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Almost Bedtime Theater hasn't added a story.
Infinite, ever-shifting, and sometimes dangerous, the Library
exists in the space between worlds and times. Among the many who
call it home are the Librarians, and only those who truly understand
it may join their ranks. You seek to do so.
The path of a Librarian’s apprentice is a long one. Your current task is designed to test your skills at traversing the Library and finding information. Retrieve the six documents requested by your Librarian before the day is out and you will have completed one more step on your journey.
Good luck.
The Librarian's Apprentice is an all-ages solo journaling
game based on the Firelights game system by Fari RPGs.
You play as the titular apprentice, tasked with finding six
documents in the Great Library and discovering places, patrons, and
secrets along the way.
Touchstones: The Stygian Library by Emmy Allen, the Interstitial Library Circulating Collection, Terry Pratchett’s L-space, and various works from Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, including Kiki’s Delivery Service, Spirited Away, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, and Princess Mononoke
All game rewards include access to the digital game files via itch.io, which includes both English and French documents. There are also two versions of the physical game: Core and Deluxe. They are only available in English and the only difference between them is that the Deluxe version comes in a cardboard box designed to look like a thin book. Unfortunately, including that box significantly increases the cost of shipping, so I made it optional. (See the FAQ tab for shipping costs.) |
Thanks to the unlocking of the applicable second stretch goal, both versions of the game now consist of THREE full-color, double-sided trifold brochures printed on thick, 120 lb. cover stock and four full-color copies of the character sheet, printed on 100 lb. cover stock. These will be printed by Mixam.
- Volume I contains the game rules, actions you can take, and character creation.
- Volume II contains the bestiary and roll tables for fleshing out areas of the library (descriptors, features, content categories, and document formats), events and secrets to discover, and complications to encounter.
- Volume III contains roll tables to help flesh out patrons and inhabitants of the Great Library, including descriptors, quirks, library duties, and what information they are seeking.
The Character Sheet bookmark gives you a space to document your stats, fatigue, resources, and familiar. It also has library-related quotes on the back.
$1000 USD: Library Card [UNLOCKED!] - A full-color library card for the Great Library will be added to the game. A digital version will also be provided so you can print another if yours gets eaten by The Thing Below. $1250 USD: Volume III [UNLOCKED!] - A third trifold brochure will be added to all versions of the game, with content for generating patrons and inhabitants of the Great Library. $1500 USD: Actual Play Write-Up [UNLOCKED!] - I'll grab my dice, shuffle my cards, and write up a sample play-through! This will only be provided digitally. $1750 USD: Internal Box Print [UNLOCKED!] - The box of the Deluxe version of the game will be upgraded to have a full-color interior. |
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End of July: Campaign ends.
Early August: Digital fulfillment of the game will begin. Backers will receive an email with links and instructions to access digital copies of the game on itch.io. Physical content will be ordered.
September/October: Physical fulfillment begins.
"This was a really fun game to play, and I loved the
setting and how the cards and dice worked in tandem with each other
to create a very unique difficulty scale and challenge each
round. The prompts were great and engaging, and the
mechanics were complex enough to be interesting without being too
complicated to explain to kiddo." (Full Review)
"This was a wonderful, somewhat cozy solo game, with whimsy and a little Pratchett/Henson-style spookiness. The character sheet is a bookmark, people. Put it in one of your favorites, and find it again years later!"
- Galen Pejeau | Assembly Requisite
"The Librarian's Apprentice expands on the Firelights system in both highly thematic and efficient ways. One pamphlet includes the rules, while another is full of interesting tables for you to use as you explore the library while the character sheet is laid out in the form of a beautiful bookmark. Staying true to the Firelights ways, the game provides just enough information to get your mind going, but includes many tools to truly experience a wonderful journey alongside your familiar. Additionally, the layout of the game is beautifully achieved. Stellar work from start to finish."
- René-Pier Deshaies | Fari RPGs
"Dan has written a masterpiece for us with each piece of the game fitting together perfectly. A joy from the first word, The Librarian's Apprentice gives players all the tools needed to get lost deep in the infinite library on a spectacular adventure. Packed within the trifold pamphlets are tables brimming with secret knowledge, lore, and mystery to get lost in. This is a fantastic game."
"Everything about this journaling RPG appeals to me. From the theme of a ever-shifting library, to its engaging narrative prompts and even the inventiveness of its folding pages to resemble ancient books."
Rich (HatchlingDM) | Hatchlings Games
![]() | Dan Bronson-Lowe is a dad and a creator who delights in having those two roles intersect. Over the last few years he has worked with his daughter - now age 12 - as Almost Bedtime Theater, with the aim of introducing families of all kinds to TTRPGs and creating content appropriate for players of all ages. |
While this is my first crowdfunding
project, the digital version of the game is complete and the files for
printing the game are ready to send to a well-established printing
company. Printing companies have already been identified to create the
physical stretch goal content, if applicable. I have also limited
shipping destinations to avoid some of the more complicated issues
that can arise on that front.
As with any campaign, there are risks and potential delays. I will keep you informed of anything that occurs and will work to address those issues promptly.
Perks
Receive a physical copy of the core version of the game plus a download key for a digital copy on itch.io.
Receive a physical copy of the deluxe version of the game plus a download key for a digital copy on itch.io.
