SPINE: Siderius Plug's Immortality in Ninety-nine Endnotes
SPINE is a solo tabletop RPG that looks like a book. In SPINE, you play as a researcher who has inherited this strange book from an estranged relative. What’s inside the book is equally peculiar, a collection of excerpts about immortality and several magicians who sought it. These excerpts include texts of diverse genres — an essay, biography, diary, and collection of poetry — all by different authors and sewn together at the spine by a self-important scholar.
You soon discover a catch. You are enthralled by the book, and you realize you are becoming completely absorbed by it. The only way to lessen its power is by defacing the text.
You play by reading. For each page, you must pick one of its endnotes and follow its prompts. Some prompts instruct you to advance your clock at the back of the book, which represents the degree to which you are absorbed in the book. Your goal is to piece together the story without losing yourself in it.
- Awarded "Most Innovative" in the 2025 Indie Groundbreakers.
- Nominated for "Best Solo Game" in the 2026 ENNIES.
What do you need to play?
The book. A pencil. Your curiosity. A spine…
SPINE is easy to learn. It has only one page of rules. The book takes care of the rest.
Content Warnings
Inside, you may encounter possession, loss of bodily control, and child abuse (verbal, manipulative). If you experience unexpectedly strong emotions that are painful or that surface past trauma, stop playing immediately and connect with someone you trust.
PDF version is currently not included. Please reach out to the publisher if your interested in a digital version. This is not a guarantee.