TREY is a new solo set of rules and The Comae Engine is a d100 RPG with a versatile conflict resolution system both from FrostByte Books. Rather than a review, this is a walkthrough of using TREY to play solo with The Comae Engine using FrostByte Book’s setting of Odd Soot combining both rulesets to see what type of solo adventure emerges.
Thankfully for Maarten, this is a short adventure. He needs to collect 15 Story Tokens to solve the mystery and save his family’s play. Unexpected events add one Story Token while a significant unexpected event generates three Story Token. In addition to a roll, the player may choose to have a significant event happen to move the story forward.
As the game unfolds, the player will want to record the scene number, place and time, story tokens, list of allies and enemies, ongoing objectives, and final goal.
I consult the Oracle. While Maarten doesn’t know that Alba is infected by the Soot, I do know, and therefore I put the chance of her knowing which people in the village where the play is to take place may be infected with the Soot as Very Likely.
I roll a d6 probability die, a d8 detail die, and a d10 oracle die rolling 2, 1, and 10. Because Alba is likely to know where to find the infected, I add the probability die and oracle die rolls together for a total of 12, an Exceptional Yes. Not only does Alba know who likely is infected with, but she also knows where to find them. The detail die indicates that getting Accessibility to the Soot has an Easy difficulty.
Alba tells Maarten where to find those infected with the Soot. All she asks in return is Maarten telling her anything he learns about their condition. His Circle rating with the Autumn Leaves will increase as well.
Because no double or triples were rolled, no Story Tokens are earned. This makes sense, as Maarten hasn’t really learned anything concrete yet. I decide not to have an unexpected event happen yet.
I consult the Oracle with a roll of 6, 2, and 5. Since good treatment is very unlikely from the infected, I subtract the 6 from the 5 that was rolled. The infected react violently. The roll of 2 indicates they are antisocial which is no surprise. Because the d10 landed farthest away from me, the infected are stronger than Maarten.
Outnumbered and under threat, Maarten draws his .32 automatic pistol and I use the combat rules to see who prevails. Maarten doesn’t know it, but taking a life means he may become infected with the Soot himself.
Maarten prevails, but with serious consequences as the Soot takes hold of him after taking a life. In addition, this seems to be the perfect time to roll for an Unexpected Event.
A roll of 5, 2, and 7 yields: a positive outcome after the combat during which an NPC does something unexpected.
As Maarten fights for his life, one of his foes actives an infected invention, killing himself in the process. However, the device remains behind and once Maarten stops the other enemies he has a clue to examine and has earned his first Story Token.
Do I want to keep playing this adventure to see what happens next? Yes I do. With just two scenes complete, I can see how well the Oracle in TREY directs events in the adventure and how the unexpected can generate Story Tokens and drive the adventure forward.
If you want to try solo RPGing without a pre-written adventure, test out a new RPG, or get help in creating an adventure then TREY may be just what you’ve been looking for.
My thanks to Clarence Redd for providing me a copy of TREY and The Comae Engine to try out and discuss.
Your Turn: What solo RPGs do you enjoy and why?
Things to Know
- TREY: The Oracle and Unexpected Events: Trey creates decisions for the GM and random events through the Oracle random generator with a roll of three dice: six-sided, eight-sided, and ten-sided. Doubles yields an unexpected event and triples results in a significant unexpected event. TREY can be used for solo GMing, for testing out adventures or RPGs, and to improve adventure building skills.
- The Comae Engine: Versatile Conflict and Circles: Versatile conflict moves the game away from wargaming roots and towards a variety of conflicts including chases. Circles are groups that PCs can work for or against and join.
- Odd Soot: Science Fiction Mystery in the 1920s: Space travel and a threat called the Soot, a disease that brings on madness, that is barely understood in an alternate 1920s.
- My Character: Theatre and University: Maarten Klang is a fledgling private detective in the adventure The Red Star. The Autumn Leaves are life-long friends he met at university even though he never graduated. He grew up in institutionalized theatre where he was manipulated and mistreated.
