Lost on Furnace Street! An example solo game of Matrix Spiel Solo!

I recently put out a little PDF summarizing some recent experiments with matrix and solo style gaming: 

https://mraston.itch.io/matrix-spiel-solo

To celebrate, here is an example of "Matrix Spiel Solo" game! 

Some initial notes: 

• https://scryfall.com/random was used to generate random entities, when needed. 

• A link to the card that “generated” the entity will be included in their entity profile. 

• The “Automated Kontext Spiel” result for each attempted action is recorded in the “attempted action log” to show what results lead to what in the “Events of the game”.

• “Kontext rolls” was used for things like random reactions 

The events of the game!

• The day: Chandra, disturbed and uneasy from her dreams of burning the city, wandered her city looking for a dream interpreter. She does not have much experience with such a profession and became lost around nightfall in an unfamiliar and dangerous section of her city. 

• Sunset: Chandra tried to work out what part of the city she was in as the sun set. Unfortunately, this caused her to wander even deeper into the section of the city that was most dangerous at night.  

• Early evening: Chandra peered at the dark street she had wandered to. It was a dark, muddy, and abandoned street lined with old, shuttered and crumbling workshop buildings.  (New entities created - Furnace Street and Wild Ruby Golems).

• A few minutes in the early evening: Chandra, stumbling around in the increasingly dark street, tried to find a landmark to orientate herself within the city. Unfortunately, she was unable to make out the city skyline nor see any landmarks within the gloom of Furnace Street. 
• As Chandra stumbled down furnace street, she heard a skittering and smelt ozone. She caught sight of a red, twinkling creature, about the size of a dog, peering at her from a ruined workshop balcony. (Konext roll - A glimmer of positivity twinkles through the situation.) Chandra thought the creature may be able to help her orient herself, so decided to enter the ruined workshop and parlay with the thing. The Ruby Golem did not immediately consider Chandra a threat. 
• Around Chandra and the Ruby Golem, Furnace Street seethed with rage at its ongoing destruction and desertion brought on by the wild ruby golems but was unable to do anything about it.  

• A few minutes in the early evening: Chandra strode into the abandoned, ruined workshop - entering through the open and empty door frame. (New entity created - Rag’s Alchemical).  
• Seeing Chandra entering the potion factory, the Ruby Golem and its kin hid. They skittered into the various refuse piles filling the building. 
• Chandra heard a large and crumbling boom as something in one of the buildings of Furnace street fell apart.   

• A few minutes in the early evening: Chandra began exploring the abandoned alchemical laboratory but stepped into a puddle of some vile black goo. The goo bubbled and Chandra felt a wave of sickness and exhaustion spread through her from the necromantic goo.
• The wild ruby golems watched Chandra as she stumbled in the dark. They grew concerned and divided as to her intentions. 
• The building shuddered slightly and Chandra was sprinkled with masonry dust. 
• Around Chandra, the abandoned laboratory wailed. The untold undead spirits that had worked in the laboratory were not content with inaction and called out to the long gone head brewer necromancer - summoning the ghost of his being  (New entity created - Eidol). 

• A few minutes in the early evening: Chandra summoned a flame from her hand and burnt the necromantic goo from her boot. The feeling of unease instantly disappeared. 
• A group of the more wary and aggressive Wild Ruby Golems decide that Chandra has explored enough of their territory and they will kill her. 
• From the street came another boom as the stone and masonry  of a near destroyed workshop fell into a rubbly heap.
• Eidol, the spirit of the head brewer necromancer, wandered the ruin of his old workshop and found no one to converse with. He decided to summon some companions. 

• A few minutes in the early evening: Chandra summoned a flame with her hand and held it aloft in search of the ruby golems. As soon as the light filled the abandoned potion brewery she saw a group the red, jewel, creatures charging at her. 
• While some of the ruby golems decided to kill Chandra, the group was not unanimous and as they charged towards Chandra conflict erupted among them - the ruby golems began fighting one another on the filthy, dusty laboratory floor. 
• From the street came another boom as the stone and masonry  of a near destroyed workshop fell into a rubbly heap.
• Eidol, the spirit of the head brewer necromancer, used his powers to summon a group of green, warm ectoplasmic ghosts. Hopefully talkative undead he could converse with (Somewhere deep in the abandoned building - away from Chandra and the ruby golems). 

