Space Jellyfish Overhead

This is an ancient place, known only as Land. The people of Land seek to live in harmony with the sea and the sky.

Once a generation, a bloom of giant jellyfish fills the skies above. The Visitors descend, stay a few days, and then leave for many years. Nobody knows why they come or where they go, but the Elders teach that they are messengers from the stars.

A select few possess an innate ability to communicate with the jellyfish.  Known as Jelly Watchers, these individuals journey through wild places in search of signs heralding the Visitors’ impending arrival. They listen to the jellyfish songs, learn their secrets, and share their wisdom with the people of Land.

Space Jellyfish Overhead is a solo journaling tabletop role-playing game set in the world of Land. Once in a generation, interstellar jellyfish appear in the skies. The player takes on the role of a Jelly Watcher—an individual capable of communicating with the mysterious Visitors.

Players journey through wild areas, seeking signs of the Visitors' arrival. The game blends introspective journaling with deep time. Players uncover lost truths, assess threats and chart a path forward for their community—all influenced by the strange space jellyfish above.

You will need:

• An hour or so of quiet time
• Pen and paper (or another way to take notes)
• One or two six-sided dice
• A pack of standard playing cards

Notes and optional rules

Clarifications in response to player feedback.

• During Act 1: SEARCHING, players who roll the same location on the first two turns advance immediately to Act 2: ARRIVAL. If this feels too quick, wait for the second repeated location before finding Jellysign and proceeding to the next act.
• The jellyfish appear in the location where you find Jellysign. Unless you feel strongly otherwise, they do not appear elsewhere in Land.
• If you are unsure what to write during Act 4: DEPARTURE, try the following prompts:
  • Describe the emotions and impressions that linger after your encounter.
  • What is the atmosphere in the village as you return?
  • How do the villagers react to your account?
  • Are there festivities? A solemn vigil? A ceremony?
  • How might your experience shape the future of Land?

Space jellyfish playlist

Quiet music to accompany your journey.

Inspirations

• MECHANICAL ORYX by Grant Howitt 
• Exquisite Biome by Caro Asercion
• ECH0 by Role Over Play Dead

Credits

• Cover image from Louis Fibuier's Ocean World : Being a Descriptive History of the Sea and its Living Inhabitants (1868)
• In-game image from Hermann Krumm's Schleswig-Holstein meerumschlungen in Wort und Bild von Hippolyt Haas (1896)
• Banner is Neal Ziring's Jellyfish  (2013)