Thursday Mar 28, 2024

The infinite library – Playtest

Hey readers, will be play-testing my RPG, Only One Page System with the Plot unfolding machine. No expectations, got two characters and a map from the Tales Tavern for TaleSpire. Let’s roll a scene and get going! Belther will be the warrior (Fight, Physique) and Rheen, the ranger (Shoot, Agility)

Scene 1

ContextBelther and Rheen approach to explore the library ruins they found…
Prompt🎲 Scene → Invoke context event. 🎲 Context → Be summoned or called.
InterpretationHmm interesting. Someone is calling me, I guess from the beyond. 🎲 Who? → An unimportant ally. 🎲 What does he want? → Trade Location. Alright, I am guessing this someone is likely dead, and we are alive…

🎲 Does he know our name? → Don’t know, and…. 🎲 SUM NPC Action +10 → Talks about a useful, dangerous or wonderful place…. 🎲 Is his voice loud, or inner? → Yes, unless….

Unknown: “Welcome, welcome… my friends. I see you approach the Library of Ishitar…”
Rheen: “hm? Who is that?” (Tenses the bow)
Belther: “Did you hear him too? Who’s there! Show yourself”
Unknown: “Wonders, wonders… what a place you are in. And how for a place I would trade with you”
Belther: “What do you want? Who are you?”

🎲 SUM GM Action +20 → Conclude with an issue that can’t be solved now

Unknown: “I may tell you, I may tell you not. Beware, strangers”

Scene 2

ContextBelther and Rheen approach the stairs going down. They will follow the stairs to find an entrance
Prompt🎲 Expectation check → Area not what expected
Interpretation🎲 Describe area → Defensively Fortified. 🎲 Defended by an enemy? → Yes, unless… 🎲 Kind of enemy → Animalistic Native (Spiders!)

🎲 Rheen quickly opens up to a barrage of arrows, killing one of the spiders (Ace + 6 damage)
🎲 The spiders approach the entrance to get closer
🎲 Belther rushes with his sword and strikes the other one (Success + 5 damage)
🎲 The spider strikes back, deals 2 damage to Belther
🎲 Rheen finishes the spider off

Scene 3

ContextRheen and Belther make it inside. There are two stairs, one going down and another up. They go down.
Prompt🎲 Scene Prompt → Someone is there. 🎲 Who? → a family related Person. 🎲 Is it ghostly? → Hard to say. 🎲 Describe → Incredibly Innocent. 🎲 Intent → Need Cause
InterpretationSomeone will show up, with a very familiar voice, ask about the characters

Librarian: (🎲 Is he glad to see adventurers? → No. 🎲 SUM NPC Opener +20 → Ignores you intentionally, avoids conversation) “Hmh”
Rheen: “Who are you?”
Librarian: (🎲 Does he eventually talk? → Hard to say, and… 🎲 SUM NPC Action +10 → Knows something, but wants something in return) “You should tell me. You are the invaders…”
Rheen: “We want to know what is this place? Whare these books?”
Librarian: “Now, why should I answer that?” (🎲 Is the librarian familiar to the PCs? → Don’t know.)
Belther: “I feel you are known to me… are you the voice we heard earlier?”
Librarian: (🎲 was he? → Yes. Does he say so? → Yes, but…) “Maybe I was, maybe I wasn’t. Perhaps it was me, but not now. Earlier? Or Later?”
Rheen: “We are going to take a look around”
Librarian: (🎲 Does he allow that? → No, obviously.) “No, to that, I must say no” (🎲 Does he want us to go away? → No.)

🎲 SUM GM Action +20! → Presents a decision to be made with consequences

Librarian: “Unless you intend to kill me, you will now have to do something for me…”
Rheen: “And what would that be?”

🎲 SUM Prompt → Research, investigate, study, read, explore, seek + Deadly, dangerous, toxic, decadent, sick, poisonous + People, civilian, masses, groups, population

Librarian: “I cannot let you roam the library, but you can do something in the grounds I cannot reach, above. It will prove your worthiness. The people of Threlia, long forgotten, poisoned, ruined, betrayed. Their voices are many, and we are only the few, protectors of the wisdom of Ishitar.”
Belther: “What happened to them…?”
Librarian: (🎲 Complication → Ability + False, Fake, Corrupt, Concealed) “They were corrupted, after attempting to reach the treasures of Ishitar… But as it seems, Ishitar got weaker over time, and they are even now trying to reach from the beyond”.
Rheen: “This sounds very fishy Librarian, speak clearly”
Librarian: “Not all of them are bad. We believe one of them has betrayed them, and in anger they sorrow… Find the people, and distinguish evil from innocence, and you will be rewarded. So we can all rest in peace.”
Belther: “Any leads on the betrayer?”

