Runeforest Incursion (Into the Wyrd & Wild + Stygian Library): Session Report/ Review 1

Runeforest Explanation

Quick notes on System/Generation in total:

- Stats are generated using Knave as a base.
- Advancement based on DIE TRYING - Things get an "X" on them when conditions are met, 3 X's on anything (stats/items/abilities/spells/mutations/disease) advances it or makes it better somehow.

• 3d6kl1 In Order. (So 5+6+2 for Strength would have a bonus of 2, for example)
• Swap 2 stats or re-roll one (but you have to keep the re-roll, even if it's lower)
• Roll an additional two 3d6, representing your Background and Starting Equipment OR Roll on a Race Table
• If you chose the Background Path, choose starting kit: Legate (bardish) , Condottiere (fighter), Knack (illegal wizard), Scholar, Oracle (clericish), Archivist (ranger/survivalist)
• Roll d8 for HP (don't add Con)

Our Intrepid Adventurers

• Hosea, Knack, member of a wealthy family with a bad reputation
• Jafa the Gourmand, Anthropological Scholar and Cook
• Orri, Human Philosopher from the Bountiful Lands of Shell and Stone

As with all Runeforest Session starts, players were given three hooks with varying rewards to act upon (but are of course not limited to these if they have other plans). These are all available before session start for the players consideration
(Quick note- A Supply=1ish Gold=100 Prestige, but it costs 2 prestige to turn into 100 supply):

~~~

Hunt:

The City Guard lost a foot patrol recently, and the Lieutenant blames a beast of the Runeforest. One soldier is missing, and the remaining soldiers were found bereft of valuable gear and coin. The armor of the deceased had strange circular dents, rather than the scratches and bite marks one would expect from a beast of the forest. The Captain of the Guard believes the culprit to be some mace-wielding bandits or Ravagers and will not sponsor a large reward.

Due to this disagreement, the Lieutenant can only offer 50 Supply for the Hunt, but bumps the offer to 75 Supply if you can find the remaining body (or whats left of it). Should there actually be a strange magic beast responsible, slaying it would provide additional Unknown Prestige and the chance for making magic items from its corpse.

Map:

Whichever Adventuring Company maps the route to and from the Trading Post first would certainly have more than bragging rights, as the Trading Companies are eager to begin making money.

The first map of the first Runeforest Cycle will award you 5 Prestige and 100 Supply. The journey is likely to be highly dangerous and competitive though, and random encounters will have an unusually high amount of hostile, opposed Adventurers.

Guard:

As there are no maps to the Trading Post, no records of the current dangers present, and you would have the difficulty of navigating in addition to regular guard duties, there are no wealthy merchants willing to risk the trip and looking for guards just yet.
The Quartermaster tells you of a single job request that came through though: A strange, cloaked tea merchant offering a mere 1 Prestige for safe passage to the Trading Post. This is a shockingly low amount for a guard mission, but the mysterious figure promises "Gratitude more valuable than Wealth" in addition to the meager payment.

I mean, there are lots of fairy tales about the benefits of helping mysterious strangers, right?

~~~

I originally had a longer explanation of how the session went but lost the draft.
They took the Tea Merchant who was weird and slept through a big fight with some not-wolf-things but rewarded em with a weird invitation to a Fae Court.

I'll summarize my experience running it though:

• Character Generation method feels solid, new characters definitely met the "quick and easy" standard since everything is determined by 7-8 rolls and maybe a single kit choice
  
• Timed point crawl seemed fine as a navigation method, but I drastically underestimated the amount of time each point of interest would take in game time.
  
• I enjoyed the content generation method I had and each location felt evocative to me (can't speak for the players but perhaps they'll give feedback)
  
• I personally liked the beforehand knowledge of three jobs, knowing and preparing for each while the players still had freedom of choice in what they wanted to pursue. The randomization of the content took much of the prep work off my plate as well.
  
• As well as the overall system combination worked, there were shortcomings. I don't love the Supply = Gold method I have and will likely continue tweaking how it's used. The butchery roll from Wyrd and Wild was interesting, but while it references weight as the method for determining the number of rolls a monster gives (every 100 lbs), none of the monster entries include weight, so I had to guess. This wasn't really ideal, particularly when I had to make a ruling in the middle of the game.

Other Random Rulings:

- A supply = A good torch = A campfire. See other laments about the resource management of supply in Skerples review. For Runeforest it...kinda makes sense actually? The setting is much less "otherwise capable peasants who at least know how to catch dinner in the woods" and more "bumbling city-slickers who bought several cliff bars just in case they can't rough it after all" in regards to eating supply. I'll probably make my own take on the camping rules though but I like the food/water/shelter/campfire parts I have right now.

- I modified some original cooking stuff off of this from Throne of Salt, essentially giving double rations + a recipe for 3 successful cooking checks on the same creature type.


Ongoing Tweaks/Improvements

- Escape the Forest Table: I need to redo a quick session-end roll just in case a mission isn't completed. Something like the Alexandrian rules here. Current draft is: Hunts can retire back to base an retain half the marks they had, Guard or Map can just speed up encounter rolls and can end as a "success" but may suffer from exhaustion. 

