The document describes a role-playing game where players take on characters in a family traveling from Oklahoma to California during the Dust Bowl era. Players must manage their family's resources like food, money, health and morale over multiple in-game days as they face challenges on the road. Players make choices that impact their characters and family as they try to reach California in 1500 miles while facing random events. The game tracks the family's progress and status through multiple towns on their journey west.

1. California or Bust
A Grapes of Wrath Role-Playing Game

2. The Dust Storm: You can’t stay home

3. The Dust Storm: You can’t stay home

4. Your goal is to make it to
California from Salislaw, Oklahoma
A Distance of 1500 miles

5. Every team gets a Jalopy

6. Choose your Characters
Make sure you have a good balance of farmers, cooks, and mechanics.

7. Give each character a name and face
Face
Name

8. Note the special skills and info on your card
Unique
Rules
Skill

9. Your HEALTH and MORALE start with the
underlined numbers
Health
Morale

10. Every family starts with
$100 and 50 food units
______ Family: 100 dollars 50 Units of Food
(Plus extra for some characters)

11. If your character’s Health drops to 0
they die
If your character’s Morale drops to 0
they desert the family.

12. Day 1: On the road!

13. Day 1: A cute little turtle is walking across
the road.
SWERVE to miss it
SWERVE to hit it
Pick it up and feed it

14. Day 1: A cute little turtle is walking across
the road.
SWERVE to miss it
SWERVE to hit it
Pick it up and feed it -4 food +2 morale
+2 morale
-4 morale

15. Make your changes
———- Family: 100 dollars 50 Units of Food

16. Day 1: You’re on the road. You meet
a hitchiker. Do you pick him up?
YES NO

17. Day 1: You’re on the road. You meet
a hitchiker. Do you pick him up?
He’s a thief! -5 Food Everyone is depressed. -1 Morale All

18. Day 1: A man offers to buy your favorite
rug for $10, even though it’s worth $50.
YES NO

19. Day 1: A man offers to buy your favorite
rug for $10, even though it’s worth $50.
+$10
You have to get rid of it anyway.
One character -4 morale

20. Time for Camp!
Each
character
needs 2 food
to keep up
their health.
You need
someone to
cook or you
have to pay
someone
$10
Unless the unique rules say otherwise

21. Make your changes
______ Family: 100 dollars __ Units of Food

22. Day 2: One of your characters misses home
terribly.
One character loses -5 morale unless you have MATRIARCH
or PATRIARCH

23. Day 2: Dang! The jalopy breaks down.
Do you have a mechanic?
YES NO

24. Day 2: Dang! The jalopy breaks down.
Great! You fix the truck and drive on.
You have to pay someone to fix it.
-20 dollars

25. Day 2: Police come and check your licenses.
1-2
Roll
Die
3-4 5-6

26. Day 2: Police come and check your licenses.
Bash to the head. One
character loses 5 health
If you have
Ingenue
or Preacher,
Choose
your
result.
They demand a bribe.
Lose -40 dollars.
Whew! They leave you
alone.

27. Day 2: One of your characters gets an awful
cough and fever.
Get a doctor Hope for the Best

28. Day 2: One of your characters gets an awful
cough and fever.
-$30 but character gets better One character loses -4 Health

29. Time for Camp!
Each
character
needs 2 food
to keep up
their health.
You need
someone to
cook or you
have to pay
someone
$10
Unless the unique rules say otherwise

30. Make your changes
________ Family: __ dollars __ Units of Food

31. Day 3: Local hooligans menace your group
and threaten to hurt you.
Run away as fast as
you can
Fight Back!
Beg them to leave
you alone

32. Day 3: Local hooligans menace your group
and threaten to hurt you.
All Lose -2 health -2 morale
If you have OX or LEADER,
you’re fine. If not characters lose
-7 health.
They steal $30 and bash one
character’s head in (-5 health)

33. Day 3: This town doesn’t seem to want workers.
Do you want to risk looking for work?
No
Yes

34. Day 3: This town doesn’t seem to want workers.
Do you want to risk looking for work?
All Morale drops -2
2 FARMERS get $.20 x
number next to their
names

35. Day 3: There’s a fork in the road. If you take the
left, it’s faster but bumpier. The right is slower but
more maintained.
No
Yes
RIGHT
LEFT

36. Day 3: There’s a fork in the road. If you take the
left, it’s faster but bumpier. The right is slower but
more maintained.
No
Yes
One of you characters almost
dies of boredom. -4 morale.
Your car breaks down. If you
have MECHANIC, you roll on.
Otherwise -$30.

