Orboboros - Brick Kingdom - Refactor

Picture from here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Distressed_Poet_MET_DP847426.jpg

While finishing my novella, I've been also working on Orboboros the Brick Kingdom. I nearly completed the first draft, but after a cold, hard look, I realized it was going in a direction I didn't quite want.

The problem was, as it stood at the time, Brick Kingom was a wonderful campaign module but not a good solo game. It was too guided. The Chapters told you how things went with little wiggle room. Your character would be riding on rails, and worse, you'd know everything about the ride beforehand.

It was good writing IMO but the plot was too fixed..

Not to worry though, I'm not giving up.

Instead, I'm taking what I've written so far and adjusting it so as to be more open-ended. It'll be a ttrpg playset as opposed to an RPG model kit.

Here's the Changes.

Characters

Backgrounds hold skill suggestions but don't come with built-in skills. You can assign these however you want. You now have 6, instead of 3, backgrounds and these can be fine-tuned to make a more unique character.

Example:

1:  Bard: You’ve wandered the road with your family all your life, collecting stories and songs. Some of what you sing would be frowned upon by the Order, but you make it big in small communities that remember the Goddess and heroes of old. Top Skills: Charm, Lore, Stealth.

2: Blacksmith: You’ve worked the forge all your life with your dad. It’s honest work, but dull. You yearn for a life of adventure. Top Skills:  Athletics, Craft, Weapons

3: Former Acolyte: Your parents put you in the Order's best schools. Your talent was noticed, and you were on the fast track to become an acolyte. You witnessed something terrible; it shook you to the core. You’ve tossed away your acolyte garb and now search for new meaning in your life. Top Skills: Craft, Lore, Weapons.

Chapter Setup

I've changed specific prompts for dynamic Chapter setups. Rather than spell out one problem your character must face, this will contain several. You can roll, pick, or make up your own. Guidance is still given on what kind of problems these should be, but what could happen is still very much up in the air.

Example:

Your character has grown up in or near a large city for most, if not all, of their life. It’s been under Order rule for as long as you’ve been alive.

Something problematic has come up, and you need to work around the Order to deal with it. Pick, roll a D6, or chart check and make up your own issue:

1.      A family member has been cursed. They’re at ½ a ruby orb and can’t move. You need to get them help. Unfortunately, they’re also wanted by the Order.

2.      You’re part of or owe, the local thieves guild. They want you to steal something from the administrative building.

3.      A secret concert with old folk music will be held three nights-hence. You need to get the word out without the Order catching on. You might even perform.

Places With Options

As with the chapter setup, places will have multiple options to roll or pick from. This should help make your game unique.

Example:

What kind of city do you live in?

Pick, roll a D3 or chart check and make up something of your own.

1: Fortress Fall

During the Third Calamity, the Flying Fortress of Catgod Rex threatened all. When the Hero Alun Gold Grin brought the demon low, the fortress crashed to the earth. A decade later goblins moved in and founded a thriving city. They built into and around the ruins, making a jig-saw domain of lords and thieves....

2. GoO Port

Before the fall this was called Gob Port, or Port Blue. After the Order took over, they toppled the statue of Goddess Blue and rose their own: An austere-looking gob, wearing order robes, holding a scale and a sword, glaring at the sea. The Goddess of Order...

3. Broken Crown

Was built after the 1st Calamity, after Queen Non defeated the Dark Lord Denis’ Horde. Thus, the Royal House was founded and they protected Orboboros until the coming of the Order 60 years ago. It was built in the crux of the Eden Mountains. A glorious palace surrounded by a bustling city...

Beings With Options

As with places there are multiple options with Beings. Furthermore, the game stats for these beings have been pulled from the main chapter to be displayed in a companion document; Big Book of Beings. That way, while you run your adventure, you can easily reference these stats. It also means duplicate stats need not be written every time a kind of being appears in the book.

Example:

Thieves Guild Master – See Thieves  in BBB – They Are Professionals

If you want to have a sinister puppet master behind the thieves in your city, pick, roll 1D3, or chart check for your own.

1: Blodwyn Many Weapons

Blodwyn is a middle-aged green goblin with short black hair and deep brown eyes. She prefers voluminous clothes and cloaks in which to conceal many weapons. She’s in charge of the black market. While skilled in violence, she actually uses it as a last resort. When she does employ dirty methods, she goes all in. Many Weapons is feared, even by the guard.

In addition to normal thief equipment, she carries at least three other weapons.

2: Gwynfor Silver Eyes

A blue, grey-eyed goblin. He has short, neat, brown hair. He’s fond of suit shirt and pants with a vest. He wears round glasses. Gwynfor manages the Order’s finances in the city. He’s also an expert embezzler and runs the thieves guild as a shadow master.

He carries 2D6 extra silver.

3: Tegyd Star Song

Tegyd’s a beautiful blue goblin with long black hair and red eyes. Her sense of style is astounding, and she only dresses down when she needs to sneak. Star Song is known as the Phantom Diva, her sonorous voice filling those who find her with wonder. Tegyd’s gone to some dark places to develop a network of miscreants and contacts who enable her to express her outlawed passion. Despite the joy her music brings to those who can find her, she’s grown cold and ruthless. Her gloved hand covers an iron grip.

Thee stats from the Big Book of Beings:

Thief

One who steals for a living. Likely local toughs, though a few may consider themselves professionals. Those who are actual professionals will have a Skill of 6, rather than 4.

Skill: 4, Ruby Orbs: 2

Special: Knows the local underworld.

Carried Possessions: Dagger 1 dimiage, Club 1 dimage, Thieves Tools, 2 silver.

And that wraps the major changes up. I feel good about them. If I do my job right, they will make Orboboros the Brick Kingdom an unique game for everyone who plays it.