Cyenannore: Interlude

(Read the previous chapter here.)

System: Bivius and Bivius Companion  
Tools: Timmy (My Cat) Fell In The Well A one-page dungeon by GM Lily; Orcish Dictionary

 

<Author’s Note:  I had always planned that around the halfway point of my Cyenannore campaign I would go back to Baybrook and look in on Tozhug and Kelseen for one chapter.  I wanted their story to be low-stakes, possibly lighthearted.  What better system to use for that than Bivius.  I knew the system would allow me to manage the danger.  The lightheartedness, however, was a different story.

For the adventure, I chose a prewritten, one-page dungeon as my framework, making adjustments as necessary to fit the story I wanted to tell.  I used my typical “Fog-O-War” method to keep as much of the adventure a surprise and while I still had a lot of control over the tone of the tale, there was at least one encounter in the original adventure that may end up having some heavy outcomes. We’ll see how it goes.>

[Scene 1]

The hulking urook, clad in black, plated armor, towered over the young seven-year-old boy.  The beast grunted his conquest as he reached out to grab his victim.  Suddenly, without warning, the youngster ran toward the hunter and ducked through his legs, avoiding even the slightest graze from the urook’s hands.  The determined captor reached between his legs, a maneuver that ended with the snarling creature rolling into a somersault and ending up laying on his back.

Laughter broke out from the group of nearly ten children watching the scene.  “Don’t you know you can’t catch me, Tozhug,” Norris, the young escapee, chimed. “You’re too slow.”

On a nearby stump, Kelseen watched amused as the urook Tozhug, her long time friend, played tag with the local children in a courtyard located among the many houses in northern residential district of Baybrook.  Now one would have suspected, but playing with the city’s children was a favorite pastime of the Tozhug’s. Despite the fact that he was large and intimidating, characteristics that caused most people, even the burliest men of the city, to give the urook a wide berth as they passed, Kelseen felt he understood the goddess Ilmis’ tenants of love and relationship better than that self-absorbed elf Sylralei.

“Come join us, Lady Kelseen,” urged Madelon, one of the little girls.

Kelseen had to laugh.  Lady?  She was no more a lady than Tozhug was a handsome prince.  “No, thanks,” she responded.  “I just like to watch.”

“Help!” 

Everyone stopped.  Running down the street was another young girl, Ranee, no older than six.

“Help!” she repeated.  “Timus fell down the well!”  Timus was Ranee’s older brother by a year or two.

“We were coming to play and passed the well.  Timus wanted to show off, I guess, so he jumped up on the rock wall and started walking around the edge. He kept yelling, ‘Look at me!  I’m an acrobat!’  You know, like the ones in that travelling fair that came through town several weeks ago.

“I told Timus to stop.  He was going to fall in.  But he didn’t come down.  I started to come here and tell on him, but I heard him scream and call my name.  I turned and . . .”  Tears began to roll down her cheeks. “And he wasn’t there!  I ran back to the well and looked in. I couldn’t see him.  I said ‘Timus’.  I didn’t hear anything.  He must be hurt . . . or dead!”

Ranee barely finished her story before giving in to deep convulsions of grief. 

“Stay here!” Kelseen hastily instructed the kids. “Toz!  Let’s go!”

[Scene 2]

Kelseen knew exactly which well little Ranee meant; there was only one between the sibling’s house and the courtyard.  It was your average town well, a circular stone wall protected by a small wooden roof. A pulley system wound with a coil of rope held a pail above the well’s opening.  It had been stood unused for several weeks, due to it being the dry season.  The rains had to come before the water rose enough to be easily reached by the bucket.  In the meantime, the residents of the quarter either had to rely on water stored in barrels and cisterns, or travel to the deeper wells located throughout Baybrook.

Woman warrior and urook leaned in tandem over the edge of the well and peered down.  Together, they called out the boy’s name, Kelseen sounding like schoolmistress calling her student and Tozhug a growling bear.  They called a second time when they got no response.

 

“You need to go down,” Kel said.

“Na?” Tozhug questioned in urook.

“Yes.  You.  We don’t have torches or a lantern, and you’re the only one of us that can see in the dark.”

<When I tried to look up information on urooks, I found almost nothing in any of the Tunnels & Trolls rules or guides I own.  In fact, the only mention I found of them being a kindred was in the “Darkshade Chronicles Quick Start Guide for Tunnels & Trolls Solo Adventures”, which I’m not sure can be found online legally anymore. Since urooks are basically T&T’s version of orcs, I decided to look to those creatures for insight and found out that they indeed have darksight.>

“Quezst dak na rekka shux?” Tozhug asked, obviously not thrilled at the idea of squeezing down the well.

“The rope,” Kel pointed out. “You can get down using that.”

Kelseen examined the braided fibers and found that the rope must have been replaced recently. It showed almost no wear.  The pulley, however, was less than pristine.  She quickly unwound the rope and tied one end to a nearby fence post.  The end with the bucket she tossed down the well.  Tozhug cast Kel one last uncertain look before throwing his legs over the well wall and beginning his descent.

<For an explanation of the mechanics of Bivius, you can read the first post of my Mr. Jingles adventure. Basically, every roll is based on one of two options:  Option A/Option B, Yes/No, High Threat/Low Threat.  Using a d6, even rolls indicate the first item in each pair (A, yes, High Threat) and odd rolls mean the second (B, No, Low Threat).  Before the game, I sorted all of Tozhug’s abilities into High Stats (above average), and Low stats (average or less).  Anything that I failed to list would be determined as needed, based on his character statistics.

To climb down the rope, I randomly determined the challenge to be a Low Threat (odd roll).  I interpreted this to mean that the rope was strong enough to hold Tozhug.  Climbing is a low level stat for Tozhug.  So a low stat (Even) facing with a low threat (odd) means that whichever option gets two successful rolls first wins the challenge.

First roll: Even. Tozhug.>

Tozhug dropped into the well, not sure what to expect, but the rope held his weight.

“See,” Kel said.  “You’re fine.”

Tozhug smiled back and began to climb down.

<Second roll: Odd. Threat.>

The urook traveled several more feet when suddenly, some of the stones under his foot crumble away.  Tozhug gasped as he began to slide down the rope.  He grabbed it tighter, stopping his downward motion but leaving him dangling in mid-air.

<Third roll: Even.  Toz is successful>

Once he is steady, Toz reached out his leg to find another foothold.  With his foot secure, he pressed his back against the opposite wall for additional leverage.  He continued down, carefully releasing and applying pressure between the walls of the well to keep from sliding down, should he have another incident.

<When using a published adventure, one of the options of Bivius is that when you enter a room or have an encounter, you can choose to roll.  Option A (Even) corresponds to the adventure as written.  Option B (Odd) is something different that you decide.  At this point, my adventure has an encounter.  I choose just to go with what’s written.  Later, I will let the die decide.>

A little further down and the urook heard a sound: faint squeaks intermingled with the flapping of many wings.  The flapping got louder and instantly he was surrounded by swarming bats. 

<How big a threat are the bats? (Even) High  Tozhug’s climbing is a Low level stat.  Since the threat and stat are at different levels, only one successful roll is needed for the high option to win, while the lower still needs two. Character is always A/Even.  Opponent B/Odd.

First roll: Odd, the bats succeed and win the challenge.>

The cloud startled Tozhug and, without thinking, he let go of the rope to swat at the winged rodents.  It only took him a moment to come to his senses and reach out for the rope.

<Tozhug has a DEX of 14, which is on the high side of average.  Additionally, his finesse is a Low Stat. I’ll rate his skill for this challenge at low.  Roll for the difficulty and get Odd, or Low threat.  Makes sense, this is a tight area and there are a lot of hand holds.

First Roll:  Odd, Toz keeps falling>
Not finding the rope, he reached out for the wall . . .
<Second roll: Odd>

. . . and found a handhold. Because of the momentum of the fall, however, and Tozug’s added weight, the brick gave way and the urook tumbled down, splashing in the water at the bottom of the well. 

“Tozhug!”  Kelseen called, having heard her friend’s cries, first of surprise by being surrounded by bats, then of alarm as he fell, and finally of the splashing of water.

Tozhug flailed about in the water until he felt the bottom. Due to the dry season, the water was only a few feet deep and the urook could stand with the brackish water only reaching his waist.  He called back up to Kel to let her know he was okay.

“Are you able to get back up?” Kelseen asked.

Even though the urook could see in the dim light coming from the top of the well, it took a moment for his eyes to adjust and focus.  He was in a small cavern at the bottom of the shaft.  Along the algee covered walls, Toz saw the uppermost portion of several holes or tunnel openings poking out above the water.  He assumed those must be connected to the underground water sources that, in the wet season, allowed water to flow into the well. In the ceiling above him was a circular hole, the bottom of the well shaft he just fell down.  The bottom of the rope, with its bucket still attached, dangled several feet up that shaft.  Even if Toz could just reach the bottom of the shaft <Can he reach the shaft? Even=Yes>, his arm was injured from the fall and he knew he wouldn’t be able to pull himself up. <A consequence of losing a challenge is that your stat drops a level. Since climbing was already low for Tozhug, losing the challenge means he can’t use it for a certain amount of time to simulate an injury.>

“Gor! Rekka praskad linam.”

Get more rope? Kelseen thought hard.  Garlan’s shop was too far to get there and back quickly, as were most of the other shops.  She didn’t want to start knocking on doors.  Was there anywhere else she could get rope? Then she remembered. The temple of Ilmis was only a few streets away and they were renovating the north wing.  She was well known there, and she would be sure to find some long rope or chain.  Telling Toz she’d be right back, Kel ran to the temple.

Back down in the well, Tozhug could do nothing but wait.  A quick scan of the cavern confirmed Timus wasn’t there.  Suddenly, a movement caught his eye, followed by a low mew.  Sitting on top of a rock that poked out of the water was a soaking wet grey cat.
“Chu dra omur?”

The cat may not have been able to tell Tozhug why they were in the well, but the urook was pretty sure it didn’t belong there. He decided he would carry it back to the surface with him. Slowly, Toz stepped toward the cat, speaking quietly in what he believes is a calm tone but sounds more like a wild animal’s snarl meant to scare away an intruder. Despite that, the cat didn’t move. Instead, it meowed once more and sat watching the hulk of a creature come closer. When Toz was a yard away, something burst out of the water next to the rock. A green, rough-hided alligator lunged for the cat.

<The original adventure included both the cat and the alligator.  I had a great idea about the cat might fit into the overall story, so I just kept it, as I did the alligator, to add conflict.  The first thing I needed to know was if Tozhug saw the gator.  His LCK is average, so I deemed it a Low Stat.  I rolled for the gator’s threat level: Odd=Low threat.

The first test was Odd, a win for the gator.  The actual roll was a “1”, my  fourth in a row at this point. Maybe I should get a new die.

Second test another “1” or odd.  Gator succeeds in sneaking up unseen.  I throw the die several times to test it’s “randomness”.  Don’t you know, every roll was something other than a “1”.>

Neither Tozhug nor the cat were fast enough to react.  The gator’s jaws clamped down on the feline and dragged it underwater.  Horrified, Tozhug reached for the attacker, but the alligator was much more agile in the water and slipped right through his fingers.  Tozhug tried to chase the reptile in the waist deep water, but was unable to reach it before it disappeared through one of the holes in the wall located around the chamber.  The urook balled his fists and growled into the darkness, anger mixed with anguish.

<Tozhug was obviously going to try to fight the gator.  Even though his fighting stat is High, I felt that because he was surprised by the gator, it would make sense to penalize him and drop the stat to Low.  The gator’s threat roll was Even (of course), making it High.

The first test was one by the Gator (rolled odd), meaning his high threat automatically wins against the Low stat.  Result.  Gator gets the cat and escapes.>

Tozhug had just lost the cat to a hunger gator.  It seemed he wasn’t going to find Timus. And on top of all that was stuck at the bottom of a well.  This was turning into a really dark day for the urook.  With nothing else to do but wait, he began to feel around under the water. He thought it might be possible he would find Timus’ body, however, the was one task he truly hoped would fail.

[Scene 3]

Ten minutes later, the end of rope splashed into the water.  As it did, Kelseen called down.

“Toz, I brought someone to help.  Tie this around your waist, and we can pull you up.”

<Does Kel bring back help? Even=Yes.  Did she find a (A) rope, or a (B) chain?  Even=rope. Because two people are pulling Tozhug up, I say they automatically succeed without any normal checks needed.>

Satisfied that there was nothing to find here, Toz tied the rope around his chest, under his shoulders, and tugged, the signal to be pulled up.  For several feet the urook relied on Kelseen and her helper to pull him up until he was in the shaft. Once there, he could help by climbing, now that his arm was rested.

The walls were a bit damp and mossy, but not as much as the chamber walls below.  The climb was easy, at least until Tozhug’s hand slipped off  a jutting rock that was covered in slime.  He was still being pulled up and did the best he could to help.  Though he never completely fell, his footing was unsure for the next ten feet of the climb and one hand or foot was always slipping.  Eventually, the slime dissipated and the walls resumed their damp, rocky texture.

<Option A: Adventure as published (slime monsters)  Option B: No monsters, but a lingering remnant.  Odd=Option B>

“Gadza!” Tozhug called out for Kel to stop pulling.  He just passed a large opening in the shaft wall he missed on the way down.  No surprise, and he was falling at the time.  The opening, as well at the tunnel beyond appeared to be cut out of the wall and not a natural formation.  Placing  a foot on the bottom ledge to steady himself, Toz peered in. 

<Can he see anything? Even=Yes  That means two things.  First, I can uncover more of the map to see what’s coming up. Second, if it is a monster or obvious obstacle, Toz will not be surprised.>

The tunnel appeared featureless except for the outline of a door set in the wall at the end of the tunnel.  Something Toz didn’t need darkvision for was the smell. A strong, overwhelming odor wafted from the tunnel..

“Timus?” He called. 

When he got no response, he climbed fully into the tunnel and headed for the door.  The tunnel floor felt slick.  Could it be more of the moss that covered the walls below?  Or perhaps the slime?  While Toz was trying to figure it out, a few smalls creatures flew out of the dark and brushed by him.  Bats!  This must be where they live and where they all came from during his descent.  These last few must have been stragglers who didn’t join the main cloud.  And that explain the slick floor.  Guano!

Tozhug reached the door only to find a secured padlock hanging on a hook, holding a bar in place that was attached to the wall. He grabbed the lock in his fist and pulled, but it held fast.

<High Strength Stat (A) vs. Low lock threat (B)  Test 1: Odd=Lock wins>

If you can’t pull it open, Tozhug thought, Bash it open. He lifted his mace and, with what room he had, swung it at the padlock.  The clash of metal on metal rang through the tunnel, causing one or two more straggling bats to fly out. The lock held.  He gave it a few more blows but did not succeed. <Test 2: Odd=Lock wins>

No problem, he thought.  He’d just break the entire door down.  However, upon further examination, he realized the door iron. Rusted, but still solid.  He made one last call for Timus though the door. Getting no response, the frustrated warrior turned back to continue his climb to the surface.  <Does the door look sturdy? Even=Yes>

[Scene 4]

The rest of the climb was uneventful.  With Tozhug safely out of the well, the temple worker returned to his duties and Kel and Toz returned to the courtyard where the children awaited word of their friend.  Along the way, Toz recounted the events in the well:  finding the cat, the unfortunate encounter with the alligator, the bat tunnel and the iron door. Kel made a mental note to tell Garlen about the mysterious door, for no other reason so than to make him aware of it in case it ever comes up in a future mission. Timus’ whereabouts, however, was still a mystery and Kelseen, who was typically fearless, dreading facing the children with this news.

As they approached the courtyard they saw all the children grouped together in a tight circle.  The ones closed to the center were crouching while the rest stood looking over their shoulders.  Occasionally they would hear a laugh or an “Awww!”

“What’s going on?” Kelseen asked.

A crouching boy turned to respond.  Kelseen immediately recognized Timus.  Tozhug grunted in surprise.

“Timus!” Kel exclaimed.  “What are you doing here?  We were looking for you down a well!”

Tozhug snarled.

“Okay,” she corrected.  “Toz was looking for you down a well.”

Timus gives the urook a questioning look.  “Why would you be doing that?”

“Someone told us you fell down it,” Kelseen explained while staring down Ranee.

The little girl’s face flushed red.  “I guess I was wrong?”

“I saw these two kittens playing in the bushes,” Timus explained, pointing to two grey kittens rolling about in the midst of the circle of children.  “I called Ranee and jumped off the well to catch them.”

“He must have been behind the well,” Ranee suggested.  “That’s why I didn’t see him.” 

“Yeah. The cats ran away, and I had to chase after them before Ranee got there.”

Timus turned back to the kittens as though there was nothing more to say.

“I wonder where their mom is?”  Frankie asked.

“Perhaps they live near the well?” Syed wondered.

“Ooh!.  We should go look for her and take them home.” Arne suggested.

Tozhug cast a questioning glance at Kelseen.  Kelseen was about to shake her head no and avoid the whole mess, but Tozhug gaze shifted to concern.  She sighed. In her heart, she knew what was needed to be done.  The kittens needed someone to take care of them.  The children needed to learn responsibility.

“C’mon,” she said to Tozhug.  “Kid’s, we have something we need to talk to you about.”

“Lady” and urook kneeled down among the children in the circle and began to explain to them the harsh realities of life.

________________
John 4:5-14
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________________
Imagesource: Map (Timmy (My Cat) Fell In The Well);  Orc (SVG SILH)

Solo But Not Alone 6

 

Are you new to the hobby and wondering where to start?  Or have you been playing solo for years and want a new adventure?  Then I have some great news for you.  The Solo But Not Alone 6 Bundle is now available at Itch.io.

Solo But Not Alone is a bundle hosted each year by Peach Garden Games featuring items geared toward our hobby.  For a minium donation of $10, you will get an amazing selection of 90 TTRPGs, Journaling games, and other role playing experiences designed with the solo gamer in mind.  All are “Physical games,” meaning they are in PDF format and not video games. 

Proceeds from this bundle goes to the Take This organization, whose mission is to help remove the stigma of mental health and provide support through the gaming community.

The Solo But Not Alone Bundle is an automatic buy for me every year.  But don’t wait too long.  This bundle is only available through the end of March 2026.  Click here to download a list of all the games. 

Solo T.O.O.T. : The GameMaster's Apprentice Deck

 No, despite what it sounds like, this is not a video of me off by myself expelling gas. T.O.O.T. stands for Tools Of Our Trade, and this is the first video in my promised series showcasing the various tools and player aids that are available for solo roleplayers.

This first video covers the versatile GameMaster's Apprentice Deck by Larcenous Designs.

Introducing the Tev's Next Idea Patreon

When I first discovered solo roleplaying, much of what I learned came from excellent creators who not only posted entertaining actual plays, but took the time to explain the tools and systems they used, how they used these tools during gameplay, and why they made the decisions they did to shape the story.  That is why, when I began Tev’s Next Idea nearly six years ago, I adopted the same format so that readers would not only have a good story to read, but also gain insight that might help them in their own solo games.

This past year, I began to feel the desire to expand the “instruct and inform” aspects of my blog and produce more content specifically geared toward players looking for ways to enhance their games.   In the last months of 2025 this dream was realized with the posting of my “Starting Solo” series, which is intended to introduce new players to the hobby. And launching in the next couple of weeks is my Solo T.O.O.T. video series, which will highlight many of the excellent tools available to the solo roleplayer.

As I’m sure you can imagine, it takes extra time, and sometimes money, to write, film, and edit this additional content.  It’s not always easy to fit it in with a family, full-time job, and other online ventures and hobbies.  That is why I have decided to launch a Patreon.

I’ll admit up front, right now the Patreon is rather thin concerning content and benefits.  However, I felt it was import to launch now for the following two reasons:

1. Get a better feel of my audience.  Hopefully, the Patreon will help me see who is reading/watching and help me gauge what they enjoy and what they may be interested in seeing in the future. 

2. Provide a way to offset the costs involved with creating online content, if even just a little, through offering a minimal cost Appreciate Tier.

I invite you to visit and sign up at Patreon.com/TevsNextIdea.

I’m already contemplating additional perks, including advanced access options and exclusive content, but that will be in the upcoming months.  But for now, thanks for reading and watching, and I am excited about sharing more actual plays and videos over throughout 2026.

One Page Holiday - Thanksgiving 2025

I was looking for a nice, relaxing, short game to play and post for Thanksgiving this year.  What I found instead was One Page Holiday by M. Kirin.

One Page Holiday is a drawing game where you are trying to escape a holiday-themed killer who is stalking you in your dreams (nightmares). Throughout the game, you will be creating a collage of your encounters based on randomly generated prompts.  Let's get started!

Starting with a blank letter-size sheet of paper, I pick a number between 1 and 6 and write it in a box in the middle of the page.  This is my Lucky Number. I chose 3, for the trinity.  Whenever I roll it, I draw a Symbol of Luck on my page.  I can choose whatever I want for this symbol, and I choose a cross.

I start the game with one Symbol. Whenever I am prompted to X a Luck, I cross out a Symbol.  If I accidentally write over something that I already drew on my page, I cross out a Symbol. If I want to change the number I roll by 1, I can cross out a Symbol of Luck to do so.  If I ever need to X a Luck but don't have a Symbol available . . . Well, that's something I'd rather not think about.

Next, I create my character by rolling two d6 dice (all rolls will be with a d6).  The premise of the game is that my character has a flaw, and this roll will determine what it is. 4: I Lied . . .   1: About the end of the world.   Okay, I can have fun with this.  I'm a member of a doomsday cult. I need to write this on my page.

I don't think this needs to be said, but I think it's clear from scripture that if Jesus didn't know when the world would end (Matt. 24:36), we won't either . . . nor does my pastor.

Finally, I need to create the killer, also known as the Spirit of Thanksgiving.  Referring to the correct month (November), I roll one die for their mask or disguise (6: Turkey) and one for their weapon (3: Knife and fork).  Turn the page around and draw the killer.

I fall asleep and enter the spirit realm.  On the page, I write down my last thought before going to sleep.

From now on, I roll a die, write the number in the margin of my page, read the prompt, and draw/write what it tells me to.

[5] You dream of the ruins of humanity. There is no life in sight. Everything is eerily quiet. Inside an abandoned building, you find boxes upon boxes of holiday decorations. In marker, overdraw a large box the size of your hand. (I made a fist to make it smaller.)

[6] X one luck. You fight back against the Spirit—and you’re hurt! Roll 1d6, then in red draw that many splotches of blood.

[3] You dream of yourself outside a house. You look through the window to find people in hoods standing in a circle. Slowly, one of them turns to see you. In marker, overdraw a cross that spans the entire page.  (I rolled a three, so I draw another Symbol of Luck cross. Also, this prompt instructs me to "overdraw".  Whenever I am told to "overdraw" or "overwrite", I can cross over a previous item without having to X out a Luck.)

[4] You dream of being trapped inside a box. You cannot breathe. You panic. You are afraid—and yet, this feels like a fitting punishment for someone like you. Draw a long box and then fill it with your thoughts. (Fun fact: This is one of my greatest fears.)

In retrospect, I missed a great opportunity here to relate my thought to my character's flaw.  "The world is actually ending . . . for ME!"

[2] You dream of the perfect holiday with family and friends… until something tragic or simply horrible happens. Write or draw what ruined this holiday for you.

A few things happen on this next roll.  I roll a 6. Since I've already rolled a six, I add a 6 and read [66]. That prompt doesn't thrill me, so I X my last Symbol of Luck and drop the roll down to 5.  This is my second 5 of the game, so I read [55].

[55] You dream of the wasteland. You spot another survivor in the distance, you run to them—only to see them die at the hands of the Spirit. Using your non-dominant hand and in red, write the dying words of that survivor.

[22] Everywhere you go you see the holiday. Everyone is happy and celebrating—but you can’t handle seeing it. In marker, overdraw a symbol of this holiday; making sure it’s as big as your hand. (Second 2 and I can overdraw.)

[555] The person you love most is dying in your arms. In their final breath, they warn you that you must kill the Spirit or else everything will end. In marker, draw the only weapon that can kill the Spirit.

[5555] (I know what die to grab if I ever need to roll a 5.) In search of the weapon to kill the Spirit, you dream of a bunker. You see a clock ticking down with no way to stop it. Time is running out. The end of the world is coming. In red, draw the countdown clock or write how much time you have left. 

[44] No matter how far you run, you relive your failures and mistakes one after another. The Spirit appears suddenly, walking you into a corner. Overdraw a large circle on one corner of the page.

[444] The Spirit catches you and takes you into a dream filled with endless torture. They hurt you over and over. Using your non-dominant hand, write the words that escape your lips in between cries of pain.

[55555 – Apocalypse End] You failed to stop the Spirit and your nightmare is about to become reality. You wake up to a world engulfed in chaos. What ended life as you knew it? Roll 1d6: (5) Creatures from beyond the darkness of space invaded.  You are not dead. Not yet. In red, overwrite or overdraw what you see now: at the beginning of the end.

And here is the full collage, turned one way, then the other.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

_______________

Philippians 4:5b-6

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Starting Solo: Traditional Roleplaying Games

Source: Yuliya Pauliukevich: Chess Vectors by Vecteezy; PublicDomainVectors.org

This post contains affiliate links. Any purchases made through them will financially

support this website's creator. Read the full disclaimer here.

Your regular gaming group isn’t available. You’re between gaming groups. You want more agency in your game than a game master allows. You want to test a new system before introducing it to your friends. You have no friends.

There are many reasons (Okay, maybe not that last one) why someone would want to play their favorite tabletop roleplaying game solo. In my last Starting Solo article, I suggested several games that can provide that experience. But what if you just want to play your favorite game, even though that title isn’t designed to be played alone? Classics like Dungeons & Dragons or Pathfinder? Supernatural thrillers like Call of Cthulhu or Vampire: The Masquerade? Or familiar IPs, such as one of the Star Wars or Marvel RPGs? Is there a way to solo them?

Japanese D&D Rulebooks - Source: Atlas of Mystara

Certainly!  All you need are the correct tools and a little creativity, and can have as much enjoyment, if not more, playing these games alone as you would in a group. [1]

Before I go any further, I want to be clear that my purpose is not to teach you how to play a solo game.  There are several blogs, Youtube videos, and forum threads that attempt this. These are fine, some better than others, but instead, I would recommend you study actual playthroughs of other people’s campaigns.

Besides a well-written, entertaining story, what you need to look for are creators who not only share their dice rolls, but also take the time in their actual plays to share their gaming process and thoughts behind the decisions they make.  In this way, you will learn how to effectively use the various tools available to the solo roleplayer. Great podcasts and videos, such as The Tale of the Manticore, A Wasteland Story, and Me, Myself, & Die are easy and convenient ways to listen and watch, but my recommendation for anyone truly interested in learning how to play would be to read the actual play session.

For starters, it’s how I learned to play. But more importantly, reading allows you the opportunity to really study the game instead of just letting the audio pass you by.  You can easily revisit an explanation that’s hard to understand, contemplate how the author shapes his story, or stop to research additional information about the tools used in the game.  After Tev’s Next Idea, a blog I would highly recommend is Alea Iactanda Est. It’s the blog I learned from the most – in fact, I consider the author to be my unofficial mentor – as well as the model for how I structure my own posts.

Regardless of which method you use, as you read/listen to these adventures, you will find that most, if not all, solo roleplayers use three tools:

RULE SYSTEM

Okay.  I know what you are probably saying.  This one is a no-brainer. And I agree, but that doesn’t change the fact that it is a necessary element of the game. Whether you are playing D&D, Traveler, or Monster of the Week, the specific system tells you how to create a character, run combat, make skill checks, and anything else you need to know about interacting with the world around you. Without a rule system, even the best, most creative adventure idea would remain unrealized.

Rules and Modules - Source: Motokrosh Machinations

One of the great joys of playing solo is getting to create the world from scratch and develop rich, unexpected stories.  But I would be amiss if I didn’t address the fact that many games systems have also developed pre-written adventures, or modules.  Playing through one of these modules solo can be a bit more difficult since all the secrets are revealed once you read the module, but it’s not impossible. Explaining how to do would be an article of its own (if not more), but you can find examples in Mythic Magazine Vol. 3 and Vol. 50, and the archived Lone Crusader blog here and here.

Choosing a rule system is a start, but not quite enough to have a solo experience.  You will also need some way to emulate a game master and the information only they can provide.  For that, you need what is called an . . .

ORACLE

In ancient Greece, an Oracle was considered to be a conduit to the gods, providing divine answers to life’s probing question. Similarly, oracles used in solo roleplaying help provide answers only the gaming gods (or GMs) would know.  Basically, an oracle provides “yes” or “no” answers to questions asked while playing. (“Is the door locked?”) This can be accomplished simply by rolling a six-sided die.  Six is an absolute “yes”; one an absolute “no”, and any other number is some shade of “yes” or “no,” depending on how high or low it is. Simple, true, but simple isn’t always enough.  Several tools have been developed have expanded this basic concept to add excitement and realism.  The best known of these tools is the Mythic Game Master Emulator, but others good options are CRGE, One Page Solo Engine, or the online tool found at RPGSolo.com.

RPGSolo.com Website

These beefed-up oracles start with the basic yes/no response, but add better defined results for the in-between rolls (i.e. yes, and; no, but).  Next, depending on the situation, the oracle can be weighed more toward a yes or no answer, providing responses that better fit a particular situation. I addition to yes and no, many oracles can occasionally add a random event or unexpected twist, providing obstacles for the character to overcome or affecting the characters in both positive and negative ways.

Not every question can be answered with a simple yes or no.  In those cases, many oracles include some method, typically a series of tables, to provide more complex answers.

One Page Sole Engine - Source: DriveThruRPG

  These tables will generate vague words or phrases that need to be interpreted by the player. For example, your character wants to rent a room from the local innkeeper, but unfortunately the oracle tells you “no.”  You may want to follow that up by asking why? The oracle responds with “Bestow/Love.” An interesting response indeed.  Does it mean the innkeeper only has one room but wants to keep it available for that very attractive client who often comes to town unexpectedly?  Or is the innkeeper romantically involved with the hostel owner down the street and hopes to impress her by sending her some business?  The decision is all yours.

Armed with your favorite rule system and a well-rounded oracle, you are ready to play solo.  Really, that’s all you need.  However, just those two items might result in a rather bland game, shaped mainly by your limited experiences.  You want to add flavor to your game!  You want to go beyond what you can imagine!  For that you need to enlist the help of . . .

RANDOM GENERATORS AND OTHER PLAYER AIDS

What does that potion do? There’s a tool for that. What’s behind the locked door or hidden in the chest? There is a tool for that. Is it sunny or stormy? There’s a tool for that. Who is this stranger who sidled up next to me at the bar?  There’s a tool for that.  What does he say? You guessed it . . . there’s a tool for that.

By now, you probably get it.  Any information you might need while playing can be determined by using a random generator or similar type of tool.  In fact, there are so many “tools for that,” the new solo roleplayer (or seasoned one, for that matter) can easily begin to feel overwhelmed.  A couple of hours on the internet is all you need to find ten, twenty, fifty different tools that all look helpful and must be used in your next campaign.  And the list only grows.

I can’t tell you what are the best tools for your game, but I can offer some advice: Be Selective!

Be Selective In The Number Of Tools You Use

I would recommend, when starting a new campaign, you choose only two or three random generators or aids and stick with just those for the first few game sessions.  If you expect your campaign to take your characters into a dungeon, then choose a few tools to generate the dungeon, random traps, and treasure. However, if your campaign is starting in town, perhaps an NPC generator would be better, plus a tool for running a conversation and table of random encounters or quests. Limiting yourself to just a few will help keep you focused your game instead of managing tools.  You always have the oracle to help answer questions not covered by a particular tool and you can always add a tool later, as the need arises. 

Donjon Website

If two or three tools aren’t enough but you still want to keep from being overwhelmed, you can choose to use only tools found in a single book or website. The number of tables may still be large, but at least they are all organized in one place, reducing the need to jump from resource to resource.  A few good websites are donjon, Chaotic Shiny, or the Behind The Tables subreddit.

Lastly, stay consistent and use the same particular tool (i.e. dungeon generator) for the entire campaign, or at least a specific quest.

Be Selective In How Often You Use The Tools

Just because there’s a “tool for that,” it doesn’t mean you always should use it. If you generate every detail every second of the game, your adventure may end up disjointed, veer in all different directions, and make little sense. You will end up being controlled by the game, instead of you controlling the game.

Don’t forget that your role is not only to control your character, but also to be the game master. What’s exciting about playing solo is that you get to tell the story you want to tell.  These tools should only be used in specific circumstances to help keep things interesting: filling in minor details; answering questions that have multiple legitimate answers (What’s the queen’s favorite meal?); shaking up a game that has become stale; or nudging you when you have no idea what to do next.  All the other times, do what comes naturally, makes the most sense, or simply gives you pleasure.  Bottom line, if you want to rescue a princess from a dragon, then rescue the princess from the dragon. Don’t let a random quest roll send you to find a rare spice for the inn keeper.

I previously said I can’t tell you what tools will be best for your game. But I can help by sharing with you some helpful, interesting, and possibly relatively unknown options.  To do that, I've created the video series Solo T.O.O.T. (Tools Of Our Trade), where each episode I will highlight the fantastic tools and player-aids that are available to the solo roleplayer.

These three tools – rule system, oracle, and random generators or player aids –should get you started playing almost any tabletop roleplaying game solo.  Some games are easier to solo.  Other can be a bit more difficult, but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible. I’ve been surprised to discover titles I originally considered unsoloable being played alone. It just took some creativity from the player . . . and the right tool.

Have fun playing and keep reading.  There’s always something new to enjoy and discover in this unique, niche hobby of ours!

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[1] A quick word about AI.  More and more tools are being created that allow an individual player to experience tabletop RPGs without the need for other players or physical game master. These tools are a great way to play solo, however, that style of play is not what is being discussed in this article.  Instead of the glorified video game or text experience offered by these AI tools, where the player is reacting to a digital GM, the style of gameplay I am discussing allows the player to be both character and game master, using tools as necessary to help generate the story while retaining surprise and the unknown.  Admittedly, some of these tools might utilize a form of AI, but just enough to spark an idea within the player and stir up their creativity. After that, the rest is up to them.

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1 Peter 4:10-11

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