• A few minutes in the early evening: Chandra approached the group of ruby golems in a neutral, friendly manner. She was shocked to see them begin physically fighting amongst one another, chunks and slivers of ruby flying into the dark, dank air. A single ruby golem removed itself from the melee though, and approached her (New entity created - Red the Friendly Ruby Golem).  
• The two opposing, pro and anti chandra, groups of  ruby golems began to fight with one another on the laboratory floor. Neither group managed to win the brawl. 
• From the street, a pause in the general booming decay of the architecture - instead heavy foot metallic falls - a city reclamation giant had arrived to remove nuisances and repair damages! (New entity created - Bronze City Reclamation Giant).  
• Eidol opens his ghostly, spirit mouth to speak, but finds his recently summoned warm ghosts have fled before him! 
• The warm ghosts, bored from just looking at Eidol, flee to the lower levels of the abandoned laboratory - attracted by the noise of the quarreling ruby golems! 

I paused and posted the game here because other wise the post would get too long!

I thought it was an interesting point though.

We now have a "party" of "two adventurers" (Chandra and Red) who have the surrounding dangers of an angry mob of ruby golems, some bored and mischievous ghosts, a sad spirit, and a giant city reclamation golem.

I shall continue playing to find out what happens next (sans the very in depth logging of everything that happens for public consumption which is a bit of a drag).

Attempted action log: 

• Chandra: Find someone to speak to who can explain her burning dreams - Failure, A potentially dangerous negative outcome.   

• Chandra: Try and orientate herself and work out what section of the city she is in - Failure, A potentially dangerous negative outcome.   

• Chandra: Take in her immediate surroundings - Success, Desired outcome is just barely achieved.

• Chandra:  Try and orientate herself and work out what section of the city she is in - Failure, An embarrassing minor set back.

• Wild Ruby Golems: Investigate the newcomer to the street to see if they are a golem slaver - Failure, A potentially dangerous negative outcome.

• Furnace Street: Collapse a piece of masonry on the destructive ruby golems - Failure, An embarrassing minor set back.

• Chandra: Enter the abandoned workshop - Success, Desired outcome is confidently achieved.

• Wildy Ruby Golems: Hide from Chandra so they can observe her actions - Success, Desired outcome is confidently achieved.

• Furnace Street: Summon some sort of defense against these wild ruby golems - Failure, A potentially dangerous negative outcome.

• Chandra: Find the ruby golem - Failure, A potentially dangerous negative outcome.

• Wildy Ruby Golems: Monitor Chandra and discover her intent - Failure, A potentially dangerous negative outcome.

• Furnace Street: Summon some sort of defense against these wild ruby golems - Failure, An embarrassing minor set back.

• Rag’s Alchemical: Recall the head brewer necromancer to the laboratory -  Success, Desired outcome is just barely, and temporarily, achieved.

• Chandra: Burn the necromantic goo off their boot - Success, Desired outcome is just barely, and temporarily, achieved.

• Wildy Ruby Golems: Resolve whether ruby is a threat or not - Failure, A potentially dangerous negative outcome.

• Furnace Street: Summon some force that will help the building stay whole - Failure, A potentially dangerous negative outcome. 

• Eidol: Search for someone to talk to in the building - Failure, A potentially dangerous negative outcome.

• Chandra: Explore the ruin, looking for ruby golems with a summoned flame for help - Success, Desired outcome is confidently achieved.

• Wildy Ruby Golems: Attack and kill Chandra - Failure, An embarrassing minor set back.

• Furnace Street: Summon something to stop the decay of the architecture  - Failure, A potentially dangerous negative outcome.

