INTERGALACTIC PLANETARY

Last time I spoke about a modular approach I'm trying out for Ask the Stars.

Well, this coincided with last week's dip into Classic Traveller, which of course means I had to combine the two. 

So there are now two brand new Ask the Stars modules awaiting testing. 

INTERGALACTIC is sort of the core, giving you a spacefaring character and rules for drifting around space, seeking business opportunities at greasy starports, and spending your profits on better gear.

PLANETARY deals with going down to onto worlds, exploring their settlements, dodging hostile lifeforms, and even dipping into the corporate world. 

The PRIMORDIAL module that I shared last week needs some work based on what I've learned from these two, so you can expect that to get an update some time this week. Then my to-do list has no fewer than *checks* eleven other modules I'd like to make, so this might keep me busy for a while.

And for those bitten by the planet creation bug, I'll be creating five planets using five different systems  (including this one) over on tonight's stream, 9pm GMT. 

Check them both out in the Ask the Stars folder.

Modularity, Ask the Stars, and Primordial

This week saw the return of Bastionland Broadcast, where I looked through the fantastic 2400 games by Jason Tocci, which you should all go and buy as they're an absolute steal.

I've been staring at these games for a while, mulling over ideas of trying them out with a one-shot

Or perhaps a series of one-shots that connect into one game for a big finale.

Or perhaps just taking two books and mashing them together.

All in all, aside from the actual quality of the things (which is super high), I think I'm just as excited about the modular format. It's nothing new, of course, but sometimes it just takes the right implementation of an existing idea for it to stick with you.

It got me thinking whether this format could work for various related ideas I've been mulling for a while, but haven't quite managed to find the proper structure to bring to life. 

Presenting Ask the Stars, which at the time of writing contains a single module, Primordial. I have grand ideas for six additional modules around this idea, and one that takes things on a more distinct diversion.

As I create more I'll pop them into this folder, but I wanted to see if I could create a similar type of game, where you can go to the table with just the very core, or a few additions of your own choice. 

Ask the Stars - Fleet, Council, Legion

 

The final three signs show what happens when we gather behind a joint purpose, be it toward a shared destination, trapped in an endless process, or behind a true unity of identity. Here the vastness of the stars doesn't feel quite so overbearing, with questions garnering a firm YES.

10-1: The Fleet, Rising: Preparations are being made for a great journey. Why are so many travelling together?

10-2: The Fleet, Entombed: Somebody is searching for something long dead. Is there any hope?

10-3: The Fleet, Twinned: Two have been brought closer together after a time of upheaval. How did they overcome this?

10-4: The Fleet, Waning: Pressing on with the journey despite the terrible cost. How much longer can they survive?

10-5: The Fleet, Rooted: Travellers have reached their promised destination, finally having a home. How is it different than what they expected?

10-6: The Fleet, Bowed: A journey has stalled, forced to accept the fact that it will never reach its destination. Is the dead-end really insurmountable? 

10-7: The Fleet, Colliding: A brutal conflict wears down both sides. Why can there be no peace?

10-8: The Fleet, Burning: Somebody journeys further into somewhere they should not be, seeking the ultimate truth. What do they find?

10-9: The Fleet, Veiled: A destination but no directions, this traveller knows that they might never reach their goal. What keeps them searching?

10-10: The Fleet, Exiled: Travellers have been cut off from any contact for years. How have they changed?

10-11: The Fleet, Crowned: There are signs of a lost expedition having reached their demise here. What was their ultimate mistake?

10-12: The Fleet, Reflected: A journey is abandoned in favour of returning home, accepting defeat. What was the final straw?

11-1: The Council, Rising: A spring period begins, with new shoots growing from the dead ground. What toll has the winter taken?

11-2: The Council, Entombed: A place lies in its winter period. What will be the first signs of spring?

11-3: The Council, Twinned: A formerly inseparable pair find themselves in opposition. What has caused this?

11-4: The Council, Waning: Entering an autumn period, a golden age has moved into decline. What was the greatest achievement before now?

11-5: The Council, Rooted: People are enjoying a golden age of plenty and comfort. What are the first signs that this cannot last forever?

11-6: The Council, Bowed: A force finds themselves suddenly without opposition or friction. What will they do now that they are unleashed?

11-7: The Council, Colliding: A maelstrom spirals increasingly outward. What lies at the eye of the storm?

11-8: The Council, Burning: The turning point where pride comes before the fall. What has tipped the balance?

11-9: The Council, Veiled: A maze of words and processes hides a secret. Who wants to keep this from being known?

11-10: The Council, Exiled: A case is made to defend the indefensible. What case does their advocate put forward?

11-11: The Council, Crowned: A powerful group seizes the position of another. Why do they end up with more than they bargained for?

11-12: The Council, Reflected: A natural process is reversed, with shocking consequences. How is this possible?

12-1: The Legion, Rising: A cluster absorbs more and more of its neighbours into one entity. What does this growth threaten?

12-2: The Legion, Entombed: A long forgotten identity is revived. Who can take up this mantle?

12-3: The Legion, Twinned: A group is now unable to act as individuals. How have they become so reliant on each other?

12-4: The Legion, Waning: A once powerful entity is losing mass each day, its power going with it. What caused this starvation?

