Synopsis

Review

It turns out there are other Test Adventures available by Pinnacle Entertainment Group, so I’m a little annoyed that I picked the Wild West setting of all things! I think I would have enjoyed a different setting more, but I still enjoyed playing this.

The Savage Worlds’ Test Drive adventure leaves a lot to be desired, in terms of figuring out rules. There are a lot of things I needed to google to understand what I’m supposed to be doing. Personally, I think that even if the test adventure is for an expansion, the document should cover all the information a beginner will need to play—or at least tell you where to find it.

I found it both fun and annoying haha. 😂😅 But I can’t tell if I was just enjoying learning something new or if I was genuinely enjoying the mechanics? Having to do multiple google searches was frustrating though.

Although the adventure has a pretty cut-and-dry plot arc, in my opinion, I felt that I was still able to inject some creativity into it since for solo play I get to play the role of both GM and player. This felt designed for group play but was definitely solo-able for a newbie like me.

I might check out Savage Worlds again in the future…

Set the Scene

"It sure gets expensive trying to outrun the past, and I’m all outta money. I’m stuck in podunk Wyoming until my fortune changes.

Just my luck—ain’t I just the luckiest?—somebody’s died, and they need someone to figure out why.

Now I don’t know much about solving murder and all. But I know money.

I’ll figure it out… I always do.

Alright, this little lady’s gotta see a man about a corpse."

Player Character: Magnolia Pines

Attributes

• Agility d8
• Smarts d6
• Spirit d6
• Strength d4
• Vigor d6
• Pace 6
• Parry 5
• Toughness 5

Skills

• Athletics d6
• Com. Knowledge d4
• Fighting d6
• Gambling d4
• Intimidation d4
• Notice d6
• Persuasion d4
• Riding d4
• Shooting d8
• Stealth d4
• Taunt d8

Gameplay

One Page Solo Engine (OPSE) I initially used OPSE in Story Mode for recording my gameplay, including oracle and dice rolls. I then edited it in Obsidian because I realised I wanted to try using Solo RPG Notation.

Solo RPG Notation The Solo RPG Notation sets out conventions for recording solo play. The idea is that it makes it easy to a) record b) share c) continue.

Location: Main, Crittenden Ranch

> Magnolia, to a heavyset Caucasian man with brown hair and a large cowboy hat: "How ya doing, sugar. I’m here about that little job. Name’s Magnolia Pines. Pleasure, I’m sure."

? 🔮 Pacing Move 
-> [1] Foreshadow Trouble
-> There's more to this death than it seems. 

• Man: "Magnolia Pines, my oh my, pleasure to meet ya. I’m Heath Crittenden. I own this here ranch. Someone’s gone and killed one of my ranch hands. Hank—he was ace-high, and some son-of-a-gun went and killed him. Can’t be letting that slide. It eats into profits—lossa morale, if you know what I mean? If ya find out who did it, I’ll pay ya a cash reward."

> Magnolia: "Know anything that can help me, Mr Crittenden?"

• Heath: "I reckon it’s them Utes. They’ve been casing my ranch for months. Don’t think it’d be the fellers from the Ghost Steel Gang. Thas fo’ sure. Ain’t no killers, those boys. Hmm. Wouldn’t be any of my boys that work here. Like I said, Heath was ace-high, good folk. Rest in peace."

> Magnolia: "Right. And the body?"

• Heath: "He’s right here. Undertaker ain’t come to get ‘im yet."

> Magnolia: "I’ll come by to take-a look later. How much money we talking, by the way?"

• Heath: "Aw shucks, Miss Magnolia. Ain’t right to count your chickens before they gone and hatched. Figure it out, and you’ll get your money. I’m good for it, swear."

> Magnolia: "It’s Ms Magnolia, Mr Crittenden. And alright, I know how it goes. Just don’t be spending my money."

• Heath takes Magnolia where Hank’s corpse was discovered.

Location: Where Hank was found, Crittenden Ranch

> Magnolia checks for tracks

📑Rule: Skill / Trait check

• In Savage Worlds, the value of your Skills and Traits depends on your roll. So you need to roll dice to check if actions are successful. This is usually a Skill or Trait die. For success, you want the dice roll to meet the target. Unless otherwise specified by mechanics, that’s usually 4.
• Wild Cards (i.e. Player Characters and exceptional NPCs) also get to roll a Wild Card die (d6). If the Wild Die is higher than the Trait/Skill Die, then use that instead. Then apply modifiers. (Why is there a Wild Die? Because coolness means you get buffs and ‘Plot Armour’ haha.)
• NPCs who aren’t Wild Cards are called Extras.
• Since Magnolia doesn’t have the Survival trait (which was what the adventure suggested a GM get you to roll for), she rolls a d4.
• If a character does not have the applicable skill for a check, then apply a -2 penalty to the result.

d: 🎲 (Survival (Unskilled) 1d4[2] | Wild Die 1d6[6]) -2 
=> Success. 

> Magnolia: "Idjits wrecked the tracks. Ain’t nothing here."

📑Oracle for Player Actions

• Since the Test Adventure was set-up for a GM, it contained spoilers (understandable!). I can’t un-know the information in the adventure, so I let the oracle decide if Magnolia will do the ‘right’ thing.

Yes/No (Even)
? 🔮 Checks the other side of the fence for tracks?
->[6,4] Yes 

> Magnolia (Thinking): Huh. No sign of pony tracks anywhere. Ain’t the Utes then. But they might know something anyhow.