- Tweaking the Supply Scale: As already said, supply as a currency that's also torches and food and water was functional enough but I certainly see room for improvement.

- A full list of prices: Right now most basic gear just costs 10 supply with additional markups depending on in game availability. The irony of running a mercantile focused game is my

- Coffee/Alcohol Flasks as Potions: Some inspiration taken from Wyrd and Wild for this part.

- Finishing out the Trading Post services: Right now the only special offer players are aware of is that if you buy something with the insane 150% markup, it has a chance to be special in this way (wilderness link)


There's more but that's a start. TL:DR Fun, but very much a work in progress

Runeforest Incursion (Into the Wyrd & Wild + Stygian Library): Class Kits and Generation!

Here's what I settled on. I like the general advancement of DIE TRYING but wanted a generation system with a teensy bit more choice as far as the types of things players wanted their characters to be able to do. Enter "Kits".

After generating Stats (I use Knave as a base), choose your Kit, then roll an additional two sets of 3d6 to determine Character Background and Equipment.

Starting Kits

Legate: Socialite of some skill. Get +1 on Verbal Duel results and can use any mental stat instead of just Charisma. Get an "X" whenever you win a verbal duel. Verbal duels can be traditional debates, negotiating for price or payment, legal defenses, etc. Start with a Contact (Roll a d100)
(Verbal Duels are a variation of this.)

Condottiere: "Fighter" Types. Roll for an Extra Attack Circumstance (d8). Start with Paperwork that lets you carry weapons within the city limits of Polis. You might have acquired it illegally. Openly presenting weapons will have a variety of social consequences, with the default reaction being "intimidated".

Knack: Illegal "Not-Wizards". Start with an Illegal Spell tattooed on one of your hands (your choice). Roll for what it is (2d6). Start with Gloves and a Makeup Kit with 3 uses. While these spells are certainly illegal, most guards have better things to do then to hunt you down proactively (as long as you keep any casting very discrete in the city limits). However, if you are caught for a separate offense, you risk losing the spell (and the hand with it).

Scholar: You are very knowledgeable in one subject. Roll for your Area of Expertise (d10). You have working knowledge of that subject. Each subject also comes with an additional way to earn "X"s and a way to make money. Start with one Reference Manual on your subject (with the possibility of more depending on equipment roll). (let me know if you want to add more subjects)

Oracle: You have an unorthodox way to acquire information. Roll for your Divination Method (d6). You are missing a body part, roll for it (d6). Start with an implement tied to your mancy.

Archivist: You have spent time in the Runeforest before and began to learn the strange ways of things there. This gives the following benefits:

• You have learned to read the strange runes that appear on the trees and some wildlife that reside there.
• You always know exactly how many Marks a given Hunt will take.
• You can precisely track Research Progress in the Runeforest Libraries and can switch tracks or subjects midway through without losing Progress.
• You have learned Fangspek, spoken by Ravagers and Carvergirls.

At some point, you were twisted by something (You probably read a weird rune or ate a weird fruit). Roll for a Mutation (d100). Start with a monocle/reading spectacles and a carving knife.

Polis, The Shining Bastion of Civility

Alternate Starting Methods

The default generation process above assumes a Human or adapted non-human local to Polis with no outstanding obligations to a particular Temple. You can forgo the default generation of Kit + Background in order to take one of the options below.

Clerics are the most likely option if you are a local and don't take the kit+background route. Start with the ability to cast powerful divine spells in addition to other abilities and resources dependent on the deity. You'll be expected to Tithe a hefty sum of your profits and also serve with your abilities for the occasional mission for the Temple.

Not From Around Here:

Dwarves: From the Deserts and Caves of the Southern Outlands. Can't have names. Immunity against targeted magics (fireball no, sleep/scrying yes). If a moniker sticks to you enough that it becomes a name, a psychic-vampire-like creature that lives in mirrors who ate your first name will hunt you down. You have a really long natural lifespan though.

A culturally adapted Local dwarf is assumed to either have failed the trial of mirrors or ritualistically undone it and so has a name and none of the abilities mentioned, but may use the normal kit+background creation. 

Elves: From the remnants of the Verdant Forests, Dragonlands, Vaults, or other unusually sequestered location that protected them from the Purge. Roll an additional 3d6 for a Luck stat. Everyone from Polis *really* hates Elves for causing the last apocalypse and also for generally being known as sadistic, cannibalistic heathens. Also have a really long natural lifespan.

A culturally adapted Local elf is assumed to have spent all of their luck in the process of living in Polis and not being run out of town by an angry mob, but may use the normal kit+background creation.