12-5: The Legion, Rooted: The many have banded together to ensure that all of their number are provided for. What threatens this utopia? 

12-6: The Legion, Bowed: A force is absorbed by an even greater power, taking on part of their identity. What is this new entity?

12-7: The Legion, Colliding: A successful conquest through raw force and numbers. What is lost during this conflict?

12-8: The Legion, Burning: A gathering begins to reach critical mass, with temperature and pressure rising to critical levels. How long before this situation explodes?

12-9: The Legion, Veiled: Faith brings many together to act as one. What is their great work?

12-10: The Legion, Exiled: A force that once supported and supplied here withdraws, leaving this place abandoned. What is left behind?

12-11: The Legion, Crowned: A powerful force takes stock of its achievements, but finds itself without a future purpose. What uncomfortable truth must they face?

12-12: The Legion, Reflected: Attraction is turned to repulsion. What has caused this change?

Ask the Stars - Child, Traveller, Elder

Now, three Signs that might represent the three stages of our lives. From blank slates absorbing our surroundings, to independent wanderers at the mercy of fate, finally settling as a guiding stone for the next generations. For a straight answer we finally get YES... but life is rarely simple. Every success brings a cost, every day brings us closer to death, and every mark we make on the world will one day turn to dust. Still, it looks nice for now. 

7-1: The Child, Rising: Unrestricted growth blooms here. What's feeding this growth?

7-2: The Child, Entombed: A stark lesson from the past. What has preserved this ancient failure?

7-3: The Child, Twinned: Two forces compete for resources, taking beyond their needs. What has caused this greed?

7-4: The Child, Waning: Starvation is kicking in here, a power now unable to provide for themselves. Who was previously tending to their needs?

7-5: The Child, Rooted: A place of academic learning fills curious minds. What is the focus of their tutorage?

7-6: The Child, Bowed: New life is born to a great power. How is the child different to the parent?

7-7: The Child, Colliding: Youthful rebellion and cries for change. What change do they want?

7-8: The Child, Burning: Somebody is using their knowledge to domineer others. What are they getting out of it?

7-9: The Child, Veiled: A place of obscured knowledge, kept away from all but a trusted few. What are the requirements for entry?

7-10: The Child, Exiled: A new creation is left alone to fend for itself. How are they coping?

7-11: The Child, Crowned: A new creation is announced with great ceremony. What makes them special?

7-12: The Child, Reflected: Vanity has consumed somebody, seeking only to increase their own sense of self-worth. Who is feeding their egotism?

8-1: The Traveller, Rising: The future is laid out in front of you, but it is only one possibility. What action must you take to get there?

8-2: The Traveller, Entombed: A seemingly impenetrable blockade prevents you from taking the obvious route. What's the alternative?

8-3: The Traveller, Twinned: Two distant objects brought together over a great distance. What caused this attraction?

8-4: The Traveller, Waning: A power has been reduced to a mindless, aimless state. What did this to them?

8-5: The Traveller, Rooted: A chance encounter with somebody offering just what you needed. What's the price?

8-6: The Traveller, Bowed: A great deal hangs on the flip of a coin. What is the risk and reward?

8-7: The Traveller, Colliding: Pure, random destruction is crashing through here. How could it be redirected?

8-8: The Traveller, Burning: A roving messenger is delivering important news. What makes it so important?

8-9: The Traveller, Veiled: Somebody is flying blind, trusting themselves to fate. Why are they so confident that things will work out?

8-10: The Traveller, Exiled: A wanderer is utterly lost, with no idea where they came from. What is the only clue?

8-11: The Traveller, Crowned: An ambition without clear direction, so doomed to fail. Why are they dead set on attempting it anyway?

8-12: The Traveller, Reflected: A sudden change of fortune, for the better or worse. What signals this?

9-1: The Elder, Rising: Something is dredged up from the past. What value is it today?

9-2: The Elder, Entombed: The death of a long-standing institution. Who is mourning?

9-3: The Elder, Twinned: An ancient power is now reliant on the support of another. Why must it be kept running?

9-4: The Elder, Waning: A once great power has fully slipped into decline, a shadow of itself. What small ember still burns there?

9-5: The Elder, Rooted: A place has stood here since the dawn of time. How has it survived so long?

9-6: The Elder, Bowed: Power is peacefully past on to a new generation. What caused this transition?

9-7: The Elder, Colliding: A violent stamp-down of authority. What is to be gained from this?

9-8: The Elder, Burning: A timeless tradition must be honoured. What does this require?

9-9: The Elder, Veiled: A method has been carried out for centuries, with no understanding of how it works. What is produced this way?

9-10: The Elder, Exiled: A great power is condemned and cast out in favour of a replacement. What was their crime?

9-11: The Elder, Crowned: A monument to the defining work of a generation. Was it worth the cost?

9-12: The Elder, Reflected: Somebody clings to power beyond their welcome. Who wants to see them dislodged?

Ask the Stars - Hand, Mask, and Eye

Continuing on from the previous section, these three signs show three different ways of interacting with the world. Conjuring, coercive, or contemplative. For straight answers they say No, but... not so much dead-ends as challenges to be overcome. 

4-1: The Hand, Rising: A new power is rising, seemingly out of nowhere. Who is really behind this?