(🎲 Any? → Yes, but… 🎲 Gain → Learn about a location … 🎲 Circumstance → Strength, power or might is needed)

Librarian: “Indeed. She is known to roam the (🎲 Describe location → Defensively Dangerous 🎲 SUM Prompts → Mighty, powerful, strong, forceful, fierce, vicious + Block, blockade, position, wall, barricade) room of Lios. The place where she was sentenced, once. It is shielded with strong, magical powers, and it is hidden from simple sight. You have to stay keen and sharp.”
Librarian: “So tell me, what say you?”
Rheen: “Fine, we help you. But in return, we want a part of the treasure of Ishitar…”
Belther: “And access the lore of Ishitar”
Librarian: (🎲 Agrees? → Yes, at first.) “That… sounds, reasonable. I will see what I can do. Now go, I am tired of my reflection”

🎲 GM Action +30 → Conclude with an issue that can’t be solved now

Scene 4

ContextRheen and Belther make a deal with the librarian, and go upstairs, in the lookout of the people of Threlia, and any leads to them.
Prompt🎲 Prompt → Active opposition. 🎲 Is it a combat? → Yes, but… (May be talked out). 🎲 Describe someone → Curiously Powerful 🎲 SUM Adjective → Modern, technological, advance, revolutionary
InterpretationAlright, someone with revolutionary technology shows up actively opposing us to the top floor. I guess some sort of Crossbow

Halfling: “Don’t… freaking… move”
Belther: “Wow, take it easy…”
Halfling: (🎲 Intent → Fight Plans) “Don’t make me kill you! This place is cursed, yes, yes. CURSED. GET OUT”
Belther: “Calm down…” (🎲 Personality → 1d20: [13] = 13 SUCCESS) “We are friends, what’s your name?”
Halfing: “Name? Name?” (Assuming he is crazy by now. 🎲 Does he remember? → Don’t know, at first.) “Do I have a name, you ask me? I… forgot”
Belther gets closer, but the halfling rises the crossbow again
Halfling: “DON’T MOVE”
Belther: “Tell us… what are you doing here? How can we help?. Can’t you get out?”

Let’s figure some things out. 🎲 Is he trapped here? → No, possibly. 🎲 What is he doing here? → Claiming Faction. 🎲 What is his goal? → keep safe… the bandits

Halfling: “I… I am protecting from EVIL like you”
Belther: “Protecting from what? Who or what are you protecting?”
Halfling: “We’ve got attacked… my gang is trapped. We found these ruins, but they are cursed. Make you mad, but I am going to protect the gang!”
Belther: “Where are they now?”
Halfling: (🎲 Does he know? → No, at first.) “I… can’t remember. They were… hmm…” (makes an effort. 🎲 Describe area → Legally Secure) “in the… bookkeeping room, yes. Was it?”
Belther: “Alright, listen. You have to wait outside. We will take care of your friends, alright? But you have to tell me your name, so we can tell them”
Halfling: (Does he finally remember his name? → Yes.) “Hmm… I am Yagwin, yes, Yagwin! Yagwin” (he repeats it a few times more)

Scene 5

ContextBelther and Rheen take Yagwin back to the entrance, to keep him safe.
Prompt🎲 Expectation check → Someone shows up. 🎲 Who? → a family related Person. 🎲 Is it the voice again? → No, and… 🎲 Someone new? → Yes, at first. 🎲 Describe → Curiously Rich 🎲 Was someone coming from outside or following us? → Yes, unless…
InterpretationAlright, I’ll stop here with the question, but it seems someone was tracking Belther and Rheen, and was entering the library. Crazy times…

Lord Henry Gard: “Now… now… isn’t this a marvelous building”
Belther: “Lord Gard, what are you doing here?”
Lord Gard: “Well… My dear Belther. You have led us here. I know you and your little group of scavengers would find marvelous things!”
Yagwin: “ahh, it is cursed, this place. Leave!”
Lord Gard: “Isn’t that… you have a bounty in your head. You are under arrest, Yagwin. Put down your weapon, and give yourself in.”

Going to give the GM a chance to spice things up with monsters or something.
🎲 GM Action +20 → Remains silent, nothing happens, or concludes (boo)
🎲 Does Yagwin resist? (He is crazy, so likely) → No, at first. (wow)

Yagwin: “Yes… yes. Take me out of this place. I give in… but you look for my friends, eh? (whispers)”

Lord Gard’s men take Yagwin outside and tie him up.

Belther: “You are going to be in danger, my Lord. This place is… very dangerous.”
Lord Gard: “How so?”
Belther: “I need you to trust us, me and Rheen will figure it out. But give us some time”
🎲 Personality test → 1d20: [8] = 8 (FAIL)
Lord Gard: “You are not going to tell me what to do, Belther. We are going to clean this place tomorrow at first light. Karl, call the expedition forces immediately, I want everyone here tomorrow at early sunrise, at once!. I will make camp with the scouts.”
Rheen: “We are going to investigate, Gard”
Lord Gard: (🎲 Accepting? Unlikely → No, obviously.) “I am afraid I can’t do that. This building now belongs to my reign”

I am going to wear the GM hat here, but I really want to scare Lord Gard off!
🎲 Kind of enemy → Magical Sneaky
🎲 Combat circumstance → Strength, power or might is needed

A strong squeezing sound can be heard from inside, everyone turns around.
Lord Gard: “Now, WHAT was that? We’re under attack!”

Those monsters scared Lord Gard and his men away, they tried to fight but were being overwhelmed. Belther and Rheen stayed and gave a fleeing chance, but Belther received a hard hit, and he smashed his head against the side wall. He fell unconscious.

To be continued…

JeansenVaars

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