JP is writing. Thoughts about TTRPGs, game design and how to tell stories together.
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Near: Eight High
I'm in the process of trying to write a solo TTRPG, Near, and I am learning a lot.
I've not really found a solo game that scratches a very specific itch for me. I like the authorship and narrative drive of these games, but I also like to play around with rules, structure and engines.
The result has been something that I am very uncertain of. The old fear rises that I have made something that has been done before or that seems solid to me but doesn't catch the imagination in someone else. I swallow that fear and make it part of myself and do it anyway.
As is tradition this means writing some gear, so have a gun with only some minor redaction involved.
Eight High PistolƩ
A filigreed pistolƩ of [Redacted] make, with an [Redacted] stamp. Borne to Near Heaven in the hands of an officer of the Vainglorious Eighth.
[Pistol][Piercing]
Ammunition: When you cede Initiative after attacking with this weapon it is Out of Ammunition: no actions from it may be used except Reload.
Reload [Action] Pass/Fail: Remove the Out of Ammunition effect from this weapon.
Open Ground [Action] Pass: Gain the [Ranged] condition.
Stand Ground [Action] Perform a Strike, on a miss Exploit [Ranged]; you do not cede Initiative.
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JP @ UKGE2026
My name is JP Bradley, I write fiction, design roleplaying games and am attending UKGE 2026.
I know for many of my peers in the industry, especially those who are going as exhibitors, cons are work that you have to do. Me? I don't get to do things like this that often, so I'm still pretty excited about it and am looking forward to seeing you all.
So, if you see me on the floor please do say hello; tell me about your game, or the cool thing you've seen - You're never a bother and I'm never annoyed to see a friend, even a new one.
And if you're here because I slipped you a business card please do check out my Portfolio and get in touch if you'd like to collaborate in the future.
Otherwise please have a great UKGE, be sure to hydrate and I will see you out on the floor!
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Sleeper's Bough
Sleeperās Bough
A broken fragment of the white blossoming tree of sighs. Used in tinctures by apothecaries and invoked by those attuned to its magic.
The pollen of this tree lies heavy about it, inducing sleep so deep that waking is as a dream and never to be trusted.
As a Magic action you may snap the bough to invoke its effect, destroying it. Each creature of your choice in a 5-foot-radius Sphere centered on a point within range must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have the Incapacitated condition until the end of its next turn, at which point it must repeat the save. If the target fails the second save, the target has the Unconscious condition for the duration. The spell ends on a target if it takes damage or someone within 5 feet of it takes an action to shake it out of the spell's effect.
Creatures that don't sleep or that have Immunity to the Exhaustion condition automatically succeed on saves against this effect.
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Vulgarianās Bardiche
Vulgarianās Bardiche
A heavy polearm built from pig iron and spite.
The Vulgarian crusade was born of legitimate concerns and executed with reclaimed ploughshares and a makeshift gallows.
Halberd, Marial Weapon, Melee Weapon, 1d10 slashing, Heavy, Reach, Two-Handed, Mastery: Graze.
Vicious: This weapon deals an extra 2d6 Slashing damage to any creature it hit
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Cursebearer's Gauntlets
Cursebearerās Gauntlets
Hide and mail gloves worn by the acolytes of the One Eyed Curse.
The death of all things is a vanishing point only known through sacrifice. Losoros the Jigant gave up his eye and too late knew he chose the wrong one.
Wondrous Item, Uncommon (Requires Attunement)
Your Strength score is 19 while you wear these gauntlets. They have no effect on you if your Strength is 19 or higher without them. As a magic action you may cast Augury once per day.
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Philtres of Timeless Ash
As a writing exercise I am currently writing a series of objects, magic items and spells for Dungeons & Dragons in the style of Dark Souls or Elden Ring equipment.
Philtre of Timeless Ash
The arcane schema preserving the Moment works tirelessly to hold at bay the long night.
The ashes of this labour can force timeās retreat from the body, though maladies can only be arrested. This time must come again.
This is a magic item. As a Bonus Action, you can administer it to yourself or another creature within 5 feet of you. When the ashes are applied to a creature they regain 2d4 + 2 Hit Points. The effect of any disease you are suffering is suppressed for one hour. Philtres are expended when used but not destroyed. The ash is nebulous and particles settle randomly when agitated.
Ashen Imprint
A scrap of cloth pressed against part of the Gran Schema, bearing the soot mark of its complexity.
Let this be a testament to the labours of those who sacrificed to forge a day without end.
When applied to a Philtre of Timeless Ash by an Arcanist or Priest it amplifies its effect.
With one imprint the Philtre restores 4d4+4 Hit Points.
With two imprints the Philtre restores 8d4+8 Hit Points.
With three imprints the Philtre restores 10d4+20 Hit Points.
Timegiverās Ritual
Ritual of the Timegivers who offered up the sands of their lives to become the ash of the Kingdom.
Borrowed time coerced is stolen and can never be returned.
Level 1 Transmutation
Casting Time: 1 hour or Ritual
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (A number of expended Philtres of Timeless Ash)
Duration: Instantaneous
You perform an arcane ritual to gift your time to the ashes. You may restore expended Philtres of Timeless Ash, reversing their time as if they had never been expended, stealing moments from your own lift to do so. You may restore a number of Philtres up to the level of the spell plus your Wis or Int bonus.
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The Price is Right Core Mechanic
I started to like 1d20 roll under for a couple of reasons.
It keeps the maths simple, with 5% increments that feel meaningful but aren't as fiddly as d%. By using an over/under system; rolling under your stat but over a difficulty rating of 5 or 10 (with exact numbers being a crit success) we end up with a core mechanic that is pretty direct and you can pack most of the stuff players need to make decisions right there on the sheet.
There are, of course, quirks to this.
Firstly you do lose natural 20 as a critical. The odds here have not changed. However Nat 20 has a certain meme quality that shapes thinking, and the casual player values familiarity over simplicity.
As such you will watch them roll high, look at the dice and then look deflated as they realise this isn't D&D.
In a similar vein rolling low when the task is difficult allows you to watch the arc of someone realising their roll is under their stat, but too low. Like you've stolen their success from them.
What players want is to know if they're rolling high or low. They don't want to be told it's like The Price is Right. Which is annoying, because this system should work. It does work.
You could simply calculate character attributes and then give them a -5 (difficult) and -10 (hard) rating. This would allow you to keep everything on the sheet, but you do end up with a table and some players do get lost the moment they see that many numbers in one place.
To retain roll high you would either need to invert attribute rolls or, more sensibly, use something like a standard array. Now you need to roll over your attribute score, lower attributes are better, which will also feel wrong to players. Minus numbers being good and positives being bad feels similarly wrong.
You could, of course, apply those numbers to the roll instead of the attribute. However I like my mechanics to have an arc where any mathematics and bargaining takes place before the roll, and once the roll is pitched it's a straight line to the outcome.
Besides, once you're modifying the roll we're no longer working off a number on the players sheet, which is really what I want.
So The Price is Right takes it; it does enough of what I want that I don't mind overlooking its foibles.
That and, at the end of the day, I need to write for the players I have and not some mythical D&D player who won't pick up my teeny-tiny indie game anyway.