Saturday, February 7, 2015

Solo Role-Playing Series Part 5: Short Example of Play Using Our Toolkit So Far

Returning to the fact that we have a means to answer questions about the world, let's take a look at how this might work out in practice. 

In this example, I will use a set of RPG rules and primarily stick to the the method I recommended previously for addressing questions about the world. 

1 yes and
2-3 yes but
4-5 no but
6 no and

One thing we have not discussed is note keeping and journals - I'll get to them but suffice it to say, recording something about your play is a good idea. I like to record notes about the narrative, the mechanics, and my own personal thoughts, and then later write it up in a coherent manner for my blog, but there are many other ways to go about it. 

In this case I will do it as I ordinarily do, but I'll show you the whole process here.

First, I need a system and a character. 

I'm going to use Unbelievably Simple Roleplaying, and because my ego is boundless, I will use my own USR: Moldvay Era Classes document to place the game into a fantasy setting. I just read Wizard of Lemuria and one of the many Conan books is waiting in the wings, so I'll go with a fighter, imagining him more barbarian from the North and less plate-clad knight of a pseudo-Europe. 

Lugar of the Frozen Wastes: Action: d10, Wits: d8, Ego: d6. HP: 8 (not terribly impressive - thank goodness this is a one off!)
Specialisms: Melee Weapon Mastery (Action + 2), Smashing things (doors, chests, etc.) (Action +2), dodge (action +2)

Don't worry if you're not familiar with the system - it's pretty straight forward. One of the nice parts is that it has a system for handling uncontested attribute tests, for actions that are not automatic successes.

Getting started can be the hard part - later, when I discuss methods for handling open ended questions we'll look at generating these starts randomly. 

For now, I decide to rip off Seven Samurai, with a village under threat by bandits. 

Also, since this is intended to be a one-shot, I will follow a 5-Room Dungeon model, using Scene 1 to set the stage and get the quest, Scene 2 to to handle the investigation/travel/roleplay, Scene 3 to be an encounter designed to drain my resources, Scene 4 to be a big encounter, and Scene 5 to be the treasure/reward/or plot twist.

Scene 1: 

Note: This is all me acting in my role as the GM. I'm setting up the first adventure for our protagonist - and it's pretty much a railroad to get here.

Lugar arrived in the village of Argalia, tired and somewhat short of coin. The people eyed him suspiciously - perhaps it was the minimal attire, not more than a loin cloth - and the great sword which swung from his hip. In the tavern, where the only thing that mattered was if he had money to pay for his tab, he found a more welcoming atmosphere. Indeed, there one of the elders of the village approached him and offered him a reward if he would help defend them against bandits who ride down from the hills, steal their harvest, raid their tills, and steal their women. They will probably arrive within the week. With money running short, he accepted.

Heavy handed, sure, but it works. 

Scene 2:

The first thing that comes to my mind is that Lugar wants to know if there are any capable fighters in the town that he can use either as a raiding force of his own, or in a defensive way.

In my notes, it looks like this:

Lugar wants to know if any capable fighters in the village . Are there? 

I roll a d6 and get a 5. "No, But" and I decide that means that, while there aren't any capable fighters in the village, the people are more than willing to help. In fact, some of the younger men see it as a way to become heroes and advance themselves socially.

My notes: 5 - no but the people are willing to help in any way they can. Young men see this as a way demonstrate their physical strength and courage and to advance socially. They don't understand the threat.

Lacking the possibility of a raiding force, I decide that Lugar examines the village layout and will attempt to identify weak spots and inform the villagers as to how to address them.

My notes: Is Lugar able to determine which areas are the most vulnerable? 

I have two options here - I can use the d6 method, or I can look at the rules I am  using and treat this as a non-contested attribute check. There is no right or wrong here. Since I would set this at Medium difficulty for his Wits score, that puts success at slightly better than 50/50 (4+ on a 1d8)

My notes: Wits check. Med. 4+ - 2. Crap.

Yes, the word crap is in my notes because it popped into my head as soon as i rolled the die and I'll want to remember that when I read my notes later.

Worse, because this is basically a hard "No." answer, I may have painted myself into a corner. So I take on the role of the GM for a minute and note:

Lugar made a check of the village perimeter, attended by a young woman of about 18, hair long and black and skin pale like the snow of his homeland, assigned to take notes on his recommendations. He could scarcely concentrate.

I decide I still need to do more to prepare for a coming raid by the bandits and so Lugar will inquire of the young lady if she knows where and how the bandits enter the town.

My notes: Does the young woman know where and how the bandits enter town?

I don't know anything about her - in fact she didn't exist until i needed means to explain away the fact that Lugar noticed nothing he could fix.

I roll a d6 and hope for the best.

My notes: 3 - Yes, but she is afraid to tell him.

My reaction to this in real life is, "Wait, why is she afraid?"

