It's no secret that I'm a big tabletop RPG nerd. My monthly "games I'm running" posts are just the tip of the iceberg though, when it comes to my dice-based dorkiness. Something I've been wanting to try for awhile now is a solo RPG. There are lots of options for these and they're basically gaming systems designed to play by yourself. Kind of like Solitaire, but with more magic, swords, and monsters.
This little narrative I'm sharing today is based on my first play session with a solo RPG system called Four Against Darkness. It's specifically designed to simulate the experience of an adventuring party exploring a fantasy dungeon. A PDF copy of Four Against Darkness can be purchased at DriveThruRPG, if you might like to try it yourself.
While I have taken some creative liberties to give personality and character to the cast and events, everything that happens is reflective of the game as it was played, from the choices I made to the consequences of dice rolls. I hope you enjoy and please forgive the illustrations. I decided to truly try this solo, regardless of my lack of skill in that department.
I’m so excited that even now, quill in hand, it’s hard to find words. Perhaps it would be easiest if I started with my name. It would be good for you to know who I am after all, if only for posterity’s sake. I wouldn’t be the first wizard to disappear in the pits of the Dungeon, after all.
My father, Benjen the Great, was one such unlucky man. I have yet to earn a title myself, and I cannot say what my father did to be “the Great.” My mother, who named me Gwenwen, died in my infancy and I was still just a child when he left for his adventures. Most of what I know of him was gleaned from his journals – returned to me by the survivors of his failed quest.
I have dreamt for years of delving into the Dungeon myself. Now that I’m grown and have arcane skills of my own, I’m ready. I have even gathered adventurers to come with me! There is Nanoc, a brawler from the northlands, and a sallow rogue who calls himself Swipe.
Lastly, there is a dwarf named Lem. He doesn’t seem to have any specific talents, but he carries a big hammer and Father’s journals insisted that only fools dare the Dungeon without a dwarf. I spent most of my gold hiring them, but they seem a sturdy crew. We begin tomorrow!
Swipe and Lem have both been down in the Dungeon before and so I thought it made sense to have one of them lead the way. They told me they couldn’t, at least not if I wanted to explore “my” Dungeon. I didn’t understand, at first, and even after explanation it still boggles the mind.
The Dungeon isn’t the same for everyone. When you step inside, it molds itself around you. Its layout, the creatures you encounter, the treasures you’ll find should you live long enough… It’s all unique, depending on who in your group goes first.
But what if there’s more than one group exploring it? What if two people passed under its threshold at the same time? Does your Dungeon disappear if you’re killed and your companions leave your body behind? It sparks so many questions! By the gods, to think of the magic that must reside here!
The excitement I felt over the possibilities of the Dungeon were quickly replaced by grim realization. I had harbored hopes that I might find clues as to the fate of my father. Would that even be possible if the Dungeon he explored was different from my own? These worries weighed on me as I took my first steps into the subterranean dim.
The entrance to the Dungeon looked like little more than a common cave maw. The initial descent into its depths was much the same. My shoes clapped against packed soil and the air smelled of chilled mildew. Then, after an hour or so, something began to change.
It is hard to fully describe. Nothing looked, smelled or sounded different, but I could feel it. It was like a humming in my head or a tingle in my skin. The unmistakable sensation of the arcane at work. The soil beneath me became stone, and then, before we knew it, we were no longer standing in a nondescript cavern. We had come to a room.
It was nothing grand or opulent. Just a small, empty room with granite brick walls. I stood for a moment, wondering if my adventure could truly begin in such a humble chamber. I must have pondered it longer than I thought, because Nanoc approached me.
“Which way we going, boss?”
The barbarian’s warm voice brought me back to my purpose. There was a choice to be made. At the opposite end of the room were two corridors, one leading west (if my compass could be believed) and the other heading east. Anxiety needled my nerves. Which path was the right one? I heard Lem sigh impatiently behind me. I decided to take us west.
We walked slowly. Swipe would raise a hand to stop us every now and then, pausing to check our surroundings for signs of danger. He didn’t find anything, but I appreciated his vigilance. Father’s journals spoke often about the threat of traps and I had no confidence in my own perception to find them.
We soon took a turn and found ourselves face-to-face with a trio of burly, pig-faced men. We gawped at each other silently, hands drifting slowly toward weapons.
Despite my interest in adventure, and all its trappings, I was afraid to fight these creatures. My eyes darted about their makeshift camp, looking for something to help us avoid bloodshed.
My gaze fell onto a colorful object one of them was clutching in its hands. It was the size of a small box and was covered in colored squares that seemed distributed absent rhyme or reason.
“Is that a puzzle cube?” I asked.
The creature stared at me dumbfounded. I felt a room’s worth of eyes bore into me.
“Not sure what it’s called,” the creature grunted. “Thing’s been driving me mad…”
“I could help if you’d like,” I said. “I used to solve these all the time, for fun.
It turned a glance to one of its larger companions. The bigger one shrugged and the creature stepped forward, cautiously handing me the cube. Fighting back my fear, I reached forward and took the toy.
“The key with these…”
It took me only a few moments to solve the cube to completion. Its owner watched the entire time, enrapt as I twisted and turned the squares until each side of the cube shared a uniform color. I handed it back with a smile. Its owner looked it over, disbelieving.
“You made it look so easy!”
“It’s just a matter of practice,” I said, intentionally cheerful.
He jutted out his snouted lip and turned to the bigger one again. “It don’t feel right to axe them now, boss… This one being nice to me and all.”
The leader rolled its eyes and sighed. “I suppose we’ll let you pass, if you make quick about it.”
“Yes, of course!” I said. “We’ll be off then!”
There was a door in the northern part of the room. I started toward it at once, not waiting to hear if my companions had any thoughts on the matter. I had faith they’d be with me when I entered whatever lay beyond the next doorway.
It led into a new stone corridor. Finally pausing to glance back, I was happy to see my three allies following close behind.
“That was daft,” Lem grumbled.
“Nah,” Nanoc said, clapping me on the shoulder, his face beaming with a friendly smile. “That was brilliant.”
“We should keep going,” Swipe said, lowly. “Don’t want to give those orcs time to change their minds.”
I hadn’t considered that. Following the rogue’s advice, we moved forward, the click of our steps an echoing staccato that marked our progress into the dark.