4-2: The Hand, Entombed: A great project lies abandoned, half-complete. What was its purpose and why was it not finished?

4-3: The Hand, Twinned: A master and servant rely on each other for their work. What binds them together?

4-4: The Hand, Waning: A creative force is starting to fade, the fire reduced to embers. What doused the flames?

4-5: The Hand, Rooted: Somebody has created a position of safety, but stifled long-term growth. What will hold them back if they stay here?

4-6: The Hand, Bowed: An enterprise lies in ruins. Who cared enough to destroy all this work?

4-7: The Hand, Colliding: Weapons of war are being forged by the dozen. What makes these weapons different?

4-8: The Hand, Burning: A beacon is calling out to all in sight with a deliberate message. Why is it no longer true?

4-9: The Hand, Veiled: A creator works on their calling, a tribute to their beliefs. What do they believe?

4-10: The Hand, Exiled: A small group have become entirely self-sufficient, and want nothing from you. What do they have that you want?

4-11: The Hand, Crowned: A great tower lies toppled, no more than ruins. What was its doomed purpose?

4-12: The Hand, Reflected: A monument announces the greatness of its creator. Are they are great as the monument suggests?

5-1: The Mask, Rising: A lie grows beyond your control. Where has it spread to?

5-2: The Mask, Entombed: A shameful memory comes to light. Who is hiding it?

5-3: The Mask, Twinned: A longing for companionship drives somebody to betray their morals. What is the collateral damage?

5-4: The Mask, Waning: Somebody in a desperate situation pleads for your help. What makes it difficult to help?

5-5: The Mask, Rooted: Somebody is clinging to an identity that is holding them back. Why can't they break free?

5-6: The Mask, Bowed: A debt of shame is being paid through toil and servitude. What crime would cause such shame?

5-7: The Mask, Colliding: A firebrand is gathering support for a violent cause. Why do people follow them so readily?

5-8: The Mask, Burning: Somebody is overcompensating for feelings of insecurity. Where does this insecurity stem from?

5-9: The Mask, Veiled: A demagogue spreads a persuasive message of their faith. Why do people believe them?

5-10: The Mask, Exiled: A being with no identity, having cast off everything from their previous life. What is the one clue to their past?

5-11: The Mask, Crowned: Some force whispers in the ear of a powerful being, driving them to want more. What does the whisperer stand to gain?

5-12: The Mask, Reflected: A mirror shows your true self. What do you see?

6-1: The Eye, Rising: You learn two secrets, one genuine and one false. What lies between you and the truth?

6-2: The Eye, Entombed: A vault keeps secrets, not treasures. Who holds this place of such power?

6-3: The Eye, Twinned: A relationship is being kept secret. Why can it never be revealed?

6-4: The Eye, Waning: A secret that once held great power is now worthless. What destroyed its value as leverage?

6-5: The Eye, Rooted: A place of impartial judgement stands eternal. What gives them their authority?

6-6: The Eye, Bowed: A guilty party confesses to everything. What brought them to this point?

6-7: The Eye, Colliding: A witch hunt has begun, seeking out enemies within and beyond. Is there any truth to these suspicions?

6-8: The Eye, Burning: A shocking truth is revealed, for all to see and pass judgement. What happens now?

6-9: The Eye, Veiled: Somebody turns a blind eye to something, but not for their own gain. Why would they do this?

6-10: The Eye, Exiled: Something or somebody is condemned, marked as impure or unclean. What is their punishment?

6-11: The Eye, Crowned: Authority must be established here, whether through hard or soft options. What action does the authority decide on?

6-12: The Eye, Reflected: You are compelled to pass judgement on yourself, confronting yourself openly. What is your verdict?

Ask the Stars - Fang, Wing, and Cage

I can't escape the orbit of this thing. Perhaps I should stop fighting it and let it bloom into something sprawling and bright.

A galaxy built out of signs and positions, unfolding in front of you as you explore.

More prompts than procedures. More questions than answers. Broad strokes awaiting detail.

This approach of "create a giant set of tables that need content" was the spark that brought Electric Bastionland to life, so maybe there's something in that. Twelve signs in twelve positions. A gross of combinations that can each represent places, people, problems. 

The first three signs exist in the shadow of our fears. For straight answers they offer a firm no. Something stops us in our tracks or holds us back. Primal desire for both freedom and security. 

1-1: The Fang, Rising: Seeds of danger lurk everywhere, growing if left unchecked. Which is the biggest threat?

1-2: The Fang, Entombed: A demonstration of brutality has been left as a warning for all to see. What message were they trying to deliver?

1-3: The Fang, Twinned: Hostilities are frozen in a standoff of mutually assured destruction. What is threatening to disturb this equilibrium?

1-4: The Fang, Waning: A wounded or fading power is lashing out with its last breath. What damage does this cause?

1-5: The Fang, Rooted: Walls deter anybody from going within, a hostile response guaranteed. Why would you even want to go in there?

1-6: The Fang, Bowed: Somebody is utterly defeated, but the hostilities continue. Why won't they show mercy?

1-7: The Fang, Colliding: Outright and total war, with no end in sight. How did it come to this?

1-8: The Fang, Burning: A path of ashes is being carved out across this place in the name of pride. What stirred this much anger?

