Game: The One Ring: A Tale from the Lone Lands!
System: The One Ring
GM: Morgan E
Location: Upper Hall
Age Rating: Adult Only (ages 16+)
Players: 2-5
Genre: Lord of the Rings Fantasy
Description: Jari the Wanderer, noted treasure-finder with a nose for gold, is looking for the buried treasure of his great-uncle Bori! Journey into the Lonelands near Bree in search of hidden treasures, though who knows what dangers lie in wait on the lonely edges of the wild.
Tags: Newbie Friendly, Prior setting / system knowledge useful
Warnings: Implied danger to children
Game: The Treasure of the Dread Pirate McTiernan
System: Dread
GM: Angus McEwing
Location: Upper Hall
Age Rating: Adult Only (ages 16+)
Players: 3-6
Genre: Pulp and slight Horror
Description: The Dread Pirate McTiernan, terror of the Spanish Maine, has recently passed away in (dis)honourable combat with the French navy. The inheritance of his vast horde of buried treasure is now an open question, seeing as how the Dread Pirate, never being fond of bookkeeping, declined to record a will and testament. The location of said treasure be known to you and your band of fellows on the good ship Terpsichore; a small, supposedly cursed island, in the Antilles chain. But it also be known to McTiernan’s other lieutenants and, as the unnamed island comes into view, so too do the black sails of your competitors on this treasure hunt.
But in the pirate’s race to lay claim to their retirement funds few stop to consider why this god-forsaken speck of land was chosen by McTiernan to be its final resting place. Nor indeed, why the locals and smugglers alike seem to sail a wide berth around its sandy shallows.
This game uses a modified Dread system which relies on a Jenga tower to resolve narrative conflicts. This creates a strong sense of player tension that mirrors the narrative, however, it would not be recommended for those with dexterity based disabilities.
Tags: Rules Lite
Warnings: Horror, tension, pulp-action violence
Game: The Marauders
System: Runesword RPG
GM: Greig Watson
Location: Upper Hall
Age Rating: Adult Only (ages 16+)
Players: 3-5
Genre: Gritty sword & sorcery
Description: Justice is coming!
Rural Gheeland was a peaceful place, a region of rolling farmland and quiet villages. That was, until Ironheart’s Marauders rode in. These vicious brigands have carved a trail of destruction across the land by fire and sword. No one has been able to stop them, until now.
A sizeable bounty sets the adventurers on the trail of Arnulf Ironheart and his men. As the outlaws’ atrocities mount and the bitter rains of autumn begin to fall, it’s a race against time to bring justice to these miscreants.
A gritty adventure on the frontiers of the civilised lands, this game is set in the low fantasy sword & sorcery world of Runesword RPG. The rules system is easy to pick up for new players, leading to fast-paced fantasy action with an old-school feel.
Tags: Rules Lite, GM’s Own System
Warnings: Generic fantasy violence and references to violent crimes.
Game: Death Pit of Moloch
System: D&D 5E
GM: James Coupe
Location: Upper Hall
Age Rating: Adult Only (ages 16+)
Players: 3-7
Genre: Death Pit of Moloch – A Level 1 Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition adventure. Beginner-friendly.
Description: There’s screams, the echoes of trouble reverberating through the cavern you find yourself in… who are you and who are these people beside you? This is a D&D beginner friendly adventure designed to introduce people to the game, get people interacting and more importantly… adventure! The stakes are high.
Tags: Rules Lite, Newbie Friendly
Warnings: Blood and Guts
Game: All Crim’s Night by Johnny Chiodini & E.E. Howell
System: Dungeons & Dragons 5e
GM: Emily Howell
Location: Cheviot
Age Rating: Teen (ages 12+)
Players: 5-10
Genre: Jaunty fantasy crime sim
Description: Every year Duke Abeyo of Red Castle tests his guards by hosting All Crim’s Night, a night where he invites every thief and criminal gang in Red Castle to try to invade his castle, get past the Crimson Guard, and reach his treasury vault. The first team to reach the vault is rewarded with a handshake from the Duke and five minutes to take whatever they can carry. On All Crim’s Night, mayhem, thievery, and betrayal is allowed and encouraged.
