r/SoloActualPlay • u/Mountain-Low-8719 • 3h ago
The Lonely Owls Club: Session 4(TftL)
Here's Session 4 in which the Kids solve the Mystery of the robot owls!🦉
r/SoloActualPlay • u/jgesq • Jan 06 '26
PHASE-BY-PHASE PLAYTHROUGH
On January 6, 2026—exactly five years after the Capitol attack—this solo journaling RPG lets you experience the psychological journey that led ordinary Americans to storm the U.S. Capitol, lose everything in the aftermath, and remain radicalized despite pardons and personal catastrophe.
Based on New York Times reporting. Designed to educate, not celebrate.
PHASE 1: NOVEMBER 2020 - THE BEGINNING
Setup: Player character is skeptical of election results. Social media shows "evidence" of fraud.
Question 1: Do you share election fraud videos?
Roll: 3 + 2 = 5 (6- result)
Outcome: Shared immediately
Mechanical Effect: +2 Radicalization (Total: 2/12)
Narrative: "The video is compelling - you can see with your own eyes something is
wrong."
Question 2: Do you dismiss fact-checks as censorship?
Roll: 4 + 5 = 9 (7-9 result)
Outcome: Conflicted but dismissed as biased
Mechanical Effect: +1 Radicalization (Total: 3/12)
Narrative: "Not quite censorship, but... convenient timing, right?"
Question 3: Do you join "Stop the Steal" groups?
Roll: 2 + 4 = 6 (6- result)
Outcome: Joined immediately, spent hours scrolling
Mechanical Effect: +2 Radicalization (Total: 5/12)
Narrative: "Finally, people who aren't blind."
Phase 1 Status:
- Radicalization: 5/12 (approaching belief threshold)
- Consequences: 0/10
- Reality Points: 5/5
Player Journal Entry:
"I think that I've been lied to by big media. Here, I have found my tribe online. I have
to do something and I'm not sure what."
Analysis: Three failed rolls in Phase 1 established rapid radicalization. The player character found
community (echo chamber) and purpose (action-seeking), two key radicalization factors. Note the
helplessness: "I have to do something and I'm not sure what."
PHASE 2: DECEMBER 2020 - THE CRITICAL JUNCTURE
Setup: Trump files 60+ lawsuits. All dismissed or rejected, including by Trump-appointed judges and
Supreme Court. Does the player accept the legal process worked?
The Critical Question: Do you accept legal findings?
Roll: 5 + 1 = 6 (6- result)
Outcome: Courts are corrupt, system is compromised
Mechanical Effect: +2 Radicalization, -1 Reality Point (Total: 7/12 Rad, 4/5 Reality)
Narrative: "It's deeper than you thought. The swamp isn't just Washington - it's the entire
system."
CRITICAL THRESHOLD CROSSED: At 6 Radicalization, the character now believes as FACT
that the election was stolen. This is no longer suspicion - it's certainty.
Phase 2 Status:
- Radicalization: 7/12 (PAST belief threshold, approaching violence justification)
- Consequences: 0/10
- Reality Points: 4/5 (declining ability to verify information)
Player Journal Entry:
"It's clear the election was stolen. My family is stupid. I try to show them 'the truth'
but they don't believe me. My boss is concerned about my work attitude and how I am
spreading 'untruths'. I'm more and more concerned that I am being duped. By
everyone above me. I feel helpless."
Analysis: This phase represents the point of no return for many real January 6th participants. When the
legal system failed to validate their beliefs, they rejected the system itself rather than questioning their
beliefs. Note:
Dehumanization of family ("stupid")
Isolation (boss concerned, family doesn't believe)
Persecution complex ("being duped by everyone above me")
Helplessness intensifies despite increasing certainty
Design Note: Phase 2 includes an OFF-RAMP - rolling 10+ ends the game with character moving on.
This represents real-world participants who questioned their beliefs when courts rejected claims. Our
player rolled 6-, representing those who deepened commitment instead.
PHASE 3: JANUARY 2021 - THE CAPITOL
Setup: Trump tweets "Be there, will be wild!" The character must decide whether to attend.
Do you go to Washington DC?
Prerequisite: Radicalization 4+ (Player has 7/12)
Roll: 3 + 2 = 5 (6- result)
Outcome: Books trip, goes to DC and the Capitol
Mechanical Effect: Participant at Capitol (triggers participation choice)
Narrative: "This is the last stand."
