Join us at Pandemonium for a special 4-hour, storytelling board game! You’re especially welcome if you’ve never before played tabletop roleplaying games (or their board game analogues) and are curious about where to start, although this game will rely on players being comfortable with improvisation and emergent narrative (more so than others).

Xenolanguage is a storytelling board game that interrogates how past relationships and shared memories influence the interpretation of language. Although the game is based on similar vibes to Arrival or Contact (extraterrestrials show up on our planet and need translators), the game is really about the people sent to communicate and how translating affects their memories, perceptions of self, and perceptions of others.

After players discover their characters and interpersonal relationships, the game proceeds via story cards that have prompts for characters to answer, either individually or in pairs that help define what the various symbols of the xenolanguage mean. And then, three times over the game, the extraterrestrials will send a message to the players conducted via “channeling” via movement of a planchette over the shared player board. The game has a curated soundtrack to set the mood (and mystery) of the game, so it’s sure to be unforgettable.

So if you ever wanted to play this game out or just want to spend time with others who enjoy this genre of story, sign up to play! And if you’re curious about the other storytelling board games on Pandemonium’s shelves, stay tuned to the Events Calendar for future announcements!