37. Day 3: A desperate man asks for some food so he
doesn’t starve.
No
Yes

38. Day 3: A desperate man asks for some food so he
doesn’t starve.
-5 morale
-5 food + 3 morale

39. Time for Camp!
Each
character
needs 2 food
to keep up
their health.
You need
someone to
cook or you
have to pay
someone
$10
Unless the unique rules say otherwise

40. General Store! Time to buy food!
You can buy
one food unit
for $2.
Unless the unique rules say otherwise

41. Make your changes
______ Family: 100 dollars ___ Units of Food

42. Congratulations you made it to
Amarillo, Texas.
Amarillo
You
are
here
Only
1000
miles
to go

43. You’re starting out today in
Amarillo, Texas
What could go wrong?
Amarillo
You
are
here
Only
1000
miles
to go

44. Anyone who deserted or died can
be reincarnated as a hitchiker.
Come join the family!
Amarillo
You
are
here
Only
1000
miles
to go

45. Day 4: Sunrise
It’s a beautiful day! California here we come!

46. Day 4: Rattlesnake. Someone
gets bit. Choose who.

47. Day 4: Rattlesnake. Someone
gets bit. Choose who.
Roll dice. If you roll 6, you’re cured. Otherwise, -1 Health and roll
again until you find the cure.

48. Day 4: Local Farmers need help
picking spinach. It looks like hard work.
They have jobs for 2 farmers. Who will farm?

49. Day 4: Local Farmers need help
picking spinach. It looks like hard work.
Famers pay $.10 an hour. Multiply number x card. Lose 3 Health, except for OX.

50. Day 4: Thunderstorm!
DRIVE ON PULL OVER FIND SHELTER

51. Day 4: Thunderstorm!
DRIVE ON PULL OVER FIND SHELTER

52. Day 4: Thunderstorm!
SOAKED! Everyone
loses 3 HEALTH
No room! One person
has to stay outside!
Loses 3 HEALTH AND
2 Morale!
A Place to Stay! For a
price…-$20.
INGENUE or BANKER
get half price.

53. Day 4: Thunderstorm!
SOAKED! Everyone
loses 3 HEALTH
No room! One person
has to stay outside!
Loses 3 HEALTH AND
2 Morale!
A Place to Stay! For a
price…-$20.
INGENUE or BANKER
get half price.

54. Day 4: Your radiator runs out of coolant. Yikes!
Add Water. Hope. Buy Coolant at the General. If PREACHER, pray.

55. Day 4: Your radiator runs out of coolant. Yikes!
Add Water. Hope. Buy Coolant at the General. If PREACHER, pray.
Really? Car breaks
down. $30 to fix.
Everyone loses 1
morale because of
poor decision
making.
Cost $15, but you
feel pretty smug
and smart.
Everyone gains one
morale.
Roll Dice. If you roll
a 6. Great Soul of
the People! A
passerby lends you
coolant. If not, $30
to fix, everyone
loses 1 morale and
preacher loses 4
morale.

56. Day 4: Time to camp! Feed everyone and get some shut-eye.
Each
character
needs 2
food to
keep up
their
health.
Nearby family
has pork
meat for sale.
Costs $5/
portion. +2
Morale.
Ingenue and
Cute Child
eat free.

57. Day 5: Getting ready to go, but you
see this.
Hungry kids only need 1
food. For every 3 you feed,
one character gains 1
morale. If you feed at least
6, MATRIARCH gains 2
morale.

58. Day 5: Getting ready to go, but you
see this.
If you feed 0, everyone
loses 2 morale and the
ghost of John Steinbeck
haunts you forever.

59. Day 5: Getting ready to go, but you
see this.
If you feed 0, everyone
loses 2 morale and the
ghost of John Steinbeck
haunts you forever.

60. Day 5: Snazzy gas station and they’re offering free gas…as long as you are
willing to say the words, “We are dirty Okies.”
Give in Drive on Punch ‘em in the nose.

61. Day 5: Snazzy gas station and they’re offering free gas…as long as you are
willing to say the words, “We are dirty Okies.”
Give in Drive on Punch ‘em in the nose.
Ugh. Totally
not worth it.
-2 morale for
everyone.
Jerks! It cost
20$ to buy gas
in the next town,
but it was totally
worth it.
Distribute 3
morale around
the family.
With LEADER, you
smack ‘em but
good. Everyone
+1 morale.
With OX, roll dice.
1-3 you push
them in the dirt
but Ox sprains
wrist (-2 health).
4-6 or no Leader/
Ox and the
attendants rough
you up. -5
HEALTH to spread
around.

