Smuggling Folk - sexual rights

The year is 2035 and the world’s first corpo nation state 
(called X-ation) now administers 85% of the continent. 
In a bonfire of institutions, rights and laws, reproductive health 
and sexual rights have been rolled back across X-ation.
But a bunch of smart folk have set up a smuggling operation 
to smash through the barriers to health and happiness.

This is an adventure story game for 2-100 or more players. One person takes the role of the storyteller, reading through a scenario. 

Every other player plays the role of a smuggler in this dystopian future. Each player needs a pen and paper to track their adventure. 

The game can be played with two rule sets, Basic or Advanced. Even the Advanced rules are a very rules light RPG system. The Basic rules were designed imagining a larger audience (30+ players) of complete novice/non-gamers, people who may never have played any RPG or even a modern board game. The Advanced rules are a simple RPG system ideally for smaller group of up to 10 players. 

The core engine of both rule sets is providing players with a story that has story beats that create a challenge. Players chose if their individual smuggler character will either Push On or  Lay Low. Each player can make different choices. The games storyteller then reveals the results of their decision ,both narratively and on two key metrics.  Progress and Heat. 

Players win the smuggling run scenario if their Progress value reaches 10. But smuggling folk are arrested if their Heat value ever equals their Progress value. 

This game was originally developed for the Femininomenon Jam, specifically meeting the theme of "a games about reproductive health and choices". The first scenario written was strongly influenced by my work as a Relationships and Sex Educator and the current world global news. 

The first scenario focus on the themes of Contraception, Oppression and Fascism. But also includes small mentions of Sex Work and Needles. It is highly recommended to check out TTRPG Safety Tools before playing.

My aim is to release some additional scenarios over the next few weeks/months. Equally you are invited to write your own scenarios. 

Smuggling Folk © 2025 by Gareth Blindfish is licensed under CC BY 4.0