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MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 1

 Drilling Down
Welcome to the second compilation of Mythic
Magazines, this one covering issues 7 through 12!
This collection of articles drills down into the detail
WELCOMES of solo role-playing with articles like Customizing A Solo
Getting The Adventure You Want............................ 3 Adventure Before You Begin, and Starting, And Ending,
Knowledge Is Power!................................................. 3 Scenes. Other articles ventured into even more specific
Behavior Problems.................................................... 4 regions of solo play, like Matching An RPG To Your Style
Let’s Make A Great Big Scene!.................................. 4 Of Solo Play, Solo Play Strategy: Focusing In, and Getting
Think Different........................................................ 5 The Most Out Of Sourcebooks.
It was a pleasure writing articles that dive into the nitty
A Mythic Year!.......................................................... 5
gritty detail of solo play because it helps to show that solo
WHAT IF role-playing is truly its own experience, with possibilities
Customizing A Solo Adventure Before You Begin..... 6 that make it different from traditional, social role-playing.
Starting, And Ending, Scenes.................................. 15 This collection also produced an important new rule
Matching An RPG To Your Style Of Solo Play....... 23 in Control Your Adventure With Keyed Scenes. Keyed
Scenes made possible Solo Adventure Modules, which I
Solo Play Strategy: Focusing In............................... 30
hope can serve as a framework for creating your own solo
Getting The Most Out Of Sourcebooks.................. 38
adventures that others can play.
VARIATIONS There is a new addition to randomized Regions
Randomized Starship Generation............................ 50 with Randomized Starship Generation, continuing the
Generating Compelling Backstories......................... 64 expansion of the Location Crafter system.
Some previously addressed concepts were touched
Control Your Adventure With Keyed Scenes........... 74
on again with Generating Compelling Backstories,
INTERRUPT Generating NPC Behavior With Fate Questions, and
Resolving Character vs. Player Knowledge.............. 82 RPG Social Skills With Mythic’s Behavior Check.
Generating NPC Behavior With Fate Questions..... 89 This collection also addressed a common solo role-
RPG Social Skills With Mythic’s Behavior Check....103 playing dilemma with Resolving Character vs. Player
Knowledge.
TOOL BOX I hope you enjoy this collection! Happy adventuring!
Solo Adventure Modules....................................... 119
SoloRPG Mythic Starter....................................... 149

APPENDIX
Collected Covers................................................... 151
Collected Tables.................................................... 157

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 2

 WELCOMES

Mythic Magazine #7 Mythic Magazine #8

Getting The Knowledge

Adventure Is Power!
You Want This appears to be The Knowledge Issue of Mythic
Magazine. Whether it’s knowledge you, the Player, possess
Happy summer everyone! I hope you’re staying cool if that your Character doesn’t or knowing the backstory to a
it’s getting hot where you are. Character or place, having knowledge and using it wisely
Speaking of getting what we want ... the first article in is key to successful solo play.
this issue is about pre-determining elements in your solo The first article in this issue is a discussion about the
Adventure. This isn’t about deciding how your Adventure problem of Player knowledge versus Character knowledge,
unfolds but about identifying specific items ... maybe and how to handle it when the two are out of balance.
Characters, events, or even tropes ... that you want in This issue probably crops up in the lives of every solo
your Adventure. gamer at some point, where you have to make a decision
Mythic is good at tossing you into unexpected in how to deal with it. Do you ignore the knowledge
situations, but sometimes it’s nice knowing what lies differential and play your Character as you know them to
ahead even if you don’t know exactly what form it will be, or do you resolve the differences to maintain surprises
take. This article gives suggestions on how to introduce in your Adventure? What strategy should you choose?
those custom elements without breaking the flow of a There are many ways to handle this problem (if you
Mythic Adventure. even consider it a problem), and I try to cover as many
Also, I continue our exploration of Location Crafter approaches as I can in this article to give you some ideas
Regions with a new Region: Starships and Spacecraft! This for your solo Adventures.
is our third foray into specialized Regions, with previous The second article is a return to an idea
issues of Mythic Magazine delving into Dungeons and introduced way back in Mythic Variations,
Woods. As with those articles, this one presents material generating backstories with Mythic. I expand on the
to be used in the randomized Location Crafter system original Backstory Focus Table to offer an approach
introduced in Volume 2 (and repeated in this issue in case that is more varied and detailed. You can use this to
you don’t have Volume 2) to help you create spacecraft generate backstories for your Character, for NPCs,
as you play. I cover a range of spaceships, including small for places, objects, or anything you like!
craft, large ships, and space stations. As with the previous Equipped with knowledge,
Region articles, this one is meant to help inspire your go forth and have happy
generation of a Region quickly and easily as you play. adventuring!
Happy adventuring!

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 3

 WELCOMES

Mythic Magazine #9 Mythic Magazine #10

Behavior Problems Let’s Make A

Greetings everyone! Wherever in the world you are I
hope you are keeping safe and doing well.
Great Big Scene!
This issue of Mythic Magazine tackles two big concerns Greetings everyone! Welcome to the tenth issue of
of solo role-playing: choosing an RPG that fits best with Mythic Magazine. We’re almost up to a full year of
your solo style, and resolving NPC behavior. the magazine, and I’ve been excited by all the content
We’ve dealt with NPC behavior before, in the very suggestions Mythic players have been making. Keep them
first Mythic Magazine with the simplified Behavior coming!
Check. Determining NPC behavior ... from actions This issue is The Scene Issue. Both articles are about
to conversations ... can be a tricky business so I offer Mythic Adventure Scenes, with the first article talking
another approach to behavior in this issue to expand about starting and ending Scenes. I offer some suggestions
your options. I won’t call this a new approach since it’s an on different ways to view Scenes. These suggestions can
embellishment of Mythic’s default way to do it, but I’m be used to change the way you start and end Scenes which
hoping this gives you another choice for your solo play can change the flow or feeling of your Adventure, or even
toolkit without adding much complexity. help solve problems if you are stuck coming up with a
Also in this issue is a discussion of how to pair your new Expected Scene.
RPG of choice with your particular style of solo role- The second article introduces a new type of Scene:
playing. There is no definitive answer to Keyed Scenes. It’s really a type of special Event that
the question of “What is the best is triggered when
RPG to solo with?” because something specific
that’s a matter of taste and happens. The
personal style. However, Triggered Event
while you can play solo then takes place in the
with any RPG there next Scene, making that a
are some games that Keyed Scene which serves a purpose that you define
may work better for in your Adventure. Keyed Scenes can be used to gain
your style, and there more control over your Adventures and make them less
may be some ways you random, to help set a tone or theme, or even to help make
can change how you sure that your Adventure stays within a certain time frame
play to better mesh for play.
with your chosen RPG. Happy adventuring!
Happy adventuring!

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 1 • 4

 WELCOMES

Mythic Magazine #11 Mythic Magazine #12

Think Different A Mythic Year!

This issue of Mythic Magazine is about looking at solo Greetings everyone! This issue of Mythic Magazine
role-playing in new and different ways. A great strength marks a full twelve months of the ezine being published.
of the solo RPG experience is that we can do whatever we Wow! The year has gone by so fast, but it’s really
want. There is only ourselves to please. We are both the gratifying to look back and see how well the magazine
author and the audience. It’s understandable that we often has been accepted and all the fantastic discussions I’ve
approach our solo adventures the same way we do our seen spring up around the ideas in them.
social role-playing because that’s what we’ve learned and Thank you for making these twelve months so exciting!
we know it works. However, we also have the opportunity I hope Mythic Magazine’s second year is even better.
to play differently, to experiment, and find unique ways of In this issue we have an article about getting the most
playing that may only appeal to us. out of sourcebooks. After writing it, I was surprised that
To that end, this issue introduces two new concepts to this topic hadn’t been covered in an earlier issue because
Mythic solo role-playing: Solo Play Strategies, and Solo it’s so important. It’s hard to imagine a solo adventure
Adventure Modules. without at least one sourcebook to draw from,
I’m using the term Solo Play Strategy to refer to and given the free-wheeling nature of solo role-
any way to play solo that is an alternative to how we playing sourcebooks can see all kinds of unique use.
usually play and that takes advantage of the features Hopefully you find something useful in this article
of the solo experience. This issue will introduce that you can bring to your table!
one strategy, Focusing In, a way of playing an The second article addresses a problem with
adventure that allows us to scale the action by Mythic’s NPC Behavior Check: how to apply
combining both big picture and detailed your chosen RPG’s social skills to it. I present
playing. some simple ways to make your character’s
For Solo Adventure Modules social skills matter when determining NPC
I present a concept for published behavior.
adventures that uses the strengths of For the first time, Mythic Magazine has a
a traditional module meant for group third article. This is a gift to
role-play and the power of solo oracle you to celebrate Mythic
playing. I think this concept is best Magazine’s first full year:
shown than explained, so I include in this a fun Mythic Starter
issue a complete Solo Adventure Module provided by John Lopez at
called The Secret Of Tockley Manor. SoloRPG!
Happy adventuring! Happy adventuring!

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 1

2 • 5
 WHAT IF
Discussion of some aspect of solo, Mythic, or Crafter play for you to chew on.

Customizing A Solo
Adventure Before You Begin
The default position of both Mythic and The THE KIND OF ELEMENTS
Adventure Crafter before you begin an Adventure is a
blank slate. Both systems are meant to emulate you, as a WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
Player with a Character, coming to the gaming table ready Before we dive into the nuts and bolts of customizing
to play but having no idea what the Adventure is going your Adventures I want to be clear what we’re talking
to be about. As such, both Mythic and The Adventure about. There may be times when you start a new Adventure
Crafter are constructed around the idea of generating where you have no idea what the narrative will be about but
ideas and story from scratch. you are hungry for certain elements. Maybe you’re in the
However, maybe you do have ideas you are bringing mood for a car chase, or maybe you just finished watching
to your Adventure. It’s possible to start a solo Adventure a movie where a villain redeems himself and you would like
with some elements already decided even if you don’t that to appear in some way in your Adventure.
know what the overall Adventure is going to be. This idea Perhaps you’re just in the mood for a certain kind of
was first explored in Mythic with Mythic Variations as Adventure, like one where discovering ancient tomes of
Custom Themes. However, there’s more we can do with magical lore is a common occurrence.
customizing a solo Adventure. In all of these cases you don’t know anything about the
structure of the Adventure. You don’t know what your
Character’s goals are or who they will interact with or where
it will take place. You just know there are elements that you
would like to see happen. These elements can be anything:
specific Characters, the kinds of things that can happen, a
standard fictional trope, an action, items, places ... anything.
What you’re trying to avoid, however, is determining
your Adventure before you begin and spoiling the

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 6

 WHAT IF

surprises that are ahead. You might know that you want to introduce custom elements without having to construct
to deal with random zombie attacks, but you don’t know an entirely new table yourself.
how the zombie outbreak started in the first place. Mythic Magazine #1 discussed handling Ambiguous
This article discusses tactics to help you introduce Events in a Mythic Adventure. One of the ideas for
wanted elements into an Adventure without derailing how handling Ambiguous Events was removing them and
it unfolds or spoiling narrative surprises. replacing them with Meaningful Events. Having a
“Meaningful Event” listing in the standard Event Focus
Table gives you the opportunity to introduce custom
CUSTOM EVENT FOCUS TABLES elements into your Adventure easily through the table in
the form of Random Events and Scene Interrupts.
I already mentioned it but this article wouldn’t be
On the next page you’ll find a few versions of the
complete without discussing how Mythic Variations
standard Event Focus Table with Meaningful Event added
handled Themes. The Event Focus Table is a central
in. This is the full Standard Event Focus Table, including
component of a Mythic Adventure, it is the engine that
Ambiguous Events, just with the one additional entry of
produces twists and turns through Random Events in mid
Meaningful Event. There are three versions of the table to
Scene and Interrupt Scenes. The Standard Event Focus
choose from, depending on how common you want your
Table presented in the Mythic core rulebooks is meant to
Meaningful Event to be: 20%, 25%, and 33% options.
inspire the widest range of possible events that can happen.
These percentages relate to the d100 chance of rolling a
By manipulating and customizing the Event Focus Table,
Meaningful Event, with all the other entries on the table
however, you can skew its results. This makes it useful as a
adjusted and balanced accordingly.
device to introduce custom elements into your Adventure.
Do you want your Meaningful Event to happen
I won’t go over Themed Event Focus Tables too much
roughly 1 in every 5 Interrupt Scenes or Random Events,
since that topic is covered by Mythic Variations. However,
1 in every 4, or 1 in every 3? This allows you to gauge how
I will present a simple way of using the Event Focus Table
impactful your Meaningful Event will be on the table.

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 7

 WHAT IF

20% Meaningful Event Focus Table 25% Meaningful Event Focus Table
1-20 MEANINGFUL EVENT 1-25 MEANINGFUL EVENT
21-25 REMOTE EVENT 26-30 REMOTE EVENT
26-30 AMBIGUOUS EVENT 31-35 AMBIGUOUS EVENT
31-35 INTRODUCE A NEW NPC 36-40 INTRODUCE A NEW NPC
36-51 NPC ACTION 41-55 NPC ACTION
52-60 NPC NEGATIVE 56-63 NPC NEGATIVE
61-68 NPC POSITIVE 64-70 NPC POSITIVE
69-79 PC NEGATIVE 71-80 PC NEGATIVE
80-84 PC POSITIVE 81-85 PC POSITIVE
85-92 MOVE TOWARD A THREAD 86-92 MOVE TOWARD A THREAD
93-97 MOVE AWAY FROM A THREAD 93-97 MOVE AWAY FROM A THREAD
98-100 CLOSE A THREAD 98-100 CLOSE A THREAD

33% Meaningful Event Focus Table Meaningful Events

1-33 MEANINGFUL EVENT What your Meaningful Event actually is is up to you.
34-37 REMOTE EVENT This is a useful approach if the custom element you’re
introducing into the Adventure is a single thing and works
38-41 AMBIGUOUS EVENT especially well with tropes or situations. For instance, if
42-45 INTRODUCE A NEW NPC you’re running a traditional super hero Adventure where
random battles are common and you want that, your
46-59 NPC ACTION Meaningful Event might be “The villain attacks!”
60-66 NPC NEGATIVE You could also make a list of elements you want to
happen in your Adventure. This list could function like
67-73 NPC POSITIVE
the standard Lists in your game, Threads and Characters,
74-83 PC NEGATIVE that you roll on when the Meaningful Event is called.
For instance, if you’re running a space-faring sci-
84-88 PC POSITIVE
fi Adventure that you want to feature discovering
89-94 MOVE TOWARD A THREAD strange new worlds and civilizations, you might make
a Meaningful Events List that includes: discover new
95-98 MOVE AWAY FROM A THREAD
lifeform; distress call from the unknown; discover a new
99-100 CLOSE A THREAD planet with strange properties; ship attacked by a hostile

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 8

 WHAT IF

race; spacial anomaly sends ship through time.

Your List may be a sort of wish list of things that you Meaningful Events List
would like to see happen in your Adventure in some
way, shape, or form. When you randomly determine that 1-4 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
something from your List occurs it’s up to you if you 5-8 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
then scratch it off your List or leave it on. That depends
9-12 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
on whether you think this occurrence should be able to
happen again in the same Adventure. 13-16 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
17-20 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
21-24 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
WEIGHTED
MEANINGFUL EVENTS LIST 25-28 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT

If you want to take the idea of a Meaningful Event List 39-32 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
up a notch you can fashion it after The Adventure Crafter 33-36 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
Lists that are weighted and give you more freedom for
inserting the right element in at the right time. 37-40 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
Fill in the entries on the Meaningful Event List with 41-44 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
items that you want to happen in your Adventure. To
weight the importance of some Events over others, give 45-48 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
them more entries on the table up to a maximum of three 49-52 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
listings. That means any individual Event will be listed
53-56 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
either one, two, or three times on the table.
You can roll on the Meaningful Event List when called 57-60 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
for if you are using a Meaningful Event Focus Table. Or,
61-64 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
if you aren’t using that table (maybe you already have
a custom Theme Event Focus Table you like), you can 65-68 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
roll on the Meaningful Event List whenever you think it
69-72 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
would make sense to do so. You could always pose this
as a Fate Question, “Does a Meaningful Event happen?”, 73-76 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
asking it at any point in your Adventure where the 77-80 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
Context might indicate an Event like that might happen
or just when you think of it. 81-84 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
Rolling an Event on the List means it happens at 85-88 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
that point in your Adventure. If the “Event” is a specific
element like a Character or an object, then that Character 89-92 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
either enters your Adventure then or acts in some way, or 93-96 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
the object comes into play.
97-100 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
If you roll a blank line then treat it like a Choose Most

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 9

 WHAT IF

Logical Event result and select an Event from your List For instance, if you’re playing an international spy in
that would make the most sense to happen at this point in a dramatic espionage Adventure, you might have a few
the Adventure. classic film tropes you want to appear. You love outlandish
When you roll a Meaningful Event and bring it into henchmen with exotic ways of killing people, so you add
play you have the option of scratching it off the List if you “Outlandish henchman” to the Characters List. If this
think it should be. Perhaps that Event can’t happen again, gets rolled during your Adventure you’ll figure out who
in which case you should also scratch any other entries this Character is at that time, or if by then you’ve already
of this Event from the List. Or, maybe the Event appears established a bizarre henchman then this entry could
more than once on the List and you think that now that indicate that person.
it’s happened it should be less likely to happen again so Seeding your Lists gives you a chance to place the
you remove one listing but leave the others. You could Characters and goals into your Adventure that you want
also decide to leave the entry on the List. to be in it without leaving it up to chance.
The weighted List approach gives you more versatility
in controlling your Meaningful Events. You can also add Elements That Don’t Fit So Well
more Events to the List later in the Adventure as you think
of them, taking up more of the empty slots and deciding if If you have elements you want in your Adventure
the new entries should get one, two, or three listings. that don’t neatly fit into either List, I suggest translating
If you run out of room on the List I suggest getting a those elements into a Thread or Character element. For
fresh List and rewriting your Events on them, cleaning instance, in your international spy Adventure you want
up the List from Events that have been removed and cool gadgets to be a recurring element. Interesting spy
re-evaluating the importance of the Events. This is your toys isn’t a Character, and it’s not a Thread either, but it
opportunity to review the Events and do some editing, could still be treated that way and placed into either List.
considering the relative importance of each Event. Before you place an unusual element on a List, think
about which List to place it on. Keep in mind that Lists
are tapped when Random Events and Interrupts call for
them, and the Event Focus Table helps determine how
those Elements occur. The Threads List is indicated less
PRE-POPULATING THE LISTS
often than the Characters List, and the Characters List
The previous ideas might seem too high effort or might results on the Focus Table have more variety in how they
break the way you like to play your Mythic Adventures. appear. For instance, it’s possible to get an NPC Negative
Maybe you like the Event Focus Table you’re using and result referring to the Characters List versus a Move
don’t want to replace it, or you don’t want to mess with Toward A Thread result referring to the Threads List.
taking care of another List. Whatever the Event Focus Table says, apply that
Probably the easiest and most direct way to seed your to your Element even if it isn’t actually a Thread or
Adventure before it begins is to add Elements to the Character. For instance, if the Element you added was
Threads and Characters Lists. Normally in a Mythic “Cool spy gadget” and you put it on the Threads List, and
Adventure these Lists start blank and get filled in as the you rolled it after a Move Toward A Thread result, you
Adventure moves along. However, you could also start might interpret that to mean your spy Character acquires
filling them in before you begin. a new gadget. However, if you get that same Element

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 10

 WHAT IF

from the Characters List after rolling NPC Negative on

the Event Focus Table, you might interpret that to mean a
spy gadget is being used against your Character.
Placing events and tropes into the Threads or
Characters Lists does require some interpretation of the
results since these Lists aren’t meant to handle such things.
However, it makes for an easy way to introduce elements
that you want into your Adventure.

ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

You can introduce custom elements into your
Adventure without using the Event Focus Table or
without using Lists just by asking the right Fate Questions
and forming the right Expected Scenes.
This may be the simplest way to include concepts into
your Adventure that you want, by just asking about them.
Do we encounter a zombie while we walk through the
woods? Does my patron deity contact me to offer aid?
Does a strange alien come through the portal?
In a normal Mythic Adventure you can ask any
Question at any time, although Mythic encourages you
to ask Questions that make the most sense. This is why
the Context of an Adventure is so important, it serves as a
guide to help direct us to what Questions we should ask.
Taking a step back, however, you can include custom
elements that you want to be possible in your Adventure
as part of the Context. This makes them fair game to ask
about with Fate Questions or to include them as part of an
Expected Scene Setup.
For instance, if your Character is a wild west gunslinger
and you want your Adventure to have lots of gunfights,
you might just decide to make that part of your Expected
Scene Setup: Dustin enters a new town and promptly gets
into a gunfight.
In a normal Mythic Adventure, the “promptly gets into
a gunfight” wouldn’t make much sense to include in an
Expected Scene Setup since that’s very leading and there’s Want your space hero Character to have Adventures where he encounters new
aliens frequently? Then maybe you should ask for it with Fate Questions.

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 11

 WHAT IF

no reason from the Context of the Adventure to expect another good way for you to incorporate the elements you
a gunfight to occur. However, if you want gunfights to want into your Adventure.
be a trope in your Adventure, then it does make sense to There are various ways to create the first Scene of an
include them in your Setup since that is now part of the Adventure. The standard method laid out in the Mythic
overall Context of the Adventure. The same goes for Fate core books is to generate a Random Event and use that as
Questions. Dustin may have encountered a new town, inspiration for the Scene. This is usually a bare bones start
had a drink at the bar, and is walking across the street and to give you your first details that you start building on.
you ask, “Does he get into a gunfight?” Opening your Adventure with more detail however
At this point you’re asking Fate Questions and gives you the opportunity to craft many important
including elements in your Scene Setups because you elements of the narrative without feeling like you are
want those elements there. They may or may not happen. overly railroading the Adventure. After all, the Adventure
Your Fate Question may get a No. Your Expected Scene hasn’t even started yet, you aren’t altering any details or
Setup may turn into an Altered or Interrupt Scene. guiding the story in a new direction.
But including the custom elements you want in your A detailed opening Scene is an opportunity for you
Adventure as part of the Context lets you ask about them to incorporate what you want into the Adventure while
whenever you want. giving you a good start. If you want an epic and gritty
Think of this like a television show or movie you enjoy. fantasy story, you might start off by describing the noble
Genres of filmed fiction frequently seed their stories with houses of a country on the brink of war. Right away this
elements that only make sense within the Context of would populate your Characters List with important figures
those stories. Superheroes getting into frequent random around the land, important members of your own house,
battles, young wizards discovering new friends who help and the movers and shakers pushing everyone to war. It
them, strange aliens with abilities, etc. would also likely add in a few important Threads, all built
Taking this approach is giving yourself permission to around the narrative idea you came up with. Once you
God-mod your Adventure as you play to encourage the start this Adventure Mythic takes over with the subsequent
kind of play that you want for this Adventure. The usual Scenes springing from this opening, very rich one.
cautions apply: you shouldn’t try to manipulate the story This idea is similar to the earlier idea of pre-populating
too much or advantage your Character to the point where the Lists, but with the added step of creating a fuller
the Adventure is no longer a challenge. In truth, you’re narrative around it all. Whereas pre-populating the Lists is
not doing either of those things; you’re introducing the about you enumerating specific elements you want in the
possibility of certain elements and events showing up in Adventure, then starting the Adventure, this idea is about
your Adventure. combining those two ideas into a cohesive whole for a
fully fleshed out opening Scene.

ADVENTURE STARTUPS Inspiration

The first Scene of a Mythic Adventure is a big deal. A problem with starting with a well-rounded first
This is what gets the ball rolling and everything that Scene like this is coming up with it. You may have a good
happens after the initial Scene is a result of it in some idea of elements you want in an Adventure, and you
way. This is why a carefully constructed opening Scene is might even have some idea how it all connects, but that

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 12

 WHAT IF

still doesn’t knit it all into a workable whole. Here are a

couple of ways to work through this. SOLORPG MYTHIC STARTERS
You can brainstorm with yourself, and use Mythic
Fate Questions to guide you. Is there a dominant house An article about Adventure startups wouldn’t be
pushing everyone toward war? Is my Character’s house a complete without including SoloRPG’s wonderful
powerful one? Are there outside influences effecting the Mythic Starters series. SoloRPG can be found on
Patreon (www.patreon.com/solorpg/), and there
countryside? Are there any natural disasters looming?
you can find a treasure chest of solo role-playing
Running through a series of Fate Questions as they occur tools including the Mythic Starters. Each Starters
to you is a good way to run with an idea and flesh it out. It’s pack contains a number of Adventure ideas,
also a nice marriage of pre-scripted ideas with surprise; you complete with an opening Scene, background
may be providing some general framework but Mythic is about the scenario, and suggested elements for
still helping you shape it into something unexpected. the Characters and Threads Lists. These are fully
Another tool to use is The Adventure Crafter. The formed ideas designed to be plugged directly into
your Mythic Adventure to get you started.
Adventure Crafter’s method of generating
Turning Points and Plot Points is perfect for
coming up with a detailed opening Scene. You
don’t need to run a complete Adventure Crafter
Adventure, you can just keep generating Turning
Points until you are satisfied with the narrative
that it’s spelled out. After three or four Turning
Points you may have a nice opening narrative
complete with a jump start on the Characters
and Threads Lists.
Another source of inspiration is sourcing.
Mythic Magazine #4 talked about sourcing as a
way to help prepare yourself for an Adventure.
Sourcing is taking inspiration for your Adventure
from someplace else, like the plot of a TV
show or a favorite book. In the context of incorporating On the next page you’ll find Treason In The Shaggy
Flea from Mythic Starters 1, generously provided
elements you want into an Adventure, you could find a
by John at SoloRPG.
source that already has those elements and adapt it into
Happy adventuring!
your opening Scene. Maybe there’s a streaming show
about low fantasy conflict between feuding houses that
you think would be perfect. You could take the plot
synopsis of the show, modify it to your liking, and use
that as a guide for the narrative.

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 13

 WHAT IF

Mythic Starters 1
Compatible with the Mythic GME

All her rooms have been paid for by an unknown

Treason in the Shaggy Flea party of guests from outside the city.
Background: The city has been on edge as
rumors of a conspiracy spread like wildfire. Captain Jacobert: A hard man who worked
Monsters have been sighted in the alleys at night, himself up from an alley street rat to the captain
but the city guard seems to have cut back on of the city guard under the guidance of the city
their patrols. magistrate. Jacobert’s mother supposedly worked
for Madame Spleen, and his hatred for the brothel
Magistrate Walfridur fears some covert faction is owner is well known.
building its presence and preparing to strike.
He suspects that captain Jacobert of the Opening Scene:
city guard is corrupt or has been You watch the Shaggy Flea from
otherwise swayed to their cause. His the shadows and see Captain
spies have caught wind of a secret Jacobert enter the brothel. Soon
meeting held in the Shaggy Flea, a after, muffled screams are heard
brothel near the dark alleys where most of from within the building and an
the monsters have been sighted. ogre of a man emerges, fully
armored and carrying a wicked
The magistrate is recruiting agents poleaxe. You hear a beastly growl
to infiltrate this meeting and as he sniffs the air around him.
uncover the connection between
the covert faction, strange Suggested Thread List:
monster sightings, and captain ◆ Find out what the covert faction is
Jacobert’s involvement. trying to achieve
◆ Discover who or what is behind the
Monster Sightings: Strange monster sightings
monsters have made the city’s dark ◆ Investigate captain Jacobert’s
alleys their hunting grounds. Many involvement in the conspiracy
alley folk are missing, yet no bodies are ever
found as the city guard prefers to look the other Suggested Character List:
way. ◆ Dark alleys ◆ Madame Spleen
◆ Magistrate Walfridur ◆ Unknown guests
Magistrate Walfridur: An elderly political ◆ Covert faction ◆ Jacobert’s mother
hardliner known for his hard stance on the city’s ◆ Monster sightings ◆ Ogre of a man
seedier side. Recent events seem to have made this ◆ Walfridur’s spies
shrewd politician uncharacteristically sympathetic ◆ City guard
towards the plight of the alley folk. ◆ Captain Jacobert

The Shaggy Flea: A brothel run by the

influential Madame Spleen, who desires to enter the
city’s high-society on her own terms. Find more Mythic Starters at www.patreon.com/solorpg/

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 14

 WHAT IF
Discussion of some aspect of solo, Mythic, or Crafter play for you to chew on.

Starting, And
Ending, Scenes
The Scene is the basic building block of a Mythic STARTING WITH INTEREST
Adventure. Coming up with Scenes is one of the ways
The core concept of judging when and where to start a
you guide your Mythic Adventure. You create Expected
Scene, and when to end it, rests on the interest the Scene
Scenes, you ask Fate Questions, these are the prompts that
is generating. You start when something interesting is
focus your games. Mythic will take those Expected Scenes
happening, you end when that interest is done. This is the
and tell you if they happen or not, and it will answer
basic, default position.
those Questions. This is the dance we do with the oracle,
For instance, in your sci-fi game of investigation
the back and forth between our imagination, Mythic’s
where your Character is a cybernetically
outcomes, and our interpretations.
enhanced police officer in a big city on the trail
The standard advice for when a Scene begins is simple:
of an android who is killing corporate
it starts with what you expect to happen next. It’s action
executives, you may have just
focused, and when that action is concluded then the
concluded a Scene
Scene ends.
where your Character is
But there are other ways to look at how to start a Scene
investigating a crime site.
and deciding when to end it. Ultimately, those decisions
You picked up a few clues at the site,
are yours and how you make those decisions will have a
including evidence that the android is
big impact on your Adventure.
getting tech from the black market.
This article will explore some other ways to think of
So what should be the next, most
starting and ending Scenes, and will hopefully give you
Expected Scene? What is interesting
some new tools for manipulating your games to make
you? There are a number of ways to
them even better.
go here, for instance maybe you
look up an underworld contact

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 15

 WHAT IF

to question. Maybe you go to someone else in the police You could decide to continue this Scene, have your
department who may be able to point you in the right Character find a safe place to hole up. But, the main
direction. Maybe you stake out a likely black market point of interest in this Scene was meeting the contact.
dealer in hopes of spotting your fugitive. All of these are After the fight and the escape this point of interest has
valid Expected Scenes and they are based off of what you ended, which is a good marker that the Scene should end.
would like to do and what is most interesting to you. Whatever you decide to do after that should form the
Let’s say you decide to visit an underworld contact basis for the next Expected Scene.
of yours to question them. What is the most interesting
way to start this Scene? You decide that it’s about meeting
them at their “office”, a tea cafe that is a front for their FLIPPING THE SCRIPT
illegal activities. The Scene consists of your Character
Now that we’ve gone over how it’s usually done, let’s
sitting down at a table with the contact to talk about
go over some other ways to do it differently. These are
illegal weapons deals. After a few Fate Questions, your
ideas intended to spur you into looking at Scenes a little
Character is getting nervous because the contact is being
differently. You can use some of these ideas to change
evasive and there is a surprising amount of muscle in the
things up, or some of these ideas may help you when
room. The Scene devolves into a fight when the contact
you’re stuck. For instance, if you’re not sure what the next
suddenly tries to have your Character killed. A battle
Expected Scene to be, there may be an approach in this
ensues where your Character prevails and leaps out a
article that suggests where to move the Adventure to next.
window to escape.
Let’s get Scenic!

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 16

 WHAT IF

Time and Location ENDING SCENE STRUGGLE

An even easier and clearer defining point for the start
and end of a Scene is basing them on time and location. Using narrative shift may be a good way to formulate
As soon as your Characters experience a jump in time or a Scenes if you sometimes find yourself struggling with
change in location then it marks the end of one Scene and coming up with Expected Scenes. You may feel that
after one Scene ends, you’re not sure where to
the start of another.
go next. With the narrative shift approach, the end
For instance, if your Character is a survivor in a of a Scene is clearly signaled by an important new
post-apocalyptic world and she spent a Scene exploring element in your Adventure narrative.
a wrecked airplane, she might make camp there during
the night. The time shift now is her bunking down then
waking up some time later. Scene is how you think this situation is going to go. Your
Or, maybe that Character completes the exploration of Character is still at the tea cafe, is still meeting with the
the wreck then moves on. The shift in location marks the contact, and is just about to get into a fight. The time,
end of the Scene and the start of another. place, and situation have not changed, but the narrative
This removes the necessity of you deciding what is focus has.
interesting and what is not, and makes the changes in By placing the emphasis on narrative shifts you get a
Scene more mechanically dependent. This may be a good greater degree of control on how those shifts play out.
option for you if you are more of a simulationist style of Formulating Expected Scenes is no longer just about
solo player and you find basing Scenes on interest to be deciding what the big picture idea of the Scene is, but
taking too heavy of a hand in formulating the narrative. it can also be about details. For instance, your Expected
Scene might be that two of the thugs in the cafe pull
guns and come at you while your contact runs from
When A Narrative Shift Occurs
the table. Details like this would normally be asked as
Instead of viewing Scenes as discreet units of activity Fate Questions: “Do a couple of goons come at me with
and interest that start and stop, another way to view guns?” Instead of using a Fate Question to determine this
Scenes is as a continuous stream that starts and stops with detail, you are using an Expected Scene.
narrative shifts. That Scene would then play out along its narrative
For instance, with our cybernetic cop, he is investigating line, the combat. After your Character leaps through a
a crime scene. He finds evidence of illegal weaponry. That’s window and escapes, the narrative has now shifted again
a shift in the narrative because it’s a dramatic, new piece of and it’s time for a new Expected Scene.
information. You end the Scene there and decide what the Using narrative shifts to determine the start and end
next most Expected Scene to be. So far, this is following of Scenes will often give you the same results as using
the normal “interest” model. Next Scene, your Character interest, or time and location, but it will also open
visits his underworld contact at the tea cafe. The meeting the door for interrupting a Scene and refocusing your
is going well, until it turns violent. attention on the new direction the Adventure is heading.
Instead of playing out this Scene as you did before in This can lead to fairly long Scenes when the narrative
the interest approach, you stop the Scene here because doesn’t shift. Maybe your Character is investigating the
this represents a shift in the narrative. The next Expected illegal weaponry angle and is visiting dealers, police

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 17

 WHAT IF

experts, and arms manufacturers. All of this takes place

within the same Scene because as far as you’re concerned SIMULATIONIST VERSUS THEATRICAL
this is all the same narrative focus: investigating. In
game time, this may take days and involve a half dozen Solo play styles can broadly be broken down into
two categories: simulationist and theatrical. In my
locations and Characters. When your Character comes
view a simulationist Player is looking to emulate
upon new, useful information, you might decide this is
a virtual reality in their Adventure, and whatever
a narrative shift and time for a new Expected Scene. Or, happens is what happens whether it serves a larger
maybe a Random Event occurs, and you decide that is the plot or not. A theatrical Player is more interested in
narrative shift. the overall narrative, treating the Adventure like an
This approach also has the curious effect of bringing ongoing story.
more deus ex machina into your Adventures, a literary plot Both styles of play have different expectations. For
device of narratively presenting solutions to unsolvable instance, a simulationist Player may want surprises
problems. By ending a Scene right when something while a theatrical Player wants drama and tension.
important happens, you are introducing the prospect of Each of the methods described in this article for
the Scene suddenly changing with an Interrupt Scene. formulating Scenes may work better for one style of
play versus another. Here’s a breakdown of how I
Your cyber cop may have just gotten jumped by armed
think they are favored.
thugs during a meeting, but suddenly another cop shows
up and helps you in the fight, for instance. SCENE SIMULATIONIST THEATRICAL
STYLE FRIENDLY FRIENDLY

Mood Based Scenes Interest

 
Very similar to narrative shift based Scenes are mood
based Scenes. This is ending a Scene when you feel the
Time &
Location 
mood of the Adventure has changed. It doesn’t have to
necessarily have anything to do with interest, time, place,
or events that are changing the narrative. It’s entirely
Narrative
Shift 
based on how you feel.
For instance, let’s say your fantasy barbarian Character
Mood

is exploring a dungeon. You’re going room to room,
killing monsters, taking loot, and surviving traps.
Interrupt
 
In an interest based Scene model you might break each
room into it’s own Scene, building up curiosity for each
Random
Event 
search. In a time and location based approach, again it’s as
you shift from one room to the next, one portion of the the above, or none of them. Maybe busting into rooms
dungeon to another. In a narrative shift model, you might and battling beasts all fits your current mood. Spring a
explore rooms and hallways until something happens, like trap? It still feels the same. After a while you feel like it’s
encountering a monster or springing a trap. Then you end getting old, something different should happen. Your
the Scene and start a new one. mood is shifting, so it’s time for a new Scene.
In a mood base model, however, you might do any of Mood based Scenes in practice would operate like a

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 18

 WHAT IF

multitude of these other models because interest, time,

location, and narrative shifts will all work to change your PLACING VOLUNTEER INTERRUPTS
mood. This doesn’t lock you into any one paradigm. It
makes Scene endings dependent on how you feel about Using the suggestion under Sceneus Interruptus
should be used sparingly since it disrupts the normal
the Adventure, and when you’re ready for a new feeling.
Expected Scene and Chaos Factor system. Still, it’s
This approach would likely appeal more to narrative
one way to shift your Adventure forward if it gets
style solo players and less so to simulationist style. stuck in the mud.
One problem you might encounter with using this
Sceneus Interruptus method, however, is where and when does this
new Scene take place? If the Interrupt Scene were
It happens to the best of us. Your Adventure is going part of a normal Chaos Factor check, then you
along nicely, but you suddenly find yourself at a dead end. would already have an Expected Scene in mind and
You have no idea what the next Expected Scene should a course of action laid out for your Character. This
be. What do you do now? gives you some idea where and when an Interrupt
would happen.
You might think this is a problem unique to solo
role-playing, but it’s not. It happens in group play as However, if you volunteer for an Interrupt to help
move your Adventure forward, you may be lacking
well where the Players find themselves at a loss for what
some Context in where to place it.
to do next. This is where a savvy Gamemaster will make
I suggest coming up with an Expected Scene idea
something happen to get the Player Characters back on
anyway, even if it’s just “My character sits in her
track and make it seem organic. headquarters, staring at the phone, waiting for the
You can simulate the same procedure with Mythic by next cry for help.” This at least sets some time frame
volunteering to have the next Scene be an Interrupt Scene. for you, and places your Character somewhere, so
If you really find yourself at a loss for where to go next, that when you generate the Interrupt you have a
then perhaps allow an Interrupt Scene to be the next Scene. little more to work with.
You would roll for a Random Event then build the Scene
around that. This is the equivalency of looking at the GM
and saying, “I have no idea where to go from here next. My of that control over to Mythic, you can try having Scene
Character just sits tight until something develops.” endings and beginnings determined by Random Events.
The Interrupt Scene will generate something, and With this model a Scene is continuous until you
likely from there you can get back on track. If you get generate a Random Event. No matter what happens,
stuck again, then it’s back to another Interrupt Scene. where your Character goes, how much time transpires,
what narrative shifts occur, it’s all one continuous Scene.
As soon as you generate a Random Event through a Fate
Random Events Question, however, you have a decision to make whether
Maybe you want to remove yourself almost completely the Random Event marks the end of the Scene.
from the Scene determination process. Mythic Scenes, by For instance, your knight Character has spent the
their nature of starting with your Expectations, give you first Scene of the Adventure riding into a small hamlet.
a great deal of narrative control over your Adventure. If He discovers the populace is troubled, a wizard has been
you’d like to have less control over Scenes, and give more terrorizing them. They implore the knight to help and rid

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 19

 WHAT IF

them of the malevolent wizard, and your Character agrees. can decide whether the Random Event marks the end
After spending a night in the village, your Character rides of the Scene. The decision is yours. In our example, if a
out in the morning into the nearby crags, a hilly, rocky Random Event was generated after the battle with the
region where the mage has apparently taken up residence. second monster the Player would likely choose to use
As your Character advances, he encounters several this opportunity to end the Scene since it has gone on
monsters along the way that are servants and guards to the for some time. If he had generated a Random Event very
wizard. He dispatches them and continues. early in the Scene, however, the Player may have felt this
So far this has all been one long continuous Scene, was too early to end the Scene and just treated it like a
the first Scene of the Adventure. In a normal Mythic normal Random Event and continued with the Scene.
Adventure this Scene may have been two or three Scenes. If you decide to use a Random Event as a way to end
The knight rides into town, is told of the trouble, agrees the Scene, then end the Scene as you normally would
to help and spends the night. End of Scene. In the before determining the Random Event. You would then
morning he rides out to the crags and encounters the first come up with an Expected Scene for what happens next,
monster. End of Scene. He continues on, and encounters most likely picking up right from where you left off. This
the second guard. End of Scene. makes this modal of Scene structure similar to narrative
Using Random Events as our end of Scene marker, Scenes, in that it’s not necessarily going to start and stop
let’s say the Player Character asks a Fate Question during at different locations or times.
the Scene that generates a Random Event. Now you The next Scene would be determined as you normally

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 20

 WHAT IF

would do it: you come up with an Expected Scene then

test it to see if it happens, or gets Altered or becomes an WHICH RANDOM EVENTS TO CHOOSE?
Interrupt. This is where things get a little different, however.
What makes this next Scene different from a normal In the Random Events approach to ending and
starting a Scene you have the least control over
Mythic Expected Scene is that you have a Random Event
your Scene breaks as compared to the other Scene
waiting in the wings. You don’t know what it’s going to
models. You can still choose when a Random Event
be, but you know it’s going to happen at the start of the triggers a Scene ending, however, and when a
next Scene. This Random Event is going to color your Random Event is just another Random Event.
next Scene. This is to give you some measure of control over
If the next Scene happens as Expected, then start the your Scenes so that your Scene doesn’t end
Scene and generate the Random Event, treating it like any immediately if you roll a Random Event early into it.
Random Event that takes place in a Scene. If the Scene However, maybe you want less control.
is Altered, however, then work the Random Event into You can take yet another step back from the Scene
why it is Altered. The Random Event will be the altering process by mandating that every Random Event
component of the Scene. If the Scene is an Interrupt, then triggers a Scene end and a Scene beginning. This can
again the Random Event is the Interrupting element. mean rapid fire Scenes sometimes which could be
Essentially, the three statuses of your Scene ... Expected, viewed is your Adventure pivoting quickly.
Altered, Interrupt ... will determine how intense and You could also determine that every second
dominating of the Scene your Random Event is going to be. Random Event in a Scene is the automatic Scene
ender. This would lessen the chances of a Scene
For instance, with our knight hunting for the wizard,
ending early, but greatly increase the chances of
let’s say after his second monster encounter he asks the
Scenes running much longer.
Fate Question, “Do I see any sign of the wizard’s cave?
I must be near it.” Mythic comes back with a Yes, and a
Random Event. Trick and Benefits. The Player decides that this means
The Player decides that this Random Event marks the the wizard steps out of the cave (Benefits, because the
end of the Scene and the start of another one. He resolves wizard has made it easy on the knight to find him) but it’s
the Yes answer to his Fate Question, determining that he only an illusion of the wizard (Trick), which the knight
sees a rocky cave opening ahead with a thin trail of smoke discovers when he approaches. The wizard disappears and
emanating from it and strange symbols painted onto the reappears further away, laughing at the knight.
rock. He ends the Scene and does any bookkeeping, such as In this instance the Expected Scene happened as
adjusting the Chaos Factor and updating Lists, then comes conceived with the knight approaching the wizard’s cave.
up with the next Expected Scene idea. Given the Context, The Random Event that precipitated the Scene change
the Player picks up from where he left off for the Expected happened, adding the element of the illusory wizard
Scene with the knight approaching the cave entrance. appearing and taunting the knight.
That’s what the Player Expects. He rolls against the What if the Scene had been Altered instead? In this
Chaos Factor and gets his Expected Scene. The Scene case, the Random Event would have to be considered the
starts, and now the Player rolls for the Random Event altering element. The Player may decide that the Scene
that was generated in the previous Scene. He gets Player happens as Expected, but instead of an illusory wizard
Character Negative, and on the Meaning Tables gets appearing the cave entrance is an illusion; it disappears as

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 21

 WHAT IF

the knight approaches and reappears somewhere else.

In this case, the Random Event that triggered this THE MULTI APPROACH
Scene has more impact on the Expected Scene since
it’s the altering element of this Altered Scene. In total, that’s six different ways to approach starting and
ending Scenes presented in this article:
What if the Scene had been an Interrupt, so
something entirely different happens instead of • INTEREST: The default method, basing Scenes on
a goal or particular activity.
the Expected Scene and the Random Event is the
cause. The Player may Interpret this to mean that • TIME AND LOCATION: Scenes are triggered
when a time or location shift occurs.
instead of the knight approaching the cave, that
everything changes and he finds himself standing in • NARRATIVE SHIFT: The Scene ends when
something important happens, shifting the narrative.
a dark temple. The knight knows this is an illusion
cast by the wizard to foil his senses, but he will • MOOD: Scenes end when you feel it’s time to end
them and enliven the Adventure with a new Scene.
have to outsmart the mad mage to prevail through
the phantasm. In this case the Random Event is • INTERRUPT: New Scenes are automatically an
Interrupt when you feel stuck for an Expected Scene.
incorporated into the Interrupt Scene, forming the
basis for it. • RANDOM EVENTS: Random Events trigger the
end and start of Scenes.
In this approach to Scenes you don’t have to roll
for another Random Event for an Interrupt Scene, You can use most of these methods on their own or
in combination together. For instance, maybe you’re
you already have one ready to go.
using the default method of basing Scenes on a point of
This modal is a very different way to go about
interest. However, you get stuck midway through your
starting and ending Scenes. You’re likely to have Adventure so you opt for an automatic Interrupt in the
fewer Scenes in an Adventure like this, meaning next Scene. Having enjoyed that Scene, you decide
more of your story is going to be determined by to make the rest of the Adventure be more random
Fate Questions than by Expected Scenes. This so you use the Random Events approach for the
approach may appeal more to simulationist style remainder of your Adventure’s Scenes.
Players because you have less direct control over the You could go about this without any advance planning,
narrative; what happens in this type of Adventure using any of these methods in any given Scene as it
is determined more by your Character actions and seems appropriate to you. If a Scene you normally would
base on Interest is going nowhere, you might opt for
what Mythic throws at you.
using a shift in location to mark the end of the Scene. A
If you’re a theatrical style solo Player, however, you few Scenes later you feel the current Scene is a bit stale,
may find the infrequent prompts to start a new Scene so you end it out of mood considerations and start a
stifling your creativity. new Scene. When the Adventure starts to heat up and a
lot is going on, you decide to use Narrative Shift to break
up Scenes to keep the fast paced action more tidy and
understandable.
There is no approved solution to which method you use
and when, it’s whatever works best for you. You’ll find
that each modal has its own distinct feel.