1-9: The Fang, Veiled: The open arms in front of you bear clear signs of being a trap. What gives it away?

1-10: The Fang, Exiled: Something has been driven into isolation for the safety of everybody else. What keeps everybody else away?

1-11:  The Fang, Crowned: A belligerent stands victorious with their spoils. Why is the current peace doomed?

1-12: The Fang, Reflected: A peace has been established. What is being done to mend the damage?

2-1: The Wings, Rising: Something beckons you to the distant horizon. What is calling you?

2-2: The Wings, Entombed: Something was destroyed here so that it could be reborn. When will it rise anew?

2-3: The Wings, Twinned: A relationship is holding somebody back from having true freedom. What is their breaking point?

2-4: The Wings, Waning: A great price has been paid for freedom, and the liberated have slipped into decline. Is there any hope for their survival?

2-5: The Wings, Rooted: A bountiful place provides enough for everybody here. What threatens to disturb the balance?

2-6: The Wings, Bowed: The strong rule over the weak here, but everybody seems content enough. Would freedom be worth the upheaval?

2-7: The Wings, Colliding: This whole place is violently changing into something new. What will emerge from the chaos?

2-8: The Wings, Burning: A devastating truth is revealed, with dramatic consequences. Should the truth be stopped before it can spread further?

2-9: The Wings, Veiled: Something has vanished into the darkness. Who wants it back, and how could it be tracked?

2-10: The Wings, Exiled: A lone traveller passes by, wanting and offering nothing from you. Why are they interesting to you?

2-11: The Wings, Crowned: Somebody longs for freedom, but their cause is likely doomed. What stands in their way?

2-12: The Wings, Reflected: A natural beauty has been transformed into a tasteless vanity project. Who would do this?

3-1: The Cage, Rising: Walls being hastily built to protect something. What business do you have in there?

3-2: The Cage, Entombed: Something has been sealed away for all eternity. What's at stake if it gets out?

3-3: The Cage, Twinned: Two individuals are joining in union. How do they strengthen each other?

3-4: The Cage, Waning: Somebody's loyalties are fading. What made them question their obligation?

3-5: The Cage, Rooted: This place is safe and rich with supplies, but you cannot stay for long. What's pushing you away?

3-6: The Cage, Bowed: A locked gate is flung open. What has changed here?

3-7: The Cage, Colliding: A battered survivor reels from repeated onslaughts. Why won't they give in?

3-8: The Cage, Burning: Somebody is forced to tell the truth. Why did they lie for so long?

3-9: The Cage, Veiled: An unseen power protects something here. How do you know that the protector is there?

3-10: The Cage, Exiled: Duty has forced somebody into a lonely existence. What cause could justify this?

3-11: The Cage, Crowned: Here lies a monument to the Last Stand. How did this final defeat change everything?

3-12: The Cage, Reflected: You are surrounded on all sides for your own safety. Why are you being offered this protection?

Ask the Stars - The Right Questions

As the name might suggest, Ask the Stars relies heavily on questions.

While the Signs and Positions give you the answers, they're not much use unless you know what to ask.

Open/Closed Questions

It can be easy to think of open questions as good and closed questions as bad, but I think there's a spectrum of opportunities beyond those two.

If you just use the Yes/No column of Ask the Stars then you can still ask a question that leads to interesting places, or one that might end up hindering your creativity.

A good Yes/No question should:

• Give interesting results for both Yes and No
• Allow a distinction between soft and hard Yes/No
• Provoke further ideas rather than searching for a definitive judgement

That third point is the tricky one here. Asking "is the tavern open?" doesn't do much to inspire on results of Yes/No, so maybe reframe the question before you roll. 

Instead you could ask:

• Is the tavern busy?
• Does the tavern feel dangerous?
• Has the tavern burned down?

Yes, you're making some assumptions with each of those questions, especially the third, but for this sort of game I think you need to run with what feels right. 

You can push this even further, especially if you're playing solo, and ask some genuinely provocative questions like you would see in something like the prompts in For the Queen or the Quiet Year. 

Pre-Chaining Questions

Back in an earlier iteration of this idea I wrote about chaining questions. A fun twist on this idea is thinking of a set of questions before you roll any dice. Adding a question after each result is great for digging down on details, but you sometimes lose sight of the bigger picture. 

Instead, think of the three most interesting questions you can ask about a particular thing, then only roll the results after locking them in. Sometimes the first two results make your third question an odd fit, but that's the sort of stuff I love! It forces you into some strange explanations and drives you into places you wouldn't have thought of on your own.

Of course remember you can roll 2d12 and keep the higher/lower to nudge the results in a specific direction if it makes more sense, especially following on from the previous answers.

For example, let's go back to that stock-fantasy tavern and think of three questions before rolling anything. We could even use all three questions from our previous example.

1. Is the tavern busy?
2. Does it feel dangerous?
3. Has it burned down?

And we roll...

1. [7 - Yes] It's a bustling tavern. Not especially interesting, let's hope things build from here.
2. [1 - Hard No] Everybody is super friendly, in fact you know a few familiar faces in here. Seems like a genuine safe haven from the world outside.
3. [10 - Hard Yes] Well, after getting cosy you feel an explosion blast one of the tavern walls to pieces, fire spreading among what's left standing. Now we're somewhere interesting!