A not-too-serious Level 6 one-shot for up to 10 players with prior D&D experience. If numbers allow, players will be split into teams of 2+ players, all competing to reach the Duke’s Vault and win All Crim’s Night. This adventure will come with pre-made character sheets for players to choose from and 10-15 minutes at the start of the session to create your own character or alter the premade ones. Character death and PvP possible.
Based on the adventure “Plunder and Siege” by Johnny Chiodini, DM of The Oxventurer’s Guild D&D campaign which can be found on the “Oxventure” channel of Youtube
Tags: Rules Lite, Prior setting / system knowledge useful
Warnings: Fantasy-typical violence, criminal activity, possible character death, possible PvP
Game: Track Dogs open playtest
System: Track Dogs
GM: Alexa
Location: Cheviot
Age Rating: Teen (ages 12+)
Players: 3-5
Genre: Weird Science Fantasy Adventure, like Mortal Engines meets Sunless Sea/Fallen London
Description: A vast expanse of old-growth forest called the Cedar or Seven Cedars covers the Earth, filled with monsters, treasures, and mysterious clues to the world that came before. Above the tree canopy on the criss-cross of railways maintained by an inscrutable god-computer; you, the TRACK DOGS, wend your way between the settlements that poke above the treeline, in search of fame, fortune and glory
TRACK DOGS is an in-development Powered By The Apocalypse game about post-apocalyptic train pirates. Players will be asked to provide feedback at the end of the session. The attendance and opinions of all levels of experience are welcome – a broad spectrum of perspectives is critical for further development.
TRACK DOGS is an in-development Powered By The Apocalypse game about post-apocalyptic train pirates. Players will be asked to provide feedback at the end of the session. The attendance and opinions of all levels of experience are welcome – a broad spectrum of perspectives is critical for further development.
Scenarios will be constructed communally during play, and have a broad range of possible themes. Will your crew get into an exciting train chase with the law? Descend into the horrifying depths of the subcedar, there to encounter monsters like the horrid soilshark and pistol shrimpman? Carry out a perfectly timed heist on a high-value target in port? It’s all up to you…
Tags: Newbie Friendly, GM’s Own System
Warnings: Some allusions to benthic/subaquatic horror (in a transplanted context)
Game: Copy Cats
System: Cyberpunk Red
GM: Matthew Hambley
Location: Braid
Age Rating: Adult Only (ages 16+)
Players: 3-5
Genre: Cyberpunk, retro-future
Description: In “the time of the red”, post the nuke which devastated Night City, new corporations are emerging. One of those is “Danger Gals”, a detective agency working for the wealthy and famous. You are members of “Puma Squad”, the agency’s public face which has been franchised into comic books, action figures and anime series. Your latest mission is to track down the missing kid of some board-level corporates. A mission which will likely take you into the combat zones and maybe into the badlands beyond.
Tags: Newbie Friendly
Warnings: Violence
Game: The Howling Twilight
System: 5E (homebrew)
GM: Louis Walker
Location: Braid
Age Rating: Adult Only (ages 16+)
Players: 3-4
Genre: Gritty Dark Fantasy
Description: The Howling Twilight is set during an invasion of a frontier town called Serenus. You will be playing as level 12 characters in a homebrew DND 5e system tasked with defending this town from unknown beings of hunger and bloodshed, controlled by a twisted divinity that seeks to bring this town to ruin. The playable characters are members and agents of the Expansionist’s Creed, a guild tasked with protecting new settlements during the period of their foundation. At the time of this adventure, the characters will have been stationed at Serenus for 3 years, and survived 2 similar events (known as Cullings in the setting). The adventure will start with the characters waking and preparing for the event, seeing the sky darken as the sun’s are eclipsed by the large gas giant that the planet orbits, casting the planet into a night, long and terrible. From across the lake, of which the town has settled upon, an iridescent bulb casts a mesmerizing light upon the shores of the lake and curses the people that stare into its tendrils with a hunger and blood-thirst that nothing can quench…
In this adventure, 4 developed characters are available to play, tailored towards the experience offered in this adventure, with custom character sheets! Other random, pre-generated characters will be available also, albeit without custom character sheets.