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 22

 WHAT IF
Discussion of some aspect of solo, Mythic, or Crafter play for you to chew on.

Matching An RPG To
Your Style Of Solo Play
Part of the magic of playing role-playing games solo CRUNCH
is that you can play any RPG by yourself. Simply take
I’m going to start off with what I think is the easiest
Mythic, or your oracle of choice, learn the RPG, and get
way to classify role-playing games ... by their crunch
going. While this opens up worlds of possibilities for you,
factor. I define crunch as how rules heavy an RPG is,
sometimes the marriage of one’s solo style to their chosen
how much there is to keep track of, how often you have
RPG is not seamless.
to roll dice, and just generally how much it requires you
People sometimes ask, “What’s the best RPG to play
to do to prepare and move your game along. You could
solo with?” I think this question gets asked because those
use other terms for this, for instance low crunch games
Players have run into problems where they feel one RPG
are often narrative type games with a focus on ease of
worked better for them than another one did. It’s a good
play and story flow. High crunch games are often more
question, but I think there’s another way to look at this.
simulationist, in my opinion, and put more emphasis on
In my opinion it’s not so much about which games
adjudicating outcomes from a higher degree of detail.
work best with solo play, it’s more about which games
I think crunch is the first factor to consider when
work best with your style of solo play. And then there’s
starting a solo Adventure and trying to choose an RPG
the other side of the question ... how can you alter your
because it will directly impact how much work you have
style of solo play to better match the RPG?
to do as the Player. As a solo role-player you are already
In this article I’m going to explore how you can
in charge of your Character, knowing the rules of your
identify RPGs that might work best for you, and ways
chosen oracle and its accompanying parts, and the RPG
you can alter how you play to make your solo experience
you are playing with. You are also keeping track of details,
more smooth with your chosen RPG.
the kinds of things a group of role-players would normally
Personally, I think it all starts with ...
all handle together.
From the start you have a larger workload than you

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 23

 WHAT IF

would have with a group role-play experience. On the

other hand, when playing solo, you don’t have to rush.
There is no one else to please other than yourself. How
swiftly your game moves along is entirely up to you.
It would be easy to simply say low crunch games work
better with solo play than high crunch games, thus you
should usually choose the lowest crunch games to play
with. However, a broad-brush dismissal of crunchy games
is a mistake in my opinion. For one thing, maybe you like
the crunch and don’t mind the work involved in which
case there is no problem. After all, you can take your time
as a solo Player if you wish. Even if you find high crunch
games to be burdensome in your solo play there are ways
to modify your play to make it all work more pleasingly.
The bottom line is, crunch does not have to be a factor
in selecting an RPG to play solo.

De-Crunching The Crunch

In Mythic Magazine #6 there was an article about
using Mythic to learn a new RPG as you play it. The
general idea was that you use Mythic Fate Questions to
resolve mechanical game issues when you don’t know the
rules offhand. Those same principles apply to a crunchy
game you may know well but can’t remember every rule as
you play.
Involved in a car chase in a post-apocalyptic RPG?
You might know the game has extensive vehicular combat
rules, but you don’t want to stop the action of your
Adventure to look them up. You can use Mythic Fate
Questions instead to resolve some of those situations until
you’ve had time to review the RPG rules again.
If you’re going to use Mythic to replace crunch in a
game, I suggest separating the Chaos Factor from those
Fate Questions. The Chaos Factor is meant to modify
narrative events which by their nature are unpredictable
and changing, so it may feel a bit off to also apply it to
rules resolution which should generally be more precise
and constant. If the Fate Question is a replacement for Before you open the door of adventure, make sure your chosen RPG plays well
with your solo style.

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 24

 WHAT IF

a mechanical aspect of your game, I suggest going with

a Chaos Factor of 5 for those rolls regardless of what the FIGHTING THE ODDS
actual Chaos Factor is.
For instance, in our car chase example maybe you If you’re using Fate Questions to replace mechanical
know there’s a rule for checking to see if you maintain aspects of your RPG, you can also take a hybrid
control of a car when making a turn at high speed. You approach. For instance, maybe you like a game’s
combat system but think the rules for determining
can’t remember the rule and don’t want to pause your
if you hit or not are too complicated. Let’s say it
game to look it up, so you pose it as a Fate Question, “Do involves your Character rolling their combat skill,
I maintain control of the car as I take the turn?” then the defender rolls their combat skill, you factor
When considering the Odds to a Fate Question like the difference then apply armor modifiers and
this, take into account any relevant Context. This not modifiers for environmental conditions.
only includes what’s happening in the Scene, but also You’re finding this much rolling is slowing down
Character statistics, skills, and other elements of your your solo game, so you decide to just go with
RPG. You may not be using the mechanics included in the first roll, your Character’s combat skill. From
your RPG to resolve this moment, but you can still use there, you pose it as a Fate Question: “Does my
Character hit?” You decide the Odds based on the
the elements you’re aware of. By factoring those elements
factors that were supposed to be rolled for, like the
into the Odds, you’re simulating the RPG rules as closely defender’s skill. Also, you would factor in whether
as possible. or not you succeeded on your skill roll. If you failed
With our driver, you might have assigned Odds of the roll you might go with Odds of 50/50, if you
Likely to the Question for someone of average driving succeed you might go with Likely. If the defender
skill. Maybe your Character is an expert behind the has a high combat value, you might bump those
wheel, however. In this case, you think the Odds should Odds down a notch.
be bumped up to Very Likely. In this way, you can use rolls and factors from the
Substituting Fate Questions for RPG mechanics is a RPG to influence the Odds of your Fate Questions,
allowing you to bring as much of the RPG’s rules
quick and easy way to avoid getting bogged down if you’re
into the equation as you wish to.
feeling overwhelmed by the crunch of your RPG. You
may even decide that certain rules will be permanently
replaced by Fate Questions, and by doing this find your of replacing RPG rules with Fate Questions, you can
perfect balance between how much of the RPG ruleset you replace Fate Questions with RPG rules.
use and how much you replace. This is a trial and error Let me explain ... let’s say you’re playing a game that
approach, and the deeper you get into your Adventure the requires an extensive and detailed Character sheet. The
more comfortable you’ll become with striking that balance. game has a fair amount of crunch, including rules for
many possible eventualities like poisoning, burning,
Making Crunch Work For You busting down doors, convincing people to do what you
say, etc. Normally in the game, a skill roll would be used
An RPG that has some crunch, or is even heavy with to tell if your Character succeeded at a task, or a game
it, doesn’t have to become a hindrance. That crunch can mechanic may exist to help decide if a certain outcome
be harnessed for story purposes. This piece of advice is happens. If you are playing this game solo, you can take
exactly the opposite of what I just said previously. Instead these rules a step further. If you have a question you

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 25

 WHAT IF

might normally have posed to Mythic as a Fate Question, mechanics, giving the results of your rolls a more narrative
maybe instead you answer it by making a skill roll or by flavor. This will help you to focus on the rules of the
using the RPG mechanic that most applies to it. You RPG, using Mythic only for Scene structure and the
might interpret the result of this roll beyond what you occasional Fate Question that you think is appropriate.
normally would within the RPG. For instance, if your
Character in the car chase wanted to know if the bridge Play What You Know
ahead is up or down, instead of making a Fate Question
out of it maybe your RPG has a Luck rule, or maybe you So far I have mostly talked about whether the rules of
roll against your Character’s Intelligence or even Driving an RPG are a hindrance or not to your style of solo play.
Skill to represent their luck on the road. These considerations can be partially set aside for games
You can use the crunch of the game to shift some of you know and are familiar with. If you know an RPG
the narrative duties off of Mythic and onto the RPG backwards and forwards then the crunch of the game is

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 26

 WHAT IF

less important because you won’t be pausing to look up

rules. You’re also accustomed to whatever record keeping COMBATIVE ATTITUDE
the game requires.
In my own RPG collection I have hundreds of books Something to consider when it comes to choosing
and games. Out of all of those there are maybe six an RPG for solo play is how much combat you
that I can say I truly know completely and would be expect in your game. Keeping track of battles can
be one of the most book-keeping heavy activities
comfortable pulling off the shelf and jumping into play
in a role-playing game. If you already know ahead
right away. Those are the games I know without having to of time that you plan to have a lot of combat or
study up on them. not, that can help you direct your choice of RPG.
The advantage to playing what you know is the rules For instance, if you are intending a more social
will move swiftly since you won’t need to do many game of mystery and discovery, maybe that
lookups, and you have a grasp for the feeling of the RPG. crunchy game you were considering isn’t as much
The downside is that you may be cutting yourself off of a bear as you thought. With combat mostly
from some other, good RPGs if you just always play the removed from the equation, much of the crunch
few you are most comfortable with. may have gone with it.
You can turn the “Play What You Know” approach By the same token, if you plan to have a lot of
into a strategy for solo play. Take a game ... whether you combat maybe the heft of the rules should be
taken more into consideration. A low crunch game
know it or not and regardless of its crunch level ... and
may be more appropriate if keeping track of lots of
take the time to thoroughly learn it. Then, once you have information lowers your enjoyment of a game.
made it into a game you know, stick with it for some
time. Making a commitment to a game will pay off in the
time you save later where you aren’t pausing to look up
GAMES BY TYPE
rules. That time has already been paid in advance through
careful attention. Here is a summary of different types of games and why
“Learn how to play the game” may seem like the they may work well with your style of solo role-playing.
plainest and most obvious of common sense advice, A Google search for any of these categories will give you
but for many solo role-players time is tight. Your usual loads of suggestions and discussions about specific games
approach to choosing a game may be based largely on to choose from.
how quickly you can get into it. I’m suggesting choosing a
game and deciding you’re going to be with that game for Universal Games
a long while, as opposed to playing multiple games in the
One of the appeals of generic, universal role-playing
same time span. You may find yourself sticking with that
games is that you can learn a single system that is applied
game for six months, a year, or longer, until you feel you
to a multitude of genres, allowing you to learn one
have played out all the Characters and stories you want
system but play many styles. That appeal also applies
in that RPG. Then, you move on to another and do the
to solo role-playing where you can put in the time to
same thing.
learn the mechanics of the game system without having
to learn a whole new system when you want to switch
genres. Universal RPGs have been around for some time.

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 27

 WHAT IF

I remember back when I picked up the first edition to

GURPS, my introduction to universal RPGs. I thought SUGGESTIONS
the idea was tremendous, and I still do. By their nature,
universal RPG’s are highly customizable which further Below are a list of suggestions for games to
makes them ideal for solo play. consider that all fit into one or more of the
category types discussed in this chapter. This list
is composed of games that I think work well with
Narrative Games solo play for certain reasons, as well as suggestions
gathered from discussions on the Solo_Roleplaying
Role-playing games that focus on the narrative can be Reddit. Please keep in mind that this list is far
solo friendly because they often require less book-keeping from comprehensive and is meant to help get you
as you play. Their story-focused nature also plugs in nicely started on a search for a game that clicks with you.
with the narrative approach of asking Yes/No Questions
CTHULHU DARK: A simple to learn narrative
in a Mythic style solo game. Narrative focused games are
system that is all about Lovecraftian mystery.
also often low on crunch.
CYPHER SYSTEM: A system used in multiple
One possible drawback to this type of game for the
games that focuses on the Player, making it easier
solo player is that the narrative nature of these games to solo, with highly customizable narrative rules.
sometimes calls for a collaboration between players.
DUNGEON WORLD: The mechanics are
The game might be meant to act as a catalyst for easy to pick up, the game is highly customizable
improvisation, assuming there is more than one person to making it even more solo friendly, and the game
contribute to the collective narrative. Even so, they can encourages world building as you go.
be played solo as you alone taking on the narrative duties. FATE: I hear Fate mentioned often by solo players
You can also include Mythic as another voice by posing and for good reason. The game is universal, the rules
Fate Questions or, even easier, making rolls on a Meaning are fairly simple to learn, and it’s highly customizable,
Table to see what Mythic has to say about the narrative making it easily adaptable to any solo scenario.
going forward. IRONSWORN: An easy to pick up, player facing
narrativist style game with a gritty fantasy setting
and solo rules included.
One-Shots JOURNALING GAMES: I’m stating this as a
While any role-playing game can be played as a one- general category because there are a number
shot Adventure ... an Adventure intended to last only for of them out there, such as Thousand Year Old
Vampire. The solo rules are built into the system
a single session and not for an ongoing campaign ... there
and the games present as unfolding journals, making
are games that lend themselves to this style of play by them a unique and interesting twist on solo play.
having simple and elegant rule sets often wrapped around
POWERED BY THE APOCALYPSE
intriguing ideas. GAMES: This is a game framework utilized by
In terms of solo role-play, RPG’s that are suited for dozens of games where the Player focus is baked
one-shot Adventures are also ideal for solo play since they into the design. While a few PbtA games are
usually employ low crunch, quick to understand rules. A mentioned on this list for their own reasons, you’ll
one-shot oriented RPG may use some quirky and original
ideas (Honey Heist anyone?) helping to inspire the solo CONTINUES ON THE NEXT PAGE

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 28

 WHAT IF

Games Written For Solo Play

SUGGESTIONS
Solo role-playing has been slowly catching on in the
CONTINUED hobby for years, and you can find more games published
these days with solo rules built into them than ever
find that there are many more out there that are before. While they may not use the Mythic Game Master
well suited for solo play. Emulator, most modern solo systems are Mythic-inspired
SAVAGE WORLDS: A generic game that so if you know Mythic odds are good that the system
works well with solo play with its flexible balance presented will feel familiar. Either way, these games are
of simplicity to crunch, designed to be quick to made with the solo Player in mind so will be optimized
learn and low prep. There is also a large supply for solo play.
of adventures available on the internet, many of
which are designed as one-shots making them
easily accessible. Player Facing Games
SCARLET HEROES: A fantasy game with an Games that employ a Gamemaster to Player
easy-to-learn old school approach that focuses on
relationship require a certain balance of participation
single characters as opposed to a party group. It
also includes its own solo rules. from both to move the game along. Player facing RPGs
mostly, if not entirely, place the dice rolling and decision
making responsibilities onto the Players. This makes these
Player’s imagination. An Adventure that is ideal as a one- types of games good for solo play because the rules are
shot for a group of Players can easily become the basis of already putting you in control, making their transition to
an entire campaign for a solo Player who decides to use solo play simpler.
the source material as a starting point.

LET’S HEAR IT!

Have thoughts on an article in Mythic Magazine, or

experiences related to it, that you’d like to discuss
with other Mythic players? Join the discussion online!
Find links to Word Mill Game’s fan site,
Patreon page, and other online groups at
www.wordmillgames.com

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 29

 WHAT IF
Discussion of some aspect of solo, Mythic, or Crafter play for you to chew on.

Solo Play Strategy:

Focusing In
Solo role-playing opens the door to accessing our
games in a way that takes a step beyond how they SOLO PLAY STRATEGIES
were often originally intended to be played. With the
Gamemaster replaced by the oracle, we can enjoy our Playing differently in a solo adventure, because
games solo or as a group of Players. we can, is something that’s been touched on in
However, we are still usually playing in the way we are previous Mythic Magazine articles. It’s a topic I
would like to come back to sometimes, creating
accustomed to. Do we have to?
a series of Solo Play Strategy articles. Most of the
In this article I want to explore the idea of taking time, these will be simple approaches to solo role-
advantage of options that solo role-playing opens that playing that are different from how you might be
goes beyond how we might usually play. I might cover playing now. The intention of these articles is to
more Solo Play Strategies in the future, but in this article I show another point of view on how to approach a
want to take a look at what I’m calling Focusing In. solo adventure.
If you play your games a little differently than most,
or you’ve hit upon a strategy you really like and
want to share, please consider contacting me and
A MATTER OF SCALE letting me know about it if you’d like it featured in
We all have our own ways of playing our games, but it a future Solo Play Strategy article. You can contact
usually comes down to guiding our Characters through me through the Contact Us form at
www.wordmillgames.com.
adventures as they try to achieve a goal. Adventure after
adventure builds the campaign around our Characters as
they grow and change.
What if we changed it up. Instead of being with our
This model is very much like how we are accustomed
Characters on a first-person, decision by decision basis,
to consuming stories, the way it’s presented in novels
we pull back. Way back. Now, instead of observing our
and movies.
Characters in the moment, we’re looking at them from a

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 30

 WHAT IF

more removed position and seeing larger sections of their Sanzo In Cat’s Cradle
lives at a time.
Instead of watching our Characters as we might in a The Player’s Character is Sanzo, a police officer in
movie, we’re reviewing their activities or the narrative a dystopian future. Sanzo lives in the island nation of
around them like we might if reading a summary of a Cat’s Cradle, the most populated and sophisticated place
movie. Within the span of a few minutes we might learn on Earth after a devastating war laid waste to most of
what normally would have taken a two-hour Adventure the planet. Terrible biological weapons brought ruin to
to unfold. much of the world, but civilization struggles on in Cat’s
You keep advancing through your Character’s life, Cradle. The place is a melting pot of high technology,
summary by summary. Now, what if you get to a point religious conflict, political intrigue, desperate refugees,
in their life where you want to dive in. At this point, and criminal warlords who all vie for a piece of the island’s
you zoom in on that summary and take control of your densely populated territory.
Character in the same way you do with a traditional role- Using a Focusing Out strategy to role-play Sanzo, we
playing experience. start with learning about Sanzo’s young life. At age 18
Let’s do an example of what I’m talking about. he became a police officer in Cat’s Cradle because years

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 31

 WHAT IF

earlier he had witnessed his parents being bullied by local government and claim rulership of the island nation.
criminals. Sanzo vowed to fight injustice, and quickly rose The Player decides to continue moving forward with
through the ranks of the Cat’s Cradle Justice Enforcers, a Focused Out approach in Sanzo’s life to see how this
the CCJE. One important case involved Sanzo infiltrating situation plays out. Within five years the government
a criminal organization that was manufacturing a drug falls, Apex becomes the new rulers and outlaws the CCJE,
that enhanced physical abilities, although the users of the leaving Sanzo without a job. He turns to mercenary work,
drug usually died shortly thereafter. Sanzo himself was finding himself sometimes hired by the very criminal
badly wounded in this case and was given cybernetic body organizations he used to hunt. Things have changed in
parts to repair his left arm and heart. Cat’s Cradle, and the new rulers are strongly authoritarian
All of this information so far was generated by the Player with harsh, oppressive laws.
quickly within a single Mythic Scene. The Player is curious Apex begins using autonomous, robot drones to police
now about Sanzo’s life, and wants to Focus In for a closer the streets. A rebellion begins to grow, where people
look. So, now it’s time to change perspective. The next ambush the drones as protest. Sanzo finds himself drawn
Scene is a Focused In Scene, with the Expected Scene of: into this growing conflict.
Sanzo is on a routine day of work, following up on a crime. The Player decides this is a good place to dive back in.
After rolling against the Chaos Factor the Player finds The next Scene, using a Focusing In approach, involves
the Expected Scene happens. After asking a few Fate Sanzo agreeing to join a group of saboteurs who want to
Questions, the Player determines that Sanzo is taking a destroy the facility that controls the policing drones. This
trip to a ruined part of Cat’s Cradle where a serial killer facet of the Adventure lasts for five Scenes, where Sanzo
might be hiding. The Scene begins with Sanzo arriving at gathers with a group and breaks into the facility. This
the location, a wrecked factory. The place still hums with part of the Adventure is heavy with action, and involves
power, fires here and there burning that have been left for the destruction of the facility and the group struggling to
years, so Sanzo puts on a breathing mask and proceeds escape to safety.
with caution. The Scene continues with Sanzo picking As you can see in this example, much of the adventure
through the ruins, looking for evidence of the killer. He is fast forwarding through
eventually finds a room that he believes the killer is using Sanzo’s life until the Player
as a lair. wants to drill down to
The Player continues on with several Scenes where specifics. A Focusing In play
Sanzo follows more leads and eventually comes into style gives you the chance to
conflict with the killer. They have a battle and Sanzo have an entire role-playing
succeeds in subduing him and taking him in. campaign within a single
The Player now decides to Focus Out again. That adventure or two.
excursion into Sanzo’s life gave him a better feel for the
Character. The next Scene is again more general, like The Tools We Need
the first Scene was. Over the next few years conditions
in Cat’s Cradle deteriorate. As people become more Producing a Focusing In
desperate, religious movements gain more fervent Solo Play Strategy can be done Mythic Magazine #5 includes
“Combining Mythic With The
followings. One cult in particular, The Apex, gains a lot of a number of ways, but I’m Adventure Crafter.” The rules
momentum to the point where it may topple the regional going to do it by combining from that article are summarized
in this issue for easy reference.

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 32

 WHAT IF

COMBINING MYTHIC WITH Character gets added to a List once in a Scene it does
not get added again.
THE ADVENTURE CRAFTER At the end of a Scene, if a Plotline is wrapped up or a
This section summarizes content from Mythic Magazine #5 Character drops out of the Adventure you would remove
necessary for using the system detailed in this chapter. them from their List just like you would in a typical
Mythic Adventure. Cross out all instances of the Plotline
THEMES or Character from their List.
This method of handling the Lists combines both the
Generate Themes before your Adventure, just as you
Mythic and the TAC approaches. In Mythic, items are
would normally with The Adventure Crafter.
added as they appear in Scenes and are removed when
they exit the Adventure. With TAC, items are added
LISTS as they are Invoked and removed when a Meta result
Probably the biggest change to a Mythic Adventure says to remove them or a Plotline Conclusion occurs.
when combining it with The Adventure Crafter is how Combining both Mythic and The Adventure Crafter
Lists are handled. You should adopt The Adventure also means combining both approaches to altering Lists.
Crafter List method for Plotlines and Characters, using
the same List tables from The Adventure Crafter book What Goes On The Characters List
(also included at the back of this book).
Adventure Crafter Plotlines and Mythic Threads Don’t forget that in The Adventure Crafter List method
are the same thing, so consider the two terms every Character goes on the Characters List: Non-Player
interchangeable when rules refer to them. Characters and Player Characters. Combining Mythic
Plotlines/Threads and Characters will be added to with The Adventure Crafter uses the same method.
your Lists at the end of a Scene as normal in a Mythic
Adventure. The Lists are weighted now, however, so if RANDOM EVENTS
a Plotline or Character makes an appearance in a Scene
On the next page is an Adventure Crafter Event
add it to the List up to a maximum of three entries
Focus Table to use when combining the two systems.
over the course of the Adventure. This is identical to
Random Events are generated as usual in the course
how The Adventure Crafter populates Lists as Plotlines
of answering a Fate Question: roll on the Event Focus
and Characters are Invoked, only you’re doing it now
Table and the Meaning Tables, interpreting your results.
as Mythic Scenes play out. Just like with Adventure
Crafter Turning Points, you will only add a Plotline or a
Character to a List once for a Scene even if that Plotline Plot Point Event
or Character is represented more than once in the Scene.
This Random Event is generated by rolling up a
Plotlines and Characters are also added to their
single Plot Point with The Adventure Crafter. Randomly
Lists if they are Invoked by an Adventure Crafter
determine the Plotline, as usual, and the Theme then roll a
Turning Point. These methods of adding Plotlines and
single Plot Point. Roll on one of the Event Meaning Tables
Characters, the Mythic way and The Adventure Crafter
(Action or Description, depending on which one you
way, do not stack in a single Scene. If a Plotline or

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 33

 WHAT IF

Adventure Crafter Event Focus Table New Character

A new Character enters the story, the same as if you
1-15 PLOT POINT EVENT
had rolled “New Character” on the Characters List.
16-36 CHARACTER ACTION Their details are determined using The Adventure
37-57 CHARACTER NEGATIVE Crafter Character Crafting rules. Also, roll on the Action
Meaning Tables for inspiration on what this Character is
58-73 CHARACTER POSITIVE
doing when they appear in your Adventure.
74-80 NEW CHARACTER
81-90 MOVE TOWARD A PLOTLINE Move Toward/Away From A Plotline
91-97 MOVE AWAY FROM A PLOTLINE
Roll for a Plotline from the Plotlines List, then roll
98-100 PLOTLINE CONCLUSION on the Action Meaning Tables for inspiration on what is
helping you, or hindering you, with that Plotline.
think is most appropriate) for more information to get a If you roll for a Plotline and get New Plotline, try to
better interpretation. If necessary, also Invoke Characters. use the current context of the Scene to decide what the
most likely Plotline would be. If you don’t have enough
information or need inspiration, make a roll on the
Character Action Action Meaning Tables for ideas.
Roll for a Character on the Characters List. If it’s
a Non-Player Character, then that Character takes an Plotline Conclusion
action (making this identical to the Standard Event
Focus Table result of NPC Action) rolling on the Action This result is the same as if The Adventure Crafter
Meaning Tables for inspiration. had generated a Plotline Conclusion for a Turning Point.
If a Player Character is rolled, then a situation arises Randomly roll a Plotline from the Plotlines List. If
calling upon that Character to take an action letting the you roll “New Plotline,” then treat it as “Choose Most
results of the Action Meaning Tables guide you. Logical Plotline”. This result is the same as the Standard
When a Player Character is rolled for this Event, Focus Meaning Table result of “Close A Thread”.
whatever situation they are faced with should offer them
a clear choice of whether to do something or not do it, Meaning Tables
or perhaps offer several choices of how to approach it.
Most results from the Adventure Crafter Event Focus
Table will need more information to help with your
Character Negative/Positive interpretation. Choose whether to roll on the Action or
Roll on the Characters List to see who this result Description Meaning Tables to get more information
applies to. This result is identical to the Standard Event when you need it.
Focus Table results of Player Character Negative/Positive
and Non-Player Character Negative/Positive.

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 34

 WHAT IF

Mythic with The Adventure Crafter. Mythic Magazine #5

discusses a way to merge those systems, and those rules BE READY TO EDIT THOSE LISTS
are summarized over the next few pages. If you are already
familiar with those rules you can skip over that section. Playing a Focusing In style of game might require
adjusting some of your usual play habits. For
instance, you may not often remove items
from your Mythic Lists. Short of a Thread being
MAKING IT WORK concluded, or a Character leaving an Adventure in
This Focusing In play style combines Mythic with a really obvious way, there’s otherwise no need to
take any elements off the Lists.
The Adventure Crafter. We’ll be adopting The Adventure
Crafter Lists method for this (see Combining Mythic In this play style where you are Focusing Out
sometimes, however, some of the elements on
With The Adventure Crafter starting on the next page for
the Lists may become irrelevant without you
an explanation of how merging the two systems works).
noticing. For instance, in an Adventure where an
You’ll also need to determine Themes as you normally orc chieftain is on the Characters List, and then in a
would when using The Adventure Crafter. Scene that Character gets slain, you may decide to
How you begin your first Scene is up to you, the remove him from the List at the end of the Scene.
method you normally use for an Adventure will work as In the same Adventure however, if you Focus Out,
well here. The biggest change when playing in a Focusing you may advance time by 10 years where the
conflict involving the orc is now over and he is no
In play style is determining with each Scene whether it is
longer an active part of your Adventure.
Focused In or Focused Out. Focused Out Scenes will use
When you finish a Focused Out Scene, you should
The Adventure Crafter to determine what happens, while
take a moment to look over your Plotlines and
Focused In Scenes will use Mythic’s normal rules.
Characters Lists to decide if anything needs to go.
It is entirely up to you when you want to zoom in or This is a judgement call for you as there may be no
out. Your first Scene may be a Focused Out Scene to help clear indicator if an element should be removed. For
you set your Character’s background or to get an idea of instance, with the orc chieftain, even if 10 years have
what is going on in your Character’s world. Or, you might gone by and the conflict is over, is there still some
start with a normal Mythic first Scene and determine it way where the orc fits into the ongoing story?
using a Random Event or decide on a First Scene yourself. That decision is up to you. I suggest that if a
From there, before you start a new Scene, decide if it Focused Out Scene moves the narrative of the
Adventure in such a way that a List element no
will be Focused In or Out. If you are staying Focused
longer feels relevant to the unfolding narrative then
In on following Scenes then you would continue your
it should be removed.
Adventure as you normally would with Mythic. As soon
as you decide to have a Focused Out Scene, however, you
would generate an Adventure Crafter Turning Point to
figure out what happens in it.
Focusing Out
When you decide that you are Focusing Out for a
Scene, don’t come up with an Expected Scene as you
normally do with Mythic. You also don’t make a Chaos
Factor roll. Generate an Adventure Crafter Turning Point

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 35

 WHAT IF

and incorporate it into your ongoing Adventure.

The amount of in world time this Scene covers is
up to you. Maybe it’s just a day or two, maybe it’s years
or decades. You’ll have to interpret the results The
Adventure Crafter gives you and come up with what
you think fits best.

Focusing In
Focusing in is focusing on the ground level of
action in your Adventure, and is handled like normal
Mythic Scenes. Generate an Expected Scene and test
it against the Chaos Factor, then play out the Scene.
Staying at this level of detail, Scene after
consecutive Scene, is just like how any Mythic
Adventure unfolds. Once you decide a Scene is
going to be Focused Out, however, you are likely
going to be breaking the current narrative flow and
fast-forwarding to something new.

Chaos Factor
Focused Out Scenes are different than normal
Mythic, Focused In Scenes. You don’t start with an
Expected Scene, instead the Scene is defined by The
Adventure Crafter using a Turning Point.
At the end of the Scene, however, you will still
modify the Chaos Factor based on how you perceive
the Scene has changed your Character’s degree of
control over the narrative. This is a judgement call
since it’s possible the Focused Out Scene doesn’t
even involve your Character. Still, it’ll impact
your Character’s world. If you think it causes your
Character to have less control, perhaps by creating
new problems or by limiting resources, then raise the
Chaos Factor by 1. If you think the Scene gives your
Character more control, maybe the Scene solved a
problem or made life easier for your Character, then
lower the Chaos Factor by 1.

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 36

 WHAT IF

SOME CONSIDERATIONS Turning Over Narrative Control

The intent of this Solo Play Strategy is to allow you to Keep in mind that when you are Focused In, you are
focus on the parts of your Adventure that most interest playing the normal Mythic way and have a great deal of
you, and time hop forward over the rest. Here are a few control over the Adventure. However, when you Focus
concepts to keep in mind. Out you are turning control over to The Adventure
Crafter. At this point, your only control is how you
Time Interpret the results. The Focusing In Solo Play Strategy is
a collaboration between you and The Adventure Crafter.
The Sanzo example in this article assumes you will use
When you Focus Out, you are handing the narrative over
Focusing Out to cover wide stretches of time, years even.
to it and then you choose when you want to Focus In and
Covering long periods of time is handled well with this play
resume control.
approach. You could even complete a Character’s entire
adventuring career in a single play session if you wanted to.
The time factor can be shorter, too. For instance, When Stuck
maybe the Focused Out Scene is just a day or two to Instead of using this Solo Play Strategy to intentionally
move your Adventure forward. You can use it this way advance an Adventure forward, you could always keep
to only play the parts of an Adventure that appeal to you it in your back pocket as a way to unstuck a stalled
the most, or as a way to get an entire Adventure session Adventure. Maybe your Mythic session has hit a dead end
completed within a limited amount of time. and you’re not sure where to take it next. Focusing Out
Determining how much time is covered with a Focused for a moment to let a day or week of game time pass will
Out Scene is up to you, since the results The Adventure likely present some new twists on your Adventure that
Crafter gives you can be interpreted into any time frame. might invigorate it. In this way, the Focusing In Strategy
You may want to decide ahead of time what period could be used in case of emergency when you can’t think
of time you’d like the Scene to fill, maybe adjusting it of what a good next Expected Scene would be.
as you wish depending on the results you get and the
interpretation you are fitting them to.

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 37

 WHAT IF
Discussion of some aspect of solo, Mythic, or Crafter play for you to chew on.

Getting The Most Out

Of Sourcebooks
I love a good sourcebook. There’s something exciting
about having a book chock full of content and ideas
and knowing that any of those ideas can find their way
into my adventures. Part of the magic of a sourcebook
is that the ideas contained inside come with other ideas
attached, important context, that can quickly help to
build a solo adventure.
This article is about getting the most out of
sourcebooks when used with solo role-playing. How to
utilize a sourcebook may seem obvious when you have
a Gamemaster running an adventure. They will likely
mine the book for ideas, story hooks, adventure seeds,
characters and creatures, settings, and more. While the
solo player will also do the same with a sourcebook, there
are some less obvious ways to put a sourcebook to work
for solo role-playing.

WHAT IS A SOURCEBOOK? when they talk about sourcebooks, but it really can be
anything that helps bring content into your adventures.
Before I dive into sucking the marrow out of
Let’s do a quick rundown on the kinds of sourcebooks I’ll
sourcebooks, I want to define what I mean by
be talking about in this article.
“sourcebook”. Usually, people are referring to RPG books

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 WHAT IF

RPG Books INSPIRATIONAL VS. PRACTICAL

Everything from core RPG books to settings books and
extra rules for your chosen RPG are sourcebooks. These As long as we’re talking about leveraging
are full of content, characters, places, encounters, objects, sourcebooks for our solo adventures, I’d like to
and rules that you may find useful. make a general distinction between two ways they
might be used.
In the context of solo role-playing, this can get a little
broader. For instance, maybe you play your adventures The way I see it, a sourcebook is either going to
be inspirational or practical. By inspirational, I mean
using just Mythic, but you like to incorporate the content
the book gives us ideas that spark our imagination
of published RPGs. Since you aren’t using a specific even if we don’t use the specific ideas themselves.
ruleset, you could use RPG books from unconnected For instance, an inspirational sourcebook could be
products, like spells from one game and magic items a graphic novel you’ve read where you really like
from another. It’s easier to mix and match RPG products the setting, so you use it as a heavily customized
when playing solo, opening up more options for possible model for your own adventure setting.
sourcebooks for your adventures. A practical sourcebook, in my view, is one where
you are using the material directly. This would likely
be the majority of our sourcebooks, RPG books
Non-RPG Books with monsters we plan to use or specific settings
where we follow the descriptions as written.
Just in case anyone is seeing “sourcebooks” and is
I want to make this distinction between inspirational
only thinking RPG products, I want to mention that
versus practical because it can help in broadening
sourcebooks don’t have to be RPG related. For instance,
our idea of what a useful sourcebook is.
I keep a book of monsters from one of my favorite
sci-fi television shows on the shelf. That’s an excellent
sourcebook full of photos, descriptions, situations the
creatures have appeared in, how they were dealt with, etc.
Books Of Tables
There is nothing role-playing about this book, and yet it’s Ahhh, tables. I love tables. While books full of random
a wonderful resource. tables fall under the category of RPG Books, I want to
Solo role-players are accustomed to improvisational mention them separately because they are so specifically
play, not just with the content of our adventures but useful for solo players. Whether you are the kind of player
sometimes with the rules and mechanics themselves. who likes to use Fate Questions for everything, or you
This makes it easier to bring non-RPG content into our prefer to rely on piles of tables, there is still something for
adventures seamlessly that we can convert to mechanical every style of play in RPG books that feature tables.
game terms as we play. There are plenty of RPG products out there that
have tons of random tables in them, and a lot that have
nothing but random tables. These are sourcebooks in
their own category because they can become an important
go-to for you. Maybe you have a book of random fantasy

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 39

 WHAT IF

dungeon oriented tables and you’ve decided this is what

you’ll use to describe random rooms your character enters OTHER MEDIA
instead of making Fate Questions. Or, maybe you have
tables of NPC actions and this is what you plan to use While I’m using the term “book” a lot, let’s not
when dealing with other characters in your game world. forget that sourcebooks can come in non-book
When we use random tables they often become a sort format. You can source material from online blogs,
from magazine articles, from the summaries of
of meta rule unto themselves. We might decide before our
your favorite television shows, from music, really
adventure that this book of tables will be our resource for from anything you want.
certain situations, and that becomes an important part of
your adventure.
play, with characters we encounter and goals we take on.
However, starting with a sourcebook that gives us a world
WORLD BUILDING to begin in also offers us the opportunity to pre-fill our
Now that we’re on the same page about what we’re Lists, especially the Characters List.
talking about with sourcebooks, let’s get into putting them For instance, let’s say you’re playing a character in a
into use. World building seems like the natural place to weird west style of adventure. You’re mostly using only
start since that’s often the first thing we have to do when Mythic, but you’ve chosen as a sourcebook a popular
we begin a solo adventure. Even before that first Scene is RPG that has lots of strange and supernatural old west
generated, you likely had given some thought, and maybe ideas. You’ve decided this is going to be your setting.
a lot of thought, to the world your character inhabits. You’ve chosen a town detailed in your sourcebook, and
This is a natural strength of sourcebooks, giving a read up on some of the more interesting features to be
ready made world for our characters to begin in. Maybe found there.
you’re using the default setting detailed in an RPG book, The bits you find most interesting you could add to
or perhaps you’re taking inspiration from your new your Lists. For instance, you might put the town itself on
favorite streaming television show. Having a source detail the Characters List, such as “The people of Raven Gulch.”
the adventure universe makes creating the first Scene that Maybe the sheriff is an important figure in that town, so
much easier. you add “Sheriff Turner”. Your sourcebook talks about
There’s more world building we can get out of how the local gold mines are thought to be haunted, and
sourcebooks, however. are a source of much of the town’s troubles. This is an
element you want to include in your adventure, so you
add “Haunted mines” to the Characters List.
Populating Lists Before you even begin your adventure you now have
If you’re going to use a sourcebook to create a setting some interesting elements in your Characters List. The
for your character, then you may want to consider filling sourcebook has even given you context to understand
in some of the Lists before you start your adventure. these elements, and all this without even having started
Usually our Threads and Characters Lists get filled as we playing yet.

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 40

 WHAT IF

Nested Characters Lists The Court. This leads you the The Court Nested List,
which contains various figures and factions within the
One potential problem with populating your Lists royal court, such as the King, the Queen, the princes,
with sourcebook material is that the Characters List may the military general, The Tribunal Of Wizardry, and The
fill up instantly or become unbalanced. You might want a Legion Of Spies.
lot of detail from your sourcebooks contained in the List, You want The Legion Of Spies in particular to play a
but you don’t want a List 50 items long or so weighted roll in your adventure, so you add that as a separate item
toward the sourcebook material that you can barely roll on your main Characters List (yes, this means it now
any other result. appears on two Lists, the main List and the Nested Court
A solution to this is nested Lists. This is having List), and you make a Nested List for The Legion Of Spies
specialty Characters Lists that pertain to certain elements which might include the Spymaster, the Grand Inquisitor,
of your adventure, and those Lists are named in your agents of the spy agency, and Political Prisoners.
primary List. You might end up making a Nested List for the
For instance, let’s say in your fantasy adventure that countryside and for the Tribunal Of Wizardry. However
you have a sourcebook that superbly details a royal court. much material you want to pull from your sourcebook
It’s full of juicy morsels of detail and information that you you can put into Nested Lists to maintain order in your
want to sprinkle into your adventure, but to pile it all into main List and to strike the right balance of what you want
your main Characters List would become unwieldy. allowed to be randomly rolled and at what frequency.
You might put an entry on your Characters List called

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 41

 WHAT IF

Nested Characters List Sheet

LIST NAME LIST NAME

1 1
2 2
3 3
4 4
5 5
6 6
7 7
8 8
9 9
10 10
11 11
12 12
13 13
14 14
15 15
16 16
17 17
18 18
19 19
20 20

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 WHAT IF

Making The First Scene Building Location Crafter Regions

A sourcebook is useful for creating that important If you use The Location Crafter, you can use a
first Scene in your adventure. There are lots of ways of sourcebook to create Regions your character might
coming up with an opening Scene, the default method explore in your adventure. For instance, with our
being generating it as a Random Event. However, a good character playing in the weird west town of Raven Gulch,
sourcebook can do this work for you. you could create a Region Sheet for it, filling in the
For instance, maybe your source is a published Locations, Encounters, and Objects columns. This way,
adventure module. You don’t plan to use the adventure you are using your source as specific inspiration, but
itself, but you really like the setup. You could use the you’re changing up the topography of the place by turning
beginning of that module as the first Scene of your it into a Location Crafter Region.
adventure. You might also populate your Threads and Later in this adventure your character may have to
Characters Lists with the information this provides. enter a haunted mine to rescue a townsperson who got
From there, you proceed with a fully solo, Mythic abducted by a creature. You know that your sourcebook
driven adventure which may go in a completely different includes an adventure in the back that features a haunted
direction than what the published adventure intended, mine. You might scan through the adventure and pull out
but that content-rich start gave you an excellent opening. elements to populate a Region Sheet, creating your own
randomized version of the place.

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 43

 WHAT IF

Location Crafter Pre-Filled Region Sheet

REGION:
LOCATIONS ENCOUNTERS OBJECTS
1 Expected 1 None 1 None
2 2 2
3 Expected 3 Expected 3 Expected
4 4 4
5 Expected 5 None 5 None
6 6 6
7 Expected 7 Expected 7 Expected
8 8 8
9 Special 9 Special 9 Special
10 10 10
11 Random 11 Random 11 Random
12 12 12
13 Expected 13 None 13 None
14 14 14
15 Special 15 Expected 15 Expected
16 16 16
17 Random 17 Special 17 Special
18 18 18
19 Complete 19 Random 19 Random
20 20 20

PROGRESS POINTS PROGRESS POINTS PROGRESS POINTS

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 44

 WHAT IF

To make the task of filling out a Region sheet easier,

I’ve included one on the previous page and at the back of BOOKS AS RANDOM TABLES
this magazine. Some of the elements are already filled in,
with Expected, None, Special, Random, and Complete I think treating sourcebooks as random tables in
elements. The blank spaces are for you to fill in with your solo role-playing is a natural. It’s maybe not the
own Custom elements, the specific bits pulled from your kind of thing you would do when playing with a
group, but it works nicely with solo style playing
sourcebook. This allows you to focus on those parts you
because it sparks your imagination.
are most interested in while the table is overall balanced
Plus, we have page numbers that conveniently act
with the more rules-oriented elements.
like numbers on a table.
If you find you have blank lines left over, fill them
Figuring out how to roll a page in a 250 page book
in with either Expected or None elements (for the
can be a little challenging at first. Also, the front and
Encounters and Objects Lists) to complete each List. back of the book will have pages you can’t use, like
This will give you up to ten lines per Category to place indexes and a table of contents. Rather than trying
Custom elements that you draw from your sourcebook. to figure out the exact page range to roll, I find it’s
easier to find the last page of useful material and
treat that like the dice range. For instance, maybe
I have a sourcebook on battlefield warfare for
USING A SOURCEBOOK my fantasy RPG. The book has about 255 pages,
AS A TOOL but the useful content ends at page 250. I would
consider the random range to be 1-250.
Using sourcebooks for world building is a natural.
You can roll this using a d4 to determine the
I’m sure most of you reading this have already done that
hundreds number, 1, 2, and 3 to act as 0, and roll
in your solo adventuring lifetime, but hopefully you 1d100 for the tens and ones. You could also use a
gleaned a new idea or two here. Let’s move on to using numbers generator app to give you the exact range.
sourcebooks in a slightly different way, as a tool. Not If you roll up something useless, like a How To Use
only can a sourcebook be considered a repository of great This Book page, you would reroll.
ideas, it can be treated like a game element itself, not When you get a page with useful content, you
unlike a table or other random resource. can choose the content on that page that makes
For instance ... the most sense in the context, or roll again to
determine from the number of elements.
For instance, my character is a sorceress
Randomly Determining Your Source accompanying a war band of humans as they try
This idea may seem a bit strange, but honestly this to defend their land from an invading force. The
adventure is war themed, and the Scenes so far have
is how I start most of my solo games and I love it. I
involved my character joining soldiers on missions.
have several book cases of role-playing books and when
In the current Scene, my character is traveling with
I’m ready for a brand new adventure without any pre-
a swordsman as they search the woods for signs
conceived ideas, I will roll randomly to determine which
book case, then which shelf, then which book on the shelf CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 45

 WHAT IF

will be my primary sourcebook for this adventure. This

turns my bookshelves and the books in them into giant BOOKS AS RANDOM TABLES
random tables.
You could use variations on this idea to assemble a CONTINUED
number of resources and then randomly determine which
of the enemy army. They are in the forest near
ones you’ll use. For instance, maybe you have four books evening, a light dusting of snow on the ground.
of creature and monster statistics, and you randomly roll They’re moving cautiously as they are aware the
to see which two you incorporate into your adventure. enemy may be near and doing the same kind of
This is a fun way to start gaming before you start scouting they are.
gaming by making the act of sourcebook selection itself In the course of asking a Fate Question I generate
part of the adventure. You are world building randomly. a Random Event. The Event Focus is NPC Action.
You can take this a step further and randomly roll a Rolling on the Characters List for the NPC, I get
page within that sourcebook and select an element on Fantastic Battles, the title of the sourcebook I’m
using that I had added to the List. The first 250
that page that defines your character or this adventure.
pages have content, so I roll up a page and get 256.
For instance, if you selected the rulebook to a fantasy That’s out of range so I roll again and get 62. I turn
game you might role up a page about weaponry. You to that page and see it’s a listing of backgrounds
decide this means your character is perhaps a warrior, or for characters. There are 14 backgrounds listed
someone who has something to do with weapons. on this page so I roll again and get 11. It’s a
background about outlaws who have to scavenge
for themselves.
Sourcebooks As Characters Rolling on the Event Meaning Tables to help
Another way to randomly insert sourcebook material interpret this Random Event, I get Assist and Tactics.
into your adventure is to include the sourcebook I interpret this to mean that a refugee from one of
themselves in your adventure’s Characters List. Literally the nearby towns devastated by the war comes
upon us. This person has been foraging in the
put the title of the book in there as a character. Whenever
woods, stealing from the invading armies’ supplies
this “character” gets rolled for a Random Event, you
to get by. He has spotted us scouting and wants to
would then randomly determine a page within the book assist, saying he knows exactly where the enemy is
and use an element from that page as the basis for this and where they are going.
Random Event. Using sourcebooks as random tables like this
Remember that the Characters List is meant to include provides interesting opportunities to inject
any element in your adventure that your character could sourcebook content into our adventure that we
interact with. It doesn’t have to be an actual character. In don’t expect. Do your best to interpret the results,
this case, we are treating a sourcebook as a character and a letting the Event Focus and Meaning guide you.
randomly determined element in the book as inspiration
for the Random Event.
I find this is an interesting way to randomly add without knowing ahead of time what I’ll be using. The
content from my sourcebooks into my adventures sourcebooks themselves are weighted in that more pages

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 46

 WHAT IF

will be filled with content that the source considers

important. For instance, in my weird west adventure the
book may only have one page about vampires because
vampires aren’t a big feature in this setting. However,
it might have twelve pages about ghosts, which are
important in this setting. Without me having to do any
work at all in creating my own tables, the sourcebook
itself will help determine the right odds for certain
elements appearing in my adventure. Since I want the
sourcebook to add color and content, treating the book
like a big table automatically helps ensure the right
proportion of elements that fit this setting will show up.