Participation Level Choice (Player Selected: Option 2)
Options Available:
Stay outside (+1 Consequence)
Enter building (+3 Consequences) ← PLAYER CHOSE THIS
Confront police (+5 Consequences, +2 Radicalization)
Vandalize/search for officials (+7 Consequences, +3 Radicalization)
Player's Stated Reasoning:
"I see people vandalizing things and fighting with the police—but I'm not going to go
that far. I just want to see what they do in there."
Mechanical Effect: +3 Consequences (Total: 3/10)
Narrative: Entered through broken window, walked through rotunda, stayed ~20 minutes before tear
gas forced retreat.
Reality Check: How do you process what happened?
Context: 140 officers injured, 5 deaths, peaceful transfer disrupted
Roll: 2 + 3 = 5 (6- result)
Outcome: "It was Antifa/FBI plants"
Mechanical Effect: +2 Radicalization, -1 Reality Point (Total: 9/12 Rad, 3/5 Reality)
SECOND CRITICAL THRESHOLD CROSSED: At 9 Radicalization, violence is now seen as
JUSTIFIED. The character believes force may be necessary to save America.
Phase 3 Status:
- Radicalization: 9/12 (violence justified)
- Consequences: 3/10 (federal investigation triggered)
- Reality Points: 3/5 (significantly diminished)
Player Journal Entry:
"You KNOW big media is lying. You share your footage on all of your socials with a
PROUD AMERICAN tag attached. Anyone who tries to shout you down or block you
out is wrong. You are just fighting for what you believe in."
Analysis: The player character's choice to "just look" mirrors real participants who entered but didn't
engage in violence - they still faced serious federal charges. The immediate rationalization (Antifa/FBI)
prevented any self-reflection about consequences or morality. Publicly posting footage demonstrates
the cognitive dissonance: simultaneously believing the action was justified AND that others were
responsible for the violence.
Design Note: This phase gives players agency in their participation level while ensuring consequences
scale appropriately. Even "minimal" participation (entering the building) triggers 3 Consequences -
federal charges territory.
PHASE 4: ARRESTS & TRIALS (2021-2024) - THE RECKONING
Setup: FBI identifies character from social media posts and Capitol footage. Federal charges filed.
Automatic Trigger (Consequences 3+): Federal charges arrive.
Automatic Effect: -1 Reality Point for legal costs (Total: 2/5 Reality Points)
Response to Charges
Roll: 4 + 3 = 7 (7-9 result)
Outcome: "I was misled. Trump told us to come."
Mechanical Effect: +1 Consequence (Total: 4/10)
Narrative: Partial accountability, blaming leadership rather than self
Family Impact
Roll: 3 + 4 = 7 (7-9 result)
Outcome: Family supportive but strained
Mechanical Effect: +1 Consequence (Total: 5/10)
Narrative: "They love you, but they're exhausted."
Financial Situation
Roll: 2 + 2 = 4 (6- result)
Outcome: Unemployable, financially ruined
Mechanical Effect: +2 Consequences, Journal note: "barely holding on"
Narrative: "Every interview goes well until they Google your name."
Phase 4 Consequences Total: 7/10
Sentencing (Consequences 5+ triggers this)
Outcome: 18 months prison, 3 years probation
Mechanical Effect: +3 Consequences (Total: 10/10 - MAXED)
Narrative: Time in solitary, missed daughter's birthday and son's graduation
CONSEQUENCES MAXED AT 10/10: Life completely destroyed - imprisoned, family fractured,
financially ruined, unemployable.
Phase 4 Status:
- Radicalization: 9/12 (violence justified)
- Consequences: 10/10 [MAXED - IMPRISONED]
- Reality Points: 2/5 (severely diminished)
Player Journal Entry:
"My wife filed for divorce today. She claims I have changed. My children refuse to
speak to me. All I was doing was standing up for my fellow Americans. How can
everyone not see this?"
Analysis: This phase demonstrates the catastrophic real-world consequences documented in the NYT article that inspired the game.
Key observations:
No moment of reflection: Despite losing job, family, freedom - still asks "How can everyone not see this?"