Monna (he/him), the frog-triton alchemist that is responsible for supplying the town guard and citizens of the city with medicine, elixirs and cures to diseases. He has a curios selection of small, alien-like pets and plants that he cares for in his spare time.
Purkor (she/her), the region’s infamous scout and assassin. Her case is tragic but inspiring. Cursed in the beginnings of her youth by devilish powers, she fought great monsters and survived through cunning and well-placed daggers in her enemies. She carries a locket with her brother, whom she plans to see again after the settlement is fully established.
Tamelin (he/they), a strange humanoid creature of bark and leaves. Tamelin boasts a homebrew heritage, the forest Verdura, and is a competent and wise circle of the forest druid. He is known to daydream and become distracted by elements of the natural environment around him, such as insects or clouds. Lord
Charrvhetor of glory is a gold Dragonborn, oath of glory paladin who seeks to overcome his definition of evil and tends to head first into the fray, fearful that someone else will take his glory and fame.
Please note there will also be some other pre-generated characters of the same level at the table for anyone that is uncomfortable playing these characters. Also, feel free to bring along your own level 12 character, as long as it fits with the vibes!
Safety tools will be at the table as well as an explicit list of content warnings to make sure everyone is fine with the content in the one-shot.
Tags:
Warnings: General grim dark themes, gore, existential horror, mind control
Game: Emerald City
System: Dread
GM: Robbi
Location: Munro
Age Rating: Teen (ages 12+)
Players: 3 – 6
Genre: Horror
Description: Every year, local teens break into the abandoned amusement park, The Land of Oz (which closed a decade ago after ride malfunctions killed several children). Sure, everyone says it’s haunted, but that’s just a myth. This year, in addition to the usual teens trying to prove their bravery, an up-and-coming journalist is tagging along to see if they can document evidence of paranormal activity. But will they all get more than they bargained for? Who will survive, and who will meet their fate somewhere over the rainbow
Tags: Rules Lite, Newbie Friendly
Warnings: As a horror game, this scenario will put characters in danger of death and potentially feature ghosts, homicidal animatronics, and/or a murderer. I can tone down descriptions of gore and injury detail, but terror and dread are a part of the game, this is not recommended for anyone younger than 14.
Game: Alterra: The Adventurer’s Guildhall Trial
System: D&D 5e
GM: Chris
Location: Munro
Age Rating: Child Friendly
Players: 2 – 5
Genre: Whimsical Fantasy
Description: Welcome to Alterra! Are you ready to be an adventurer? Then you’ll need to prove yourself capable and earn your adventurer’s license in the Guildhall Trial. Undertake a series of challenges designed for level 1 characters that focus on the core elements of play—combat, exploration, interaction, and problem-solving.
The Guildhall Trial is set in the World of Alterra, a planar dyson sphere where adventure and fantasy meets power and mischief! A homebrew setting populated with all your favorite 5e classes and races, this setting is accessible to veteran and new players alike and no prior setting knowledge is required to play this three hour adventure.
Tags: Rules Lite, Newbie Friendly
Warnings: Claustrophobic (dungeon), water trap, poison trap.
Game: The Superior Six vs the Auction of Evil!
System: The Comics Code
GM: Ian Muir
Location: Lomond
Age Rating: Teen (ages 12+)
Players: 4-5
Genre: Lighthearted Comedy
Description: Ant-Man! Beetle! Boomerang! Machinesmith! Shocker! Speed Demon! Six ex-criminals who have turned over a new leaf and formed New York’s latest superhero team – the Superior Six!
When super-powered villains attack, the Six are all that stands between the innocent citizens of New York City and the threat of HYDRA. Can our hard-luck heroes defeat the forces of tyranny, and finally win the acclaim they deserve? Only YOU can tell!
