Tag Archives: Solo 27683

General

Sentinels Watching – Smells Like Rat 6i1r2t

Merry Christmas everybody! I’m currently enjoying a ride through Naha, Okinawa, with my wife Julia and have a quick moment to post the next instalment of the adventure. I hope you’re enjoying it, leave a comment and let me know. 495z5z

 Legal l1c4k

 

Compatibility with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game requires the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game from Paizo Publishing, LLC. See http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG for more information on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Paizo Publishing, LLC does not guarantee compatibility, and does not endorse this product.

Pathfinder is a ed trademark of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Compatibility Logo are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and are used under the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Compatibility License. See http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/compatibility for more information on the compatibility license.

Pathfinder and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and are used under license. See paizo.com/pathfinderRPG for more information on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.

This content produced in of the Open Game License, a copy of which is available here.

 

Rules 426a3l

Sentinels Watching is a mini solo campaign using the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game for a level one (1) character. Everything is provided here so you can jump straight in, or, if you want to run this game for a player, there’s enough here to get you started.

This is the second instalment in our exciting adventure in the city of South Fort. If you haven’t already played through the first scene, please see last weeks post.

Scene 2 – Smells Like Rat 331c27

Once the brawl is over you can get aquainted with Rotham. If you were defeated you awake with a throbbing skull and a swollen eye one hour later, with Rotham dumping cold water over you to revive you. You heal 2 hit points of non-lethal damage per character level for the 2 hours of rest you get before things move on again.

Rotham is glad to see you again, and even happier that you responded so quickly to his message. He explains that he has discovered the hideout of some bandits. Their lair is in the sewers. Furthermore, he suspects they have ties to a larger crime syndicate within the town and may have some corrupt Blue Coats in their pay. “You see,” he continues, “they were on to me. The bandits captured me and took me to their lair. I was lucky to escape and I want to hit back before they have too much time to recover. So that’s why I need your help, I need someone I can trust. I should be able to find them again easily enough, but I need more hands if I’m going to bring them in. Their leader, Lazar, should be worth a fair reward.”

You know Rotham rather well. He’s an old friend that you met through a master of yours and he’s been very good to you in the past. Rotham offers you 25 gold coins for each criminal you help bring to justice. He will also supply you with extra gear for the task ahead.

You can decide to leave Rotham behind, and if you do read the section marked Lone Blade, otherwise read the section headed Lawmakers below.

Lone Blade 2s232b

Rotham has marked out the route on a piece of cloth for you?It is not a very good map, but it will help. At this point Rotham leaves and you’re on your own.

Lawmakers 551q3g

Rotham hands you a lantern with enough oil for two hours. He also offers you the following items, take what you want you wish.

  • A long sword
  • A dagger
  • A sling and 15 pellets
  • 50’ of hemp rope
  • 3 Sacks
  • A pair of manacles

He also gives you a potion of Cure Light Wounds, telling you to save it for an emergency. If you get into combat, play Rotham as you would your own character. He acts on his own initiative round and follows your orders.

 

Navigating the Sewer 3o1yu

The tunnels are pitch black and it is a dark, moonless night outside, so you’ll have to use a source of light to see, see the “Vision and Light” section in the Additional Rules of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.

the tiles from the Lunatic Labyrinth and print them out, preferably on card stock, or laminate the sheet and cut out each tile. Lay them out randomly in front of you with the start and end tiles on opposite corners of the map. Use a counter to mark your position (if Rotham is with you he stays with you, so only one token is enough).

You move through the maze one tile at a time, spending “rotations” to navigate the mass of tunnels and pipes in that section. Each rotation lets you rotate a map tile by a quarter turn left or right.  The actual sewer is not moving, this is just an abstraction to make solo play more interesting.

You gain the following number of free rotations:

  • If Rotham is with you +4
  • On a successful Knowledge Dungeoneering check of DC 16 +3
  • Having Rothams map +2
  • Magical sight +2
  • Using a pet or familiar that is small, tiny or fine to scout for you, assuming it can, then +2

You must subtract the following penalties:

  • Being blind or without a light source -4

Total up and use any free rotations whenever you wish, while any negative rotations must be played out on the start tile.

Time spent in the sewer brings a chance of encountering bandits or other inhabitants of the sewer: on each rotation and each move to a new tile, roll a d100 and consult the table below. Free rotations don’t require a roll, as a result of good navigation.

(d100) Sewer Encounter Table ix4p

1-90: Nothing but you and the sewer rats.