Just like that, I have less of an idea of what's going on.

My notes: Is she afraid of spies? 4, no but, she darts her eyes to an old well.

That popped into my head for no apparent reason, but I could see it plain as day, and so I went with it.

Lugar decides he will try to schmooze her into telling him more.

My notes for this scene look like this:

Is he able to schmoozer her for more info? Wits vs Wits.
YoungWoman Wits Stat: 
1- d4
2-3 - d6
4-5 - d8
6 - d10

6!

I roll and record the results of his d8 vs her d10:

Lugar: 6, Young Woman: 10

Nope.

Lugar will have a talk with the village elder back at the tavern and see if he knows anything.

Now, let's say my time playing is up there and I have to continue that scene next session. In between, I'd review my notes and write it up as a narrative, interspersed with mechanics because people have repeatedly told me that's what they want to see. If you're doing this in a document that you aren't sharing publicly, you certainly can eliminate the mechanics.

The Write-up:

Lugar arrived in the village of Argalia, tired and somewhat short of coin. The people eyed him suspiciously - perhaps it was the minimal attire, not more than a loin cloth - and the great sword which swung from his hip. In the tavern, where the only thing that mattered was if he had money to pay for his tab, he found a more welcoming atmosphere. Indeed, there one of the elders of the village approached him and offered him a reward if he would help defend them against bandits who ride down from the hills, steal their harvest, raid their tills, and steal their women. They will probably arrive within the week. With money running short, he accepted.

His first inquiry to the elder was in regards to any organized militia or capable fighters among the villagers. 

[Are there?  5 - no but the people are willing to help in any way they can. Young men see this as a way demonstrate their physical strength and courage and to advance socially. They don't understand the threat.]

The old man shook his head, and not without a touch of shame, replied in the negative. Not one to give up easily, Lugar asked if he might be take around the village perimeter to inspect it for weak points.

Later that afternoon, the elder introduced Lugar to a young woman, who would show him around and record his recommendations. 

And so, Lugar made a check of the village perimeter, attended by a young woman of about 18, hair long and black and skin pale like the snow of his homeland. 

[Is Lugar able to determine which areas are the most vulnerable? Wits check. Med. 4+ - 2. Crap.]

Unfortunately, he could scarcely concentrate, and as a consequence noted no areas of particular concern. Still, he knew he hadn't been concentrating and so made an effort to learn something of the bandits.

"Do you know by what way these curs come?"

[Does the young woman know where and how the bandits enter town? 3 - Yes, but she is afraid to tell him ]

Lugar could tell she knew something but she seemed afraid to speak. Lowering his booming voice to a near inaudible whisper he said, "Do you fear spies among your own?"

[Is she afraid of spies? 4, no but, she darts her eyes to an old well.]

Her reply was silence, but she had darted her eyes towards a field. When Lugar looked in that same direction, he noticed an old, dilapidated stone well. 

"Woman, you have nothing to fear. I have stood knee deep in the blood of thousands of enemies of this land. My whole life I have devoted to the protection of the old, the weak, and the fair. And you are fairest of all." Lugar laid it on thick in an effort to get her to open up.

[Is he able to schmoozer her for more info? Wits vs Wits.
YoungWoman Wits Stat: 
1- d4
2-3 - d6
4-5 - d8
6 - d10

6!

Lugar: 6, Young Woman: 10

Nope.] 

It came as no surprise to Lugar that his efforts were in vain; a beautiful woman like her undoubtedly heard lines like these every day and was immune to their intended effect.

Lugar thanked the woman for her time and headed back to the tavern to see if the elder was still there. He had questions that needed answering.

5 comments:

  1. An old well, eh?

    "New wells for old" perhaps

    I think that something is rotten in the town of Argalia.


    -- Jeff

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    1. Hi Jeff, I had to go look that bit in quotes up. Now, I'm intrigued - H.G. Wells is one of my favorites. I have to say, I hadn't intended to complete this one shot, but i am too interested in seeing how it turns out not to.
      -John

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  2. Interesting. Both your description of how you might play a game and write it up and the actual game play so far. That's a good sign; simple, but it captures interest and pulls you into the story by raising questions, even as you play it through.

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    1. Thanks Fitz-Badger! I hope that the actual plays take away some of the confusion some people have expressed to me about how to get started soloing. Simple is what I'm going for here. I think too often people get hung up on the need for this or that system when playing solo when it really doesn't have to be that complicated (it can be, and that can be fun - i regularly use a wide variety of unnecessarily complicated systems!).

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    2. John I think your spot on here. I know my dcc solo becomes bogged down because im trying to rules lawyer myself when running an entire team and it becomes harder to progress when you do that.

      Then again my adventures while not as far as they could be because of these slowdowns are soundly run mechanically lol.

      Your write ups are awesome and make me jelly as usual.

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