Lost Words Hamlet Basic Mechanics

Easy One d6 rolls and Character Sheet

Written by rubyodegee

1d6

Violet & Fergus by ROD w/Midjourney

The rules for this simple role playing game are intentionally easy to follow. Players (multiple or solo) use one die to progress around the board using same way method that elementary board games work, with a few important exceptions.

Grandma McKeeny by ROD w/Midjourney

1. The rules for this simple role playing game are easy to follow. Character Players (multiple or solo) use one d6 dice to progress around the board using same way method that elementary board games work, with a few differences.

The numbered buttons are landing spots. All character players started at Home (1). It is unnecessary to reach step 140 to finish the game. Fictional characters, like player characters, don’t live their days step to step. Lives are rollercoasters. Creatures take short cuts, fall into quagmires, get lost, get found or find themselves.

2.

Grandpa McKeeny by ROD w/Midjourney

No test roll is required to start the game. Solo or players will follow the numbered steps until they meet up with a non-player character, a creature, a distraction, or they land on a destination by intention or cause and effect.

Some players enjoy taking their journeys step by step. It is perfectly acceptable to "walk across" the board and experience one adventure at a time, but its not necessary.

— Hint

3. Solo players and multiple character players can either choose to write (read/speak) their actions with their character sheets in mind, or use Uncle Fred’s help. He uses common action, but for solo players or players’ characters stuck for a story resolution, they are welcome to make use of his advice. There is no cost for solo players to use the assistance. It is part of the game. For multi-players to use the advice instead of proposing a unique story solution is the cost is only 1 point. It can be expensive if a 1 - 4 d6 roll is made, but it would be less of challenge without the cost. There is another way to earn back bonus points you can use to pay for this cost or for 1 - 3 d6 rolls.

Maybelle, Violet's Mother by ROD w/Midjourney

4. Consulting Uncle Fred’s image is free, unless the game master intervenes with a read aloud (no image). The image is plenty to start the imagination wheel turning. But a text hint is also available. It is permissible to adapt the text hint or the image if the adaptation makes sense. Arguing about the silliness of Uncle Fred’s notion is a good way to write a better one.

5. Using the image is enough to for players to choose the four actions: Desire Outcome, Plan, Compare Experience and Describe. Characters are welcome to repeat their travels to a location in order to use another action or the same action to write their adventure outcomes.

6. Besides the action d6 tests, there are bonus points given for crossing the threshold bridge and meeting creatures who become allies or adversaries. For each opportunity taken to meet a beast, characters risk or win a point. Characters must decide about risking or winning, before they collect their creature. Ally creatures will help them with story, and adversarial creatures can make their lives miserable. Either way, the creatures can add fodder to the story. Game masters and self satisfaction can add a bonus point to a unique story that includes a nice or ornery “pet.” Solo and character players should keep notes on their sheet to ensure this bonus gets made.
7. A map is another way to earn a game master or self satisfaction points is to draw a quick map of adventures used during the quest. Not everyone will have a map that looks like the original map.

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Optional Characer Sheet Instructions

• Using the character is even less time consuming than reading the mechanics:


• 

  Ms. Paige I by ROD w/Midjourney
  The sheet is intentionally undecorated. After filling in the character's name, it’s time to draw a portrait of the character. It will be a masterpiece no matter what style is used. Throughout the play, the remainder of the sheet can be illustrated with violets, leaves, trees, raging rapids and cottages. Whatever fits.


• The planned locations to visit can be filled and checked off at the start or while playing. A checkmark in the circle is erased or, better yet, crossed through, so that the choice will be recorded.


• Desire Outcome, Plan, Compare Experience and Describe are roll 1 d6 tests taken to determine whether the character is successful.


• Creature beasts (allies or adversaries) should be marked on the character sheet, along with a mark once the threshold is crossed and assistance is used (in the speaker image). This will help keep track of when points are earned or spent. Those points can also be recorded in the write/note box.

For example:

1. Player character repairs a boat to cross Deep Water. Character rolls a 3. Mark 3 on the sheet. The character cannot repair the boat at this time.

2. The Yellow fairy curse says the character must return to step X and start the process over again.

Ms. Paige II by ROD w/Midjourney

3. When the character returns and rolls a 6, the character may visit another location and skip taking any “walking” steps to get there. Mark 6 on the sheet and bubble in or cross through the 3. It is time to move on. The teacher, Miss Paige, will approve the writing done.

Hamlet Character Sheet to Print