Let's Play DC TTRPG

In which Tumblr does the choosing for choose your own adventure DC ttrpg modules!

[letsplaydcttrpg]

What Is This?

This is using Tumblr polls to crowdsource the decision-making in order to play through some of the solo adventures from Mayfair's 80's DC ttrpg! Vote in the polls to choose the characters and decide what to do and see what happens!

The solo modules are basically choose your own adventure stories where you read a segment of story, make a decision, occasionally roll some dice and check some matrices, and then go to the next story segment. There may be multiple paths to victory, but there are also multiple paths to FAILURE. Choose wisely! (Or don't! Up to you!)

How does this blog work?

Each decision point will have a poll in order to decide what happens next! Polls will be open for 24 hours (because there are a lot of decision points in a given module). Vote, spread propaganda for your choice, see how we do!

I'll share relevant character sheets with skills and equipment in the intro post for each module, and then add maps or other images as they come up. I'm transcribing the text directly from the physical books I own (as written, occasional weird grammar choices and all).

What if I missed the beginning?

Vote anyway! Join in at any time!

You can also catch up on what's happened so far. Each poll will have a link to the beginning of the game and the previous story segment, and a full list of the entries for the current module will be at the bottom of this pinned post. Modules are also tagged on the post with the title.

What on earth in this game?

This is the DC Heroes Role Playing Game from Mayfair Games! The first edition was released in 1985 (and as a result has some pre-Crisis canon for the characters, which is fun!), with two subsequent editions in 1989 and 1993, plus a TON of extra modules.

(By my count there are 62 additional modules/sourcebooks for this game. It's a lot! My goal is to collect all of them eventually, but so far I have 54, plus the first and second edition base game. Look, everybody needs a hobby.)

If you're curious about how the game works, Wikipedia has a decent summary of the game system, or you can look at a pdf copy of the 2nd edition game manual here. It involves rolling two d10s and then using matrices (plural!) to figure out if you succeed and how much of an effect you have. The second edition box comes with a fun little wheel to help with that.

I have a question about the blog or game system / I want to see my blorbo's character sheet from this game / I want to complain about how voting went

Feel free to submit an ask!

Previous modules:

Wheel of Destruction (Master Post)

Strangers in Paradise (Master Post)

Racing With the Rats (Master Post)

Currently playing: The Flash in "City of Fear"

Introduction

Character Sheet

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Part 10

Part 11

Part 12

Part 13

Part 14

Part 15

Part 16

Part 17

Part 18

Part 19

Part 20

Part 21

Part 22

Part 23

Part 24

[letsplaydcttrpg]

City of Fear pt 24 - Flash Forever pt 1

Start this module here!

Previous part here!

Links to all posts for this module in the pinned post!

Flipping a coin, we're going with bringing up Jeremy Dark, which our reporter friend is very interested in.

"Here's a specific example: why do you think that two members of the Executive Board of Directors of Dark World Enterprises would freak out and start going after the lives of innocent people just days after D.W.E.'s Chief Executive Officer, Jeremy Dark, vanished?" Two men in dark suits, wearing leather gloves and dark glasses, enter the room. "Flash," one says, "something just came up and Mr. Trente would like to see you immediately. Please." "Flash," says Parker. "Adam Trente is on the same Board of Directors." "Please, Flash," the man repeats. "Come with us."

What now?

Go with the men

Refuse

Voting ended onMar 21, 2025

[letsplaydcttrpg]

City of Fear pt 23 - Interlude: Investigation pt 11

Start this module here!

Previous part here!

Links to all posts for this module in the pinned post!

We speak to Harrison Upjohn's secretary, Madge Jones.

"Harrison Upjohn would never do something like that. He is so responsible, he hasn't missed a day of work since I've worked for him. His salary is close to hundreds of thousands of dollars per year."

(And of course people making lots of money would never do anything bad.)

"He has been behaving a bit weird the last few days. I've heard some office rumors about his family life: something about his wife not liking that fact that Mr. Upjohn has a girlfriend who is pregnant, but how could that make him set a bomb?"

