Level One: Jordan’s Worries
Bright brass airships soar beneath sun-dappled clouds, while clockwork automatons hum cheerfully in bustling streets. Energy flows from clean steam-engines, fueling brilliant inventions and forging new alliances between once-warring nations. Citizens unite around compassion and ingenuity, forging a shared destiny that sparkles with boundless progress, bright promise, and radiant possibility. Jordan looks forward with much excitement about the future.
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION
Jordan is a 12-year-old boy with a passion for soccer, often devoting hours each day to refining his skills. He cares deeply for both of his parents, but their frequent arguments fill him with stress and uncertainty. Part of his love for soccer stems from the extra closeness it brings with his mom, yet he fears this bond will make his dad feel left out. Longing for a healthier way for his parents to settle their conflicts, Jordan hopes they can restore the supportive environment he needs to pursue his athletic dreams and protect his emotional well-being. Although he’s driven by a fear of feeling worthless and a strong need to feel valuable, the tension at home fuels his anxiety, nervousness, and sadness—making it his greatest obstacle.
Key Elements of Jordan’s Ascending Character Arc
Initial Drive: Jordan’s intense fear of feeling worthless and an overwhelming desire to be valued by both parents spur his dedication to soccer. He believes athletic success might validate him in their eyes.
Central Conflict: Frequent arguments between his divorced parents—and the guilt he feels over spending more time with Mom—overshadow his genuine love for the game. Jordan becomes torn, wondering if his passion is causing family friction.
Moral Awakening:Jordan realizes his worth can’t hinge on athletic perfection or perfectly balancing parental attention.
By adopting a relaxation exercise (visualizing an imaginary fan and breathing deeply to “power” it), he learns to manage anxiety, releasing guilt he previously assumed was his burden.
Resolution: Equipped with his new coping strategy, Jordan finds renewed self-confidence and reclaims joy in soccer—no longer viewing each practice as a referendum on family dynamics.
Even though his parents continue to argue, he remains centered, knowing he can’t fix their conflicts but can protect his own emotional well-being and pursue his passion on his own terms.
GAME RULES WITH QUEST PROGRESSION
In this level, the “Fan Focus” (or any similar coping card) is not available during the first three quests, reflecting Jordan’s journey as he gradually learns the breathing strategy by Quest 4
To Begin:
Players draw 3 REACTION cards from the deck
Reveal Adversity
At the start of each quest or turn, a Negative Card (e.g., “Conflict,” “Setback,” or “Doubt”) is drawn or flipped to represent a new challenge.
Early on (Quests 1–3), Jordan has fewer options to counter these Negative Cards. He must rely on standard REACTION cards until he discovers the “Fan Focus” mechanic in Quest 4.
Player Decision
The player evaluates the newly revealed Negative Card(s) and decides how best to respond with the resources currently available.
During Quests 1–3 (“The Morning of the Big Game,” “Torn Between Two Worlds,” “A Concerning Performance”), “Fan Focus” is not yet introduced; the player might use other REACTION cards or choose to endure the setback.
Beginning at Quest 4 (“Letting Go of Guilt”), Jordan gains access to the “Fan Focus” card, which can remove or negate certain Negative Cards. From then on, the player has a more powerful response to stress.
Resolve Effects
Any card(s) the player chooses to play—whether an early-game REACTION workaround or the “Fan Focus” card later—apply their effects to the Negative Cards.
If the player takes no action or lacks useful cards, the Negative Card’s penalty remains in effect, impacting the next steps of the quest.
Draw / Discard (Card Management)
After dealing with adversity, the player may draw from the main deck to replenish their hand or discard as required by certain card effects.
Managing the hand becomes crucial—especially as harder conflicts arise in later quests.
Advance the Narrative (Quest Flow)
Each quest (or turn within a quest) moves the story forward:
Quest 1: “The Morning of the Big Game” introduces basic challenges without the breathing strategy.
Quest 2: “Torn Between Two Worlds” escalates tensions, still no “Fan Focus.”
Quest 3: “A Concerning Performance” shows Jordan struggling without a coping mechanism.
Quest 4: “Letting Go of Guilt” unlocks “Fan Focus,” reflecting Jordan’s discovery of the breathing exercise.
Quest 5: “A Moment of Calm” and Quest 6: “A Calm in the Chaos” let the player fully utilize “Fan Focus” alongside other Support cards, illustrating Jordan’s growing confidence.
By the end of Quest 6, Jordan—and the player—have learned to integrate “Fan Focus” consistently, showing his internal growth and increasing mastery over how he copes with conflict.
This cycle (reveal adversity → player decision → resolve → card management → narrative progression) repeats as the story unfolds across all six quests.
WHY THIS GAME PROGRESSION MATTERS
Gradual Empowerment: The first three quests show Jordan’s vulnerability without his coping tool, while Quests 4–6 showcase how “Fan Focus” improves his resilience.
Narrative & Gameplay Interlock: Each quest’s scenario parallels Jordan’s emotional arc, strengthening the bond between story and mechanics.
Simplicity & Thematic Cohesion: The entire game revolves around card draws and plays; players see Jordan’s character development in real-time, culminating in a confident ability to handle adversity.
This is what Jordan’s soccer ball looks like in his world.
