Name: Copper Reckless, “Moon”
HP: 3
Adaptations: Lycanthrope, Drifter
Abilities: Can grow savage claws (d8) and climb sheer surfaces. Risk a Burden to return to usual form. Reflex transformation at full moon. // Roll for two items when foraging. Can always act first in combat. Roll twice when rolling for the result of a Concoction, choosing either.
STR: 10 Dex: 11 Willpower: 6 Luck: 11
Age: 30s
Inventory (10/10): Weary (Burden), 4 shots of juice, 1 supply, Crossbow(d6) and Bolts, Antique Six-Shooter (d8), Ragged clothes, Padded cloak(+1 armor), Bottle of Vodka, Shard(1 spell: Atomic Flux Separate your atoms before combining again a second later, up to 50 feet away), Vial of Poison, Diary and pencil, Metamorphoses, The Dispossessed
The ruins stretch out before me, remains of a capitalist system that ended up ending the world.
Before, when I said, job is a job, I didn’t mean it how you might think. Back in the day, that would have meant, a job gets you some money, and you need money to live, to even exist. So you take whatever corporate, soul-sucking, boring, job you can get.
What a fuckin’ stupid idea, right?
Nowadays, when I say a job is a job, I mean it’s something worth doing. It’s not a mindless grind doing unimportant busywork, it’s helpful to someone or something, and they in turn, will help you if and when they can. That’s how the world works now. We help each other. Not for money. Not for ‘gain’ or ‘influence’ or ‘power’, but because we need each other. We’re all human.
Well, mostly.
I get philosophical as hell out on my own.
I leave the bunker behind, heading into the ruins.
Current Watch: Morning (6 hours passed since starting out at dawn)
What’s the next location? Stronghold
How many day’s travel? 1
Two hours to reach first point. Afternoon.
Weather: 1d20 vs luck = 19/10. Fail. Luck+1 → 10
Signs of trouble: Strangely still. And getting hot
Environment: The road opens to a flooded underground shopping arcade
Feature: A [Droid Encounter] scratching out existence
Encounter: The wind changes, and Weather shifts. Roll a Luck Save against Worse Weather
1d20 vs luck = 20, fail. Luck+1 → 11
Hour later, worse weather sets in: Intensely humid, clothes and eyes drenched in sweat
Droid Encounter: 1d6 Android Militia (1)
Reaction: 5 → Wired
Air is still, too still. Heat baking the ground. Sun rises
Cracked road leads down to a flooded underground mall where once capitalist slaves spent their hard-earned cash on whatever the latest advertisements told them to buy.
Someone, walking waste deep through the waters, picking through floating bits of garbage.
They notice me and pull a blaster.
hands up, who are you
name’s moon, not here to hurt you
Will they listen to me? Test the world.
2d20 vs Luck = 6,13 vs 11, yes, but…
Luck → 10
if true, drop your weapons
I comply. Better than gettin’ shot.
They lower their gun.
what are you doing here?
looking for someone, named Lucky
Have they seen him around here?
2d20 vs luck = 18,16 → No, and…
Luck → 11
i haven’t seen anyone around here for days
Are they lying? Will test, 13 vs 6, fail. I can’t tell.
what else is ‘round here?
Will they tell me anything? Test vs the world
2d20 vs luck = 7,19 → yes but, only if I give them something
luck → 10
what will you give me?
I pull out Metamorphoses.
They take it, look it over, nod.
Hazards:
-1d3 2-Headed Helldogs, tentacle mouths (half-seen shape)
-Sudden river of toxic sludge (sharp smell/brown haze)
-Electrical storm (ominous clouds, rising winds)
-1d6 Direwolves, glistening teeth, red eyes (distant noise)
Loot:
-An abandoned mobile-home, inside pristine. Roll 2d6 times on the d666 Items table
-A secret entrance to an abandoned Bunker. Double the amount of Loot is found inside
Luck roll for loot: 17 vs 10 → Fail.
Luck → 11
They point towards the other end of the flooded mall.
helldogs and a river of sludge in that direction, if you get past ‘em, there’s a secret bunker entrance, good luck
Points in another direction.
electrical storm that way, as well as an abandoned mobile-home, might be decent loot in there if you survive the storm
Another gesture.
fastest way to the stronghold is that way, through an underground subway system, but beware of direwolves, maybe your man is at the stronghold?
thanks
I head for the mobile home. Least risky, might as well check it out.
Environment: Carpet of wildflowers covers the remnants of wide road
Feature: A couple, [Faction Encounter] exiles, expecting a child
Encounter: None
Faction:
Clouds darker, heat oppressive.
Carpet of wildflowers covering a cracked road.