The Mission
From TREY’s mission generator, Maarten has to figure out who is trying to sabotage a play his family is in before opening night. They don’t have any way to pay him, and Maarten has to return to the theater, the idea of which he still likes but which is tied to people and memories he’d rather forget. The sabotage happens with frightening inventions of the Soot-infected: destructive items that do not always follow the laws of physics.Thankfully for Maarten, this is a short adventure. He needs to collect 15 Story Tokens to solve the mystery and save his family’s play. Unexpected events add one Story Token while a significant unexpected event generates three Story Token. In addition to a roll, the player may choose to have a significant event happen to move the story forward.
As the game unfolds, the player will want to record the scene number, place and time, story tokens, list of allies and enemies, ongoing objectives, and final goal.
Scene One
Maarten decides to visit Alba Grundtvig, a scholar and part of his Circle the Autumn Leaves. She has taken to studying both the Soot and those infected by it. She sees Maarten as a cherished friend and wants to help him (based on the positive Circle).I consult the Oracle. While Maarten doesn’t know that Alba is infected by the Soot, I do know, and therefore I put the chance of her knowing which people in the village where the play is to take place may be infected with the Soot as Very Likely.
I roll a d6 probability die, a d8 detail die, and a d10 oracle die rolling 2, 1, and 10. Because Alba is likely to know where to find the infected, I add the probability die and oracle die rolls together for a total of 12, an Exceptional Yes. Not only does Alba know who likely is infected with, but she also knows where to find them. The detail die indicates that getting Accessibility to the Soot has an Easy difficulty.
Alba tells Maarten where to find those infected with the Soot. All she asks in return is Maarten telling her anything he learns about their condition. His Circle rating with the Autumn Leaves will increase as well.
Because no double or triples were rolled, no Story Tokens are earned. This makes sense, as Maarten hasn’t really learned anything concrete yet. I decide not to have an unexpected event happen yet.
Scene Two
Maarten investigates those infected with the Soot to see if any of them might have created the devices used to sabotage his family’s play. Before he can ask any questions, I have to see how they react.I consult the Oracle with a roll of 6, 2, and 5. Since good treatment is very unlikely from the infected, I subtract the 6 from the 5 that was rolled. The infected react violently. The roll of 2 indicates they are antisocial which is no surprise. Because the d10 landed farthest away from me, the infected are stronger than Maarten.
Outnumbered and under threat, Maarten draws his .32 automatic pistol and I use the combat rules to see who prevails. Maarten doesn’t know it, but taking a life means he may become infected with the Soot himself.
Maarten prevails, but with serious consequences as the Soot takes hold of him after taking a life. In addition, this seems to be the perfect time to roll for an Unexpected Event.
A roll of 5, 2, and 7 yields: a positive outcome after the combat during which an NPC does something unexpected.
As Maarten fights for his life, one of his foes actives an infected invention, killing himself in the process. However, the device remains behind and once Maarten stops the other enemies he has a clue to examine and has earned his first Story Token.
How Did the Solo Adventure Go?
I’m no where near done with the adventure but I’m thrilled with the adventure so far. Maarten used his Circle to get help and suddenly plunged into danger that could alter the course of this life forever if he contracts the Soot. He has already gotten into a gun fight but has made a bit of progress towards helping his family.Do I want to keep playing this adventure to see what happens next? Yes I do. With just two scenes complete, I can see how well the Oracle in TREY directs events in the adventure and how the unexpected can generate Story Tokens and drive the adventure forward.
If you want to try solo RPGing without a pre-written adventure, test out a new RPG, or get help in creating an adventure then TREY may be just what you’ve been looking for.
My thanks to Clarence Redd for providing me a copy of TREY and The Comae Engine to try out and discuss.
Your Turn: What solo RPGs do you enjoy and why?
