This one is really special.
Creation Myths by GothHoblin – Available Now!
What starts with some simple rolling tables to begin the character-creation process quickly delves into the hero’s journey, establishing a number of nuanced story elements suitable for any genre or type of tale one wishes to weave.
Naturally, the prompts are especially suited for crafting the backstory of a beloved new character ready to foray into their first adventure in the world of any tabletop roleplay game. However, something more lies within.
Full disclosure, I know the author, GothHoblin (Trashpals, Space Taxi, and more), and share space in more than one TTRPG with her, and I was given early access as proofreader and playtester for the material. So, I could be biased when I say this:
It’s the best solo storytelling game I have experienced, but probably not for the most obvious reasons. Let’s get those out up front, because those are the ones most likely to convince anyone reading this into giving it a try. Then I’ll address why, for me, it’s got that something extra special.
First and foremost, this is a journaling game, based on a twelve-part series of prompts that mark the origin, development, initial journey, and return home of a character you create. You won’t find charts to help choose hair color, height, or random physical characteristics. This goes much deeper. You’ll delve into personal characteristics, companions, and beliefs. You’ll explore the early trials, successes and failures along the way. You’ll face personal crises and try to overcome them. And you’ll determine the next steps for this particular adventurer in the wider world of possibility.
In this way, the game can bring closure – if that’s the aim – a complete story to be told by following the prompts and their occasionally intersecting complexity. You can find a fulfilling experience over the course of an hour or two, particularly if you are a fan of converting the journaling process into your own fiction (but we’ll get to more of that later).
Perhaps even more valuable, it serves as the perfect way to craft the story *before* the story of your personal hero, in whatever ultimate shape that may take – be it a new campaign with friends and dice or your own other creative endeavors.
Even more appealing, there is ample room for replayability. With four modes to choose from – Heroic (standard playthrough), Hard (the completionist route), Casual (the, well, casual, and potentially quicker experience), and perhaps my favorite – Goblin Mode (where you add an entire layer on top of the tale, as a single-minded collector of precious things through your story). Regardless of the mode, the elaborate choices and variety of the prompts would allow you to play through to create several heroes without ever overlapping a single characteristic. The prompts dig in deep enough to tap your own imagination, so even with similar rolls of the dice, you will very likely end up with vastly different outcomes.
This brings me to my own personal experience of this journey. As someone who relishes the chance to create a new character – for any purpose, or no purpose at all – this would naturally suit me. But what I was not prepared for was the way in which it drew me in immediately and helped make connections with characters and stories already rumbling around in my subconscious. In less than two hours, I made more progress understanding some of my characters than I have in years as playing or writing from their perspective.
For authors that dream up scenes in their head or are good at plotting out the big picture but then struggle to connect all those dots in a way that makes sense, this activity might just be perfect for you. It left me feeling excited about new avenues for old characters that I thought had faded on the page long ago.
If that’s not enough, the pages are wonderfully laid out with a satisfying aesthetic that makes Creation Myths stand out in a collection. It would certainly look appealing in the background with your own goblin hoard of dice and stack of pristine blank journals just waiting for you to finally dive in on that adventure only you can tell.
I’ll say it again. This one is really special. Take the journey and create your own myths with the help of this amazing experience.
