Tales of Argosa and my solo west marches campaign in the Midlands

Introduction

This is my very first blog about my TTRPG experience. 

The present game of choice is Tales of Argosa (2024), written by Stephen J. Grodzicki and published by Pickpocket Press. This work is a revamped and updated version of Low Fantasy Gaming (LFG). What draws me to ToA is its evocative presentation, very clean and user-friendly layout, deep yet streamlined (but not simplisitic) mechanics, and, of course, its flexibility and solo-friendliness.

I have no intent to do any review of the book here, given the big success and high praises of the Kicstarter campaign done last year. Instead what I want to share with the readers about this game is: (1) the tools that I am using; (2) some quick tips for absolute beginners (like me); (3) concise notes on establishing a west marches (sandbox) campaign in the world of Argosa (aka the Midlands); (4) brief records of my actual sessions. 

Part I. Main tools (core, extra)

Core tomes

1. Tales of Argosa (2024, Pickpocket Press) (the core ruleset, drivethrurpg PoD hardcover)
2. The Midlands (2017, Pickpocket Press) (the main setting sourcebook for LFG, lulu hardcover)

Kudos to the game designer for providing the portrait version of the GM screen for FREE (on drivethrurpg. Got them printed out on sticker paper and attach them to the blank pages under the front and back covers as the endpapers, just like the KS print version.

As a bonus, each book now has two new ribbon bookmarks (satin craft ribbons attached to the inner book spine with fabric glue; super easy to apply)  

Extra accessories

1. Official character sheets on A5 cardstock
2. The Deck of Signs (drivethrurpg PnP PDF)
3. The Bones Dice (self-made stickers on blank dice) -- missed the KS campaign so I have to make my own set; the Gamecrafter dice set is not an option for me given the high shipping cost to the other side of the Atlantic.
4. Hex maps of Argosa (a small version showing 20-mile hexes for overview, and a larger set containing 6-mile hexes for actual hexcrawling)
5. My custom battle mat (for combat measured in range bands)
6. Some miniatures (currently using my good old Mage Knight figures by Wizkids; only of average quality but fitting the game's vibe surprisingly well)

Part II. A quick and easy route to start a solo ToA game for total beginners

Thick and heavy as the tome may feel, Tales of Argosa is actually quite an easy system to get into. Like many ttrpg rulesets, there is just no need to read the book cover to cover. You can still get prepared and start your first adventure by skipping the majority of the content. Here are a couple of quick and easy steps for total beginners of this game. 

Step 0: Overview the ToA system (pp. 4-7)

Step 1: Create the characters

• Go through the procedure detailed on p. 8. Create a small party of 3 or 4 PCs (pp. 8-53, plus the gear sections from p. 58 to p. 61). No need to read everything on these pages yet. Just check out whatever information is required through the procedure.
• No magic users at this stage. 
• No hirelings for now.

[Just my purely personal preference: Playing with a single PC ("Lone wolf", p. 216) all the way may not be the most desirable choice for beginners because of the modifications of some of the basic mechanics. Besides it's more beneficial for new players to get more familiar with the game  by learning a slightly wider variety of PC options (class, race, skills, etc.). Group dynamics and bonding between PCs also provide extra fun and inspirations in the adventures.]

Step 2: Grasp the core mechanics

• Core mechanics: Read "Doing Things" pp. 63-65
• Combat: Read pp. 69-83. Just do a quick read to get an initial understanding. Skip the injuries and traumas tables, and even the "Healing" afterwards. We'll run into these naturally when things happen.
• Solo tools and rules: Read "Oracle Tools" (pp. 212-213) and "Solo Rules" (p. 216)
• "Sorcery", "Spells", "Downtime": Skip all of them for now. Read "Downtime" only after coming back to town/base from your first adventure.
• "Monsters", "Traps", "Treasures": Likewise, this is just the information we'll come to use along the way, so no need to read any of these for now. 
  

That's it! The party is already ready to venture into the wilderness (pp. 134-138) or break into a dungeon (pp. 132-133, 218-221).

But if you are looking to start a west marches style of campaign in the living, breathing, and exciting world of Argosa (aka the Midlands), please check out my next post (Part III).