62. Day 5: This guy wants to offer you work picking tomatoes. Whaddya say?
Sure. No way. Show me your papers.

63. Day 5: This guy wants to offer you work picking tomatoes. Whaddya say?
Sure. No way. Show me your papers.
3 workers work
(-2 Health each)
but then the
owner doesn’t
want to pay.
MATRIARCH or
INGENUE will
get them to pay
you $5 each.
Otherwise, you
get a measly
$2. .
Dangnabbit!
All the males
lose 1
morale. All
the females
lose 1
health.
If BANKER or
NATURAL
LEADER, then he
panics and offers
you $10 to look
the other way.
Otherwise, he
calls his thugs to
rough up one
person (-3 heath).

64. Day 5: A diner is on the side of the road. You’re starving. Do you stop and eat?
Just this once. Can’t do it. Go in and beg for food.

65. Day 5: A diner is on the side of the road. You’re starving. Do you stop and eat?
Just this once. Can’t do it. Go in and beg for food.
If SHORT
ORDER
COOK, hey
Fred!
Everyone eats
for free and
+1 morale.
Otherwise,
cost is twice
normal food.
$6 a person.
The scrumptious
smells decrease
everyone’s morale
by 1.
They take pity on
you. Everyone
eats for free. Half
of you lose 1
morale.

66. Day 5: Time to camp! Feed everyone and get some shut-eye.
Each
character
needs 2 food
to keep up
their health. If
you ate at the
dine, you’re
good for the
night.
Nearby family
has pork meat
for sale. Costs
$5/portion. +2
Morale.
MATRIARCH
and
PATRIARCH
eat free.

67. Day 6: A fugitive from the law wants you to take him to the
next town. He offers you money if you agree.
Agree Politely decline.

68. Day 6: Jeepers! It’s Pretty Boy Floyd
Agree Politely decline.
Police stop you and want to
take a look. GAMBLER or
PATRIARCH convince them
to go away. Otherwise, roll
dice. 5-6 and they discover
the fugitive, take out their
guns and blaze away. -5
Health spread around.
Otherwise, he is grateful,
gives you $50. Everyone
gets +1 morale.
He gives you a choice.
Either one of you leaves
to join his gang or you
have to give him $50.

69. Day 6: You spy a church on the side of the road. Do you want
to stop and pray?
Definitely No time.

70. Day 6: You spy a church on the side of the road. Do you want
to stop and pray?
Definitely No time.
Everyone
feels better
(+1 Morale)
…except
HIPPIE
PREACHER
(loses -3
morale) and
Gambler (-2
morale)
Only
MATRIARCH,
PATRIARCH,
OX, and
GRANDMA/
PA lose -2
morale.

71. Day 6: A beautiful river. Do you want to stop and get some
water?
Definitely No time.

72. Day 6: A beautiful river. Do you want to stop and get some
water?
Definitely No time.
Everyone
feels better
(+1 Health)…
except
MYSTIC
DREAMER
rolls dice.
1-4 deserts.
5-6 gains +3
morale.
Super thirsty!
Parched!
Everyone loses
-1 HEALTH.
OX -2 HEALTH.

73. Day 6: You spy a church on the side of the road. Do you want
to stop and pray?
Definitely No time.
Everyone
feels better
(+1 Morale)
…except
HIPPIE
PREACHER
(loses -3
morale) and
Gambler (-2
morale)
Only
MATRIARCH,
PATRIARCH,
OX, and
GRANDMA/
PA lose
morale.

74. Day 6: Time to camp! Feed everyone and get some shut-eye.
Each
character
needs 2 food
to keep up
their health.
Nearby family
has pork meat
for sale. Costs
$5/portion. +2
Morale.
FARMHAND
and
PREACHER
eat free.

75. Day 6: There’s a local dance! Who wants to dance?

76. Day 6: There’s a local dance! Who wants to dance?
Everyone
who dances
loses one
HEALTH, but
gains 2
morale.

77. Day 6: There’s a local dance! Who wants to dance?
INGENUE and
FARMHAND
meet someone cute.
ROLL DICE. 1-3 they
DEFECT.
4-6 they bring in a new
character. Choose a
new character (not
PATRIARCH/
MATRIARCH to join
the family.

78. Day 6: The dance degenerates into a fight and the cops come!
Every character rolls
dice. 1-4 they’re fine.
They get away. 5-6
they lose -3 HEALTH.
OX is always safe
and protects one
person. MATRIARCH
and PREACHER
automatically lose -3
Health.

79. You’re made it to Flagstaff,
Arizona
California is so close you can taste it.
Flagstaff
You
are
here
Only
500
miles
to go

80. You’re made it to Flagstaff,
Arizona
One more leg and the promised land awaits
Flagstaff
You
are
here
Only
500
miles
to go

81. Day 7: There’s a General Store on the Way out of town
Unless the rules say otherwise
You can
buy one
food unit
for $2.

82. Day 7: A Union Organizer wants
your support for higher wages
Sorry, brother, we have
our own problems.
Power to the People!
Sign me up!

