The Lone Toad Newsletter - February 2023 - February Already? Like seriously?
Hello everyone! Below is the Lone Toad Newsletter, February edition. If you'd like to get these in your email box when they are released at the start of the month, be sure to sign up for my newsletter here!
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Welcome back everyone to the Lone Toad Newsletter. I’m glad lots of people were positive about the transition to Substack from Revue. We didn’t lose anyone so that is fantastic!
January was admittedly a slow month for the blog and my solo gaming. But there is some great stuff coming up in February, so get ready for some epic soloing!
So strap in, put on your reading pants, and let’s get to the newsletter!
It’s February!
February means cold and wet right? Not down here in Australia. It’s hot! But staying inside because it’s like 40C (104f) just gives me the opportunity to play some solo games, work on the blog and design a few games!
Favorite Blog Posts from January
By far my favorite blog post from January was completing my Alien RPG campaign. So many NPCs died and I even lost the first character I played. I don’t want to ruin it for anyone but I think it ended in a sufficiently Alien way.
Check out Seclusion: An Alien Solo RPG campaign here
Next was the review of Sworn by Ghostlight by Matthew John. Sworn by Ghostlight is a GMless or Solo RPG built on the Ironsworn system written. You create and play as an investigator in the semi-magical city of Mónaþstone. As a police detective, you are charged with investigating a string of murders in the slums known as the Ash District.
Check out the Full Review of Sworn by Ghostlight here!
Insights into my Solo Play, Dave Ex Machina
Does every solo game you pick up have to be a huge epic campaign that takes months to play through? No way! Sometimes you may want to change something up or just take a break from your larger campaigns. That is where a solo one-shot comes in handy.
Readers, there are literally hundreds of creative and interesting one or two-page solo RPGs out there on itch for free, pay what you want, or very cheap. I recommend checking those out if you just want to do a quick one-shot.
Look for something fun, something interesting, and something that will catch your eye. You’ll want simple rules, and simple mechanics, so you can read them, understand and get straight into the game in a few short minutes.
Play for a night or an hour or so and have a great time. Play your character like you stole them, go crazy, and have a great time.
I did this recently on the blog with a game called Dave Ex Machina by Alfred Valley. I had a great time, it wasn’t serious or anything. Check out the one shot below.
Check out Dave Ex Machina One Shot here
Cool Solo Game I Haven’t Played Yet
So this isn’t a solo game but maaaaaany solo games. Hey, it’s my newsletter so I can do what I want. For the next couple of months, the Solo But Not Alone bundle is on itch. Pick up games from 105 creators (including me!) for the low low price of $10. You’ll even find my game in there!
The best part is buying the bundle is it will support Jasper's Game Day which aims to prevent suicides by funding education, outreach, and supports so that everyone knows they are Not A Critical Failure.
I’m going to write a post about highlighting a few games, so keep a lookout for that.
What the League of Incredible Soloists is doing
Who is the League of Incredible Soloist? Just the coolest group of solo actual play writers and podcasters. We are always doing fun stuff, so be sure to check them out!
It’s been a quiet month for the League but they all have great archives of work to check out.
Black Dragon Dungeon Company makes podcasts about solo RPGs
Tavon at GXYZ is a fantastic writer and has a cool Starforged Adventure for you to play
The Dragon’s Den by Drakonspyre has recently released a cool RPG called Feyroam and posts Solo Actual plays also.
Drakonspyre just started a new campaign based on Wings of Rot, a Sworn in Ghostlight case.
He also makes custom maps for VTTs and other things.
Other RPG Stuff
February is Zimo! Zimo (or Zine Month) is where creators work hard to release zines for funding or purchase. There will be some creative solo games being made. Be sure to check out the info on ZiMo here!
Are you into old-school adventures from the 1980s? I am in a big way. I love hearing about those old adventures and being inspired by them. I’ve been reading a series by SkullTower about Arduin Adventure by Dave Hargrave from 1979! Check out the first post here!
Ever been interested in what it takes to kickstart a zine? Red Caps Podcast has an interview with Directsun about the process, tips, and tricks and where the pitfalls may be. Listen here!
Lately, I’ve been obsessed with Enemy Within, the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying classic adventure. I don’t think I’ll play or run it anytime soon so I’m doing the next big thing and listening to it! Red Moon Roleplaying is doing an excellent campaign. Give it a listen here!
And I will be remiss if I didn’t mention my Cy_Borg adventure I released last month called The Zoo. If you like cybernetic animals and cyberpunk, check it out. Pay what you want.
Next Month on the Blog
It has been a busy month personally but I have finally landed on my next solo campaign! Blade Runner RPG. I’m so excited to play this amazing game set in a stunning world.
The campaign is called Interlinked and follows a Blade Runner as they solve a mystery in a dystopian Los Angeles. You may have seen the first post go up a day or so ago. Check it out here!
Thank you for Reading!
As always, thanks for reading! Shoot me a comment or a like if you enjoy and good luck soloing out there.
If you’d like to help the newsletter or the blog, the best possible thing you could do is share this newsletter, and talk about it with friends, family, and pets!
- Croaker
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