Desert Citadel of the Blasphemous Reaper - An Into the Odd Solo Actual Play, Part 1
Welcome to a new game and a series of shorter adventures. I’m playing Into the Odd, an OSR (or NSR depending on what you like to call it) game where the resolution is quick and deadly. I’ll quickly make up a character and get started.
The books I’m using are:
- Into the Odd Remastered (a stunning book written by Chris McDowall and art by Johan Nohr)
- Solo Into the Odd rules by Manadwn TTG
- Random One-page Dungeon creator (it’s fun to use!)
Alright, I’ve quickly rolled up a character and a companion for him. Character creation is pretty quick. Roll 3d6 down the line and take those numbers. A d6 for health. Then get a 'package' based on your stats and you are ready to go! Maybe 5 minutes at most.
Name: Lucien
HP: 3
Strength: 10
Dexterity: 11
Willpower: 10
Items: Musket (d8 B), Protective Gloves, Tyrant’s Rod - Order a target to drop, fall, flee, or halt, unless the target passes a Will Text
Money: 11 Silver
Companion
Name: Helene
HP: 1
Strength: 11
Dexterity: 10
Willpower: 11
Items: Sword (d6), Torch
Money: 11 Silver
But where are they questing? Let’s fire up a random small One-page dungeon!
Desert Citadel of the Blasphemous Reaper
For years, the citadel of the Blasphemous Reaper was considered lost. Lately, an undead, soul-sucking spider has made its home here.
Done! Love it. All created in the Randon One Page Dungeon Creator.
Now to start the adventure.
Pressure Point: 10, Starting in Room 1 (This is from the solo rules. It lowers as the adventure goes on).
Lucien steps into the dark cave, “Helene, get that torch out. It’s dark as the devil's heart in here.” The torch quickly flickers to life as shadows are cast across the room. “That’s better. Look alive Helene. We paid good silver for the location of this citadel. There are bound to be some dangers ahead.”
Helene nods but says nothing. Lucien can’t remember her ever speaking. She grunts, nods, hisses, and sighs, but doesn’t speak. He doesn’t know why and doesn’t think about it. Helene is quick with a torch and decent with a sword. That’s all he needs to know.
Surveying the room, Lucien sees nothing of note along the walls; they are slick with a slimy moss. At the far end of the entrance room, he spots a door. “Helene, let’s take a look. We aren’t here to sightsee, you know? What is this? The door is burnt. Looks like someone tried to burn it down or maybe used some Arcanum. Hmmm. I should be able to kick it down.”
In Into the Odd, you roll a D20, and you are aiming to get equal or under your appropriate stat. In this case, I’m rolling Strength, which is a 10.
Roll - Strength Save (10) - 17, Fail.
We won’t have Lucien fail to kick a door open, but what will happen is he will make a whole lot of racket. But will someone hear it? Let’s do a roll using the solo system by Mathew Morris called Alone in the Odd. For these rules, you roll a D20 against the Pressure Point, which changes based on how much pressure the hero is under. Right now, it's a 10. OK, so does Lucien kick the door down without alerting a monster? A 1! Which is a Yes And… So yes, he doesn’t alert any monsters and he discovers something useful on the other side.
Lucien’s boot goes straight through the frame of the door. Being stuck for a second and slightly embarrassed, he pulls it out, taking most of the door with him. The hole that he creates is enough for Lucien and Helene to easily step through.
Helene grunts and points the torch at the ground. Lucien spots a glint in the torchlight. “A key! Good spotting, Helene. Hmm… No markings, it may be useful. Well, we’ve made it into the citadel. That was simple enough. Now which way to go?”
Pressure Point: 10, Room 2
Coming to another wooden door, Lucien pulls out his musket and cocks the flintlock back. “Helene, push that door open. Slowly now! And quiet! I’ll cover you.”
Helene nods and slowly pushes the door open.
Alright, let’s check out this room. Is it empty? A 12, that is a No But. No, it isn’t empty of dangers, but it’s something weak.
As the door opens, and torchlight fills the room, Lucien sees a monstrosity of some sort. A dog, no, a rat, no, a rat-dog thing. Patchy fur, fangs more than a foot long. The thing turns and screeches.
Rat-Dog
Strength 6, Dex 8, Will 5, HP4
Lucien aims his musket right at the beast and pulls the trigger. The dark interior lights up as the gun goes off and flames emit from the barrel.
