Here is the beginning of my solo campaign in an ultra-minimalist mode. For this series of articles, I will use my blog as a notebook. Also, the speech may seem quite choppy. The idea is to share my experience as I lived it in order to look for ways to improve.
[ I'm playing with only one character, he doesn't have a name yet!]
The hero: I just know it's a rogue Stealth +1
His boss asks him to bring an old rusty elf sword to a blacksmith shop in the nearby town.
He decides to take the safe path by road through the forest.
Let's start the Adventure
[Encounter check... place event + peanut icon. I use a homemade encounter table + random icon]
The path is blocked by many Olipheys ( levitating elephants with very small legs). Usually, they are not aggressive but there is no reason for them to be there.
Too dangerous.
Herman decides to take another part through the forest at the border of the coast.
[Encounter check... squad of monsters + shark] Oh no! A garrison of sharkmen is landing!
Herman flee... [D20=2 mean death... So unlucky! This challenge is off to a good start! Herman has to use his only single little fate point.]
A hooded man on horseback suddenly arrives, takes the half on his back and flies away.
[First of all, I think that SAALT is really a very deadly system for a lone adventurer... like in old-fashioned RPG! Have you ever tried to face three goblins with a beginner adventurer? Herman's life-hope suddenly takes a bad cut.
Secondly, I realize that it's painful to switch from one application to another, from one site to another. I play on my smartphone. And my hero doesn't even have a name! So I decide to change my method and use a log. Oracle notebook I already know is perfect for that.]
Thanks to the clues in Oracle Notebook, I decide that the hero is a halfling and his name is Herman Fatflower. His savior is Gurcys Krearrhal, a Dragonborn. He's spying sharkmen and has to alert the city.
The city of KrakensKrieg
[inspiration from a sushi box seen on a magazine. A city where we eat sushi? A port-city? Portland? Hell, no!
I need excessiveness = sushi, a fish * 1000 = a Kraken. A city made with the remains of a Kraken. Let's continue on the inspiration of Germanic names. Krakenskrieg]
Legend tells it was found when different people have teamed up to kill a mighty Kraken who terrorized waters. Buildings of the town center are made with bones of the beast.
The two men had to split up. Gurcys has to hurry to alert city defenses. Herman has to find the blacksmith.
[I smile] When the Dragonborn leaves, Herman look at the silver key in his pocket says "I wonder why he left without his key?"
When he arrives at the forge, an elf woman waits. "The blacksmith is not there".He's gone to work on the giant shell of the mechanist gnome.
elf: It's Belanor Fernhollow, is a bugician (magician specialized in insects).
"Let's go there to find him."
To be continued...
Post-adventure reflections
The beginning is classic, disjointed, but opened up many possibilities:
* Why are the Olifeys blocked?
* What are these Sharkmen doing so far from their mark?
* What's this story about a giant shell?
* What's Bellanor doing in this story?
I've got to keep playing before I can put all this back in order.
Concerning my way of playing, I started to interpret symbols and to build a story in my head. I didn't have a clear idea of things - including even the name of my main character! - but things got more refined as I went along.
I wanted to play in ninja mode so I wouldn't be spotted. I had to take a minimalist approach to "cock and knife", only with icons and a dice app. This is where we realize the usefulness of random tables:
- to find names
- to create NPCs (at least for name and race)
The Oracle Notebook allowed me to retrieve a minimum of data.
Positive point: you don't waste time in details. The adventure has to move forward. you don't waste time on details. I'm sure that in front of my computer, I will have done a complete search on the Krakens legend, the Dragonborn way of life or even on the D&D core book to find spells specialized in insects.
This article follows Challenge ninja solo play part1.
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