Solo Star Borg (Play Report)

Following up on my earlier post (I Was Wrong About Solo RPGs) here is a play report of one of my Solo Star Borg sessions. 

This was the second session I played, but the first with Jax Hazard, my Magi Knight. 

While actually playing, my notes are little more than glorified bullet points--occasionally more if I get into a riff. For this report, I churched up my notes so they make narrative sense to the reader. 

Our Hero: 

Jax Hazard

• Class: Magi Knight
• Species: Baseline Human
• Agility (AGI):  +0
• Knowledge (KNW):  +1
• Presence (PRS): -1
• Strength (STR): +0
• HP: 6
• Destiny: 3
• Bits: 🛆
• Magi Arts: Blaster Deflect, Magi Hand
• Gear: Blazer sword (2d6), busted blaster rifle (1d6, bulky, shoddy), bandolier and vest, Legionary bot head (answers one question before self-destructing)

To start, I roll on the Episode Title oracle: 

Results: A, Doppleganger Plot, Garden

Episode Title: “A Plot in the Doppleganger’s Garden”

This title will wind up to be largely unrelated to the actual adventure. 

Next I roll on the Mission oracle and get…

The Mission: Negotiate

The Goods: Magi

The Spot: Bounty Hunter

The Reward: Tactical Advantage

A bounty Hunter (Rav Ravyn) has captured an apprentice Magi Knight (Tuula Blaze) and plans on turning her over to the Legion dragoon, Abraxxia Null (Jax’s ex-wife).  However, she will release the Knight in exchange for tactical specs of Astrowarp Industries new starfighter. Jax must acquire those specs and get them to Rav on the planet Garloom before Abraxxia arrives to take custody of Tuula. 

I create a Mission Clock (Save Tuula) with 6 boxes.

I also make a Danger Clock (Abraxxia Arrives), also with 6 boxes. 

The Threat Die starts at 1. This tracks the overall level of danger in the mission. 

Opening Scene

I roll on the Opening Scene Oracle: “A bomb has gone off in the nearby spaceport.”

Jax is in the Tycho City space port on planet Leerdwu, waiting to book passage to planet Croetus, home of Astrowarp Industries. 

Suddenly a bomb goes off! Panic! Smoke! Legion peacekeepers move in to quell the crowd and shut down public transit. Jax needs to find another way off-planet. Maybe he can steal a small private craft?

Q: Who set off the bomb?

Event Oracle: Foul, Structure, Killing, Illness

The explosion was caused by a pack of Sorcery Mutants slashing at a power converter! Now they terrorize the crowd and engage with the Legion troopers. One of the mutants attacks Jax!

These sorcery mutants first appeared in my previous solo game. They are an experiment conducted by the Legion using Dragoon sorcery to transform people into monstrous shock troops. The experiment has gotten out of hand. 

• Sorcery Mutant
• Morale: --
• HP: 6
• Claws and teeth: 1d6
• No armor

I roll initiative and Jax wins. 

The Magi Knight doesn’t want to draw attention with his powers or blazer sword, so he opens fire with his blaster. 

Jax’s Presence (PRS) is -1. I need a 12 to hit.  I roll 1d20-1 and get 11. He just misses!

The mutant moves in to attack with claws and fangs!

Jax dodges: His Agility is +0, and again I need a 12. I roll 1d20+0 and score a 16! He dodges the attack!

Jax is no good with a blaster. He’ll have to risk using his blazer sword. Snap! Hiss! Woosh!

Jax’s Strength (STR) is also +0. I roll 1d20+0 and hit with a 16! The blazer inflicts 9 damage!

Jax strikes down the beast with a single stroke and quickly stashes his sword back into his vest before anyone can see. But did Abraxxia feel it?

Every time Jax uses one of his magic powers or fires up his blazer sword, I need to roll 1d20 and see if my Dragoon nemesis (Abraxxia Null in this case) feels it. I need to roll over a 5 to avoid detection. That number increases each time I roll. 

I roll a 9. Abraxxia does not feel Jax’s presence for now. 

Jax moves into the hanger areas, looking to find an unattended ship. 

Jax’s Knowledge (KNW) is +1. I roll 1d20 and get 7, a failure. I spend Destiny to reroll. I get an 8, still a failure. 

All the single-user ships have fled. 

Jax wastes time looking, so I tick off a box on the Danger Clock. 

Q: What kind of ships are left?

Oracle results: Seek, Debt, Strange. 