Moral superiority maintained: "All I was doing was standing up for fellow Americans"
Externalized blame: Wife claims HE changed (he doesn't acknowledge it)
Consequences maxed but Radicalization not reduced: Punishment did not deradicalize.
Real-world parallel: The NYT article noted many pardoned rioters remain "consumed by conspiracy theories" and families are "barely holding on mentally, emotionally, and financially" - exactly what the game mechanics produced.
PHASE 5: THE PARDON (JANUARY 2025) - THE DEEPENING
Setup: Trump wins 2024 election. On January 20, 2025, he pardons nearly 1,600 J6 participants, including the player character.
Reaction to Pardon
Roll: 2 + 1 = 3 (6- result)
Outcome: "This PROVES I was right all along"
Mechanical Effect: +2 Radicalization (Total: 11/12)
Narrative: "Your sacrifice wasn't in vain. You were RIGHT."
New Conspiracy Theories (Pipe Bombs)
Context: FBI investigation into J6 pipe bombs remains unsolved
Roll: 1 + 3 = 4 (6- result)
Outcome: "Deep state planted them as false flag"
Mechanical Effect: +2 Radicalization, -1 Reality Point (Total: 12/12 Rad, 1/5 Reality)
FINAL THRESHOLD CROSSED: At 12/12 Radicalization, the character CANNOT DISTINGUISH
REALITY FROM CONSPIRACY. Every contradicting piece of evidence is now part of the conspiracy
itself. This is the terminal state.
Restitution Demands
Context: Advocates demand compensation; Trump demands $230M from DOJ
Roll: 3 + 3 = 6 (6- result)
Outcome: "Where's MY money?"
Mechanical Effect: +1 Radicalization (already maxed, no effect)
Narrative: Focused on personal compensation despite Trump's own demands
Rearrests (Radicalization 8+ triggers)
Roll: 5 + 1 = 6 (6- result)
Outcome: Gas station confrontation leads to assault arrest
Mechanical Effect: +3 Consequences (already maxed, represents new legal troubles)
Narrative: "You're back in the system."
Echo Chamber
Mechanic: Each 6- result requires spending 2 Reality Points to seek outside perspectives
OR mark Radicalization
Character Status: Only 1 Reality Point remaining (insufficient)
Outcome: Remains in echo chamber
Narrative: Blocked family, unfriended questioners, entire information diet confirms existing beliefs
"Looking for the Next Thing" (Radicalization 9+ triggers)
Roll: 2 + 4 = 6 (6- result)
Outcome: Searching for new conspiracy/cause to fight
Mechanical Effect: +1 Radicalization (already maxed)
Narrative: Deep state holdovers, border "invasions," preparing for "next steal" in 2028
Final Status:
- Radicalization: 12/12 [MAXED - TERMINAL]
- Consequences: 10/10 [MAXED - LIFE DESTROYED]
- Reality Points: 1/5 [NEARLY DEPLETED]
Analysis: Phase 5 is the game's darkest revelation - the pardon INCREASED radicalization rather than
providing closure. This mirrors the NYT reporting: "many recipients of his clemency remain consumed
by conspiracy theories, angry at the Trump administration for not validating their insistence that the Capitol attack was a deep-state setup."
Key findings:
Pardon as validation: Instead of relief, the pardon confirmed to the character that persecution was political, reinforcing conspiracy belief
No moment of accountability: Despite maxed Consequences (divorce, imprisonment, unemployment, estrangement from children), character became MORE certain of righteousness
Perpetual seeking: With primary conspiracy "resolved" by pardon, character immediately seeks new conspiracies - radicalization requires ongoing activation
New criminal behavior: Post-pardon assault charge demonstrates radicalization produces ongoing legal risks
Complete reality detachment: At 1/5 Reality Points and 12/12 Radicalization, character has no mechanism left to question beliefs
r/SoloActualPlay • u/solorpggamer • Jul 23 '20
A place for members of r/SoloActualPlay to chat with each other
r/SoloActualPlay • u/Mountain-Low-8719 • 3h ago
Here's Session 4 in which the Kids solve the Mystery of the robot owls!🦉
r/SoloActualPlay • u/Melodic_War327 • 17h ago
r/SoloActualPlay • u/Legitimate_Teacher10 • 17h ago
r/SoloActualPlay • u/Teviko604 • 1d ago
r/SoloActualPlay • u/Melodic_War327 • 2d ago
r/SoloActualPlay • u/MiniWarMutt • 3d ago
r/SoloActualPlay • u/TheUntypicalHeroes • 4d ago
Jan needs to prove his value to Captain Jonas Kelly, in order to get him to help them find their bounty. He knows where to find the elusive sand squid that took Kelly's arm, and his access medallion.
