The Whispers- Blaydon Grange Solo Edition playthrough

We continue the playthrough of my new game, Blaydon Grange Solo Edition (available at Itch or DriveThruRpg, free or pay what you want). This is a solo RPG based in the genre of girls boarding school fiction, similar to the Malory Towers books (and TV series), the St Clares books, the Trebizon novels and others.

As is traditional I will start with an entirely random scene, and draw a 9 of Hearts – this means a Downtime scene, and with a new character. There are still some girls in Verity’s dorm as yet undefined, so let’s meet one of them now! The name Oracle provides her with the name Georgina Bridges and for her traits the draws reveal that she is an Excellent Organiser (another one!), Argumentative & critical and Naive Newcomer – interesting!

It is morning break-time in the common room and Verity Mason is sitting with a notebook on her knees jotting down ideas for the Open Day events. She becomes aware of someone watching and looks up, seeing the new girl Georgina Bridges who joined Blaydon Grange this term from another school. Verity gives her a cheery greeting and invites her to sit down and chat. It seems that Georgina has opinions about how things should be done, and thinks that Blaydon Grange is not quite so well organised as her former school, the St Agnes Academy.

“This Open Day for instance,” Georgina says, “It does seem to be rather a mess. I mean, leaving it to third form girls to organise. Can’t the teachers do it? What can a group of girls do? And apparently this Tabitha girl is making a real mess of things.”

“What?” Verity says, startled, “Why would you say that?”
“It’s what I heard,” says Georgina, “I didn’t mean to be rude. I’ve just heard some of the girls saying…well… that she’s not really up to the job.”

Yes, this is me taking advantage of a Downtime scene to introduce the final Arc – Whispering Campaign. I don’t think Georgina is behind it, but she is an unwitting herald of things to come!

Verity bites her lip. She did think that Tabitha had brought some rather unrealistic ideas to the discussion but doesn’t want to be disloyal. “Actually everyone on the committee is doing very well,” she says, “It will be a wizard day.”

And since this is a Downtime scene I’m going to try to get rid of the Embarrassed Condition that Verity picked up – she’s clearly so annoyed on Tabitha’s behalf she forgets how awkward she felt during the confrontation with Stella… or might. The draw is 10 of Clubs and she does indeed.

The draw for the next scene is a 9 of Clubs – this scene will be about the Current Arc (which I will take to mean the Whispering Campaign arc which has just started) and involve yet another new character! Time for Verity to meet Emily Wallace who is In the Shadow of a Sibling, has an Over Involved Parent and is a Risk Taker

Leaving the common room, Verity sees Emily standing by the notice board, looking for the lacrosse team lists. She’s been hoping to make captain of the lower school team, something her elder sister Elizabeth did three years earlier (and who is now the captain of the upper school team).

Has Emily made the position? I’d say that’s Evens: King of Clubs : That’s a YES, AND…

Emily turns to Verity with a big smile on her face. “Verity! I’ve made captain! Father will be so pleased – And he said that if I managed it he’d be sending in a hamper of tuck for us all to share!” That’s the “And” in the “Yes, And”

“Well done, Emily,” says Verity, “And I’m not surprised, that was a great try-out you had. Em… I wanted to ask…”

She delicately brings up what she heard Georgina say about Tabitha. “… that she’s not really up to the job of being on the Open Day committee. I don’t think that’s right at all. Have you heard that?”

Yes/No Oracle – Evens again – 4 of Diamonds – NO, BUT…

“Not at all,” said Emily, “But I haven’t really been paying attention to the gossip I’m afraid.”

At a loss for what next I draw two cards for a Verb/Concept and get 4 of Hearts and King of Diamonds – Bargain/Obsession

“… BUT I tell you what. If you’ll come practice with me before class starts again I’ll ask around the rest of the girls on the team and see if they’ve heard anything.”

Verity agrees happily and the two girls go and change, then take to the sport field for a short one-on-one lacrosse practice. This will be a Challenging (difficulty 8) Courage check – success doesn’t impact whether Emily will help or not, she’s already offered, but I’ll draw to see how Verity does– It’s an Eight of Spades – Exactly meets the difficulty, so she succeeds in impressing Emily but manages to pick up a point of Distress.

“You’re terrifying you know!” Verity says as the two girls head back to the changing rooms, “I was sure you’d break your leg… or mine… when you charged me!”

“Sorry Verity,” laughs Emily, “I have to train hard if I want to lead the team. Anyway I’ll ask around after any gossip. If someone’s bad-talking Tabitha someone will know who.”

And that gives Verity her first Success on the Whispering Campaign Arc