You could argue with question 3 I moved the fire from past-tense to present, but you're not being held to account here, there's no audit of your authorial integrity at the end of the session, you've just got to agree what feels right with the others at your table, or your own conscience if you're playing solo.

Don't Sweat the Balance

Try to think of the Stars as another person at the table, whether you're playing solo or with a group. Sometimes it feels right to let the Stars run and run, chaining one answer after another, throwing out signs and positions, almost acting like a procedural content generation algorithm. Other times you might get carried away with your own ideas, realising after an hour that you haven't actually rolled any dice.

You don't need me to tell you that these are both perfectly valid, and I expect the reality is you'll sit between these two extremes most of the time, occasionally drifting into one direction or the other before snapping back.

I love games that focus on problem solving challenges and have the sense of an impartial system run by a neutral referee, but that isn't really how Ask the Stars is best utilised. It's built to allow for a bit of floaty inconsistency, and more of the focus is on indulging in creative interpretation of those results and rolling with the consequences that arise from them.

Ask the Stars - The Positions

Onto the second part of my exploration of the Signs and Positions from Ask the Stars.

While the Signs give you a sense of the core of the issue, the Positions tend to act as a modifier of that, a secondary theme, or a sense of how that core is changing. Often they ask you questions that give you more context.

The Signs represent general shapes formed from the stars, while the Position represents their shifting form and relationship to their surroundings. Nothing is permanent, and nothing exists in isolation from its neighbours.

As with the Signs, sometimes the meaning is more literal than symbolic. Reflected can mean reversal or vanity but could also be referring to an actual mirror. 

1 - RISING (Growth/Possibility)

The Sign is moving upward from the horizon or other large reference point. Things often start small, and call for patience or nurture, assuming you want them to grow.

Think about what could be, and how this could just be the start of something so much bigger. What factors are causing this growth. What would happen if it were left untended, and what is your place alongside it?

2 - ENTOMBED (Memory/Death)

The Sign is tightly surrounded on all sides. It cannot be touched, the tomb cannot be broken, but its image remains clear.

Are you looking at something real, or just a shadow of the past? Our memories define us, but they can hold us back. It can be difficult to come to terms with an ending, but even those that die leave an imprint on the world. 

3 - TWINNED (Intimacy/Dependency)

The Sign is repeated nearby. It is strengthened by its twin, but both are dependent on each other. Often when one leaves the skies the other will follow.

What relationships are strengthening this sign? Are they actually a source of strength, or is the co-reliance holding things back? An enemy could use this to exploit an alternative angle of attack, removing the Queen to trap the King.

4 - WANING (Hunger/Decay)

The sign is closing in on itself or its light is fading. All things must pass, but this sign is clinging onto its light, fighting against the darkness.

Consider how this inevitable decline changes things. What would allow things to remain for just a little longer? What desperate things we would do to survive in these last throes?

5 - ROOTED (Stability/Plenty)

The Sign is interlocked with the horizon or another large point of reference. A position of safety, but immobile.

What foundations are holding things in place here? What is providing this position of strength? What source of abundance is allowing things to flourish?

6 - BOWED (Submission/Mercy)

The Sign is small and sits below a much larger object. It is content in its position below a greater power, simultaneously dominated and protected by it.

Consider the power dynamics of this situation, who is submitting to whom? What structures are in place that allow the weak to survive here? If there is a dominant power here, why is its hand steadied? 

7 - COLLIDING (Change/Violence)

The Sign is moving towards another object, or has already begun to meet it head-on.

Great change often comes from a clash of two opposing forces. What are the opposing forces here, and what change would come from their collision? If the clash is inevitable, which side will you take?

8 - BURNING (Honesty/Pride)

The Sign is displayed clearly, brightly, and seems to be growing more intense. Such a roaring flame surely cannot burn forever.

Something is proclaimed loudly here, or perhaps a declaration is needed. What will be the outcome of such plain honesty? Is truth the ideal at play here, or are these declarations a display of self-importance? If pride comes before the fall here, what truth would bring things crashing down?

9 - VEILED (Faith/Deceit)

The Sign is difficult to see, partially obscured by another object. Maybe you can't see it at all, but you feel it's there.

What unseen powers are at work here? Not necessarily malicious forces, but the invisible hands moving the pieces. They could be impartial to us, or perhaps we like to think they're on our side. The veil could be concealing those hands, or blinding our own eyes, asking us to step into the unknown in a trusting stride.

10 - EXILED (Guilt/Autonomy)

The Sign sits alone in a sea of darkness, even the nearby lights appear to be slowly drifting away.

We crave the support and approval of others, but sometimes we must embrace ourselves. What sits alone here, and how does it survive without support? Was it banished, or did it seek solitude?

11 - CROWNED (Ambition/Ruin)

The Sign is capped with a brighter star, its luminance making the Sign appear duller by comparison.

A great achievement can bring rewards, both material and otherwise, but it is rarely enough. What achievement is being recognised here, and what comes next? Who is climbing the ladder, and how far left before they run out of rungs? All towers must fall. 

12 - REFLECTED (Reversal/Vanity)

The Sign is mirrored in another part of the sky. They appear identical at first, but time reveals subtle differences.

