Finished out my solo TTRPG session there. Traveller, by Mongoose Publishing. A sci-fi. It's been around almost 50 years.
The woman involved, my "character," deals with security on an authoritarian space station who's actually messed up not realising she's the daughter of a fairly powerful person. She's slowly realising her whole life is a scam. And she comes to the conclusion she wants a ship to adventure around space in, asking her best friend to join her in her mission to get one.
It starts with a bit of background to her situation after there's a dice roll to see where the two characters meet, with the Main Character's friend convincing her to go to the fast food place they had their parties in as kids. She says this is to cheer her friend up. At this point the characters' skills come into play and a "contested" roll is made to see if the main character, Sawiya, can spot the deception her friend, Kreya, is playing on her. Kreya "wins" this roll, despite having worse abilities/skills. And Kreya's lie isn't spotted.
This is the really cool thing about solo RPGs/RPGs in general. Unlike writing fiction I'm forced into dealing with this failed attempted to see if there's deception. Also, unlike in video games, video games programmed by someone else, I'm free to deal with this as I choose. I get to use my creativity and imagination.
Security approaches Sawiya. It's unusual for non-kids'-parties to be in the fast food place, especially as this is an authoritarian planet and space station. Little does the guard know that Sawiya is effective nobility, and he's landed himself in a mess.
Sawiya knows her position within society, and when the Security Guard calls official police backup she attempts to save the security guard's job. And he has to roll dice to see if he picks up on the idea this noble is actually trying to help him. Something he succeeds at, so now both Sawiya and the guard are working against the official police to see if they can fool them and keep the security guard out of trouble.
Sawiya plays up that she was sick, and the security guard was helping her. Sawiya's pal, Kreya, joins in on this. They roll dice to see if they'll fool the police. Which they succeed at. And they succeed so successfully at the dice roll the police think the security guard is a genius at spotting a noble in trouble and helping her!
As things calm Kreya points out Sawiya played with the security guard's life, and she was doing the exact same thing her father does, which she hates; playing games. Sawiya accepts this and realises this is the direction her life has been pushed. At this point she reveals her big news, what she needs. She wants to get a spaceship, and get off her authoritarian planet. She wants some freedom.
End of Act 1 - Scene 1
To me, at least, this is all much more fun than computer games. Although far more nerdy as it involves getting out pen and paper and making your own enjoyment. I played these games as a kid, and due to the economy I can't afford a sports car for my mid-life crisis, never mind an expensive fling with Mrs. Greedy or one of her harem. For me it's going back to the tabletop games I played when I was younger. Wholesome fun with a few cans when I can't sleep, that gets me offline, and brings about some thought and creativity. Plus I get to hit up the local stationery shop (not Eason's) and buy fancy pens and notepads. The spot gets me sorted for gifts for my toddler niece as well. Chunky crayons, marla, and markers she can destroy her parents' furniture with, etc. Proper, wholesome, non-interwebs hobbies that people, no matter their age, need desperately in this day and age.