Such a good and responsible man apparently cheating on his wife???

Anyway, I'm going to go ahead and say we investigate Stanley Hutton's office, too. Unfortunately that roll went very badly for us, so this is the info we've got! Both men seem to be connected to this Jeremy Dark, who seems to be orchestrating something here in the city.

Upon returning to Titans' Tower we find a message waiting for us, asking us to meet with Adam Trente, the publisher and chief executive officer of The New York Herald, the next day at 10 a.m.

"Do you know that if it weren't for those incidents yesterday morning, this would be a crime-free week in Manhattan?" Adam Trentre speaks in a smooth, resonant voice; both he and his voice are full of confidence and power. You are sitting in his office, along with a third man, Parker Black, a young reporter who is taking notes. "I believes," continues Trente, "that this is because of the efforts of you heroes: the criminal element has finally gotten the message to stay out of New York. Yesterday's incidents can no doubt be written off as acts of lunacy, but they affected enough people that I would like to publicly thank you on behalf of the citizens of New York. My plan is to lead off with a series of articles about you and your exploits, that will lead into 'Flash Day,' a gala celebration in your honor." "Parker here has the honor of being the one to interview you. I think you'll get along well." Parker has a look on his face as though today were the third Monday of his week. His voice sounds almost, but not quite, cheerful. "Well," he says, "Let's get to my office and get started."

The interview starts with easy enough questions and then start getting into yesterday's events with the shooter and the bomber.

"Okay, I guess that the best thing to do is to start from the top: why haven't you chosen to keep your 'secret identity' a secret? "What made you decide to become a hero? "If your job is as dangerous as it seems, why do you keep doing it? "You're out there, putting your life at risk stopping the bad guys. Why do you think they set themselves up to fight you? What do you think it is that makes someone do 'evil' things?"

How do we proceed?

Just answer his questions

Bring up Jeremy Dark and/or Dark World Enterprises

Voting ended onMar 14, 2025

[letsplaydcttrpg]

City of Fear pt 22 - Interlude: Investigation pt 10

Start this module here!

Previous part here!

Links to all posts for this module in the pinned post!

A 12 gets us the following from talking to Harrison Upjohn's wife Charlotte:

"I don't know what happened to Harry. We've lost touch over the past few months. He's been pushing himself ever since the takeover."

Bet I can guess who's behind the takeover at this point.

What next?

Investigate Stanley Hutton's legal office

Investigate Harrison Upjohn's brokerage office

Return to Titans' Tower (end day)

Voting ended onMar 8, 2025

[letsplaydcttrpg]

City of Fear pt 21 - Interlude: Investigation pt 9

Start this module here!

Previous part here!

Links to all posts for this module in the pinned post!

Partial success! We're at 25/40 points.

Hutton stares at you: "Dark was right," he says. "You must be strong to survive. The weak, the foolish, will not survive. "I should have left New York when he told us to. I should have known that he was right; he is always right. Jordan, Murphy, Wilson, and Fredericks listened to him: they left. I thought I was different; I thought I could survive. I should have listened."

Boy, sounds like this Dark guy has quite a conspiracy going.

What next?

Investigate Stanley Hutton's legal office

Investigate Harrison Upjohn's brokerage office

Investigate Harrison Upjohn's home

Return to Titans' Tower (end day)

Voting ended onMar 6, 2025

[letsplaydcttrpg]

City of Fear pt 20 - Interlude: Investigation pt 8

Start this module here!

Previous part here!

Links to all posts for this module in the pinned post!

Stanley Hutton is going to be a tough customer to interrogate since he's hostile to us. Should we spend some points again, or just roll it? We are currently at 29/40 points.

Points?

Spend no points (13 or better to succeed at all, higher for more info)

Spend 2 points (11 or better to succeed at all, higher for more info)

Spend 4 points (9 or better to succeed at all, higher for more info)

Voting ended onMar 5, 2025

[letsplaydcttrpg]

City of Fear pt 19 - Interlude: Investigation pt 7

Start this module here!