Receive a physical copy of the deluxe version of the game plus a download key for a digital copy on itch.io.
I'll run an online one-shot of The Fae Team for you and up to three other players. All players will receive a digital copy of The Fae Team through itch.io.
Highlights
See all activity105
The Librarian's Apprentice: Updates #2
Greetings!
The updates this week are:
- Digital fulfillment is complete. If you did not receive an email with your Itch download key(s), please let me know.
- I plan to ship the Core Version of the physical game this Saturday (August 12). If you purchased that version and need to update your shipping address, please do so by Friday. Contact me if you have any issues or concerns.
- The interior art for the Deluxe Version box is complete. The result is that the box will be reversible, turning it into a well-used Intra-Library Loan Delivery envelope. I'm quite pleased with it and will share images soon.
- I've reached out to the box printer and am waiting to hear back.
- I've begun work on the written actual play. It's going to also include some general guiding principles for playing solo journaling RPGs, which will hopefully be helpful for newer players.
- Kevin of Wanderer's Haven has created a delightful solo actual play of The Librarian's Apprentice. It's available on Twitch!
Thanks,
Dan / Almost Bedtime Theater
Librarian's Apprentice: Core version shipping address updates needed
Greetings!
If you purchased the Core Version of The Librarian's Apprentice and need to update your shipping address, now's the time to do it.
All content for the Core Version has arrived. I plan to ship all copies on Saturday, August 12. If run into any issues with your shipping address or for any reason you need your copy shipped later, please email me at AlmostBedtimeTheater@gmail.com and let me know.
(You can edit your shipping details through the link in your confirmation email or by clicking on your user icon in the upper right corner of the Crowdfundr website, selecting Contributions, and using the pencil icon to edit the details of your contribution.)
Thanks!
Dan / Almost Bedtime Theater




Librarian's Apprentice review, actual play, and online generator
Hello all!
I wanted to provide one more update here in the last few days of the campaign to let you know the latest about all things Librarian's Apprentice.
- Librarian Alenka Figa has posted a wonderful review on Sidequest. It includes an adorable story about stuffed animals having a sleepover at a library.
- Black Dragon Dungeon Company has posted an actual play that flavors the Great Library with Warhammer 40k lore, which worked out really well.
- I've created a basic online generator using Perchance that pulls from all the roll tables in Volumes II and III to provide prompts for areas and patrons/inhabitants, so if you want to see what the new content looks like a bit early, that's the place to go! (I plan to keep fiddling with this; if you have any comments or suggestions about how to make it better, please let me know.)
Thank you once again for all of your kind words and support. I plan to send out the next update once the campaign wraps up and the digital download keys are ready to go.
- Dan
Librarian’s Apprentice Goal #1, the ENnies, and more!
Hello all,
I'm delighted to announce that we've reached the stretch goal for the library card! I've always enjoyed having little props and artifacts for games, so I'm very pleased that I'll be able to include one in The Librarian's Apprentice.
Other news items:
Scriv the Bard has posted an actual play / showcase of The Librarian’s Apprentice on YouTube!
If you'd like to listen to me talk to fun and interesting folks on podcasts, I’ve got you covered:
And last but not least…
The ENnies are one of the biggest awards in the TTRPG space, so winning projects gain considerable attention.
TTRPGkids.com has been nominated this year for Best Online Content and it would be amazing for them to win. They not only deserve the accolades, but it would help get the word out to more families, teachers, librarians, and everyone else who could benefit from this incredible resource.
Anyone can participate in the voting process, so please consider taking part here. Thank you!
And as always, thank you so much for your support and enthusiasm for The Librarian's Apprentice!
Dan


FAQ
I'm a retailer / distributor. How can I order copies?
Please contact me at AlmostBedtimeTheater@gmail.com with your information and I'll work with you from there.
I'm a reviewer / podcaster / streamer and I'd like to cover the game. Where can I learn more about it?
Awesome! A press kit is available and/or you can contact me at AlmostBedtimeTheater@gmail.com. PDF press copies are also available.
Why are you only shipping to US, Canada, and the UK?
This is my first crowdfunding project. I want to prevent certain aspects from getting too complicated... and full international shipping was decidedly complicated. That said, if you would like a copy of The Librarian's Apprentice sent somewhere else, contact me at AlmostBedtimeTheater@gmail.com and I'll see what I can do.
How much is the shipping?
The shipping costs per copy, in USD, are:
Core Version
| Deluxe Version
|
Please note: You will be responsible for paying VAT or import taxes that may be incurred.
Do you have any other games?
Yes! You can find them digitally on my itch.io page.
I'd like to translate the game to another language. Can I do that?
Absolutely! The Librarian's Apprentice was released under CC-BY-SA 4.0 and I grant you permission to translate it and post it for download or sale. You may also print the translated version for sale. If you do create a translated version, I would love to hear about it!
Receive a physical copy of the core version of the game plus a download key for a digital copy on itch.io.
Receive a physical copy of the deluxe version of the game plus a download key for a digital copy on itch.io.
Receive a physical copy of the deluxe version of the game plus a download key for a digital copy on itch.io.
I'll run an online one-shot of The Fae Team for you and up to three other players. All players will receive a digital copy of The Fae Team through itch.io.
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