Lightning flashes in the sky and rain starts pouring down.
Fuck fuck fuck
Trailer park, most homes smashed and ruined.
One left standing, surprisingly good condition.
Lightning strikes down.
I yell FUCK and run.
Dex save: 1d20 vs Dex = 14 vs 11 → Fail. Spend 3 luck to pass.
Luck → 8
Lightning strikes behind me.
I hit the door and slam through.
Is Lucky here? UNLIKELY = roll 3d20, use 2 highest.
3d20 vs Luck (7) = 19,17,17 → No, and…
Reaction of NPCs drops from Wary to Wired
Luck → 9
No sign of Lucky.
Bow and arrow pointed at my face.
Woman holds the bow, pregnant. A man, next to her, holds a blade.
who the fuck are you
nobody, name’s moon, just looking for someone
Bow is drawn tighter.
sent after us, weren’t ya
no, no, no! man named Lucky, from my glade, don’t give a fuck who you are, name’s moon
Do they listen? test the world
2d20 vs Luck = 11,3 vs 9, yes, but
luck → 8
hand over your weapons or get the fuck out
Again? are you fucking kidding me.
i want them back
I hand over my crossbow and revolver.
Woman loosens the bow. Man puts his blade away.
moon? i’m honey and this is solar
Have they heard/seen Lucky? test the world.
2d20 vs luck = 8,19 → yes, but he’s not in a safe place
Luck → 7
we met your man, Lucky, headed to the bunker a few hours away from here, tried to talk him out of it but he wouldn’t listen
Woman gestures around her.
welcome to search with us, long as we split everything we find,
agreed
2d6 = 8
8d666 =
-Universal Epoxy Tubes Strong solvent V: 2 S: 1
-Wooden Bracers V:2 S:1 A:1
-USB stick: V:3 -.jpgs of every single Magic: The Gathering card
-Lockpick Kit V: 3, S: 1
-Harpoon Gun (near range) V:8 d6 ammo S:2 D: d8
-Wooden Club V: 1 S: 1 D: d6
-Key Item: Neurochip Implant, Engineer V: 25 S: 1
-Shard: Essential Dampener All nearby Essential effects have their effectiveness halved.
We find some decent shit and pile it in the center of the room.
Haggle.
I get the neurochip if they get everything else, and I offer my vial of poison to sweeten the deal.
Acquired Key Item!
Before I go, they ask about my glade.
I shake my head.
torn blew through and blasted it all to hell, just ruins now, lookin’ for a new one
They nod. A common-enough story these days.
Do I make it out unscathed? test the world
2d20 vs dex = 18,11 vs 11 = Fail one, Match one = No
Spend 1 Luck = Yes, but I’m slowed down by the oppressive weather. Takes me double time to get back to the flooded mall.
Lightning doesn’t get me.
Still hot as hell. Tired. Slow.
Weather: 1d20 vs luck = 12 vs 6 → Fail.
Luck → 7
Intensely humid, clothes and eyes drenched in sweat
Evening. Flooded underground mall.
Small, cramped space to crawl into and rest.
Neurochip into the back of my neck.
Latches on and I feel a sudden-
Vision: “Of the present”, A charismatic individual shines.
A form, a figure, speaking, I can’t understand the words but I smile, I feel content, others do as well, this individual, they have an inner glow and when they speak, it reaches out and touches each and every one of us.
Gain Adaptation: Engineer → Can easily disable locks and devices. Always has the right tool. Knows the layout and hidden ways of built structures.
+1 HP = 4 HP
1d20 vs Dex (11) = 3. No change. +d6 luck = +2
Luck → 9
+ Mechanics Kit
+ Burden: shamed
Inventory (10/10): Weary (Burden), Shamed (Burden), 4 shots of juice, 1 supply, Crossbow(d6) and Bolts, Antique Six-Shooter (d8), Ragged clothes, Padded cloak(+1 armor), Shard(1 spell: Atomic Flux Separate your atoms before combining again a second later, up to 50 feet away), Diary and pencil, The Dispossessed, Mechanic’s Kit
Crack of dawn.
Back of my neck, nothing’s there.
I feel…different. I know…things. Devices, buildings, I can envision them in my mind, their make-up, their parts, how they go together.
Mechanics kit at my feet.
Take it and leave my bottle of vodka behind. Maybe someone else will find a use for it.
I look in the distance, towards the brown haze and set out.
Dawn
Weather: 1d20 vs luck = 19 vs 9 → Fail
Luck → 10
Chilly. Prefer over the excessive heat.
Clouds darkening overhead.