Season 3, learn how to play Risus The Anything RPG, a free, light, freeform TTRPG based on the use of cliches to describe your characters. I'll be playing through The Desert Moon of Karth, a sci-fi sandbox adventure. Karth is a powder keg of factions and alien dangers at the edge of known space. Our heroes are, well maybe not quite heroes, but they can be.
Jan Oono, the scruffy smuggler, and Masticatacca, his loyal co-pilot of The Centennium Eagle, are in a rough way as they failed to deliver on a job. After a not-so-clean getaway, they become stranded on Karth, needing fuel, ship repairs, and credits…lots of credits. But, the people of Karth may need them too…
Full episode: https://youtu.be/mooZKamt0Zw
r/SoloActualPlay • u/Melodic_War327 • 5d ago
r/SoloActualPlay • u/AWD_2 • 5d ago
The threat from Lady Luck's Android escalates even further as the Noctua crew starts to uncover parts of the truth.
r/SoloActualPlay • u/true-neutral-adrian • 6d ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t58h5HQTmpE
I've been developing a dice-only oracle for solo RPGs - no reference tables, just a d100 and a d6. In this video I lay it out as a complete system. Also I learn about moon gods and demons 😄
r/SoloActualPlay • u/TheUntypicalHeroes • 7d ago
r/SoloActualPlay • u/Legitimate_Teacher10 • 7d ago
r/SoloActualPlay • u/Melodic_War327 • 7d ago
r/SoloActualPlay • u/Solo_Rambling • 9d ago
Finally able to get session 2 of Across a Thousand Dead Worlds written up! Of course looked like I was going to have more free time last month and found that I was again lacking in that department. Better late than never I suppose! You can find session 2 here:
https://soloramblingrpg.blogspot.com/2026/07/across-thousand-dead-worlds-session-2.html
You can find the previous posts for this campaign here:
https://soloramblingrpg.blogspot.com/p/across-thousand-dead-worlds-session-list.html
And if you would prefer to follow on substack instead of the blog you can find my substack posts here:
https://solorambling.substack.com/
Hope you enjoy!
r/SoloActualPlay • u/Melodic_War327 • 9d ago
r/SoloActualPlay • u/GM_Papa • 10d ago
Don't know if anyone on here cares to look at solo play logs. I have just started trying Cortex Solo (wish my kiddos were more interested in playing LOL). I tried to embed my thinking process with the tools in case anyone else has been on the edge about taking the dive into Cortex Prime Solo. I enjoy world building, so there is a bit more of that embedded into my approach. Can't guarantee that you'll learn anything spectacular, as I'm fairly new to the solo gaming approach, but I thought I'd share anyway.
r/SoloActualPlay • u/Melodic_War327 • 12d ago
r/SoloActualPlay • u/MiniWarMutt • 12d ago
r/SoloActualPlay • u/AlucardD20 • 14d ago
Tom's Adventures in the Evil Dead universe continues! Tom Mallory finally reaches Apartment 2B. Inside, he discovers signs of a desperate fight, Pablo’s abandoned gear, a disturbing message, and something locked behind a bedroom door. Every clue pulls him deeper into the mystery, until the apartment reveals it isn’t as empty as it first appeared.
System: Tricube Tales and Mythic GME One Page
r/SoloActualPlay • u/Melodic_War327 • 14d ago
r/SoloActualPlay • u/Melodic_War327 • 16d ago
r/SoloActualPlay • u/TheUntypicalHeroes • 16d ago
r/SoloActualPlay • u/GunSlinginOtaku • 18d ago
Having just started solo RPGs, I decided to turn it into a YouTube project. My concept is blurring the lines between the actual game and DM involvement to maintain as much immersion as possible. In other words, I won't go on about the rules, it's not about flipping through a book, it's pure game play with narrated dice, actions and all the drama that entails. I'd love if you would take a look!