Continuing to play solo games but continuing with non-RPG solo games. This one is where you run a fantasy tavern.
Rolling solo alt - all | broken cask | english eerie
Broken Cask solo - intro | start | finish
Disclosure - I'm a DriveThru RPG affiliate
Game Introduction - the Broken Cask
broken cask intro | my tavern | game setup
Taking a break from regular solo RPGs, after 2 years and 12 RPG actual plays. Back after trying out some alternative solo games.
The Broken Cask is a solo innkeeping game, where you look after a tavern/inn/pub. Facing challenges with an innkeeper and a few staff, improving and managing the tavern.
By Derek A. Kamal, it's cited as a "Cosy" solo game and has a fantasy feel which reminds me a lot of D&D 5E.
You keep track of the actions using some kind of Innkeeper's Log, which can be a minimal list of gold, characters and inventory, plus a few notes of what's happened. Or it can be a full on journalling experience of the happenings at your tavern.
The gameplay is fairly simple, using 1d6 rolls to overcome tasks, adding a stat such as Body, Mind, Heart or Level. So a task of 'B7' would use Body and need a 7 or more total to succeed at the task.
You start by using random tables to roll up (or pick out) the details of your inn/tavern/pub, your innkeeper and two staff. The tables all use d6s (1d6, 2d6, d66) to generate results. One marker of your tavern in the game is Prestige (0 to 5), representing how famous or remarkable your inn is.
The main gameplay loop is the Session. You start each time by setting the scene, rolling on Season and maybe Weather, Mood, Behind the Scenes and Story Threads.
Then you roll to see what events & challenges face your tavern in the Events table, ranging from Common Guests and Brewing Orders to Trouble and Monster Attacks. Each event usually has a task to attempt, rewards for a Hit and penalties for a Miss. For each task you choose a member of staff to attempt it (or once per Session, your innkeeper).
Sam the Bartender faces the Service Task ''Knight's Tea" which is H4. Rolling a d6 to get a 5 and adding Heart of 1 for a total of 6, Sam gets a Hit. This gets a +1 bonus on the next Heart roll for Sam. A Miss would have been a result of -1 Morale, and Sam ending their tasks for this session.
You can also perform Special Tasks which generally cost gold, from Building new rooms and upgrades, to Hiring new staff, increasing Prestige of your inn via Influence and Prate. Or the actions Quest, Shop, Train and Treat a Regular. Each has it's own rules and Quest has it's own chapter as you send a Hero or mercenary on a quest. Many of the task have random tables to help resolve them.
You continue rolling up Events to face and taking Special Tasks whenever you like, until you finish the session. This could be from running out of gold, running out of staff to take tasks (due to losing morale or other penalties), the result of some nasty tasks, or simply out of choice.
End the session by marking XP for staff, improving them and checking for lost prestige.
Introducing the Banner and Badger
broken cask intro | my tavern | game setup
The Banner and Badger Meadhall
Gold - 12, Prestige - 0.0
A brownstone mead hall with a large central fireplace, a trading house frequented by merchants and traders. Signature drink is "Banner Brew", wild honey mead steeped in overripe cherries. Best thing to eat is Bangers and Mash, and the main entertainment is throwing games, usually darts.
Near a spiritual centre, offering golem rides up and down the holy mountain. In the cellar there is a bottomless pit, but no-one talks about it. A pesky badger has taken a liking to the gardener. Lore has it there's always been a badger as mascot in the different iterations of the pub here.
Staff of the Banner and Badger
- Takanos Suborn (innkeeper), an elf with a magical badger pelt and an annoying high-pitched laugh. Escaped an eldritch cult (Can always roll for cooking tasks instead of staff). Body +1, Heart +3, Mind +2
- Galkos Gardener (staff), satyr who sleeps in all kinds of places nearby. Body +1, Heart +0, Mind +0, Morale 1
- Verth the Drunken (staff), human brewer who collects exotic pets. Body +1, Heart -1, Mind +1, Morale 1
Game Setup for the Broken Cask
broken cask intro | my tavern | game setup
Game setup is easy, mostly involving rolling on random tables.
For your Inn Creation there's Inn Name, Location, Appearance, Type (such as plain old pub or exclusive club), Signature Drink, Entertainments & Distractions, Signature Meal, Unique Services, Anomalies and Pets & Strays.
It's up to you how many you want to roll on and they have no mechanical effect.
Creating you Innkeeper uses tables for Name, Title, Race, Innkeeper Clothing, Innkeeper Quirks and Innkeeper Background. The background gives your innkeeper a unique ability (such as may shop for 3 gold instead of 5 gold) and you roll 1d3 for each of your stats.
For staff roll up Name, Race and then other tables of Role and optionally other tables from the innkeeper. The Role table determines the stats and morale of the staff member.
And that's it beyond rolling 4d6 for your starting Gold.
Finishing Up
Next time is finding out what happens at the Banner and Badger...
Have you played the Broken Cask?
