Adventures await!
Being once more into the search of what to play next, I decided to do a recollection of my past actual plays, and see in what status I’ve left them, in order to answer one major question. Should I revisit them, or should I start something new?
Warning, Spoilers ahead.
A scout mission gone awry (20 episodes, concluded)
My first successful adventure was a 20-episode long series in the Star Wars universe, using Star Wars D6 ruleset by WEG and mainly the MUNE engine, featuring Roy and a friend along the way, Luca. The adventure ended in the success of the crew, having acquired a new old starship and having but the entire universe to explore as they wish. There are a few plot hooks if I want to revisit it (Sith artifacts, pirates, rebels) but I think I’ll leave it be, a nice reminder of where I started.
The old world (27 episodes, abandoned)
Started my adventures in the Old World using the free prewritten adventure module Night of the Blood, and converting it into MiniSix for a quick play. It was lots of fun. This party along with the Middle Earth one (see below) are the most converted-between-rulesets parties I’ve had. After MiniSix, I’ve converted them to Savage Worlds for a play during the Siege of Ostenhofen. When the party broke up, Bianka the Ratter was converted to Harnmaster, which lead to her quick demise, while the rest where converted to Zweihander for as long as I could suffer. Finally the survivors became the Wardens of Gahyrst, for 13 episodes of Five Leagues from the Borderlands 2nd edition, which I finally abandoned when the 3rd edition was released.
No matter how I love the stories that were generated, this group and story has been hacked up so much during the various conversions, that I cannot bring myself back to resuming it.
Syriholm (6 episodes, concluded)
The MiniSix barebones steretypical adventure in the ruins of Syriholm turned from a success at a cost to total failure, when I resumed for a take two in the overland map, using Savage Worlds for the first time. Misjudging the danger of a random encounter with dire wolves, lead to a quick TPK.
Middle Earth (16 episodes, ongoing)
Started with a quick conversion of a Hackmaster adventure in MERP, and continued with MERP for several episodes. Breaking up the party led to the death of my converted to Harnmaster heroine Leowyn (which leads me to consider that this has happened twice so far) and I’m left with Dwalin and Camthalion back at the Last Inn. I’ve spent literal hours pondering of converting them to Mythras or Harnmaster and continuing their adventure from there, but I’m finding it hard to continue.
A crime at the river (7 episodes, concluded)
A weird noir crime adventure using OpenD6. True to the Mythos, my protagonist eliminated the entity, only to die from an unknown disease later on. There is an NPC which could be turned to PC to run a new spinoff story, but I’d rather leave it be.
One beginning, multiple endings (1 episode, concluded)
In this Species-inspired horror one-shot using Savage Worlds, my soldier protagonist, survived the horror just in time. The adventure concluded successfully. I find no reason to revisit it.
Theseus deeds (6 episodes, concluded)
Using the myth of Theseus and Mythras ruleset, this adventure spanned 6 episodes and ended with Theseus reaching Athens. It was chosen carefully as this part of the myth contained enough deeds to build up an entire adventure. I find no reason to revisit this either.
A monster’s bounty (8 episodes, ongoing)
One of my most difficult adventures up to date. It was a learning experience for me, as made a lot of mistakes, and through overcoming this, I could find out what worked for me and what not. Athen Smarte is a monster hunter in a Witcher-meets Spellcross cyberpunk world, using Savage Worlds ruleset. She managed to escape in time as a conspiracy was revealed, and I paused the adventure there. Maybe with some better setup, and careful choice of oracle tools, I can pick this up and work again with it, for the second step, but I think I’m a little bit scared to touch it again.
The tale of Bas (1 episode, abandoned)
My one and only adventure using Ironsworn. I read it again to see if I can approach it once more, and I saw that I made several mistakes learning the ropes. I see things that I like in the system, and things that feel odd to me with regards to my play style. Can’t find it in me to pick this up again. Might give Ironsworn another try, but not with this tale.
Dark Sun (3 episodes, abandoned)
I literally got bored with this adventure. I used Scarlet Heroes, which is fun, but it essentially evolved to be a grinding experience. Also Dark Sun is unfortunately so strongly bound to AD&D 2e, that I can’t dissect the two of them without it losing it’s character. I love Dark Sun, but I can’t bring myself back to overlooking the things I can’t work with in D&D, so this story is abandoned for now.
Greder Payne (1 episode, concluded)
A fun one-shot dungeon in The Witcher. The man-at-arms and the witcher survived. They can be used again in another adventure or I can just make new characters. No reason to revisit.
Dash Kyle (1 episode, concluded)
This is where I had my epiphany about my solo roleplaying style. A young rebel in the Star Wars universe, using WEG D6. Liked the story, liked the premise and everything. Unfortunately, my rebel died at the hands of the imperials. I could connect to the story using a family member or friend or something, this leaves an open plot hook for me to pick up.
Rogue Fists (6 episodes, ongoing)
Five Parsecs from Home. Had lots of fun with this group. Quick, fast play. Unfortunately my favourite Five Leagues from the Borderlands 3rd Edition was released, and I kinda switched to that as my skirmish gaming. Definitely not abandoned. It’s on the top of my games list to play.
Fringe Bounty Hunting (1 episode, concluded)
A one-shot bounty hunt using Savage Worlds in the Unified Space world. My protagonist survived, but there were no plot hooks at the end of the episode. Kinda left at a dead end story-wise, so there’s no reason to pick it up from there. I still can use the same character and world in another adventure without having to connect it to these events. I consider it concluded.
The Aristrax Marches (11 episodes, ongoing)
Five Leagues from the Borderlands 3rd edition is a huge game. In this play spanning 11 episodes and something less than 20 turns sofar, the map and events has grown to a size I have a hard time bookkeeping. I’m defintely continuing this, as I love it, but I need to find ways to start cutting down on the threads that keep sprouting like weeds on a farm. On top of my games to play next.
The lost brother (2 episodes, abandoned)
This is the one adventure that I couldn’t get myself to continue. A litte bit bored, tired and burned out. I’m labelling it as abandoned, even though it can be possibly continued in the future.
Summary
I’m finding a pattern here. In my mind I have this ideal concept of a campaign arching over several adventures connected together. One thing that I had not considered is the mental drain to keep this in focus. One cannot do this, and keep switching between different rulesets and games, especially when doing it solo.
Yes, as a social ttrpg player, you can play at more than one table at a time (if you can make the commitment of course), without much of a problem. But when you’re solo roleplaying, the mental load is even more, more than that of a GM. Even more so, several episodes in the adventure.
I can run short adventures, or long ones, but when I start going back and forth in previous games I’ve stopped, and revisit them, that’s when I risk burn out.
After considering the above, I will probably be only revisiting the Skirmish campaigns (Rogue Fists & Aristrax Marches). Going back and reading adventure-worths of episodes, in order to pick up where the main story was left off, is too taxing. I’d rather spend this time to prepare for a new adventure.
I’m still keeping a big if for my Trollshaws and Monster’s bounty adventure, but I think that’s where it stops, and keep in mind that I should be wary of any more conversions. It’s best to try out new systems, using a test dungeon like I did in ‘A Call to Glory’.
Solo, Pen, Paper and Dice 
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