Tags: Rules Lite, Newbie Friendly
Warnings: None
Game: The Were-Warriors
System: Werewolf: the Forsaken 2e
GM: Phil Edwards
Location: Lomond
Age Rating: Teen (ages 12+)
Players: 3-5
Genre: Modern-ish day Supernatural
Description: In the 70s, gangs ruled New York city. You are members of one of the more prestigious and powerful gangs, in no small part due to being werewolves. Human gangs know to stay away, but other supernatural gangs have been taking their toll on your numbers and territory. The peace talks weren’t your idea, but you’d be fools to ignore them. Especially when missing them means the others could unite against you. Attending means travelling far from your territory, but the risk is worth it. You hope.
Tags:
Warnings: Violence, potential body horror, threat
Game: Transformers: To Catch a Falling Starscream
System: Essence20
GM: Bruce Laing
Location: Craft
Age Rating: Teen (ages 12+)
Players: 4-6
Genre: Sci-fi, 80s Cartoon, Robots (in disguise!)
Description: DECEPTICONS – It’s another day at the Nemesis, the crashed spaceship that you and your fellow Decepticons call home. Soundwave summons you as he has suspicions of Starscream’s current activities.
TRANSFORMERS RPG uses the Essence20 a variant of 5e
Tags: Newbie Friendly
Warnings: Mild Peril
Game: Dropzone
System: Homebrew
GM: Alan Jackson
Location: Torridon
Age Rating: Teen (ages 12+)
Players: 4-6
Genre: Sci-fi action
Description: Colony planet LV-426 has stopped responding. You are the colonial marines sent to find out what’s happened. It must be pirates, there’s no chance it’s aliens, right? Action adventure horror, with guns and honest, no monsters at all.
Tags: Rules Lite, GM’s Own System
Warnings: Monsters, action movie violence, betrayal
Game: The Tale of the Black-Stone Bangles
System: Coriolis variant
GM: Aaron Billingham
Location: Pentland
Age Rating: Teen (ages 12+)
Players: 3-5
Genre: Space opera, influenced by The 1001 Nights, Firefly, and Alien
Description: Word has spread that the Twilit Souk is putting a particularly valuable item to auction, something capable of controlling djinn. Such a thing could hardly be real of course but your patron has tasked you with finding out: Obtain the item by any means necessary.
Coriolis is a space-opera game set in an Arabian-inspired background called The Third Horizon. Most people in the background are religious and the PCs are those who receive special attention from that religion’s powers: the Icons and The Dark Between the Stars. The PCs’ adventures are the Icons’ invitation to alter The Third Horizon such that the PCs may be spoken of long after their time has passed and the Dark’s opportunity to challenge the PCs to prove they are truly worthy.
I’m running a variant that is recognisably Coriolis but has altered skills and new character elements that lean into the setting’s cultures and an importance of story in everyday life.
Tags:
Warnings: Though gender diversity and inclusion are standard in the background, cultural bigotry and economic inequality are purposefully present; PCs can navigate or actively oppose these, as suits individual groups
Game: Tumbledown
System: Cursed Be Our Name
GM: Chris Dean
Location: Pentland
Age Rating: Teen (ages 12+)
Players: 2-6
Genre: Post-apocalyptic super-powered fantasy
Description: “Cursed Be Our Name” is a “super-powered post-apocalyptic fantasy” RPG, set 200 years after the emergence of six Primordials beings, whose appearance, existence and deaths forever devastated and mutated the continent they arrived upon.
All of humanity, the creatures, and even locations and objects are Cursed, each possessed of an (often unnatural) physical Mark, and for the living, a Compulsion related to their Curse. Each Curse is defined by a word or phrase, and manifests in individuals differently. One human with the Curse of Gold may have shining golden hair, and kleptomania, for example, whilst another may have golden skin and deck themselves in the finest jewellery.
Player characters, however, are amongst the Transformed; they are possessed of Cursed Talents (mundane feats that they can achieve more easily due to their curse) and Power (a unique ability bestowed by their curse). The Curse of Gold might provide Talents when “searching for valuables, attracting attention, proving your value”, and give you a Power that lets you transform inanimate materials into gold.