• Eidol: Summon talkative undead - Success, Desired outcome is confidently achieved.

• Chandra: Ask the ruby golems for help and directions - Success, Desired outcome is just barely, and temporarily, achieved.

• Wildy Ruby Golems: One group of ruby golems will attempt to kill or otherwise subdue the other  - Failure, A potentially dangerous negative outcome.

• Furnace Street: Summon something to stop the decay of the architecture  - Success, Desired outcome is achieved with overwhelming and long lasting benefit to attempter and allies.

• Eidol: Have an interesting conversation with the ghosts he has summoned - Failure, A potentially dangerous negative outcome.

• Warm Ghosts: Flee Eidol - Success, Desired outcome is just barely, and temporarily, achieved.

Entities:

Character. 

https://scryfall.com/card/ori/136/chandras-fury 

Chandra, pyromancer and warrior.    

A female warrior, skilled with fire magic who exists in a city of domes and towers. 

Details from play: Is seemingly quite clumsy and has a terrible sense of direction.    

Problem List: 

• Chandra is feeling sick and exhausted because she stepped into necromantic goo. 

• Chandra is lost because she has wandered into an unfamiliar and dangerous section of her city. 

• Chandra is uneasy because she keeps having dreams of her burning her city to the ground. 

• (PROBLEM  that exists for ENTITY ) because (REASON/s).

Character. 

https://scryfall.com/card/fmb1/6/eidolon-of-rhetoric

Eidol, ghost of the remembered brewer necromancer. 

A purple, toga wearing ghost. Fond of discussion.

Problem List: 

• Is angry and alone because hey found no one to talk to after searching the abandoned workshop. 

• Lonely because they have no one to talk to. 

• (PROBLEM  that exists for ENTITY ) because (REASON/s).

Character. 

Red the Friendly Ruby Golem. 

A ruby golem from the abandoned necromantic potion laboratory, willing to help Chandra. 

Problem List: 

• Is hated by some of his peers because he sought out Chandra. 

Character 

https://scryfall.com/card/prm/62475/triumph-of-ferocity

Bronze City Reclamation Giant. 

An 10 foot golem of bronze, created for the reason of city architectural order and maintenance. 

Problem List: 

• The city is disordered and in chaos because furnace street is falling apart.  

Group. 

https://scryfall.com/card/exo/84/furnace-brood

Wild ruby golems. 

Small golems made of precious stone and used in engineering. These ruby golems have escaped bondage and have turned to destructive chaos. 

Problem List: 

• Two groups of golems are fight and injuring one another because they are in a brawl. 

• One group of golems wants to kill chandra because they fear she is a threat. 

• There is unrest among the ruby golems because they can’t agree whether Chandra is a threat or not. 

• Must find out if Chandra is a threat because she is exploring their workshop ruin home. 

• Fear capture because they have escaped slavery and don’t want to return to it. 

• (PROBLEM  that exists for ENTITY ) because (REASON/s).

Group.

https://scryfall.com/card/m15/219/hot-soup

Hot ectoplasmic green ghosts

Summoned by the spirit of the brewer necromancer Eidol for purposes of curing his boredom. 

Problem List: 

• Are instantly bored by Eidols dry conversation because they would prefer to be causing chaos. 

• Like causing chaos because they are restless spirits.  

Place. 

https://scryfall.com/card/exo/84/furnace-brood

Furnace street - abandoned workshop buildings.   

A dark, muddy, and abandoned street lined with old, shuttered and crumbling workshop buildings.

Problem List: 

• Is falling apart automatically because of the extensive damage wrought by the wild ruby golems. 

• One of the streets factories has collapsed because of the vandalism of the wild ruby golems. 

• Can’t expunge the wild ruby golems because it currently has no way of removing them. 

• Is slowly being pulled apart because, mischievous and destructive, wild ruby golems inhabit its ruins. 

Place. 

https://scryfall.com/card/dis/51/ragamuffyn

Rag’s Alchemical - Necromantic potion laboratory. 