91: You find some barrels, roll on the treasure table.

92-94: You hear claws scraping on the sewer floor and turn to see a dire rat scrambling after you.

95: You find some open crates, roll on the treasure table.

96-98: You hear a shout and someone comes running at you from the darkness brandishing a club. It’s a bandit.

99: You find some sacks, obviously loot gathered by the bandits, roll on the treasure table.

100: See Old Tom below. *

 

(d10) Bandits Loot Table 5h4l7

  1. 5 coppers worth of goods.
  2. A map of this section of the sewer, +2 rotations.
  3. 3 pieces of quartz, worth 3d6 silver each.
  4. A tarnished dagger, still good but only worth 2 silver.
  5. 5 arrows.
  6. 10 silver pieces
  7. 3 gold worth of linens.
  8. 5 gp worth of trade goods.
  9. 10 gp worth of art items.
  10. 10 gp and 2 more rolls

 

Old Tom 706z30

Old Tom can only be found once. An old beggar who lives in the sewer near a drain from the richer part of town. Tom lives on a platform where the rats can’t reach him and has been ignored by the bandits. Make a Diplomacy check when you meet him, DC 12. If you he explains the way through the next section of the sewers, giving you +3 rotations. If you wish to attack Tom you must make a DC 15 climb check to get onto his platform as he tries to beat you down with his gnarled walking stick.

Once you’ve made it through the maze of the sewers you arrive at a dimly lit tunnel, with candles burning on the tops of crates of old plunder, the crates appear empty and some have rotted through from the damp air. You can hear the sound of arguing up ahead…

Head over to the next post for an exciting encounter with the bandit chief and a whole new map.

 

NPC’s 243n3

Bandit (xp 200) 5q5w2c

Human Bandit, Chaotic Neutral

STR 12 (+1) CON 12 (+1) WIS 10 (+0)

DEX 9 (-1) INT 10 (+0) CHA 10 (+0)

Offence

Club (Melee): +2 to hit, 1d6 + 1 Damage.

Defence

AC: 16 (touch 9, flat-footed 15) HP: 11
Fort: +3 Ref: -1 Will: +2

Skills: Stealth +1, Knowledge Local +1, Perception +1.

Feats: Dodge

Inventory: Scale mail, club, torch, 1d6gp.

Tactics: Flees after receiving 5 or more wounds.

 

Dire Rat 3j1m5j

See the Pathfinder® Roleplaying Game Bestiary™.

Tactics: Flees after receiving 3 or more wounds.
The quest isn’t over just yet. Continue the fight for justice in here.
General

Sentinels Watching – Old Friends and New Bruises 641s3m

 

 

Legal 514s2k

Compatibility with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game requires the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game from Paizo Publishing, LLC. See http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG for more information on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Paizo Publishing, LLC does not guarantee compatibility, and does not endorse this product.

Pathfinder is a ed trademark of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Compatibility Logo are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and are used under the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Compatibility License. See http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/compatibility for more information on the compatibility license.

Pathfinder and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and are used under license. See paizo.com/pathfinderRPG for more information on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.

This content produced in of the Open Game License, a copy of which is available here.

Some map textures thanks to Wikidepia and May Ang.

 

Let’s Play 6v1er

Sentinels Watching is a mini solo campaign using the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game for a level one (1) character. Everything is provided here so you can jump straight in, or, if you want to run this game for a player, there’s enough here to get you started.

Welcome to the first of a four part mini solo campaign series. That’s right, instead of just talking about role-playing, we’re going to jump in and play. All you need is the usual dice, pencil and paper and a copy of the Pathfinder® Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook™ and Pathfinder® Roleplaying Game Bestiary™. Learn more about the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game at paizo.com. Grid paper, map tiles and miniatures will all be useful, and I’m throwing in an A4 grid map from the PDF release of this adventure that you can print out for the main encounter location.

 

How to Play 5d1y29

For the most part, this solo campaign uses the rules printed in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core rulebook, with some additional mechanics to allow for the fact that there’s no GM. These extra rules provide a level of abstraction that should make solo play more fun.  Since there is no GM, you need to judge difficult situations that may arise. If in doubt, check the rules, make a choice, but have fun.

Additional rules are given in each weekly post.

 

Scene 1 – The Pewter Tankard Tavern 6x1y57

 

Your story begins in a busy tavern on the outskirts of South Fort, a popular trading town. The Pewter Tankard is a popular haunt for merchants, travellers and locals keen on hearing stories from faraway lands. The Pewter Tankard sits at the end of a dark alley behind a run-down smithy and a general store, squashed up against the defensive wall that runs around the main part of town. The tavern itself is warm and friendly, with a bustle of customers – most weather stained and rough – but generally easy going and affable.