A debt collector for Sol Systems (prison and worker services) has a prisoner transport barge stationed here. 

Why is it strange? The debt collector is a sorcerously empowered bounty hunter named Castius Lom. 

• Castius Lom
• Dark Magic Bounty Hunter 
• HP: 12
• Morale: 9
• Armor: Tier 1 -d2
• Weapon: power staff (1d6)
• Pain Wave: test PRS DR12 or loose next action 

Lom is impatiently rushing a Protocol Droid (with restraining bolt) and a Flightless Microbat (in a stasis pod) into the cells of his ship. 

Jax attempts to hide behind some large fuel canisters before Castius spots him. 

Roll AGI+0 and get 19! A strong hit!

Jax needs to distract Castius Lom, and he needs to act quickly. The knight concentrates and calls upon Magi Hand to pull the restraining bolt off the bot. 

I test KNW and get a dirty 20! 

The restraining bolt detaches from the protocol and falls to the ground. 

Q: How does the Protocol droid react?

Event Specific oracle: Event Positive!

The bot panics with his new freedom, raising its arms, screaming, and running for the hanger doors. Castius Lom gives chase, leaving the ship unguarded.

Jax runs on board, pausing only to roll the microbat’s stasis pod in with him. He won’t leave the poor fellow here with the bounty hunter. 

I test KNW to see if Jax can take off before Lom returns. I get a 3, fail. 

Lom returns just as the gangplank rises and the engines fire up. Lom hits the hanger control switch to close the roof hatch. Can Jax get out before they close?

I roll AGI and get a 6. No! The doors close in front of the ship!

Jax blasts the roof hatch with the ship’s forward lasers. It’s literally the broad side of a barn, so I don’t bother rolling to hit. Jax breaks free, but he’s made a huge mess of things and created a new enemy. 

I make a Dragoon check to see if my nemesis felt it when I used Magi Hand. I get a 4!  Out in space, Abraxxia feels the presence of her ex-husband.. I increase the Danger Clock.

There’s a big dust-up and Lom reports the theft to his Legion contacts. I increase the Danger Clock again! It is already at 3 out of 6.

I also increase the threat die to 2.

However, Jax has made progress by getting off-planet. I increase the mission clock (1 out of 6).

Travelling to Croesus

Jax heads into the void and sets his course for Croesus. He takes some time to catch his breath and fidgets with the stasis pod to free the microbat. 

Can he open the pod without breaking it? 

I test KNW and roll 8. No he cannot. 

The control panel flashes and buzzes angrily. Jax bangs it with his fist a couple of times. The pod controls sparks and groans for a moment, then the hatch falls apart into a hundred pieces while wires pop and sizzle behind the control panel. The pod is nothing but junk now. 

The Microbat stirs from stasis. Who is this person?

Even/odd = Female 

NPC Oracle: Politician, Justice, Wants War, Well Dressed, Jovial

This is Qyl’tul, a local magistrate for Tycho City. She’s a jovial little thing, with a good heart and a desire for justice. She’s not a rebel (yet) but she’s been doing what she can behind the scenes to convince the planetary government to declare war against the Legion. She likes to dress in fancy, colorful suits. Real comic sidekick material. Someone manipulated her financial records to put her millions of bits in Debt to Sol Systems, putting Lom on her trail. 

Microbat!

Jax and Qyl’tul settle in for the trip and get to know each other over lunch. 

Q: Are there any mishaps on the journey?

Roll Threat (1d20+2 = 13). Indeed something does happen!

Event Oracle: Tracking, Survivors

As the new friends share some space sandwiches, a sensor pings on the ship’s console. It’s picking up a tracking beacon for a group of refugees stranded in space. 

Jax groans inwardly. He’s pressed for time, but he cannot abandon these people in need of help. He adjusts his course. 

Q: What’s the deal with these refugees? 

Oracle: Destroy, Vow, Broken, Disabling, Scratches

It’s a derelict transport, sparking and leaking atmosphere. A voice on the coms says they are a group of monks who left a star temple that was overrun by weird Sorcery Mutants. They thought they escaped, but one of the members was scratched by a mutant on the way out. He’s turned into a mutant himself and attacked his fellow monks. Now they are locked in a cramped cargo hold and are quickly running out of oxygen. “Please help us!”

Jax docks with the derelict ship and comes aboard via the airlock. Qyl stays on Lom’s ship.. 

