite: EGIL by Karl Otto Kristoffersen

As many will know, Karl Otto is writing a roleplaying game called Kvad, but he managed to break away to join R.I.S.K and wrote a fantastic game about the Viking skald Egil. This game received the most votes in the open poll, making it the people's favorite. The game's illustrations and layout are by Christopher Rakkestad.

- A simple and fun concept that the design supports, and likely delivers on. The solo game concept is interesting, but I think it gets even more fun with a partner or two. Charmer of the year? (Ole Peder Giæver)

- I was genuinely happy and uplifted reading this game. This was a fine idea, and I will gladly take a few test rounds. (Chris De Vries Enger)

- This seems like a good exercise before play, or before another creative feat (writing theater, preparing a speech, etc.). Roleplaying as a solo exercise is little explored, but this seems like a short, fine journey into that landscape. (Øivind Stengrundet)

🥇 The Presentation Prize: Karl Otto Kristoffersen and Christopher Rakkestad with EGIL

Yet another prize goes to EGIL for its incredibly beautiful design and confident text. Christopher Rakkestad is behind the illustrations and layout, and this prize belongs just as much to him.

- The design is great, and it strengthens the feeling that there are two different worlds in R.I.S.K. – Michael Esperum

- It is also graphically beautiful, though marked by a bit too much air on the first and last page. (Chris De Vries Enger)

- A fully realized visual identity. (Trond Ivar Hansen)

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See a picture of the process behind EGIL here.

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Check out the other entries, and the scope of the competition, here.