Abandoned and in disrepair, the laboratory used to brew chemicals of death and undeath through the use of zombie and skeletal workers. 

Problem List: 

• Operations have ceased because the head brewer necromancer has long ago abandoned the laboratory. 

Notes on the process: 

• I Liked starting the game with a single entity, and pulling a card to do so. This does a lot of the initial worldbuilding for you. 

• Outlining clear and reasoned problems is very important as it makes the process of “what does each entity attempt to do right now” flow very easily. 

• The game can slow down a little bit sometimes when you have to stop and think of logical problems. 

• Fiddling around with the setup of the document is maybe somewhat annoying. I have found in solo games in the past what really slows down play is cross referencing what entities are in play, and what has happened in the game . Ensuring you record these things properly also seems to bog down the game a bit so it's a bit of a battle to ensure brevity while maintaining comprehend-ability. 

• Working out a good system for logging events that have happened alongside what attempted actions caused those events was a bit fiddly - maybe less fiddly if I wasn't trying to gear the document towards public consumption. 

• Things really started to pick up and feeling chaotic and complicated around turn 4 (when furnace street and the ruby golem entities were created). 

• Getting into the mindset of some abstract entities is fun and animistic. For example, what does an abandoned and ruined street see as its problems? What can the street do about that? A fun way of thinking about running a dungeon and also a good way to think about what random encounters an area should have. 

• I shall continue the game, but without as much methodic loggings of rolls, attempted actions, etc - and just focus on problems and events.

How to use Paint.net for online gaming!

 I use paint.net a lot for the games I run online (When runing KriegHamemer for example: http://lizardmandiaries.blogspot.com/search/label/Krieghammer ). Here is a little tutorial for those that might be afraid of image editing software because it is actually very simple, easy, fun and also useful for games! I hope you find the guide helpful! 

• Download Paint.net from: https://www.getpaint.net/
• Install it, etc. 
• Start playing a game, realize you need a map, or image. Open Paint.net.
• Start a new image. I don't know much about image sizes and resolutions, and just always put the resolution at 300 pixels/inch 
• Now the fun starts! 

• The above image is for "layers". Layers are very important and useful. Things down the bottom of the layer list appear behind things above them on the layer list. Something at the bottom of the list would be the background of the image. 
• Decide what background you need! Lets go for "Lava Field". To a google image search for a lava field, find an image you like, then right click it and copy the image, then go back to paint.net and control-v or paste the image! 

• Depending on the size of the image, Paint.net might ask you if you want to add the image as a new layer. You want to always do this! 
• Now we want to add a new layer regardless, to put some stuff onto this lava field! 

• Click the button circled in red in the image above, to add a new layer. 
• Find an image of something you want to put in the lava field. I am going to google "Games Workshop Monster" in google image search to find something. 
• When you find something, copy and paste it as above, into your new layer. 

• Now we want to get rid of all that awful white space that ruins our image! 

• Click the button circled in red above, this is the magic wand tool. It selects everything of the same colour on a layer. 
• Make sure you are on the layer with the image with the colour you want to get rid of then click it with the magic wand tool. It is now selected. Press Delete to get rid of that colour ! 

• Fiddling around with the "tolerance", circled in red above, can help pick up more/less of the colour you want to remove. 
• Holding SHIFT and clicking with the magic wand selects ALL of the colour selected in the layer. 
• I use the "oil painting" effect in, the Effects > Artistic menu to quickly sort of...smooth out disparate images so they kind of look like they are in the same universe. You have apply this to each layer. 

• You can use the Hue/Saturation options in "Adjustments" menu to quickly change the colour of something, make it more lurid/stand out more/less. It only applies to the current layer you are on. 

• You select things on a layer with the tool circled in red. And then you can move them around/resize them with the tool highlighted yellow (in the image above). Hold SHIFT when resizing things to make them keep the same dimensions! 

• Add as many things to your image with new layers as you like! 

• Double click the red circled section in the image above to rename a layer. Very useful for when you lots of layers! 
• Arrange and create image as you need! 

