The Watchmen
Keep the Lamps Burning
Created by Marcus Draper · Deskatur.com
Seven nights. Four districts. One shared light.
When evening settles over the village, your watch begins. Families need care, provisions must be protected, damaged homes need repairs, and travelers depend on safe roads. Beyond the gate, danger may be drawing near.
The Watchmen: Keep the Lamps Burning is an original Christian-themed solo card adventure about preparation, courage, and serving your neighbors. Use your resources wisely, respond to changing needs, and help the village reach the dawn after seven nights.
The Village Is Your Game Table
The digital editions bring the watch to a miniature village built into a walnut-and-stone playing surface. Four raised districts surround a central lamp, with paths connecting the households, storehouse, workshops, and village gate.
Clear markers show district strain and progress on unfinished needs. Your cards sit below the village, ready for the next decision. As the central lamp’s Light changes, its glow changes with it.
This is a place to protect—and every district depends on your choices.
Every Night Brings A Decision
You have three village actions per night. Work on a need, offer relief to a struggling district, gather supplies, tend the lamp, or rest to replenish your hand.
Cards provide dependable Help. Matching suits add a bonus. Dice bring uncertainty, and your supply chips can close the gap after a roll. A Jack can lend support; an Ace gives you a chance to reroll.
Sometimes you must choose between repairing a roof now and saving provisions for what may arrive at the gate.
When Trouble Comes, Stand Watch
The four Kings trigger forced encounters across the seven-night journey:
- Raiders at the Gate
- Ambush on the Road
- The Seized Caravan
- The Household Under Threat
Each encounter must be resolved before village work continues. Choose to stand firm, protect people and withdraw, or attempt to seek peace. Winning means securing safety—not collecting points for defeating people.
Three Ways To Join The Watch
Play online
Open the game in your browser and begin with Guided First Night. The web edition handles cards, dice, counters, events, and upkeep. Progress saves in the browser on the device you use. No account is required.
Play on your Windows PC
Download the ZIP, extract it, and open TheWatchmen.exe. The game includes its artwork and rules and plays offline. Your current watch saves on your PC. Windows 10/11 with .NET Framework 4.x and the Windows embedded HTML renderer is required.
Play at your own table
Download the printable ZIP for the illustrated rules and low-ink play sheets. Bring a standard 52-card deck without Jokers, d4/d6/d8/d10/d12/d20 dice, clear counting pieces, 24 chips, and a pencil. The pack includes a village board, encounter reference, and seven-night journal.
Start With Your First Watch
New to the game? Choose Guided First Night in either digital version, or follow the prepared first-night example in the rulebook. It shows how cards, suit bonuses, a Queen’s support, and supply chips work together.
Once you are comfortable, choose your difficulty:
- First Watch: extra starting supplies and Light, with a gentler opening.
- Standard Watch: the core seven-night challenge.
- Perilous Nights: fewer starting resources and tougher defensive encounters.
Faith Through Practical Service
The Watchmen draws its Christian theme from care, hospitality, wise preparation, and protecting neighbors. Its challenges ask how you can use what you have to help others.
A successful watch is a game outcome. It does not measure anyone’s faith, salvation, or God’s favor.
Help Us Shape The First Edition
The Watchmen is a free alpha release. Your play sessions can help improve balance, clarify rules, and uncover technical issues.
If you share feedback, please include which version you played, your difficulty, the night you reached, and what happened. A screenshot is helpful for display problems. We welcome thoughts about what felt rewarding, what felt confusing, and where the challenge needs adjustment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a solo game?
Yes. One player controls the village. Two people can share decisions using the same hand and actions, though this is not a separate multiplayer ruleset.
Do I need real cards and dice for the digital versions?
No. The Windows and web versions handle those components for you. The printable edition uses your physical deck, dice, chips, and counters.
Does progress transfer between Windows and the web?
No. Each saves separately. Web progress stays in the browser on the current device; clearing browser site data may erase it.
Can I play offline?
The Windows game plays offline after download. The web edition is intended to be opened from the website. The printable edition needs no computer.
What happens if the village falls?
Start a new watch and try a different strategy. Both digital versions have a New Watch button. Each new game shuffles the cards and brings fresh choices.
Ready To Keep The Lamps Burning?
Prepare your hand. Watch the roads. Care for the village.
The first night is waiting.
Original game by Marcus Draper • Deskatur.com
The Watchmen: Keep the Lamps Burning • Alpha v0.1.0