Using Sourcebooks For Questions

The last two pages talked about using your
sourcebooks themselves as random tables, giving you
the opportunity to draw content from them in Random
Events. You can also use them as random tables as the
basis for Expected Scenes and for Fate Questions.
This idea is based on the concept that you want your
sourcebooks to fill your adventure with their atmosphere
and flavor. You can do this by posing an Expected
Scene such as, “The next Scene is sourcebook based.”
That’s a very open ended expectation that is inviting the
sourcebook to define the Scene. If you get the Expected
Scene, then roll a page in your sourcebook and use that as
the basis for a Scene. An Altered result might mean you
go with a Scene you more expect, while an Interrupt is a
Random Event as usual.
In the same way, you can pose this as a Fate Question
in the middle of a Scene. For instance, in my weird
west adventure maybe my character is in the middle of
a Scene where he is looking through a graveyard for a
certain headstone in the dead of night. The Scene itself
hasn’t produced much of interest, so with an eye toward
inserting more setting content into the adventure I might

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 47

 WHAT IF

ask, “Does something sourcebook related happen?” adventure module would fit the geography perfectly.
Just like with the expected Scene, we are inviting the One of the many strengths of solo role-playing is that
sourcebook to add something to our adventure. we can decide what rules to use, what elements to bring
Maybe you get a Yes to this and roll a random page in into our adventures, what to combine and how to combine
your weird west RPG book. You get a page that is talking them, and we have only ourselves to please. You can decide
about the history of the setting, specifically detailing a if you want to use the weaponry from an amazing RPG
gold miner named Bobcat Rosen. Good old Bobcat was book about space-faring merchants, the Found Items
terrible at gold mining, none of his claims turned up table from a zombie rampage game, and the Riding On
anything of value. However, he ran across his fair share Dragons rules from your favorite fantasy game. How you
of strangeness and accumulated a lot of knowledge about make this all work is up to you, but it opens doors of
magic and supernatural creatures. possibility when you realize just how many sources you can
You interpret this to mean that you run across the pull excellent bits from for your adventure.
grave of Bobcat Rosen. A magical talisman you acquired
earlier in the adventure, a pocket watch that had been Using Maps
enchanted by a witch, begins to shiver in your pocket. As
you pull it out, the hour and minute hands are spinning, You can find maps in almost any role-playing book and
then they stop, both pointing toward the grave. adventure module. Maps of countrysides, of kingdoms,
Your character takes a deep breath and decides to dig of charted space, of dungeons, of mansions, of caverns,
up poor old Bobcat’s coffin. Maybe there’s something of just about anything. While a map may have been
buried with him that will help. produced for one purpose, you can always take it and use
This may be a little different approach to solo it for another.
role-playing than you’re used to, but actively inviting If your contemporary detective character is chasing
triggering events to bring material from your sourcebooks a fugitive through an office building, you might find
into your adventure is a great way to get the elements and yourself at a loss for how to represent the various floors
feeling from your sourcebooks that you want into your and stairwells. Maybe you let Fate Questions determine
adventure while still surprising yourself with your results.

SOURCING VALUABLE DETAILS

Apart from using sourcebooks as inspiration to build
your world, or as a randomized tool, sourcebooks can
also be viewed as treasure boxes of valuable elements.
Those elements don’t even have to be tied to the type
of adventure you’re running to be useful. For instance,
maybe you’re playing a futuristic adventure set in an
apocalypse, but a wonderful fantasy map from an

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 48

 WHAT IF

the topography as you go. Or, maybe you repurpose a narrative of the adventure, but they can also be sourced for
map from an RPG book that was originally designed to solo role-playing and pulled apart for custom use.
show the floor plan of a villain’s high rise headquarters. For instance, maybe your fantasy solo adventure
Ignoring all the descriptions for the various spaces and includes a dungeon to explore. You come up with a
some of the more incongruent details (you’re pretty sure Location Crafter Region Sheet of filled out Lists to
the apartment building doesn’t have a Teleport Chamber describe the dungeon. In some of the Encounters lines
in it), the map may still provide an excellent resource for you put “Source”. When you roll that as an Encounter
the layouts of doors and hallways. for an Area, it means to roll a random encounter from
the published module you’re using as source material.
Using Encounters Maybe you do this by rolling a random page number then
randomly determining which encounter on that page to
Detailed encounters are a valuable resource found in use. You could use interpretation to customize the written
published adventures. The encounters for various locations encounter to conform with the Location you already
in a published adventure are all meant to serve the rolled for this Area as well as any Objects you rolled.
Using the context of your adventure so far, you could
modify any elements in the written encounter to more
USING PUBLISHED ADVENTURES closely match your own adventure.
This is another variation on using a sourcebook as a
Published adventures are valuable sourcebooks
random table, specifically digging for unique encounter
and can be used directly with Mythic. See Mythic
Magazine #3’s article, Using Mythic With Published
opportunities.
Adventures, for ideas on how to get the most out
of them.
A FINAL WORD
While you are likely already familiar with using
sourcebooks in your solo adventures, I hope this article
gave you something new to think about. If nothing else,
I think it’s encouraging how wide a scope we have with
incorporating sourcebooks into solo role-playing, whether
we’re using the material exactly as written or we modify
it to fit our adventure. Fate Questions, Random Events,
Expected Scenes, Interrupts, all of these things bring
richness and unexpected twists and turns to our solo
adventures, but we shouldn’t forget also that we have tomes
full of content right at the tips of our fingers. We can draw
those yummy elements, with their own flavor already baked
in, into our narratives and make them our own.

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 49

 VARIATIONS
New rules and twists on current rules

Randomized Starship
Generation
We’ve skulked through the dungeon. We’ve gotten lost
in a haunted wood. Now it’s time to rocket up into the RANDOMIZED LOCATIONS
black and seek out new civilizations. This article presents
the newest addition to randomized Location Crafter The rules presented in this article utilize The
specialty Regions: Starships and Spacecraft! Location Crafter and the randomized Region
generation rules from Mythic Magazine #2. In
Issue #2 of Mythic Magazine introduced the
case you don’t have either of those resources, the
randomized version of The Location Crafter, and the relevant rules are recapped at the end of this article
response since then has been very positive. This has led so you have a complete system to use right now.
to the introduction of specialty Regions with Dungeons
being the first in Mythic Magazine #3 followed by Dark
Woods And Wild Places in issue #5. We stray away from system is meant to be used as a way for your Character to
the fantasy genre this time for a foray into science fiction explore a Region without you first having to generate it.
with a system for generating randomized spacecraft. Every Area of the Region is created as you go.
In case you don’t have copies of those earlier issues Just like dungeons are iconic to fantasy role-playing,
handy, the rules for handling randomized Location spacecraft are the bedrock of a great deal of science
Crafter Regions is recapped at the end of this article. fiction. The starships we watch flying across our screens in
the shows we love are often thought of as personally as the
characters who inhabit them. Starships are imbued with
BLASTING OFF personality and a tangible sense of place to the point that
just glancing at a section of hallway is enough for us to
The rules in this article are for generating the interior
recognize many famous ships.
of a random spacecraft using The Location Crafter system
Like the other articles in the specialty Region series,
modified by the randomization rules presented in Mythic
this one will break spacecraft into three varieties for you to
Magazine #2 (and repeated at the end of this article). This
choose from: Small Spacecraft, Large Starships, and Space

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 50

 VARIATIONS

Stations. When you introduce a ship into your Adventure Large Starships
choose the type that most fits what you’re looking for.
At the other end of the spectrum from Small
Spaceships are Large Starships. These are vessels big
Small Spacecraft enough to require crews of hundreds, if not thousands,
A small spacecraft is a ship typically flown by a single to operate. There are many jobs on a ship like this,
pilot, maybe with a co-pilot for assistance, and enough everything from command staff on the bridge to teams of
space in the ship for a hangar, quarters for a small crew, a people maintaining the engineering section.
galley, and a few other small spaces. These kind of ships When rolling on the Area Elements Table for Locations
typically have small crews, under 15, and moving about use the Large column.
within one of these ships is bound to get you rubbing
elbows with other crew members. Small Spacecraft can be Space Stations
used when generating a ship on a smaller, more personal
scale. When rolling on the Area Elements Table for Going up one more unit of scale would be Space
Locations use the Small column. Stations, essentially anything that would qualify as a city in
space. This can be a galactic starport, a military installation
orbiting a planet, an artificial small moon, or a truly large
starship that would dwarf a regular Large Starship.
When rolling on the Area Elements Table for
Locations, use the Large column. Keep in mind that a
very large Space Station may incorporate into it multiple
Regions. When creating a Space Station, you could use
the Story Descriptors to generate some background
information on it, Region Descriptors to help identify
what it looks like from the outside, but then break down
the interior into more than one Region, each being
generated like a Large Location Space Station. This would
allow Characters to go on multiple exploratory missions
to discover the interior of a city in space, made up of
multiple Regions such as the habitat ring, an interior
forest and garden, and the command deck.

STARSHIP STORY DESCRIPTORS

As with the other randomized specialty Regions, the
first step when generating a Starship is to come up with
its Story Descriptors. This is an optional step ... you may
already have the ship all figured out about what it’s for
and where it came from ... but if the ship is a mystery

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 VARIATIONS

Starship Story Descriptors Table

1D100 SMALL SPACESHIP LARGE STARSHIP SPACE STATION

This ship has been used for A relic from a long lost
1-5 The ship of an enemy.
smuggling or criminal activity. civilization.
The ship has not The ship has not
It is currently experiencing
6-10 been responding to been responding to
unrest.
communications. communications.
An exploratory and science There is a sizable population
11-15 A fighter ship.
ship. living here.
16-20 A cargo ship. A battleship. A mining or industrial facility.
Someone or something The ship is owned by a The station is owned by a
21-25
important is on board. powerful organization. powerful organization.
26-30 Everyone on board is dead. Led by a famous captain. A waystation for travelers.
The ship has a great many The ship has a great many
31-35 A military outpost.
mechanical problems. mechanical problems.
Of unknown origin or Of unknown origin or
36-40 Is politically important.
purpose. purpose.
The ship had been lost for a
41-45 Had been stolen. Peaceful.
long time.
46-50 An unmanned probe. Returning from a mission. Has a very long history.

51-55 Is wanted by many. A crisis had happened here. A crisis had happened here.
The ship has unusual
56-60 Is on the run. Represents a danger.
properties or technologies.
61-65 Emitting a distress signal. Emitting a distress signal. A research facility.

66-70 The ship of an ally. The ship of an ally. The station of an enemy.
Roll on Large Starship Roll on Small Spaceship Roll on Small Spaceship
71-80
column column column
Roll on Large Starship
81-90 Roll on Space Station column Roll on Space Station column
column
91-95 Exotic Exotic Exotic
96-100 Roll on Actions Meaning Tables

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 52

 VARIATIONS

Starship Region Descriptors Table

1D100 SMALL SPACESHIP LARGE STARSHIP SPACE STATION

1-5 New and high-tech. New and high-tech. New and high-tech.
Bearing strange markings or
6-10 Very large. Truly massive, a city in space.
insignia.
Obviously damaged and in Obviously damaged and in Obviously damaged and in
11-15
crisis. crisis. crisis.
16-20 Sleek and elegant design. Sleek and elegant design. Sleek and elegant design.

21-25 Crude and rough design. Crude and rough design. Crude and rough design.

26-30 Adrift without power. Adrift without power. Seemingly abandoned.

31-35 Well armed. Well armed. Well armed.

36-40 Very unusual design or shape. Very unusual design or shape. Very unusual design or shape.
In orbit around something or
41-45 A bright color. Very flat and long.
near a feature in space.
46-50 A civilian or personal ship. Bulbous design. In a remote place.
A pod or shuttle from a larger Composed of components, Composed of components,
51-55
craft. modular. modular.
Made from an unusual Made from an unusual Built into something natural,
56-60
material. material. like an asteroid.
Disguised to look like
61-65 Featuring solar sails. Featuring large domes.
something else.
One feature dominates, like
Bilateral, one half is identical
66-70 Small, quick, and nimble. massive thrusters or habitat
to the other half.
ring.
Roll on Large Starship Roll on Small Spaceship Roll on Small Spaceship
71-80
column column column
Roll on Large Starship
81-90 Roll on Space Station column Roll on Space Station column
column
91-95 Exotic Exotic Exotic

96-100 Roll on Descriptions Meaning Tables

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 53

 VARIATIONS

Starship Connectors Table

1D100 SMALL SPACESHIP LARGE STARSHIP SPACE STATION

1-5 Simple hallway Simple hallway Simple hallway

Short flight of stairs or ramp

6-7 Stairs or ladder going down Stairs or ladder going down
going down.

Short flight of stairs or ramp

8-9 Stairs or ladder going up Stairs or ladder going up
going up.

Hatch or bulkhead to pass Hatch or bulkhead to pass Hatch or bulkhead to pass

10
through. through. through.

Simple hallway, wide and Wide open space of some

11 Simple hallway, cramped.
spacious. kind.

Elevator or fast travel pod of Elevator or fast travel pod of

12 Simple hallway, cramped.
some kind. some kind.

Hatch or bulkhead to pass

13-15 Simple hallway Simple hallway
through.

Deck overlooking another

16-18 Simple hallway Simple hallway
Area.

A simple or common doorway A simple or common doorway A simple or common doorway

19-20
to pass through. to pass through. to pass through.

21-30 Leads directly to another Area

31-40 Expected

41-65 Same

66-75 Same, with intersection

76-80 Same, with a curve or turn

81-90 Same, with a side Area

91-100 Roll on Descriptions Meaning Tables

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 54

 VARIATIONS

to you this is a good way to start generating some story THE BIG EXAMPLE: YAR’S
around it.
Roll twice on the Starship Story Descriptors Table
BATTLECRUISER SALVAGE
for a pair of descriptors to combine and interpret into Yar makes a living scavenging for salvage in the Ventari
something meaningful. If you get the same result twice System, a sector of space three hundred light years across
then consider that result to be “doubled down,” a more that is full of debris and forgotten ships. For centuries the
intense version of what you would have gone with. Ventari System was a nexus point of interstellar shipping
This information might come to your Character but also of warfare. With the conclusion of the latest
through lore contained in their ship’s computer, or a guide skirmish between the great nations the system is once
telling them the tale, or prior knowledge of their own. again open to civilian travel. A great many people have
Whatever mechanism brings the story to your attention, made a living picking through the vast area of space for
the results of the table will help you form it into wrecked ships and forgotten cargoes. People like Yar.
something that makes sense in your Adventure’s narrative. With just her ship, The Prestidigitator, and her
cybernetically enhanced cat Gidget, Yar once again sets
out into the Ventari System in search of spoils and riches.
After traveling for a time, and having a few encounters
STARSHIP along the way, Yar is slowly scanning the system. Yar’s
REGION DESCRIPTORS Player is wanting to do a simple exploratory Scene, so
When your Character first encounters the ship, rolling poses this next Expected Scene as one where Yar discovers
on the Starship Region Descriptors Table will give you clues a spaceship wreck. The Expected Scene happens, with the
as to what the thing looks like. This should be considered Player using the Starship Region rules in this chapter to
the first impression of the ship, and just like with the Story work out what Yar finds.
Descriptors the Region Descriptors are meant to serve as Getting right into it, we roll 1d100 twice on the
inspiration for you to interpret and run with. Starship Story Descriptors Table under the Large Starship
Roll twice on the Starship Region Descriptors Table column. We get “the ship has a great many mechanical
for a pair of Descriptors to work with. If you get the same problems” and “the ship had been lost for a long time.”
result twice then consider that result to be a “doubled This fits right in with our current Scene. It makes sense
down” more intense version of the Descriptor. that a wrecked ship would have a lot of mechanical
problems, and considering the long history of the Ventari
System a ship being lost in it for an extended time would
STARSHIP CONNECTORS be quite normal.
Yar’s Player interprets this to mean that her ship’s
When exploring the Region, moving from Area to sensors pick up the derelict ship and is able to make some
Area, a roll on the Starship Connectors Table will help rudimentary scans of it, assessing how badly damaged it
you determine how the two Areas connect. is and that it’s been floating out there for a good hundred
years or so.
Navigating her way toward the wrecked ship, Yar gets
her first visual look at it as it comes up on her view screen.
We switch to the Starship Region Descriptors Table looking

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 55

 VARIATIONS

at the Large Starship column and roll 1d100 twice on it,

getting “Roll on Small Spaceship column” and “very flat SHIP SHAPE!
and long”. We roll on the Small Spaceship column and get
“small, quick, and nimble”. While Dungeons and Woods bring to mind
Yar’s Player makes a few Mythic Fate Question rolls to immediate concepts and tropes, Starships as a
help her interpret this, and comes up with: the ship is a Region is tougher to pin down. While there are
countless ways a fantasy Character can come upon
derelict Malthusan Battlecruiser from a bygone war. The
a dungeon, the exploration of it and the tone of
ship has a low profile, flat and long, with sleek lines. It’s its contents will often follow a familiar pattern. A
small for a starship, a ship that was meant to be quick and starship, on the other hand, can be many things.
nimble in the midst of battle among larger, slower ships. Maybe your Character has come upon the
Yar is eager to get on board and start assessing the wreckage of an ancient alien craft on a distant
salvage opportunities. She puts on her environment suit, world. Or, the ship you’re generating may be your
gives Gidgit a final pet, then brings her ship in close to own ship, or one your Character is stationed on.
dock with the derelict. Once that happens, Yar goes to You may be boarding an enemy ship during a battle
the airlock. Her ship’s computers make the necessary and have to explore it to find a captured comrade.
calculations and the airlock opens, allowing Yar to set foot Feel free to interpret the results of the Descriptors
in the lost ship. and Connectors table to fit the motif of the
Starship you’re generating. A large corridor in a
Preparing for the exploration, there is little that Yar’s
crashed alien ship may be dark and ominous, while
Player has to do. She knows nothing about this ship, on your own Starship it may be bright and elegant.
so there’s no need to fill out a Known Elements Region
You may also find yourself using the Starship
Sheet. With Yar entering the first Area of the Region it’s generation system in different ways. For instance,
time to start rolling and see what’s to see. if you’re starting a sci-fi game with a Character
For the Area Elements Table, Yar’s Player was originally fresh out of the Space Academy and being
going to use the Locations, Large column since this was a commissioned on a ship, you could use these rules
starship. However, the Descriptor for the ship described it as to design the ship. In this case you wouldn’t be
small. She decides that the ship is indeed small for a starship exploring a Region in a Scene, you’d be creating
it before you Adventure begins so you know its
layout and capabilities.

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 56

 VARIATIONS

and decides to use the Locations, Small column instead. next roll it will be 1d10+3. For the next Area, we get a
The first Area encountered of a new Region is Location of Random, an Encounter of Expected, and an
considered it’s start point. Yar’s Player is going to make a Object of Known, or Special.
simple map as Yar progresses in the ship so she can more For the Random Location, we roll twice on the
easily navigate her way back through it. Random Element Descriptors Table under Locations and
For the first Area Location, we roll 1d10 and get get Dry and Small.
Expected. For Encounters we get None, and for Objects For the Object, since there is nothing on the Known
we get None. Elements List, we go with Special and roll on the Special
Yar steps through the airlock into a dark corridor in the Elements Table. Rolling 1d100 we get Common Ground.
ship. There’s nothing to see with the ship’s power off. She This means we treat the Object as Expected, but eliminate
turns on the light on her helmet and proceeds. 3 Progress Points for Objects.
Yar’s Player notes a Progress Point each for Locations, The Player thinks about this for a moment and decides
Encounters, and Objects, then rolls for a Connector to see to interpret it this way: Yar comes across a section of the
what lays ahead. She rolls Simple Hallway, which is pretty ship containing crews quarters. Each cabin is very small and
much where Yar already is. deserted (this is how the Player interpreted “dry”). Entering
Yar continues on down the dark hallway, keeping her the Area, Yar hears a slight chirp and sees a light in the wall.
eyes open for items of interest. Generating the next Area, One of the crews cabins computers is still functional (this
we get a Location of Expected, an Encounter of None, is how the Player interpreted the Expected Encounter). For
and an Object of Expected. Expected Objects, Yar finds numerous items of personal
Yar would expect to come across some kind of airlock belongings in the cabins.
or preparation room, so the Player goes with that. Yar uses her equipment to log into the computer. After
Expected Objects would be old spacesuits hanging in a few Fate Questions, Yar learns that the ship was in a
glassy closets, not having been used in a century. Yar battle a century ago and got hit hard. Spiraling out of
continues on. control into space, the crew abandoned the ship. It’s been
The Connector Table says the next Connector is floating in the void ever since.
the same, so Yar exits the airlock preparation room Yar moves on past the crews quarters, so we roll for
through a small corridor. Rolling for the next Area, we a Connector and get “same, with a curve or turn”. The
get a Location of Expected, an Encounter of None, Player interprets this to mean that the hall beyond the
and Objects of Expected. Since this was a warship, Yar quarters continues straight then makes a left turn.
expects this Area would perhaps be an armory, so her Which brings Yar to the next Area. For Location we get
Player goes with that. Yar explores a little, and after a Known, or Special. For Encounters we get Expected. For
few Fate Questions (Are there weapons in here? Do they Objects we get None.
still work?) Yar is pleased that she has come upon a small Rolling on the Special Table for the Location, we
cache of functional plasma rifles. They’re old, but they’re get Exit Here. The Player decides this makes sense with
military grade so she can sell them later for a good price. what she just learned about the ship’s history and decides
Yar continues, so we roll on the Connectors Table again this Area is where the escape pods were. There’s still one
and get Same, so a corridor leads out of the armory. Yar there and active, making it a possible exit point if Yar
walks along it continuing her exploration. Our Progress chose to use it. The Expected Encounter is more active
Points are now up to 3 for each category, meaning for this computer consoles. They chime at Yar’s arrival, but do

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 57

 VARIATIONS

nothing beyond that. Our Progress Points are now at 5 for foot on the bridge she finds that it’s still active with the
Locations, 5 for Encounters, and 2 for Objects. computer system she’s been encountering earlier. After all
Moving on, our Connector is Leads Directly To this time the computer is malfunctioning and it believes
Another Area. So, we go straight to making a new Area. Yar is the captain.
Yar steps through a hatch and enters: Location “Welcome back c-c-captain. What services m-m-may I
Complete, Encounters Random, and Objects Random. perform for you?”
With the Location being Complete, this should be the Yar discovers the computer is giving her full access to
last interesting place on the ship. It doesn’t mean there the ship, which will make it easy to salvage any parts she
isn’t more to explore on the ship, it just means that those decides to take with her.
Areas will all contain what Yar most Expects and nothing What more, Yar discovers a hat resting on the captain’s
of much interest. chair on the bridge. She puts it on, smiling, pleased at this
The last major Location Yar’s Player would Expect to small but special little treasure she has found. (This is how
find is the bridge of the ship, so she decides that is what the Player interpreted the Object of Domestic and Small).
is the Complete Location. For the Random Encounter, Yar is happy with her exploration of the ancient battle
we roll on the Random Element Descriptors Table for cruiser. She’s going to be able to salvage parts of the ship,
Encounters twice and get Generous and Resourceful. likely in the engine area since the ship still has power, as
Objects is also Random, so we roll on that column too well as useful weaponry. All this and nothing tried to kill
and get Domestic and Small. her or blow up in her face, a good salvage!
Interpreting this, the Player decides that when Yar sets

LET’S HEAR IT!

Have thoughts on an article in Mythic Magazine, or

experiences related to it, that you’d like to discuss
with other Mythic players? Join the discussion online!
Find links to Word Mill Game’s fan site,
Patreon page, and other online groups at
www.wordmillgames.com

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 58

 VARIATIONS

RANDOMIZED LOCATION Encounters

CRAFTING SUMMARY The Encounters Category usually means people or
This section summarizes content from Mythic Magazine creatures that the Characters can interact with. This can
#2 and The Location Crafter necessary for using the system also include non-living things such as traps or devices.
detailed in this chapter.
Objects
This system relies on Players using interpretation
to take the information generated and turn it into Objects are Category Elements that Characters can
something meaningful. If you need more detail or run across that might be of interest to them. These are
clarification about an Area, you can help shape it with mundane and important items in an Area.
Mythic Fate Questions or by using the Description and
Action Meaning Tables (found at the back of this book). Elements
A few terms to know:
Each Category in an Area of a Region will give you
a specific Element to place in that Area. You combine
Region the Elements from the three Categories (Locations,
Regions are the total area that is being explored. Encounters, Objects) to give each Area of a Region its
This is the dungeon, the island, the villain’s lair, the own flavor.
haunted mansion ... wherever it is that the Characters Elements are the specifics of each Area, such as
have found themselves. furniture, monsters that may be lurking, treasure, etc.

Area
STORY DESCRIPTORS
Each discrete location where exploration takes
When encountering a new specialty Region with the
place within a Region is generated separately, and each
randomized Location Crafter rules, you have the option
occurrence is called an Area.
to generate Story Descriptors to give the place a backstory.
Roll 1d100 twice on the Story Descriptors table.
Categories Story Descriptors give you a pair of words or phrases
Each Area is described based on three Categories: that you then interpret into something meaningful. You’re
Locations, Encounters, and Objects. creating a simple story for the Region to help place it in
your Adventure.

Locations
This Category describes the physical locale of the REGION DESCRIPTORS
Area. For instance, the chambers and halls of a dungeon,
Before Characters can explore a Region they need
or the rooms and breezeways of an apartment building.
to have their very first encounter with it: with the

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 59

 VARIATIONS

Region itself. The first step in preparing a Region for most common sense manner. Area Connectors allow you
exploration is to establish its Descriptors. to create specific connections between Areas instead.
To get the description of the Region you’re about to This rule is optional, and specifically how the
explore, roll 1d100 twice on the Region Descriptors Areas connect is still mostly abstracted and left to
Table. You’ll get a pair of generic details that you can you to decide, but the Connectors Table can provide
combine and interpret to get an idea of what this Region inspiration if you wish.
is all about. The Descriptors are very general, made to be When a Character moves out of an Area you can roll
applicable to a wide range of possible Regions. on the Connectors Table to see what the route is that
Most of the Descriptors are self-explanatory, but a takes them to the next Area. Roll 1d100 once on the
few may need some clarification: table. Most of the results are simple and are there to
help you map out the way the Areas are connected. As
Exotic with most things Mythic, interpret your results to fit in
best within the current context.
This result is possible with any of the three Location Most of the Descriptors are self-explanatory, but a
types. Exotic means there is something highly unusual few may need some clarification:
about the Region. If no ideas spring to mind, or
you want to be surprised, then make a roll on the
Description Meaning Tables for inspiration.
Leads Directly To Another Area
Instead of a Connector, the Area your Character is
Roll On Description Tables leaving leads directly to another Area.

This result means go to the Description Meaning

Tables (found at the back of this book) and roll for a word
Expected
pairing to get inspiration. The Connector is what you would most expect it to
be. This result is the same thing as the default rule in The
Rolling A Descriptor Twice Location Crafter for determining how Areas connect.

If you happen to roll the same Descriptor twice

consider the table to be doubling down on that
Same
Descriptor and make that element stronger. The Connector is the same as the last Connector you
generated. If this is the first Connector of the Region
then treat this result as Expected.
AREA CONNECTORS Some of the results in the Connectors Table will
give additional instructions with Same, such as “with
Specialty Location Crafter Regions have optional
intersection”, “with a curve or turn,” and “with a side
Connectors you can generate to link Areas. Typically
Area.” Interpret these results as best you can, they
with generating Regions with The Location Crafter, you
are offered to add extra variety to the most common
assume Areas within the Region are connected in the
Connectors you’ll encounter.

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 60

 VARIATIONS

Roll On Descriptions Meaning Tables Random

Roll on the Descriptions Meaning Tables for When a roll on the Area Elements Table generates a
inspiration on what this Connector could be. You Random Element for a Category, roll on the Random
should allow this result to give you something unusual, Element Descriptors Table twice for inspiration to figure
or to treat it as an Expected but with a twist supplied by out what it is. This table is a specialized version of the
the Meaning Tables. Meaning Tables. Like the Meaning Tables, put together
the word pair you rolled to use for interpretation. If
you need more inspiration, then roll on the Description
AREAS AND ELEMENTS Meaning Tables for descriptive inspiration or the Action
Meaning Tables for activity inspiration.
A Region is generated Area by Area. This process
works in the same way as it does in Location Crafter,
with a few modifications. The most obvious change Known
is that you are not making Category Lists. Category This version of The Location Crafter doesn’t use
Elements are generated by rolling on the Area Elements pre-made Custom or Unique Elements, but it does use
Table. Each time a Character enters a new Area, roll on Known Elements if you are aware of them.
the Area Elements Table one time for each Category of When first generating a Region, if you know anything
Locations, Encounters, and Objects. particular about it, record it on the Known Elements
The system presented here uses the same Elements Region Sheet found at the back of this book.
from The Location Crafter, except Custom and Known Elements are just that, Locations,
Unique Elements are removed and there is the new Encounters, and Objects that are known to this
Element of Known. Region. Before your Character enters the Region, fill
Let’s go over each Element and how they work. out Known Elements for each of the three Categories.
You should only list Elements that you actually know
Expected are present somewhere in the Region. Also, you should
only list Known Elements that are important.
Not every Location, Encounter, and Object is
You can add to the list of Known Elements as you
a surprise. This Category Element represents your
progress in the Adventure if you learn of a new Element
expectations of what a Region has to offer. If you
that hasn’t been discovered in the Region yet or you
aren’t sure what to expect, then roll on the Description
discover an Element that can be encountered again.
Meaning Tables for inspiration.
After a Known Encounter happens, you can choose
to remove it from the list if that makes sense.
None When a Known Element is rolled, and you have
entries listed on the Category List, roll 1d10 to see what
A Category Element of None means there is no
Known Element you generate. If the roll indicates a
Element for that Category in the Area.
listed Known Element, then that is the Element active
in this Area. If you roll a blank line or a line where a

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 61

 VARIATIONS

Known Element has been crossed off, then choose the HOW IT ALL WORKS
most logical Known Element in the List.
Exploring a Region is a process of generating one
If you roll Known Element and you don’t have any
Area and its contents at a time. Characters enter an
Known Elements for that Category, then ignore the
Area, you use the Area Elements Table to randomly
Known Elements result and use the alternate result
determine the Elements of the Area, play out the Area
indicated on the Area Elements Table (it’ll either be
as you see fit for your Adventure, then the Characters
Random, Expected, or Special).
move on to the next Area.
To generate a new Area in the Region to explore
Special (including the first one), roll 1d10 for each Category
(Locations, Encounters, Objects) on the Area Elements
The Special Element requires a roll on the Special
Table and add the Progress Points for that Category
Element Table which will provide instructions on what
to the roll (more on this later). This will give you one
to do.
Element for each of the three Categories to construct
your Area with. Combine these Elements together using
Complete logic and interpretation to determine what this Area is
When the Complete Element is generated this and what’s happening in it.
indicates that the Region has been fully explored; The Locations columns on the Area Elements Table
there is no place else to go, at least that the Characters gives you two options: Large and Small. This is for
are aware of. If this is rolled, treat it as an Expected you to decide if you think the Region counts as a large
Element for this Area, but there are no further Areas Region or a small one. Only make this determination
of interest to explore beyond this one; the Region is once, from there on all rolls on the Area Elements Table
done. If you know there is more to the Region that for this Region will use that Locations column.
hasn’t been explored yet, consider all of those areas as
Expected for all Categories. The First Area
The first Area Characters enter for a Region should
Expected, PP-6 be considered its start point and contains an exit to
This is a special Element result that will eventually the outside world. Use what makes the most sense to
happen when your Progress Points grow and your roll determine what the entrance to this Area is (a door at
overflows the Table. This functions as a typical Expected the front of a house, a shaft down into a cave, the main
Element, except don’t record a new Progress Point for street into a town). Until further exploration reveals
this Category and reduce the total Progress Points for additional exits from a Region, it is assumed that the
this Category by 6 points. starting Area is the only known entrance/exit.

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 62

 VARIATIONS

Delving Deeper TYING IT ALL TOGETHER

Exploring deeper into a Region will have an impact This randomized system for generating a place to
on your rolls on the Area Elements Table, getting results explore as you go is all about a stew of elements. What
further on the table and eventually bringing you closer you do with that stew, what it turns into, is up to you.
to completing the exploration. Every time you roll As with the original Location Crafter, the rules are
on the Area Elements Table write down a hash mark meant to serve as a framework to offer up something
on a piece of paper for that Category to indicate the for your imagination to interpret. Try to go with your
amount of Progress Points (which begin at zero) for that first impressions when you can, and if you need more
Category. Each time a Category is rolled to determine information make Mythic Fate Checks or roll for
the Elements of an Area, roll 1d10 plus the Progress inspiration on the Meaning Tables.
Points for that Category to get the Element. If you’re unsure of any results on the Area Elements
Continue to generate Areas one at a time like Table you can always invoke the I Dunno rule and
this until the Complete Element is rolled, until change the result to Expected. You should never let
the Gamemaster decides the Region has been fully the pace of an Adventure get hung up on a difficult to
explored, or until the Characters decide they are done resolve interpretation.
and leave.

PLEASE FIND THE KNOWN ELEMENTS REGION SHEET,

THE AREA ELEMENTS TABLE, THE SPECIAL ELEMENTS TABLE,
THE RANDOM ELEMENTS DESCRIPTOR TABLE, AND
THE MEANING TABLES AT THE BACK OF THIS BOOK.

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 63

 VARIATIONS
New rules and twists on current rules

Generating
Compelling Backstories
Generating histories in role-playing has always fascinated
me. It’s a special aspect to RPGs that’s existed as far back
as the earliest games, with first edition AD&D’s Dungeon
Masters Guide offering a way to randomly generate skills
for your Character to represent their early history to
Traveler’s famous Character generation system that baked
the past into the present build of your Character. You can
find history generators with life path systems, background
traits, early life skills, and more ways that role-playing
games make the past relevant to the present.
You mostly see history and Backstory generators in
relation to Character generation as a way to develop your
Character. It’s less common to see Backstory generators
for things like locations or objects, but those exist too.
Creating histories is in itself a miniature RPG
campaign. You are compressing entire events into
summaries to create story richness as if you had played
through those events yourself.
Mythic, and especially The Adventure Crafter, are well
suited for generating backstories as you need them. A few
Fate Questions and some rolls on the Meaning Tables give
you inspiration to create stories for Characters, kingdoms,
magical artifacts, NPCs, or just about anything. The
Adventure Crafter is well suited for generating histories

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 64

 VARIATIONS

since it is a story summary creation system. Generate a letting Mythic reveal details about that Character as
few Turning Points and you have a Backstory complete you play you decide you want to generate a complete
with Plotlines and Characters. Backstory right away to give yourself a better idea of what
Backstories as a specific mechanic were introduced into motivates this NPC.
Mythic with Mythic Variations in the Off-Camera Stories Backstory can be thought of as a special kind of Random
chapter. The backstories system presented there is very Event, a multi-layered event that incorporates multiple rolls
simple: determine how many Backstory elements your on the Focus Table and you stitch all the results together
Character has, then roll for each of them on a simple Event into a cohesive story. Since we’re talking about Backstory
Focus Table followed by rolls on the Event Meaning Tables. and not your main Adventure you have more freedom to
While that system is workable, and while The let the narrative take on its own shape without it having to
Adventure Crafter also achieves the job, I think more can conform to the current Context of your Adventure like a
be said about Backstory generation. This article presents normal Random Event would.
a revised and more sophisticated approach to Backstory
generation than the one presented in Mythic Variations.
This system also takes into account some aspects of BACKSTORY FOCUS TABLE
backstories that The Adventure Crafter may miss.
Mythic Variations introduced a mechanic into Mythic for
generating a Character’s Backstory by rolling for how many
Backstory elements that Character has followed by rolls on
BACKSTORY TIME a Backstory Focus Table. It’s a simple approach designed to
A Backstory is useful during Character creation to give give a bare bones background for your Character.
your Character a history, making their story that much The system presented in this chapter takes that system
richer. However, backstories don’t have to be limited to and builds on it, pushing it several steps further.
Character creation. They’re very useful for world building To generate a Backstory ... whether it’s for your
when creating an Adventure, providing history to the Character, an NPC, an organization, an object, or for
country you are adventuring through, background for anything ... start by rolling on Backstory Focus Table 2.
important NPCs, or adding texture and story hooks for This will give many familiar results that are found on the
just about anything found in your campaign universe. Standard Focus Table, but it has a few notable changes
You might generate a location Backstory before you start and a slightly different way to approach some of the
your solo session so you have a better idea where your results. You keep rolling on Backstory Focus Table 2,
Character is. You might make Backstory creation part honing each result with the Meaning Tables, until you’ve
of your setup before your first solo session with a new reached completion.
Character to flesh out the supporting NPCs you are
already aware of. Backstories can become the story before Keep Them Separated?
the story making that cold start to a fresh solo Adventure
less cold. When generating a Backstory using this system, you
It’s also useful to bring backstories directly into are likely to get results that pertain to new NPCs, effects
your solo Adventure during mid-play. Maybe you’ve on NPCs, and effects on Threads. You should consider
encountered a new, important NPC, and instead of whether these results apply to the Lists in your Adventure,

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 VARIATIONS

or whether the Backstory itself has its own Lists. The default sell stolen goods to. They meet in a bar and it ends badly,
assumption is that these List elements exist only for the with a gunfight breaking out and your Character fleeing
Backstory, keeping them separated from your Adventure. with the contact. Someone is trying to kill them, and now
For instance, you’re running a sci-fi Adventure featuring your Character is mixed up in it. After things settle down
a smuggler Character who has traveled to the far fringes and the two find a safe place to hide, your Character
of known space. He is encountering a new species of asks the contact what is going on. The Player decides
alien for the first time, and the Player decides to generate the easiest way to handle this is to generate a Backstory
a Backstory for this species. This is all information that for the contact and use that to explain why she is on the
the Character can glean from his ship’s computer, so he is run. In this instance, the Backstory is directly relevant to
reading up on the aliens before his first contact with them. the Adventure at hand. Instead of making a separate set
The Player starts rolling on Backstory Focus Table 2 of Lists, the Player decides to use the regular Adventure
and during the course of generating the Backstory he Lists so that any new Characters and Threads generated
comes up with three new NPCs and two Threads. As he go directly onto the Adventure Lists and are accessible by
generates these Characters and Threads, he keeps track of future Random Events and Interrupt Scenes. This also
them on a set of Lists that are separate from his main Lists means that Backstory Focus Table 2 results may pull in
for the Adventure. The species’ Backstory has their own elements already existing on your Adventure Lists.
Lists and these List elements are only there to be used
during the creation of the Backstory.
How The Table Works
The reason for keeping the Lists separate is that the
Backstory is itself a type of mini-Adventure. It is an As with the Backstory Focus Table in Mythic Variations,
encapsulated series of events that are represented by you’ll very likely be rolling on Backstory Focus Table 2
their own Lists. Results from Backstory Focus Table 2 multiple times. Just like with any Focus Table, you make a
refer to these Lists, so New NPC, Close A Thread, NPC roll on the table then you choose a pair of Meaning Tables
Negative, etc., are all rolled for only within these Backstory to roll on afterward to help you interpret the results. Choose
Lists giving you the chance to expand and explore these either the Action Meaning Tables or Description Meaning
elements in the Context of the specific Backstory. Tables, depending on what kind of result you’re looking for.
When you are done you can set the Lists aside. You Both sets of tables can be found at the back of this book.
have your Backstory so the Lists have served their purpose. Keep rolling for results on Backstory Focus Table 2
Of course, you could decide to have the Backstory until you reach the Complete result, or you’ve rolled a total
generation take place using your Adventure Lists. It may be of 7 times, at which point you’re done. Take all the results
wise to choose this option if the Backstory is for a narrative you generated and interpret them into a cohesive whole.
element that is more active and integral to your Adventure. This process can take some time and it shouldn’t be
For instance, in the example above you were generating rushed. It’s very likely you’ll be rolling five or more times
the Backstory to an entire species’ history. This is relevant on the Backstory table. As you go, you’ll be interpreting
to understanding the species before meeting them, but their individual results while also mixing those results with
ancient history is likely not directly relevant to the ongoing previous results, and expanding your interpretations. You
Adventure so it makes sense to keep the Lists separate. are encouraged to go with your interpretations and to let
However, let’s say your Character sets down on the the overall story generated evolve, as if you were running
planet in a bustling city to meet an underworld contact to an entire Adventure in miniature.

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 VARIATIONS

BACKSTORY FOCUS
Backstory Focus Table 2
TABLE 2 ELEMENTS
Many of the results on Backstory Focus Table 1-13 NEW NPC
2 will be familiar to you, but let’s go over them 14-21 NPC ACTION, OR NEW NPC
anyway. There are a few new items, and even
some of the familiar entries may have to be 22-28 NPC NEGATIVE, OR NEW NPC
looked at in a different way for a Backstory. 29-35 NPC POSITIVE, OR NEW NPC
36-42 NEW THREAD
New NPC
43-55 CLOSE A THREAD, OR NEW THREAD
Generate a new NPC for the Backstory. You
56-64 SUBJECT NEGATIVE
can roll on the Description Meaning Tables
to get a physical description of what they look 65-72 SUBJECT POSITIVE
like, and if you’re not sure what role they play
73-78 CONNECTION, NPC TO NPC
in the Backstory you can also roll on the Action
Meaning Tables to get some idea of what they 79-86 CONNECTION, NPC TO SUBJECT
are doing. If there are events unfolding with
87-100 COMPLETE, OR NEW THREAD
your growing backstory where it makes sense
this new NPC would fit into then a roll on the
Action Meaning Tables may not be necessary, NPC Action, Or New NPC
just plug the new Character into the events in a way that
seems most meaningful. Randomly determine which NPC from the Characters
For instance, if you’ve already established that the List this is referring to then roll on the Action Meaning
back story included a bank robbery, it might make sense Tables for what action this NPC has taken. Whatever it is
to have this new Character be the bank robber or a law they have done, it should be viewed within the unfolding
enforcement agent investigating the robbery. Context of the growing Backstory. For instance, if the
Remember that a new NPC does not have to be a NPC is the King of Serak, and the Meaning Table results
person. With a Mythic List, a “Character” can be any are Overindulge and Pleasures, you might interpret this
Adventure element that has importance and some degree to mean that the king was distracted during his reign and
of agency. A Character can be a place, for instance, or an didn’t adequately prepare for the gathering forces of a
object. Non-person Characters can act in their own way. neighboring nation getting ready for war.
For example, if the Character is a forest, and you roll to If the Character List is empty and there are no NPCs
see what action the forest takes, you might interpret the to act, then treat this result as a New NPC.
results from the Action Meaning Tables to mean that it
gets very cold and starts to snow. NPC Negative/Positive, Or New NPC
Interpret this new NPC within the Context of the
backstory and add them to the Characters List. Randomly determine an NPC from the Characters List
then roll on the Action Meaning Tables to determine what

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 VARIATIONS

negative or positive thing happens to them. Just like with New Thread
NPC Action, you should try to tie this event in with the
unfolding Backstory. For instance, maybe the NPC rolled The Standard Event Focus Table does not include
for a negative event is a castle in the western portion of an entry for New Thread. This is because Threads are
the country, Castle Novgrad. The Action Meaning Tables expected to organically develop through the course of
give you Abandon and Lies. You interpret this to mean play as Player Characters choose the goals they want to
that the neighboring nation drops its pretense of peace go after. However, with generating a Backstory we aren’t
and invades the kingdom of Serak, starting with a battle taking the time to role-play out the events and the Player
at Castle Novgrad. Character isn’t an active participant. So, this entry brings
Once again, if the Character List is empty then treat new Threads into the Backstory.
this result as New NPC. Roll on the Action Meaning Tables to give you some
idea what the Thread is about, and then apply that to
the Context of the ongoing Backstory to interpret what

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 VARIATIONS

the Thread is. Keep in mind that a Thread is an open Subject Negative/Positive
goal, so it should be something pertinent to the events
of the Backstory. Since a Backstory can be about anything, Subject
For instance, with our example of the country means whatever or whomever the Backstory is being
descending into war, we roll New Thread and the Action generated for. Something negative or positive happens
Meaning Tables give us Malice and Danger. This is easy to the Subject. Roll on the Action Meaning Tables for
to interpret: the kingdom of Serak is at war with it’s inspiration on what happens. Again, consider the ongoing
neighbor and if it loses they face total destruction. The Context. With our example, the Subject is the kingdom of
Player goes with a Thread of: We must win the war. Serak. Let’s say we rolled Subject Positive and the Action
Add the new Thread to your Threads List. Meaning Tables give us results of Starting and Wishes.
The Player interprets this to mean that following the
highly destructive war, the king leads his nation into
Close A Thread, Or New Thread a new age of prosperity. The king is a new man, more
Randomly determine a Thread on your Threads List, resolute and forward thinking, and with hostilities with
then roll on the Action Meaning Tables to determine how his enemies put to rest the kingdom enters a golden age.
this Thread was finished. If there are no Threads on the
Threads List, then treat this result as New Thread. Connection
As with all the other results, consider the ongoing
Context of the developing Backstory and allow yourself to Connection is a new entry not found on the Standard
include any elements that have already been introduced Focus Table. Since Backstories are meant to be summaries
into your interpretation. of a wide range of events we have to simulate some of the
With our ongoing example of a nation at war, we roll elements that would normally be determined through
on the Action Meaning Tables for inspiration and get normal role-play. Connections between Characters is one
Lie and Tactics. There’s only one Thread on our Threads of those things. Who were enemies with whom, who were
List, “We must win the war”, so we go with that one. The allies, which Characters have personal history with each
Player considers the ongoing Context of the Backstory other, etc. Sometimes Connection elements will spring
and interprets the results this way: The king was taken by up naturally through other results, like NPC Positive, but
surprise with the invasion of his country and experienced this result calls for you to explicitly create a Connection
serious early losses. He had to mature very fast as the between two Characters.
destruction of his Serak loomed. In a desperate strategy Connections can be an important part of a Backstory.
to trick his enemy, the king allowed false information to The history of a Character or a place is more than the
be leaked that they had a major base in a valley. The king sum total of a string of events, it’s about people. The
hoped his enemy would launch a major offensive at this Connection entry allows you to flesh out these personal
false location, where he would then surround and trap his relationships more, giving the Backstory more richness.
foe’s army. The gambit paid off and the king was able to There are two varieties of Connections on the table:
end the war and save his country with this ruse. NPC to NPC, and NPC to Subject. With NPC to
Just as you would in a regular Adventure, remove the NPC, roll twice on the Characters List until you roll two
Thread from the Thread List because it is no longer relevant. separate Characters. The Connection you are developing
is between these two. If it’s NPC to Subject, then just roll

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 VARIATIONS

for one NPC to be Connected to the Subject.

