The set up for this solo game is so delicious to me: the push and pull between the mastermind and their "henchmen" sets up some really fun, madcap scenarios.
With my first use of the system, which I finished a few minutes ago, I've learned it takes a relatively high amount of mental energy. Switching between consulting the dungeon I was using (Temple of 1000 Swords), the system I was using (Cairn 2e), the goals of the mastermind, and the pulls and blocks of the henchmen takes some getting used to.
The session started off rough as my party of 3 took the front entrance of the dungeon, fell for a trap, then was nearly obliterated by a trio of horrible duck people (monsters native to the dungeon). The gang slunk away to tend to their wounds, and I returned to the dungeon's map to find another entrance with fewer guards. When I did and we snuck basically to the treasure right away, it felt like a very cool moment! Navigating around danger as a mastermind, then managing to keep the henchmen out of endangering themselves is a fun feeling.
It made it all the more triumphant when I was able to end the session by taking on 7 of those horrible duck people using some magic items I found on the dungeon map. Sure, we only got in that fight because one of my henchmen was bloodthirsty, but at least we won :)
I hope to return to this system again soon, to delve deeper into this dungeon I've wanted to run for ages.
Going forward, there are some pieces of advice I'd offer other players of this game.
Got to play in a short game run by Prismatic Wasteland last night, and we spent a little over an hour in the Mines. I loved the space. The ambience was spectacular, and outlandish, and very fun. I seduced the captain of the Hole in the Hull, got drunk off a mine cart of punch, met one absolutely normal person in a trench coat, and got onto the stage and said something terribly offensive and ruined the vibes at the bar! 10/10 would play there again!
I was run through this adventure by Mr. Prismatic Wasteland himself. Some NPCs (and a PC) were killed in pursuit of a lasting peace between children and actors. Even more were killed for streamer clout. The adventure plays very well with Into the Odd, and makes for an excellent couple hours of goofing around!
it’s free! Give it a download!
if only my wife, and all the other nerds I know, were not so very shy in public. May have to play solo on my morning walks, though that will take some adaptation. Regardless, this book is absolutely cute and well put together. The resolution mechanic is neat! Love the rules that bring imagination to public spaces—something I haven’t really indulged in since I was a child.
I’ve read through the rules, and I think they’re really fascinating! I can imagine a dozen different settings I could adapt this to, and that makes me very excited. It seems like a great opportunity to do collaborative worldbuilding with my players, because then I could fold the system around the setting we make.
Rock on, my dude
