THE VEIL OF THORNESPIRE
Welcome to the Veil of Thornespire
What it is: The Veil of Thornespire is a high-fantasy adventure set within a legendary floating tower woven from moonstone and silver light. The tower’s magic reacts to unspoken feelings, and it responds only to emotional understanding rather than physical force. The hero must journey through shifting halls, mirrored chambers, and a swirling storm vault to identify hidden emotions and restore balance to the spire.
Tone & Feel: Radiant · ethereal · moonlit · reflective · intensThink silver moonstone, floating crystal lanterns, shimmering reflections, swirling storm clouds, and glowing golden light.
Therapeutic Lens: Each environment is intentionally designed to embed:
Emotional awareness
Emotional identification
Distinguishing similar emotions
Naming emotional nuance
Identifying emotions from multiple viewpoints
Recognizing emotional escalation
Selecting effective regulation strategies
Grounding and breathing techniques
All therapy tasks are concealed within a cohesive fantasy narrative, where dice rolls add tension while progress relies on the player’s ability to correctly identify and regulate complex emotional states
THE VEIL OF THORNESPIRE – GM SCRIPT
Who this is for:
Occupational Therapists running a TTRPG-style mental health and emotional regulation/identification session for a single client.
HOW TO USE THIS MODULE
● You may read all READ ALOUD sections verbatim.
● Follow GM DO THIS instructions to guide gameplay and therapy tasks.
● Dice rolls add narrative tension but do not replace therapeutic tasks.
● The suggested rolls support the story; allow the client to guide the narrative and attempt creative solutions, even if that means using a different stat than suggested.
● Emotional skill use drives story success more than combat or chance.
OPTIONAL GAME MECHANICS (FOR GM REFERENCE – READ BEFORE SESSION)
You may use any, all, or none of these depending on the client’s needs and tolerance.
Emotional Insight Tokens (Recommended)
Each time the player correctly identifies or reflects on an emotion, they gain 1 Insight Token. At any time, they may spend a token to:
● Re-roll a die
● Ask for a clue
● Slow down a scene
Regulation Reset
If emotional load becomes high: Pause the game → guide one brief regulation strategy → narrate magical stabilization in the world.
Narrative Advantage
Strong emotional reasoning grants advantage (roll twice, take better result).
BEFORE YOU START
GM DO THIS:
● Cut out the squares from the “Zones of Regulation” paper
● Place dice, blank paper, character sheet, and pencil
● Place a desk mirror by the patient if you have one available for them to refer to
● Keep worksheets hidden until prompted.
READ ALOUD:
“Today we’re going to play a short tabletop role-playing game. I’ll describe a fantasy world, you’ll tell me what your hero wants to do, and sometimes we’ll roll dice to see how things go.”
ADVENTURE OVERVIEW (GM ONLY)
The hero enters Thornespire, a legendary floating tower whose magic reacts to unspoken emotions. The tower does not respond to force — only understanding. Each chamber presents emotional mysteries disguised as fantasy challenges.
CHARACTER SETUP (5 MINUTES)
GM DO THIS:
● Help the client choose a hero archetype, you can provide them with the full list of archetypes, or suggest they select one of the following: Sage, Courtier, or Healer
● Have them describe what their hero looks like and one personal strength.
● Have them fill out the fillable character sheet
READ ALOUD:
“Choose a hero. This character represents your strengths and how you approach challenges.”
GM DO THIS:
● Let the client choose one grounding item: breathing charm, calming stone, focus ring, comfort cloak.
READ ALOUD:
“This item helps your hero regulate big emotions. You can use it anytime.”
SCENE 1 — THE SILVER BRIDGE
Purpose: Develop emotional awareness and identification.
READ ALOUD:
“High above the clouds, stands Thornespire, a floating tower woven from moonstone and silver light. A narrow bridge stretches toward its gates. As you step onto it, the stones shimmer and shift beneath your feet — reacting not to movement, but to feeling. As you look down at the stones on the bridge, they shine up at you, so much so that you can see your reflection… almost. It is as if your face is there but nothing is looking back at you. With each stone you feel a pull, as though the bridge is asking for something… for emotions.”
GM DO THIS:
Place the “fill in faces” paper in front of the client
Ask: “What emotions do you think are flowing through this bridge right now?”
ROLL: Mind
10+ “You suddenly understand — the bridge is reacting to uncertainty mixed with hope. It craves emotions.
7–9 “You sense several emotions overlapping. As you name a few, parts of the bridge stabilize while others still shimmer.”
6− “The feelings swirl together, making the path unstable. You stumble and lose 1 hit. The bridge pulses, waiting for clarity.”