If there are not enough NPCs on the Character List to A NOTE ABOUT TIME
make these rolls then consider this result a New NPC result.
Next, roll on the Action Meaning Tables for inspiration Keep in mind that a backstory is not a single event,
on what this Connection is about. like a Random Event. It’s also not something that
With our ongoing example, let’s say we rolled is taking place now, but somewhere in the past.
How far the Backstory exists in the past, and
Connection, NPC To Subject. The Subject in this case is
how much time the Backstory covers, is entirely
the Kingdom of Serak. For the NPC, we rolled Benjamin, up to you. Maybe the Backstory is about events
a sorcerer who had been earlier generated with a New NPC from yesterday, maybe it’s about events that
result. All we know about Benjamin so far is that he was occurred thousands of years ago. Once you are
active in the war. Apparently, he has a special connection done generating all of the Backstory events and
with the kingdom. Rolling on the Action Meaning Tables have interpreted them into a whole narrative, also
to help explain this, we get Ruin and Failure. include in your interpretation the element of time:
when the Backstory happened.
The Player interprets this to mean that following the
war, Benjamin’s power grew during the boom times that
resulted. The sorcerer had accumulated great wealth especially if the Backstory itself is not an integral part
during the war and he used it to further his studies, which of your Adventure. For instance, with the Kingdom
turned darker and darker. Years later, his experiments of Serak Backstory, maybe we generated it because we
caused a cataclysm that wreaked havoc across the wanted some background on the place where your Player
Kingdom of Serak, ending their era of prosperity and Character is going to start their Adventuring life. We
introducing a new age of terror and roving bands of know the kingdom has a history of war with the west, a
marauding monsters. time of peace and prosperity, and that it devolved into an
era of darkness which is likely still a problem now. In a
Complete, Or New Thread nutshell we know the kingdom’s past hundred years or so.
Your Backstory reaches completion if you roll
When you get a result of Complete, your Backstory is Complete on Backstory Focus Table 2 after your first roll,
done unless this is your first roll on Backstory Focus Table or if you generate a total of 7 Backstory events.
2, in which case treat this as New Thread.
Once you reach Complete you are done rolling on
the table and you should consider all the events you
created. By now you’ve likely already spun everything
INTERPRETING
into a narrative, but you may still want to take the time YOUR BACKSTORY
to review it all and tie up any lose ideas. You may have Up to seven rolls on a Focus Table will generate a lot
generated a Character or two that appear to have nothing of information. How do you combine all of this into a
to do with the history, in which case you may want to cohesive narrative?
rethink some of your interpretations to make them fit. Maybe think of it as layering detail upon detail. Start
If you have Threads that were not closed, consider those with the first roll, and interpret that as best you can. Go
goals that were never achieved or are perhaps still open. on to the next roll, interpret it while also combining it
Feel free to take as much creative license as you wish, with the previous result. Make your next roll, and also

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 VARIATIONS

interpret and combine. With this process you are adding Laren Meets The Future
layers and layers of story meaning one layer at a time.
When you make a new roll you might modify your Let’s say you’re creating a Character for an Adventure
interpretation of a previous roll to better fit the ongoing universe set in the old west. However, in this old west
narrative. Each layer of new information is not separate time travelers from the future have arrived to set up a
and distinct, it should all start to meld together as your high-tech town in the desert for their own unknown
understanding of the Backstory grows. purposes. The Player envisions this as an Adventure
Let’s try it with an example. involving the rustic residents of this out-of-the-way patch

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 VARIATIONS

of American desert dealing with the strange new arrivals

with their whiz bang gizmos and strange future tech. INTERPRET AND RE-INTERPRET
The Player’s Character is Laren, the sheriff of the small
town of Cactus Creek. Once a booming gold rush area, Making a Backstory using this system can be
the mines have all seemed to dry up and Cactus Creek chaotic at first. You will get early results on
has fallen on hard times. Will the arrival of The Travelers Backstory Focus Table 2 that you have little
Context to connect them with so you may not be
mean a new boom is ahead, or the townsfolks’ extinction?
sure what to do with them. That’s okay. When
The Player Character wants to breathe more life into you roll a result, interpret it as best you can but
Laren, so he decides to use the Backstory table to create be prepared to interpret it again later when you
a history for him. The Player prepares a sheet for his roll more results. You may even hold off on
Threads and Characters Lists. Since no adventuring has interpreting a result to wait and see what follows,
started yet there are no Lists already in place and Laren or completely change an earlier interpretation in
has no other history. light of new results. The important thing is that
once you have all your results that you interpret
With a copy of Backstory Focus Table 2 ready, we
them into a complete narrative.
make the first roll and get Complete, Or New Thread.
Since we can’t Complete the Backstory on the first roll we
treat this as New Thread. Rolling on the Action Meaning man to the Player. Rolling on the Action Meaning Tables
Tables for inspiration we get Release and Allies. The for a clue as to what this Character was doing, we get
Player interprets this to mean that in Laren’s past, there Extravagance and Energy.
were friends who were captured and had to be released. The Player interprets it this way: When Laren was a
The Player isn’t sure how much further to take this idea, teenager, a wealthy man came into town to set up a mining
so leaves it vague for now. He enters “Free captured operation. He spent a lot of money (extravagance) and
friends” on the Threads List. soon the area was bustling with mining activity (energy).
Keep in mind that this is Laren’s Backstory, all of these Wentwood Emming was a large man with an athletic
events happened in his past before the current Adventure background. He was the kind of man others feared both
that’s about to happen. We’re trying to get a better for his wealth and his physical intimidation.
understanding of Laren. The Player writes Wentwood on the Characters List.
Making the second Backstory roll, we get New Thread. The Player is starting to get some ideas about what
Rolling on the Action Meaning Tables we get Dispute and all of this means. Maybe Wentwood became something
Pursue. The Player interprets this to mean that in Laren’s of a tyrant in young Laren’s small town. The captured
past there was an important dispute that resulted in a chase. friends in the first Thread might be people who opposed
The Player reasons that this may have something to do with Wentwood and were then jailed.
the captured friends. Still keeping it vague, the Player writes The Player decides to keep rolling before coming
this second Thread down as “Track down enemies”. to any conclusions. The next roll is New NPC. Again
Rolling on the Backstory Table again, we get needing a Description and Action for this person, we get
Connection, NPC To Subject. Since there aren’t any a Description of Delightfully and Lacking, and Action of
NPCs on the Characters List this changes to a New NPC Work and Expectations. The Player interprets this to be
result. Rolling on the Description Meaning Tables we Fingle Dogwood, Wentwood’s right-hand man and main
get Efficiently and Heavy. That sounds like a large, agile muscle. Fingle is a nice enough man, often smiling and

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 VARIATIONS

joking, but simple and singular of mind. His job is to serious mining operation. This enterprise soon overtook
make sure work in the mines continues as expected for his the entire town, and Wentwood became the defacto despot
boss, Wentwood Emming. controlling every aspect of town life. To keep people in
The Player writes Fingle onto the Characters List. check, Wentwood had his man Fingle assemble a force by
Rolling for the next Backstory element, we get NPC threatening a dozen townsfolk to either strap on a gun and
Action. We have two NPCs, so randomly determining help or lose your home and be driven from town.
which one we get Fingle. So, Fingle does something that Tensions were high as time went on, the people living in
has an influence on Laren’s Backstory. Rolling on the fear under Wentwood’s thumb. With his decisions enforced
Action meaning Tables, we get Recruit and Liberty. by Fingle and his gang, no one dared oppose the injustices.
The Player interprets this to mean that as Wentwood’s Wentwood grew paranoid, however, and became
influence over the town grew, he needed his own worried that Fingle had acquired too much power. This
enforcement team to keep everyone in line. It became culminated in a battle in the streets as Wentwood’s hired
Fingle’s job to assemble and manage this team, and he thugs went to war with Fingle’s forces. In the end, Fingle
did it by forcing townspeople he chose into serving as and Wentwood killed each other, the entire mining
his henchmen. Work for me or else. The Player decides operation came to a grinding halt, and the town was left
this is what the first Thread pertains to, “Free captured in disarray. The people of Cactus Creek were traumatized
friends.” Townsfolk are being forced into becoming by this whole affair, and this is the environment that
enforcers for Fingle. Laren grew to be a man in. He became a deputy to help
The Player has made five rolls on the Backstory table. enforce the rule of law in his town and bring the place
There are up to two more rolls to go. Continuing, the back to being livable for civilized folk. Laren did such a
next roll is NPC Action again. Rolling for which NPC good job he was eventually promoted to sheriff, and there
we get Wentwood. The Action Meaning Tables gives us he is to this day.
Struggle and Inside. The Player decides this means that The Player is satisfied with this history for Laren as
over time, Wentwood began to become concerned about it gives him ideas for how his Character will view the
his man Fingle and the group of enforcers around him. coming events in the Adventure. It would make sense
Wentwood no longer trusted him and was worried Fingle that Laren is going to look at The Travelers with a high
would turn against him. The Player decides to interpret degree of suspicion. Fancy gadgets from the future or not,
this result with the second Thread result of “Track down The Travelers may just be the next Wentwood Emming
enemies”. Wentwood had come to think of Fingle as an to breeze into town and there is no way Laren is going to
enemy to be disposed of. allow Cactus Creek to succumb to tyranny again.
With only one more result to go we roll Complete, Considering the Threads and Characters generated for
which means we are done. this Backstory, the Player decides all of that lies in the past
Taking all of these rolls together, the Player interprets it and isn’t relevant to the present so he discards the Lists.
this way: When Laren was 16 Wentwood Emming rolled With a clear picture of who Laren is now, the Player is
into town with his money and his men and started up a ready to begin the Adventure.

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 VARIATIONS
New rules and twists on current rules

Control Your Adventure

With Keyed Scenes
The Mythic approach to formulating Scenes is pretty KEYED SCENES
simple: use what you think is going to happen next and
A Keyed Scene is a new type of Scene that is designed
test it to see if you get the Expected Scene, or an Altered
with a trope or concept in mind that you want the Scene
or Interrupt Scene. This gives three possible directions for
to enact. These ideas are set ahead of your Adventure,
every Scene, and from there we hop from one Scene to
and it allows you to control your Adventure in some
the next through our Adventures, linking all the Scenes
interesting ways. For instance, Keyed Scenes could be
together like puzzle pieces.
used as another way to inject theme elements into your
There are two forces at work creating these Scenes.
Adventure. It can also be used to guarantee that certain
First of all, there’s you. It’s your ideas that create the
things happen in your Adventure that you want to
Expected Scene, and that also gets us to the Altered
happen or that need to happen. It’s also a way to force an
Scenes. The second force are Random Events, which form
Adventure to take place within a certain amount of time.
the basis of Interrupt Scenes.
For instance, let’s say you are running a campaign in
In this article I present a fourth type of Scene with
a zombie apocalypse. You’ve had some good Adventures
a new driving force allowing you to set up parameters
in this setting, but you’re unhappy with how infrequently
before you begin your Adventure, with the Adventure
your Character is running into random zombies. You
itself making those Scenes happen when they’re supposed
want more zombie action. You could use Keyed Scenes
to. This is similar to Mythic Magazine #7’s
A MONTHLY EZINE WITH TIPS, RULES, AND MORE GOODIES FOR
THE MYTHIC ROLE-PLAYING SYSTEM, MYTHIC GAME MASTER EMULATOR, AND CRAFTER SERIES

to insert zombie encounters into your Adventure by

Customizing A Solo Adventure Before You
following certain rules that you set up.
Begin, but where that approach focuses on
Customizing A These rules are called Triggers, and they decide when an
Solo Adventure using Random Events to get custom results,
Before
You Begin Event happens, and those Events take place in Keyed Scenes.
this approach uses Scenes, which opens up
Let’s break it down ...
Randomized
Starship
some new possibilities.
Generation
VOLUME 7
Confused? Let’s get to it!

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 VARIATIONS

Keyed Scene Event

THANK YOU JOSE!
A Keyed Scene Event is what you want to happen
in a Keyed Scene, like our zombie attack. You would The idea in this chapter for Keyed Scenes is the
decide these Events ahead of time, before you begin result of a Discord discussion I had with the
your Adventure. If you’re doing a traditional dungeon talented Jose Manuel Navarro where we were
discussing how to make an Adventure fit within a
delve maybe your Event is encountering a wandering
certain time limit. We spent maybe an hour tossing
monster. Maybe you’re playing a superhero game where ideas back and forth and had a great time doing it!
your Character goes out of control sometimes when they
You can find Jose online at his YouTube channel,
use their power too much, so your Keyed Scene Event RPG Tips (www.youtube.com/c/RPGTips), where
is your Character losing control. You could use Keyed he delivers thoughtful and
Scene Events to keep an evening of group role-playing on highly useful advice for
track by having Events that move the Adventure along or solo role-players as well as
introduce the conclusion. reviews of RPG products.
Whatever you want to happen in your Adventure He also recently produced
The Terrain Randomizer,
can be baked into it as a Keyed Scene Event. When that
available on DriveThruRPG, a
Event comes up, it becomes a necessary part of the next wonderful solo RPG tool for
Scene making that a Keyed Scene. For instance, with our visualizing your surroundings.
zombie survivor, your might have your idea together for Thank you Jose for the
the Expected Scene but you know that this Scene is also brainstorming session! It
a Keyed Scene and a zombie attack has to take place in it, Triggered a wonderful idea!
so you work that all together to make the Scene.

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 VARIATIONS

Keyed Scene Trigger the idea that after four times of maxing out your powers
your Character is in danger of losing control, but you
The Trigger is what tells you when a Keyed Scene want it to be somewhat unpredictable too. So, you decide
Event happens. Just as you decide what the Events are, to make the Trigger going four Scenes where you max out
you also decide what Triggers them. With our zombie your power and you roll 1-5 on a 1d10.
Adventure, the Trigger might be three Scenes that happen Once all of the conditions of a Trigger are met in one
without any zombie attacks occurring. After your third Scene, the Event will happen in the next Scene making it a
Scene ends without a zombie encounter, the Event is Keyed Scene.
Triggered and the next Scene now must contain the Keyed
Scene Event, which is a zombie attack.
Just like the Events can be anything, so too can the
Triggers. For a dungeon delve, maybe the Trigger is if you
MAKING IT ALL HAPPEN
roll a 6 on a 1d6 and the Event is a wandering monster The first step to utilizing Keyed Scenes is deciding
encounter. For the superhero trying to maintain control what you want to use them for (sidebars in this article will
over their powers the Trigger could be a total of 4 Scenes explore some Keyed Scene ideas for you to use and model
where they use their powers at maximum and the Event is your own Keyed Scenes after). These are the Events that
their powers raging out of control. Maybe for an Adventure you want to happen in a Keyed Scene. Next, you need to
that you are trying to keep on a schedule, your Trigger is decide the Trigger that makes the Event happen.
one hour of real time having passed and the Event is an When the Trigger is achieved in one Scene the Event
automatic Move Toward A Thread Random Event. happens in the next Scene. Unless your Keyed Scene
You can think of the Keyed Scene Trigger as a sort Event is itself an entire Expected Scene, then you will
of If/Then computer statement. If X happens then Y formulate your Scene as normal: come up with an
happens. The Trigger can even be something compound. Expected Scene idea and test it to see if it happens or
For instance, let’s say in our superhero Adventure you like becomes an Altered Scene or an Interrupt Scene. On
top of this procedure you will also layer the Keyed Scene
Event, working it in to the Scene in the most logical way.
KEYED SCENE: LET’S RUMBLE! For instance, with our zombie apocalypse Character,
she’s been digging around in a ruined city looking for
You’re thirsting for an Adventure with battle, and shelter and supplies. She previously ran into a group of
this Keyed Scene will make it happen. other survivors who weren’t friendly, so she’s been keeping
a low profile. The Character has gone through three
KEYED SCENE: LET’S RUMBLE!
Scenes where she’s scavenging and hiding, and hasn’t run
EVENT

A combat will happen in this Keyed Scene. into any zombies. This is our Trigger, so we know the next
Roll for a Random Event to generate it. Scene will have a zombie encounter.
In the Scene where the Trigger happens, the Character
TRIGGER

just escaped from a member of the hostile group who

Complete 2 Scenes in a row without a fight.
chased her through a wrecked office building. She
narrowly escaped. The Player decides that the next
Scene is the Character returning to her shelter, a school

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 VARIATIONS

classroom she has barricaded. That’s the Expected Scene,

and the Player rolls against the Chaos Factor to see if it KEYED SCENE: STAY ON SCHEDULE
happens. She gets an Altered Scene.
Since the Player knows that a zombie encounter is This Keyed Scene is about forcing your solo
going to happen in this Scene she decides to combine Adventure to fit within a certain time frame. For
instance, maybe you only have three hours to
that with the Altered Scene and say that is what changes
play and you want to complete an Adventure in
the Expected Scene. As she returns to her shelter she’s that time. You can use Keyed Scenes to make
dismayed to find zombies outside the door, blocking her. sure that happens.

KEYED SCENES: STAY ON SCHEDULE

Using Random Events

EVENT
If you haven’t already discovered a main
Keyed Scene Events are usually going to be some kind Thread to pursue, you do so in this Scene.
of idea or concept. Such as “zombie encounter”, “ship
malfunctions”, “plot moves forward”, or whatever it is

TRIGGER
that you want to happen in your Adventure. After 30 minutes of real time.
When the Keyed Scene Trigger happens you know
its Event will take place in the next Scene, but you don’t
know exactly how it’s going to unfold. To help shape how If you haven’t been moving toward resolving
it happens, you can turn the Keyed Scene Event into a the main Thread, then generate a Random
EVENT

Random Event, but a special kind of Random Event that Event with the Event Focus of Move Toward
A Thread, with the Thread being your
must conform to the Keyed Scene idea.
primary Thread.
You are making a Random Event with the extra Context
TRIGGER

of the Keyed Scene Event rolled into it. If your Keyed Scene
After halfway through the time you have to
Event is a zombie encounter then you would generate a
play in real time.
Random Event as normal but whatever you generate, it’s
going to be centered around a zombie encounter.
For instance, if the Keyed Scene Event is “Supervillain If you haven’t reached the conclusion of your
EVENT

attacks!”, and your Expected Scene (which has not primary Thread, then this Scene gives the
situation to do so
been Altered or Interrupted) is your hero Character
investigating a dock at night where smuggling activity
TRIGGER

has been taking place, you might generate a Random An hour from the end of your scheduled
Adventure time.
Event near the start of the Scene to help explain in what
Context a supervillain appears and attacks. Maybe you
get Player Character Positive with Event Meaning words
of Disrupt and Opulence. You interpret this to mean that Event to guide the Random Event, such as requiring the
while your Character is investigating the docks you come Random Event to be a Player Character Negative. In this
across a supervillain loading a truck with smuggled goods case you wouldn’t have to roll on the Event Focus Table
and a fight erupts between you two. since you already have that result, you would just roll on
You can even build instructions into the Keyed Scene the Event Meaning Tables.

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 VARIATIONS

Counts
KEYED SCENE: PLOT POINTS
One way to formulate a Trigger is to create a Count for
it. For instance, after a certain number of things happen This Keyed Scene is for those who also use The
in the Adventure the Keyed Scene Event is Triggered. Adventure Crafter book. A previous issue of
Counts can be anything, such as: how many combats Mythic Magazine (#5) discusses how to combine
The Adventure Crafter with Mythic. However,
you’ve engaged in, how many Scenes have passed without
you can use Keyed Scenes as another way to
progress, how many clues your Character has discovered, bring Adventure Crafter Plot Points into your
how many minutes have passed on a timer, etc. Mythic Adventure.
Record your Count each time the relevant element
happens. When the target Count is reached then the Before you do this, generate the five Theme
Keyed Scene Event is Triggered for the next Scene. priorities as you normally would with The Adventure
Crafter. The Keyed Scene is about bringing a single
Once a Count is reached you can choose whether this
Plot Point into random Mythic Scenes.
Keyed Scene is now over and done with, or you can reset the
Count and start it over. How you handle the Count is up to KEYED SCENE: THROW A PLOT POINT AT ME
you, whatever you think will give you your best results.
Roll a single Plot Point from The Adventure
Crafter by determining the Theme to use,
EVENT

Randomizers which Thread/Plotline it pertains to, then

rolling the Plot Point. Incorporate this Plot
Your Triggers don’t have to be absolute. For instance, Point into the Keyed Scene.
if you want an Adventure with lots of combat you can
TRIGGER

set a Trigger for a combat to occur every time two Scenes

Roll 1-2 on a 1d10.
go by without a tussle. This guarantees a certain amount
of combat, but maybe you think this becomes too
predictable. You can throw randomizers in as Triggers too.
For example, instead of saying a combat happens after
two Scenes without combat, you could say the Trigger Trigger has happened and to update any Trigger counts.
is “A result of 1-5 on 1d10.” Or, you could bundle your Once you know a Trigger has been activated, then the
Triggers with something like, “At least two Scenes in a row next Scene will be a Keyed Scene, which means the Keyed
without a fight, and roll 1-5 on 1d10.” Scene Event will take place in that Scene.
Generate the Scene normally, coming up with an
Expected Scene and testing it against the Chaos Factor.
Trigger And Event Timing, And Frequency
Have the Keyed Scene Event take place at any point in the
Determining whether a Trigger has been set off is Scene that makes sense, but I suggest doing it at the very
done at the end of a Scene, and should be considered beginning of the Scene or as early as possible.
as part of your end of Scene bookkeeping. Normally at It’s your choice how often a Keyed Scene Event can be
the conclusion of a Mythic Scene you will update your Triggered in your Adventure. Maybe it’s a one time Event,
Characters and Threads Lists and update the Chaos Factor. maybe it can happen over and over. You can work these
When using Keyed Scenes, you would also check to see if a conditions into the Trigger. For instance, your Trigger may

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 VARIATIONS

state that it is activated when a Count reaches 5. Once it

reaches 5, the Event is Triggered and the Count is reduced KEYED SCENE: BOSS FIGHT
to 2 and can be increased to Trigger the Event again.
This Keyed Scene is designed for an Adventure
that is meant to lead up to a confrontation with a
Keyed Scene Nullification primary villain. You want to give your Adventure
plenty of time to get your Character to that point,
Keyed Scenes can be used as contingencies, to make
but you don’t want the Adventure to drag on too
sure something happens in your Adventure in case long either before this final big event. This Keyed
Mythic doesn’t make it happen. For instance, your Scene helps to make sure that doesn’t happen.
fantasy warrior may be trying to restore a mystical spring
KEYED SCENE: BOSS FIGHT!
to bring vitality back to a kingdom, but you really want
your warrior to run into some kind of magical dilemma The Keyed Scene features a climactic

EVENT
in this Adventure. You make a Keyed Scene Event of confrontation between your Character and
“Encounter a magical dilemma.” For the Trigger, you the main villain. Create a Random Event
set “Roll 1-3 on a 1d10, every Scene after Scene 5. This around this confrontation.
Event will only happen once.” TRIGGER After 15 Scenes if a final confrontation with
You’ve decided what you want and set a Keyed Scene the villain has not taken place, then a roll of
Event for it. Let’s say in Scene 3 your warrior runs afoul 1-3 on a 1d10 means the confrontation takes
of some kind of magical dilemma through a regular place in the next Scene. Make this roll at the
Random Event in Mythic. While exploring a cave system end of every Scene after the 15th Scene.
near the mystic spring
the warrior encounters a
naturally occurring magical
phenomenon where he is
attacked by a construct
composed of his worst fears.
Your Keyed Scene is no
longer relevant because
what you wanted to happen
as the Keyed Scene Event,
encountering a magical
dilemma, has already
happened in the normal
course of your Adventure.
When you run up against the
Trigger for this Event you can
decide that the Keyed Scene
Event has already happened so
it is done.

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 VARIATIONS

Generating New Keyed Scenes

KEYED SCENE: SET THE DUNGEON TONE
Keyed Scenes are presented here as something you
come up with before your Adventure begins as a way This is a collection of Keyed Scenes designed to
of making sure your Adventure has elements in it that evoke a classic dungeon crawl atmosphere during
you want. However, there’s no reason why you can’t a dungeon delving Adventure. These three Keyed
Scenes would require a separate 1d10 roll for
add Keyed Scenes to your Adventure as you play.
each to test the Trigger, so three 1d10 rolls at
You might have a standard Mythic Adventure where the end of each Scene to see if any of the Keyed
you generated the first Scene using a Random Event. Scene Events happen in the following Scene.
From there your Adventure has been unfolding nicely,
it’s turned into an interesting planetary exploration KEYED SCENES: DUNGEON TONE
where your starship crew has found a world with You encounter a random wandering

EVENT
ancient alien ruins on it. As you explore this planet, monster in the next Scene, wherever you
you get an idea where you would like your Character happen to be. Generate a Random Event
to encounter a strange relic. You think that would be around introducing the monster.
a cool twist to the Adventure, but you don’t want to
TRIGGER
formulate it as an Expected Scene idea, you’d rather
Roll 1-2 on 1d10 each Scene.
have it come at you more unexpectedly. You make a
Keyed Scene Event of “We find a strange alien relic
that has odd, active properties.” The Trigger is “Roll 1
You encounter a trap as it is sprung.
on a 1d10. This Keyed Scene will only happen once.”
EVENT

Generate a Random Event to describe

Now you’ve introduced the possibility of having the trap, with the Event Focus being an
a Scene where you discover an active alien relic. You automatic PC Negative.
set the Trigger so that it isn’t very likely to happen in
TRIGGER

any given Scene, and may not happen at all before the
Adventure is over, but it’s there as a possibility for any Roll 1 on 1d10 each Scene.
upcoming Scene.

You encounter a strange puzzle of some sort

that you have to figure out. Roll on the Event
TAKING CONTROL
EVENT

Meaning Description Tables to describe what

it looks like, and the Event Meaning Action
Keyed Scenes is another way to take control of
Tables for what it appears you have to do to
your Mythic Adventures and guide them, if you wish. solve it.
While the default model for a Mythic Adventure is
TRIGGER

to let the game system lead where it goes, a tool like

Keyed Scenes allows you to set parameters if you want Roll 1 on 1d10 each Scene.
the Adventure to adhere to certain rules. You get a
randomized Mythic Adventure, but you also have the
elements occurring that you want to happen.

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 VARIATIONS

The Keyed Scene Events and Triggers shown in this

article are only suggestions to give you some ideas for KEYED SCENE: OVERWHELMED BY HORROR
how you could fashion your own. Keyed Scenes can be
used for anything. Here are some suggestions: This is a Keyed Scene designed to emulate your
• I mportant Events: If you want anything specific Character trying to hold on to their sanity in a
horror Adventure. This is an example of a more
to happen in your Adventure and you don’t want
complicated Keyed Scene Trigger and Event.
it to be dependent on randomness, you can tie
those events to Keyed Scenes. This can include KEYED SCENE: OVERWHELMED BY HORROR
anything from combats occurring, encounters
with important NPCs, some kind of flaw in your Your Character is overwhelmed by what she
has experienced. In this Keyed Scene she
Character being triggered, etc.
must find emotional support, such as seeking

EVENT
• S etting A Tone: This goes along with Important
help, renewing her faith in humanity, or
Events, but if you want your Adventure to have finding peace. She can’t engage in anything
a certain tone then you could have Keyed Scenes horror related without attempting to flee
help. For instance, if your Adventure is emulating until she gets this support.
slasher films of the 1980s, a Keyed Scene might
involve the killer attacking out of nowhere Count each Scene where she experiences
sometimes. You could also Trigger more vague a horror. When the Count reaches 5 or
more, a roll of 1-3 on 1d10 Triggers the
Events, like having something creepy happen in a
TRIGGER

Event in the next Scene. Any Scene where

supernatural Adventure or a discovery happen in a she receives emotional support, reduce
mystery Adventure. the Count by 1. If the Keyed Scene Event
•G  ame Management: Keyed Scenes can help with happens, then the emotional support
solo game management, in the same way that a she gets to recover from the resulting
live Gamemaster might guide an Adventure that breakdown reduces the Count by 3.
is going off the rails. You can use Keyed Scenes
to help keep your Adventure on track within
a time frame (see Stay On Schedule on page Staying Organized
15) or to maintain some aspect of your Adventure.
On the next page you’ll find the Keyed Scenes Record
For instance, if your games involve multiple Player
Sheet which you can print and use to help you keep track
Characters and you find that not all of them get
of your own Keyed Scenes.
included in the action in some Adventures, you could
set up a Keyed Scene where the Event is to focus on a
PC who hasn’t had the limelight yet.

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 INTERRUPT
Solutions to problems of Mythic proportions

Resolving Character vs.

Player Knowledge
One of the greatest wonders of solo role-playing, in
my opinion, is the ability to play a role-playing game SOLO ROLE-PLAYING PHILOSOPHY
completely by yourself and yet still be surprised by what
happens next. You aren’t limited by a linear storyline pre- This article is intended to spur your
determined by an author, the scope is unlimited. All you imagination and perhaps give you a new
have to do is ask Questions and keep moving forward. way of thinking of an old problem.
There is no right or wrong answer to
Still, despite our best intentions, sometimes the
how to deal with Player vs. Character
surprises can be spoiled when we, the Players, know more knowledge, it depends on your personal style of
than our own Characters do. There are lots of ways this play. Please consider this article to be a toolbox to
can happen, and if you aren’t prepared to deal with it you root around in where you might find a way to deal
may find yourself sitting there in the middle of a solo with this issue that works best for you.
gaming session suddenly puzzling over how your Character
should act when you know something they don’t.

have any idea what to expect to find in the dark depths,

AT ITS SIMPLEST and neither will you. You’ll find out by asking Fate
When Mythic (or any solo role-playing oracle) is Questions and learning as your Character learns.
played at its simplest the issue of Character knowledge It is tempting when playing this way to ask Questions
vs. Player knowledge is automatically handled. Mythic is that lay outside the scope of your Character. For instance,
intended to act as the Gamemaster for you. You already while your thief is making his way into the catacomb,
will know, and not know, whatever Mythic lets you know out of curiosity you ask “Is the place haunted?” There are
just as it would be with a live GM. circumstances where this Question would make sense to
For instance, your thief Character slipping into an ask, but given the current Context of the thief entering the
ancient catacomb to rob a long-dead king’s grave may not tomb there is no real basis to ask this Question. Getting

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 INTERRUPT

an answer now would be information that the Player may already know a ton of things your Character doesn’t
knows and the Character does not, and doesn’t give a good know. Also, how about resolving social skills like telling if
mechanism for the Player to act on that knowledge now. someone is lying, or doing things like finding secret doors
Keeping things at their simplest, just asking the or hidden compartments? Should you already know such
Questions that make the most sense and that only your secret places exist before your Character searches for them?
Character could know, is the easiest way I know to Personally, one of the most common ways that my
sidestep the Player vs. Character knowledge problem. knowledge as a Player grows faster than my Character’s
is when I have down time in between my Adventure. I
often think about the Adventure when I’m not playing,
and when I think about it I get ideas for it that make a lot
WHEN IT’S NO LONGER SIMPLE of sense to me and that I want to run with. Before long
The thing is, not every solo Adventure stays this simple. those ideas become “canon” to me and now I’m ahead of
There are lots of ways you, as the Player, can learn things myself in the Adventure. Just generating ideas like that
that your Character doesn’t know. For instance, if you puts me, the Player, beyond where my Character is and
are soloing your way through a published module you can diminish the sense of surprise I want to experience.

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 INTERRUPT

Test It, Ask It, Then It’s Real CINEMATIC VS. SIMULATION PLAY
A question that sometimes comes up in solo play is
how to resolve a Character searching for something that The topic of playing cinematically vs. simulationist
a living GM would know is there but you do not. Secret is covered in the core Mythic rule book, but it’s
doors is the classic example, but it could be anything from also pertinent to Player vs. Character knowledge.
Simulationist play is more sensitive to knowing
evidence of a crime to figuring out if an NPC is lying.
and not knowing facts, whereas in a cinematic
In my opinion the best way to deal with this dilemma is adventure you may be less concerned with factual
for the Character to make any skill rolls they need to make surprises as you focus on the overall narrative.
to discover the hidden thing, either using the rules of the As a refresher, a simulationist approach to play is
RPG you are playing with or posing it as a Mythic Fate treating your Adventure like a virtual reality and
Question. For instance, your warrior may start searching seeing how one event leads to another, usually
a room for a secret door, or your espionage Character may through the single lens of one Character’s point of
study his informant to determine if he’s telling the truth. view. Cinematic play is more like a movie, where
If you succeed at the skill check then you determine you may allow Scenes to happen from other
points of view and events to unfold without your
if the secret thing exists by posing it as a Fate Question.
main Character’s involvement or knowledge. In
Does my warrior find a secret door? Do I get the sense a cinematic Adventure you are almost sure to
that he’s lying? have greater amounts of Player knowledge than
This is how Mythic Adventures are supposed to Character knowledge.
unfold, with every step not knowing what exists until The problem of Player vs. Character knowledge
you ask about it. What makes this different is that it’s an is much less of a problem with cinematic play
Adventure element that calls for a skill roll before you can because you are less focused on a single Character
ask the Fate Question. and are more focused on the story. You may still
be subject to knowledge conflicts as it might color
how you decide to make a Character act, but it’s
Mythic Is A Liar less jarring than in a simulationist Adventure where
Character choices and Adventure surprises are the
Knowing too much about your Adventure can primary focus.
come about through the simple accumulation of all the
Questions you’ve asked. Given enough time and enough
Questions, you’re going to know a lot of details about one thing, you also determined who was responsible for
a lot of things pertaining to your Adventure. This is an letting the creatures into our dimension. Maybe this is
instance where your Player knowledge might expand past something you learned as the Player because you had to
your Character’s. know this so you could answer another Question, such
For instance, in an Adventure about teenagers dealing as if the creatures were present in an abandoned building
with otherworldly forces, over the course of a dozen that used to be a laboratory. Now you, the Player, know
Scenes you may have worked out what the creatures in who is responsible for the creatures being here but your
the woods are, where they come from, how dangerous Character does not.
they are, and what their weaknesses are. At some point If you get to a Scene where it becomes important
in the Adventure while asking Fate Questions about for your Characters to know who is responsible or not,

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 INTERRUPT

how do you deal with this? You already know, as the

Player, which robs you of the tension in deciding if your OTHER DISCUSSIONS
Character is going to trust an NPC or not.
One way to deal with this dilemma is accepting that The issue of Player vs. Character knowledge crops
Mythic may be lying to you sometimes. In other words, up sometimes in solo role-playing and has been
allow yourself the possibility that something you learned touched on in other issues of Mythic Magazine.
earlier in the Adventure is wrong, especially if knowing it “Using Mythic With Published Adventures” in Mythic
causes a problem later. Magazine #3 discussed handling Player knowledge
when it comes to using published adventures.
For instance, in this Adventure let’s say you determined
earlier that the high school science teacher, Mr. Larkins, “Creating Mystery Adventures” in Mythic Magazine
#6 provides a system for running solo mysteries,
is responsible for bringing the creatures into the world.
which handles knowledge in its own way.
He was using discarded machinery in the abandoned
lab when his experiments to speak with the dead
inadvertently opened a portal into a hostile dimension.
You determined this fact earlier in the Adventure when
you needed to know if evidence of the creatures were
found in the abandoned building as your Character
explored the place.
Now, later in the Adventure, your Character is in a
Scene with Mr. Larkin and the Character has to decide
whether or not to team up with him. This might be a let
down for you, the Player, since you already know Larkin
is secretly responsible for the catastrophe and is going to
great lengths to cover it up. until they are made reliable within the Adventure itself. See
To maintain the tension in this Scene, you could the sidebar on the next page for a discussion about this.
decide that you may think you know Larkin is I suggest only questioning known facts when that fact
responsible, or maybe Mythic lied to you earlier. In this causes a conflict in your Adventure. That conflict is the
case, instead of knowing for sure that Larkin is guilty trigger that moves that element from “known” to “maybe”.
I would suggest going with knowing that he MAY be Questioning an already established fact can bring
guilty, which makes your knowledge on par with your dramatic tension into a Scene. For instance, the Player
Character’s now. Yes, you had determined earlier that determined that Larkin was guilty of bringing violent
Larkin was, in fact, guilty, but now you are questioning creatures into our dimension even though the Player
that fact. The only way to confirm it for sure is for your Character doesn’t know this yet. Undoing that fact about
Character to discover it through normal play. Larkin would require you to establish a new reason why
Another way to look at this is treating information in the creatures are here. Maybe someone else, not Larkin,
your Adventure as either reliable or unreliable. Reliable was using the lab and brought the creatures into our
information are facts your Character discovers within the world. This is a twist in the story for you, the Player, and
Adventure, and unreliable information are facts you know it doesn’t derail your Adventure because the fact was never
only as the Player. Unreliable facts are only possibilities concretely established within the Adventure.

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Going With It RELIABLE VS. UNRELIABLE INFORMATION

Earlier we discussed cinematic vs. simulationist solo
role-playing and how those styles differ. One aspect of The discussion about Mythic Is A Liar provides
cinematic role-playing is that you are letting the narrative a system for evaluating Player versus Character
unfold organically in such a way that having greater knowledge. A simpler way to look at it is to consider
what you know, as the Player, as either reliable or
knowledge than your Character is not a hindrance, it
unreliable. Known facts that are only known to you,
may even be a help. The more you, as the Player, know the Player, are unreliable until they are concretely
about the Adventure universe the more cohesively you introduced into the Adventure.
can craft and guide the events in the Adventure. You the In this way, what you know now becomes just
Player may know that the orbital space station’s fusion a possibility until it is actually introduced in the
reactor was sabotaged by rebel separatists, and while your Adventure world.
Character may not know this your superior knowledge as
the Player will allow you to design Expected Scenes that
make more sense within the overall unfolding narrative. begin your Adventure from a cold start, knowing next
In this kind of situation you are likely to go with to nothing. You have a main Character who is your
it when you know more than your Character because Character. As the Adventure progresses, new goals and
you are more interested in how the narrative as a whole ideas develop and more Characters come into play. You
comes together than you are with surprises from the are enjoying the unfolding of the Adventure, the twists
individual choices of your Character. Going with being and turns, and the surprises.
the omniscient observer is a stylistic choice that makes There may come a time in this Adventure where you,
for good cinematic or literary narratives. the Player, have developed more knowledge than your
If you are already playing in a cinematic way you can Character and now you are losing that sense of unfolding
consider the knowledge gap to be a feature more than a surprise from the point of view of your Character. You can
flaw. This style of play offers its own excitement, where try some of the earlier suggestions about how to handle this
you know your Character is trusting the wrong people, extra knowledge, or ... you can change your point of view.
is walking toward an ambush, is being tricked by a foe, Switching roles is one way to freshen up the surprise
and you go with it because you understand that Character factor in your Adventure without having to directly deal
and what they would do. Knowing more in this context with the knowledge itself. For instance, maybe you turn
is like watching a movie where your omniscience serves to your main Character into an NPC and you switch your
heighten the tension because you know the Character is point of view to a former NPC who is now your main
making a mistake. Character. Or, going further, you pull back completely
and release your Player Character and you become the
Gamemaster, leaving all of the Characters as NPCs and
Switch Hats their actions subject to Mythic Fate Questions.
This may seem like an unusual suggestion to resolve This is an intriguing way to resolve knowing too much
Player knowledge, but it does solve the problem and it and is something that is likely only possible with solo
might appeal to you if the story holds more importance role-playing since you have complete control over how
to you than an individual Character does. Let’s say you you play. This approach may not work for you if you feel

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 INTERRUPT

connected to your Character and guiding their actions

is your priority. However, if letting go and changing
your point of view reinvigorates the excitement in your
Adventure then it may be a good strategy to try.

Extra Knowledge As An RP Opportunity

Knowing that your Character is walking into a
trap, when they don’t know it, can be viewed as an
opportunity. It’s satisfying to understand your Character
deeply enough that you know what they would do even
when you know it’s the wrong choice.
If that doesn’t appeal to you, there’s yet another way
to look at this. That extra knowledge you have that your
Character doesn’t is a role-playing opportunity. You can
allow yourself to use it in the form of perception rolls
or some other skill roll to see if your extra knowledge
becomes relevant to your Character. For instance with
that Character who is about to walk into a trap, maybe
grant them a skill roll that the RPG you’re using allows
to see if they detect that it’s a trap. If you know that the
NPC they just met is secretly an undead sorcerer disguised
as a living human, you could give your Character the
chance to see if they figure it out.
Looked at in this way, that extra knowledge you have You might know the NPC is an undead villain, and your PC may not. This gives
your Character the opportunity to discover this fact, making your superior
isn’t a hindrance to Adventure surprise, it’s a doorway knowledge a role-playing tool.
to role-playing gold. Your Character can’t act on your
superior knowledge unless they earn it somehow, but that focused on only what the Character would experience and
extra knowledge gives them the chance to earn it when know, and overall limiting your own knowledge of the
they otherwise wouldn’t have had that chance. The fact Adventure as you go. You are only considering what your
that you know it and they don’t serves as a role-playing Character concretely knows, and you are only asking Fate
mechanism which opens interesting new opportunities. Questions that are most directly pertinent to the moment,
and nothing more.
Don’t Look Behind The Curtain If ideas do come up or new information is revealed to
you as the Player you can use this as a role-playing prompt
If you are finding Player versus Character knowledge to to have your Character investigate these new areas of the
be a frequent problem for you another solution is to play Adventure. In this way you aren’t stifling ideas, you are
your solo games with a more minimalist approach. By this letting them guide you and motivate you to explore them
I mean asking fewer Questions, keeping those Questions through your Character instead of as yourself.

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 INTERRUPT

Get To Know Your Character story, like any other element, the entire Adventure
may feel like it’s going off the rails because there is no
This one is similar to Going With It, but is more emotional hook to hang it all on. If you want your
specific about your Player Character. At the end of the Adventure to be focused on your Character then knowing
day, role-playing is usually very much about us connecting too much can propel the feeling of the Adventure having
with the Character we create. That Character is an avatar no meaning because the main actor, your Character,
for us, an alternate reality version of us. In some ways, doesn’t have the emotional investment to tie everything
that Character is us, which is one reason why role-playing together for you.
is such a deeply satisfying experience. The second article in this issue is about generating
In my opinion, the more you know about your Character backstories, which is an excellent way to start building
and the more you bond with them the more obstacles attachment to your Character even before you begin
you can overcome on your goal toward successful solo playing. Fostering emotional investment in your
role-playing. Caring about that Character is a powerful Character as you play may help keep your Adventures on
motivator to propel an Adventure forward. track if you feel knowledge gaps are getting in the way.
This is relevant to this discussion about Player You have a compelling reason to resolve that dilemma, or
knowledge because the more you are bonded with your to go with the extra knowledge and use it as part of your
Character the less important knowing too much might Characters overall growing story.
seem. If your Character is just another set piece in your

LET’S HEAR IT!