• When you are feeling daring start mucking around with blurs and such things! 

• Before I forget! Use the "Snipping tool" (on windows) to quickly take little snippets of images that are on your screen, and then use CONTROL-C and CONTROL-V to copy and paste it where ever you need it (Discord for example!). 

Three Fractal Matrix Automatons Game Frames!

More madness inspired by this: https://lizardmandiaries.blogspot.com/2022/10/matrix-automatons-solo-gaming-process.html

Avant-Garde Multiplayer Narrative Generator Edition: 

• Each player creates an entity they control, another player must give that entity a problem.

• Once each player has an entity with a problem, game turns begin! 

• Players take turns to: 

• Gives another player’s entity a new problem (optional). 

• Attempt an action to solve one of their entities' problems.   

• When a player presents an action, the other player/s in the game may provide a counter argument why that action is not successful. 

• If there are no counter arguments to an action, it is successful. 

• If there are more than 2 players, all players can present a counter argument to the action. The active player picks the counter argument that takes place. 

• Whenever an action is countered by another player, the player who countered the action creates a new entity under their control (relating to the events of the countered action). The player whose action was countered may give that entity a problem.

• Alternatively, the countering player must provide a new problem for the action attempting entity (related to why their action was not successful) and the countered player may give a new problem to one of the countering players entities (also related to the unsuccessful action). 

• Regardless of whether it is successful or not, all actions take place in the game world as an event. 

• All players take their turns in an order, a collective narrative will be made in the process. 

• An entity leaves the game if they have no problems.

• When an entity leaves the game they are no longer under the control of any player. 

• The game ends when all of the entities have left the game (by having their problems solved).

• Some might say that the player who does this first wins... 

Lone Wolf Solo Edition: 

• Start with an entity with at least one problem. 

• Entity attempts to solve a problem through an action. 

• Regardless whether it's successful or not, an action creates an event - log event. 

• Use method of choice to determine success or failure of an action. I use: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/363342/Kontext-Spiel-d6 

• A successful action creates at least one new entity with at least one problem, and/or gives an existing entity at least one new problem. 

• An unsuccessful action creates a new problem for the entity attempting it.

• After resolving an action  add to/remove from entity problem lists as required.

• Re-order the dynamic problem lists so the entity’s most pressing problem is at the top of the list. 

• An entity is considered "active' if it has any problems. 

• All active entities attempt an action in turns in the order they were created. 

• An entity is considered "inactive" if it has no problems. It does not act.

• Play until you are bored. 

Grognard Old School Player/s and Referee Edition (Beta): 

• One player is the referee, the other player/s are not. 

• The non referee player/s each create an entity with at least one problem. That is their Player Character that they control within the game world.  

• Each player takes it in turns to attempt to solve one of their Player Character’s problems through an action.

• Note: Player Characters are notorious for attempting actions that appear to have little relevance to solving their problems, let alone anything resembling a correlation. Referees are advised to let such actions take place regardless.  

• The referee is responsible for all other aspects of the game! This process is detailed below!  

• Regardless whether it's successful or not, an action creates an event - log event. 

• Use method of choice to determine success or failure of an action. I use: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/363342/Kontext-Spiel-d6 

• A successful action creates at least one new entity with at least one problem, and/or gives an existing entity at least one new problem. 

• An unsuccessful action creates a new problem for the entity attempting it.

• After resolving an action  add to/remove from entity problem lists as required.

• Re-order the dynamic problem lists so the entity’s most pressing problem is at the top of the list. 

• A Non Player Character entity is considered "active' if it has any problems. 

• All active entities attempt an action in turns in the order they were created. 

• A Non Player Character entity is considered "inactive" if it has no problems. It does not act.

• Player Characters can attempt actions even when they have no problems. This will hopefully generate more problems for them .

• Play until you are bored. 

Definitions:

Entity: Some active force in the game world. An entity can be a person, a place, a setting, a god, an item, an atmosphere, a weather effect, anything at all. An entity just needs the capacity to have an impact on the game world. 

