Week Two of Hexplore24 — Summary and Reflection
Week Two of Hexplore24 — Summary and Reflection
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The Story Continues…
Background: Set in the mystical New-Old Lands, where "old lands" mysteriously vanished and reappeared after a century, "Hexplore24" follows Belus, a cleric, and Satis, a witch. Starting from Beacon, a town established to unravel the lands' enigmatic history and absence of people, they embark on a quest filled with unknowns.
Previously (Day 1-7): Journeying through the grasslands, Belus and Satis not only face wildlife and survival challenges but also navigate the complexities of their newfound partnership. They encounter a group of reclusive witches seeking the source of mysterious lights in distant hills. Later, after waiting out a blizzard, they suffer a traumatic beetle attack alongside fleeing peddlers, forging a somber bond with the sole surviving peddler, Goster.
Day 8-9: As Belus, Satis, and Goster journey back to Beacon, they navigate treacherous, muddy terrains under the ominous presence of stalking shapes following their trail, adding an element of urgency and suspense to their travels. The discovery of natural hot springs provides a brief, serene respite from their perilous journey.
However, this tranquility is short-lived as the constant threat of the mysterious shapes drawing closer looms over them, underscoring the ever-present dangers in the New-Old Lands.
Day 10: The journey intensifies as the mysterious shapes continue their relentless pursuit. The trio, acutely aware of the potential danger, hastens their pace towards Beacon. Each hex is fraught with the tension of a possible imminent confrontation, highlighting their vulnerability in the vast, unpredictable New-Old Lands.
Day 11-12: Upon their tense return to Beacon, Belus and Satis are immediately swept into a new crisis. The town is abuzz with the shocking news of the kidnapping of the same witches they had previously encountered. This revelation exposes the existence of a sinister, organized threat within the New-Old Lands. In response, they are enlisted by Blain, a young noble, and his bodyguard Aima, embarking on an urgent mission to rescue the witches. Belus and Satis both hope this mission will help them learn more about the deeper mysteries of the lost capital of the old lands, a place they both have sworn oaths to find.
Day 13: Led by Malla, a skilled hunter, the newly formed expedition sets out amidst a snowy landscape. This larger, well-equipped group brings a renewed sense of hope and capability. Yet, the shadow of their unknown enemy looms large, marking a shift from mere exploration to an impending direct confrontation with a mysterious and potentially formidable adversary.
Closeup of the town of Beacon
Overview & Reflections
Engaging in solo TTRPGs has been a journey of discovery in storytelling and embracing the unexpected. This week, two significant moments particularly resonated with me. First, adding in an event die resulted in the tense and thrilling experience when the PCs were stalked by shadowy figures, and second, the surprising narrative shift brought about by integrating a newsfeed into the gameplay.
The Challenge of a Sparse World
A persistent challenge in traditional hexcrawl rules, especially in a procedurally generated environment, is the sparseness of the world. It's been noticeable how a full day's travel, covering around 18 miles, could result in no remarkable discoveries. While this approach suits group play where the GM populates the map with hand-picked adventure sites, and so we don't want random locations and events to overwhelm the curated content, it felt lacking in a solo setting. The rarity of 1-in-6 encounters meant that days could pass without significant events, reducing the vibrancy of the adventure.
Embracing the Event Die
To address this, I’ve incorporated the event die from Errant, which has already proven its worth. This system adds depth to the wandering monster die by assigning meaningful outcomes to other die faces. For instance, a roll of 5 indicates signs of an imminent encounter, which directly led to the intense two day pursuit by creatures who would easily have killed my full party of PCs. It's been a game-changer in terms of creating suspense and unexpected narrative threads.
The Impact of a Newsfeed
The introduction of a newsfeed system, as outlined in Mythic Magazine #35, brought an unforeseen yet fitting twist to the story. Learning about events 'off camera' has not only enriched the world of Beacon but also provided a natural progression in the narrative. The kidnapping of the witches, whom we had previously encountered, tied back to earlier plot points and opened a pathway to interact with the local inhabitants in a meaningful way. This event was a perfect solution to the dilemma of introducing plot-significant encounters with the remnant peoples of the New-Old lands without feeling forced or arbitrary.
Closeup of the Campsite from Day 13
Looking Ahead
This week also saw the integration of new PCs into the story, originally planned as an independent party. I'm thrilled to see them now adventuring alongside Belus and Satis. With characters representing four of the six Whitehack classes, there are more personalities and dynamics to explore in future sessions, and two more PCs to someday introduce.
In conclusion, this week's adventures have reinforced the joy and creativity found in solo TTRPGs. The thrill of the unknown and the satisfaction of seeing a world evolve through the roll of the dice continue to captivate me. I'm eager to see where these new developments lead and how they will shape the ongoing saga of the New-Old Lands.