Have thoughts on an article in Mythic Magazine, or

experiences related to it, that you’d like to discuss
with other Mythic players? Join the discussion online!
Find links to Word Mill Game’s fan site,
Patreon page, and other online groups at
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Solutions to problems of Mythic proportions

Generating NPC Behavior

With Fate Questions
Your Character has battled his way through the Canyons offering a quicker and simplified version.
of Chron, defeating beast after beast on an alien world in an Still, NPC behavior is tricky and social interactions
effort to get to a warlord. It’s a test to see if you are worthy, are especially difficult to figure out in solo role-playing.
and as you emerge into his encampment he deems that you There is more that can be said about this process.
are. Brought into his tent, the warlord flanked by his guards, This article returns to Mythic’s first method for
he says to you .... determining NPC behavior, using Fate Questions,
What does he say? Where do we go from here in a offering you more tools to give you more satisfying results.
solo Adventure? So, let’s get started!
The tools in solo role-playing that work so well in
building narrative scenarios and answering questions
about scenes and events sometimes get a little murkier DEVELOPING CHARACTER
when we’re going for the level of detail required in social
interactions and specific Character behavior. What does a ACTIONS WITH FATE
Character say, what does he do? QUESTIONS
Right now, Mythic offers two ways to resolve NPC Mythic’s core advice for generating NPC actions ...
behavior. The default method is to treat it like any whether those are physical actions or social interactions ... is
other event in Mythic and ask Fate Questions about to ask Fate Questions like with any other aspect of Mythic.
the Character’s behavior. The second way is to use the The NPC behavior system in this chapter is based on the
Behavior Check system from Mythic Variations 2 which same principle, but with more rules and direction to help
gives you more specific indicators of Character actions shape those behaviors.
down to a round by round level of detail if you like. The
Behavior Check got a treatment in Mythic Magazine #1,

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Start With Expectations • It slowly shambles toward you.

• It speaks to you, warning you away.
Just as with any Fate Question, asking about an NPC • It does something strange, like cast a spell or use
behavior should begin with what you Expect. For instance, a power.
let’s say your occult investigator has been on the trail In this case, the Player goes with the necromancer
of a series of mysterious disappearances in a small New shambling slowly toward their Character as the
England town. You determine that it all originates from an Expected Behavior.
abandoned old mansion where a necromancer once lived. To keep the Adventure moving swiftly you should
You eventually discover that the necromancer still exists go with what easily comes to mind for an Expected
in the house in an undead state, prolonging its existence behavior. If multiple behaviors seem equally plausible
through dark magic. Your investigator goes to the house to you can choose any as the Expected behavior. Keep in
put a stop to it. The creature responds, and your Character mind that what you choose is only a possible outcome
has her first encounter with the thing as she spots it coming and will be tested with a Fate Question.
down a flight of stairs. If you have no Expectations, you have no idea what
What does the necromancer do? You don’t know for the NPC might do, then you can roll on a Meaning
sure, but start with what you Expect. What are some Table for inspiration. We’ll cover this more later.
possible behaviors? A few that come to mind are:

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Test Your Expectation KEEPING IT MOVING

It’s time to test your Expectation with a Fate Question,
seeing if the Character performs the Expected behavior. You might be accustomed to using Fate Questions
“Does the necromancer slowly shamble toward me?” in your Mythic Adventures, but using them to
“Does it speak to me, warning me away?” “Does it do determine NPC behavior can get you to asking a
lot of Questions. Potentially round to round you
something strange, like cast a spell or use a power?”
may ask a Fate Question to determine what an
Determine the Odds like you would with any Fate NPC will do. To keep this moving swiftly, go with
Question. Since this is a behavior you Expect it’s probable your the first Expectation that comes to mind when
that your Odds will at least be Likely if not stronger. If you determine what their behavior might be or
you are unsure of the NPC and you chose from a number what they might say. If you’re not sure, then go to a
of equally plausible behaviors then consider 50/50 as your Meaning Table (Behavior Meaning Tables, introduced
Odds. If you are really unsure and you just take a shot in in this article) to get inspiration for an action.
the dark with a random behavior in mind you might even After that, go with the first meaningful
go with lesser Odds like Unlikely. Interpretation of the Fate Question result, and if an
easy Interpretation doesn’t come to mind jump to
The important thing isn’t so much that we know
a Meaning Table to get your answer.
exactly what the NPC will do, but that we begin with
This is mostly the normal advice for using Fate
a behavior as our starting point. If you are unsure of
Questions in Mythic but it’s doubly important
an NPC, as the encounter unfolds and more behavior when using Fate Questions for NPC actions
is revealed your Expectations will become easier as you because you may be asking Question after
understand what is currently motivating the NPC. Question each round. Keep it simple. If you
After you set your Odds and check to see if the Expected run into a roadblock with an Expectation or
behavior happens, it’s time to Interpret your results: Interpretation, go to a Meaning Table instead.
YES: The NPC does what you Expected. If the Fate You’ll also find that Random Events generated are
Question was “Does the necromancer slowly shamble treated a little differently when the Fate Question
toward me?” then a Yes answer means the NPC does pertains to NPC behavior. This is intended to keep
the interaction with the NPC moving smoothly.
exactly that. A Yes answer is the easiest and most direct
result to Interpret because there is no Interpretation, you
are just going with the Expected behavior. taking it the next level. Whatever the NPC does, it goes a
NO: The NPC does not do the Expected behavior but step beyond what was Expected. With our necromancer
does the next most Expected behavior. For instance, with shambling toward us, maybe instead of shambling slowly
our necromancer we might think that the next most likely the thing actually starts to float, levitating toward us
behavior would be that it speaks to you to warn you away. much faster.
If you’re unsure what should be the next most Expected EXCEPTIONAL NO: The NPC does the opposite of
behavior, then make a roll on a Meaning Table to get a Yes result. If this would give you the same behavior as a
inspiration. We’ll get into this more later in the chapter. standard No, then treat it as that behavior but with more
EXCEPTIONAL YES: The NPC does the Expected intensity. With our necromancer Question, an Exceptional
behavior, and with greater intensity. You can think of No might mean that it turns and starts to go back up
this as the Character doubling up on that behavior, or the stairs. If that is what we would have Expected from a

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standard No result, then we might intensify that behavior

and decide that the necromancer levitates up the stairs. MORE MEANING TABLES?
Once you have tested your Expectation with a Fate
Question and Interpreted it, resolve the NPC action The Behavior Meaning Tables presented in this
within the Context of your Adventure and continue. chapter are new, and also not. They are derived
NPC behaviors in this way can be determined on a round from Mythic’s core Action and Description Meaning
Tables, but with the words chosen that most
to round basis if you like, or less frequently. The level of
closely align with the table’s purpose. This is a way
detail is up to you, when you think it’s most appropriate of rolling on the standard Meaning Tables while
to call for a new behavior. focusing their results on more specific elements in
your Adventure.
In the upcoming Mythic Second Edition you will
BEHAVIOR MEANING TABLES see more of this. Meaning Table: Elements will be
a core part of the new rules, offering more specific
The behavior system described so far in this article is still results to Meaning Table rolls, like presented in this
much what the default Mythic approach to determining article for NPC behavior.
NPC behavior is. We’re going to change it up, however,
with the addition of Behavior Meaning Tables.
You might already be accustomed to using Mythic’s other low or non-intelligent Character, does.
Meaning Tables to generate inspirational details for your Unlike the general Meaning Tables, there is only one
Adventures. Mythic Variations describes this as Complex 1d100 table for each category, not two. To generate a
Questions. Later rules in the Mythic and Crafter books behavior, roll twice on the table and combine your word
encourage you to go to the Meaning Tables ... Actions pairings then Interpret the result.
and Descriptions ... to generate detail when you want it
without the need to ask another Fate Question. When To Use The Tables
You’re also encouraged to do that when determining
NPC behavior, but instead of rolling on the general Action Earlier we talked about determining NPC behavior
or Description Meaning Tables, let’s introduce behavior by coming up with Expectations then testing them.
specific Meaning Tables. You’ll find them on the next page, However, there can be doubt about NPC behavior
Meaning Tables: Behavior. These tables are designed to Expectations when you are unsure, especially at the start
give you inspiration about specific Character behaviors. of an encounter. You can go with whatever comes to
mind, or you can use the Behavior Meaning Tables to
replace the doubt.
Types Of Behavior For instance, if our occult investigator Player
The Behavior Meaning Tables are broken down into understands the necromancer well and what motivates it
three varieties: Vocal, Character Action, and Animal then coming up with Expected behaviors might be easy.
Action. The Vocal table is meant for determining what Or, maybe the Player isn’t so sure, in which case she might
a Character says in social interactions. The Character turn to the Behavior Meaning Tables.
Action table is to determine what a Character does. The A trip to the Behavior Meaning Tables can be used
Animal Action table is to determine what an animal, or any time to replace an Expectation, or to replace a result

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MEANING TABLES: BEHAVIOR

VOCAL CHARACTER ACTION ANIMAL ACTION
1: Abuse 51: Ideas 1: Abandon 51: Important 1: Abandon 51: Hunt
2: Advice 52: Inform 2: Aggressive 52: Imprison 2: Abnormal 52: Ignore
3: Aggressive 53: Innocent 3: Amusing 53: Increase 3: Aggressive 53: Imitate
4: Agree 54: Inquire 4: Anger 54: Inspect 4: Angry 54: Implore
5: Amusing 55: Intense 5: Antagonize 55: Intense 5: Anxious 55: Imprison
6: Angry 56: Interesting 6: Anxious 56: Juvenile 6: Assist 56: Inspect
7: Anxious 57: Intolerance 7: Assist 57: Kind 7: Attack 57: Intense
8: Assist 58: Irritating 8: Bestow 58: Lazy 8: Befriend 58: Irritating
9: Awkward 59: Joyful 9: Betray 59: Leadership 9: Bestow 59: Juvenile
10: Betray 60: Judgemental 10: Bizarre 60: Lethal 10: Bizarre 60: Lazy
11: Bizarre 61: Juvenile 11: Block 61: Loud 11: Bold 61: Leave
12: Bleak 62: Kind 12: Bold 62: Loyal 12: Break 62: Lethal
13: Bold 63: Leadership 13: Break 63: Mature 13: Busy 63: Loud
14: Business 64: Lie 14: Calm 64: Meaningful 14: Calm 64: Loyal
15: Calm 65: Loud 15: Care 65: Messy 15: Careful 65: Messy
16: Careful 66: Loving 16: Careful 66: Move 16: Careless 66: Mistrust
17: Careless 67: Loyal 17: Careless 67: Mundane 17: Cautious 67: Move
18: Cautious 68: Macabre 18: Celebrate 68: Mysterious 18: Ceaseless 68: Mundane
19: Cheerful 69: Mature 19: Change 69: Nice 19: Change 69: Mysterious
20: Classy 70: Meaningful 20: Combative 70: Normal 20: Combative 70: Natural
21: Cold 71: Miserable 21: Communicate 71: Odd 21: Curious 71: Neglect
22: Colorful 72: Mistrust 22: Control 72: Official 22: Dangerous 72: Normal
23: Combative 73: Mocking 23: Crazy 73: Open 23: Deliberate 73: Observe
24: Crazy 74: Mundane 24: Creepy 74: Oppose 24: Disinterested 74: Odd
25: Creepy 75: Mysterious 25: Dangerous 75: Passion 25: Disrupt 75: Oppose
26: Curious 76: News 26: Deceive 76: Peace 26: Distracted 76: Playful
27: Defiant 77: Nice 27: Decrease 77: Playful 27: Dominate 77: Protect
28: Delightful 78: Normal 28: Defiant 78: Pleasures 28: Energetic 78: Pursue
29: Disagreeable 79: Odd 29: Delay 79: Possessions 29: Excited 79: Quiet
30: Dispute 80: Offensive 30: Disrupt 80: Punish 30: Exotic 80: Reassuring
31: Efficient 81: Official 31: Dominate 81: Pursue 31: Familiar 81: Release
32: Energetic 82: Oppose 32: Efficient 82: Release 32: Fearful 82: Return
33: Enthusiastic 83: Peace 33: Energetic 83: Return 33: Feeble 83: Scary
34: Excited 84: Plans 34: Excited 84: Simple 34: Ferocious 84: Simple
35: Fearful 85: Playful 35: Exotic 85: Slow 35: Fierce 85: Slow
36: Fierce 86: Polite 36: Expose 86: Start 36: Fight 86: Strange
37: Foolish 87: Positive 37: Fearful 87: Stop 37: Flee 87: Struggle
38: Frantic 88: Praise 38: Feeble 88: Struggle 38: Follow 88: Swift
39: Frightening 89: Quarrelsome 39: Fierce 89: Swift 39: Food 89: Tactics
40: Generous 90: Quiet 40: Fight 90: Tactics 40: Frantic 90: Take
41: Gentle 91: Reassuring 41: Foolish 91: Take 41: Friendship 91: Threatening
42: Glad 92: Refuse 42: Frantic 92: Technology 42: Frightening 92: Tranquil
43: Grateful 93: Rude 43: Frightening 93: Threatening 43: Generous 93: Transform
44: Haggle 94: Rumor 44: Generous 94: Trust 44: Gentle 94: Trick
45: Happy 95: Simple 45: Gentle 95: Violent 45: Graceful 95: Trust
46: Harsh 96: Threatening 46: Harm 96: Waste 46: Harm 96: Violent
47: Hasty 97: Truce 47: Harsh 97: Weapons 47: Hasty 97: Warn
48: Helpful 98: Trust 48: Hasty 98: Wild 48: Helpful 98: Waste
49: Helpless 99: Warm 49: Helpful 99: Work 49: Helpless 99: Wild
50: Hopeless 100: Wild 50: Imitate 100: Yield 50: Hungry 100: Yield

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 93

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from testing your Expectation. For instance, let’s say the

Player tested “Does it slowly shamble toward me?” and FLIP THE SCRIPT
gets a No, and the Player has no idea what the next most
Expected behavior would be. She rolls on the Behavior The behavior system presented in this article
Meaning Tables for Character Action and gets Gentle and assumes you will use Fate Questions as your first
Dangerous. Thinking about this a moment, the Player tool to determine behavior, then go to the Behavior
Meaning Tables as a backup. However, you can turn
interprets it like this: The necromancer stops on the stairs,
it around if you like and use the Behavior Meaning
staring at you, and you see its fingers elongating slowly Tables as your primary behavior indicator.
into sharp claws. It doesn’t advance toward you.
This approach would generate more random
The Player in this instance interpreted Gentle to mean behavior from an NPC, but since you are
the necromancer is moving slowly, taking its time, and Interpreting the results in the current Context it’s
not advancing, while Dangerous was interpreted to mean not like the behavior will be wildly random. You
its fingers turning into weapons. are still shaping it to fit your narrative.
Going to the Behavior Meaning Tables when you are If you go to the Behavior Meaning Tables first and
stumped for an Expected behavior or how to interpret a more often, then you might use Fate Questions
Fate Question result is an easy way to keep the encounter only when you’re really sure what an NPC would
moving forward when you otherwise might have gotten do. You might find yourself primarily using the
Behavior Meaning Tables in the early part of an
stuck. If you are using the Behavior Meaning Table
encounter, then as the NPC becomes more
to replace an Interpretation, you can decide whether predictable you start using Fate Questions more.
you want the Fate Question result to inform your
It’s up to you how you choose to balance these
Interpretation or not. For instance, in our example above two tools, and you can always mix it up throughout
the Player didn’t know how to interpret the No answer an Adventure as you like.
to her Fate Question of “Does it slowly shamble toward
me?” So, she rolled on the Behavior Meaning Table for
inspiration. She could go with whatever interpretation Fate Questions, and your backup tool when you get stuck
she derives from the Meaning Table roll, whether it works on a Fate Question are the Behavior Meaning Tables.
with the No answer or not. Consulting the Meaning Being guided by your Expectations, Interpretations of the
Tables replaces your normal Fate Question result when Fate Question results, and Interpretations of the Behavior
you can’t come up with a good answer for that result. Yes Meaning Tables will allow you to determine any NPC
and Exceptional Yes results are usually easy to Interpret, action quickly and on a moment to moment basis if you
you are more likely to get stuck on a No or Exceptional wish. This system also uses tools already familiar to you,
No. If you do get stuck the Behavior Meaning Tables are just refining and directing them.
your solution to get the behavior. I’ll demonstrate this at the end of the chapter with a
big example, but we’re not quite done tweaking the rules.
Putting It All Together
This system of using Fate Questions and Behavior
Meaning Tables together is meant to make interactions
with NPCs quick and meaningful. Your go-to tool are

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RESOLVING NPC BEHAVIOR

DETERMINE
EXPECTED BEHAVIOR You have no Expectation
What you most Expect the
NPC to do or say.

FATE QUESTION
Random Event RANDOM
generated BEHAVIOR
Turn the Expected behavior into
Determine the Random
a Fate Question and test it.
Event as an NPC behavior.

Yes No Exceptional Yes Exceptional No

OPPOSITE,
EXPECTED NEXT EXPECTED EXPECTED OR OPPOSITE
BEHAVIOR BEHAVIOR BEHAVIOR INTENSIFIED
The NPC doesn’t do the most INTENSIFIED The NPC does the opposite
The NPC does the
Expected behavior, but the next The NPC does the Expected of the Expected. If that’s the
Expected behavior.
most Expected. behavior, but intensified. same as No, then the NPC
does it with more intensity.

You have an You don’t have an

Interpretation Interpretation

INTERPRET BEHAVIOR
MEANING TABLE
Interpret your result into an NPC
Roll 1d100 twice on the appropriate
behavior, something they do or say.
Behavior Meaning Table.

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 INTERRUPT

RANDOM EVENTS’ often you have Random Events, since they are triggered
by Fate Questions.
ROLE IN BEHAVIOR Things get a little different with the system presented
Random Events in Mythic are a way to generate here for generating NPC behavior. No matter what level
unexpected occurrences in your Adventure that aren’t of granularity you’re looking for with NPC behavior, this
necessarily tied to your Expectations or Fate Questions. system is going to require you to make quite a few Fate
When a Fate Question triggers a Random Event, the Questions for each NPC encounter. If you’re in a combat
event itself isn’t required to have anything to do with the situation, for instance, you might be asking for behavior
content of the Fate Question. For instance, if your Fate every round. “Does he draw his sword and attack?” “Does
Question was “Did the bridge survive the bombing?” and he focus his attacks on the ranger firing arrows at him?”
rolling for the answer triggered a Random Event, that “Does he retreat when the fireball is cast?” “After he flees
event doesn’t have to be about the bridge or the bombing. through the door, does he lock it behind himself?”
It can be a completely unrelated event, which is the point All these Fate Questions mean lots of opportunities for
of Random Events: to introduce twists and turns into Random Events. Rather than having moments of NPC
your Adventure that you don’t see coming. behavior become fertile ground for showering you with
Depending on your style of play, you will likely unexpected Random Events, and potentially derailing
have your own pattern of how frequently you ask Fate those encounters, we’re going to repurpose Random
Questions. This also means that pattern will dictate how Events to help with the NPC interactions.

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Random Events As Behavior DOUBLING DOWN THE MEANING

Within the context of this system, when you generate
NPC behavior through Fate Questions Random Events The Behavior Meaning Tables in this article are
are treated differently. If a Fate Question to determine smaller than the standard Meaning Tables in the
NPC behavior generates a Random Event then that Event core Mythic rules, which are two 1d100 tables.
These tables, the Vocal, Character Action, and
is a new NPC behavior. In other words, we are reversing
Animal Action tables, are just a single 1d100 each.
the normal Mythic rule: whereas Random Events are Still, as with the standard Meaning Tables, you roll
normally unrelated to the Fate Question that triggered twice to get a word pair for Interpretation. Since
them, when it comes to NPC behavior a Random Event you’re rolling on a single table this means there is a
is directly related to their behavior. chance you will roll the same result twice. If you do,
This is the NPC’s opportunity to do or say something consider a more intense Interpretation of that word.
unexpected. If you generate a Random Event when For instance, in a conversation between your
making a Fate Question role about NPC behavior, resolve Character, the pilot of a starship, and the artificial
the Fate Question result as normal. The NPC is still going intelligence of that starship, your Character asks the
AI for its advice on how to get through an asteroid
to act in accordance to the results of your Fate Question.
field. You have no idea what the AI will say, so
However, they are also going to do something additional. you have no Expectation. So instead of posing a
To generate the Random Event, choose the most Fate Question to get the AI’s behavior you go to
appropriate Behavior Meaning Table and roll 1d100 twice the Behavior Meaning Table, Vocal, and roll twice,
on it, combining and interpreting the result as normal. getting Praise, then Praise again.
If it makes sense, you can combine the Random Event You might Interpret a single result of Praise as the AI
behavior with the rolled Fate Question behavior. If it doesn’t expressing confidence in the pilot’s skill to navigate
make sense, then the Character performs the behavior the asteroid field. Rolling it twice, you will want to
generated by the Fate Question result first and then make that Interpretation more intense. Perhaps the
AI not only expresses confidence in your piloting
performs the behavior generated by the Random Event.
skills but tries to bolster that confidence with a pep
For instance, your knight Character has been on a talk. Maybe you Interpret it like this: “The AI pauses,
quest to calm a volcano threatening a region. Through then says ‘You can do this! Your piloting skills are
the course of your Adventure you discover that a fire renown. Aren’t you the same pilot who evaded
elemental lives in the volcano, and is awakening. You three Corsair pirates last week? And now you’re
eventually become an ally with a dragon, Gregroth, who worried about some rocks. If you can’t do this no
is an ancient enemy of the elemental. Together you two one ...’ The pilot smiles, saying, “Okay okay, you’ve
made your point. You’re right. I got this. Hold on to
make your way to the mouth of the volcano for a final
your butts, here we go.’”
showdown with the massive fire creature.
Gregroth is an NPC, and although the Player’s knight
Character befriended the dragon he has proven to be of Likely and rolls to test it, getting a Yes. However, he
unpredictable. The Player isn’t sure how the dragon will also generates a Random Event.
react as they descend into the volcano. The behavior rules here state that this Random
The Player asks, “Does Gregroth remain patient and Event is a new behavior from the NPC, so keeping
stick with me?” The Player gives this Fate Question Odds that in mind the Player rolls on the Behavior Meaning

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time for this!” The dragon continues reciting the speech

CATEGORIZING BEHAVIOR he has waited a hundred years to deliver on the cusp of his
battle with the elemental, clearly taking great pleasure in
The Behavior Meaning Tables presented in this the ceremony of it all.
article give you three choices, Vocal, Character The dragon reciting an oath before the battle is not
Action, and Animal Action. When rolling on a a detail the Player would have asked a Fate Question
Behavior Meaning Table you would choose which
for, but the Random Event gave the opportunity for the
one seems the most appropriate to the situation.
If you’re talking with someone and want to know
NPC to surprise. This is how Random Events should be
what they say, you would go to Vocal. If you want to viewed with this behavior system: use Fate Questions to
know what they will do, you go to Character Action. resolve what you Expect the NPC to do, the Behavior
Despite this, feel free to use discretion to choose Meaning Tables to guide you when you aren’t sure of your
a different table if it seems appropriate, or to Expectations or Interpretations, and Random Events allow
Interpret the behavior as something different. the NPC to do unexpected things. All combined together,
Maybe in a combat situation you ask about what these three mechanisms give you complex and interesting
the enemy does, and you get a result that feels NPC behaviors that will cover any situation.
more like communication. You may decide that
conversation is now being mixed in with the
combat. Like in our example of the dragon and the
knight, the Player got a Random Event and figured INTERPRETING BEHAVIOR
it would be an Action, but the Player Interpreted
The NPC behavior generating system provided in
that Action as the dragon stopping and reciting a
speech. Is this an action or conversation? You can this chapter builds on how Mythic normally handles
consider it both. these kinds of questions, with the addition of the
Don’t feel too locked in to your choice of Vocal Behavior Meaning Tables and a modification in how
or Action when you select a table. Go with an Random Events are used. Interpretation is important for
Interpretation that makes the most sense, even determining the actual behavior, but hopefully these rules
if it’s a vocal behavior with the Character Action will make Interpretation easier.
Table, or an action behavior from the Vocal Table. Following are a few suggestions to consider.

Tables under Character Action for inspiration. He gets Conversations

Pleasures and Official.
When determining what an NPC says in a
The Player interprets the results this way: As Nemenor
conversation you should focus on the overall tone
the knight descends into the volcano with Gregroth, the
and message the NPC is trying to convey. The system
great dragon suddenly stops and sits down. Nemenor
presented in this chapter will help you do that, from
turns to the dragon and asks, “What are you doing?” The
using your Expectations about what they will say to using
dragon, ignoring him, stretches out his neck, looking
the Vocal section of the Behavior Meaning Tables for
regal, and begins to recite what appears to be a formal
inspiration. The rules are for giving you direction, just like
and prepared speech. “I, Gregroth the Great, have finally
with regular events in Mythic that must be Interpreted.
arrived to address the grievances of the Council of Drakes
The actual words the NPC uses are up to you, and you
...” The knight groans, saying, “Oh my god, we don’t have

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should feel free to use creative license in crafting them, as Social Skills
long as those words fit into the result you generated.
For instance, let’s say the knight and the dragon If you’re playing your Adventure with another RPG
mentioned in an earlier example are walking together and incorporating social skills into your interactions,
through a forest on their way to the volcano. Evening is you can include them in this system. The results of skill
nearing and the knight is considering making camp. He asks rolls would become part of the Context for making your
the dragon where he thinks they should camp for the night. Interpretation of results and could also be used to help
If the Player has an Expectation about what the formulate Expectations for NPC behavior and to adjust
dragon says then they make it into a Fate Question. They what you think the Odds of a behavior would be.
decide the dragon will most likely suggest finding some For instance, if your sci-fi spaceship captain
boulders to curl up next to. The Player poses this as a Fate Character is trying to talk another ship into assisting
Question: “Does Gregroth suggest camping next to a pile them with repairs, your Character may attempt to use
of boulders?” their Persuasion skill to get cooperation. Let’s say your
The Player gives this Odds of 50/50 because he really Character succeeds. In game terms this means you were
doesn’t know what the dragon will say, but this seems successful in talking the other ship into helping you. If
like something the dragon would say. The Fate Question you wanted to play this out using the system here for
comes back as a Yes. more detail, you would come at it from the point of view
In this example, the knight and the dragon have had that you already know they are going to say yes to helping
a conversation without the Player actually specifying any
specific words. The knight asked the dragon a question, the SOCIAL SKILLS & MEANING TABLES
dragon answered. We have the big picture of this exchange.
If specific language is required ... for instance, maybe Social skill rolls may have an impact on
you are playing this Adventure in a group setting and want Interpretations of results from the Behavior
to give it more color, or maybe this is a solo session and Meaning Tables too. Let’s say your ship captain
you are writing it out novel style, or you just want to know succeeded at his skill role to talk the other ship into
... then the Player could use any words that makes sense helping, but instead of making an Expectation and
and fits in with the results. Maybe the exchange goes like testing it with a Fate Question the Player decides to
leave it more up to chance and rolls on the Vocal
this: Nemenor glances at the sky, noting they have maybe
section of the Behavior Meaning Tables to see
an hour left until dark fall. “We should start looking for what the other captain says.
shelter before it gets dark,” he says, looking at the dragon.
We already know they are going to help, because
“Do you have a preferred way to camp in the woods?” The your Character succeeded at his Persuasion role.
dragon glances around at their surroundings. “Rocks. I like That will factor into our Interpretation. Let’s say
rocks. Big rocks. Let’s find a nice pile of boulders to curl our roll on the Vocal Behavior Meaning Table is
up against.” Bold and Crazy.
Use your knowledge of the Characters to formulate The Player may interpret this to mean that the
their words in keeping with their personalities, but other ship’s captain agrees enthusiastically to help.
make sure it sticks to the results you generated. This way They want to bring their crew over right now,
you have random conversation from NPCs while also and maybe while they’re at it weld the two ships
together to make one!
maintaining control over how those conversations flow.

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you. Whatever results you get from this behavior system

will have to fit into that Context. BEHAVIOR VS. NORMAL FATE QUESTIONS
Maybe the skill role is less decisive, and just indicates
that your Character did a good job at presenting his case There is a small but important distinction being
but doesn’t necessarily guarantee a specific reaction. In made between normal Mythic Fate Questions and
that case, the Player may decide that the skill roll adjusts Fate Questions asked to determine NPC behavior
in this article.
the Odds of the Fate Question, “Does the ship help
us with repairs?” The Player may have decided that a When determining behavior there is more
emphasis placed on going to a Meaning Table,
failed role would give him 50/50 Odds of a Yes, while a
and Random Events specifically call for a new
successful role bumps that up to Very Likely. behavior. It’s possible to have an encounter with an
You can also use skills to help you decide what an NPC where you are asking Fate Questions about
Expected behavior would be. Maybe your Character behavior and also asking normal Fate Questions.
succeeded well on his Persuasion role, and the negotiation For instance, if your fantasy Character is fighting a
is going so smoothly, that the Player thinks the other ship minotaur, you might ask the Fate Question, “Does
may not only help with repairs but join them on their quest he attack with his axe?” That’s asking about NPC
through space. The Player may use these roles as the basis behavior, so the rules in this chapter would apply
for a behavior Fate Question like, “Does the ship captain to that Fate Question. If you then asked, “Are
there any other exits in this room besides the
decide to join us?”
door I came through?” that’s a normal Mythic Fate
Question and wouldn’t be subject to the special
Animals rules regarding behavior.

The third section of the Behavior Meaning Tables

is Animal Actions. This can be used for any Character THE BIG EXAMPLE: HE RISES!
whose actions are based off instinct rather than intellect.
For this big example we’re going really big, cosmically
That could mean animals, of course, but also a lot of
big. In your Victorian era campaign of otherworldly
other Character types such as an out of control robot,
horror the stars have come into alignment, the cultists
a semi-sentient magic ring, or an ancient tree in a fairy
have completed their blasphemous rites, and the Serpent
forest that doesn’t always take kindly to strangers.
People have lit the Beacon of A’Gypta. The Great Old
The contents of the Character Action and Animal
One is rising from the depths of his oceanic prison!
Action tables are similar, but you’ll notice the Animal
For this Earth shattering event the Player only knows
Action table lacks some of the results from the other
that the cosmic horror is risen and mobile. He wants to
table that would imply more complicated action. It also
determine what the Old One does, however.
includes some words that imply more instinctual action.
The Old One has risen in the Pacific Ocean near the
coast of Peru. Thinking about what to Expect in terms
of behavior, the Player asks the Fate Question, “Does he
head for land?” The Player figures the Odds are Likely
and gets Exceptional Yes. He interprets this to mean that
the Old One is heading straight for land and at such

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a speed that he’s sending tsunami level waves heaving buildings and civilization?” That seems Likely to the
toward shore. Player. After all, why else would he rise? The answer
Curious as to how the Old One is responding to locals, is Yes. The Old One starts laying waste to the coastal
the Player asks, “Is the Old One engaging ships it finds community it came to shore upon, smashing buildings as
along the way?” The Player has no idea what the creature it marches forward.
would do in response to encountering human sailing The Player wants to know if the Old One does
vessels, so gives this 50/50 Odds. The answer comes back anything supernatural during its rampage, so he asks,
Yes. Although Yes results are usually easy to Interpret, “Does the Old One do anything magical or supernatural?”
the Player isn’t sure how to interpret this one so decides The Player figures this is almost a must, so he sets the
to make a roll on the Behavior Meaning Tables to see Odds at Has To Be and gets Yes. The Old One exhibits
what the Old One does. He rolls Control and Waste. The powers. The Player worded this Fate Question vaguely,
Player decides this means that whenever the Old One however, and now isn’t sure how to Interpret it. He rolls
comes close to a sailing ship the vessel bursts into flames. on the Behavior Meaning Table for Character Action to
The cosmic horror is able to exert control over the ships see what powers the Old One performs. He rolls Violent
to instantly waste them. and Wild. That doesn’t sound good at all.
The Player wants to know what the Old One will do The Player Interprets this to mean that arcs of sheer
once he gets to shore. He asks, “Does it attack human power are radiating from the Old One, whipping around

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the land like an energy storm tearing up everything in its

path. At this rate, if the Old One is not stopped the entire KEEP IT LOOSE AND FLOWING
Earth will be destroyed eventually.
The Player’s Character, Elias, may be the only person You may notice in the example in this chapter
on the planet who can stop the Old One’s rampage, if he that the Player is resorting to the Behavior
can find the magical beacon that summoned it and destroy Meaning Tables when unsure of an Expectation
or Interpretation, and taking the broadest
it. The Character seeks out a mystic, Sajun Darmu, in a
Interpretation of some of the results. This is to
South American jungle, finding him in a hut. keep the encounters moving and not get held up
The Player knows that Sajun is aware of the location on a difficult Interpretation or trying to decide what
of the Beacon, and through successful social skill rolls the the NPC will do next.
Character has earned the mystic’s trust. The Player wants Using Fate Questions to generate NPC behavior will
to role-play the conversation, however, to see what Sajun likely work best when you keep it loose and flowing.
has to say. This would mean going with the most obvious
Desperate for the information, Elias asks Sajun to tell Expectations for Fate Questions, moving from a
him where the Beacon is. The Player forms this as a Fate Fate Question to the Behavior Meaning Tables if you
don’t have a ready Expectation or Interpretation,
Question, using the behavior rules in this chapter: “Does
and going with the easiest Interpretation of your
Sajun tell me where the Beacon is?” The Player sets Odds results even if it’s a bit of a stretch.
at Has To Be since he has already determined that the
mystic will be helpful. Mythic comes back with Yes, and
a Random Event. The Player isn’t sure how to Interpret says something. It is up to the Player to decide if this
a Yes response since the Player doesn’t know where the will be an action from Sajun, or part of the conversation.
Beacon is. So, he decides to go to the Behavior Meaning Since this Scene so far is about Elias speaking with Sajun
Tables for inspiration. the Player decides it makes the most sense to have this
The Player has two things to determine: what does Random Event be something that Sajun says.
Sajun say in response to the Yes result for the Fate Rolling on the Behavior Meaning Vocal Table, the
Question, and what does he say or do as a result of the Player gets Careless and Bleak. The Player Interprets it this
Random Event. Both of these will be determined by rolls way: As Sajun imparts to Elias the location of the beacon,
on the Behavior Meaning Tables. the old man leans forward staring straight into Elias’s eyes.
For the Yes response to the Question, the Player rolls “If you fail in this quest, humanity, nature ... it is all gone.”
on the Behavior Meaning Vocal table and gets Cautious That sounded bleak enough.
and Angry. The Player makes this Interpretation: Sajun Continuing the conversation, the Player asks the Fate
sighs and says the journey to the Beacon will be dangerous Question, “Does Sajun tell me exactly how to get to the
(this is how the Player interpreted Cautious, Elias will lair?” The Player decides the Odds are Very Likely, but
need to be careful). It can be found at the lair of the gets a No. Sajun says he does not know how to find the
Serpent Folk (the Player decided this based on Angry, lair, only that the Beacon is there.
which he took to mean the Serpent Folk who are angry at Elias has his work cut out for him to find the lair of the
humanity to the point of trying to destroy the world). Serpent Folk, get there, and destroy the Beacon before the
The Player needs to resolve the Random Event, which Old One destroys the world.
under the behavior rules means that the NPC does or

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Solutions to problems of Mythic proportions

RPG Social Skills With

Mythic’s Behavior Check
Between the core Mythic books and Mythic Magazine,
there are three sets of rules provided to help model BEHAVIOR REVISITED, AGAIN
randomized NPC behavior. The Behavior Check was
introduced in Mythic Variations 2, and a simplified This is the third time in
version of that system can be found in Mythic Magazine Mythic Magazine that
#1. Mythic Magazine #9 provides another way to create NPC behavior has been
addressed, and for good
specific NPC behavior using just Fate Questions.
reason ... NPC’s taking action
Each of these methods are intended to work within is great for our narratives!
the framework of Mythic using the same model of ask This article references
a question, get an answer. However, the two Behavior Behavior Checks Simplified
Check systems don’t take into account using these systems from Mythic Magazine #1.
with other RPGs where your Character’s social skills may There is a summary of that
have an impact on an NPC’s actions. system found at the end of
this article in case you don’t
This article is meant to fill that gap by suggesting ways
have that issue.
to use the Behavior Check in conjunction with RPG
character social skills.

skills systems. You can use both of them together to

RPG SOCIAL SKILLS WITH allow your character the opportunity to flex their social
skills, while letting the Behavior Check guide the NPC’s
MYTHIC’S BEHAVIOR CHECK specific reactions.
With some minor adjustments, the Mythic Behavior The rules presented here address the Behavior Check
Check system combines well with another RPG’s social system from Mythic Variations II and Mythic Magazine

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#1’s article, Behavior Checks Simplified. The two systems much the same: they are a skill that you resolve using task
are nearly identical, with the simplified version being resolution to determine success or failure.
more streamlined. The rules in this article work with Let’s say for example that you’re playing a contemporary
both systems. adventure with a character who has encountered a forest
spirit that has taken the shape of a giant wolf. You initially
played the encounter using only the Behavior Check to
USING A SOCIAL SKILL determine the spirit’s actions. In this Scene your Character
managed to befriend the wild spirit.
Social skills in role-playing games can run a wide
As the adventure progresses, the forest becomes
gamut, from Persuasion skills to get an NPC to do
threatened by a malevolent spirit. You are trying to devise
what you want to Fast Talk skills to befuddle a character
a plan to deal with the evil presence, but the wolf spirit
and more. They all boil down to one thing, however:
wants to charge into the dark part of the forest and battle
influencing an NPC’s behavior.
the entity right away. Your Character needs to try and talk
If you are using an RPG that uses social skills, and
the being out of it until you have time to come up with a
you’re using Mythic’s Behavior Check rules, you can get
better plan.
them to line up nicely and play well together.
You decide to make a social skill roll rather than only
Use the Behavior Check as normal, generating
role-playing it and leaving it up to the Behavior Check. In
an NPC’s Disposition, defining Descriptors if you’re
the RPG you’re using, your Character has a basic Persuasion
using them, and getting a handle on the context of the
Skill that you use. You make a skill check and succeed.
situation. Generate NPC behavior as you usually would,
At this point you would use the Behavior Check to see
until you bring a social skill to bear. Using a social skill
how the wolf spirit responds. However, the Check is now
successfully gives you some control over the Behavior
influenced by your social skill roll.
Check and the NPC’s behavior.
Let’s get into how!
Regardless of the RPG, most social skills operate

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Making The Skill Roll FAILED SOCIAL SKILL ROLLS

At whatever point in an encounter you combine a social
skill with the Behavior Check, decide what it is you are Most of the modifiers detailed in this article pertain
trying to achieve then make your skill roll. The result of to successful skill rolls to keep the adventure
your roll, whether it’s success or failure, can have an impact moving smoothly with a minimum of decision
making and bookkeeping. The goal of a social
on the NPC’s Disposition Score, it may change the Context
skill is to influence the behavior of an NPC, and a
Modifier or Activated Descriptors, it can modify your roll successful use of that skill is reflected in modifiers to
on the Simplified NPC Action Table or on Action Table 2, the Behavior Check.
and it may put limits on the actions the NPC will take. That doesn’t mean a failed roll has no
After you make your skill roll, apply any modifiers consequences. Just like how a successful social
(which we’ll discuss next) and then check to see how skill roll triggers a Behavior Check action from an
the NPC reacts by making a Behavior Check. The NPC, a failed roll should too. There won’t be a
results of your social skill roll will help guide the modification to the Disposition Score or the roll on
Behavior Check’s outcome. the Action Table, although the failed roll might have
changed the Context which could have an impact
on the NPC’s Disposition Score.
Modifying The Disposition Score You are rolling a random behavior from the NPC
in response to your failed roll, which could invite
If you succeeded at your social skill roll then you
all manner of responses. That’s the price of making
successfully changed the behavior of the NPC. This is first a social skill roll: you either get an opportunity to
reflected in the NPC’s Disposition Score. influence the NPC, or you invite a reaction that
The Disposition Score is a measure of how active the you cannot control.
NPC is, with higher values reflecting more intense, active, However, at the same time, failing a social skill roll
and sometimes aggressive behavior, while lower values doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t get what
reflect more passive, cautious, and sedate behaviors. you want, it just means it’s less likely. Through
Just like the Disposition Score is modified with normal role-playing and actions generated through
Behavior Checks, your character might still get
Activated Descriptors or a Context Modifier, your success
what they original sought with a skill roll.
at a social skill roll is also a modifier.
For instance, your warrior captured and tied up
If your roll is successful, then apply a +2, 0, or -2
to a tree by an ogre may have failed his skill roll to
modifier to the NPC’s Disposition Score. Which modifier
talk the monster into releasing him. However, in
you choose is up to you, although it should reflect which the course of their ongoing conversation, he does
direction you were trying to influence the NPC: either to manage to convince the ogre that they should team
get them to be more active, or less active. For instance, up for a common goal.
with our wolf spirit, your Character is trying to calm it This reflects that while social skills can be used to
down so it doesn’t charge blindly into battle. A success decide social situations, it doesn’t rule out standard
on that roll would cause an immediate -2 modifier to the creative role-playing just as you would expect in a
spirit’s Disposition Score. traditional, Gamemastered RPG experience.

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On the other hand, if the spirit was reluctant to get

into battle and you wanted it to, a successful skill roll SKILL ROLLS AS TIPPING POINTS
would mean a +2 modifier toward a more active position.
Whether you apply a positive or negative modifier, or If your Character uses a social skill it should be an
none at all, is dependent on the context of the situation important event in the interaction and will likely
and what you want the NPC to do. Essentially, you alter the course of the exchange. Making a social
skill roll could be seen as a tipping point, where the
choose which modifier to use. You can also choose to
circumstances will change after this.
not modify the Disposition at all. You may not want to
Although the success or failure of the roll can
change the value if the interaction is a simple one. For
modify values such as the Disposition Score and
instance, if you are trying to bribe a guard to release your rolls on the Action Table, maybe where it is most
friend from a jail cell, a successful skill roll would indicate importantly felt is in the context. Your Character
you talked the guard into acting. This would seem to be attempting to influence an NPC may be a context
a +2 modifier, since they are taking a more active role in altering action, which will have an impact on all
the Scene. However, you may not want them to be active interactions with that NPC going forward.
in case they get too active and possibly aggressive. You For instance, maybe your Character is a wizard in a
might decide to forgo the modifier and just leave their kingdom that has been troubled by a dragon. The
Disposition Score alone. king’s army is considering attacking the dragon’s lair,
a move your character thinks is a big mistake.
A failed social skill roll, however, would mean there
is no change to their Disposition Score. You failed to You have an important meeting with the general of
the army, who is currently undecided on what to
influence their behavior.
do. You try to influence him and you make a social
skill roll to convince him to stand down so you can
Changing Context/Descriptor Modifiers resolve the situation yourself.
A successful roll would change the context of the
A successful or failed social skill roll can change the adventure: the general will trust you and wait to
context of the Scene, which would impact the Context see what happens. A failed roll could mean this
Modifier of the Simplified Behavior Check rules or the context: he is angered by your tampering and
Activated Descriptors of the standard Behavior Check decides they will attack at dawn.
rules. If the change in context alters the conditions of one In this example your involvement was a tipping
of these modifiers, then you should change it right away point, significantly changing the context of the
and have that be reflected in the NPC’s Disposition Score. adventure. Since the results of the Behavior
For instance, in the adventure involving our mysterious Check depend a lot on context when interpreted,
changing the context through your actions will have
wolf spirit, the context may be that your Character
an impact on NPC behavior, as it should.
is investigating the evil force that is pervading the
woods. This is how you came across the wolf, it too
is investigating. The primal spirit is agitated, and you If you were using Descriptors, one of the spirit’s
decide that this makes for a Context Modifier of +2 to its Descriptors may be Protect The Forest, which is Activated
Disposition Score because it’s being spurred to action. right now because the forest is being threatened.

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Maybe your Character has come up with a plan to

neutralize the evil force. You talk to the wolf spirit, trying COLORING YOUR ENCOUNTERS
to convince it to let you handle the threat your way first.
You succeed in your skill roll, effectively convincing the One of the things I like about combining Behavior
wolf that the threat will be handled and it doesn’t have Checks with social skill rolls is that it helps color the
to worry. This changes the context of the adventure, the narrative with interesting detail in situations where
that color isn’t always so obvious.
spirit no longer has a reason to be as agitated as it was.
You might decide that this changes the Context Modifier, For instance, if you’re making a social skill roll to
convince the local sheriff that the newest citizen
switching it from +2 to a zero. Or, it deactivates the
in town is a vampire, you don’t really need the
Descriptor of Protect The Forest. Behavior Check. If you succeed at your roll, the
sheriff believes you. If you fail, he doesn’t. You can
Action Table Modifier choose to role-play this any way you like.
However, by combining it with the Behavior
A successful social skill roll also gives you a modifier, and Check, you get a guide for not just what the sheriff
some control, on the Behavior Action Table. This modifier does and thinks, but how he does it. For instance,
is the same whether you’re using the Simplified Behavior you succeed on your roll and convince him. Then,
Action Table or Action Table 2 from Mythic Variations II. you roll Performs Out Of PC Interest, which
When you roll for the NPC’s action on the Action you interpret to mean: He looks at you and says,
“Okay. Let’s say I believe you. What do you suggest
Table, you can apply up to a +2 or -2 modifier to the roll.
we do about it?”
How much modifier you apply, and in which direction,
On the other hand, maybe you rolled Gives
is up to you. It could be -1, -2, +1, +2, or none at all.
Something, and interpreted it this way: He sighs,
This allows you to roll on the Action Table for the NPC’s looking troubled. “Alright, I’m not saying I believe
behavior, and choose from a range of possible options. you. But ...” He slides a business card across the
For instance, if you were using the Simplified Action counter to you. “This FBI agent was here the other
Table and rolled an 11, this would normally mean you day, asking questions about him. I think ... he knows.”
get a result of NPC Continues +2. However, since you Both situations come from the same successful
succeeded on your social skill roll, you have the option social skill roll, but each have dramatically different
to modify this result by up to +/-2. You could choose to results based on what the Behavior Check gave you.
change the outcome to NPC Continues, Context Action, Even though the social skill determines the ultimate
outcome, the Behavior Check is there to help you
or Gives Something.
describe what form that outcome arrives in.
This gives you a fair amount of control over what kind of
action the NPC takes. You could still roll on the Meaning
Tables if you want more inspiration for your interpretation.
If you’re using the standard Behavior Check rules in
Limiting NPC Actions
Mythic Variations, this Action Table Modifier would only So far, we’ve dealt with how your social skill roll
come into play if you end up rolling on Action Table 2. impacts the numbers: Disposition Score, modifiers from
Context and Descriptors, and rolls on the Action Table.