I make a new Danger Clock for this side-mission: Mutant kills monks (4 boxes)

I use the Dangerous Area tables to roll up the ship. This is a small Dangerous Area with 5 zones. The 5th zone is the Cargo Hold where the monks are trapped.

Zone 1: Mission Deck 

Oracle: Broken, Fighting, Voices

The deck shows signs of violent combat. Jax can hear the voices of the monks calling for help over the coms. 

I roll +Threat to see if there’s an obstacle in the zone. 1d20+2 = 16. There is a threat!

I roll to see what kind of threat and get Barrier.

A destroyed security bot blocks the doorway further into the ship. Can Jax move it?

I roll STR+0 and get 18. Strong success!

No problem! Jax shoves the bot away from the doorframe allowing him access to the rest of the ship. He gives the deck a quick once over before leaving, but finds nothing but more junked bots. 

Zone 2: Cargo Bay

Oracle: Hiding, Disconnected

The secondary cargo bay has three exits. Hidden smuggling compartments lie busted open, and the power is disconnected to many systems. 

My roll indicates that there is no obstacle here. Jax gives this place a once over to see what they were hiding here. He doesn’t find much except for some spare electronic parts that will be with some bits to the right person. He moves on.

Zone 3: Life Support

Oracle: Blocked, Body

The exit here is stuffed with the bodies of several dead monks, their flesh fused into a grotesque barrier. Ugh! He’ll have to either cut his way through or backtrack. 

Jax decides to backtrack, is there a further obstacle? 

Roll 1d20+2 = 17, yes.

Obstacle: Surveillance

The mutant has caught Jax’s scent and knows that someone else is here. I increase the Danger Clock for the Mutant (1 of 4).

Zone 4: Pod Bay

Back to the cargo hold and through the other doorway, Jax finds himself in the Pod Bay. 

Q: Are the escape pods still here?

Affirmation Oracle: Natural 20! Extreme yes! They are here, and full of emergency supplies! Yay!

Is there an obstacle? Yes! 

Obstacle: Monster!

There’s a great roar! The mutant has found him! This mutant is larger than the ones he saw at the space port. The slobbering beast has claws that ooze with flesh-melting ichor and a horny protective hide. 

• Flesh Rending Mutant
• Morale: --
• HP: 12
• Claws and teeth: 1d6
• Hide tier 1 -d2

I roll initiative. Jax goes first. 

He can’t risk a long fight with this thing, so he lights up his blazer sword once more. He passes his dragoon check, so things are good for now. 

Jax spends Destinny to reduce the DR for his atack by 4. He rolls 16 to hit! But he only rolls 4 damage. Ugh. He spends Destiny to increase that to the maximum (12hp). The monster’s armored hide reduces it  to 11. The beast is badly hurt. 

It’s the mutant’s turn! It wails in rage and goes for the throat! Jax succeeds at his dodge roll.

Jax’s turn again, and he slashes out with his glowing green blade, ready to end this. He misses!

The mutant’s claws strike Jax for 2 HP! Ouch!

Jax’s counter-attack misses again. The beast claws him once more for 6 points, and Jax is broken!

I roll on the Broken table, and get a 1. Jax is merely unconscious, but helpless!

Q: Does anyone come to his rescue? 

Affirmation oracle: Yes! 

Qyl appears with Jax’s blaster!

The microbat rolls 14 to attack and 3 damage! The beast is slain!

Jax wakes up a few rounds later with 2hp. He is now in the little microbat’s debt. Very genre appropriate.

Jax takes a breather and cleans his wounds of the festering ooze. The short rest heals 3hp (now up to 5hp). 

Did he cleanse himself of possible corruption? 

Test KNW (1d20+1 = 13). Yes. He’s good for now. 

Qyl retrieves the monks from their hiding spot. 

The Search table results in "Ally." That will be one of these monks They all file back to the ship. 

Q: What’s the deal with these monks?

Amount: 3

Species: Baseline Human:

Omen: Disconnected, Lying

The monks belong to an order of hermits. They believe truth is an illusion and act as mystic fabulists, telling wild unbelievable stories as religious practice. 

One of the monks, Poxian, is an older (61) woman. She swears her life to Jax for rescuing them. She enjoys collecting scandalous information and is something of a gossip, despite her polite nature.  

Jax and the monks sleep while Qyl pilots the ship to Croetus. 

Increase Mission 2/6

Increase Abraxxia Danger 4/6

Heal 1d6 HP: (7 current)

Destiny reset to 3. 

