After talking a lot about it in 2025, one of my RPG goals for 2026 was to finally dedicate time and effort towards solo gaming. I've got a few ideas cooking (e.g., HarnMaster, RuneQuest, and BECMI in Mystara), but I wanted to ease into it with relatively loose constraints and in a setting that is still developing every day. So I set out to run a solo adventure (maybe it will become a campaign) in the far northwest of my Heirs of Argax Fantasy Adventure Campaign setting, using my house ruled Swords & Wizardry/OD&D system.
The beauty for me with using Swords & Wizardry in my setting is that I don't require any additional materials that I don't already use anyway for group play (at least not initially). As I run a very emergent sandbox style of game, all of the random generators and oracles I use for group play are perfectly suited for solo play as well.
My standard oracle system that I now use for all my RPGs are the oracle cards and dice I bought with the amazing Tales of Argosa RPG. They offer a huge variety of options and answers.
The Cards
As you can see, the cards offer 4 words and an image to use as idea generators that I interpret and use according to the situation at hand. The basic method is to draw 2 cards and interpret what that combo could mean. Additionally, the cards offer a directional arrow, as well as a sun/moon symbol to indicate possible time of day for something to happen. So much can be generated from just two cards. If you need additional information, just keep drawing cards. An entire adventure or NPC arc can be quickly generated with these cards.
The Dice
Next we have the oracle dice, 5 in total. There are 3 "yes/no" dice, 2 white and 1 red. They each have Y and N rune symbols on them. The white dice have 2 Y, 2 N, and 2 blank sides. The red die has 3 each of the Y and N runes. The red die acts as the weighted tie breaker or really emphasizes an outcome. The black die has 2 skulls, 2 suns, and 2 blank sides. When asking a "yes/no" type question, you roll all 4 dice and interpret the result. The black die shows that the event is either a benefit (sun), complication (skull), or neutral (blank) for the party. The black die can of course be rolled on its own.
The blue die is rolled when an encounter happens and you wish to randomly determine what the NPCs/monsters/creatures/etc. are doing: threat, socializing, eating, working, traveling, or resting.
The Session
I have to be honest and say that it took a bit for me to roll the first dice and settle in. I turned on some music to fit the setting and theme and then simply started. I had created the adventuring party of 4 characters a few days prior and thus didn't have to spend any time with that once I took the step and actually start playing.
Here's how it went...
I should start by introducing the group. The "motivations" were generated using the cards from above.
Mendos (Human, Male, Age 26, Magic-User, Neutral Alignment, Level 1, HP: 1)
STR: 11, DEX: 17, CON: 8, INT: 15, WIS: 5, CHA: 11
Motivation: To explore mysterious ruins he learned about in his studies.
Dagbios (Human, Male, Age 22, Fighter, Lawful Alignment, Level 1, HP: 3)
STR: 17, DEX: 15, CON: 10, INT: 9, WIS: 9, CHA: 12
Motivation: To wander through the world in order to better understand it.
Mata (Human, Female, Age 23, Cleric - Cult of Illurios and the Order of the Enduring Dawn, Lawful Alignment, Level 1, HP: 2)
STR: 7, DEX: 9, CON: 9, INT: 11, WIS: 12, CHA: 10
Motivation: To bring the light of Illurios to the wilderness.
Vectorix (Human, Male, Age 19, Fighter, Neutral Alignment, Level 1, HP: 4)
STR: 7, DEX: 8, CON: 11, INT: 8, WIS: 9, CHA: 8
Motivation: Is a bit aimless and lost without a true calling, so he's along to see if he can find one.
Arday, the 9th of the month of False Spring, Year 1025 AC (Argaxian Cycle)
The party arrives in the far northern trading outpost town of Eotenword. In his search for lost ruins, Mendos recruited his friends Dagbios and Mata to come along. Looking for purpose in life, Dagbios' cousin Vectorix also joined the group. With the chaos of the Argaxian Civil War far to the south, it wasn't hard for Mendos to convince his compatriots to leave their homes in the former imperial province of Cellanica and venture beyond the former borders of the empire.
