Publisher: Stormforge West
Author and Illustrator: Law C. Esper
Year: 2019
Genre: Family friendly RPG
Pages: 108
Price: $1.00 in PDF on DriveThru RPG
“Cute” isn’t often a word thrown around with RPG systems, but when it comes to Travel Journal of Short Tales, it’s the best descriptor there is.
Travel Journal is a light and light-hearted RPG system that allows characters to go on short, low-stakes adventures. Character creation is breezy, if not particularly detailed. Players pick from one of seven races, each with a unique set of advantages and drawbacks, described in a single sentence. They then choose two jobs and three items from provided list. If playing a magic user, players will also select three spells.
Items are written for fun and flavor, rather than in-depth gameplay. As a rule, the game assumes characters always have the tools they need to complete their jobs on-hand, so players can feel free to choose based on interest rather than need.
Mechanically, Travel Journal is interesting for its use of an UNO deck over dice. At the beginning, players are given ten cards face-down in a deck. Numbered cards have their standard value, wile the effect cards, such as Reverse, Skip, and Wild, modify them. Cards with the same color are added together in an attempt to succeed at actions. Characters recover cards by taking either a breather, which gains the player five cards, or a nap, which refreshes the whole hand. Players draw a single card per action, but may draw more if a job, item, or race advantage can be applied. Ultimately, it’s up to the GM to decide when cards must be pulled, however, the rulebook recommends asking for a draw only when success isn’t guaranteed or when the extent to which a player succeeds becomes relevant.
Travel Journal of Short Tales is built to support short, low-stakes stories rather than epic tales. As far as tone goes, the author advises that “[i]f your adventure can lead to a nice little story that would make you mum smile if you told her about it, you’re probably on the right track.” Players shouldn’t need a map and nothing more than the fate of a particularly delicious pie should be at stake. All of this adds up to a family-oriented game that’s a good fit for younger gamers or as an introduction to the hobby for a child old enough to enjoy board games, but not quite ready to manage a full campaign. For older gamers. Travel Journal could be a fun addition to a larger game night or a way to revive favorite characters from a completed campaign in a different system. This, however, may necessitate something of a bawdier tone than for which the game is necessarily designed. Can your adventuring party make it back to camp after celebrating a successful dungeon crawl at the tavern? Break out Travel Journal to find out!
Travel Journal of Short Tales is a fun, family-friendly system that gives everyone a taste of adventure. While it may not be the most natural fit for mechanically-oriented gamers, for its intended audience, it’s a great addition to the tabletop world.
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