Environment: A clocktower smothered in flowering vines
Feature: A huge tree towers above, petals dropping like confetti
Encounter: Creeping vines in dark ruins, 2. Ensnare a still limb
Loot: Test vs luck → Fail
Piles of rubble, shattered buildings, tunnels of wreckage.
Parking lot.
Clocktower, covered in flowering vines.
Center of the lot, bursting out of the concrete itself, huge, towering tree, green petals dropping.
Past the lot and tower, brown river of sludge cuts through.
Don’t love cutting through the open like that. Not much choice. Where are those damn dogs?
Take cover behind a rusted vehicle.
Vines come through cracks in the pavement, one snags my leg.
Fuck.
STR save to pull free → 1d20 vs STR = 18 vs 10 → Fail
I can’t get free.
Are the dogs far away? Test vs the world
2d20 vs luck: 4,5 vs 10 → Yes and
Luck → 9
I hear barking and howling from a distance.
Phew, I have time.
STR save → 3 vs 10 = Success
I rip my leg free and run for the river.
Is there an easy way across? test vs the world
2d20 vs luck = 10,3 vs 9 → Yes, but
Luck → 8
Makeshift bridge made of wreckage crosses it.
Barks and howls closer. I run.
Do I make it across before the dogs arrive?
2d20 vs dex = 14,13 vs 11 → No, and
Reaction → Worsens
Reaction: 7 → Wary → Drops to Wired
Close to bridge.
Dogs on my heels.
Nasty things, two-headed, monstrous brutes.
No way I can take on two of them.
I pull out my shard. Now’s the time, if ever. I concentrate.
I appear across the bridge, on the other side of the river.
Are the dogs afraid to cross the river? 2d20 vs luck
2d20 vs luck = 12,20 vs 8 → No, and they begin crossing immediately, moving fast.
Luck → 9
FUCK
I start to pull at the jury-rigged bridge supports, trying to destroy it or at least destabilize it.
Do I wreck the bridge? test vs the world.
2d20 vs STR = 2,11 vs 10 → Yes, but only a little
Bridge shakes and shudders as I rip it apart.
One of the dogs tumbles and falls,
Lets out a warbling cry before submerged in sludge.
The other stays on the bridge.
I pull out my antique gun and fire.
Hit. Whimper of pain.
The dog charges and attacks, both heads going in to bite.
One rips into my arm.
Fuck that hurts.
I move back, reload and fire again.
Dog drops and doesn’t move.
I gasp for breath, holding my wounded arm.
Fuck that was too close
Nudge the body with my foot.
Tentacle mouths. Two heads AND tentacle mouths? What.the.fuck.
Combat recap:
Shoot: d8 dmg = 8! Dog drops to 0 HP.
Ammo: 2d6 = 10.
d8+d8 = 6,4 → 6 dmg, -1 armor = 5 damage. 0HP
STR-1 = 9. STR Save: 1d20 vs 9 = 4 → Success. Not Down!
Fire. d8 dmg = 8! dog STR drops to 4. STR save: 10 vs 4 → Fail. DOG GOES DOWN
Ammo: 2d6 = 6. Ammo → 1d6
Bandage my arm. Take a rest.
Time to head to the bunker.
Notes
That was close! I was almost going to end this part before the encounter with the dogs but realized this could be the end for Moon so I decided to play it out.
Still loving Eco Mofos. I attempted Caern solo before but it didn’t really click, but for whatever reason, ECO really clicks for me. Testing Vs The World is a very cool solo mechanic, that gives you a bit more of a chance then just a regular save and I think that works really well for solo playing.
One note: I use “yes”, “no”, “but”, “and” a bit differently than RAW. For me, “No, and” is double negative, and “yes, and” is double positive. “No, but” to me is a negative ‘but’ something positive happens, and similar with “yes, but”, positive ‘but’ something negative happens.
Please drop a comment and let me know what you think, or if you have any questions about the game.
If interested in supporting me, consider subscribing and sharing my work with others.
You can also buy Niv Lova, the game I made or join as a paying subscriber. Paying subscribers will receive copies of anything I create ttrpg-related for free.
I’m also considering sending out a free small ttrpg-related resource (1-page-ish) once a month to Paying Subscribers.
Would there be interest in that?
Thanks to Andrew Wylde, BuddhaRandom, and Eric, for being paid subscribers.
Check out the Table of Contents for previous games I’ve played as well as other stuff I’ve written. It hasn’t been updated in awhile but does have some previous actual plays that I’m pretty proud of
This Actual Play is single-handedly going to get me to buy Eco Mofos. Nice work.
I agree that testing vs the world is a nice mechanic.
So many games to play, not enough time...
You didn't take the Magic the Gathering jpgs?! ;0