The Ruin

These are the first couple of stanzas I've written that features my world. Poetry by it's very nature can sometimes by quite difficult to 'pin down' and so can mean different things to different people, which for my purposes works just fine. 

My intention here is to post pieces of the poem as I write them, sometimes a single stanza, sometimes a couple or more, and then play through them with my own free-form method of play. It is influenced to a small degree by Chris Engles Matrix system, which uses 'rational argument' to resolve conflict. The link there should give you all the information you need to get a vague idea of what I'm trying to do.

Now, those stanzas...

Vast crumbling columns wreathed in mist

And beasts in noxious pools asleep

Her gentle footsteps lightly placed

Wakes an ancient slumbering form

It turns and looks with sightless eyes

Such impudence in one so young

To hunt a Mother and her brood

Now hesitant and wary still

She waits, an eerie calm descends

And watching with a strange third sight

As silently she moves and turns

And seethes with anger and despair

At such a beast that hides within

A countenance so fair

So, the next post will be me playing through this little vignette. I've gone through it a couple of times already if truth be known but not while taking any great care with the rules, and it was more just to see if it would actually be possible to do this at all. I was quite pleased with how it played out though.  

 

The story so far...

I thought it might be quite nice to have a sort of overview of the girls' adventures as we go, so here's a handy bullet point summary of the main events. Each one of the points below is a one line overview of each session and may be clicked on to take you to that session.

1. Traci is facing the prospect of a battle with a beast she encounters as she attempts to exit some ruins.
2. Exiting the ruins, Traci notices a strange, oppressive presence keeping pace with her.
3. Traci meets three women in a tavern and tries to convince them to return to the ruins with her.
4. Traci asks Alice to help rid her of an oppressive presence, placing herself in her debt in return.
5. Our four adventurers are stopped by the town guard as they leave the tavern. A standoff ensues.
6. Melissa attempts to use magic but falls unconscious when the presence causes her magic to fail.
7. Traci and the Princess force the guards to back off breaking the standoff.
8. Back at the tavern the girls decide to help Traci and agree to accompany her back to the ruins.
9. As Melissa slips deeper into unconsciousness, Traci and the Princess set out for the ruins alone.
10. Alice goes off to seek help for Melissa from the local magic-user.
11. A mage helps Melissa before Alice gets the two of them out of town and heads for the ruins.
12. Alice stays with Melissa while Traci and the Princess head off to scout out the ruins.
13. Traci and the Princess find 4 entrances into the ruin, and do a preliminary check on 3 of them.
14. The girls enter the ruin, the Princess scouts ahead after a cry is heard. Something approaches.

Enjoy.

Congratulations, it's a world

I must be in the minority when it comes to slipping behind my eyelids to interact with whoever or whatever I happen to find there. I don't find it strange. On the contrary, it's one of the best things I can ever imagine doing and to my mind is very nearly proof of divinity, if only it weren't ruined by the need to re-enter the 'real' world at some point.

I also enjoy writing, although I've got out of the habit and am poorer for it. So, I thought I'd combine the two and build a world within which to play. This is the space in the real world that will mirror that internal world. 

Plenty of people have created worlds within which to wander, whether that be through fiction or film or indeed RPGs. Most of what you'll find here will come under the third heading of RPGs, but a good portion I hope will also be fiction. I've made a tentative start on a poem that describes the world I'm inhabiting when I slip behind my eyes, including the people I meet there. I intend it to be ongoing, much like the world itself.

Playing an RPG solo, which is my intention isn't the easiest thing to do to be honest. It requires a certain dedication and most definitely a love of your own company. But be that as it may, it'll be an interesting experience and one which I think I'll gain a lot from. And apart from anything else, it's something I've been thinking about for a very long time but have simply put it off. 

I think I'll start now though.