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Your successful social skill roll will also have an impact

on how you interpret the NPC’s actions by placing limits WHEN TO MAKE A SKILL ROLL
on what they will do regardless of how you roll with the
Behavior Check. If you’re using RPG social skills with Behavior
For instance, if your Character is trying to convince Checks, there is no right or wrong time when to
a librarian to let you see the locked books section, in make a social skill roll. It’s probably best to start an
interaction with an NPC using the Behavior Check
particular the Grimoire Of Tollen, and you succeed on
just to get a baseline on how the NPC is acting.
your social skill roll but get a result of Seeks To End The This helps set the context for the encounter.
Encounter on the Action Table, it may seem conflicting.
For instance, in the Big Example starting on this
After all, that action doesn’t sound like someone letting page, Lyla’s Player didn’t make a Persuasion roll
you into the forbidden section. until after first determining something about the
If you had gotten a result like that without a social skill merchant through a Behavior Check. This allowed
roll, a logical interpretation would be something like the her to know that the merchant is in a relaxed
librarian telling you no, now go away before I call security. mood, even though he’s plying his trade. It turns
However, a successful skill roll where you specifically were out, using just the Behavior Check, Lyla got what
she wanted right away without having to resort to
asking to get into the locked section means you succeed.
a skill roll.
This context has to be brought into the interpretation
Sometimes it should be this easy. Not every
of the NPC’s actions, limiting what they can do. In
interaction should require a skill resolution check.
this situation, we have two relevant bits of context: you
As the encounter went on, Lyla decided to get
succeeded at your skill roll so she will let you into the
some information out of the merchant. This is
section, and she seeks to end the encounter. You could a good time to make a skill roll, since we now
interpret the results this way: The librarian listens to your know something about the merchant’s personality.
argument, her gaze on you. You made a good case, and We have some solid Context to judge how the
you can see it in her eyes. She stands up from her chair, merchant will act.
setting her keys down on the counter. “You know what,”
she says, “I could use a coffee break. What happens when
I’m gone isn’t my concern. It’s not like someone is going choose, her behavior would have been limited by your
to take these keys and use them, or anything.” She gives successful skill roll, requiring her action to give you access.
you a nod and leaves the office, her keys gleaming on the
counter and the locked book section waiting for you.
This interpretation involves both the successful social THE BIG EXAMPLE: LYLA AND
skill roll to get access to the locked room, and the Action
THE TITAN ENGINES
Table result of her wanting to end the encounter. Of
course, a successful skill roll would have given you some This example takes place in a sci-fi near apocalypse
range on the Action table, so you could have chosen Gives setting in a future on the brink. In the world of Lyla Zora,
Something, Context Action, or Acts Out Of Self-Interest much of the planet lay in ashes while a handful of massive
instead by using your +/- 0-2 modifier. Whatever you city-states dominate. Ancient technology abounds in ruins

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and is barely understood, with chief among them the So far in the adventure Lyla and her employer, Siras,
highly prized Titan Engines, enormous machines the size have braved the open countryside as they search for
of cities that when sufficiently powered become walking, Diamondhill using an old map. They’ve successfully
semi-sentient machine gods. outrun a band of road pirates and battled a giant, mutated
The Player Character is Lyla, a former soldier of the city desert centipede.
of Mountbreak. When her city and another went to war, In the current Scene, they’ve found a small town
their Titan Engines clashing, Mountbreak fell to ruins. that serves as a way-station for travelers making their
Lyla fled, and has been working as a mercenary ever since. way through the barren desert. Lyla is haggling with
Currently in this adventure, Lyla is traveling with a merchant for fuel for her rigger, the catamaran style
a companion who hired her to safeguard him on an vehicle most people use to get around the landscape
expedition to the destroyed city of Diamondhill. A between major cities.
scientist with a cache of ancient texts, he claims to know The Player rolls 2d10 for the merchant’s Disposition,
of the existence of a special Titan Engine buried in the getting 8. The Player figures the merchant is going to be
blasted city, a Titan said to possess the power to command active, since he is working his trade, so gives the Disposition
all other Titans. a Context Modifier of +2, for a total of 10. This places the
Lyla’s player is running this solo game with an RPG merchant on the passive side, but just barely. Maybe Lyla
that uses a percentile based skill system. Lyla’s primary will get lucky and catch him on an off day.
social skill is Persuasion, which she has at 55%. The Player The Player decides to start this interaction with normal
plans to use her social skill in tandem with the simplified role-play, without making a skill roll, to see what kind
Behavior Check to resolve interactions with NPCs. of tone it begins with. Lyla approaches the merchant,

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greeting him and telling him she wants to buy fuel.

The Player rolls 2d10, applying the -2 modifier for SUMMARY OF SOCIAL SKILL SUCCESS
the merchant’s Disposition of Passive, and gets 6. The
Simplified NPC Action Table says this means Acts Out A successful social skill use in conjunction with the
Of PC Interest. That’s a good result. The Player interprets Behavior Check has these outcomes:
this to mean that the merchant agrees to Lyla’s terms,
selling her the fuel at a good price. Successful Social Skill Outcomes
Lyla decides to push her luck while she has the
DISPOSITION
merchant’s ear. She wants to find out if she can learn any SCORE
-2 or +2, your choice
rumors about the area. The Player decides to make this
a Persuasion skill roll to see if Lyla can talk the merchant Change any of these
CONTEXT/
into disclosing any useful information. She rolls a 17, modifiers to reflect a
DESCRIPTOR
succeeding, which means he does talk. MODIFIERS change in Context,
The Player uses this success to apply a -2 modifier to if any.
the merchant’s Disposition Score, bringing it to 8. She -2 to +2 modifier,
rationalizes this by thinking that Lyla has ingratiated applied after you roll.
ACTION TABLE
herself with him, and he’s comfortable enough to talk Choose any outcome
and relax. She also reduces the Context Modifier from +2 in that range.
to zero, reflecting the merchant’s more relaxed position;
the Context has changed, he’s not haggling over fuel, he’s Whatever action the
NPC ACTION NPC takes, it must
just chatting with a customer. This brings his Disposition LIMITS incorporate what you
further down to 6. wanted in the roll.
The Player rolls on the Action Table to see how the
merchant responds. This roll will get a -2 modifier to it
because of his Passive Disposition state. Further, the Player
can apply up to a -2 or +2 modifier to change the result. that the pirates Lyla encountered on her trip are harassing
She rolls 15, minus 2, for 13. This would normally a local village, which is suffering under their abuse. The
mean Gives Something. The Player has the option to pirates are using their village as a base of operations,
further modify this, allowing her to change it to NPC forcing the locals to house and supply them. Based on this
Continues +2, Context Action, Seeks To End The information, Lyla decides to take a little side adventure
Encounter, or Acts Out Of Self-Interest. and help rid the village of the pirates’ control.
The original result, Gives Something, is the most Several Scenes after that in the adventure, Lyla and Siras
useful to Lyla so the Player doesn’t modify the result. The have found the lost city of Diamondhill. The city is in ruins
logical interpretation of what the merchant gives is the in the midst of a giant crater, apparently from a massive
information Lyla was seeking. She rolls on the Action explosion centuries ago. Lyla and Siras have been picking
Meaning Tables for inspiration for what he says, and gets through the debris, looking for an entrance to a building
Struggle and Suffering. The Player interprets this to mean that is supposed to house a key to waking the fabled Titan.

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While exploring, they encounter a mutated, walking,

humanoid fungus creature which attacks them. Lyla, GRADATIONS OF SUCCESS AND FAILURE
using her dual handguns and katana, faces the creature as
it charges her. The rules in this article assume you are using a pass
To determine exactly what the creature does on its or fail social skill resolution system. However, many
turn, the Player uses the Behavior Check and rolls a RPGs have a more nuanced gradations of success
and failure approach.
Disposition for the creature, getting 3. Given the Context
of it attacking, making it clearly active, we apply a +2 To incorporate levels of success, adjust the
modifiers down or up 1 point to reflect limited
Context Modifier for a Disposition Score of 5.
success and greater success, respectively. This
The Player rolls on the Action Table to see how adjustment would only apply to the modifiers
the creature attacks, getting 6, minus 2 for the Passive for the Disposition Score and the Action Table.
Disposition, for a value of 4: Talks, Exposition. Hmm, Changes in Context/Descriptors modifiers would
maybe it’s not attacking after all. remain +/- 2.
The Player rolls on the Action Meaning Tables for For instance, if you get extra successes and decide
inspiration for what the creature has to say, and gets this means a 3 point modifier, then you would adjust
Debase and Misfortune. the Disposition Score by 3 points and you would get
The Player interprets the action this way: the fungus a -3 to +3 modifier range on the Action Table.
creature runs at Lyla, her guns up and ready to start blazing.
Suddenly, and to Lyla’s shock, the thing drops to its knees Degrees Of Social Skill Success
in front of her and begs her to help him. He’s been stuck
in this city for weeks, with no supplies, no vehicle, he’s lost There are no
FAILURE
modifiers, as usual.
everything. He wasn’t running at Lyla to attack, he was
running to her in desperation that she helps him. PARTIAL
Modifiers are limited
The Player decides to try and use this situation to FAILURE/BARELY
SUCCEED to +/- 1.
gain another ally. Lyla offers to help Fungal out of
Diamondhill if he helps them wake the Titan. The Player
Modifiers are as
decides to use Lyla’s social skill, and rolls 58. She failed, FULL SUCCESS
normal, +/- 2.
although barely.
Although Lyla failed, we still roll to get Fungal’s EXTRA SUCCESS Modifiers are +/- 3.
reaction. There is no change to his Disposition Score
since Lyla failed her roll. The Player decides to change Apply your RPG’s task system to these modifiers
the Context Modifier to -2, since Fungal isn’t attacking however it seems to fit best to you. For instance,
maybe your system is primarily just fail or succeed.
after all and is seeking help, which is a different Context
However, it does have levels of greater success.
than what this encounter began with. That puts him in In that case, you would only use the modifiers for
a more inactive position in this Context, and changes his Failure, Full Success, and Extra Success.
Disposition Score to 1.
Rolling 2d10-2 for his action, we get 12, Context

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 INTERRUPT

Action. This means Fungal takes an action that seems most

appropriate for the current Context. The Context right now
is he’s begging for Lyla’s help, and she is offering it if he helps
them. This could go either way, really, with Fungal agreeing
because he sees the offer as a way to get out of Diamondhill,
or he turns it down because he just sees it as more danger.
Given his Passive Disposition, the Player decides that it
makes more sense that Fungal reacts like this: The creature
buries his face in his hands, crying, saying how he couldn’t
possibly help, it’s too dangerous. He gets up and runs away,
leaving Lyla to shrug at Silas. “Well, I tried.”
The two continue on through the adventure, braving
the engineering building and various hazards throughout
until they find the control room. Silas successfully
activates the Titan, and they flee from the building as it
rumbles and shakes itself apart.
Outside, they watch as the ruins of the city gather in
on themselves and begin to rise as an enormous Titan
Engine, vaguely humanoid in shape with glowing orange
eyes, it’s entire body made of the buildings and structures
of Diamondhill.
The mechanical creature has been long dormant, and The Player rolls on the Action Table to see how the
it looks to Lyla and Silas. Silas realizes that it assumes they Titan responds, knowing that whatever it does its action
are its controllers, and Silas urges Lyla to speak to it and will follow within the limits of listening to Lyla and
convince them that she is its master. following her, since she succeeded at her social skill roll to
The Player makes a social skill roll for Lyla, to see if get that affect. We roll 17, minus 2 for the creature’s Passive
she can convince the newly awakened behemoth that it Disposition, for a final value of 15. Since Lyla succeeded at
should listen to her. She rolls a 38, success! her social skill roll, she can apply up to a -2 to +2 modifier
To generate how the Titan responds, we roll it’s to this result, choosing any of the affects in that range. Her
Disposition and get 7. Lyla is wanting the being to be options are Gives Something, Seeks To End The Encounter,
cooperative and since she succeeded on her social skill roll Acts Out Of Self Interest, and Takes Something.
she opts to give it a -2 modifier to its Disposition, making Lyla’s Player decides to choose Gives Something, with
it 5. Lyla’s success also allows her to effectively define the the Titan giving Lyla its total obedience.
Context, which is that the Titan will listen to her and Riding atop the Titan, Lyla and Silas have it walk out of
follow her. The Player decides this is leaning toward a the crater ready to face a new era where the Titan of Titans
more passive Context Modifier, so applies another -2 to will bring the more aggressive cities to heel and bring all the
the Disposition Score, getting a value now of 3. other Titan Engines together for a new age of peace.

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SIMPLIFIED BEHAVIOR CHECK A MONTHLY EZINE WITH TIPS, RULES, AND MORE GOODIES FOR
THE MYTHIC ROLE-PLAYING SYSTEM, MYTHIC GAME MASTER EMULATOR, AND CRAFTER SERIES

This section summarizes content from Mythic Magazine

#1 necessary for using the system detailed in this chapter.

Behavior Checks are used to determine the actions of

Non-Player Characters. The system presented in Mythic
Variations II is full-featured but it does require enough
details that it can slow down play to some extent. If
you find the Behavior Check to be too crunchy this
article presents a middle ground alternative to consider.
The following rules variation presents a new, simplified
version of the Behavior Check. This system can be used
alongside the system presented in Mythic Variations II,
giving you the option to choose how much detail you Behavior
want incorporated in your Behavior Checks. Checks Removing The
Ambiguity Of
Simplified Ambiguous Events
A FRESH LOOK AT THE
BEHAVIOR CHECK VOLUME 1

Behavior Checks are a way to determine the actions of indicates a more active Character.
Non-Player Characters on an action-by-action basis. It’s That initial Disposition Score might get modified,
useful if you wish for a more specific way to determine just like with the original Behavior Check system.
NPC actions other than using Fate Questions. However, instead of checking for activated Descriptors
to use as modifiers, use the Context of the current
THE DISPOSITION SCORE Scene as it applies to the NPC. The Context is what’s
This version of the Behavior Check allows you to do going on in the Scene that the NPC is acting within.
away with NPC Descriptors, using only Context and The Context Modifier is a consideration of everything
the Disposition score to guide NPC behavior. Instead of going on right now: who this NPC is, what is happening
using modifiers to adjust the Disposition Score derived in the Scene when the NPC acts, what the Player
from Descriptors, this version of the system uses a single Characters are doing, and why the NPC is responding.
modifier based on the current Context of the Adventure. Based on the Context, decide if you think this
As usual, when using Behavior Checks with an NPC Character’s behavior would tend toward being less
you need to determine their Disposition by rolling 2d10 active or more active. “Active” in this sense means
and assigning them a Disposition Score. This aspect how intense their behavior is, how inclined to take the
of the system does not change, the Disposition Score initiative, and how boldly they would be expected to
represents the NPC’s relative degree of intensity. A act. If you think they would act less actively, then apply
low score indicates a less active Character, a high score a -2 Context Modifier to the initial Disposition Score.

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If you think they would be more active, then apply a

+2 Context Modifier. If you aren’t sure, then leave the Disposition Score Modifier Table
Disposition Score alone. 10 or less PASSIVE (-2): The Character takes the least
As with the original Behavior Check with modifiers active approach to their Action, applying a -2
from Activated Descriptors, the Context Modifier to modifier to the NPC Action Table.
the Disposition Score is made at the beginning of the
11 or more ACTIVE (+2): The Character takes the most
encounter when the Disposition Score is generated.
active approach to their Action, applying a +2
Also like the original Behavior Check, this modifier can
modifier to the NPC Action Table.
be revisited and changed if the current Context of the
Scene changes.
These changes in the Context Modifier are Active. Given the same general Action to be taken,
only made in relation to changes in the Context of “Passive” means they will perform the Action in the
the Scene. The NPC simply rolling a high or low least active way, and “Active” means they will perform it
Disposition Score is not enough to determine the in the most active way.
Context Modifier, you have to decide based on what In addition to acting as a guide to help you decide
you know about the NPC’s motivations and how that an NPC’s specific Actions, the Disposition Score also
relates to the current Context of the Scene. modifies your rolls on the NPC Action Table. When
This modifier can be applied and reapplied you determine Character Actions through the NPC
throughout the Scene depending on how you think the Action Table, a Passive Disposition Score of 10 or
NPC would logically respond to a change of Context. less applies a -2 modifier to the roll, while an Active
The modifier is not cumulative; an NPC with a +2 Disposition Score of 11 or more applies a +2 modifier
Context Modifier doesn’t get another +2 modifier if the to the roll.
Context changes and they should still be logically acting
more actively. The modifier is always either a static -2, Descriptors
+2, or zero.
While this simplified version of the Behavior Check
allows you to remove Descriptors, you can still use them
Putting The Disposition Score To Use if you want although they work a little differently. If
The Disposition Score is used to modify the NPC you choose to use Descriptors (Identity, Personality, and
Action Table, as with the original Behavior Check, but Activity, as described in Mythic Variations II, page 21),
it does so in a simpler way. The Disposition Score in Activated Descriptors will apply a +1 modifier to the
this version of the system only indicates one of two Disposition Score if the Descriptor would encourage
states for the NPC, instead of four. The Character is more active behavior from the Character, and a -1
considered to have a Passive Disposition if the score is modifier if it would encourage less active behavior. This
10 or less, and an Active Disposition if the score is 11 is a change from the original system’s +/- 2 modifier.
or more. As usual, a Descriptor causes no modifier if it is not
This gives Characters a clear indicator which points Activated. This gives Descriptors a total of +/- 0-3
their behavior in one of two directions, Passive and modifier to the Disposition Score.

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Simplified NPC Action Table

4 or less TALKS, EXPOSITION
5  PERFORMS AN AMBIGUOUS ACTION The Character’s Action
changes the current Context.
6-7 ACTS OUT OF PC INTEREST
8  NPC CONTINUES -2
9-10 NPC CONTINUES The Character’s Action is
11 NPC CONTINUES +2 within the current Context.
12 CONTEXT ACTION
13  GIVES SOMETHING
14 SEEKS TO END THE ENCOUNTER
15-16 ACTS OUT OF SELF INTEREST The Character’s Action
changes the current Context.
17 TAKES SOMETHING
18 or more CAUSES HARM

If you use Descriptors then don’t apply the Context Check: they are mostly the entries of NPC Action
Modifier also. You use one method or the other. Table 1 and 2 from Mythic Variations II combined
into a single table. As usual, take the result of the table
CHARACTER ACTIONS and interpret it based on the Context of the Scene
so far and the Character’s Disposition (Passive or
Determine a Character’s Actions whenever you think
Active). If you are using Descriptors, also consider the
it’s appropriate, just as you would with the original
Activated Descriptors in your interpretation.
Behavior Check. Instead of rolling 1d10, however, you
In the original Behavior Check, when rolling for
roll 2d10 adding the results together to give you a value
an Action on Table 2, you’re encouraged to change
between 2 and 20. Apply the Character’s Disposition
the Disposition Score if the Action runs counter to
Modifier to this roll, either -2 for a Passive Character or
the Character’s current Disposition. In this simplified
+2 for an Active Character. Apply the final result to the
version of the Behavior Check, without a second
NPC Action Table to get their Action.
table, this valuation is removed. Regardless of what
The entries in the NPC Action Table will look
Action the Character takes, it will not change their
familiar to you if you already use the original Behavior
Disposition Score. Changes to the Disposition Score

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happen only through entries on the NPC Action Table things, but it is something that will help the Character,
that indicate a change or whenever you feel the need probably aiding her in the completion of a goal. You
to change the Context Modifier based on changes in can either choose the most logical and likely behavior
the Context. for the NPC, or roll on the Description or Action
Meaning Tables to get inspiration for what it is or ask a
Talks, Exposition Fate Question.

The NPC decides to engage in conversation in a way

that changes the current Context. If the NPC was doing
NPC Continues
something physical, such as fighting, they either stop In keeping with the current Context, the NPC will
doing that to talk or do both, whichever seems most continue with their latest Action if their Disposition is
logical. If they already were talking, then they change Passive. If their Disposition is Active, they will either
the subject and talk about something else. continue with their latest Action or, if it makes sense,
You have two options to figure out what it is they they will take that Action to the “next level”. What that
specifically say. The first is to logic your way to it using next level actually entails is up to you, whatever seems
the Context and Disposition and going with what you the most logical. An NPC who is driving a car through
would most expect them to say. city streets as he is chased by the Player Characters may
Your second option is to roll on the Description start off evading by driving fast. If you take that up a
Meaning Tables at the back of this book or ask a Fate level, maybe he is now taking risks, such as weaving
Question. Use the result as inspiration to come up with between other cars and running red lights. Or, maybe it
an interpretation of what the NPC says. just makes more sense that they keep doing what they’re
doing. Our NPC driver just keeps driving fast.
Performs An Ambiguous Action If this is the first result you’ve rolled for the NPC in
this Scene then treat this as a Context Action. No Action
The NPC does something that has nothing to do has been established for the NPC yet so there is no
with the current Context, thus changing the Context. Action to continue.
It’s a neutral Action. To determine what the Action is, Some of the NPC Continues results of the NPC
roll on the Action Meaning Tables at the back of this Action Table show a +2 or -2. This is a modifier to their
book or ask a Fate Question. Disposition Score and should be applied, changing the
Score. This has no effect on the NPC’s Action unless it
Acts Out Of PC Interest changes their Disposition from Passive to Active or the
other way around. A change in Disposition status like
The NPC does something that is in the best interest this should be noted in the NPC’s Actions; going from
of the Player Character, changing the current Context. Passive to Active should take this Action up a notch
If there is more than one PC, either have this result and make it noticeably more active, while going from
refer to the Player Character dealing most directly with Active to Passive should tone down their Action from
the NPC or determine it randomly. what they have been doing. In our chase example, if the
What constitutes “PC interest” can be a lot of NPC’s Disposition is Passive, the GM may interpret

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NPC Continues results to mean he keeps doing what he’s Seeks To End The Encounter
doing. But if he gets an NPC Continues +2 result and it
pushes the Disposition Score from Passive to Active, the The NPC has had enough of this encounter and
GM may decide that this means the Action needs to be wishes to end it, which clearly changes the Context.
taken up a notch and the NPC starts taking dangerous This might mean ending a conversation, walking away
driving risks. from a situation, stopping a fight, etc. This result doesn’t
necessarily mean that the encounter actually ends, just
that the NPC tries to end it.
Context Action If there is a logical interpretation to this that springs
The Character is changing his Action from what he to mind then you can go with that. If an obvious logical
has been doing, but the next Action will still be within answer doesn’t spring to mind, roll on the Action
the current Context. Consider the Context and the Meaning Tables or ask a Fate Question.
Character’s Disposition and go with the most likely
and logical Action you think the NPC would take in Acts Out Of Self Interest
response to what is going on. If the NPC was already
performing an Action, he will stop that Action and The NPC does something that is clearly for their
switch to a new one, but the new Action will still be own gain and it changes the current Context. You
something you would expect them to do within the can look to their Disposition and the current Context
current Context. This will be the next most likely thing to understand what it is that the NPC wants. If a
you think they would do. logical interpretation jumps out at you based on these
factors, then run with it. Otherwise, roll on the Action
Meaning Tables to determine what the NPC does or ask
Gives Something a Fate Question. Whatever it is, it should further their
The NPC gives the Player Characters something, own interests.
changing the current Context. If there is more than
one PC, either have this result refer to the Player Takes Something
Character dealing most directly with the NPC or
determine it randomly. The NPC takes something from the PC and it changes
What is given may not necessarily be helpful. The the current Context. If there is more than one PC, then
“something” in question can be anything, from an object the NPC either takes something from the PC they are
to information. Whatever it is, the NPC is imparting most directly dealing with or roll the PC randomly.
something to the PC and it should have relevance.
Either go with the most logical thing this may Causes Harm
be (especially if that logical thing springs to mind
immediately), or roll on the Descriptions Meaning Tables The NPC tries to hurt the PC. Like the other results
to get inspiration for what it is or ask a Fate Question. in this range on the NPC Action Table, this Action
should change the Context. If there is more than one
PC, then the NPC either hurts the PC they are most

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 INTERRUPT

directly dealing with or roll the PC randomly. The NPC Action Table references the current
This doesn’t necessarily mean that the harm caused Context, with some Actions (8-12 result range) following
is physical. Maybe the NPC says something cruel to the the current Context, while other Actions (7 or less and
Player Character. Maybe they left a nasty note. Maybe 13 or more ranges) change the Context. This is another
they just shot the PC a dirty look. Let the Context and clue in helping you to decide a Character’s behavior.
Disposition guide you. Disposition is another clue as to how a Character
acts, in an active way or less active way. For many
MAKING IT ALL WORK results on the NPC Action Table, this consideration
will give you two clear choices. For instance, if the
There is a process to how this system determines
PC’s are haggling with a shopkeeper over the cost of
NPC behavior. When the Character is first
supplies, an Active Disposition might indicate the
encountered, you determine their Disposition Score,
shopkeeper will haggle aggressively and charge a high
which tells you the first thing you know about their
price, whereas a Passive Disposition indicates they’re
behavior: are they acting Passively or Actively? You
willing to deal and compromise with the Characters.
generate their first Action by rolling 2d10 on the NPC
If you are unsure of how to interpret the results
Action Table, applying a -2 modifier for a Passive
you get on the NPC Action Table consider making a
Character or a +2 modifier for an Active Character.
Fate Check with Mythic, or rolling on the Meaning
This gives you their specific Action for that instance. If
Tables for a word pairing. This should give you enough
it’s their first Action, then this will help set the tone for
information to complete your interpretation. (The
all Actions that follow.
Meaning Tables are included in the back of this book
It’s important to consider the Context within which
for easy reference).
the Character is acting. The Character is reacting to a
If you are unable to come up with an interpretation
situation, the Context. The results of the Action Table
for an Action Table result, and you don’t want to slow
and their Disposition are pointing you in a direction
the Adventure down by checking with Fate Questions or
based on their last action and the Context. As with
Meaning Tables, you can always apply the I Dunno rule
most things with Mythic, you interpret this information
and ignore the result, treating it as NPC Continues.
and take the most logical conclusion.

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Something for you to consider or use

Solo Adventure Modules

Suggestions for how to run published adventures solo Adventures, and published adventures provide a structure
is an often discussed topic, and one that’s been tackled in that helps guide your Character’s progress.
Mythic Magazine too (issue #3). With all those content- It seems we have two choices then: either let Mythic
rich published modules out there it’s easy to see why we guide our Adventures and see where we go, or adapt a
want to dig into them. published adventure to solo play.
Playing solo in a published adventure has benefits. What if there was a third option? I’m talking about
We get to experience an environment that’s been something that is between those two, an Adventure that
carefully crafted by the author, it can be a nice break plays like our usual Mythic Adventures but also has meaning
from our more random and unpredictable standard solo packed into it by an author and presents a clear structure.

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In this article I’m going to lay out a framework for how

to make what I’m calling a Solo Adventure Module using KEEPING IT ALL TOGETHER
Mythic and a few of the tools we are already familiar
with. At the end of this chapter I’ll provide a sample Solo I’m not going to assume that you have The
Adventure Module, properly set around a mysterious Location Crafter or Mythic Magazine #10, so
house like an October issue of Mythic Magazine should. those rulesets will be summarized later in this
article. If you like them and want to learn more
about them, I encourage you to get the books.
However, everything you need to create your own
SOLO ADVENTURE MODULES Solo Adventure Modules, and to play them, are
included in this article.
A Solo Adventure Module is a solo Mythic Adventure
that has a theme, structure, and content built into it. To
pull this off we just have to use some of the tools that are
already at our disposal, such as:
How It Meshes Together
• FIRST SCENE: Provide a fully explained, A fully detailed first Scene provides the start point for
detailed first Scene of the Adventure to get your your Character and will likely be more detailed than a
Character started. standard concept for a first Scene in a Mythic Adventure.
• POPULATED LISTS: The Threads and This is like the opening monologue from a Gamemaster
Characters Lists will begin with some entries as they begin an Adventure, setting the tone and place and
already filled in, many of those elements pulled what your Character is doing and facing.
from the first Scene. The Threads and Characters Lists would come with
• LOCATION CRAFTING: The Location Crafter elements already on them, such as goals and Characters
rules will be used to allow for the exploration introduced in the first Scene. There may be other
of places in the Adventure. The Solo Adventure elements on the Lists too, such as Non-Player Characters
Module provides the Region Sheets all filled out your Character has not met yet.
and ready to go. A Solo Adventure Module should also contain
• KEYED SCENES: As discussed in Mythic Locations to explore with filled out Region Sheets along
Magazine #10, Keyed Scenes allow for pre- with any special instructions that go with them. These are
programmed events to take place in an Adventure. the places your Character can discover and explore, such
By including Keyed Scenes in a Solo Adventure as dungeons, villages, mansions, graveyards, etc.
Module you make sure that the Adventure stays on Finally, Keyed Scenes are included to keep the
track toward its theme. Adventure moving in the direction it should be going and
There are other tools we could add, such as the to trigger important events that need to happen.
Mystery Matrix from Mythic Magazine #6, but the four The best way to see how it works is to try it yourself.
tools above are the core items we would need to make a The next few pages contain summarized rules for
Solo Adventure Module. Location Crafting and Keyed Scenes, and after that is
a Solo Adventure Module for you to use, The Secret of
Tockley Manor.
Happy adventuring!

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LOCATION CRAFTING
This section summarizes content from The Location
Crafter, with a few modifications from Mythic Magazine
#2, necessary for using the system detailed in this chapter.

The Location Crafter is a role-playing aid to help you

construct and explore places randomly, as you play, with
a minimum of fuss.
As with Mythic, this system relies on Players using
interpretation to take the information generated and
turn it into something meaningful. If you need more Categories
detail or clarification about an Area, you can help
Each Area is described based on three Categories:
shape it with Mythic Fate Questions or by using the
Locations, Encounters, and Objects. Lists of Elements
Description and Action Meaning Tables (which can be
are kept for each Category and rolled against to give you
found at the back of this issue).
the details you need to interpret what that Area is and
A few terms to know:
what is in it.

Region Locations
Regions are the total area that is being explored.
This Category describes the physical locale of the
This is the dungeon, the island, the villain’s lair, the
Area. For instance, the chambers and halls of a dungeon,
haunted mansion ... wherever it is that the Characters
or the rooms and breezeways of an apartment building.
have found themselves.
These are the specific places your Characters will find
Regions can be any locale of any size. For instance,
themselves in as they explore the Region.
your Region could be a hotel room where a murder
Examples of Location Elements might include:
took place, or it could be an entire planet that your
hallway, bedroom, swimming pool, command center,
exploratory starship has run across. The size of the
elevator, meadow, laboratory, cave, street.
Region doesn’t matter, the process is the same.

Encounters
Area
The Encounters Category usually means people
Each discrete location where exploration takes
or creatures that the Characters can interact with and
place within a Region is generated separately, and
which will interact back. This can also include non-
each occurrence is called an Area. This is a change in
living things such as traps or devices. The key here is
terminology from The Location Crafter to avoid confusion
that Encounters are elements within the Location that
with how the word “Scene” is used with Mythic.
the Characters will have to deal with and will likely form
the most active portions of each Area.

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 TOOL BOX

Examples of Encounter Elements might include: Expected

enemy agent, orc, robot, super villain, henchman, pit
trap, innocent bystander, intruder, ghost. An Element listing under a Category can simply
say “Expected.” This Category Element represents the
mundane in your Region. As your Character enters a
Objects Region and explores, you will have expectations of what
Objects are Category Elements that Characters can you will find: dark hallways in a dungeon, tangles of
run across that might be of interest to them. These are vines in a forest, enemy henchman patrolling a villain’s
mundane and important items in an Area. lair. A Category result of “Expected” produces just that,
Examples of Object Elements might include: gun, what you most expect for that Category.
sword, chest, key, chain saw, book, boulder, meteor.
None
A Category Element of None means there is no
ELEMENTS Element for that Category in the Area. This would come
Each Area of a Region will require a specific Element into use with the Encounters and Objects Categories,
from each of the three Categories to place in that Area. since you can’t have a None Location.
You combine the Elements from the three Categories
(Locations, Encounters, Objects) to give each Area of a
Region its own flavor.
Special
When the Elements from each Category are The Special Element necessitates a roll on the Special
combined, along with considering what has already Element Table (found at the back of this book), which
occurred in the Adventure and your own expectations will provide instructions on what to do. This can result
and interpretations, you will find the Region taking on a in alterations to the Category List, special events, and
life of its own as the Characters explore. other unexpected twists.
Elements are organized into the three Lists of Locations,
Encounters, and Objects. Element items include:
Random
Custom When a roll on a Category list generates a Random
Element, roll twice on the appropriate column of the
These are specific Elements unique to your Random Elements Descriptors Table (found at the back
Adventure, such as the basement in a house or creatures of this book). Please note that this is a change from the
in a dungeon. You won’t see the word “Custom” on original Location Crafter, which uses the Actions and
any of the Lists, instead you will see what that Custom Descriptions Meaning Tables.
Element is, like “Bats,” “Attic”, “Holy sword”, etc. The answers you receive on the tables are interpreted
based on what you already know of the Region, what
has already happened, what you expect, and what
springs to mind.

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Complete To generate a new Area in the Region to explore

(including the first one), take each Category, roll 1d6 for
The Complete Element is only found in the Location each, and count down the Category list by the number
Category. When generated, this indicates that the Region you rolled, and that is the Element you use. If there are
has been fully explored; there is no place else to go, at any crossed out Elements on the List skip over them.
least that the Character is aware of or that would provide Use your expectations and interpretation to combine
anything useful. If this is rolled, treat it as an Expected for the Elements into a meaningful whole. You should
this Area, but there are no further significant Locations to remain true to the results rolled, but should also
explore beyond this one; the Region is done. If there were embellish as much detail as makes sense given what
any unexplored places in the Region that the Character you already know. Ask Fate Questions to provide more
is aware of, further exploration of those Areas will only detail, or roll on the Meaning Tables.
produce Expected results for all Categories.
The First Area
UNIQUES The first Area Characters enter for a Region should
be considered its start point and contains an exit to
Some Elements listed under a Category may be of a
the outside world. Until further exploration reveals
special, unique nature. For Elements that are unique,
additional exits from a Region, it is assumed that the
once they have been discovered by the Character and
starting Area is the only known entrance/exit.
cannot be discovered again, consider crossing them off
the Category List. Elements on a Category List labeled
with a “U” are Unique. Delving Deeper
Once that Element has been generated, you may As your Character explores deeper into a Region, a
have to make a judgement call as to whether or not you modifier is applied to your 1d6 roll each time a List is
should strike it off the List. For instance, if the Unique rolled on. Every time you roll on a Category List (usually
Element is a Location, the Character will only encounter after entering each new Area), write a hash mark on a piece
it once (unless they go back to it later intentionally), so of paper for that Category List to indicate the number of
off it goes. However, if it’s a villain and he escapes the Progress Points (which begin at zero for each Category).
encounter, you may decide that since he is still on the Each time a Category is rolled, roll 1d6, plus the number
loose he may be encountered yet again later. of Progress Points for the List to get your result.
If your roll takes you beyond the current List of
Elements in the Category (for instance, you have 8
EXPLORING elements in your List, but your roll plus Progress Points
Exploring a Region is a process of generating one is 10), then the result is considered Expected. Also,
Area, and its contents, at a time. Characters enter an reduce that Category Lists’ Progress Points by 5 points.
Area, you use the Category Lists to randomly determine Continue to generate Areas one at a time like this
the characteristics of the Area, then the Character moves until the Complete Location Element is rolled or until
on to the next one. the Character decides they are done and leaves.

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Connectors up with a previously discovered Area if it makes sense that

they are connected.
The connections between Areas is abstracted, for you The exact layout of discovered Areas is up to you, but
to determine as you go. For instance, if your Character it should follow what you would expect from how those
is in a room and wants to move to another Area, decide Areas are discovered.
what makes the most sense about what lays between
those two Areas. Maybe it’s a doorway, or a hallway.
Going Back
Mapping The Location Crafting method is designed to explore
a Region. Each new Area of a Region is generated
Exploring from Area to Area is a random process of randomly. However, your Character can always go back
discovery. Although the generation of Areas is random, to previously discovered Areas at any time. There is no
their placement in relation to each other should make need to roll when entering an already discovered Area.
sense. It may be easier to conceptualize a developing Once discovered, it is now a known part of the Region
Region by mapping it out as you explore it. This way and should be treated like any other known location
Areas can be shown in relation to other Areas, and in your Mythic Adventure. Rolling randomly on the
Connectors can be developed that make the most sense. Region Sheet is only for generating new, previously
This may also help you determine when one Area links unexplored, Areas.

KEYED SCENES KEYED SCENE EVENT

This section summarizes A Keyed Scene Event is something that happens
content from Mythic in a Keyed Scene. When that Event comes up, it
Magazine #10 necessary for becomes a necessary part of the next Scene making
using the system detailed in that a Keyed Scene.
this chapter.
Keyed Scene Trigger
A Keyed Scene is a
new type of Scene that is The Trigger is what tells you when a Keyed Scene
designed with a trope or Event happens. Just like the Events can be anything, so
concept in mind that you want the Scene to enact. For too can the Triggers. You can think of the Keyed Scene
instance, Keyed Scenes could be used as another way to Trigger as a sort of If/Then computer statement. If X
inject theme elements into your Adventure. It can also happens then Y happens. Once all of the conditions of a
be used to guarantee that certain events happen in an Trigger are met in one Scene, the Keyed Scene Event will
Adventure that need to happen. happen in the next Scene making it a Keyed Scene.

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MAKING IT ALL HAPPEN Counts

In a prepared Adventure, like the one at the end of One way to formulate a Trigger is to create a Count
this article, keep track of Keyed Scenes and their Triggers for it. For instance, after a certain number of things
as the Adventure progresses. When the Trigger is achieved happen in the Adventure the Keyed Scene Event is
in one Scene the Event happens in the next Scene. Triggered. Record your Count each time the relevant
Formulate your Scene as normal: come up with an element happens. When the target Count is reached then
Expected Scene idea and test it to see if it happens or the Keyed Scene Event is Triggered for the next Scene.
becomes an Altered Scene or an Interrupt Scene. On
top of this procedure you will also layer the Keyed Scene
Event, working it in to the Scene in the most logical way. Trigger And Event Timing
Determining whether a Trigger has been set off is
Using Random Events done at the end of a Scene, and should be considered
as part of your end of Scene bookkeeping. Normally at
Keyed Scene Events are usually phrased as an the conclusion of a Mythic Scene you will update your
idea or concept, such as “zombie encounter”, “ship Characters and Threads Lists and update the Chaos
malfunctions”, “plot moves forward”, or whatever it is Factor. When using Keyed Scenes, you would also
that is supposed to happen in the Adventure. check to see if a Trigger has happened and to update any
When the Keyed Scene Trigger happens you know Trigger counts.
its Event will take place in the next Scene, but you don’t Once you know a Trigger has been activated, then
know exactly how it’s going to unfold. To help shape the next Scene will be a Keyed Scene, which means the
how it happens, you can turn the Keyed Scene Event Keyed Scene Event will take place in that Scene.
into a Random Event, but a special kind of Random Generate the Scene normally, coming up with an
Event that must conform to the Keyed Scene idea. Expected Scene and testing it against the Chaos Factor.
You are making a Random Event with the extra Have the Keyed Scene Event take place at any point in
Context of the Keyed Scene Event rolled into it. If the Scene that makes sense, but I suggest doing it at the
your Keyed Scene Event is a zombie encounter then very beginning of the Scene or as early as possible.
you would generate a Random Event as normal but
whatever you generate, it’s going to be centered around
a zombie encounter.

The
Sockley
ecret of The Solo Adventure Module, The Secret Of Tockley Manor, begins on the next

T anor
page. Please note that this is a horror Adventure. Featured themes included in
the Adventure are: murder, dead bodies, potentially lost loved ones, an isolated

M
community, a haunted house, investigation, and supernatural creatures.

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SECTION
BOX

The
Sockley of
ecret
T anor
M
A HORROR THEMED SCENARIO

FOR USE WITH

THE MYTHIC
GAME MASTER
SOLO ADVENTURE MODULE
MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 126
EMULATOR
 TOOL BOX

The
Sockley
SYSTEM AGNOSTIC

ecret of This Adventure is presented without any specific

T anor
role-playing game system in mind. All Characters
and events are given descriptions that you can

M
adapt to an RPG of your choosing with appropriate
statistics. Alternatively, you could use the Statistic
Check from Mythic Variations II to assign RPG-
specific values. Or, you can play through the
Adventure with nothing more than Mythic
This Adventure is constructed to be played solo using answering all Questions, such as skill resolution
the Mythic Game Master Emulator, The Location attempts and combat.
Crafter, and using Keyed Scenes from Mythic Magazine
#10. All the relevant rules are summarized in this
article for easy reference. The Adventure plays using some exploration skills, such as police officers, private
normal Mythic rules, but you start with a pre- detectives, lawyers, or anyone with a personal interest of
generated first Scene, Threads and Characters Lists what is happening in the locale.
that begin partially filled out, and Keyed Scenes The first Scene introduces a murder in the small New
to keep the Adventure progressing forward. England coastal town of Closport. This death is likely
There are also several important locations in what will draw your Character into the Adventure. Your
the Adventure that are detailed using The involvement can be for official reasons, such as an FBI
Location Crafter Region Lists. agent coming in to help local authorities, or personal
The Secret of Tockley Manor is a horror reasons such as the victim is a relative of yours.
themed solo Adventure designed for a Your Character does not need to have many skills,
single Character. The setting is contemporary although investigative and social skills would be helpful.
times in a generic New England, upper Some degree of combat skills would also be useful.
American East Coast setting. However,
the Adventure could easily be located
in any small, isolated community. GETTING STARTED
The next page contains a detailed description of
YOUR ROLE IN the first Scene. Feel free to modify it as you need to
THE SECRET OF accommodate your Player Character entering the
Adventure. In addition to giving your Character a goal to
TOCKLEY MANOR pursue, it also introduces the setting of Closport where
This Adventure is designed as a the Adventure takes place and some key starting Non-
contemporary horror experience. Player Characters.
Player Characters that would There is also a page of Adventure Lists, containing
fit well in this scenario are Threads and Characters Lists partially filled out. The
down to earth Characters with elements on these Lists are mostly pulled from the

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first Scene, although there may be some additional

Characters on the List not introduced yet that your IMPORTANT FIRST SCENE CHARACTERS
Character might encounter.
Closport Chief Of Police Francis Herrera:
Herrera is a fifty-seven year old police officer who
Regions has been living and working in Closport ever since
There are two important Regions that are detailed using he retired from big city policing five years prior.
Being the top, and only, law enforcement figure
Location Crafter rules in this Adventure, the village of
in a sleepy town like Closport means he has next
Closport and Tockley Manor. The Player Character begins to nothing to do, which is how he likes it. So with
in Closport and will eventually discover Tockley Manor. someone getting murdered Herrera is finding
Regions do not need to be fully explored for your himself at a loss. He will welcome any help that the
Character to get what they need from them. For instance, Player Character brings, whether they are there in
you may initially only explore Closport until you’ve made an official capacity or as a private citizen.
a few useful contacts. Tockley Manor is meant to be the Ann Sharpe: Ann is the owner and manager
high point of the Adventure, so you may end up exploring of Closport’s only hotel, The Steamport Inn. An
that Region more. The Manor does contain a secret, old two-story house, the inn features five small
bedrooms with breakfast service in the dining
however, and once that secret is discovered and dealt with
room every morning. Ann is a sharp-eyed elderly
your exploration of the Manor may come to an end. woman who has been widowed for more than a
decade. She is curious and friendly, and knows a lot
Scene Structure about the people of Closport. She may have much
to say to the Player Character about the person
Just as with any Mythic Adventure, feel free to break who died, however her information may not be
Scenes up into whatever units make the most sense to entirely reliable.
you. Usually this will mean that a Scene starts with a
Player Character task in mind, and ends when that action
If you get an Altered Scene, however, consider your
is concluded.
Character is still exploring but all rolls on the Region
When exploring Regions, I suggest making the
sheet get a bonus +1 modifier during this Scene. So, for
exploration the start of a Scene and concluding the Scene
each column of Locations, Encounters, and Objects, add
either after something interesting happens or you decide
+1 to the roll in addition to Progress Point modifiers.
to do something else. This can mean your Character goes
This +1 bonus is not added to the Progress Points, it’s a
through multiple Areas where little happens, then enters an
temporary bonus in response to this Altered Scene only.
Area that ends up being especially interesting, in a single
Scene. This would be a good spot to end the Scene, even if
the next Scene is further exploration of the same Region. The First Scene
When exploring a Region as the basis for an Expected
The first Scene should involve your Character arriving
Scene (such as, the Expected Scene is “Explore Closport”),
in the isolated New England town of Closport. A sleepy
as usual an Interrupt result would mean something
village with fewer than 5,000 people, Closport was once
happens that makes for a different Scene. Most likely, your
a thriving wine making community. That was many years
Character has some event that interrupts their exploration.
ago, however. These days the place is slowly withering

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The Secret Of Tockley Manor Adventure List Sheet

THREADS CHARACTERS
1 Get to the bottom of the murder 1 Closport Chief of Police Francis Herrera
2 2 Ann Sharpe, proprietor of The Steamport Inn
3 3 Zane Hoxel
4 4 Closport Citizen
5 5
6 6
7 7
8 8
9 9
10 10
11 11
12 12
13 13
14 14
15 15
16 16
17 17
18 18
19 19
20 20

ADVENTURE NOTES CHAOS FACTOR

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away amid the vast forests that surround it. The town is
accessible by a single road, an hours drive from the nearest MORE LIKELY ENCOUNTERS
big city.
Closport is full of small town, New England charm, In addition to Herrera and Sharpe, there are a few
with shops along its main street and great, aging houses more likely Characters to encounter:
that are reminders of the town’s once vibrant past. Zane Hoxel: Zane is the owner of Hoxel
The weather is overcast, with a slight drizzle of rain Farm, a vineyard on the periphery of Closport.
that seems to be the norm for Closport in this season. Zane himself is an odd man, given to strange
mutterings and a disheveled appearance. Zane is
The people of Closport are both friendly and yet wary of
an opportunity to introduce a Character into the
strangers, the town’s isolation having generated a sense of narrative who may know more than he is letting on.
community protectionism among its residents.
Closport Citizen: This is an entry on the
Closport is dealing with a crisis, with one of its citizens Characters Thread, to run into a random citizen of
having been found murdered. For a town that hasn’t Closport. Generate these Characters as you meet
experienced a serious crime in more than three decades, a them. If you need inspiration, roll on the Description
killing has everyone scared. Meaning Tables for an idea of what they look like,
Your Character should be arriving in Closport by being and on the Action Meaning Tables for what they are
drawn in by the murder. Maybe you’re an FBI agent who doing or how they are acting. These are random
encounters, so some may be helpful, some a
suspects this is the work of a serial killer, or maybe you are
hindrance, or something in between. The average
a detective hired by the family of the victim. You may also citizen of Closport is a hard working person who
be a relative of the victim, coming to the small town to has gotten used to the struggles of their small village.
investigate the crime on your own. They are on edge, however, because of the murder.
Regardless of who your Character is, you will have Once they discover that the Character is investigating
been in contact already with Closport’s chief of police, they will likely become more engaged and interested.
Francis Herrera. This gives you a point of contact when I suggest that if a chance encounter with a Closport
you first arrive, if you wish, to get more information citizen becomes meaningful in some way, enough
about the murder. that you name that Character, then you should add
them to the Characters List. This is a way you can
The town has one hotel, a five bedroom two-story
build up the cast of Characters in The Secret Of
house along Main Street called The Steamport Inn. The Tockley Manor, with some of them perhaps taking
hotel is run by an elderly woman named Ann Sharpe. on surprising importance.
This is another point of contact as this is likely where
your Character will be staying during the Adventure.
Progressing into the first Scene will likely involve You’ll also find details about individual elements in
looking up Herrera and getting right to work. Or, you the Region Lists to help you interpret those results as you
might head to the Inn to get settled in. Another option is explore. There are several special rules to keep in mind
to do some exploration of Closport. while playing through this Adventure, but you will find
See the sidebars for more information about existing those explained in sidebars as well.
Closport Characters. This gives you some details about
those Characters to help you develop them, and their
behaviors, through Fate Questions.