For Into the Odd, there is no roll to hit. You just roll damage dice. It makes combat quick and very deadly.
Roll: Attack, D8 - 8.
Reduces HP to 0 and removes 4 Strength. Rat-Dog does not pass its Strength Save and succumbs to its wound.
The bullet buries itself directly into the face of the Rat-Dog. Lucien is clearly upset by the sounds. Helene, understanding what to do, walks over and casually stabs the beast in the skull, ending its life.
“Helene, what a disgusting creature. Hopefully, that is the worst we will see here. Let me reload before we look around.”
A quick survey of the room finds nothing but old rotting baskets with ancient cloth inside. Helene picks through them with her sword.
Roll: Save Willpower (11) - A 7! Success
A gold coin falls out of one of the pieces of cloth. Lucien hurries over and takes a look at it. “I don’t know these symbols, and from where this coin is. But I’ll bet you a drink, Helene, that this coin is pure gold! Ha! If we turn around right now, this would be a successful trip. I’ll hold onto it for now, but we will split this in town.”
Helene nods.
With a smile on his face and a pep in his step, Lucien walks out of the room with the Rat-dog still smoking from the gunshot. He thinks things are starting to look up, and with this trip already paid for, who’s to say how rich he can get?
Images of wealth flicker in front of his mind. New clothes, women, fine wine, and most importantly, respect!
He keeps the happy thought as he enters the next room. Both Lucien and Helene stop. In the middle of the room stands a young woman. Lucien looks her up and down and knows a pretty girl when he spots one. And he has spotted one.
“Madame, it is not so safe to be here by yourself. I would kindly, and nobly escort you outside of this dungeon,” says Lucien, words as smooth as honey.
“I cannot leave this place, at least not while I hold this.” And the lady raises her hands, showing that she is holding something quite extravagant. Lucien stares at it; it’s beautiful. Stunning. As much as Lucien tries, he can’t take his eyes off it.
Roll - Willpower (10) - Take D4 Damage to Willpower (4)
The orb shines with a brilliance Lucien has never seen. Helen, noticing her comrade is transfixed, shakes him. Coming to, Lucien stumbles backward.
“By the gods! What is that Arcana? Young woman, give this to me before you hurt someone again.”
“Please, by the gods, take this thing from me. I’ve been here for decades upon decades. As long as I hold this orb, I don’t age or hunger or thirst. But I can’t move or drop it. Please, by the gods, take it from me!”
Lucien and Helene stand there thinking. This orb is clearly an Arcana and worth an inordinate amount of money. Some noble or king would pay a pretty sum to use that as a torture device.
“Alright, but do be quiet and don’t move.” Lucien puts on his protective gloves and hopes they will now allow him to be bound to the Arcana’s power.
Oracle question: Does Lucien's glove provide him protection from the orb's power? The pressure point is 10, so anything under a 10 on a D20 is a yes. A 3! That is a Yes, And… Yes, it protects him and so much so he does not need to roll for it.
Quickly, Lucien snatches the orb from the woman and quickly, oh so quickly, puts it into a pouch.
The woman smiles at him. And starts to age. Her beautiful face shows wrinkles, then sags. Her skin becomes translucent and starts to grey. The aging continues. Soon she is an ancient woman, then she collapses, a smile still on her face.
Before long, she is dust and bones. Lucien frowns, and Helene simply moves on.
Item Found: Orb of Anchoring - Anyone who touches it will be unable to move or drop the orb. But they will not age or hunger. When the Orb is removed, age will catch up to them in an instant.
“Well, Helene. I don’t think it would be a good idea to play with that thing. Let’s continue onward. There is more wealth here. I can smell it.”
Lucien Status
HP: 3/3
Strength: 10/10
Dexterity: 11/11
Willpower: 6/10
Items: Musket (d8 B), Protective Gloves, Unknown Key,
Tyrant’s Rod - Order a target to drop, fall, flee, or halt, unless the target passes a Will Text
Orb of Anchoring - Anyone who touches it will be unable to move or drop the orb. But they will not age or hunger. When the Orb is removed, age will catch up to them in an instant.
Money: 1 Guilder, 11 Schilling
Helene Status
HP: 1/1
Strength: 11/11
Dexterity: 10/10
Willpower: 11/11
Items: Sword (d6), Torch
Money: 11 Schilling
Well, how did you like it? We will finish it off next week, so stay tuned!
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