Croesus

The heroes land the stolen ship on Croesus. 

Q: Does the ship go unrecognized?

Affirmation oracle: Random event. 

Scene oracle: Guard, Law, Secret

The ship touches down at the space port and everyone disembarks. Two of the monks thank Jax and depart to find their own way. Poxian stays with Qyl and Jax. 

But! As soon as they leave the hangar, secret ship-clamps grab the vehicle. The ship has been impounded by automated security! Lom must have reported it stolen.

Q: Can they slip out before the guards arrive?

Testing AGi, I get a 6. No!

Four armed guards arrive. They command the trio to halt. Jax tries to quick-talk his way out of this. “We were captured by some lunatic in Tycho City and brought here. He just ran off that way! If you hurry you might catch him!”

Jax’s Presence is -1. I spend Destiny to reduce DR by 4. I fault the roll, but spend Destiny to reroll! I succeed this time with a 14.

The guards run off after the fictional criminal. Jax, Qyl and Poxian slip into the crowd. 

I increase Threat to 3. The guards are suspicious

I roll on the Planet Oracle to find out what Croetus is like.

Stacked modular Highrises, Information hub, Seized by the legion, Plagued by creatures (Mutants escaped from Legion science ships! Maybe let loose on purpose??)

Astrowarp Industries Engineering Lab

Small dangerous area. Only 3 zones!

The Objective is the Data Core

Qyl and Poxian are holed up somewhere safe. Jax has tasked Qyl with finding them a way off-planet. Jax stands alone outside of the engineering facility. There is a back cargo entrance. With an access passport terminal. 

Jax opens his pack and pulls out the old Legion bot head he’s carried around for some time. He asks the black skull-like bot head “The legion has recently seized on this planet. What are the master entrance codes for recently occupied facilities?”

Q: Does the droid know this info?

Affirmation oracle: 16, yes!

The grumpy old droid head gives him the codes, then begins to vibrate, heat up and glow!

Jax uses Magi Hand to fling the head as far away as he can before it explodes. With luck it will draw attention elsewhere. 

Test KNW. 1d20+1 = 19. Strong success!

The bot head flies off several city blocks before exploding midair. However, I fail my Dragoon check and increase the Abraxxia Danger Clock (5 of 6)!

Jax punches in the codes and enters the building. 

Zone 1:  Cantina

Oracle: Faction, Grimy, Odor

Q: is it Unoccupied? 

Affirmation: No, but

The facility cantina is occupied, but it’s all low-level working schlubs, hunched over their sad lunches. They don’t really pay attention to Jax.

Obstacle: Barrier.

The exit door requires a pass-kay. 

Jax attempts to smooth-talk a worker. “Hey buddy, I forgot my key card. Do me a solid and swipe me through, huh?”

I roll PRS and get a 14. Pass!

The low-level efficiency coordinator shrugs, mumbles something, and swipes Jax through. 

Zone 2; Armory!

Oracle: Gambling, Hidden, Temperature

Three techs are shooting dice in a corner, hiding from their supervisor when they should be working. They are striped to the waist, as the thermostat is broken and it’s wicked hot in here. 

Obstacle: None!

Jax gives the armory a quick look-over. And finds some armor in a locker! 

Roll: Tier 2 armor. 

Omen: Mystical, Scorching

A nice plasteel breastplate etched with ancient fire runes. What’s this doing here?

Q: Is it magical?

Affirmation: Very much no.

In fact the runes are complete gibberish. Still, it’s armor. Jax quickly straps it on and heads further into the facility. 

Zone 3:Quarters

Oracle: Lying, Leader, Sparks

The bunk room for shift workers. A power conduit sparks and sizzles in one wall. The engineering foreman is on the radio with the faculty manager assuring him everything is fine. 

Obstacle: None!

The foreman is too preoccupied to notice Jax just passing through. If he stops to search, though, he’ll invite trouble, so he moves on. 

Zone 4: Data Core!

Oracle: Structure, Modified, Killing

The large data core stands in the center of the octagonal room. But this is a new model Jax is unfamiliar with. Automated laser turrets fix their barrels upon the terminal station, threatening to blast anyone who fails a security pass. 

Obstacle: Monster

A flesh-rending mutant casually chomps on the data clerk that was stationed here. It feasts its hungry eyes on Jax. It’s on!

• Flesh Rending Mutant
• Morale: --
• HP: 12
• Claws and teeth: 1d6
• Hide tier 1 -d2

Initiative time! The monster goes first! Raar!