They had initially sailed up the coast to Evan's Hold in Gertania. Then gaining passage on a trader's longship, they continued north to Eotenword. A town of 2,000 souls, Eotenword had grown out of a simple Thalurian trading village and Argaxian outpost into the last port of civilization in the north. It is a gathering place of Thalurian barbarian traders and merchants from the south. Ruled by a merchant council, with input from local chieftains, Eotenward can boast of a militia of around 400 somewhat able-bodied fighters. A portion of the militia (roughly 100) is always on duty, with regular 20 person patrols sent out into the immediate countryside. Very seldom do they travel beyond a day's ride from town, as the wilds are full of dangers. The council is always looking for brave (foolish) adventurers willing to range further and report back with any findings.
It's a blustery day of whipping mist coming off the Brymwyl Sea and the party turns into the nearest inn they can find. They immediately find that all prices seem to be double what they saw in Evan's Hold. A clear sign that trading season has begun.
After settling in, the party engaged a few locals in conversation. Oracle dice roll: overwhelming YES. They find a very reliable rumor that there seems to be trouble in the mountains south of town.
Apparently, rival cults have been clashing and this fight is seeping into the community. The local authorities have put out a bounty of 100 silver pennies (I use a silver coin based economy where 1 sp = 1 XP) to find out what's the cause of the dispute and to resolve it.
The party decided to accept this task (there was an additional rumor that the dispute might be about some ancient relic and that got Mendos' attention), geared up (including getting a mule) and to head out the next day. They even paid a local 8sp to draw a somewhat reliable map of the area where they suspect the cults are hiding out (they couldn't afford to hire a guide, so a map will have to do).
Unfortunately, due to unlucky random weather rolls, the party had to delay their trip by 3 days due to stormy weather pouring in off the sea. The wilds are dangerous enough and you don't need to add bad weather to the mix if you don't have to. The downside of the delay was that it drained the party of much needed coin.
Suneve, 13th of False Spring
Finally the party headed south, camping in the hills (Hex 1014).
Illurday, 14th of False Spring
A heavy rain settled in during the day, making travel difficult. The party found a rock with ancient carvings on it. Mendos took some time to discern it, but it seemed to warn of some sort of an infection spreading. After Dagbios found some shelter for the group, they spotted a giant raven tearing at the carcass of a deer some distance away.
Solarday, 15th of False Spring
The poor weather continued and the group entered the mountains (Hex 1015).
At this point I ruled that there would be an X-in-6 chance each day for the group to find the cultists' hideout. They roughly knew it was in this hex, but couldn't get an exact location on the map. So I take a base chance of 1-in-6 on day 1 and increase that to them guaranteed to find them on day 6, but that amount of time spent would literally eat into their rations and add another time pressure to their adventure.
Arday, 16th of False Spring
Light rain replaced the heavy rain from the previous day. They did not locate the cultists, but near a waterfall they encountered 3 frost giants! Luckily the party wasn't surprised by the giants, but the giants were. Since a die roll determined that the giants were eating, the party was able to slip away and evade the giants (I use the OD&D outdoor evasion rules, which are absent from Swords & Wizardry).
Orday, 17th of False Spring
The light rain continues, but the party gets a lucky break: they discover the cultists' hideout.
End of Session
I decided to end the session here. I had been at it for about an hour and this cliff-hanger was a perfect stopping point, insuring my interest to return to this adventure and see what happens next.
After finally sitting down and playing a solo session, I have to say that I enjoyed it. It was an awkward start at first, but that soon faded away. I'm looking forward to getting back to Mendos and his compatriots to see how this encounter with the cultists unfolds.
If you want to follow along on my solo RPG journey in Heirs of Argax, along with the development of the campaign setting, feel free to subscribe to my free newsletter HERE.
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