When we observe ourselves we must acknowledge our flaws as much as our strengths. Focusing on either one alone presents a distorted reality. Is there another way of looking at things here? What boon could actually be viewed as a bane, or vice versa? For every action there is an opposite reaction, where can this be seen? 

COMBINATIONS

So now we have all of the Signs and Positions fully fleshed out, let's put it to work with three rolls, asking for a character, location, and event.

Character: 10/11 - The Fleet, Crowned

Somebody striving toward their ambition relentlessly, to hell with the cost. Perhaps the wreckage they left in their wake is slowly amassing to drag them back down to earth.

Location: 3/1 - The Cage, Rising

A place where growth is simultaneously protected and nurtured, but destined for a set purpose. A walled city that appears at first as a thriving metropolis, but is working towards a selfish goal.

Event: 9/10 - The Elder, Exiled

The old faith is thrown out, kept alive by a few hermits. Where will they retreat to find safety?

Ask the Stars - The Signs

The Signs are designed to work as oracles, similar to how I've used Spark Tables but with a dash of Tarot's symbolism and openness to interpretation. I want to strike a balance between being vague enough to suit a range of situations, but specific enough to offer actual direction for your creativity.

The Signs make up the first half of the Ask the Stars system. The Signs don't represent static constellations, instead looser patterns that appear to reform commonly among the shifting positions of the Living Stars.

When combined with a Position, the Sign generally gives you the core of the issue at hand, with the Position acting as a modifier or accent to this.

Each is condensed to its symbol and two words. Let's dig a bit deeper into each.

1 - THE FANG (Hostility/Fear)

The survival-obsessed beast that lurks behind all of our civilised words and facades. The Fang represents the terrible things that we would do to ensure our own safety, and the unpredictable things that others would do to protect their own. These things tend to snowball out of control. A misplaced glance here, a crossed-wire there, and before you know we're enemies tearing at each other's throats. 

The Fang speaks to you when you're holding a knife and your eye lingers on it for just a touch too long. It may have been the first Sign that we learned to recognise in the stars, and without it we might have never made it beyond our first campfires. 

It can represent spiralling tension between two neighbours, a paranoid recluse, or a cowardly lickspittle parroting their leaders words of hatred. 

2- THE WINGS (Freedom/Nature)

That feeling of just wanting to leave everything behind. What could be more important than this ultimate freedom? Everything around you is just holding you back, like rocks pinning down a bird's wings. Don't overthink it, that's what you've always done up to this point.

The Wings speak to you when you gaze out of your window or into the night sky. It's the comfort you feel when you turn your back on obligations and responsibilities, or allow your animal brain to take full control. 

It can represent elopers heading off for a new life together, a hermit embracing wilderness life, or even nature itself acting as a great leveller.

3 - THE CAGE (Protection/Obligation)

The sacrifice of liberty for security, but consider that the danger can positioned be on either side of the cage. Stick to your word, laying down your life for the cause you have sworn to protect if that's what it takes. Some say that cages are made to be broken, but it's not your place to question, just to hold strong for as long as you can. 

The Cage tells you to close ranks and stay true to your oaths. If it all goes wrong, then at least believe that your sacrifice would be worth something.

It can represent a soldier throwing down their life to protect their liege, a secret society forming a square around a member when threatened by slander, or a monk dedicating their life to the spiritual salvation of their peers. 

4 - THE HAND (Creation/Misdirection)

The power and mastery that we all possess. By our own hands we wrench our vision into reality and feel our power grow even further. But a hand rarely works alone, so always consider what is happening behind the flashiness in front of you. The craftiest hands do their work out of plain sight.

The Hand puts your plans into action and forces your will onto the world around you, whether by your own hard work or the manipulation of others. 

It can represent a visionary leader uniting disparate followers, an engineer creating devices beyond their own reckoning, or a shadowy power behind the throne.

5 - THE MASK (Persuasion/Shame)

Everything that is false, hiding behind your face. We look at others and constantly fail to see the same insecurities and self-loathing that lurk and whisper to us. We seek their approval, but do not allow ourselves to enjoy it. Still, we can't get enough of it.

The Mask puts on a presentable face to the world, following social norms and building connections, all the while gnawing at you with its other side, never letting you show your true face.

It can represent a charismatic performer craving approval, a righteous politician hiding a dark secret, or a nation rising in anger to reclaim its shattered pride.

6 - THE EYE (Judgement/Secrets)

You just can't resist, can you? Peering over that fence, listening in on that conversation, reading that letter carelessly left out in the open. But just knowing isn't enough. You must pass judgement. What did they do wrong? Something rotten at their core? You'd better make sure your own secrets are carefully locked away.

The Eye draws you towards your neighbour and asks you what you really think of them, longing for an opportunity to be able to proclaim your judgement out loud.

It can represent a vengeful inquisitor, an intrusive relative, or a vault-keeper that revels in holding so many prized and secret possessions. 

7 - THE CHILD (Learning/Greed)

The empty vessel that we all were at birth. A cup longing to be filled with knowledge, but at times can feel impossible to even half-fill. The more we learn, the more we want. The more we have, the less we appreciate those things. The more questions we ask, the less we like the answers we hear. 

The Child is a constant voice inside you, always asking "But why?" and never being satisfied with the answer. 