Jax Tries to dodge but fails. The claws inflict 6 damage, but Jax’s new breastplate reduces it to 3. Hooray armor! (4hp left)

Jax has no choice but to risk firing up the blazer sword. Thankfully he passes his Dragoon check. 

He attacks and rolls a Natural 1. I spend that last Destiny to neutralize the blunder. Jax doesn’t lose his sword or anything, but the Blunder still increases the Threat Die to 4.

The mutant attacks! Jax is struck! Even after the armor soaks some of it, he only has 1hp left!

Jack lashes out! He rolls 16 to hit! His blazer sword inflicts 9 damage, reduced to 8. The monster has 4hp left.

It’s a close fight! Jax is struck again, but his new armor defects all of it!

All or nothing now… Jax rolls 17 to hit! He rolls 5 damage! The beast is cooked!

"Oooouch…" Jax slumps against a wall and tries to catch his breath, healing 2hp (3hp total). After patching himself up, he checks the dead data clerk. 

Q: Does the dead clerk have an access card for the data core?

Affirmation Oracle (with advantage): Yes

Jax accesses the core and pulls the data for the fighter and makes his escape. He pulls the “monster alert” alarm for the facility and gets the hell out of there, off to find Qyl. 

I advance the Mission Clock (3 of 6)

Where do we find Qyl?

Oracle: Knowledge, Mystical, Performing

Jax finds Poxian and Qyl in an old library, where Poxain is performing the solo from that popular comic opera “What’s That, No Really? Damn!” before a collection of wizened old scholars. 

Q: Has this gotten them a way off planet and to Gartoom, where he’s set to meet Rav Ravyn?

Affirmation oracle: Natural 20! Extremely yes! 

The scholars are going to a “theater of the ancient celestials" conference on Garloom, and they insist that the trio accompany them. They’re leaving within the hour. 

Their ship, Dark Academia, is a refined old transport all decked out with expensive hardwoods and brass. They blast off and head to Garloom. 

Advance Mission Clock: (4 of 6)

Jax can feel Abbraxia closing in. Thankfully a Threat roll fails to produce any complications as they travel to Garloom. 

Garloom

Garloom is an arid white planet of maze-like canyonlands. With a population of mere thousands, ruled by warring crime lords. 

Scene Oracle: Modified, Fellowship

Rav Ravyn arranged to meet Jax in an abandoned fuel depot turned into a make-shift camp populated by a rowdy mix of bounty hunters, pirates, and other ne'er-do-wells.

• Rav Ravyn
• Bounty hunter. Anything for a buck. 
• HP: 15
• Morale: 9
• Plasteel space bustier: Tier 1 -d2
• Custom blaster pistol: 1d6
• Stun bracelets: 1d4, STR DR12 or stunned for 1 round
• Elite: DR 14 to defend against

Rav sits in a back booth with the young apprentice by her side, holding her hand inconspicuously but firmly with her shock gauntlet. Jax has arrived alone. He sits down across from the bounty hunter and produces the data slip with the starfighter plans. “I have what you asked for, now give me the girl.”

I’m not sure if Ravyn is going to play square, so I roll to complete the mission. 

I have 4 boxes on the Mission clock filled and my DR is 12. 

I roll 1d20+4 and get a 21. Success!

Rav smiles darkly and snatches the dataslip from Jax’s hand. She shoves Tulla towards him as she stands up. “A deal’s a deal. I promise we didn’t treat the girl too roughly.”

“What are you going to do with that data?” the Magi asks.

“That’s my client’s business. I’m sure you’ll find out soon enough,” Rav says with a venomous smile. 

A shadow passes over the camp. A Dragoon ship flies far overhead, making its way for Garloom City. Abraxxia Null is almost certainly on board. 

Rav’s smile fades. She becomes all serious. “I’d leave quickly if I were you. I think you’ve captured someone’s interest.” The bounty hunter slips away.

Jax and Tuule head off to the badlands to reunite with Qyl and Poxian, ready to retreat to the nearest rebel base. 

MISSION END.

Takeaways: So yes, the whole thing is adjacent to guided writing prompts, but it’s definitely a game first. The fights were surprisingly tense, and there were plot twists I absolutely didn’t expect that moved the adventure in ways I wouldn't have done on my own. 

At this writing, I’ve played three solo games of Star Borg. I am curious to try other solo games next.

Jax Hazard and his snazzy new armor