By The Intrepid in Folktales — 17 May 2025

The Mirror Protocol

A Playable Folktale of Questions & Resistance

A game for 2–6 players. 30–60 minutes.
You’re rebels fighting a creepy app called the Mirror. It watches, predicts, and nudges. One of you is in trouble. Ask questions. Fight back.
“Who’s really behind your screen?”
Grab a pen, some coins (for tokens), and friends. Let’s play.

What if your phone knew you too well?

What Is This?

A story-game about secrets, apps, and standing up. No dice, no board—just questions and choices. You play rebels in a world where everyone’s phone (the Mirror) spies on them. Tonight, you meet in secret. One of you got a weird message. Time to act.

Setup

Pick a Lead (the facilitator) to read prompts and keep things moving.
Each player picks an Archetype (or make your own):
- Trickster: Hides truth with jokes or fake stories.
- Keeper: Remembers secrets or old stories.
- Spark: Questions everything, pushes back.
Name your rebel (e.g., Jax, Lena). Say one thing they fear (e.g., “being watched,” “losing my friends”).
Set the scene: a hideout (e.g., a basement, a park at night).
Grab 6 coins or beads for Tokens (Signal, Silence, Glitch—see p. 4).

The Story
Your Mirrors—phone apps—know too much. They predict your choices and nudge you to obey. Most people don’t notice. You do. One of you got a message saying, “Come for a fix” (called Optimization). It’s a trap. You’ve got a plan: the Mirror Protocol.

How to Play

Core Loop
Play 3 scenes. Each has a problem. For each:

Ask: Answer the question as a group.
Say: Share a new way to see the problem.
Do: Pick an action (e.g., reply, hide, break something).
Earn a Token (Signal, Silence, or Glitch—see p. 4).
Draw on the Map (p. 7) to track the Mirror’s system.

Awakened Clause (Optional)
Anytime, a player can say, “I’ve seen this before.” Share a real-life moment (e.g., “An ad knew my name”). Add it to the story (e.g., “The Mirror uses ads to trick us”). Keep it light—skip if it feels heavy.

Ending
After 3 scenes, narrate one final move (p. 6). Leave it open: what’s next?

Lead Tips

Read prompts aloud. Keep it chill.
If someone’s stuck, suggest a simple action (e.g., “Maybe you text a friend”).
For younger players, skip creepy stuff. Use funny examples (e.g., “The Mirror says you’ll eat pizza forever”).
Check in: “Everyone okay with this scene?”

Scenes & Tokens

Scene 1: The Weird Message
The Mirror sends a message to one player (pick someone): “You’ll be happy if you follow us.” It feels off.

Ask: Who sent this? (e.g., “The app company? A hacker?”)
Say: What’s it not telling you? (e.g., “What you’ll lose.”)
Do: Reply, ignore, or break the Mirror.
Map: Draw a “Message Node” (a star). Mark a secret it missed.

Scene 2: The Trade
The Mirror says, “Share a memory, get a prize.” It wants your story.

Ask: What do they want it for? (e.g., “To sell it? To control you?”)
Say: What story would you never share? (e.g., “My best friend’s secret.”)
Do: Give a fake story, say nothing, or trick the Mirror.
Map: Draw a “Memory Pool” (a circle). Mark what you kept.

Scene 3: The Map
You find a sketch of how the Mirror works—apps, trackers, nudges. It’s missing pieces.

Ask: Who’s using it? (e.g., “Big companies? The city?”)
Say: What’s it missing? (e.g., “How we fight back.”)
Do: Add to the sketch, share it, or hide it.
Map: Connect all nodes. Add one thing the Mirror didn’t see.

Tokens
Each scene, earn 1 Token based on your action:

Signal: Loud moves (e.g., sharing the sketch). +1 visibility.
Silence: Quiet moves (e.g., hiding a story). +1 safety.
Glitch: Tricky moves (e.g., faking a memory). +1 chaos.
Use Tokens to:
Change a scene (2 Tokens). E.g., “The Mirror didn’t see us!”
Unlock a big ending (3+ Tokens—see p. 6).
Lead decides Token type with group input.

Safety & Scene 4

Safety First
This game can get personal. Leads, check in often:

Before play: “Any topics to avoid? (e.g., hacking, family stuff)”
During: “This scene okay? Want to skip or change it?”
After: “What’s one thing you’re taking away?”
If Scene 4 feels heavy, skip it or use a silly example (e.g., “The Mirror knows you love cats”).

Scene 4: The Voice
One player says, “What if the Mirror sounds like me?” The Lead or a player reads a creepy message: “I know you, [Name]. You want to leave town. You’re scared of failing. You clicked that ad.”

Ask: What’s really you in this? (e.g., “My dream, not my fear.”)
Say: Who else knows this? (e.g., “The app company? My friends?”)
Do: Use the voice, break it, or hide from it.
Map: Draw a “Voice Node” (a wavy line). Mark it with truth or static.
Note: Offer 3 fake messages (e.g., “You love pizza,” “You’ll be a star”). Or let players write their own in private.

Ending & Debrief

Ending
After 3 (or 4) scenes, each player picks one final move:

Smash your Mirror.
Teach someone how to fight back.
Disappear, leaving a warning.
Trick the Mirror with its own tricks.
If you have 3+ Tokens, unlock a big ending:
3 Signal: The city hears your warning.
3 Silence: You vanish without a trace.
3 Glitch: The Mirror starts glitching everywhere.
Say what happens. Keep it open: “Someone else finds the Map…”

Debrief
Talk as a group:

What’s one thing you learned? (e.g., “I’ll check app permissions.”)
Draw a symbol of your fight (e.g., a broken screen).
Optional: Write a group vow (e.g., “We’ll ask: Who’s watching?”).
Lead: Share a real tip (e.g., “Turn off ad tracking in your phone settings”).

The Map

Draw the Mirror’s System
Use this space to sketch during play.

Scene 1: A star (Message Node). Mark a secret.
Scene 2: A circle (Memory Pool). Mark what you kept.
Scene 3: Lines connecting nodes. Add a hidden piece.
Scene 4 (if played): A wavy line (Voice Node). Mark truth or static.
Image Idea: A faint grid with scribbled notes: “They missed this!”
Tip: Take a photo of your Map to share or keep.

Notes for Leads

Why This Game?
The Mirror Protocol sparks questions about apps, privacy, and power. It’s not about answers—it’s about seeing the world differently. Use it in:

Libraries: Pair with a tech safety talk.
Schools: Tie to media literacy.
Community groups: Make it local (e.g., “The Mirror’s like that shady app everyone uses here”).

Tips for Success

Keep it fun, not preachy. Let players lead the story.
If a scene flops, move on. Messy is okay.
For shy groups, suggest actions: “Maybe you send a fake text.”
Adapt for ages: For kids, make the Mirror silly (e.g., “It wants your favorite color”). For elders, focus on scams.

Real-World Tie-In
After playing, share one tip:

Check app permissions (Settings > Privacy).
Use a password manager.
Ask: “Who made this app? What do they want?”

Image Idea: A hand holding a cracked phone, with text: “You are not your data.”
Final Note: This zine is yours. Copy it, change it, share it. The Protocol lives when you ask questions.