Alone, in this case

A melting pot of inspirations and mechanics from :

- Space street by SR 16 (https://sr16.itch.io/space-street)
- Chained Mosaic: noir by Mundos Infinitos (https://mundosinfinitos.itch.io/chained-
mosaic-noir-english)
- Ai Cards by Paolino Caputo (https://magnolienne.itch.io/ai)
- The template of cards made by The Gift of Gabes (https://thegiftofdice.itch.io/)

RULES

Alone, in this case is a system meant for solo games in which you encounter characters with
different personalities. It is meant for journaling games where you write, record and create all
information you want as you advance in your story.

In order to play a game using this system, you will need paper (or any software to record
your progress) and at least 2 six-sided dice.

Creating your character

First of all, you will need to create your own character. As it is a supplement of Space Street,
a game focusing on investigation, here are your three characteristics:

BRAWN : a characteristic that is at the core of actions involving strength, stamina or forcing.
That could be punching a menacing character or coercing someone in a conversation.

FINESSE : a characteristic you will use for actions involving stealth, subtlety or dexterity.
That could be breaking into a house or lying to someone.

INVESTIGATION : As you will advance in your story, you will gather new information. This
characteristic will tell you the type of hypothesis you can make with those clues or which
type of consequence you have when discovering them. The information is what your
character feels as relevant, but later on you can decide they are no longer relevant or even
true.

Between those three characteristics, distribute 3 points.

You will use those characteristics on Non-Playable Characters (or NPCs), so let’s see first
what constitutes them.

Non-Playable Characters (NPCs)

As said previously, characters you will meet are at the core of your story. However, to
determine how they will react and act with your character, you will have at least two of those
four squares : MOOD, THREAT, LIES and CONFRONT.

When you have a square, you must throw the two six-sided dice mentioned before. You will
have two results and will be able to choose one of the four quadrants of the square.
Example: as you encounter a new character, you need to determine their current MOOD.
You will throw two six-sided dice and will obtain a 2 and a 4.
When reading the MOOD square, your result could either be :
- 2.4 in the green quadrant that corresponds to “Tired”.
- 4.2 in the pink quadrant corresponding to “Stressed”.
Choose one of those quadrants and describe this NPC’s mood accordingly.

MOOD 1 2 3 4 5 6
6 Stressed Stressed Stressed Upbeat Upbeat Upbeat
5 Stressed Stressed Stressed Upbeat Upbeat Upbeat
4 Stressed Stressed Stressed Upbeat Upbeat Upbeat
3 Chill Chill Chill Tired Tired Tired
2 Chill Chill Chill Tired Tired Tired
1 Chill Chill Chill Tired Tired Tired

In these examples, the quadrants are equal but most of the time, the bigger the quadrant,
the more likely the NPC will act that way.
When throwing the dice, you can choose to use a characteristic to influence the NPC.

Influencing with a characteristic

Indeed, the character you will play can interact and influence the MOOD of a NPC, their
reaction to your THREAT, their reaction to your LIES or their reaction to a
CONFRONTATION.

In order to influence, you can use either BRAWN or FINESSE.

If a characteristic is on 0, you can’t influence. However, if the characteristic is 1, 2 or 3,
subtract or add this number on the result of one dice.

This may allow you to change from a quadrant and, if so, you will have to describe how you
changed it. When describing, stay coherent with the characteristic you used : BRAWN of
FINESSE may be used directly or indirectly to change quadrants. Explain with the amount of
details you want how you did it.

In the following, here is a description for each square.

1. MOOD
This square represents how a NPC character will behave generally. It includes the four
quadrants Stressed, Upbeat, Chill and Tired.

When interacting with a character, they can experience the complete range of emotions, but
how those emotions will be expressed will be according to the quadrant.
Of course, a quadrant also describes how physically a character can be.

2. THREAT
If this square appears when a character is described, it means you have made something
(an action or saying something) that made them feel personally threatened.
This square represents how the NPC behaved when feeling threatened. It includes the four
quadrants Flight, Fight, Freeze or Beg.

Those reactions could either be physical or just in the conversation.

