Let me start by saying that I’ve long been a fan of Peter Rudin-Burgess of Parts Per Million.
I’ve used his Cut Up Solo titles—based on public domain novels—quite a bit, so far adventuring on Barsoom, in the Wild West, across galaxies, in mythic Aquilonia, and for film noir (that last, oddly enough, with the Karnacki the Ghost Finder tales). As one of the Parts Per Million Patreon backers, I own all 27 titles to this point (his entire 20+ year catalog of such things is wide open to his patrons). And my eye is particularly on next visiting Asgard, Alice’s Wonderland, nights of Arabian adventure, and Lovecraftian horrors.
(I recently asked him for a Prince of Elfland’s Daughter treatment, and because surprisingly that title isn’t yet public domain in the UK and EU, I’ll be publishing it for him very soon as a Lester Smith Games title. For which I’m also prepping a d4ce King of Elfland’s Daughter RPG.)
But Cut Up Solo isn’t all Peter does. He’s also created a line of solo oracles tuned especially to specific role-playing games, and I’m proud to say that one of those, the Empyrean Incarnation book, is devoted to the D13 RPG.
And he’s written quite a few “Easier …” books, some focused on GMing different genres, others advice about putting stories together and such, and one that I’ve found helpful for publishing: the Easier RPG Publishing book.
Peter and I have done a few joint bundle deals in the past: Cut Up Solo titles paired with one or another Bookmark HP RPG sourcebookmarks. I’m chuffed to report that today we’ve launched a bundle deal on DriveThruRPG with the D13 RPG and Empyrean Incarnations, as well as Scarier Horror Play!
The D13 RPG is, of course, my 20-years-in-the-making bucket list project to create a horror game that can not only accomodate any horror story (my goal with Dark Conspiracy), but can go beyond that, to do so without modifying the story to suit the game world. Even those of inescapable doom (a not uncommon theme in true horror). Its bit of meta background allows for a continued campaign of discovery even if protagonists die.
Systemwise, it’s based on a dice mechanic that ranges from 1-13, with my usual “One Roll to Rule Them All” sensibility, and a system for tenuously controlled paranormal abilies, based on a tarot deck (though a poker deck can serve).
And it’s illustrated throughout with paintings by Lenka Šime?ková.
As bucket list projects go, the D13 RPG leaves me very happy. Being able to play it solo is a blessing.
My present character is a 13-year-old boy who discovered his nascent pyrokinetic abilities when his younger brother was bullied on a playground. A resulting confrontation with a police officer didn’t go well for the cop. Time to run!