Previous part here!

Links to all posts for this module in the pinned post!

Max info achieved! We're at 29/40 points.

"I honestly can't tell you what's wrong with him. We haven't really talked for the past year. Ever since Dark World Enterprises took over his business, he's become a different man."

Boy that's not at all an ominous name. Little on the nose there.

"Yes, I planned to divorce him. I had to; it was like I didn't exist any more. Everything was Jeremy Dark this, and Jeremy Dark that. Stan was obsessed with him, said he hated Dark, but to me it seemed as though he loved Dark and hated himself. I couldn't stand to see Stan destroying himself like that, so I told him that I had to leave. "I couldn't even talk to him since last week; the day of the board meeting. Something must have happened that sent Stan into shock: he hasn't spoken a word to me or anyone else that I know of since then."

More evidence that this Jeremy Dark fella is behind whatever's going on with both the subway shooter and the bomber.

We've got some more things we can investigate (all with similar rolls to this one in terms of difficulty) or we can take what we've got and move on to the next day.

What next?

Investigate Stanley Hutton's legal office

Interrogate Stanley Hutton

Investigate Harrison Upjohn's brokerage office

Investigate Harrison Upjohn's home

Return to Titans' Tower (end day)

Voting ended onMar 3, 2025

[letsplaydcttrpg]

City of Fear pt 18 - Interlude: Investigation pt 6

Start this module here!

Previous part here!

Links to all posts for this module in the pinned post!

Let's see what we can learn at the home of the subway shooter!

At his home, we encounter his wife, Emily Baxter-Hutton. It'll be a medium difficulty roll to learn anything from her, but it'll be a lot higher if we want to learn any appreciable amount of information.

We're at 34/40 Hero Points right now.

Spend points?

Spend 2 points (9 to get info, 11 for more info, can't get max)

Spend 5 points (11 for midrange info, 13 to get max info)

Just roll it (11 to succeed, 15 for midrange info, can't get max)

Voting ended onFeb 28, 2025

[letsplaydcttrpg]

Well.

Option A

Option B

Option C

Voting ended onMar 2, 2025

[letsplaydcttrpg]

City of Fear pt 18 - Interlude: Investigation pt 6

Start this module here!

Previous part here!

Links to all posts for this module in the pinned post!

Let's see what we can learn at the home of the subway shooter!

At his home, we encounter his wife, Emily Baxter-Hutton. It'll be a medium difficulty roll to learn anything from her, but it'll be a lot higher if we want to learn any appreciable amount of information.

We're at 34/40 Hero Points right now.

Spend points?

Spend 2 points (9 to get info, 11 for more info, can't get max)

Spend 5 points (11 for midrange info, 13 to get max info)

Just roll it (11 to succeed, 15 for midrange info, can't get max)

Voting ended onFeb 28, 2025

[letsplaydcttrpg]

City of Fear pt 17 - Interlude: Investigation pt 5

Start this module here!

Previous part here!

Links to all posts for this module in the pinned post!

Well, I was going to say we tied on Hero Points but we also rolled crazy good with a total of 21, so no matter what we get all the info.

Upjohn looks around blankly, and mutters: "Dark was right," he says. "None of us is strong enough. We're too weak to survive. How could I have been so stupid? "I should have gotten out when he told us to leave the city. He was always right, and I was always wrong. Some of the others left. I thought I was strong enough to survive. I should have known better. I should have known better. "Fear is the key. I created fear. Dark was right. I showed you all that Jeremy Dark was right. He was always right: not what he said in his books, not what he said on television or radio interviews, but what he said to us: fear is the key."

So that's ominous! If you recall, our subway shooter was also shouting about "Dark", so sure seems like there's some bigger conspiracy going on...

Investigate next:

Subway shooter Stanley Hutton's legal office

Subway shooter Stanley Hutton's home

Interrogate Stanley Hutton in custody

Bomber Harrison Upjohn's brokerage office

Bomber Harrison Upjohn's home

Return to Titans' Tower (day ends)

Voting ended onFeb 27, 2025

[letsplaydcttrpg]

City of Fear pt 16 - Interlude: Investigation pt 4

Start this module here!