 

You’ve come in answer to a letter from a good friend of yours, Rotham, who is a member of the Blue Capes, the City Guard of South Fort.

 

View Rotham’s Letter.

Rotham isn’t around, so you have a few options while you wait.

  1. You can talk to various bar patrons.
  2. You can have a meal or a drink.
  3. You can listen to the banter.

 

You have enough time to do any and all of the above. Choose what you want to do then check your results below:

  1. Make a Diplomacy check. Read the entries below for all the numbers that are equal to or below your result.
    10: Regulars of the bar know Rotham and they have no idea where he is. They seem reluctant to talk about his profession.
    14: It seems Rotham has been missing for several days.
    18: There are rumours, and this is mentioned in hushed tones, that he was on an important case, and it had led him to the sewers.
    20: You manage to convince the regulars that you’re Rotham’s friend, and a friend of Rotham is a friend of the Tankard. You get a free beer and a +1 to attack rolls and tests in the Tankard while you are on friendly with everyone.
  2. The menu is simple, but the offerings are of the best quality.
    Beer                   6                               Pub Stew            3 sp
    Whiskey           2 sp                              Fresh Bread      2
  3. The general banter of the room revolves around the unseasonably warm autumn weather, a merchant caravan that was attacked by bandits earlier in the day, and the beer – a new batch that Erland Prewland, the bar keep, brewed himself.

Drinking Rules:
For every drink you have after the first, make a Fortitude save of DC10, with a cumulative -1 for every additional drink after that. If you fail, you take a -2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks. Failure by more than 5 leaves you unconscious for D4 hours (in which case you can skip right to the next chapter.)

You’re still waiting for Rotham when an overly “refreshed” man starts trying to pick a fight with you. He’s not listening to reason, and making ridiculous comments about your mother. You can try talk him down (Diplomacy DC 10), in which case, his inevitable first punch does half damage. On the other hand, you can try ignoring him, although he’s not ignoring you. The last resort is just to punch him first. Fight him with your fists or improvised weapons. and print the map below for this encounter. Drawing a weapon or using magic will mean you’ll have to deal with the town guard, D3 +1 guards arriving in 5 rounds from when you act in such a way. After the first two rounds of combat a man dressed in rags that smell of damp sewers and smoke enters the Tankard. He jumps right into the melee and you must a DC 12 Perception check to realize it’s actually your friend Rotham (which you can make each round). While Rotham doesn’t swing blows at you, after you attack him he will use his Combat Expertise feat each round, giving him a +1 to AC and -1 to hit. You must split your attacks between the two until you realize your error. The crowd is loud and you cannot hear Rothams shouts to you in the heat of the brawl. See the “Unarmed Combat” and “Non-lethal Damage” sections in the “Combat” chapter of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.

 

the full A4 map.

If either you or the brawler is knocked out, make a record of everyone’s status and check back here next week for chapter 2.

 

NPC’s 243n3

Morton Horthax 4u386j

Human Bar Brawler, Commoner, Chaotic Neutral

STR    15 (+2)            CON     12 (+1)            WIS      10 (+0)

DEX    11 (+0)            INT       9 (-1)             CHA      8 (-1)

Offence
CMD: 12    CMB: +2    BAB: +0
Punch (Melee): +2 to hit, 1d3 +2 non-lethal damage.

Defence
AC: 11                                    HP: 7
Fort: +1                     Ref: +0                        Will: +0

Skills: Profession (Mason): 2

Feats

Weapon Proficiency: Unarmed Strike
Dodge
Catch Off-Guard (Morton uses this feat if  his life is in danger.)

Inventory: Morton has 3 gold pieces, a pouch of cheap tobacco and artisans clothing.

 

Rotham 6i5l49

Human Guardsman, Fighter 1, Lawful Neutral.

STR      14 (+2)                        CON     13 (+1)                        WIS      13 (+1)

DEX      12 (+1)                        INT       16 (+3)                       CHA      12 (+1)

Offence
Punch (Melee): +3 to hit, 1d3+2 non-lethal damage.
Long sword (Melee): +3 to hit, 1d8+2 (19-20/x2)

Defence
AC: 15                                    HP: 11
Fort: +2                     Ref: +0                        Will: +0

Skills
Climb 6, Handle Animal 5, Knowledge (Engineering) 7, Ride 5, Survival 5 and Swim 6.