It can represent an iconoclastic young scholar, a gluttonous socialite, or a bickering circle of conspiracy theorists.

8 - THE TRAVELLER (Wandering/Chance)

Symbolised as a walking stick or a sword, this is the romantic version of ourselves that follows the wind and leaves everything to fate. They close their eyes and trust that their destiny is planned, stepping boldly into whatever the universe has planned or them. Forget about your origin and your destination, all that matters is this step on your journey.

The Traveller wants your mind to shut off from worrying about past and present, and focus on what makes the now interesting. Stop to smell the roses, but don't stay for too long. 

It can represent a Knight without a liege, an artist travelling in search of inspiration, or a gambler that lost everything on a roll of the dice.

9 - THE ELDER (Authority/Tradition)

Listen. This is the way it is. I've been around, I've done the required reading, and everybody agrees with me. Who do you think you are to question this? Some things just work, so why should they change? Progress isn't a march towards some utopian destination, you know. It's much more complicated than that, but you really don't need to understand. Just get in your lane and you'll be happier.

The Elder speaks with harsh words that can, at times, feel oddly comforting. It's nice to not have to agonise over every ethical decision, so just follow orders or do things the traditional way.

It can represent a Prince inheriting great power through his bloodline, a despot stamping out resistance, or an ancient festival uniting a culture in celebration. 

10 - THE FLEET (Direction/Struggle)

The easy journeys are hardly worth thinking about. At some point we're all due a great pilgrimage, whether we're a lone ship or part of a sprawling armada. The journey makes us, and the destination allows us to reflect on the price paid. Was it worth it? And where next?

The Fleet pushes us towards our ambitions and desires, manifesting around us when we finally take those first steps towards progress. Its momentum keeps us going forward, sometimes preventing us from reconsidering the direction we're travelling in.

It can represent a battered army refusing to stand down and return home, an explorer leaving behind a loving family, or a great leader rising up through a life of hardship.

11 - THE COUNCIL (Opposition/Cycles)

Everything comes back around to where it started eventually, so what's the point in it all? We've got to keep the wheels turning, or else somebody will feel their side isn't getting the fair share of sunlight. Go through the motions, make them work for what they want or else they'll just keep asking for more.

The Council is the friction you feel even when you're doing something you've done a million times before. Why can't this just be simpler? Everything needs some sort of opposition, like the universe itself acting as Devil's Advocate.

It can represent a difficult harvest season after a particularly good year, a ruler unable to get reforms through their parliament, or a formerly ridiculed pastime coming back into fashion.

12 - THE LEGION (Unification/Identity)

The individual is nothing compared to the crowd, and the crowd ascends to something truly special when they act as one. A fighter is nothing next to a knight, and a knight nothing next to a crusader. We can do so much more when we cast off our own names and chant for our cause as a single voice of thousands.

The Legion is the rush you feel when you're marching in step with your compatriots, when you cheer at a flag being raised, and when you almost feel no control over your own body and voice. 

It can represent an army marching under a new banner, a traveller adopting the local culture, or a choir singing in perfect harmony.

Next time we'll look at the Positions that give each sign even more possibilities.

Ask the Stars - A Minimal Solo RPG

So I'm going through a real phase of just chopping existing games to bits and seeing if the remains still twitch. Maybe that's all I've ever really done.

Next in line was Ironsworn by Shawn Tomkin. 

There's lots to like in here, especially if you like a game with lots of moving parts and PBTA-style moves. The solo/coop stuff is what's really notable here, and there are loads of videos and written reports of the fun people have had using this game in that way.

Me, Myself and Die is a particularly polished example

So obviously my dream is to be able to tap into those useful solo/coop tools but see how many of the systems I can jettison in the process without the entire thing falling apart.

I also dipped back into some of my experiments with Intergalactic Bastionland, which continues to warp and morph in my head. The thing that I've been most happy with is the use of 2d12 rolls as a sort of oracle to discover truths about the world.

As I pressed on, I reached a point in the design that I always enjoy. A point where I looked at the document and thought "wait... there isn't really any Ironsworn left in here".

So we have a new thing! But I think it's fun to share the origin of these experiments. 

BEFORE PLAYING

Download all the free stuff for Ironsworn or buy it in print. Read through it and absorb its guidance for running a solo/coop game. It's really good, and I'm not going to regurgitate it word-for-word here, and as it's free I feel like anybody interested in trying solo games should go and give them a read. 

Done? Okay, onto how to play this game.

ASK THE STARS - A Minimal Solo RPG

Most of the game comes down to two things:

1. Asking the Stars
2. Your Notes

Getting Inspiration: Roll 2d12 and consult the Symbols and Position columns. Inspiration could be symbolic or literal. The Cage might represent Protection or Obligation or just a physical cage. 

Use this to create characters and give them descriptive Strengths and Weaknesses until they feel interesting. This method also generates locations, events, and anything else you need.

Yes/No Questions: Ask and roll d12 and consult the Answer column. If more/less likely to be true, roll 2d12 and discard the lower/higher respectively. Consult your Notes to decide whether an action is likely/unlikely in this way. 

What Else: For anything else you need, Ask the Stars in one of the two ways above.

Wait what about: Yes, just ask the Stars.