GM DO THIS:
Have the client draw the emotions onto the faces on the “fill in faces” page and have them imitate the emotions while looking in the mirror if one is available.
REGULATION PROMPT:
“What helps you, [name of hero], stay steady when emotions feel unclear?”
Guide 1 brief grounding or breathing strategy, then narrate:
NARRATION — BRIDGE STABILIZATION:
“As your hero focuses, the silver stones glow steadily. The bridge firms beneath your feet, the shifting patterns smoothing into a clear, welcoming path leading directly to Thornespire’s gates.”
SCENE 2 — THE WHISPERING HALL
Purpose: Distinguishing similar emotions and naming emotional nuance.
READ ALOUD:
“Inside Thornespire, you enter a vast hall filled with floating crystal lanterns. Each lantern glows a different color and softly whispers. The air hums with layered emotion. Some lanterns glow warm yellow. Others shimmer blue, red, or green.”
GM DO THIS:
● Prompt differentiation between emotional states.
● Ask: “These lanterns hold emotions. What emotions might match each color?”
● Allow creative answers while utilizing the zones of regulation.
● Provide the client with the 4 color squares from the “zones of regulation” page
● Have the client begin to sort the emotion squares into the 4 colors, only provide about half of the squares to start
ROLL DURING TASK: Mind
10+ “As you correctly name the emotions, several lanterns drift closer, glowing warmly in approval.” Remove a few of the squares or place a few of the ones you didn’t give the client into the correct category for them.
7–9 “Some lanterns glow brighter, others dim, as if waiting for clearer understanding.” Add a few more squares to the pile that the client still needs to sort
6− “The colors swirl, blurring together. Take 1 hit.” Add a few more squares and guide the client through a breathing exercise
SCENE 3 — THE MIRROR CHAMBER
Purpose: Identifying emotions from multiple viewpoints.
READ ALOUD:
“You enter a circular chamber lined with enchanted mirrors. Each mirror shows a different scene: a knight kneeling in defeat, a dragon curled protectively around treasure, a child standing alone in the rain. These mirrors reflect emotions hidden beneath actions.”
GM DO THIS:
● Place first of 3 “Mirror Chamber” pages in front of the client
● Prompt emotional inference.
○ Ask: “What emotions do you think they are feeling? What clues tell you that?”
● Progress through the three images, asking a similar question for each
● Allow flexibility in the clients response, but prompt them to think deeply about each and not just describe what they see on the surface
● There are no assigned rolls to this scene, but rolls can be done, as appropriate, based on the clients behavior and responses
○ Additionally, client responses can be rewarded, for example if the client says something that required a lot of thought and insight, you could reward them by restoring 1 hit and saying “As you name the emotion hidden in the mirror, the glass begins to glow softly. A warm current flows through your body — understanding has strengthened your spirit. You feel steadier, more grounded. Gain +1 Hit.”
READ ALOUD:
As the final mirror fades, the chamber grows quiet. The glowing glass sinks gently back into the stone walls, as if the tower itself is satisfied with what you’ve learned. A low, steady hum begins to vibrate through the floor beneath your feet. A hidden doorway slides open, releasing a slow breath of cool, charged air. Beyond it lies a wide, circular chamber — the Storm Vault. Clouds of glowing mist coil along the ceiling. Lightning flickers silently between floating crystals. The air feels heavy, thick with unspoken emotion. Each step forward makes the magic around you stir, as if the room itself is awake and watching. You sense that this place holds emotions too powerful to remain contained for long. The doorway seals quietly behind you. The storm begins to gather.
SCENE 4 — THE STORM VAULT
Purpose: Recognizing emotional escalation, identifying emotions under pressure, and selecting effective regulation strategies.
READ ALOUD:
“A heavy pressure fills the air as you step deeper into Thornespire. The floor hums beneath your boots. Static tingles across your skin. Above you, glowing storm clouds swirl in slow, powerful circles, trapped beneath the vaulted ceiling. Crystals rattle. Winds coil tightly around towering pillars. This chamber — the Storm Vault — holds emotions too intense to remain contained. At the center of the room, energy gathers and rises, shaping itself into a towering figure of shifting light and shadow — the Veil Warden, guardian of the storm. It does not strike with claws or fire. Instead, it attacks with waves of overwhelming feeling.”
GM DO THIS:
Prompt emotional identification under pressure.
Ask: “What emotions do you think are fueling this storm?”
Allow multiple answers. If needed, offer: Anxiety, fear, anger, frustration, sadness, confusion, overwhelm, shame, doubt.
