Context

I've been reading role playing poems again recently – they are very short role playing games (or storytelling games, or improvisation exercises, in case you have a very narrow definition of RPG), 15 minutes or less, and because they ar so short, they can and have to explore a single, very narrow theme. Often they play with ideas that have no place in bigger games – like emotions hitting close to home, boredom, identity, body. Somehow, the following one sprang to my mind. I'm sure it needs refinement.

Talking to Strangers

A game poem for three or more friends walking through town.

One player plays the Stranger. They should play to be a person with similar interests, but possibly a different personality to themselves. The other players play a group of Friends, walking through town minding their own business. The Friends must have names different from the players. By chance, the Stranger is walking in a very similar direction as the Friends, at a very similar pace, unable to not listen to their conversations.

The game proceeds for about 8–12 minutes, until the departure point where the paths of the Stranger and the Friends would split. (They can there make the decision to hesitate shortly, or even join to go to one destination.)

• If the Stranger reaches the departure point without talking to the Friends, the Stranger wins.
• If a Friend asks the Stranger for some contact details, the Stranger wins.
• If the Stranger talks to the Friends, the Friends win.