Your First Solo RPG Session in 15 Minutes

Starting is the hardest part. Here is a fifteen minute plan with nothing to buy and nothing to memorise.

You are allowed to be bad at this

Solo play has no audience, no referee and no wrong answers. The only goal of your first session is to find out whether you enjoy it. If the story is silly, the map is a mess or you forget a rule, nothing is lost. Everyone who plays alone started exactly where you are.

Before you begin (3 minutes)

Grab something to write on. A notebook, a notes app or a blank document all work.
Open two tabs: the yes/no oracle and the dice roller. That is your whole toolkit.
Decide how long you will play. Fifteen minutes is plenty. Set a timer and stop when it rings, even if you are enjoying yourself.

Minute by minute

Minutes 1 to 3: make someone to follow

Roll a character concept and write down a name, one thing they are good at and one thing they want. That is a complete character. You can add more later, and you probably will.

Minutes 3 to 6: give them a reason to move

Roll a quest hook and copy it into your notes in your own words. If it does not excite you, roll again. Nobody is checking.

Minutes 6 to 12: play one scene

Picture where your character is standing. Ask the oracle a plain question, such as "Is the door locked?" or "Is anyone else in the room?" Write the answer down, then describe what happens next in a sentence or two. Repeat. If you are stuck, roll a random event and ask yourself how it connects to what your character wants.

Minutes 12 to 15: stop on a question

End the session by writing one line about what your character will do next. That line is your bookmark. Next time you open your notes, you will know exactly where to begin.

If you get stuck

Ask the oracle a smaller question. "Does the guard recognise me?" is easier to answer than "What happens now?"
Read how to interpret random results.
Play an example adventure first. It does the decision structure for you, so you can see how rolls, the oracle and a story fit together.
Remember that running away is a valid move.

What to do next

If you liked it, keep a short journal, add a companion so your hero has someone to talk to, and try the starter kit list. If you did not, that is useful too: try a different kind of story, or try an adventure with prepared choices.