Fresh Off the Boat:
Polis being a Port city means that travelers from far away lands are always showing up. Roll on the table for species (with more to be potentially added as the game continues)

From the Land of Stone and Shell 2d8:

1. -
2. Chitinite
3. Stonefolk
4. Hunttuk
5. Talking Cat
6. New Horned One
7. Bugbear
8. Elf
9. Human
10. Dwarf
11. Hobgoblin
12. Gilblin
13. Imp
14. Mimic
15. Siryn
16. Votive

Design Notes: I've talked about my like of Kits before. In this case, the combination of players communicating their preferred play-style with a character and getting some slight but not constraining abilities hits my needs for the game so far. I really like that all the classes have at least one random aspect to differentiate same-kit characters, and Background adds an additional cool depth as well.

The abilities are hopefully slight enough to encourage and enable players to have their characters advance in odd or unexpected directions. You certainly don't have to play a Knack if you want to end up as a capital-"W"-Wizard. You can also just collect all the starting kit abilities willy-nilly if you want through play.

I'm probably least happy with the Legate and Archivist abilities and might tweak or workshop them a bit further. "Bardish" and "Rangerish" were somewhat difficult archetypes to keep interesting but also confined to the same general power level as everything else. I'm actually still working on the mutation table following Arnold K's Method.

The Additional Options are somewhat lore-heavy but do provide a fun way to expand character options as the game progresses. I'm also happy to use some material from Stone and Shell. I've never been a huge fan of "race-as-class" material but seeing as how these options aren't particularly limiting, are tied to cultures separate from the default list, and really just provide a different starting point rather than a specific advancement track like a normal class I'm more than ok with it.

So far the starting players have rolled up a Knack from a Wealthy Merchant family, a Scholar with a specialty in anthropology who works as a street-cook, and a Human from the Bountiful Lands of Stone and Shell who philosophizes often, can speak Feline, and rides a two-headed horse. Ironically, the player who rolled on the stone-and-shell species table only did so because they wanted to be a non-human and was aiming for the more exotic options. That's RNG for ya.

As always, I love and appreciate any feedback you might have!

Runeforest Incursion (Into the Wyrd & Wild + Stygian Library): Money and Downtime

Subject to change but here's the first draft at least.

There are two currency types for Runeforest:

Supply is equivalent to about 1 gold in other systems and used as a universal survival and bartering unit for everyday expenses and items

Prestige is more nebulous, comprising general goodwill, positive reputation, available favors, and lots of cash to grease the right palms. 

100 Supply can be converted into 1 Prestige

2 Prestige can be converted into 100 supply, as it's difficult to liquidate non-cash assets 

It would take approximately 3 Supply/day to survive in an absolutely hostile environment (with no food/water/shelter available other than what you bring yourself)

1 Prestige could be spent for a night out at the most exclusive bar in Polis, buying expensive liquor and making friends with important people
10 prestige could be spent on a simple magic weapon or armor
15 prestige could fund/arrange for the creation of a small business
(above numbers subject to change)

Your Company's mysterious patron has supplied a simple barracks on the outskirts of Polis, where you may live in humble conditions for free.

If you wish to spend a downtime in the Trading Post, you will have to rent a room or make other arrangements.

Downtime Actions (if used) take one week. Possibilities include but are not limited to:

Clean Your Kill: Automatically succeed on a corpse butchery roll for up to 200 pounds of flesh

Carousing: Get drunk and blow an unknown amount of money and dignity, get an 'X' on a random stat. Odd, detrimental, or beneficial events may occur.

Check the Rumour-weave: Get answers to questions about oddities encountered OR learn of specific threats for the current/upcoming Runecycle

Go Hunting: Decide on a Quarry. As long as it has 5 marks or less you should be able to hunt it successfully, but may incur a level of Exhaustion. 

Wizard Business: Practice with spells or magic items. Spell research, breeding, and other eldritch activities go here.

Find New Blood: Find some new recruits for the Company. Potential recruits will accompany you as a Retainer for one mission before deciding whether or not to join officially

R&R: Clear an extra level of exhaustion and get new saves against disease or other temporary conditions.

Negotiate: Spend some amount of Prestige to get access to exclusive Trading Company Officials or Wytch-Guard Captains. Gives options for prestigious Guard or Hunt jobs for future sessions.


Design Notes: I struggle alot with how economics should work in the games I run, but I like the concept of differentiating the "everyday" fund with the "wheelbarrows of money and favor" fund. It's heavily inspired by the Blades in the Dark system of Coin/Stash, where players and gangs only have access to so much liquid cash at a time and instead have to put additional funds into a combination retirement/rainy day fund that's more expensive to cash out than it is to cash in.

I'm not really sure if I have the right idea on how to spend Prestige- the lowest spending option is meant to be the equivalent of blowing several thousand dollars on a night at a bar by buying shots for everyone and the like. Should 10 of those nights really equal a shiny magic weapon though? I have no idea.

Right now the plan is to reward anywhere from .5-4 Prestige for completed jobs depending on a number of factors, split between the participants. More dangerous jobs can of course earn more Prestige.

The downtime rules are heavily inspired by Lungfungus' Rules Here. If the players do decide to take downtime actions though, the nature of Runeforest cycles means they risk losing the advantage of any maps or information about the current cycle iteration they might have.