Problem: Something that stops the game world being perfect and ideal for an entity. 

Action: An argument presented by a player as to why something happens in the game world to resolve a problem for an entity. 

Counter Argument:  An argument presented by a player as to why an action is not successful. 

Event: Things that happen in the game world because of both successful and unsuccessful actions. It is recommended to record events so everyone can remember what has transpired in the game world! The time scale and scope of the events of the game are dependent on the actions attempted by the entities. 

Suggested Templates: 

(These are HIGHLY and PASSIONATELY suggested to make the game more playable). 

Entity: 

Entity Type/category. 

Entity Name and title/class/profession/etc.  

Single sentence description outlining the entity’s essence.   

Problems: 

1. (Problem that exists for entity) because (reason for the entity’s problem).

2. (Problem that exists for entity) because (reason for the entity’s problem).

3. etc..

Problem: 

(Problem that exists for entity) because (reason for the entity’s problem).

Action: 

(Action happens) because of (reasons). 

or

(Action resolves problem) because of (reasons). 

Counter Argument: 

(Action) is not successful because of (reasons). 

Event Log: 

Turn #: (Action resolving problem happened) because of (reasons). Or, (Action) did not not happen because of (reasons) (Make sure you mention the entities involved!).

Notes: 

• All of the above is very much Inspired by this post: https://ankleshot-woes.blogspot.com/2022/10/matrix-automatons.html

Matrix Automatons Solo Gaming Process

Here is a recent experiment in solo gaming I tried out! It works well to get an interesting dynamic setting (for use with or without players). 

I like the idea of "automating" a setting - things that happen external to the players involvement - things that make the setting have its own internal logic/verisimilitude. It gets away from the world feeling like a place frozen until the players arrive. This process can be used for that (or just enjoying the process of roleplaying out a make believe place). 

• Use entity template outlined here: https://ankleshot-woes.blogspot.com/2022/10/matrix-automatons.html

• Add the following to each entity profile: 

• [Turn #: Attempted action / Result of attempted action] 

• Need to outline how long the “turn” is before resolving the turn (day/week/etc).

• Create profiles for each entity (Setting, Location, Characters, Organisations, Environmental Elements, etc).

• Play out turns, proposing and resolving attempted actions for all entities. 

• Resolve attempted action using referee’s estimation of the situation plus 2d6, high = good, low = bad. 

• Add to/remove from each entities dynamic problem list as required. 

• Play out as many turns as you find entertaining! 

• Note: Some entities may be more “in the background” than others (for example the forest that the game is set in, or the ruling imperial organisation may be in the background, but specific individual characters would be in the “foreground”)

You can see an example (sci fi) game played out in the following document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KYQc0SU7eacQaS6vfevnDVa2vURSEPf8vy5WRRjS_Ds/edit?usp=sharing

The Baroque Science Fantasy God Generator!

An expanded and updated version of these two posts: 

• https://lizardmandiaries.blogspot.com/2022/04/baroque-science-fantasy-god-generator.html
• https://lizardmandiaries.blogspot.com/2022/07/baroque-science-fantasy-god-generator.html

In a PDF and HTML automated table format! 

You have encountered a god!

Use the generators within to recognise the form, aspect, and emanations of such an entity! 

Alongside the hyper lurid illustrated PDF is an Automated HTML version of the tables/generators for your ease of use and quick god generation pleasure! 

Find within tables for: 

• God Basic Form
• God Colour
• God Form Warpage
• Where the god dwells
• The god’s realm of control
• The god’s personality
• The god’s communication method,
• The god’s demanded form of worship
• God Artifact Style and Material
• God Boons
• God Banes

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/412331/The-Baroque-Science-Fantasy-God-Generator

Kharkiv Return - A Sci Fi Matrix Game

 Stemming from my recent interest in Matrix games (https://lizardmandiaries.blogspot.com/2022/08/matrix-adventuring.html) and emerging from my still on going Empyrean Dynasty game ( https://lizardmandiaries.blogspot.com/2022/07/empyrean-dynasty-game-1-turn-6-100.html https://lizardmandiaries.blogspot.com/2021/12/empyrean-dynasty-grand-freeform-sci-fi.html ) here is Kharkiv Return! A matrix game about an alien plague infested army returning to their home planet. Enjoy! 

