The Lone Toad Newsletter - March 2024
Cha-cha-cha Changes! And a Preview soon to crowd fund Substratum Protocol!
Welcome to the March 2024 Lone Toad and welcome to the 50 or so new subscribers. Thanks for joining the Toad Army (cult? union? guild?). For anyone new, The Lone Toad is dedicated to solo RPGs. I love them, I play them, and I make them.
But to start, now that we’ve SMASHED my 200 subscriber goal, we are making some positive changes to the Croaker RPGs landscape and have some exciting news about The Lone Toad.
Going Bi-Monthly! (As in twice a month, not every two months)
Yes! You will never have to wait a whole damn month for The Lone Toad. I’ll still do monthly Editions of The Lone Toad, which will be in the same format as this one. But the mid-month editions will be more free-flowing thoughts on Solo RPG development, interviews with creators, and other fun things.
Now, I hear you saying “But you're just one frog. How can you expand the newsletter, make Solo RPGs, and write your blog?” Well, that’s the rub, I can’t. Croakers RPG Corner has been my repository for Solo RPG articles, actual plays, and interviews. Unfortunately, I can’t maintain that also. Now, that doesn’t mean the blog is dead, but it won’t be a focus going forward.
A friend of the blog told me - sometimes you need to approach things with the attitude of the knife, ‘chopping off what's incomplete and saying: 'Now, it's complete because it's ended here.’ (Frank Herbert Quote! Can’t wait to see Dune 2 by the way).
More than anything thank you all for consistently reading this newsletter! I write it because you all read it.
Now, let’s get to the fun stuff!
Also can’t get enough of me? I can’t blame you. Follow me on Threads here!
Substratum Protocol by Pandion Games
Launching on Backerkit March 26th 2024!
Ever daydream about what there is deep deep below our feet? Maybe there are whole worlds, whole ecosystems, whole nightmares in the down deep? Well, you can find all that out by playing Substratum Protocol by Pandion Games.
Substram Protocol is a Solo+ survival mystery TTRPG utilizing step-down dice and card draw mechanics. Playable as both a solo game or guided by a GM, players take on the role of the earth’s best remaining scientists. On their grueling journey to the earth’s center, the expedition team will overcome challenges, gain clues and knowledge of the portal, discover creatures, aliens, cosmic horrors, and ultimately assemble their Final Hypothesis to overcome the apocalypse that stands before them and close the portal.
Inspired by other dangerous expedition disaster games and movies such as Subnautica, Armageddon, and Deep Impact, Substram Protocol will have you delving deep and solving your own mystery in a cool and unique style.
Reasons why I’ll be checking out Substratum Protocol:
The mystery isn’t pre-determined. Using the Hints and Hijinx system the answer to the mystery is up to the players to figure out and solve.
The Art. Illustrated by the excellent Galen Pejeau (recently of Stoneburner but has so many other credits), the art in Substram Protocol is a cool 70’s technical handbook style.
Tons of content, with 10 sectors to explore and 120 events and encounters to deal with, so you won’t soon be bored.
The overall style and vibe of the writing. It makes you want to dive down and solve this mystery.
Be sure to go to Backerkit and get ready to join the Substratum Protocol
Work in Progress
Night Terror
Also available on Drive Thru RPG!
Night Terror is published! Check it out and survive the evil sorcerer who inhabited your mind!
An Antique Land
Another game release! This is a 1-page RPG. In Antique Land you'll write a poem as this strange man regales you with a tale of a city long lost to the sands of time. Released for the RPG Talk Lost City Jam. It’s Pay What You Want, so check it out!
Lost City of Cargoth
OK. I have some very exciting plans for the Lost City of Cargoth. I’m still working through some details but all of my subscribers will be touring the Lost City soon! Stay tuned…
Be sure to check out my other games here!
Other RPG Stuff
Me, Myself & Die has reached 30k subscribers on YouTube. Trevor is teasing season 4 which will use a solo system of his own creation!
Check out Deals of Opportunity, a website where you can upload your DriveThruRPG wishlist and get informed when a title you want goes on sale!
Check out Rogue Tower, a rogue-like Dungeon crawler by Dragon’s Den Games! I love the dice mechanic in this game and am considering stealing it for future projects.
Need more Solo APs in your life? Check out The Handbasket Ride, an excellently written actual play of the yet-to-be fully-released Electric State by Free League. Eynowd is a fantastic writer who has worked in the RPG industry in the past.
A new RPG news site has popped up, Rascal News. Run by some really talented journalists. I encourage you to check it out and support them.
Quinn’s Quest has launched, an entertaining TTRPG YouTube channel from the creator of Shut Up and Sit Down. The first review is Wild Sea which looks SO good.
Next Month for Croaker RPGs
Next month I'm starting the Bi-Monthly posts and I’m happy to say I already have an interview lined up for it. I don’t want to spoil anything just yet but I think you’ll all be pleasantly surprised by what I got cooking.
Thank you for Reading!
As always I write this because you all read it. Please like this newsletter and share it with others who may be interested.
Thanks for the shout out for "The Handbasket Ride". Much appreciated, and glad you're enjoying it!