A Quiet Burrow Under the Leaves

When I was a kid one of the cartoons that stuck with me the most was The World of David the Gnome. At the time I had no idea it was inspired by an actual book — an illustrated manual by Wil Huygen and Rien Poortvliet, a sort of halfway point between biology and fable, written as if gnomes truly existed and had simply grown too clever to be seen.

That book reappeared recently, as I was looking for something suitable to read with my three-year-old daughter. I picked it up again, out of vague nostalgia, and ended up reading it alone. And this time, as a parent and a game designer, I noticed something new. These gnomes don’t chase adventure. They listen. They repair. They live slowly and wisely, aligned with the rhythms of the world.

It felt unexpectedly powerful.

So, for the One-Page RPG Jam 2025, I followed that idea. Two games came out of it: The Hidden Folk and Under the Moss. I collected them under one name: The Quiet Burrow.

They’re twin pieces, not identical but made to sit side by side.

• The Hidden Folk is a cooperative RPG, light on rules, meant for groups. You play as gnomes trying to keep the forest in balance — helping animals, solving small troubles, sensing when something is out of place and setting it right. Empathy over conflict.
• Under the Moss is a solo journaling game, played with a deck of cards. Each card gives a small prompt — a guest, a worry, the smell of frost — and you write from the perspective of your gnome. It’s quiet, cyclical, and seasonal.

Both games speak to the value of small gestures done with attention. Small lives that matter because they are lived with care.

The One Page RPG format fits perfectly. No clutter, no noise. Just the suggestion of a world, and space for you to live in it.

If you need something slow and kind, The Quiet Burrow is open. The kettle’s on. You’re welcome to come in.