A Little on the Rules: Cursed be Our Name is a highly descriptive game where players have a lot of ability to alter the narrative and their environment, and where complications and success often mix.
When you make a Choice, you pick from one of five Approaches, each unique to the character, with a Value of 1 to 4. Successful Choices create Effects. Effects are spent to achieve what you describe, and possibly more (and you may not have enough to do all of what you wanted).
When you make your Choice, the GM describes between 0 to 3 Sources of Pressure. If you have no or only one Source of Pressure to achieve what you want (such as somebody hearing you whilst you pick a lock) you can choose to make a Quick (diceless) Choice with 1 Effect, and can spend from one of your stats to get further Effects.
Otherwise, roll d10s equal to the Approach’s Value (between 1 to 4). Each roll of 6 or above creates Effects. Effects can remove the Sources of Pressure, but you can accept them to achieve other things. A point of Pressure alone does not necessarily impact you, but every 3 points of Pressure taken causes a Setback, which can result in both success and complications.
Tags: Newbie Friendly, GM’s Own System
Warnings: Blood and gore, some pregens will be “morally flexible”
Game: Boat Race for the Song of the Frogacle
System: Mausritter
GM: Jamie Prentice
Location: Ochil
Age Rating: Child Friendly
Players: 3-5
Genre: A whimsical Wacky Races style boat race featuring mice
Description: Amongst the dew-fresh garden, The Pond sits. Ready to host the annual Spring rite. Brave mice, champions from all around the Estate, are to sail the waters of the stream and the pond. The most rapid, artful sailors will be the first to hear the Frogacle’s Song of Spring. With her song, a blessing upon the settlements of the Estate shall fall: Ancestral advice of ages past.
…Or that was the intent, for this honourable match has descended into a ruthless fight where no dirty tactic, surprise attack, or bloody betrayal is uncommon!
Will you thrive among the river mice and receive the Frogacle’s blessing? Have you come here instead to swiftly steal some riches? Or will you fail, and find only a watery grave?
Tags: Rules Lite, Newbie Friendly
Warnings: None
Game: Just keep flying
System: Offworlders
GM: Brian Ashford
Location: Ochil
Age Rating: Child Friendly
Players: 1-5
Genre: Space adventure!
Description: You will be playing the crew of a small freelance cargo ship. You will each design your character and then together you can all build and name your spaceship. You have a simple job to do: collect a few small packages from three planets and deliver them to a fourth. It should be easy, but when is anything ever easy?
Anything might happen! Blaster shoot-outs, sneaking past storm troopers, speeder bike chases, spaceships blowing up… That sounds like a lot. Better get moving!
Tags: Rules Lite, Newbie Friendly
Warnings: Probably some combat, basically Star Wars
Game: Blood on the Clocktower
System: Blood on the Clocktower
GM: Milo Mesdag and Jason Ebblewhite
Location: Highland
Age Rating: Teen (ages 12+)
Players: 7-15
Genre: Social deduction game
Description: Are you a fan of slicing through logical knots?
Enjoy lying through your teeth?
Wish Werewolf was actually good?
Well then try the hit social deduction game Blood on the Clocktower!
It’s townsfolk vs demonic forces in this game of betrayal and deceit, where the canny thrive and where death is far from the end.
Assigned either a townsfolk role or a demon role, you’ll either be trying to find the demonic infestation and purge it from your town, or you’ll be trying to hide your true nature and bring death and doom to all around you.
Each player has a unique role, meaning that everyone brings something important to the table: whether that’s the ability to know something of the true nature of your neighbours, the power to protect another from the touch of the demon, or the confusion of drunkenness (where you are led by the game masters to believe you are a role which you actually are not).
And, while the demon goes hunting every night, death is not the end.
Dead players continue as they were, communicating from beyond the veil just as clearly as they did while they were alive.
Some roles only come into their own after they have shuffled off their mortal coil.
Unlike some other social deduction games, every player is fully involved, from start to finish, whether they be dead or alive.
Tags: Newbie Friendly
Warnings: Death and persecution