? 🔮 Pacing Move
-> [3] An NPC Takes Action

• Heath hands over a map with directions to Utes’ war camp

> Magnolia goes to see the Utes

Location: Utes’ War Camp

> Magnolia: "Howdy, gentlemen, if ya don’t mind, I need help with something"

How Much
? 🔮 How receptive are the Utes to Magnolia and her questions?
-> [3] About average

• The Utes explain why they’re in the area and confirm they aren’t involved. They’re searching for a shunka warak’in (whatever that is).

> Magnolia: "Y’all want some help with that?"

💭Why did I ask?

• I thought it would be cool to add more to the adventure and possibly come back this scenario later.

Yes/No (Unlikely)
? 🔮 Do they want help with shunka warak'in?
-> [5,6] Yes and...
-> Roll for plot hook

? 🔮 Plot Hook
-> Objective: [3] Recover something valuable
-> Adversaries: [6] A new or recurring villain
-> Rewards: [1] Money or valuables

-> Chipeta wants help looking for a holy relic to help with the creature. 
-> Reward: loyalty of the Utes. 
-> Lead: Ghost Steel Gang.

> Magnolia: "Tell ya what. I’ll be back. I reckon I can help y’all. Just got a little murder to solve, ya know. A lady’s gotta keep busy."

Location: Exploring

Yes/No (Even)
? Any Gang members around?
-> [5,5] Yes 

> Magnolia: "Hey there, I got something to ask, if you had the time?"

d: 🎲 Persuasion 1d4[3] or Wild Die 1d6[3]) vs 4: Success 

Yes/No (Even)
? 🔮 Does he know anything about the murder and/or relic?
-> No (I lost the dice roll...)

• Gang Member: "Sorry, Miss. I ain’t know nothin’ ’bout anythin’. I’d help ya if I could."

• Magnolia: "That’s okay, sugar. Maybe next time." (Winks)

> Magnolia goes back to the ranch

Location: Main, Crittenden Ranch

Yes/No (Even)
? 🔮 Is everything as expected? 
-> [1,2] No 

Detail Focus
? 🔮 What is unexpected?
-> [4D] Old (technical)
-> The barbed wire fencing is gone

d: 🎲 Notice 1d6[2] | Wild Die 1d6[4] 
=> Success.

> Magnolia notices there’s something weird about the barbed wire fencing. But she doesn’t know what.

> Magnolia goes to see Hank’s body

d: 🎲 Notice 1d6[2] or Wild 1d6[2]
=> Fail

> Magnolia examines the body and sees the wounds. She assumes they’re small bullet holes and doesn’t notice anything strange about them.

• Ranch Hand (Screaming from outside): "HELP! It’s got into the beeves! They’re killin’ ever’body!"

> Magnolia runs outside: "Show me!"

• Ranch Hand: "Ain’t no way I’m going back! They’re just over yonder!"

⚠️ERROR IN GAMEPLAY

• I misunderstood the rules and thought I was supposed to add a Trait roll to a Skill roll for some reason. That’s wrong. It’s Skill Roll or Trait Roll.
• Because of this mistake, I applied a Raise rule, which means ‘better thing happens’. This meant that I applied the following result:
• => Unnamed ranch hand is scared into tagging along, ropes in another ranch hand.
• The correct result is written below, but I can’t edit out my mistake because of the impact on combat. Luckily, only one of the two ranch hands from this check ended up staying—so it kinda works out?

d: 🎲 Intimidate 1d6[5] or Wild Die 1d6[3]) vs 4 
=> Success.
=> Unnamed ranch hand is scared into tagging along.

> Magnolia and the other two climb the hill: "Let’s get movin’, fellas."

• They see that there are 5 steer (now Blood Steer) who look… off. They are covered in barbed wire, and the strands seem to have a life of their own. One steer is extra large and has one broken horn. There are three ranch hands running frantically, trying to get away from the advancing livestock. They are way ahead, but the Blood Steer have a faster pace…

Blood Steer The Steer have been infected with bloodwire. Magnolia does not know what that is, but she knows she should kill what she thinks are rabies-infected animals.

> Magnolia (to the ranch hands): "Can you two fellas fight?"

Yes/No (Likely)
? 🔮  Does Unnamed Ranch Hand have a gun?
[2,6] No and...

He has no weapons at all. 

> Magnolia (Disbelieving): "What kinda cowboy don’t got no gun? Get outta here."

• The ranch hand abruptly turns tail, running away from the steer.

> Magnolia (to the other ranch hand): "Tell me you got a gun, sugar?"

Yes/No (Likely)
? 🔮  Does the other ranch hand have a gun?
[5,5] Yes 

• The ranch hand nods and pulls out his gun.

> Magnolia: "Good boy, let’s see if these fellas can help too."

• The three ranch hands crest the hill.

> Magnolia: "You boys got guns, or are ya gonna let a lady fight yer battles for ya?"

Yes/No (Even)
? 🔮  Do the other ranch hands have guns?
-> [6,5] Yes 

d: 🎲 Intimidate 1d4[2] or 1d6[6] 
=> Success. 
=> Ranch hands (3) get into position

• The ranch hands look at each other, scared. But they get into formation, a loose shooting line with Magnolia at the centre.

> Magnolia (smirking): "Alrightie, gentlemen. Don’t just give us a lick and a promise. Let’s put on a show for good ol’ Hank—rest in peace."

Adventure completed in Part 2