3. LIES
If this square appears when a character is described, it means you have hidden or lied about
something (in an action or when saying something). When doing so, it provoked a reaction
toward the lie.
This square represents how the NPC behaves when you lie to them or tell them something
incoherent or strange. It includes the four quadrants Question, Believe, Disbelief or Suspect.

Those reactions could either be physical or just in the conversation.

4. CONFRONT
If this square appears when a character is described, it means you have been in a situation
where you were in a confrontation with this NPC. The reason for it is for you to decide (stay
coherent with the context, it can be personal or for any other reason).
This square represents how the NPC behaves in the confrontation. It includes the four
quadrants Upset, Escalate, Apologize or Deny.

Those confrontations could either be physical or just in the conversation.

What about the third characteristic?

The third characteristic is INVESTIGATION and concerns the type of hypothesis you can
make with clues or the consequence when discovering one.
Indeed, when meeting a new character, you will always gather new information regarding
your case and to determine the type of information, you will have a special square.

Just as the NPC squares, the INFORMATION square will have four quadrants. However, the
name of the quadrants will vary between :

- Trail : an information that is coherent with what you already believe or the simplest
explanation possible.
- Twist : something you considered as relevant or true may be questionable with this
new information.
- Anagnorisis : this new information is about yourself or someone/something you’re
close to. This information can be surprising, incoherent or even threatening.
- Traded : to obtain this new information, you had to bargain and trade something
valuable. That could be an object, a promise, a sacrifice or a secret.
- Secret : regardless of how you have obtained this information (someone told you or
you’ve found it), nobody must know that you’re aware of it. If someone knows it or if
you have traded this information, this may lead to consequences.
- Consequence : this quadrant is about complications you will have if the NPC
suspects you (quadrant from square LIES), disbelieves you (quadrant from square
LIES), fights you (quadrant from square THREAT) or any quadrant in the
CONFRONT square. A consequence may also appear if you have traded a secret. If
no condition is valid, create a complication.
- Complication : you have gained the information but a complication arises at the
same time. This complication could have been provoked by you or not, but it will
always have an impact (direct or indirect) on your character or a NPC.
- Danger : this the only way in which you can lose/your character can die. Indeed, this
quadrant is when you have been wounded or psychologically disturbed. The second
time you’re on a DANGER quadrant, your character is no longer playable and the
story ends.

Just as the other characteristic, you can use INVESTIGATION to influence the result of a
dice and therefore be able to change the quadrant.
Note: this game relies on an investigation and a noir setting. However, you could change the
name of the characteristic and adapt this system in another setting.

Final words and what is to come

This system “Alone in this case” will be used for an upcoming game (Alone, in this case :
noir) in a science fiction setting. The game will be released in episodes, and you can already
check the teaser out !
Thanks for taking the time to read this game.

Satya
XX/XX/XXXX

I hope you understand that you have been given a second chance. As we’ve already
discussed, if the mission succeeds, we’ll consider reducing your sentence.

But do not think that we’ll forget what you did.

You will follow all instructions we will give you, and you must take record of everything that
is important to keep your undercover identity. So grab a pen or whatever, and I want you to
become, from now on, someone else.

So invent a name, a childhood difficulty, a past life in a random orbital station or a fictional
service in the last war in Doxas. Create guidelines for your fake personality, a new
appearance, a new voice or even a new gait. Write it down and stay coherent.

Don’t mess this up.

The mission is as follows : you need to give us names, evidence and locations of people
involved in their Organisation. The more, the better. I want you to get in contact with people
involved in any filthy activity, from an insignificant member to an important and influential
one. I don’t care if you get your hands dirty, keep your cover and gain trust from people that
can recommend you to their superiors.

I want you to impress them and gain their respect.

I’ve read and checked your last demand. If your eyesight module is still defective and
glitching, I can’t do anything about it. I couldn't find any quick way to fix it, so manage it your
way but don’t overdose on painkillers. And of course, don’t let this problem come into the
way of your mission.

You have BRAWN, FINESSE and your INVESTIGATION skills. If you’re in an

unmanageable danger, we’ll try to send support but don’t count too much on that.

You have one year.

We need results.

Don’t mess this up.