fantasy – PopCult Reviews

Solo Tabletop RPG Review & Actual Play – A Torch in the Dark

A Torch in the Dark
Written and designed by NotWriting

Last year, I attempted to play Blades in the Dark using Parts Per Million’s solo guide. While there was some helpful advice in that book, it still felt like I was emulating a whole table of players rather than a singular protagonist. I had fun, but I wanted something that provided an actual solo tabletop experience. I decided to try A Torch in the Dark, a game that takes the systems of Blades and tweaks them for a solo play. There is a lot here I like a lot, but there were also elements of Blades that were missing, and I felt the game was lacking as a result. It provides a roguelike experience and uses 52 standard playing cards.

Solo Tabletop RPG Actual Play – Everspark Part Nine

Read the previous chapter here

Quick Fate Check: Were there any disturbances during the night?
Answer: 1, definitely not

Quick Fate Check: Is there an encounter on the next stretch of the journey?Answer: 7, no

Reaching Korrin’s Army – 3/5
Spark Check: 4, still open

Not much happens as Cypress and his group traverse the dense forest. He doesn’t mention seeing Druvahn, the Rootfather. He wonders if Demis knew already, due to their connection to the trees and nature. The Bloomwalker doesn’t say if they did or not.

Movie Review – This Is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection

This Is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection (2019)
Written and directed by Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese

Just last week, I saw a clip from a Fox News program where they were discussing recent cuts to USAID programs. At one point, Jesse Watters mispronounced Lesotho’s name and immediately commented that no one knew where it was. It was met with sophomoric chuckles from his cronies. Ironically, I watched this film just a few days ago. Lesotho was one of a handful of African nations I could locate on the map. That’s because it’s geographically unique in that it sits inside the country of South Africa.

Movie Review – I Am Not a Witch

I Am Not a Witch (2017)
Written and directed by Rungano Nyoni

As an American, and especially a homeschooled one raised by evangelical parents, my general knowledge of African geography is abysmal. Let’s not even see what a blank space it is regarding African history. This often makes me sad because I know many facts about European and American history. Africa is where humanity emerged from, so we should know more about this incredible, diverse continent.

Solo Tabletop RPG Actual Play – Everspark Part Eight

Read the previous chapter here.

(For our journey to meet up with Korrin’s army, I will create a Spark that represents the journey. It uses a Spark like a countdown clock; with each ray, it will be a stretch of the journey. I will roll for each leg on the Yes/No oracle, asking, “Is there a significant encounter on this stretch?” If the answer is “Yes,” I will roll on a random encounters chart and create a NACHOS for that.

I will also roll on this simple terrain table to determine what the land is like generally around me:

Solo Tabletop RPG Actual Play – Everspark Part Seven

Read the previous part here

Quick Fate Check: Does Cypress hear about the destruction of Slumbering Bay before departing Kingshold? Result: 20, Cypress receives a report from Lugal Apogee that explains the destruction of his homeland in great detail.

The Capybarian shuts himself up in his room at the Ash Tree Inn. Hulde and Demis keep vigil in the tavern, letting their ally have a day to shut himself off from the world. Even Apogee gives Cypress space, sending a messenger to hand orders over to Hulde.

Solo Tabletop RPG Actual Play – Everspark Part Six

Read the previous part here.

(I realized I had forgotten about the overarching Spark of Qazid Icebreath’s journey across the sea. So, I went back and made Spark checks for each failure in the previous session. I closed the Spark, meaning Qazid emerges from the waters and decimates Cypress’s hometown of Slumbering Bay.)

The waters beyond Slumbering Bay churned, turning from sapphire to an ice-rimed gray. Then, with a sound like glaciers colliding, Qazid Icebreath rose from the depths. The beast’s massive form, a mountain of jagged frost and barnacle-crusted scales, shed seawater in torrents as it emerged. Its icy mist breath rolled over the docks, freezing fishing boats in place and coating the wooden piers in ice sheets.

Movie Review – Prospero’s Books

Prospero’s Books (1991)
Written by Willliam Shakespeare & Peter Greenaway
Directed by Peter Greenaway

I’ve always enjoyed The Tempest most of all Shakespeare’s comedies. I think it’s a fun, beautiful celebration of Shakespeare’s work in the theater. This isn’t a unique analysis on my part, but it is a widely accepted reading of the play. Prospero is the Bard; this island is his stage, and the magic he employs is really just imagination & writing. The story seems to be a revenge tale at the start but becomes a celebration of life by the end. Our protagonist realizes the revenge he seeks is not as important as the happiness his child could have, so he cedes to the future rather than dwells in the past.

Solo Tabletop RPG Review & Actual Play – Everspark Part Five

Read the previous chapter here

I think this is a good point in the story where my Spark of Qazid Icebreath’s Journey kicks in, which I have written up below.

N – Qazid Icebreath’s Journey
A – Make a Fate Check, advancing on unfavorable results or with failed Skill Checks.
C – Only from the second ray forward.
H – Jump to a scene of Qazid wreaking havoc on Slumbering Bay on his way to the Whispering Mountains
O – Qazid is intercepted by the Imperial Navy and appears to sink to the bottom of the sea
S – None
Qazid Icebreath’s Journey – 0/5

Fate Check roll: Has Qazid been spotted recently? The higher, the closer he is. Rolled 19.
Yes, and he has obliterated a trio of naval ships in the area.
Qazid Icebreath’s Journey – 1/5

Solo Tabletop RPG Review & Actual Play – Everspark Part Four

Read the previous session here.

This session will look at a Spark for Cypress’s overall quest inside Murkspire. They are here for The Nightveil Stone, so I’ve written up the NACHOS for it below.

N – The Nightveil Stone
A – After each successful action or favorable event
C – Starting after the third advance
H – Cypress escapes with the Nightveil Stone
O – Skragz’s Fangguard locks up Cypress and his allies
S – None

Because Cypress made it into Murkspire, he can add one step to this Spark. I will not check until I mark the third advance.

The Nightveil Stone – 1/5