Validate responses: “That makes sense — storms like this usually form when a lot of strong emotions build up at once.”
Then ask: “What tools can your hero use to calm the storm?”
Offer examples if needed: Breathing, grounding, visualization, muscle relaxation, positive self-talk, movement.
COMBAT MECHANIC: The Veil Warden
Veil Warden: 5 Emotional Shields (taking place of “hits”)
● Each shield represents a layer of emotional overwhelm. Shields are removed by successful emotional identification and regulation — not physical attacks.
● Emotional Backlash: If the client rolls poorly or becomes overwhelmed, the hero may lose hits, representing emotional fatigue, stress, or overload.
TURN STRUCTURE:
Each round follows the same flow:
1. STORM SURGE —
READ ALOUD: Choose one surge narration:
● “A wave of anxiety crashes through the chamber, tightening your chest and making your thoughts race.”
● “Frustration sparks through the air, making everything feel tense and brittle.”
● “Heavy sadness settles like a weight across your shoulders.”
● “Confusion swirls around you, making it hard to focus.”
2. EMOTIONAL IDENTIFICATION PROMPT
● Ask: “What emotion do you think that was?”
○ If needed: “Was it fear, frustration, sadness, confusion, or something else?”
3. REGULATION CHOICE PROMPT
● Ask: “What do you do to respond?”
○ Encourage strategies such as: Slow breathing, Grounding through senses, Muscle relaxation, Visualization, Positive or compassionate self-talk
4. ROLL — Emotional Response
Suggested stat depends on chosen strategy:
Strategy Used
Suggested Stat
Breathing, grounding: Heart
Thought reframing: Mind
Body regulation: Agility
Courage/self-talk: Heart
ROLL OUTCOMES:
10+ — STRONG REGULATION: Remove 1 Emotional Shield
READ ALOUD:
“As you focus and apply your skill, golden light bursts outward from your chest. Cracks streak across the Veil Warden’s glowing armor. With a thunderous hum, one of its shields shatters, dissolving into calm light.”
Optional reinforcement: “Your emotional control weakens the storm’s power.”
7-9 — PARTIAL REGULATION: Remove 1 Shield, BUT add emotional strain
READ ALOUD:
“Your strategy works, but the storm still presses hard. The Veil Warden staggers, one shield cracking apart — yet emotional tension continues to swirl around you.”
GM DO THIS:
Add mild emotional pressure: racing thoughts, tight muscles,lingering worry
Prompt one brief grounding action before next round.
6- — EMOTIONAL OVERLOAD: No shield removed — Hero loses 1 Hit
READ ALOUD:
“The emotional surge crashes over you. For a moment, everything feels overwhelming. Your chest tightens, your thoughts blur, and the storm roars louder.”
GM DO THIS:
Say: “Let’s pause for a moment and reset your breathing.”
After grounding, continue: “Your hero steadies themselves, learning from the surge and preparing to try again.”
LATE COMBAT INTENSITY ESCALATION (OPTIONAL0:
Once 2 shields are removed, increase tension slightly:
● Combine two emotions per surge
● Use longer storm narration
● Prompt deeper emotional reflection
Example:
“A surge of fear and frustration crashes together, making it hard to tell where one emotion ends and the other begins.”
MID-BATTLE REFLECTIVE PROMPTS (OPTIONAL):
Between rounds, gently ask:
● “Which strategy feels most helpful right now?”
● “What is your hero learning about handling strong emotions?”
● “What helps when things feel hardest?”
FINAL ROUND: STORM DISSOLUTION
When the last shield is removed:
READ ALOUD:
“With one final steady breath, your calm radiates outward. The roaring winds soften. Lightning dissolves into drifting sparks.The Veil Warden lets out a long, echoing sigh as its form breaks apart into gentle streams of golden light.The storm fades. Silence settles across the chamber. Thornespire glows steadily once more — not because emotions vanished, but because they are finally understood.”
READ ALOUD:
“The tower settles gently onto the clouds. The lanterns glow warmly. The bridge shimmers in gratitude. Thornespire stands calm, waiting for its next guardian.”
“How do you feel?”
REFLECTION PROMPTS:
● “Which emotions were easiest to recognize?”
● “Which were hardest?”
● “Which skill helped the most?”
Evidence:
Mental health is one of the best studied areas when it comes to combining TTRPGs and therapy, however there is still little published at this time. The current available evidence suggests a positive impact. Check out the Rehab Arcade’s TTRPG page for more information about this.
Below is evidence in support of the specific interventions used throughout this one-shot, as well as some papers that look at mental health and TTRPGs specifically: