Solo Donnut DIY RPG Playtest #4

14 Jul, 2024

Characters:

Takrog - Gladiator of Vaenek origin (Lvl 1)

Brawn +1 Agility -2 Finesse 0 Luck 0 | Hearts: X | Gladiator

Equipment: Bronze Axe | stashed [Small Barrel of Salted Fish (bulky)]

Takrog has wavy brown hair and sparse beard, his skin is pale and full of freckles. His body is quite muscular but movements are erratic and clumsy. He is dressed in tatters of simple tunic and short skirt. His face has traces of painted black sigils believed to protect from evil.

Phythis - Pirate of Blue Flag from Qhai (Lvl 1)

Brawn 0 Agility -1 Finesse -1 Luck 0 | Hearts: X | Pirate

Equipment: Bronze Sword | Empty Amphora

Phythis has curly black hair and scarred brown skin. Her moves are a little clumsy and awkward. She is dressed in dirty and torn rags which used to be loose blouse and trousers.

Ionos - Wizard from Bronze Towers of Marano (Lvl 1)

Brawn 0 Agility 0 Finesse -1 Power +1 | Hearts: X | High Adept

Equipment: Box after Sour Leaf | stashed [Small Chest with Coin]

Spells: Charm, Hold, Knock, Levitate, Light, Missile*, Reveal, Shield, Sleep, Tongue, Ward

Ionos has totally bald head and face with small holes after piercings, their skin is olive. They are a little awkward with tools. Their long robes are currently in pieces.

Everybody has their Hearts crossed, as they used them in a fight with Chimera on the coast and they haven't been able to restore them (it takes 4 days of pure rest to regain one).

I want to test also the idea of double conditions from Jeff Rients https://jrients.blogspot.com/2024/05/draft-two-step-status-rules.html, so at the moment I'd give each character a Tired and Hungry status. And Dirty. They don't have penalties yet as first step is only a warning.

In previous episode our heroes - Takrog the Gladiator, Phythis the Pirate and Ionos the High Adept - spoke about the farmers inhospitability and how it endangers them of death of thirst. After the decision to steal from them and quick rest and preparation they crept into the farm, Ionos put some farmers to sleep and took one hostage with Phythis help. They went to the buildings, drank from the well and something started to bang on the door of the barn from the inside. Hostage hid in a house and group grabbed their weapons.

Takrog and Phythis hold their weapons tighter. Ionos makes a step back. All the buildings around are closed.

Ionos says to others: "When I yell run away, don't ask and run away as fast as you can". Doors to the barn start breaking from the ground up. Old wood breaks apart, shadow slowly crawl out of the barn, barely visible in flickering light of the lamp and the stars. Only a pair of sharp and thin goat-like horns are drawn clearly of the dark mass. Insects around go quiet. Stars darken and start glistening maddeningly quick.

The thing from the shadow starts to move slowly towards the well. Weirdly tilted goat head with dead eyes emerges to the light. Behind it walks robust body, more like tangled hoard of animal flesh.

Sight so creepy and scary each witness has to toss coin. Takrog [N] Phythis [N] Ionos [Y] Fear triggers one of two reactions chosen by the scared: Fight or Flight. Takrog as a person experienced in combat and near-death situations will react with aggression. Phythis has the opposite instinct as a long time maritime criminal and sprints away. Each of them, including Ionos (as even success on a save doesn't deny it completely), marks status Scared - as for now without the effect.

Phythis jumps into the night behind them and Takrog rushes in, yelling and chopping blindly. [12+1] Surprisingly effectively chops the goat head off the chimera's body. Ionos is ready to run but gladiator is not thinking clearly now and doesn't stop striking. Family in the house starts yelling. Fleshy mass stops moving as if it was dead.

Then is suddenly moves again, rises up in dim light showing bent limbs mixed within the body. Odour of decay washes over everybody. Chimera doesn't give gladiator chance to react (I judged he wouldn't have a chance to defend, panicked, scared and in combat rage), there is only loud crunch. Ionos decides not to wait anymore, releases their last spell - a sphere of pulsating white light - and runs away.

During the retreat through olive grove she cannot find Phythis [5+0]. Assuming the monster will take care of Takrog's body or the family in the house now they decide the only option is to run away. They have no tolls to fight or defend, all their power depleted and allies scattered. Adept climbs up the hill they left their things, hoping Phythis would get the idea to get there too. They cry out of helplessness, fear and exhaustion.

Phythis is running away from the monstrosity through olive grove. The mass of bent and melted bodies triggered instinctual reaction. This thing shouldn't move, it shouldn't even be. [12+0] By sheer luck and coincidence she hides on a tree and sees Ionos running closely at some point. After the shock wanes she decides to follow them.

At this point I thought I don't really like the Luck stat. Considering the saves are mostly based on luck and are 50/50 coin toss I think it is redundant. Maybe everyone has Power stat? It feels similar to Heroes of Might and Magic III with their Knowledge and Power.

Ionos and Phythis meet at the hill, at the point they dug coin chest and salt fish barrel. Wind blows from the sea, smelling like salt. Although the atmosphere of unnatural horror is far away they both feel danger in the air. Chills wander over their spines.

I decided to give both of them some mark after encountering chimera so closely. It will be something akin to Ironsworn's debility asset. Or Brand of Sacrifice from Berserk manga. "Deathtouched permanent Fear is haunting you. You can detect presence of undead if they are nearby but cannot identify them this way. This fear will continue until you destroy the creature that caused it or a way to repel undead and feel safe." Which can be quite a challenge in a world without divinity.

A couple digs up the hidden coin chest and barrel of salted fish. They drink water, eat some of the fish (Hungry condition is cleared) and talk about rest of their travel. They're both tired but closeness to the dangerous horror makes them afraid to sleep here. Ionos knows after last attempt at spell preparation next time will be way harder and decides not to try. Thanks to the directions given by hunter they think more farms should be close. In the light of the stars erratic due to clouds and wind they start to walk south avoiding the cursed farm by a wide margin.

This time I have more non-plot notes. First I'd like to throw away idea of leveling from the game. I already cut it down to six, maybe it's time to say goodbye and go full throttle into diegetic development. As in gathering skills, backgrounds and items as part, and reward, for adventures.

Currently each staring character has four attributes: Brawn, Agility, Finesse and Power and one asset - be it Background (skill) or Ability (like High Magic) - as well as one Heart. Additional Hearts would be given every second Asset, and every third Asset once you have 3 Hearts. I'm thinking of tinkering with name of Finesse attribute as I'd like to pump its perception/searching capability and finesse seems to me very much thief-y but not very much percept-y.

At this point in the story I think more travel is redundant. The fun thing happened, the travel to civilizations seems rather secure. I'd also like to test 2400-like psionics (Project Ikaros type) as a Wild Magic so the next character joining the group could have it. I wanted even more types of magic but current two seem to be enough.

I also think of making these notes here instead of doubling the blogposts.

#DIYelfgame #playtest #soloRPG