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Follow-up Scenes GETTING LOST IN CLOSPORT

The first Scene will likely be mostly getting settled in
to Closport. You can follow this up with more Scenes The roads in Closport tend to meander, wending
involving talking with the chief of police, then following around buildings and sometimes heading off into
up on what you learn from him, exploring Closport, and the woods. Some of the roads dwindle to dirt
paths that may not even be roads any more. It’s
interacting with its citizens.
easy to get lost when wandering in Closport.
Just like with any Mythic Adventure, feel free to let
Odds are, your Character will initially be direct in
the narrative go where it leads you, asking Fate Questions
where they want to go. Maybe you visit the police
as you go. You might discover a strange shop in Closport station first, then you go to the site where the body
that is selling occult objects, or you may have a dangerous was found. Maybe following up clues leads you to a
run in with Zane Hoxel at his farm. Your Character may private residence or some other part of town.
have troubling dreams while staying at the Steamport Inn, Traveling to locations will likely form the basis for
or discover a mineshaft in Radford Park. Expected Scenes: “I travel to the crime scene.” “I
Although this Adventure provides you with hooks return to the police station.”
and props to encounter, how the Adventure unfolds is When you test these Scenes, if you get an Altered
not set. In fact, it’s possible to play through The Secret result, then consider that you have become lost.
Of Tockley Manor over and over and get a completely When lost, consider it the same as exploring
different Adventure each time. Maybe in one run through Closport. You would roll on the Region sheet,
coming across Locations, Encounters, and Objects.
Francis Herrera, the chief of police, is very helpful to you.
Maybe in another he acts helpful but later turns out to End the Scene as you normally would, after
resolving something interesting. The next Expected
be a villain. And maybe a third run through you don’t
Scene can then be finding your way back to where
encounter Herrera at all. All the elements provided in this you want to go. Also, if you come across one of the
Adventure are meant to serve as inspiration and to give locations on Main Street (the police station, the inn,
some thematic structure. How all these elements come or the town square) then you are no longer lost.
together is for you to discover.

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Getting To Tockley Manor GETTING AROUND CLOSPORT

The majority of the Adventure will likely be spent
exploring through Closport and investigating the murder. The Region Sheet for Closport lists possible
Eventually, your Character will discover the existence Locations you can run across as you explore. Most
of Tockley Manor, whether through an Encounter in of the common buildings can be found adjacent
to the town square and are easily found. Assume
Closport or through a Keyed Scene being triggered.
that your Character can immediately find any of
What Tockley Manor represents in the Adventure will the Unique Locations within the first 6 listings
depend on what’s happened so far and how you interpret without having to explore randomly: Town Square,
those events. For instance, you may have discovered Steamport Inn, and Police Station.
another body at the Docks. Finding clues on the remains If you have not discovered one of these Locations
led you to Hoxel at his farm. After a dangerous encounter randomly, and choose to go there, then do not
with the mad farmer, you discover that he’s been making roll on the Location List and instead automatically
frequent trips to the manor. He’s obsessed with the place, make the Location the one you seek. Since no roll is
so you go there to check it out to discover why. Maybe made, do not add a Progress Point to that List. If this
is your first time at that Location, then you will still
while you’re there exploring the manor, you encounter a
roll on the Encounters and Objects Lists and they
ghost that has been controlling Hoxel’s mind and causing will get Progress Points. Cross out the Location on
him to commit the murders. the List since it’s a Unique Location; it’s known to
That’s just one possible interpretation of how the you now so you won’t randomly run across it later.
There are two Characters you are likely to find
Keyed Scenes Trigger Summary at the Inn and the police station, Ann Sharpe and
KEYED SCENE TRIGGER Francis Herrera, respectively. Regardless of what
IN CLOSPORT Encounter you roll on the Region List, a Fate
Question of “Is Sharpe/Herrera here?” will have
After Scene 3, roll 1-2 on 1d10 for each Scene. This
I Want To Help Keyed Scene occurs only once and will only take place Odds of Very Likely for a Yes answer.
if you are in Closport.
After Scene 3, roll 1-2 on 1d10 for each Scene. This
Strange Encounter
Keyed Scene occurs only once and will only take place
In Closport
if you are in Closport. Adventure can unfold. However events transpire, Tockley
If your Character goes three Scenes in a row without Manor should be seen as the end goal and its exploration
making any progress toward the primary Thread of “Get
Mysterious Message
to the bottom of the murder”. This Keyed Scene occurs is the key to resolving the central conflict of the murder.
only once and will only take place if you are in Closport.
After Scene 3, roll 1-2 on 1d10 for each Scene. This
Another Death Keyed Scene can occur more than once and will only
take place if you are in Closport.
Discover Tockley If you reach Scene 7 without learning about Tockley KEYED SCENES
Manor Manor.
Keyed Scenes are used to Trigger Events in an
IN TOCKLEY MANOR
Adventure. In The Secret Of Tockley Manor, there are a
After the first Scene within Tockley Manor, roll 1-2 on
Strange Event In
a 1d10 for each Scene. This Keyed Scene occurs only number of Keyed Scenes that you’ll have to keep track of
Tockley Manor
once.
from the start of the Adventure. These Keyed Scene Events
After 5 Scenes taking place within Tockley Manor,
The Entity Attacks roll 1-2 on a 1d10 for each Scene. This Keyed Scene are meant to keep the Adventure moving in the right
occurs only once. direction and to add some extra tension along the way.

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KEYED

KEYED
SCENE

SCENE
I WANT TO HELP ANOTHER DEATH
TRIGGER

TRIGGER
After Scene 3, roll 1-2 on 1d10 for each Scene. This After Scene 3, roll 1-2 on 1d10 for each Scene. This
Keyed Scene occurs only once and will only take Keyed Scene can occur more than once and will only
place if you are in Closport. take place if you are in Closport.

An NPC approaches your Character, wanting to help

EVENT
This Event is identical to the Closport
with the investigation of the murder. Roll 1d10 to
Object of Dead Body (see page 30).
see who this is. On a 1-5 it is a Character from the
Characters List. Roll to determine which one. On a
6-10 it’s a new Character. Roll on the Description

KEYED
SCENE
Meaning Tables for inspiration on a description for DISCOVER TOCKLEY MANOR
the Character, and roll on the Action Meaning Tables
EVENT

for inspiration on what the Character does or how

TRIGGER
they approach you. Add the new Character to the
Characters List. You reach Scene 7 without learning
about Tockley Manor.
Once you determine who this Character is, they will
approach you in the Keyed Scene and offer their help.
They will be enthusiastic about wanting to help, and In this Keyed Scene your Character learns about
EVENT

will likely try to accompany your Character throughout Tockley Manor. This Event is identical to the Closport
the rest of the Adventure. Encounter of Learn About Tockley (see page 29).
KEYED
SCENE

KEYED
SCENE

STRANGE ENCOUNTER IN CLOSPORT STRANGE EVENT IN TOCKLEY MANOR

TRIGGER

TRIGGER

After Scene 3, roll 1-2 on 1d10 for each Scene. After the first Scene within Tockley Manor, roll 1-2
This Keyed Scene occurs only once and will on a 1d10 for each Scene. This Keyed Scene occurs
only take place if you are in Closport. only once.
EVENT

EVENT

This Event is identical to the Closport This Event is identical to the Closport and Tockley
Encounter of Weird Event (see page 28). Encounters of Weird Event (see pages 28 and 36).

COUNT COUNT
KEYED
SCENE

KEYED
SCENE

MYSTERIOUS MESSAGE THE ENTITY ATTACKS

If your Character goes three Scenes in a row without

TRIGGER

TRIGGER

After 5 Scenes taking place within Tockley Manor,

making any progress toward the primary Thread of “Get
roll 1-2 on a 1d10 for each Scene. This Keyed Scene
to the bottom of the murder”. This Keyed Scene occurs
occurs only once.
only once and will only take place if you are in Closport.
Your Character receives a message from a mysterious
EVENT

This Event is identical to the Tockley

source, giving them a clue to their investigation. For
Encounter of The Entity (see page 37).
EVENT

inspiration on what form this message takes, and what

it says, treat this as a Random Event, with an automatic
Event Focus of Move Toward A Thread, with the
Thread being “Get to the bottom of the murder.”

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At the end of each Scene in your Adventure, consult

the list of Keyed Scenes on the previous page and their MANNER OF DEATH
Triggers. Some you will have to roll a 1d10 to see if they
Trigger, and others require you to keep track of a Count. What sets this Adventure in motion is your
When a Keyed Scene is Triggered, its Event will take place Character investigating a death in Closport. That
in the next Scene of your Adventure. death is important and will likely be an early
line of inquiry for your Character. Where were
Keep in mind that each Keyed Scene is specific to
they found and how did they die? You can likely
a portion of the Adventure. For instance, each Keyed learn this from Herrera, or just about anyone
Scene will say whether it can happen in Closport or at in Closport, through Fate Questions and details
Tockley Manor. gleaned from Meaning Tables.
To determine where the body was found, you can
ask the Fate Question, “Were they found in the
REGIONS woods?” with Odds of Likely. A Yes would mean
the body was found discarded in the forest close
There are two important Regions in this Adventure, to town, an Exceptional Yes would mean the body
Closport Village and Tockley Manor. You’ll find their was found deep in the woods, a No would mean
Region Sheets on the following pages. Below are some they were found somewhere else where you
explanations of some of the entries. would next most likely expect, and an Exceptional
No means they were found in their home.
This will give you a possible total of three locations
for where the body was found, plus a wildcard
CLOSPORT VILLAGE location of where you would expect it to be found.
The village itself is decrepit with age. The center of As far as cause of death, roll on the Action
town is Main Street’s Town Square with a small park in Meaning Tables and Interpret the result. Whatever
the center and Closport’s most public buildings circled manner you come up with, keep that in mind
around it. There are numerous small shops in the village, as Context for later in the Adventure. How the
victim died will have bearing on events within
although you will find that half of the public buildings
Tockley Manor.
are boarded up and abandoned.
Geographically, Closport is situated on the coast. One
side of Closport overlooks the ocean, and on the other it’s
bordered by thick forests that go on for hundreds of miles.
Empty Storefront
The town is very isolated, and it takes a good hour long An abandoned and boarded up shop, most likely near
drive to reach a larger city. Cell phone and internet access the center of town.
is present, but spotty.
Town Square
Public Space
This is the center of Closport, a circular area ringed by
This can be any expected, outdoor public space in public buildings. There is a small park in the middle of the
town such as a sidewalk, an alley between buildings, a town square, a grassy spot with a few trees and benches.
stone bench, an overlook of the ocean, etc.

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Steamport Inn
DEFINING STRANGENESS
This is the only hotel in Closport, an old two-story
house that’s been renovated into an inn by its owner As a horror Adventure, The Secret Of Tockley
Ann Sharpe. The Fate Question Odds of her being easily Manor is meant to be unsettling and to get more
found at the front desk during the day or early evening is so as the Adventure proceeds. This should be
Very Likely. considered part of the Context when you are
Interpreting results of Fate Questions and forming
descriptions of places and people.
Police Station Feel free to make frequent use of the Meaning
Tables when exploring. For instance, if you
The Closport Police Station is a small storefront with
encounter a shop in Closport, you could roll on
a single office inside. Closport’s police chief, Francis the Description Meaning Tables to get inspiration
Herrera, is also the town’s only police officer. The Fate for what the shop sells. If you run into a random
Question Odds of him being in the station during normal citizen of Closport, you could roll on the Action
working hours is Very Likely. Meaning Tables to see how the NPC is acting or
what they’re doing.

Active Shop
This is a working store in Closport. Most of the shops Radford Regional Park
that are active sell items useful to local citizens, such
This is a part of the forest bordering Closport that is
as food and goods, clothing, and fishing and hunting
maintained by the federal government. It’s a wild area of
equipment. There may also be some curio type shops,
thick trees and occasional streams. This is an ideal outdoor
such as antiques, as well as a couple of small restaurants.
area for your Character to have an encounter or discovery.

Docks House Of The Wind

Closport is a seaside community. Although the town’s
The House of the Wind is a very old church in
primary commerce has historically been wine making,
Closport. It is a little outside of town and unlikely to find
there is some small fishing business as well. The docks are
unless someone is really looking. The place is a simple
poorly maintained and reflect the town’s overall poverty.
single story structure with a steepled roof. It’s abandoned,
although there may still be signs of some use.
Hoxel Farm The House of the Wind is another opportunity for a
Hoxel Farm is a vineyard on the periphery of Closport. site for something unusual to happen.
The property is sprawling and aged, with dying vines and
a barn that is leaning to one side in its decrepitude. Weird Event
This Encounter is meant as a catchall for something
very strange happening to your Character, including
something that is overtly supernatural. Roll on the

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Description Meaning Tables for inspiration of what the Feel free to use this encounter to help build the legend
Weird Event looks like, and roll on the Action Meaning of Tockley Manor within the Context of this Adventure.
Tables for inspiration about what happens. The severity Ask Fate Questions to further tease out information. For
of this Encounter is up to you, based on the Context and instance, your Character in this example may ask more
where your Character is. information of the shopkeeper, such as “Did someone
For instance, if your Character is currently in Radford die there?” Or, instead of asking Fate Questions, you
Regional Park and rolls this Encounter, then gets “inform” may roll more on the Action Meaning Tables for further
and “misfortune” on the Action Meaning Tables, maybe elaboration. For instance, maybe we roll “harm” and
your Character begins to hear strange whisperings in the “illusions”. We interpret this to mean that the shopkeeper
woods that sound like threats. tells us a story of how a young Tockley woman had
dreams of marrying the man of her dreams only to have
Learn About Tockley him betray her and she ended her life.
This is your opportunity to build up Tockley Manor
This is a special Encounter where Tockley Manor is and make it the focus of the Adventure. Consider what has
introduced to your Character. If you have already learned happened up to this point in the Adventure, the Context,
about Tockley through a Keyed Scene, then your Character and use that to Interpret what you learn about the Manor
gets more information about the Manor in this Encounter. in such a way that it becomes important to investigate.
You’ll need to determine two things: how you learn For instance, perhaps your Character has spent several
about Tockley, and what information is attached to it. days exploring Closport. In that time he has learned from
The how can be answered through a Fate Question Herrera that the murder victim was found at the docks.
using what seems most logical given the Context. For An exploration of the docks met with an encounter with
instance, if your Character is in a shop in Closport and a young man spying on your Character. Your Character
you roll this Encounter, you may determine that the chased that person into Radford Park, where you got lost.
owner of the store tells you about it. “The woman behind While wandering, you came across a place that looked like
the counter sets down the music box and leans forward, a crude altar, and you were struck with hallucinations and
saying in a conspiratorial voice, ‘Have you heard of
Tockley Manor?’”
Aside from Characters, you may also learn of the
Manor through books or journals.
After you determine how you learn about the Manor,
you need to attach what you learn about it. This should
contain some element of mystery or local legend to it. For
inspiration, roll on the Action Meaning Tables.
For instance, in our example above of the shopkeeper
mentioning Tockley, the Player rolls on the Action
Meaning Tables and gets “waste” and “emotions”.
You may interpret this to mean: “She shakes her head
mournfully. ‘A sad place, really. Such a pity what
happened to the Tockleys.’”

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visions of people with animal heads dancing around you.

You eventually return to town and get some sleep, troubled RUNNING WITH IT
by your encounter. The next day you seek our Herrera to
ask him about what you found, and he confides that the The Adventure presented in this chapter is a
town has a history of strange religious practices. strange creature in that it is not a traditional,
In the next Scene you are looking for a library in prepared module. It’s ideas and elements for a
traditional module, scattered about for you to
Closport when you come across an antique shop. There,
stitch together while playing the standard Mythic
the proprietor tells you about Tockley Manor. Given the way. While this Adventure offers elements that
Context so far of what your Character has experienced, guide you, like Keyed Scenes, it will work best
you interpret the results of your rolls to indicate that if it is played in the spirit it was intended. That
she tells you how the Tockleys had been reputed to be means leaning into the strangeness and the tone
involved in black magic. of the setting, especially when it comes to your
Whatever story you discover about Tockley, it expectations for Scenes and Interpretations of Fate
Questions and Meaning Table results.
should end with the house having been abandoned for
many years and the locals shun it. This will set up your You can think of this as Context that you know, as
the Player, that your Character does not yet know.
Character’s investigation of the place which will likely
serve as the second half of the Adventure.
way: The statue is of Theodore Tockley, calling him the
Something To Say founder of Closport who haggled with “the angels” to
insure its prosperity.
This is a catchall category Encounter for your Character
learning something interesting, either from a Character
or another source, such as a journal. What is said can be Dead Body
determined by asking Fate Questions or rolling on the If you generate this Object for an Area, then you have
Action Meaning Tables. Whatever is learned it should discovered a new murder victim. Interpret how you find
pertain to the murder, to some local strangeness, or to the body, and what state it’s in, by the current Context
Tockley Manor IF you have learned of its existence yet. and asking any Fate Questions you need to.
For instance, your Character is in a Public Space that For instance, let’s say your Character is at Hoxel’s
you’ve determined is a walkway deep in town and you roll Farm, rolls an Encounter of Closport Citizen, and rolls
Something To Say. You decide that you come across an Dead Body for Object. After making some Fate Question
old statue. There’s an inscription at the base that describes rolls you may determine the following: Upon arriving at
some historical event. Rolls on the Action Meaning Tables the farm, you look for the owner. You enter the barn and
gives you “haggle” and “plans”. Maybe you decide on find someone standing over a dead body in the hay.
this Interpretation: the statue is of a veiled woman, an Assuming you have investigated the original death that
inscription reading about a civil war era “priestess” who brought you to Closport, you probably know how that
protected Closport by making a deal with the devil. person died. A logical Fate Question to ask when finding
Perhaps, however, you have learned about Tockley and a new body is, “Did they die the same way?” The Odds
think it would make more sense to build on the legend of a Yes are Sure Thing (or Has To Be if you’re using the
of it. In that case, you may Interpret the results this Mythic Deck).

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Location Crafter Region Sheet

REGION: The village of Closport

LOCATIONS ENCOUNTERS OBJECTS
1 Expected 1 None 1 None
2 Public Space 2 None 2 None
3 Active Shop 3 Expected 3 None
4 Town Square - U 4 None 4 None
5 Steamport Inn - U 5 Closport Citizen 5 Expected
6 Police station - U 6 Expected 6 None
7 Public Space 7 None 7 Random
8 Expected 8 Francis Herrera 8 Dead Body - U
9 Empty Storefront 9 Closport Citizen 9 Artifact
10 Docks - U 10 Learn About Tockley - U 10 None
11 Expected 11 None 11 Journal - U
12 Radford Regional Park - U 12 Something To Say 12 Expected
13 Special 13 Weird Event 13 None
14 Hoxel’s Farm - U 14 None 14 Special
15 Expected 15 Something To Say 15 Expected
16 Random 16 None 16 Random
17 House Of The Wind - U 17 Weird Event 17 None
18 Expected 18 None 18 None
19 Complete 19 None 19.
20. 20. 20.

PROGRESS POINTS PROGRESS POINTS PROGRESS POINTS

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Artifact Journal
This Object is meant for any unusual item you may Your Character discovers a written work, perhaps a
find that adds mystery or information to the Adventure. book or personal journal, that contains useful insights.
It should pertain to the murder, to strangeness in town, or As with Artifact and Something To Say, this is an
to Tockley Manor if you’ve learned of the place. opportunity to expand on information about the murder,
For inspiration on what the Artifact is, roll on the Closport, or Tockley Manor if you have learned of it. The
Description Meaning Tables. For inspiration on what Context of events that have happened so far should be
the Artifact means to the Adventure, roll on the Action taken into consideration.
Meaning Tables. For instance, if your Character is in a private residence
For instance, if your Character is in The House of the (perhaps generated through a Random result on
Wind, and has an Encounter of None and an Object of Locations), has an Encounter of Closport Citizen, and
Artifact, we roll on the Description Meaning Tables and rolls Journal as an Object, you may Interpret this to mean
get “combatively” and “cold”. We Interpret this to mean that the citizen who lives in this house is telling you about
that there is an old, antique sword hanging on the wall as the history of Closport. They hand you a journal of a
an ornament. For what this means, we roll on the Action relative of theirs who helped found the place.
Meaning Tables and get “abandoned” and “illness”. We For inspiration on what the journal reveals, roll on the
Interpret this to mean that there is an inscription beneath Action Meaning Tables. Again, whatever you generate
the sword that explains how the sword was considered should expand on the strangeness of Closport. For
magical and was wielded by a founder of Closport to instance, in the example above, you might roll “judge”
“drive away disease and the scourge of plague.” and “masses”. Maybe you Interpret this to mean that the
Like Something To Say, the Artifact should add to the journal recounts a time in the early days when a cult grew
mystery of the Adventure. strong in Closport and was persecuted.

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TOCKLEY MANOR STAIRS, HALLWAYS, AND CONNECTIONS

Your Character can approach Tockley Manor in a
Scene after they have learned of it. There are two ways Remember that connections between Areas of a
to learn about Tockley Manor: through the Learn About Region are abstracted with The Location Crafter.
Tockley Encounter while exploring Closport, or through a When you leave one Area and enter another,
it’s assumed you use the most logical route to
Keyed Scene.
get there. For instance, if the Area you’re in is a
Once your Character learns about the existence of hallway, you can assume there are doors within it
Tockley Manor, any other information gained about that will lead you to other Areas.
it should be Interpreted within the Context that The exact way that the topography of the house
Tockley Manor is the end goal of this Adventure. Your comes together is entirely up to you. I suggest
Interpretations should consider links between Tockley making a map on paper while you explore the
and the murder and any other strangeness that’s been house so you have some idea how one Area
encountered in Closport. connects with another, but how they come
For instance, through your investigation of Closport together is your choice.
you may have discovered that the murder victim died If you’re unsure if an Area has another route
by being drained of blood and that there is a secret cult from it, you can form it into a Fate Question. For
instance, you can ask, “Does the room have any
operating in Closport. Let’s say your Character learns
other doors?”
about Tockley Manor through a conversation with the
You can always backtrack and revisit previous Areas
police chief. You determine through a Fate Question that
you’ve moved through, to find more access points
he tells you something about Tockley Manor. You make from there.
rolls on the Action Meaning Tables for inspiration over
what it might be, and you get “persecute” and “portals”.
Thinking of an interpretation that ties in with what Character that if there is a cult operating in Closport, and
you know, you come up with this: Herrera says that a if they did kill that person, then it’s very possible they are
generation ago, the population of Closport came to fear operating out of Tockley Manor.
the Tockleys. One strange day the town rose up against For the house itself, it is located on the outskirts of
them and barricaded them inside the house, where the Closport. It should be considered remote enough that
entire family presumably starved to death. you won’t happen upon it by chance by just exploring
This interpretation fits with the results of the Meaning the village. You will need to take an untended road deep
Tables, but it also works with the general strangeness that into the forest, where you’ll find the manor sitting atop a
we’ve already learned about Tockley. Maybe the citizens small rise. The place is abandoned and in very bad shape,
of Closport feared the Tockleys so much because they with a crumbling stone wall surrounding it. You can tell
were members of a cult, or even worse they were believed that the manor was once an impressive mansion with its
to be vampires. many windows and expansive architecture spanning at
Information gleaned about Tockley should build least three floors.
toward the general oddity of the Adventure, while Feel free to describe the Manor in any way you wish
leading the Character to want to explore the place. For when you approach it. You can ask Fate Questions such as
instance, in the example above, it may become clear to the “Does it have a front gate?” or “Are there any signs of recent

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activity?” You can also consult the Description Meaning Library/Study

tables for inspiration of additional descriptive details.
If you choose to enter by the front door, consider This can be any location that was once used to relax in,
the first Area of the house to be a foyer, with Encounter such as a library, study, sitting room, etc. This is a good
and Object of None. If you choose to enter by another location to search for books and other written records.
way, such as a back door or window, then consider the
entrance you chose as unlocked or open, easily accessible. Dining Room
Choosing one of these alternate entries requires you to roll
for the first Area, and that should now be considered your This is what you would expect of a dining room, with
entrance point. a central table and chairs and likely cabinets. There may
The interior of the house is in very bad repair, with be multiple dining rooms, some large and some small.
parts of it weathered by the elements through broken You could alternately consider this a tea room with a
windows. Still, the house is full of furniture and normal single small table and a couple of chairs.
trappings such as paintings and personal affects, indicating
that whenever the house was abandoned it was not cleared Kitchen
out and no one has been there since to claim things.
You’ll find the Region Sheet for Tockley Manor on the There is only one kitchen in the Manor, and it’s a large
following pages. Below are some explanations of some of room with a stove, pots and pans, knifes and cutlery, and
the entries. plenty of room and counter space to prepare food for
dozens of people at a time. Like everything else in the
house, however, the room is cobwebby and decrepit.

Master Bedroom
This would be the largest bedroom in the house. It
is still fully furnished, with a four poster bed, dresser,
mirrors, etc.

Basement
Finding the basement is a good opportunity for
something to happen in the dark and in an enclosed
space. What “basement” actually means when you find
it is up to you ... depending on the Context of the
Adventure so far and the results of your Fate Questions.
If you discover the basement while in a part of the
house that wouldn’t normally connect to a basement,
such as on the second floor or in the graveyard, you can
improvise the most logical way that the two connect. For

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instance, a dumbwaiter on the second floor could lead

down to the basement, or a pair of storm doors could lead COMPLETING THE MANOR
from the graveyard to the basement.
It’s unlikely but possible that you will complete
your exploration of Tockley Manor without
Walk-In Closet encountering The Secret. If you hit Complete
A mansion this large is going to have some very large on the Region Location, then the Encounter for
that Location is automatically The Secret without
closets. These can be considered small rooms and can
needing to roll for it. Between this, the Keyed
be interpreted in a number of ways. For instance, if Scene of The Entity Attacks, and your Character’s
you encounter a walk-in closet after leaving the master own explorations, it’s inevitable you’ll reach the
bedroom, then it would make sense that this closet is in end in some way.
the bedroom. However, encountering it after leaving the
kitchen may indicate that this is actually a walk in freezer.
It can also be a pantry, a storage area in the basement, or such as the second floor, may require more elaborate
just about any enclosed space intended for storage. interpretations, such as a door that leads to an external
staircase down to the graveyard.
Having been untended for decades, the graveyard has
Laboratory grown wild with vegetation. It will likely feature vine
This should be considered an unusual room to find strewn headstones that could obscure things, including
in the house, it’s name implying exactly what it is: a encounters. The graveyard may also have other features
room full of scientific apparatus of unknown purpose. in it, such as statues, depending on the results of Fate
Interpretations for what you find in here should be Questions you ask.
connected with the Context of other strange things you
have learned in the Adventure. The laboratory Location is House Hazard
a good way to expand on those earlier findings.
This Encounter indicates that your Character has run
into something dangerous in the house that pertains to
Solarium the house itself. For instance, you might enter a bedroom
This is an indoor garden with at least one wall of glass, and the floor gives out beneath you. Or, while exploring
and the ceiling as well. All the plants are likely dead by the solarium a piece of broken glass from the ceiling falls
now, or some may have grown wild. on you.
For inspiration about the nature of the hazard, you
can roll on the Description Meaning Tables for what the
Graveyard
hazard looks like and on the Action Meaning Tables for
The graveyard is an outdoor location, but should the danger it poses. For instance, if your Character is in
still be considered as part of the house for exploration the kitchen and encounters a House Hazard and you
purposes. Finding the graveyard means you found a roll “combatively” and “historical” on the Description
connection from your current Area to it, such as a door Meaning Tables, and “move” and “prison” on the Action
leading outside. Access from more unlikely locations, Meaning Tables, you may Interpret it this way: The ceiling

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of the kitchen is weirdly adorned with medieval weaponry, a townsperson strongly advised you against exploring the
such as shields, swords, large metal cages, horse saddles, house. Now that person is here, in the manor with you,
and more. You hear a creaking from above and suddenly imploring you to get out while you can.
one of the cages falls, landing on you and trapping you If an obvious interpretation doesn’t come to you the
like a mousetrap. It is very heavy and difficult to move, first time you generate this Encounter, then you may have
effectively pinning you in place for the moment. to create inspiration using Fate Questions or rolls on the
Description and Action Meaning Tables.
Weird Event When you have the Opposition Encounter the first
time, and you determine what the Opposition is, then it
This is identical to the Weird Event Encounter in will be of the same nature if you roll Opposition again if
Closport. This Encounter is meant for something strange that is possible. For instance, if a cultist is in the house
happening to your Character. Roll on the Description trying to kill you, another roll of Opposition means the
Meaning Tables for inspiration of what the Weird Event cultist, or perhaps another one, tries to kill you again.
looks like, and roll on the Action Meaning Tables for If it’s not possible to have the same Opposition
inspiration on what happens. Encounter again, such as if the townsperson warning you
As usual, consider the Context when coming up with away had gotten killed, then generate a new Opposition.
the Weird Event. It should be in keeping with any other
strangeness that has happened so far.
For instance, if your Character is in a hallway and gets
The Secret
this Encounter, and you roll a Description of “kindly” and This Encounter is one of the two possible end goals
“pale”, and Actions of “block” and “exterior”, you may of the Adventure. The Secret is the answer to the murder
Interpret it this way: As you walk down the hallway to the that drew you to Closport, or the root of the strangeness
door at the end, you notice movement further along. A you have encountered along the way. What The Secret is
painting, that of a pale and lovely young woman, appears to can be just about anything. By this point in the Adventure
be shifting. To your astonishment, the figure steps out of the you should have come across clues and information, and
painting, the woman standing ghostly in the hall. She is now probably some oddities as well. This all forms the Context
between you and the door, and she faces you expectantly. of this Encounter.
If you have a good idea what The Secret is, then
Opposition shape it into a Fate Question and ask. For instance, you
might ask, “Is old man Tockley here in his laboratory,
Opposition is an Encounter for anything that might experimenting on people to prolong his unnatural life?”
happen that involves someone or something directly If you aren’t sure what to expect, you can roll on the
opposing your further exploration. How this opposition Description and Action Meaning Tables for an idea of
takes shape will depend a lot on what you’ve learned so far what The Secret looks like and what it’s doing.
in the Adventure. For instance, if you’ve discovered that Discovering The Secret, and dealing with it, should
there is a cult in Closport, which you believe committed signal the end of the Adventure. Regardless of how this
the murder, then it would make sense that a cultist Encounter turns out for your Character, it resolves the
confronts you in the house. The opposition could be less initial Thread of “Get to the bottom of the murder.”
violent, too. For instance, maybe earlier in the Adventure

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The Entity The Entity

1D10+
This is the second of the two possible end goals to THE NATURE OF THE ENTITY
MODIFIER
the Adventure. The Entity is The Secret. The Entity
PERSON
is someone or something, most likely a supernatural 1 The Entity is nothing supernatural, just
creature, that is responsible for the death and much of a human being with motive.
the weirdness that you may have met with during the POWERED PERSON
Adventure. This sets up a classic confrontation between As above, but the person is
2-4 supernatural in some way. Maybe
your Character and “the boss” of the Adventure. This
they’re a sorcerer, an alchemist, has
should be a dangerous encounter, where The Entity will been gifted power by a demon, etc.
likely try to have you suffer the same fate as the murder
VAMPIRE
victim you are investigating. The Entity is a vampire, an energy
5-6
Determining the nature of The Entity is done sucking creature that lives off the life
randomly using the table below. Before rolling on the force of living beings.

table, consider how many supernatural events have CONSTRUCT

The Entity is a magical creature
occurred to your Character so far in the Adventure, and
constructed by someone. This can be
turn this into a modifier for The Entity table. 7-8
a golem made of clay, an animated
statue, a corpse resurrected through
strange science, etc.
The Entity Modifier GHOST
NUMBER OF 9-10 The Entity is a ghost of some kind,
SUPERNATURAL MODIFIER some manner of incorporeal undead.
EVENTS
OTHERWORLDLY BEING
None None The Entity is something very strange
1 +1 and alien, not of this world. This can be
11-14
a demon, a creature from another plane
2 +2 of existence, something from beyond
3 or more +4 the stars, etc.

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The results of The Entity Table will give you a

broad classification of what the thing is: a person, a ENTITY POWERS & WEAKNESSES
powered person, a vampire, a construct, a ghost, or an
otherworldly being. With the exception of the Person, the other Entities
To fully realize what The Entity is, what it can do, are supernatural beings with powers. You can
and why it is doing it, consider what has happened in infer whatever powers you think they would have,
testing them with Fate Questions. For instance,
the Adventure as Context. This is why it was important
with the vampire you might ask, “Is it very strong?”
to note how the murdered person died, since The Entity
As the encounter unfolds ... maybe your Character
possibly committed the killing. That cause of death will
is battling the creature, or fleeing from it ... the
help you Interpret what The Entity looks like and what it Entity may exhibit more powers. After a couple of
can do. For example, if the victim was mauled to death, rounds, you should ask the Fate Question, “Does
then perhaps The Entity has claws and fangs. the Entity exhibit a power?” The Odds are Likely.
Roll on the Description Meaning Tables for inspiration If you get a Yes, then roll on the Action Meaning
of what The Entity looks like. Tables for inspiration of what power the Entity
Just like Encountering The Secret effectively resolves reveals. For instance with the ghost, you might roll
“passion” and “enemies”, Interpreting that to mean
the central mystery of the Adventure, so does an
that the ghost takes the physical form of a personal
Encounter with The Entity. In this case, however, The enemy of yours that you most hate.
Secret is most likely a dangerous supernatural creature you
Whatever powers the Entity exhibits, between
have to deal with. those you assign yourself that make the most sense
How this Scene unfolds is up to you and your Fate and are tested with Fate Questions, and the surprise
Questions. Let the Context of the Adventure so far inform power rolled for, you should put a maximum of
how The Entity acts, what its powers are, what it wants, three powers on it. For instance, if the Entity is
and what its weaknesses are. See the sidebar, Entity Powers a Construct that you determine is an enchanted
& Weaknesses, for more advice on creating The Entity. painting that comes to life, its powers may be the
ability to manifest in person, invulnerable to bullets,
and it can pass through walls.
Evidence
WEAKNESSES
This Object is something that reinforces clues your If The Entity is supernatural (anything other than a
Character has already encountered or her current working Person) it will also have supernatural weaknesses,
theory on what is going on in Closport. If you don’t have and this is how your Character will likely defeat it.
You can try ideas to defeat it, using what seems
a current working theory, then this Object should suggest
most logical.
a possible theory. Roll on the Description Meaning Tables
When you try, test the attempt with a Fate
for inspiration of what this Object looks like.
Question, “Is the Entity vulnerable to this?” Ignore
For instance, if your Character thinks there’s a rogue
the current Chaos Factor for this Question,
member of the Tockley family in town who did the assigning the CF a value of 9. The chance of the
murder, finding an Object of Evidence and rolling weakness being true are much higher, giving your
Descriptions of “cheerfully” and “flawless” might mean Character a fighting chance to survive using her wits.
that you discover that the kitchen in the house has been
completely cleaned and has been used recently. This CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 145

 TOOL BOX

would be consistent with your theory that a member of

the Tockley family is secretly in town, hiding out in the ENTITY POWERS & WEAKNESSES
old Tockley Manor.
CONTINUED
Journal Assign whatever Odds you think are appropriate,
depending on how strong your idea is and how well
This is nearly identical to the Closport Object element it’s backed up by the Context. The Odds won’t be
of Journal. Your Character discovers a written work, any worse than 50/50, which means even trying
perhaps a book or personal journal, that contains useful something random has a good chance of working.
insights. Since this is found in Tockley Manor, any Still, the better your idea the more chance you have
at survival.
insights gained from this source should shed more light
on what is going on. In other words, it should provide If the answer to the Fate Question is Yes, then
whatever you tried has a noticeable effect of hurting
more answers than mysteries, if possible.
or driving back The Entity. One more application of
For inspiration on what the journal reveals, roll on the
whatever you did should eliminate it. If the answer
Action Meaning Tables. was Exceptional Yes, then what you tried ends The
Entity right then and there. If the answer is No,
Dead Body whatever you tried has no effect. If the answer is
Exceptional No, then whatever you tried actually
Similar to the Closport Region Dead Body Object, you strengthened it.
find a new corpse, this time in the Manor. Interpret how For example, you encounter The Entity and it’s a
you find the body, and what state it’s in, by the current Construct, an animated doll. The thing seems nearly
Context and asking any Fate Questions you need to. indestructible as it pursues you with a bloody knife.
However, you learned earlier in the Adventure that
Avery Tockley had discovered the doll in Europe,
Weird Object in a special box. You found that box in the house
during your exploration. Trying the idea that the box
This is similar to Weird Event, except that it’s centered is the monster’s vulnerability, you open it and turn it
on a specific item. Just like with Weird Event, roll on the toward the menacing doll.
Description Meaning Tables for inspiration on what the Asking the Fate Question “Is The Entity vulnerable
item looks like and the Action Meaning Tables for what it is to this?” might get you the following interpretations:
doing or what makes it weird. The Description you generate Yes - The doll writhes in horror as you open the
should give you an idea of what the item is, as well. box, as if it is being drawn into it.
Part of the Context for this interpretation is that Exceptional Yes - The doll shrieks and is instantly
the Object is weird in some way. Examples: you find a sucked into the box, the lid slamming shut and
photo album of yourself as a child among the Tockley entombing the creature once again.
belongings; you discover a music box, that suddenly No - Opening the box has no effect. Maybe
opens and begins to play on its own; you enter a room something else has to be done, too?
full of porcelain dolls, and one of them opens its eyes Exceptional No - The doll glows, power coming
and turns its head to you; you discover an oak box with from the box seeming to strengthen it. As you
strange engravings, and the box begins to shake and rattle. watch, the doll grows a foot taller.

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 146

 TOOL BOX

Location Crafter Region Sheet

REGION: Tockley Manor

LOCATIONS ENCOUNTERS OBJECTS
1 Expected 1 None 1 None
2 Expected 2 None 2 Expected
3 Hallway 3 None 3 None
4 Library/Study 4 None 4 Evidence
5 Dining Room 5 None 5 Expected
6 Kitchen - U 6 None 6 None
7 Random 7 Random 7 Journal - U
8 Master Bedroom - U 8 House Hazard 8 None
9 Hallway 9 Weird Event 9 Dead Body - U
10 Bedroom 10 Opposition 10 Evidence
11 Basement - U 11 None 11 None
12 Special 12 The Secret - U 12 Weird Object
13 Graveyard - U 13 The Entity - U 13 Special
14 Walk-In Closet 14 Weird Event 14 Expected
15 Expected 15 Random 15 None
16 Laboratory - U 16 Special 16 Random
17 Solarium - U 17 None 17 Expected
18 Random 18 None 18 Weird Object
19 Complete 19 Weird Event 19 None
20. 20 20 None

PROGRESS POINTS PROGRESS POINTS PROGRESS POINTS

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 147

 TOOL BOX

WRAPPING UP THE ADVENTURE that the victim had been stabbed, and you come across
a journal from someone claiming to be a sorcerer who
The Adventure will likely end in Tockley Manor
does blood sacrifice, and your Character has dreams while
after discovering The Secret or The Entity Encounters.
staying in the inn of a mysterious figure warning them to
The path from the start of the Adventure to that fateful
flee Closport, and after discovering Tockley and having
Encounter will likely have had the Character running
more strange encounters and finally meeting up with The
across lots of information, clues, encounters, and
Entity, that happens to be an Otherworldly Being, you
hopefully some strangeness.
may Interpret this final event this way ... the Tockley’s
As with all things Mythic, as you proceed in this
dabbled in black magic and had successfully conjured an
Adventure let all of those elements collect into the
entity from beyond, that killed them all back in the day.
Context for you to interpret as you go. Once you
The creature has remained, however, and a modern day
reach the end event of the Adventure, you can use that
Tockley awakened it with a new sacrifice. You face the
accumulated Context to interpret what The Secret is really
creature in the halls of the manor, armed with a few bits
all about.
of information on how to send it back.
For instance, if your investigations in Closport revealed

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 148

 TOOL BOX
Something for you to consider or use

SoloRPG Mythic Starter

As an extra bit of adventuring goodness in this issue
I’m very happy to have a Mythic Starter from John Lopez CHECK OUT SOLORPG!
at SoloRPG on Patreon: Scrubber’s Error.
John’s been producing a steady stream of wonderfully If you haven’t done so already, I urge you to look
into SoloRPG on Patreon and consider subscribing.
creative resources through his Patreon, and his Mythic
John is producing wonderful material every
Starter series is an evocative way to get a new solo Mythic month, resources that are great for solo one-off
adventure off the ground. With background on the adventures or to include in a long term campaign.
adventure setting, descriptions of key characters and SoloRPG can be found on Patreon at
elements, and suggested starting Threads and Characters www.patreon.com/solorpg/
Lists, this is a great way to launch directly
into a solo adventure.
On the next page you’ll find Mythic Starters IV GME
Compatible with the Mythic
Scrubber’s Error, a sci-fi adventure where
you’re a utility bot on a deep space colony s’
references to the colonist
Appalachia 9: All system
tion planet are enc rypt ed. The cleaning bots
ship where the humans are in cryo-sleep Scrubber’s Error destina
gossip about a locked carg
o bay, marked with the
e colo ny ship Star Nom ad ing bac kpa cks, survival gear, and
and a deadly mystery is developing that Background: The corporat planet’s name, hold
pilot for ed in containers.
has traveled the Far Periphe
ry on auto military-grade weapons stor
only you can solve. an colonist s are kep t in cryosleep,
decades. All its hum
dream cycles.
entertained by endless holo the utility bot that was
Happy adventuring! tination,
Opening Scene: You are
rseer’s personal
towards its des ny ove
As the old ship slow-burns designated to be the colo
et designated for she was in one of the first
App alachia 9, a rem ote plan assistant. Unfortunately, .
kept in adequate repair by by the strange system bug
corporat e colo niza tion , it is cryosleep pods jettisoned
of trus ty Hor izon Corp utility bots.
a small army g cubicle mate and you
Scrubber was your chargin sharing all
is killing the suspect Mainframe is not
Unfortunately, something t society.
p and the utility its data with the rest of robo
colonists in their cryoslee
how to
bots are unable to compute While repairing a faulty mon
itor, you
. A sini ster syst em bug rgy
proceed observed a digitalized ene
sleep pod
causes one colonist cryo creature faintly resembling
ed into the
after another to be jettison Scrubber rampaging nea
r the
vacuum of space! holodream banks.
me had
t society Shortly afterward, Mainfra
Utility Bots: A peculiar robo that part of the ship sealed
off for a
It’s not easy being a utility bot on ed on the CSS Star
has develop thorough ‘system error sca
n’...
the Star Nomad. Find the Mythic the ship’s
Nomad led by Mainframe,
core.
Starter adventure on the next page. fatherly central computing
y of the utili ty bots
How eve r, man
ntenance Suggested Thread List:
responsible for system mai ◆ Save the remaining colo
nists
r con side rabl e age.
are showing thei ◆ Help Scrubber
MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION as a minor 2 • 149 ◆ Fix the system bug
System Bug: First found ◆ Stop the energy creature
ous
coding error in a miscellane t
drea m file. Scru bbe r, one of the coding bots, wen
holo :
afte r repe ated ly atte mpting to correct the Suggested Character List
missing key ◆ Scrubber
the bug appear in several ◆ CCS Star Nomad
problem. Now, copies of ◆ Holodream banks
 TOOL BOX

Mythic Starters IV
Compatible with the Mythic GME

Appalachia 9: All system references to the colonists’

Scrubber’s Error destination planet are encrypted. The cleaning bots
Background: The corporate colony ship Star Nomad gossip about a locked cargo bay, marked with the
has traveled the Far Periphery on autopilot for planet’s name, holding backpacks, survival gear, and
decades. All its human colonists are kept in cryosleep, military-grade weapons stored in containers.
entertained by endless holodream cycles.