Feats

Combat Expertise
Improved Disarm
Combat Reflexes

Inventory: Long sword, blue cape of rank, manacles and a Potion of Cure Light Wounds.

 

The quest isn’t over just yet. Continue the fight for justice in here. I’m indebted to the help I’ve gained from s on www.rpg.net, especially wraithform, AlCook and Kredoc who all contributed in some way to this adventure series, thanks guys!

 

Tips and Tricks

Playing it Solo x7151

I love role-playing games, but sometimes I just can’t find anyone who wants to play with. Recently I bought the Dungeons and Dragons Red Box and played through the solo introductory game, and Ghost Tower of the Witchlight Fens, which was a blast. The game is not the same without other players, but I still enjoyed it and found it a great way to test out a new character build, or the workings of some power or tactic. So, with that in mind, I thought I’d share some of my own ideas about solo play, specifically in of playing without a pre written adventure.

 

Army Soldiers

When I was small I’d play with my little green army soldiers, those heroes of a thousand battles. There were no rules, you just moved them around and made appropriate sound effects. You used your imagination and the game went the way you wanted it to (at least if you were playing by yourself). Similarly, in a solo game, you play the GM, so you need to direct the game in the way you see fit, but give your PC (or PC’s) enough challenge to keep things interesting. In my current solo game my PC, known as The Gray Priest, a cleric, has come to a town in search of a long lost book. Picking up from the adventure in the Red Box, he has hired town guardsmen and set out on a number of forays to try and beat off the enemies forces. I play out the encounters as I would if I was the GM, making perception checks for the goblins before they would be ambushed and fighting with the best of my ability when playing either side. Game balance can be tricky, but many RPG’s include a good system for balancing the fight, which makes it possible to keep things interesting without loosing your character during every bout of combat.

 

Campaign Journal

In a normal campaign we might keep a campaign journal and in a solo game you can and should do the same thing. My only difference is that I write it like a story, which helps me imagine what is going on, and I use that to focus the role-playing aspects of the game, writing as I play. Again, you need to be the GM too, so if your character says the wrong thing, make the “NPC’s” react accordingly. That’s part of the fun. The campaign journal otherwise offers you the same benefits of a regular campaign journal, and I recommend recording things that you would keep in your GM notes, so that you can keep track of the greater story.

 

Tables versus Imagination

Many solo games use tables for a number of random events in the game, and there is a wide range of tables you can use already available in most RPG’s. Furthermore, you can write your own to suit your campaign, including elements you choose and having them occur to your own predefined frequency. Unless you want more of a simulation game than a story game I recommend not using too many tables, since you may find it takes your story in a direction you do not want. The key is really to play around until you’re happy with the game you are playing. If you find you are doing more ing than game playing, then you just need to simplify. But if you need some random direction, by all means, use a table.

 

K.I.S.S

No, not the band. KISS stands for “Keep it simple stupid” and it’s a key factor in good solo gaming. Keep your story simple and limit the elements that are interacting in the world. For example, my character and four town guard took on nine enemy units. It was a relatively long fight for one person to play out, but if there had been more units and more HP to keep track of, I doubt things would have been as much fun. The nice thing is that KISS does not mean that things are boring, you simply add complexity as you can manage it.

 

Dealing With Death

While you may have more than one character in a solo game, you will most likely still have a smaller party than the usual 4 or 5. Death then can mean the end of your solo game, and if you’ve invested time in your game, then that’s a very sad thing. However, you do have a couple of options to keep the game going.

Most quests are important enough that someone will take up the cause when others fail, and heroes often have friends, even if only a few they can really trust. Death of one hero means you can bring in a new character to take the place of the fallen character. You may find you only play with this new character until you can resurrect the old one, and that’s fine, because it makes for a more interesting story when you include the adventures of others.

Secondly, death is only the start of another journey. Think about the adventure your character can have in the Halls of Valhalla before their god sends them back to complete their quest.

 

Play

The best tip I can give for anyone thinking about playing a solo game is just to give it a try, you will learn more from actually playing than thinking about it. Consider what you enjoy about each game or session and what you dislike, and where appropriate make a house rule if it will help keep things fun. I’d suggest keeping sessions relatively short, since you’ll need all your concentration to play it properly, but play as often as you can and please share your findings with us here.


Do you play role-playing games like D&D or Pathfinder as solo games? Let me know what you think and share any mechanics you have. I’d love to hear your thoughts.