YOUR NOTES

Your notes are a record of what's real in the game. Things you narrate out loud or in your head are real to a degree, but writing them down sort of locks them in. The goal is to make them interesting.

I'd recommend boxing off a few different sections for your notes, or maybe a page for each if you're settling in.

Character: Note down some details about your character. Give them a Strength and a Weakness that are both relatively broad. Add to and modify these as the story progresses.

Assets: These are beneficial things your character acquires to help in their journey. They might make you more likely to succeed in certain actions, or open up new actions that were not previously possible.

Debilities: When you would take direct harm to your character, note a specific Debility that occurs as a result. They might make you less likely to succeed in certain actions, or prevent actions that were previously possible.

In general taking a third Debility of the same type (ie a physical wound) should have permanent consequences.

Challenges: Note down the challenge and keep a list of steps you’ve made towards completing it. Not everything is a Challenge, and it's mainly for significant multi-stage tasks. 

As a general rule, Challenges require three steps to complete and may require a final roll if the outcome is still uncertain. 

World: Use this section to keep any other notes you think will be useful, especially characters and locations. Here maps are especially useful. Before play, try to sum up the core of your setting in three bullet points and make an instigating situation that throws your character into making tough choices. 

WAIT, THAT'S IT?

Yep, that's all you're getting. 

Now when I was talking about Risus I mentioned that I preferred games to come with some flavour of their own, but here you've got the Stars to assist you in creating that flavour for yourself. So let's say I sit down not even knowing what sort of setting I want to run in. I know nothing.

Stars, hit me with some straight-up inspiration for a setting.

I roll 2d12 and get 11/5, so that's the Council, Rooted.

I could take this very literally. The setting features a council that's literally rooted in place. Do they live in a tree? Have they been turned to stone? Are they buried in a warren of tunnels? Each of those could be the spark of a setting, but they'd need work.

Or we could do with the less literal approach. We've got Opposition/Cycles and Stability/Plenty. 

Opposition and Stability could pair up to represent some sort of uprising. A world in the midst of a revolution against the status quo. Cycles/Plenty makes me think of harvest. Maybe the harvest is ruined this year, which triggers the aforementioned revolution.

Let's augment all this with some Yes/No questions asked to the stars.

Is this a pseudo-medieval setting?

I feel like this is likely, given some of the things we've touched on (agriculture, being turned to stone) so we roll 2d12 and keep the highest.

Roll is 5/5: No.

Even taking the highest die we're not in that era. Is is drawing from further back in history?

Roll is 8: Yes.

Okay. So I'm going to make a call here and say we're drawing on pre-medieval themes, more like late-classical, fall of Rome. I could keep asking yes/no questions to narrow things down, but you've also got to leap into inspiration when you feel it.

Are there many supernatural elements in this setting?

I'm going to say this is likely, based on my gut feeling. 

Roll is 1/4: No. 

Again the dice surprise us. This is what I like about this process. As it wasn't a hard no, I'm going to say there are hints of supernatural, but nothing openly fantastical. Right at the bottom end of low-fantasy.

Are the Council the holders of what little supernatural power there is?

Roll is 3: Hard No.

So perhaps the Council have worked to supress a supernatural element in this setting.

Maybe we can draw on all those ideas and do a classic three-bullet setting, or at least enough to start running a game. 

The World

• The harvest has failed for the first time in a century, the once thriving Empire is burning in the flames of rebellion.
• The Council has descended into the warren of tunnels and caves beneath the capital, cowering while their city burns.
• Without the Council holding them back, whispers tell of things emerging from the shadows, preying on the desperate and hungry citizens.

Gives us enough to get started! Let's use the same system to generate a character.

2d12 gives us The Mask (Persuasion/Shame), Bowed (Submission/Mercy).

Let's ask some more questions to hone in on this.

Do we work for the Council?

1: Hard No.

Sounds like we oppose the council. Maybe we're part of this rebellion that's been brewing for years.

Let's use Persuasion/Bowed to make our character a sort of sleeper agent. Maybe we're within the Council, but have been working against them all along. Now, in their moment of weakness, we need to aid the rebellion from within while also keeping our identity secret. 

Now we need a Strength and a Weakness.

4/2 gives us the Hand (Creation/Misdirection) Entombed (Memory/Death).

Being a spy, Misdirection would be sort of obvious as a Strength, so let's go away from that. We'll use Creation/Death to make ourselves an Engineer, used by the council to create weapons. 

That leaves us with Misdirection and Memory to determine our weakness. Or we could take a more literal approach with the Hand Entombed. Maybe in the uprising we got caught in a  skirmish and lost our hand. That's why we were dragged underground by the other Council members. We wanted to slink away, but they were trying to protect us, unknowing that we were working against them.

And for a name we'll just warp one of the words we didn't use. Memory becomes Morie. Feel like we need one more little physical or behavioural detail so let's do a final roll. 

8/4: The Traveller (wandering/chance), Waning (hunger/decay). 

I like chance + hunger to make us a a keen gambler, perhaps compulsive. 

Character

Morie - Rebellion Sleeper Agent

• Engineer, specialising in weapons.
• Recently maimed from scuffle with the Rebellion.
• Compulsive gambler, always carries a set of dice.

Have fun, and let me know if you try this out for yourself.