As the old ship slow-burns towards its destination, Opening Scene: You are the utility bot that was
Appalachia 9, a remote planet designated for designated to be the colony overseer’s personal
corporate colonization, it is kept in adequate repair by assistant. Unfortunately, she was in one of the first
a small army of trusty Horizon Corp utility bots. cryosleep pods jettisoned by the strange system bug.

Unfortunately, something is killing the Scrubber was your charging cubicle mate and you
colonists in their cryosleep and the utility suspect Mainframe is not sharing all
bots are unable to compute how to its data with the rest of robot society.
proceed. A sinister system bug
causes one colonist cryosleep pod While repairing a faulty monitor, you
after another to be jettisoned into the observed a digitalized energy
vacuum of space! creature faintly resembling
Scrubber rampaging near the
holodream banks.
Utility Bots: A peculiar robot society
has developed on the CSS Star Shortly afterward, Mainframe had
Nomad led by Mainframe, the ship’s that part of the ship sealed off for a
fatherly central computing core. thorough ‘system error scan’...
However, many of the utility bots
responsible for system maintenance Suggested Thread List:
are showing their considerable age. ◆ Save the remaining colonists
System Bug: First found as a minor ◆ Help Scrubber
coding error in a miscellaneous ◆ Fix the system bug
holodream file. Scrubber, one of the coding bots, went ◆ Stop the energy creature
missing after repeatedly attempting to correct the
Suggested Character List:
problem. Now, copies of the bug appear in several key
◆ CCS Star Nomad ◆ Scrubber
systems.
◆ Far Periphery ◆ Holodream banks
CCS Star Nomad: The automated colony ship owned ◆ Appalachia 9 ◆ Locked cargo bay
by Horizon Corp houses hundreds of colonists in ◆ Utility bot society ◆ Second-chance
cryosleep pods. Mainframe claims the colonists are ◆ Horizon Corp program
part of a ‘second-chance program’ and could well have ◆ Cryosleep pods ◆ Digitalized energy
some bad apples among them. ◆ Colonists creature
◆ Mainframe ◆ Miscellaneous
◆ System bug holodream file
Art by Jeshields

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 150

 SECTION

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 151

 SECTION

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 152

 SECTION

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 153

 SECTION

MYTHIC MAGAZINE COMPILATION 2 • 154

SECTION

155
 TOOL
SECTION
BOX

MYTHIC MAGAZINE VOLUME 11 • 156

 Nested Characters List Sheet
LIST NAME LIST NAME

1 1
2 2
3 3
4 4
5 5
6 6
7 7
8 8
9 9
10 10
11 11
12 12
13 13
14 14
15 15
16 16
17 17
18 18
19 19
20 20
 Location Crafter Pre-Filled Region Sheet

REGION:
LOCATIONS ENCOUNTERS OBJECTS
1 Expected 1 None 1 None
2 2 2
3 Expected 3 Expected 3 Expected
4 4 4
5 Expected 5 None 5 None
6 6 6
7 Expected 7 Expected 7 Expected
8 8 8
9 Special 9 Special 9 Special
10 10 10
11 Random 11 Random 11 Random
12 12 12
13 Expected 13 None 13 None
14 14 14
15 Special 15 Expected 15 Expected
16 16 16
17 Random 17 Special 17 Special
18 18 18
19 Complete 19 Random 19 Random
20 20 20

PROGRESS POINTS PROGRESS POINTS PROGRESS POINTS

 Successful Social Skill Outcomes Degrees Of Social Skill Success
DISPOSITION
-2 or +2, your choice There are no
SCORE FAILURE
modifiers, as usual.
Change any of these PARTIAL
CONTEXT/ Modifiers are limited
modifiers to reflect a FAILURE/BARELY
DESCRIPTOR
SUCCEED to +/- 1.
MODIFIERS change in Context,
if any.
Modifiers are as
FULL SUCCESS
-2 to +2 modifier, normal, +/- 2.
applied after you roll.
ACTION TABLE EXTRA SUCCESS Modifiers are +/- 3.
Choose any outcome
in that range.

Whatever action the

NPC ACTION NPC takes, it must
Disposition Score Modifier Table
LIMITS incorporate what you 10 or less PASSIVE (-2): The Character takes the least
wanted in the roll. active approach to their Action, applying a -2
modifier to the NPC Action Table.
11 or more ACTIVE (+2): The Character takes the most
active approach to their Action, applying a +2
modifier to the NPC Action Table.

Simplified NPC Action Table

4 or less TALKS, EXPOSITION
5  PERFORMS AN AMBIGUOUS ACTION The Character’s Action
changes the current Context.
6-7 ACTS OUT OF PC INTEREST
8  NPC CONTINUES -2
9-10 NPC CONTINUES The Character’s Action is
11 NPC CONTINUES +2 within the current Context.
12 CONTEXT ACTION
13  GIVES SOMETHING
14 SEEKS TO END THE ENCOUNTER
15-16 ACTS OUT OF SELF INTEREST The Character’s Action
changes the current Context.
17 TAKES SOMETHING
18 or more CAUSES HARM
20% Meaningful Event Focus Table 25% Meaningful Event Focus Table
1-20 MEANINGFUL EVENT 1-25 MEANINGFUL EVENT
21-25 REMOTE EVENT 26-30 REMOTE EVENT
26-30 AMBIGUOUS EVENT 31-35 AMBIGUOUS EVENT
31-35 INTRODUCE A NEW NPC 36-40 INTRODUCE A NEW NPC
36-51 NPC ACTION 41-55 NPC ACTION
52-60 NPC NEGATIVE 56-63 NPC NEGATIVE
61-68 NPC POSITIVE 64-70 NPC POSITIVE
69-79 PC NEGATIVE 71-80 PC NEGATIVE
80-84 PC POSITIVE 81-85 PC POSITIVE
85-92 MOVE TOWARD A THREAD 86-92 MOVE TOWARD A THREAD
93-97 MOVE AWAY FROM A THREAD 93-97 MOVE AWAY FROM A THREAD
98-100 CLOSE A THREAD 98-100 CLOSE A THREAD

33% Meaningful Event Focus Table

1-33 MEANINGFUL EVENT
34-37 REMOTE EVENT
38-41 AMBIGUOUS EVENT
42-45 INTRODUCE A NEW NPC
46-59 NPC ACTION
60-66 NPC NEGATIVE
67-73 NPC POSITIVE
74-83 PC NEGATIVE
84-88 PC POSITIVE
89-94 MOVE TOWARD A THREAD
95-98 MOVE AWAY FROM A THREAD
99-100 CLOSE A THREAD
Meaningful Events List
1-4 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
5-8 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
9-12 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
13-16 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
17-20 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
21-24 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
25-28 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
39-32 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
33-36 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
37-40 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
41-44 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
45-48 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
49-52 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
53-56 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
57-60 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
61-64 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
65-68 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
69-72 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
73-76 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
77-80 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
81-84 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
85-88 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
89-92 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
93-96 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
97-100 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL EVENT
 Starship Story Descriptors Table
1D100 SMALL SPACESHIP LARGE STARSHIP SPACE STATION

This ship has been used for A relic from a long lost
1-5 The ship of an enemy.
smuggling or criminal activity. civilization.
The ship has not The ship has not
It is currently experiencing
6-10 been responding to been responding to
unrest.
communications. communications.
An exploratory and science There is a sizable population
11-15 A fighter ship.
ship. living here.
16-20 A cargo ship. A battleship. A mining or industrial facility.
Someone or something The ship is owned by a The station is owned by a
21-25
important is on board. powerful organization. powerful organization.
26-30 Everyone on board is dead. Led by a famous captain. A waystation for travelers.
The ship has a great many The ship has a great many
31-35 A military outpost.
mechanical problems. mechanical problems.
Of unknown origin or Of unknown origin or
36-40 Is politically important.
purpose. purpose.
The ship had been lost for a
41-45 Had been stolen. Peaceful.
long time.
46-50 An unmanned probe. Returning from a mission. Has a very long history.

51-55 Is wanted by many. A crisis had happened here. A crisis had happened here.
The ship has unusual
56-60 Is on the run. Represents a danger.
properties or technologies.
61-65 Emitting a distress signal. Emitting a distress signal. A research facility.

66-70 The ship of an ally. The ship of an ally. The station of an enemy.
Roll on Large Starship Roll on Small Spaceship Roll on Small Spaceship
71-80
column column column
Roll on Large Starship
81-90 Roll on Space Station column Roll on Space Station column
column
91-95 Exotic Exotic Exotic
96-100 Roll on Actions Meaning Tables
 Starship Region Descriptors Table
1D100 SMALL SPACESHIP LARGE STARSHIP SPACE STATION

1-5 New and high-tech. New and high-tech. New and high-tech.
Bearing strange markings or
6-10 Very large. Truly massive, a city in space.
insignia.
Obviously damaged and in Obviously damaged and in Obviously damaged and in
11-15
crisis. crisis. crisis.
16-20 Sleek and elegant design. Sleek and elegant design. Sleek and elegant design.

21-25 Crude and rough design. Crude and rough design. Crude and rough design.

26-30 Adrift without power. Adrift without power. Seemingly abandoned.

31-35 Well armed. Well armed. Well armed.

36-40 Very unusual design or shape. Very unusual design or shape. Very unusual design or shape.
In orbit around something or
41-45 A bright color. Very flat and long.
near a feature in space.
46-50 A civilian or personal ship. Bulbous design. In a remote place.
A pod or shuttle from a larger Composed of components, Composed of components,
51-55
craft. modular. modular.
Made from an unusual Made from an unusual Built into something natural,
56-60
material. material. like an asteroid.
Disguised to look like
61-65 Featuring solar sails. Featuring large domes.
something else.
One feature dominates, like
Bilateral, one half is identical
66-70 Small, quick, and nimble. massive thrusters or habitat
to the other half.
ring.
Roll on Large Starship Roll on Small Spaceship Roll on Small Spaceship
71-80
column column column
Roll on Large Starship
81-90 Roll on Space Station column Roll on Space Station column
column
91-95 Exotic Exotic Exotic

96-100 Roll on Descriptions Meaning Tables

 Starship Connectors Table
1D100 SMALL SPACESHIP LARGE STARSHIP SPACE STATION

1-5 Simple hallway Simple hallway Simple hallway

Short flight of stairs or ramp

6-7 Stairs or ladder going down Stairs or ladder going down
going down.

Short flight of stairs or ramp

8-9 Stairs or ladder going up Stairs or ladder going up
going up.

Hatch or bulkhead to pass Hatch or bulkhead to pass Hatch or bulkhead to pass

10
through. through. through.

Simple hallway, wide and Wide open space of some

11 Simple hallway, cramped.
spacious. kind.

Elevator or fast travel pod of Elevator or fast travel pod of

12 Simple hallway, cramped.
some kind. some kind.

Hatch or bulkhead to pass

13-15 Simple hallway Simple hallway
through.

Deck overlooking another

16-18 Simple hallway Simple hallway
Area.

A simple or common doorway A simple or common doorway A simple or common doorway

19-20
to pass through. to pass through. to pass through.

21-30 Leads directly to another Area

31-40 Expected

41-65 Same

66-75 Same, with intersection

76-80 Same, with a curve or turn

81-90 Same, with a side Area

91-100 Roll on Descriptions Meaning Tables

 Known Elements Region Sheet

REGION:

1D10 LOCATIONS ENCOUNTERS OBJECTS

Choose The Most Logical Element Choose The Most Logical Element Choose The Most Logical Element
2

Choose The Most Logical Element Choose The Most Logical Element Choose The Most Logical Element
3

Choose The Most Logical Element Choose The Most Logical Element Choose The Most Logical Element
4

Choose The Most Logical Element Choose The Most Logical Element Choose The Most Logical Element
5

Choose The Most Logical Element Choose The Most Logical Element Choose The Most Logical Element
6

Choose The Most Logical Element Choose The Most Logical Element Choose The Most Logical Element
7

Choose The Most Logical Element Choose The Most Logical Element Choose The Most Logical Element
8

Choose The Most Logical Element Choose The Most Logical Element Choose The Most Logical Element
9

Choose The Most Logical Element Choose The Most Logical Element Choose The Most Logical Element
10

PROGRESS POINTS
 Area Elements Table
1D10+PP LOCATIONS, LARGE LOCATIONS, SMALL ENCOUNTERS & OBJECTS

1-5 Expected Expected None

6-8 Expected Expected Expected

9-10 Random Random Random

11 Known, or Random Known, or Random Known, or Random

12 Known, or Expected Complete None

13 Special Known, or Special Known, or Special

14 Complete Complete Expected

15 Complete Complete Expected

16 or
Expected, PP-6 Expected, PP-6 Expected, PP-6
more
Special Elements Table
When a Special Element is generated in a Category, roll 1d100 on the table below and apply it to that Category
as the Element for the current Area. If the table requires you to make additional rolls on the Area Elements Table
do not count those toward the Progress Points for that Category: only one mark, the original, is registered.

1-10 SUPERSIZE: Roll on the Area Elements Table again (if you get Special again, treat it as Expected).
Whatever Element is generated, enhance it as much as possible. Make it more intense in some way.
11-20 BARELY THERE: Roll on the Area Elements Table again (if you get Special again, treat it as
Expected). Whatever Element is generated, minimize it as much as possible, making it less intense.
21-30 THIS IS BAD: Roll on the Area Elements Table again (if you get Special again, treat it as Expected).
Whatever you get, it is bad for the Player Characters and interpret it that way. This may be a
dangerous encounter, a trap, or something that is simply broken and unusable. Whatever detail you
generate give it a negative interpretation.
31-40 THIS IS GOOD: Roll on the Area Elements Table again (if you get Special again, treat it as
Expected). Whatever you get, it is good for the Player Characters and interpret it that way. This
may be a helpful encounter, a way out, or useful object. Whatever detail you generate give it a
positive interpretation.
41-50 MULTI-ELEMENT: Roll twice on the Area Elements Table (if you get Special again, treat it as
Expected), and combine both Elements into the Area together.
51-65 EXIT HERE: This Area, in addition to whatever else it contains, also holds an exit from the Region,
if this is possible. Maybe it’s a back door out of the mansion, or another exit from a cave. If this result
makes no sense, ignore it and treat this as an Expected Element.
66-80 RETURN: Whatever else this Area contains, it also has access to another, previously encountered
Area in this Region. This is only possible if that other Area had a way to reach this one such as doors
or access that the Characters had not yet explored. Choose the connected Area that’s most logical.
If this result makes no sense then ignore it and treat this as an Expected Element.
81-90 GOING DEEPER: Treat this as an Expected Element. Instead of adding one Progress Point for this
Category add three instead.
91-100 COMMON GROUND: Treat this as an Expected Element. Eliminate three Progress Points for this
Category (don’t record the Progress Point for this Element and eliminate two more).
 Random Element Descriptors Table
1D100 LOCATIONS ENCOUNTERS OBJECTS 1D100 LOCATIONS ENCOUNTERS OBJECTS

1 Abandoned Abnormal Amusing 51 Odd Odd Odd

2 Amusing Aggressive Ancient 52 Official Official Official
3 Ancient Angry Aromatic 53 Peaceful Peaceful Small
4 Aromatic Anxious Average 54 Small Playful Smelly
5 Beautiful Beautiful Beautiful 55 Positive Positive Positive
6 Bleak Average Bizarre 56 Reassuring Powerful Powerful
7 Average Bold Classy 57 Quaint Exotic Smooth
8 Bizarre Busy Colorful 58 Quiet Familiar Valuable
9 Calm Calm Creepy 59 Ruined Slow Warm
10 Classy Careless Cute 60 Rustic Horrible Soft
11 Clean Cautious Damaged 61 Simple Swift Watery
12 Colorful Cheerful Delicate 62 Threatening Threatening Threatening
13 Creepy Combative Disgusting 63 Smelly Violent Weapon
14 Cold Bizarre Cold 64 Tranquil Wild Useful
15 Cute Crazy Empty 65 Warm Important Clothing
16 Damaged Curious Enormous 66 Watery Lonely Travel
17 Dangerous Dangerous Dangerous 67 Negative Mighty Tool
18 Dark Defiant Exotic 68 Enclosed Military Negative
19 Dirty Classy Deliberate 69 Domestic Mundane Communication
20 Delightful Delightful Delightful 70 New Powerful Food
21 Drab Creepy Faded 71 Open Reassuring Domestic
22 Disgusting Energetic Familiar 72 Safe Small Artistic
23 Enormous Enormous Enormous 73 Expected Smelly Expected
24 Dry Excited Fancy 74 Unexpected Strong Unexpected
25 Empty Fearful Hard 75 Strange Watery Strange
26 Enormous Ferocious Heavy 76 Active Weak Resource
27 Exotic Foolish Horrible 77 Inactive Ambush Fuel
28 Fortunate Fortunate Fortunate 78 Harmful Harmful Harmful
29 Familiar Frantic Important 79 Primitive Trap Energy
30 Frightening Frightening Frightening 80 Protection Friend Multiple
31 Full Cute Large 81 Unusual Foe Single
32 Fancy Generous Lethal 82 Bright Negative Unusual
33 Festive Gentle Magnificent 83 Ornate Evil Bright
34 Harsh Glad Military 84 Atmosphere Animal Ornate
35 Horrible Graceful Modern 85 Sounds Expected Broken
36 Important Happy Extravagant 86 Resourceful Unexpected Liquid
37 Helpful Helpful Helpful 87 Purposeful Strange Personal
38 Lavish Helpless Mundane 88 Personal Armed Intriguing
39 Magnificent Innocent Natural 89 Exclusive Active Active
40 Intense Intense Powerful 90 Intriguing Inactive Inactive
41 Messy Lazy Rare 91 Echo Multiple Garbage
42 Military Defeated Light 92 Unsteady Single Useless
43 Loud Loud Loud 93 Moving Primitive Primitive
44 Modern Loyal Reassuring 94 Cluttered Unusual Desired
45 Majestic Majestic Majestic 95 Storage Fast Healing
46 Meaningful Disgusting Meaningful 96 Confusing Hidden Hidden
47 Extravagant Enormous Mechanical 97 Lonely Natural Prized
48 Mundane Miserable Ruined 98 Long Quiet Flora
49 Mysterious Mysterious Mysterious 99 Tall Unnatural Moving
50 Natural Feeble New 100 Artistic Resourceful Confusing
 MEANING TABLES: BEHAVIOR
VOCAL CHARACTER ACTION ANIMAL ACTION
1: Abuse 51: Ideas 1: Abandon 51: Important 1: Abandon 51: Hunt
2: Advice 52: Inform 2: Aggressive 52: Imprison 2: Abnormal 52: Ignore
3: Aggressive 53: Innocent 3: Amusing 53: Increase 3: Aggressive 53: Imitate
4: Agree 54: Inquire 4: Anger 54: Inspect 4: Angry 54: Implore
5: Amusing 55: Intense 5: Antagonize 55: Intense 5: Anxious 55: Imprison
6: Angry 56: Interesting 6: Anxious 56: Juvenile 6: Assist 56: Inspect
7: Anxious 57: Intolerance 7: Assist 57: Kind 7: Attack 57: Intense
8: Assist 58: Irritating 8: Bestow 58: Lazy 8: Befriend 58: Irritating
9: Awkward 59: Joyful 9: Betray 59: Leadership 9: Bestow 59: Juvenile
10: Betray 60: Judgemental 10: Bizarre 60: Lethal 10: Bizarre 60: Lazy
11: Bizarre 61: Juvenile 11: Block 61: Loud 11: Bold 61: Leave
12: Bleak 62: Kind 12: Bold 62: Loyal 12: Break 62: Lethal
13: Bold 63: Leadership 13: Break 63: Mature 13: Busy 63: Loud
14: Business 64: Lie 14: Calm 64: Meaningful 14: Calm 64: Loyal
15: Calm 65: Loud 15: Care 65: Messy 15: Careful 65: Messy
16: Careful 66: Loving 16: Careful 66: Move 16: Careless 66: Mistrust
17: Careless 67: Loyal 17: Careless 67: Mundane 17: Cautious 67: Move
18: Cautious 68: Macabre 18: Celebrate 68: Mysterious 18: Ceaseless 68: Mundane
19: Cheerful 69: Mature 19: Change 69: Nice 19: Change 69: Mysterious
20: Classy 70: Meaningful 20: Combative 70: Normal 20: Combative 70: Natural
21: Cold 71: Miserable 21: Communicate 71: Odd 21: Curious 71: Neglect
22: Colorful 72: Mistrust 22: Control 72: Official 22: Dangerous 72: Normal
23: Combative 73: Mocking 23: Crazy 73: Open 23: Deliberate 73: Observe
24: Crazy 74: Mundane 24: Creepy 74: Oppose 24: Disinterested 74: Odd
25: Creepy 75: Mysterious 25: Dangerous 75: Passion 25: Disrupt 75: Oppose
26: Curious 76: News 26: Deceive 76: Peace 26: Distracted 76: Playful
27: Defiant 77: Nice 27: Decrease 77: Playful 27: Dominate 77: Protect
28: Delightful 78: Normal 28: Defiant 78: Pleasures 28: Energetic 78: Pursue
29: Disagreeable 79: Odd 29: Delay 79: Possessions 29: Excited 79: Quiet
30: Dispute 80: Offensive 30: Disrupt 80: Punish 30: Exotic 80: Reassuring
31: Efficient 81: Official 31: Dominate 81: Pursue 31: Familiar 81: Release
32: Energetic 82: Oppose 32: Efficient 82: Release 32: Fearful 82: Return
33: Enthusiastic 83: Peace 33: Energetic 83: Return 33: Feeble 83: Scary
34: Excited 84: Plans 34: Excited 84: Simple 34: Ferocious 84: Simple
35: Fearful 85: Playful 35: Exotic 85: Slow 35: Fierce 85: Slow
36: Fierce 86: Polite 36: Expose 86: Start 36: Fight 86: Strange
37: Foolish 87: Positive 37: Fearful 87: Stop 37: Flee 87: Struggle
38: Frantic 88: Praise 38: Feeble 88: Struggle 38: Follow 88: Swift
39: Frightening 89: Quarrelsome 39: Fierce 89: Swift 39: Food 89: Tactics
40: Generous 90: Quiet 40: Fight 90: Tactics 40: Frantic 90: Take
41: Gentle 91: Reassuring 41: Foolish 91: Take 41: Friendship 91: Threatening
42: Glad 92: Refuse 42: Frantic 92: Technology 42: Frightening 92: Tranquil
43: Grateful 93: Rude 43: Frightening 93: Threatening 43: Generous 93: Transform
44: Haggle 94: Rumor 44: Generous 94: Trust 44: Gentle 94: Trick
45: Happy 95: Simple 45: Gentle 95: Violent 45: Graceful 95: Trust
46: Harsh 96: Threatening 46: Harm 96: Waste 46: Harm 96: Violent
47: Hasty 97: Truce 47: Harsh 97: Weapons 47: Hasty 97: Warn
48: Helpful 98: Trust 48: Hasty 98: Wild 48: Helpful 98: Waste
49: Helpless 99: Warm 49: Helpful 99: Work 49: Helpless 99: Wild
50: Hopeless 100: Wild 50: Imitate 100: Yield 50: Hungry 100: Yield
 KEYED KEYED KEYED
TRIGGER EVENT SCENE TRIGGER EVENT SCENE TRIGGER EVENT SCENE

COUNT
COUNT
COUNT

KEYED KEYED
TRIGGER EVENT SCENE TRIGGER EVENT SCENE
Keyed Scenes Record Sheet

COUNT
COUNT
Backstory Focus Table 2
1-13 NEW NPC
14-21 NPC ACTION, OR NEW NPC
22-28 NPC NEGATIVE, OR NEW NPC
29-35 NPC POSITIVE, OR NEW NPC
36-42 NEW THREAD
43-55 CLOSE A THREAD, OR NEW THREAD
56-64 SUBJECT NEGATIVE
65-72 SUBJECT POSITIVE
73-78 CONNECTION, NPC TO NPC
79-86 CONNECTION, NPC TO SUBJECT
87-100 COMPLETE, OR NEW THREAD
Plotlines List Characters List

1-4 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL PLOTLINE 1-4 NEW CHARACTER

5-8 NEW PLOTLINE 5-8 NEW CHARACTER

9-12 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL PLOTLINE 9-12 NEW CHARACTER

13-16 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL PLOTLINE 13-16 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL CHARACTER

17-20 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL PLOTLINE 17-20 NEW CHARACTER

21-24 NEW PLOTLINE 21-24 NEW CHARACTER

25-28 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL PLOTLINE 25-28 NEW CHARACTER

29-32 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL PLOTLINE 29-32 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL CHARACTER

33-36 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL PLOTLINE 33-36 NEW CHARACTER

37-40 NEW PLOTLINE 37-40 NEW CHARACTER

41-44 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL PLOTLINE 41-44 NEW CHARACTER

45-48 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL PLOTLINE 45-48 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL CHARACTER

49-52 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL PLOTLINE 49-52 NEW CHARACTER

53-56 NEW PLOTLINE 53-56 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL CHARACTER

57-60 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL PLOTLINE 57-60 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL CHARACTER

61-64 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL PLOTLINE 61-64 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL CHARACTER

65-68 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL PLOTLINE 65-68 NEW CHARACTER

69-72 NEW PLOTLINE 69-72 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL CHARACTER

73-76 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL PLOTLINE 73-76 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL CHARACTER

77-80 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL PLOTLINE 77-80 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL CHARACTER

81-84 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL PLOTLINE 81-84 NEW CHARACTER

85-88 NEW PLOTLINE 85-88 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL CHARACTER

89-92 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL PLOTLINE 89-92 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL CHARACTER

93-96 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL PLOTLINE 93-96 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL CHARACTER

97-100 CHOOSE MOST LOGICAL PLOTLINE 97-100 NEW CHARACTER

 Adventure Crafter Event Focus Table
1-15 PLOT POINT EVENT
16-36 CHARACTER ACTION
37-57 CHARACTER NEGATIVE
58-73 CHARACTER POSITIVE
74-80 NEW CHARACTER
81-90 MOVE TOWARD A PLOTLINE
91-97 MOVE AWAY FROM A PLOTLINE
98-100 PLOTLINE CONCLUSION

Keyed Scenes Trigger Summary

KEYED SCENE TRIGGER

IN CLOSPORT

After Scene 3, roll 1-2 on 1d10 for each Scene. This

I Want To Help Keyed Scene occurs only once and will only take place
if you are in Closport.
After Scene 3, roll 1-2 on 1d10 for each Scene. This
Strange Encounter
Keyed Scene occurs only once and will only take place
In Closport
if you are in Closport.
If your Character goes three Scenes in a row without
making any progress toward the primary Thread of “Get
Mysterious Message
to the bottom of the murder”. This Keyed Scene occurs
only once and will only take place if you are in Closport.
After Scene 3, roll 1-2 on 1d10 for each Scene. This
Another Death Keyed Scene can occur more than once and will only
take place if you are in Closport.
Discover Tockley If you reach Scene 7 without learning about Tockley
Manor Manor.

IN TOCKLEY MANOR

After the first Scene within Tockley Manor, roll 1-2 on

Strange Event In
a 1d10 for each Scene. This Keyed Scene occurs only
Tockley Manor
once.
After 5 Scenes taking place within Tockley Manor,
The Entity Attacks roll 1-2 on a 1d10 for each Scene. This Keyed Scene
occurs only once.
 Special Elements Table
When a Special Element is generated in a Category, roll 1d100 on the table below and apply it to that Category
as the Element for the current Scene. If the table requires you to make additional rolls in a Category list, do not
count that toward the Progress Points for that Category: only one mark, the original, is registered.

1-5 • SUPERSIZE: Roll in the Category again (if and about to explode. Not everything is dangerous, it
you get Special again, treat it as Expected). Whatever could just be finding an otherwise useful Object that is
Element is generated, make it more than what is broken. Go with a modification to the Element seems
expected. Take the Element up to the next level, or most obvious to you, or roll twice on the Random
as grand as you can. For instance, if the Category is Elements Descriptors Table for inspiration.
Locations, and the Element generated is “pool,” where 31-35 • THIS IS GOOD: Roll in the Category
you originally may have envisioned this as a pond you again (if you get Special again, treat it as Expected).
now treat it as a lake. Whatever you get, it is something good for the Player
6-10 • BARELY THERE: Roll in the Category again (if Character. Whether it’s a Location, Encounter, or
you get Special again, treat it as Expected). Whatever Object, it is an Element that will be helpful or useful.
Element is generated, minimize it as much as possible. Go with a modification to the Element that seems most
Whatever you would have described to represent obvious to you, or roll twice on the Random Elements
this Element, take it down a notch or two. If it’s an Descriptors Table for inspiration.
Encounter, such as an enemy, maybe it is wounded or 36-50 • MULTI-ELEMENT: Roll twice on this
of a lesser nature than usual. If it’s a Location, maybe it Category list (if you get Special Element again, treat it
is badly in need of repair or is unusually small. as Expected), and include both of them in the Area. If
11-15 • REMOVE ELEMENT: Roll in the Category the Category is Location, and the Elements are “pool”
again (if you get Special again, treat it as Expected), and “stony chamber,” maybe this is a chamber with an
and cross that Element out and remove it from the ornate fountain in it.
Category list. You will still use it for this Area, but the 51-60 • EXIT HERE: This Area, in addition to
Category list has now been altered for future rolls. whatever else it contains, also holds an exit from the
If the Element is Unique, then treat this result as Region, if this is possible. Maybe it’s a back door out
Expected instead. of the mansion, or another exit from the cave. If this
16-25 • ADD ELEMENT: Add a new Element to this result makes no sense, ignore it and treat this as an
Category at the end of the List. Generate the new Expected Element.
Element by treating it like a Random Element and 61-70 • RETURN: Whatever else this Area contains,
rolling for a description of it on the Random Element it also has access to another, previously encountered
Descriptors Tables. The new Element is added to the Area. This is only possible if that other Area had a way
Category List and is treated as though it was rolled to reach this one. If this result makes no sense, ignore
for this Area. This is identical to a Random Element it and treat this as Expected.
Special result (see below), except that the Element
71-75 • GOING DEEPER: Instead of adding one
generated is added to the Category List to possibly be
Progress Point for this Category, add three instead.
encountered again later.
Otherwise, treat this result as Expected.
26-30 • THIS IS BAD: Roll in the Category again (if
76-80 • COMMON GROUND: Eliminate three
you get Special again, treat it as Expected). Whatever
Progress Points for this Category (don’t record this
you get, it is bad for the Player Character. For instance,
occurrence and eliminate two more). Otherwise, treat
if it’s an Encounter, it is probably something that is
this result as Expected.
harmful. If it’s a Location, maybe the place is very dark
and treacherous. If it’s an Object, maybe it’s unstable 81-100 • RANDOM ELEMENT: Treat this Special
Element like a normal Random Element.
The Secret Of Tockley Manor Adventure List Sheet

THREADS CHARACTERS
1 Get to the bottom of the murder 1 Closport Chief of Police Francis Herrera
2 2 Ann Sharpe, proprietor of The Steamport Inn
3 3 Zane Hoxel
4 4 Closport Citizen
5 5
6 6
7 7
8 8
9 9
10 10
11 11
12 12
13 13
14 14
15 15
16 16
17 17
18 18
19 19
20 20

ADVENTURE NOTES CHAOS FACTOR

KEYED

KEYED
SCENE

SCENE
I WANT TO HELP ANOTHER DEATH
TRIGGER

TRIGGER
After Scene 3, roll 1-2 on 1d10 for each Scene. This After Scene 3, roll 1-2 on 1d10 for each Scene. This
Keyed Scene occurs only once and will only take Keyed Scene can occur more than once and will only
place if you are in Closport. take place if you are in Closport.

An NPC approaches your Character, wanting to help

EVENT
This Event is identical to the Closport
with the investigation of the murder. Roll 1d10 to
Object of Dead Body (see page 30).
see who this is. On a 1-5 it is a Character from the
Characters List. Roll to determine which one. On a
6-10 it’s a new Character. Roll on the Description

KEYED
SCENE
Meaning Tables for inspiration on a description for DISCOVER TOCKLEY MANOR
the Character, and roll on the Action Meaning Tables
EVENT

for inspiration on what the Character does or how

TRIGGER
they approach you. Add the new Character to the
Characters List. You reach Scene 7 without learning
about Tockley Manor.
Once you determine who this Character is, they will
approach you in the Keyed Scene and offer their help.
They will be enthusiastic about wanting to help, and In this Keyed Scene your Character learns about
EVENT

will likely try to accompany your Character throughout Tockley Manor. This Event is identical to the Closport
the rest of the Adventure. Encounter of Learn About Tockley (see page 29).
KEYED
SCENE

KEYED
SCENE

STRANGE ENCOUNTER IN CLOSPORT STRANGE EVENT IN TOCKLEY MANOR

TRIGGER

TRIGGER

After Scene 3, roll 1-2 on 1d10 for each Scene. After the first Scene within Tockley Manor, roll 1-2
This Keyed Scene occurs only once and will on a 1d10 for each Scene. This Keyed Scene occurs
only take place if you are in Closport. only once.
EVENT

EVENT

This Event is identical to the Closport This Event is identical to the Closport and Tockley
Encounter of Weird Event (see page 28). Encounters of Weird Event (see pages 28 and 36).

COUNT COUNT
KEYED
SCENE

KEYED
SCENE

MYSTERIOUS MESSAGE THE ENTITY ATTACKS

If your Character goes three Scenes in a row without

TRIGGER

TRIGGER

After 5 Scenes taking place within Tockley Manor,

making any progress toward the primary Thread of “Get
roll 1-2 on a 1d10 for each Scene. This Keyed Scene
to the bottom of the murder”. This Keyed Scene occurs
occurs only once.
only once and will only take place if you are in Closport.
Your Character receives a message from a mysterious
EVENT

This Event is identical to the Tockley

source, giving them a clue to their investigation. For
Encounter of The Entity (see page 37).
EVENT

inspiration on what form this message takes, and what

it says, treat this as a Random Event, with an automatic
Event Focus of Move Toward A Thread, with the
Thread being “Get to the bottom of the murder.”
 Location Crafter Region Sheet

REGION: The village of Closport

LOCATIONS ENCOUNTERS OBJECTS
1 Expected 1 None 1 None
2 Public Space 2 None 2 None
3 Active Shop 3 Expected 3 None
4 Town Square - U 4 None 4 None
5 Steamport Inn - U 5 Closport Citizen 5 Expected
6 Police station - U 6 Expected 6 None
7 Public Space 7 None 7 Random
8 Expected 8 Francis Herrera 8 Dead Body - U
9 Empty Storefront 9 Closport Citizen 9 Artifact
10 Docks - U 10 Learn About Tockley - U 10 None
11 Expected 11 None 11 Journal - U
12 Radford Regional Park - U 12 Something To Say 12 Expected
13 Special 13 Weird Event 13 None
14 Hoxel’s Farm - U 14 None 14 Special
15 Expected 15 Something To Say 15 Expected
16 Random 16 None 16 Random
17 House Of The Wind - U 17 Weird Event 17 None
18 Expected 18 None 18 None
19 Complete 19 None 19.
20. 20. 20.

PROGRESS POINTS PROGRESS POINTS PROGRESS POINTS

 Location Crafter Region Sheet

REGION: Tockley Manor

LOCATIONS ENCOUNTERS OBJECTS
1 Expected 1 None 1 None
2 Expected 2 None 2 Expected
3 Hallway 3 None 3 None
4 Library/Study 4 None 4 Evidence
5 Dining Room 5 None 5 Expected
6 Kitchen - U 6 None 6 None
7 Random 7 Random 7 Journal - U
8 Master Bedroom - U 8 House Hazard 8 None
9 Hallway 9 Weird Event 9 Dead Body - U
10 Bedroom 10 Opposition 10 Evidence
11 Basement - U 11 None 11 None
12 Special 12 The Secret - U 12 Weird Object
13 Graveyard - U 13 The Entity - U 13 Special
14 Walk-In Closet 14 Weird Event 14 Expected
15 Expected 15 Random 15 None
16 Laboratory - U 16 Special 16 Random
17 Solarium - U 17 None 17 Expected
18 Random 18 None 18 Weird Object
19 Complete 19 Weird Event 19 None
20. 20 20 None

PROGRESS POINTS PROGRESS POINTS PROGRESS POINTS

 The Entity Modifier
NUMBER OF
SUPERNATURAL MODIFIER
EVENTS

None None
1 +1
2 +2
3 or more +4

The Entity
1D10+
THE NATURE OF THE ENTITY
MODIFIER

PERSON
1 The Entity is nothing supernatural, just
a human being with motive.
POWERED PERSON
As above, but the person is
2-4 supernatural in some way. Maybe
they’re a sorcerer, an alchemist, has
been gifted power by a demon, etc.
VAMPIRE
The Entity is a vampire, an energy
5-6
sucking creature that lives off the life
force of living beings.
CONSTRUCT
The Entity is a magical creature
constructed by someone. This can be
7-8
a golem made of clay, an animated
statue, a corpse resurrected through
strange science, etc.
GHOST
9-10 The Entity is a ghost of some kind,
some manner of incorporeal undead.
OTHERWORLDLY BEING
The Entity is something very strange
and alien, not of this world. This can be
11-14
a demon, a creature from another plane
of existence, something from beyond
the stars, etc.
 MEANING TABLES: ACTIONS
ACTION 1
1: Abandon 21: Carry 41: Failure 61: Neglect 81: Release
2: Abuse 22: Celebrate 42: Fight 62: Negligence 82: Return
3: Activity 23: Change 43: Gratify 63: Open 83: Ruin
4: Adjourn 24: Communicate 44: Guide 64: Oppose 84: Separate
5: Adversity 25: Control 45: Haggle 65: Oppress 85: Spy
6: Agree 26: Create 46: Harm 66: Oppress 86: Starting
7: Ambush 27: Cruelty 47: Heal 67: Overindulge 87: Stop
8: Antagonize 28: Debase 48: Imitate 68: Overthrow 88: Struggle
9: Arrive 29: Deceive 49: Imprison 69: Passion 89: Take
10: Assist 30: Decrease 50: Increase 70: Persecute 90: Transform
11: Attach 31: Delay 51: Inform 71: Postpone 91: Travel
12: Attainment 32: Desert 52: Inquire 72: Praise 92: Trick
13: Attract 33: Develop 53: Inspect 73: Proceedings 93: Triumph
14: Befriend 34: Dispute 54: Intolerance 74: Procrastinate 94: Truce
15: Bestow 35: Disrupt 55: Judge 75: Propose 95: Trust
16: Betray 36: Divide 56: Kill 76: Punish 96: Usurp
17: Block 37: Dominate 57: Lie 77: Pursue 97: Vengeance
18: Break 38: Excitement 58: Malice 78: Recruit 98: Violate
19: Care 39: Expose 59: Mistrust 79: Refuse 99: Waste
20: Carelessness 40: Extravagance 60: Move 80: Release 100: Work

ACTION 2
1: Adversities 21: Elements 41: Illusions 61: Nature 81: Reality
2: Advice 22: Emotions 42: Information 62: News 82: Representative
3: Allies 23: Enemies 43: Innocent 63: Normal 83: Riches
4: Ambush 24: Energy 44: Inside 64: Opposition 84: Rumor
5: Anger 25: Environment 45: Intellect 65: Opulence 85: Spirit
6: Animals 26: Evil 46: Intrigues 66: Outside 86: Stalemate
7: Art 27: Expectations 47: Investment 67: Pain 87: Success
8: Attention 28: Exterior 48: Jealousy 68: Path 88: Suffering
9: Balance 29: Extravagance 49: Joy 69: Peace 89: Tactics
10: Benefits 30: Failure 50: Leadership 70: Physical 90: Technology
11: Burden 31: Fame 51: Legal 71: Plans 91: Tension
12: Bureaucracy 32: Fears 52: Liberty 72: Pleasures 92: Travel
13: Business 33: Food 53: Lies 73: Plot 93: Trials
14: Competition 34: Friendship 54: Love 74: Portals 94: Vehicle
15: Danger 35: Goals 55: Magic 75: Possessions 95: Victory
16: Death 36: Good 56: Masses 76: Power 96: War
17: Dispute 37: Home 57: Messages 77: Prison 97: Weapons
18: Dispute 38: Hope 58: Military 78: Project 98: Weather
19: Disruption 39: Ideas 59: Misfortune 79: Public 99: Wishes
20: Dreams 40: Illness 60: Mundane 80: Randomness 100: Wounds
 MEANING TABLES: DESCRIPTIONS
DESCRIPTOR 1
1: Abnormally 21: Curiously 41: Fully 61: Kookily 81: Peacefully
2: Adventurously 22: Daintily 42: Generously 62: Lazily 82: Perfectly
3: Aggressively 23: Dangerously 43: Gently 63: Lightly 83: Playfully
4: Angrily 24: Defiantly 44: Gladly 64: Loosely 84: Politely
5: Anxiously 25: Deliberately 45: Gracefully 65: Loudly 85: Positively
6: Awkwardly 26: Delightfully 46: Gratefully 66: Lovingly 86: Powerfully
7: Beautifully 27: Dimly 47: Happily 67: Loyally 87: Quaintly
8: Bleakly 28: Efficiently 48: Hastily 68: Majestically 88: Quarrelsomely
9: Boldly 29: Energetically 49: Healthily 69: Meaningfully 89: Quietly
10: Bravely 30: Enormously 50: Helpfully 70: Mechanically 90: Roughly
11: Busily 31: Enthusiastically 51: Helplessly 71: Miserably 91: Rudely
12: Calmly 32: Excitedly 52: Hopelessly 72: Mockingly 92: Ruthlessly
13: Carefully 33: Fearfully 53: Innocently 73: Mysteriously 93: Slowly
14: Carelessly 34: Ferociously 54: Intensely 74: Naturally 94: Softly
15: Cautiously 35: Fiercely 55: Interestingly 75: Neatly 95: Swiftly
16: Ceaselessly 36: Foolishly 56: Irritatingly 76: Nicely 96: Threateningly
17: Cheerfully 37: Fortunately 57: Jovially 77: Oddly 97: Very
18: Combatively 38: Frantically 58: Joyfully 78: Offensively 98: Violently
19: Coolly 39: Freely 59: Judgementally 79: Officially 99: Wildly
20: Crazily 40: Frighteningly 60: Kindly 80: Partially 100: Yieldingly

DESCRIPTOR 2
1: Abandoned 21: Disagreeable 41: Good 61: Macabre 81: Remarkable
2: Abnormal 22: Disgusting 42: Graceful 62: Magnificent 82: Rotten
3: Amusing 23: Drab 43: Hard 63: Masculine 83: Rough
4: Ancient 24: Dry 44: Harsh 64: Mature 84: Ruined
5: Aromatic 25: Dull 45: Healthy 65: Messy 85: Rustic
6: Average 26: Empty 46: Heavy 66: Mighty 86: Scary
7: Beautiful 27: Enormous 47: Historical 67: Military 87: Simple
8: Bizarre 28: Exotic 48: Horrible 68: Modern 88: Small
9: Classy 29: Extravagant 49: Important 69: Mundane 89: Smelly
10: Clean 30: Faded 50: Interesting 70: Mysterious 90: Smooth
11: Cold 31: Familiar 51: Juvenile 71: Natural 91: Soft
12: Colorful 32: Fancy 52: Lacking 72: Nondescript 92: Strong
13: Creepy 33: Fat 53: Lame 73: Odd 93: Tranquil
14: Cute 34: Feeble 54: Large 74: Pale 94: Ugly
15: Damaged 35: Feminine 55: Lavish 75: Petite 95: Valuable
16: Dark 36: Festive 56: Lean 76: Poor 96: Warlike
17: Defeated 37: Flawless 57: Less 77: Powerful 97: Warm
18: Delicate 38: Fresh 58: Lethal 78: Quaint 98: Watery
19: Delightful 39: Full 59: Lonely 79: Rare 99: Weak
20: Dirty 40: Glorious 60: Lovely 80: Reassuring 100: Young
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