Today I get to play with the Blog Carnival topic, “Pimp A Game”, which gives me a good chance to write about cool games. And who doesn’t like cool games…
“Free” is a good thing right? Many games are free in some way or another, like Facebook games, which make their money from those annoying “in game purchases”. But what about role-playing games? There are loads of free ones out there, and a quick look around will prove a universal truth: “Free isn’t always good for RPGs”. Generally, no income means no support and a poor production quality. Players are likely to disregard a game if they think it’s cheap, which impacts how many people even give the rules a spin. Thankfully, some games break that rule, and build a huge fan base around them which keeps it going and growing. Take the Pokéthulhu Adventure Game as an example. The game is possibly one of the simplest free games around, but its strong community of fans means the game is still available for download today. I got to play it at a convention a few years ago, and man, it was awesome. Hands down the best session I’ve played too.
I’m going to look at three games that got my attention recently. They’re all free. You don’t need to pay a cent, give your email address or pay for additional books to make the thing work.
It’s your birthday, or it will be some time, and to celebrate I’m giving away free copies of my adventure “Lunatic Labyrinth.”
“Lunatic Labyrinth” is a solo or one-on-one adventure for a level one or two character. The adventure is compatible with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and includes rules to facilitate entertaining solo play. Continue reading Win A Trip To The Dungeon→
A shut door is never the end, it’s the beginning. Have you ever thought that if something is holding you back, it’s a challenge to rise above the situation, not one to give into. I hope you can rise to the challenges you’re presented with.
Feel free to use this picture (for good). You don’t even need to credit me, but a link is always nice. I took it on my iPhone.
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 registered 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 terms of the Open Game License, a copy of which is available here.
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 upcoming PDF release of this adventure that you can print out for the main encounter location.
How to Play
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
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.
Rotham isn’t around, so you have a few options while you wait.
You can talk to various bar patrons.
You can have a meal or a drink.
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:
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 terms with everyone.
The menu is simple, but the offerings are of the best quality.
Beer 6 cp Pub Stew 3 sp
Whiskey 2 sp Fresh Bread 2 cp
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. Download 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 pass 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.
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.
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 Chapter 2. For more information on Avernos, the setting of Sentinels Watching, head over here. I’m indebted to the help I’ve gained from users on www.rpg.net, especially wraithform, AlCook and Kredoc who all contributed in some way to this adventure series, thanks guys!