Each session of Silent Læke begins the same way — with the murder of Deirdre in the spring of 1992. But what unfolds after is entirely up to you. The game is designed as a one-shot mystery, with high replay value. With 24 Places, 25 Suspects, and four Scene Types (Sex, Violence, Dialogue, and Moxie), each playthrough builds a new narrative path: you choose where to go, whom to confront, and what kind of Scene to create. Even in its simplest form, the Killer is randomly selected and kept hidden until the very end — not even the Director knows who it is until the story demands it. A typical session lasts around six hours, but you can stretch it into two or three sessions if you prefer a slower descent. And beyond the main game, new scenarios will unlock during the crowdfunding campaign — stories that take place before, after, or alongside Deirdre’s death. You can always combine them into a season of sorts, with each scenario taking a session or two. Returning to the same characters over time creates a slow-burn arc — like a tragic TV mini-series that won’t let go.

Think blackjack, "Clue", and "Guess Who?". Even though it’s a TTRPG, Silent Læke plays closer to those than to D&D. Another less common influence comes from Japanese TTRPGs — especially "Shinobigami". Forget skill lists and hit points — this game is about tension, emotion, and the quiet horror that grows between people who know each other too well.

Not quite. Silent Læke uses a Director, who frames Scenes and plays the town — its shadows, moods, and secrets. The other 1–2 Players each take on a single character (who is also a Suspect), playing Scene by Scene. But Players have more narrative power than in most RPGs: you choose the Type of Scene, the Place in Silent Læke where it unfolds, and which Suspect you’ll confront. (You also define your Relationship with that Suspect — and yes, you always have one. Be it like, dislike, love, or hate, you’ve known these people too well since you were a kid.)

You’ll need the corebook, the cards (either the custom deck or a standard playing deck), and the provided materials: the Places Sheet, Suspect Sheets, and the Suspect Deck — included in the custom deck, the PnP version, or as a special sheet displaying the Suspects in a 5×5 grid. These tools help you track Relationships, Conditions, cleared or deceased Suspects, and your descent into something darker than truth. Oh — and the willingness to peel back layers best left untouched.

You can — but it hits different when someone else is holding the mirror. Silent Læke is written for 1–2 Players plus a Director, but with some light adaptation, it can be played as a solo journaling or scene-generation game. (We’ll include solo guidance as a digital Achievemen!)

All of it. But also "True Detective", "Mare of Easttown", "The Killing"… and a heavy dose of grunge and surrealist aesthetics in general. (It’s not just a vibe — it’s the whole weather.)

No — but you’ll thank us later. Once you do, you’ll start seeing Silent Læke everywhere.

No. Silent Læke is rated R. The game may explore sensitive or heavy themes such as teenage sex, trauma, and domestic violence. Some truths are too heavy for small hearts — and Silent Læke is full of them.

Silent Læke is safe — but not sanitized. It intentionally explores themes that are uncomfortable or taboo, always framed within the rules of a supportive table. Players are in control of their Scenes, and nothing happens without their consent. You’ll never be forced into a Sex Scene you don’t want to play, for example. This isn’t about realism. It’s about emotional surrealism — moments steeped in meaning, irony, or symbolic pain. The game never rewards cruelty or glorifies suffering. It simply refuses to look away.

Because Silent Læke follows the logic of surreal cinema and 90s video games — not realism. In film, there’s always a reason to linger on a cigarette lit with trembling hands. In story-driven games, objects (Stuff) have strange, poetic weight. They’re single-use items with immediate effects — not resources to be tracked, but triggers for narrative meaning. So yes, a Donut might help you face grief. A shot of heroin might give you just enough courage to confess. This isn’t D&D. This is Twin Peaks meets Creep, Clue meets Perfect Blue, Blackjack meets heartbreak.

Dusk’s Embrace is a free introductory scenario — a quiet descent into the world, tone, and mechanics of Silent Læke. It’s designed as a quick tour of the town and a self-contained mystery you can play before the full game. Think of it as your first evening in Silent Læke — before things get worse. To play Dusk’s Embrace, you only need to download the PDF and print the provided sheets and handouts. No custom components are required. The scenario is built to use a standard playing deck of cards, so you can play it right away without the Silent Læke custom cards. If you enjoy Dusk’s Embrace, you’ll already understand the core flow of the main game — scenes, relationships, cards, and emotional descent — knowing that the full Silent Læke experience goes much deeper.

No. They are two different scenarios. Dusk’s Embrace is a free introductory scenario available to all followers, designed as a first contact with Silent Læke. The Early Bird scenario is "Miss Eagle Herself", a separate story set in 1975, 17 years before the main game. It is exclusive to Early Birds during the first days of the campaign. Miss Eagle Herself includes narrative references and connections that can be carried into the main game, allowing for a shared continuity across multiple Silent Læke stories.

Newborn Games is a TTRPG publisher from Portugal. We began as a crowdfunding manager, and our hands-on experience across the publishing landscape has allowed us to grow into creating our own games. Silent Læke is our third project on a crowdfunding platform. We successfully funded Demon Ninja on Kickstarter (2024) and Asilo on Gamefound (2025), and we carry the lessons of both campaigns into everything we do.

Silent Læke is already written, playtested, and in active layout. The game itself is done - what remains is production and fulfillment, which is where most crowdfunding campaigns face their real challenges. We're aware of that, and we've prepared accordingly. We're working with trusted partners - such as Games Omnivorous - to ensure a smooth production and delivery process. Backers will receive regular updates at every stage, and we will always communicate openly if anything changes. We've done this before. We know what to expect, and we know how to handle it.

Digital rewards will begin rolling out as development wraps — with priority on the corebook — aiming for delivery by October. Physical rewards are expected to ship by April 2027. Some things take time to surface… but we’ll keep you updated every step of the way.

Yes — as with any creative project, delays are always a possibility. We’re building Silent Læke with care, and we’d rather take the time to get it right than rush something that doesn’t live up to what it should be. We’ll keep you informed every step of the way — no silence, no guesswork.

No. Silent Læke is written, designed, and illustrated without the use of AI. Every word and every image comes from human hands — artists who are credited and fairly compensated for their work. We deeply value the human touch — the imperfections, the intent, and the emotion behind every piece.

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