One Handed Hex Map Stocking

Oh no! You're on a bus or train or something on the way to run a fantasy tabletop game and you forgot to prepare anything! And you only have your mobile phone on you! Plus, one of your hands has been incapacitated for some reason?! 

Never fear, use this methodology for quickly whipping up a little hex crawl: 

Get a blank google text doc! 

Whack a empty hex map in it: 

Go to this website to get a random magic the gathering card:  https://scryfall.com/random

Use the method below! Writing your results into that blank google text doc! 

• Basic Stock pass 

• Pull a card, that's what's there in an area of the map, pull more than one card and combine if you want 

• Keep doing this until you are bored /fill the map 

• History pass 

• Pull a card, that thing travels across the land doing what you think it would, starting and ending where you think is most appropriate 

• It leaves behind items, environments, new places, factions, etc 

• Do this again until you are bored

• Present pass 

• Pull a card, this is an important thing in the area, doing what you think it would, being fought over by who you think it would, it is located where you think is most appropriate 

• Do this again until you are bored

• Loose ends pass 

• See if you can connect any of the extant elements that exist in interesting ways 

• Do this until you are bored

• Hero pass 

• Pull a card, this is an important sentient being, it travels across the land doing what you think it  would, starting and ending where you think is most appropriate

• It leaves behind items, new places, factions, etc 

• Do this again until you are bored 

• Shuffle pass

• Re do any of above passes as you see fit / are entertained by 

• Player pass 

• Put some player characters into the world and see what happens. Maybe they play a hero… or something else?! Pull a random card to determine this if you are brave enough!!! 

• Conflict 

• Assume most things are successful in what they attempt, favour the active, roll a dice if not sure, highest roll wins! 

Good luck with your game!

The Twinkling Dunes (half a hex crawl)

 I used this lovely little hex map maker: https://noerskov.net/#/hexgen and changed the colours a bit then pulled three random magic cards using https://scryfall.com/ to get ideas to stock each "hex". Here are the results for half the map so far!  

1. Efuge, A town of white marbled, onion domed temples, and spindly look out towers. The drab robed humans here worship the gatherment of secrets and information and burn documents as sacrifice to a ghostly queen who haunts the lake to the East. The people here know much but are loath to share it, they are also very skilled in climbing and spying.

2. Golden twinkling sand dunes, pierced by ancient ebony obelisks. A forest of dead and dying brown shrubs is in the North West. Lurid, snake skinned goblins wearing leering masks hunt travellers with daggers here. The goblins hunt in pairs, are long of fang and are semi vampiric.

3. A salt encrusted, filthy and refuse filled lake. Spines of some calcific white mineral spike up across the filthy shore and shallows. Many ragged, roped offerings of coins and trinkets have been hung over the mineral spines – attempts to keep the undead, horned giant with snaped and broken legs who slowly pulls himself  through the muckfilth of the lake, at bay. The undying giant is dazzled and confused by the offerings, its mind long gone – it will only maim and kill those it encounters.

4. A green lake, prone to infestment of heavy fog and wafting spirits. These ghosts are fond of secrets and things not widely known (and are able to give blessings for the providement of such). On the eastern side of the lake are two towers, formed of giant, long dead, calcified worms sprouting from the mud beneath the water. A wizard skilled in the warping and manipulation of metal lives in each, Meg and Antic. The pair of wizards are ever bickering, but both are working together to the fulfilment of some apocalyptic destiny involving the ancient dead worms and all the forgotten minerals of the earth. They are covetous of all metals.