83. Day 7: A Union Organizer wants
your support for higher wages
Everyone loses -2
Morale
Coppers come to bust
heads!

84. Day 7: Union Busters descend
It’s a fight! Add up all of your health. Ox,
Leader, Matriarch, Patriarch worth +3. Mystic,
Gambler, Cook and Banker refuse to fight.
Over 15: You push the fascists away. Everyone
gets +2 morale AND +$.05 when you farm.
Between 15 and 8: You lose 5 health amongst
you and escape. -1 Morale for everyone.
Less than 8: It’s a bloodbath! Everyone loses 3
heath.

85. Day 7: Local farmers are wanting some
orange pickers
$0.20 x farmer
$0.25 if you joined
the Union

86. Day 7: This young boy says he has important
information about California.
Get away, kid, ya
bother me!
Here’s $10 bucks.
Whaddya got?

87. Day 7: You stop for a second and suddenly
you’re surrounded by wolves!
Choose who will
fight and who will
hide in the jalopy!

88. Day 7: You stop for a second and suddenly
you’re surrounded by wolves!
If you have less
than 3 people
fighting. -8 Health
More than 4
fighting, you beat
the wolves.
Everyone +1
MoraleIf you have 3-4
people fighting. -4
Health
OX counts as 2
Child counts as -1
If someone dies,
everyone in the
Jalopy -2 Morale

89. Day 7: You pull up in a deserted ghost
town…
Drive on
Search the
abandoned bar for
supplies
Search the
pharmacy for
supplies

90. Day 7: You pull up in a deserted ghost
town…
FOMO: -1 Morale for
everyone
You found some sacks
of potatoes: +6 Food
You found some
bandages. Distribute
+4 Health

91. Time for Camp!
Each
character
needs 2 food
to keep up
their health.
You need
someone to
cook or you
have to pay
someone
$10
Unless the unique rules say otherwise

92. People are feeling poorly.
A Real Doctor: $50 A Patent Medicine Peddler: $10
OR

93. Don’t trust a charlatan!
Distribute +5 Health He’s a Quack! Lose -4 Health

94. Day 8: A strange looking guitar player in on
the side of the road.
Tip him for his beautiul
music.
Talk to him about his
life.
Drive on.

95. Day 8: That’s Woody Guthrie!
You give him 5$ and feel pretty
good. Distribute + 3 morale.
His life is full of pain and
sorrow and—weirdly—you feel
better about your life.
Distribute + 5 Morale.
Really? -2 Morale everyone

96. Day 8: The romantic whistle of
the train fills the air.
Mystic and Leader Roll
Dice: 5-6 means
DESERT
Ingenue and Banker
think longingly of the
past. Roll dice.
1-3 =–2 Morale
4-6=+2 Morale

97. Time for Camp!
Each
character
needs 2 food
to keep up
their health.
You need
someone to
cook or you
have to pay
someone
$10
Unless the unique rules say otherwise

98. Day 9: They need cotton pickers
but this is hard, hard work.
Who will farm?

99. Day 9: They need cotton pickers
but this hard, hard work.
-2 Health for every
worker but they pay
$.40 per worker unit
$.45 if you Unionized

100. You made it to California!
Now what?
Flagstaff
You
are
here
Why is
everyone
staring
at us?

101. Day 9: This is the most beautiful place on
earth! How much money do you have?
Less than 70 dollars
70-100 dollars
More than 100 dollars

102. Day 9: Special Offer. The Circus needs
workers and they’re willing to pay.
Who will leave the
family? So that the rest
can succeed?

103. Day 9: Here’s what we’ll pay.
We won’t take $15 $25
Matriarch
Patriarch
Cute Kid
Grandma/pa
Cook
Banker
Farmhand
Gambler
Preacher
Ingenue
Mystic
Natural Leader
Ox
Mechanic

104. Day 9: You’re in California! Where
are you going to live?
Less than 100 dollars
100-200 dollars
More than 200 dollars
Less than 70 dollars
70-100 dollars
More than 100 dollars

105. Less than $70: In a Railcar
Life is an impossible
battle. You have no
protection from the
elements and just
getting enough food to
eat is a struggle.
Despair hangs in the
air.
Still, while there is life
there is hope.

106. For $70 entry fee: Hooverville
Life is hard. At least
you have a roof over
your head and
occasional work, but
everyone wonders how
long this can go on.
Still, if everyone works
together, you might be
able to find a way
forward.

107. For $ 100 entry fee: Government Camp
Life is sustainable.
Here, the migrants
govern themselves and
help each other. People
have a certain amount
of dignity and the
possibility of prosperity
seems real.
You might just make it.

108. I hope you enjoyed playing
California or Bust!