5. Golden twinkling sand dunes, pierced by ancient ebony obelisks. Packs of thin, green furred, wolves prowl the sands. Woods of dead trees coat the dunes, haunted by nests of featherless, lizardlike birdmen – clawed and skeletal. The birdmen pluck singular wolves from their packs and feast – the dead woods littered with bones and dried ichor.

6. Golden twinkling sand dunes, dotted with hut sized, rusting metallic insectoid hives – all wafting dark grey smoke. These are inhabited by hordes of mineral carapace hornets, about the size of a hand. The hornets are flesh eating and their venom causes meat and skin to slough free from the body.

7. Golden twinkling sand dunes, pierced by ancient, spider web covered, ebony obelisks. The land is ever shaded by heavy storm clouds that regularly release torrents of lightning that spark at the obelisks below. Giant, grey green, horned spiders – thorax and abdomen the size of a man - live in sturdy web carved caves and tunnels beneath the gloomy sands. The entrances to these caves and tunnels are strong webknitted doors. The spiders do not appreciate visitors to their lands or tunnels. Their tunnelling has revealed ancient engines, powered by the sparking obelisks, which the spiders enjoy meditating in the rumbling presence of - a state of religious bliss.

8. Golden twinkling sand dunes covered in woods of calcified dead trees. Mineral pipes that have the appearance of mummified worms lace through the sands. These, arm sized, pipes sporadically belch gassy flames from beneath the earth.

9. Golden twinkling sand dunes. Lurid, snake skinned goblins wearing leering masks hunt travellers with daggers here. The goblins hunt in pairs, are long of fang and are semi vampiric. The goblins have a sprawling village on the banks of two small lakes of liquid silver in the centre of the dunes. The village glints from the distance – constructed of wood branches dipped in, now dried, liquid silver. There are several liquid silver mummified goblin corpses throughout the village – foci of veneration and worship. The goblins have want for nothing save fresh blood and flesh. A small wood of dead and dying brown shrubs is on a large dune to the East of the village.

10. A several storey high, purple gem monolith, surrounded by bolden twinkling sand dunes.  Hordes of palm sized insectoid vermin carpet the sands around the monolith. A skeletal and rotting undead worm, the length of several bus, tunnels through the sands in the evenings – scooping mouthfuls of insects and anything else that dares approach the monolith.

11. A forest of gnarled, dead, trees that have the aspect of pained, screaming sufferers of pain. The trees are all twisted, bent over and malformed in their agony. The forest is ever haunted by a thick, tendrilic fog.  A small of brood of featherless, lizardlike birdmen – clawed and skeletal – hunt any interlopers to the forest.

12. A lake of thick, white, milky and iridescent liquid – ringed by a shore writhing with person high, black bramble-like vegetation. The vegetation is rope thick, vines, covered in near metal hard thorns. The vinerope slithers around to block any thing approach the lake – gripping, stabbing, choking and pulling apart interlopers.

13. A lake of clear, iridescent jelly – a slight tint of green. The jelly is rigid enough to walk across, but can easily be scooped and shaped. The jelly is ice cold and retains its freezing temperature when removed from the lake. Beneath the clear jelly are hundreds of naked humans, frozen and dead. Albino crocodiles roam the shore, ancient but rotting with some aspect of undeath from overconsumption of the persevering jelly.

14. A green lake, prone to infestment of heavy fog. In the centre of the lake are two towers, formed of giant, long dead, calcified worms sprouting from the mud beneath the water. A winged, horned, basilisk demon lives in the towers – the rooms of which are filled with petrified corpses that the demon has been hacking apart with heavy but precise tools  to explore human biology and anatomy.

15. Pale blue twinkling sand dunes, pierced sparsely with bleached white coral structures from beneath the earth. The corals are jagged, sharp, and tower several storeys into the air. In the evening the coral towers waft a luminescent, glowing green gas. An ogre trudges through the sands, blubbery and bloodstained. The ogre attempts to capture any living flesh that travels the dunes, chaining it to its blood splattered coral cave so they can indulge in the consumption of still living beings.