Previous part here!

Links to all posts for this module in the pinned post!

All right, I'm doing a coin flip on this one. Let's talk to Upjohn quick.

So, since he's hostile to us that means this is going to be a tough roll. Right now we need a 15 or better to get any information, never mind the full amount available. We're at 38/40 for our hero point bank.

Spending Hero Points?

Spend 2 points (11 minimum, 18 for full info)

Spend 4 points (9 minimum, 15 for full info)

Spend 6 points (11 minimum, 13 for full info)

Even more points?

No points, just roll it, see what happens

Voting ended onFeb 25, 2025

[letsplaydcttrpg]

City of Fear pt 15 - Interlude: Investigation pt 3

Start this module here!

Previous part here!

Links to all posts for this module in the pinned post!

Big roll! We're gonna wish we'd had these for some other rolls later, I suspect.

The shootist's name is Stanley Hutton. He is a lawyer and works for for the firm of Hutton, Dewey, and Howe.

That is one name away from the very old Dewey, Cheatam and Howe joke.

We have an identity for both our criminals!

What next?

Investigate Stanley Hutton's legal office

Investigate Stanley Hutton's home

Investigate Harrison Upjohn's brokerage office

Investigate Harrison Upjohn's home

Interrogate Harrison Upjohn

Return to Titans' Tower (end of day)

Voting ended onFeb 21, 2025

[letsplaydcttrpg]

Ooh, a three way tie is new!

Investigate Stanley Hutton's legal office

Investigate Stanley Hutton's home

Interrogate Harrison Upjohn

Voting ended onFeb 23, 2025

[letsplaydcttrpg]

City of Fear pt 15 - Interlude: Investigation pt 3

Start this module here!

Previous part here!

Links to all posts for this module in the pinned post!

Big roll! We're gonna wish we'd had these for some other rolls later, I suspect.

The shootist's name is Stanley Hutton. He is a lawyer and works for for the firm of Hutton, Dewey, and Howe.

That is one name away from the very old Dewey, Cheatam and Howe joke.

We have an identity for both our criminals!

What next?

Investigate Stanley Hutton's legal office

Investigate Stanley Hutton's home

Investigate Harrison Upjohn's brokerage office

Investigate Harrison Upjohn's home

Interrogate Harrison Upjohn

Return to Titans' Tower (end of day)

Voting ended onFeb 21, 2025

[letsplaydcttrpg]

City of Fear pt 14 - Interlude: Investigation pt 2

Start this module here!

Previous part here!

Links to all posts for this module in the pinned post!

Hero Points: 39/40

We rolled great and get all the info on the bomber!

His name is Harrison Upjohn. He is a big businessman and he runs Upjohn, Incorporated, one of the largest investment brokerage houses in Manhattan.

Seems like a strange choice for him to be planting bombs in Manhattan, doesn't it?

What do we investigate next?

Investigate the identity of the subway shooter

Investigate Upjohn's brokerage office

Investigate Upjohn's home

Question Upjohn himself

Return to Titans' Tower (day ends)

Voting ended onFeb 19, 2025

[letsplaydcttrpg]

You know the drill

Investigate the identity of the subway shooter

Investigate Upjohn's home

Voting ended onFeb 20, 2025

(I will note, all of the investigation options can be done in any order prior to us returning to the Tower! We'll have to roll for them to see how much info we manage to gather, but none of them will disappear until we end the day.)

[letsplaydcttrpg]

City of Fear pt 14 - Interlude: Investigation pt 2

Start this module here!

Previous part here!

Links to all posts for this module in the pinned post!

Hero Points: 39/40

We rolled great and get all the info on the bomber!

His name is Harrison Upjohn. He is a big businessman and he runs Upjohn, Incorporated, one of the largest investment brokerage houses in Manhattan.

Seems like a strange choice for him to be planting bombs in Manhattan, doesn't it?

What do we investigate next?

Investigate the identity of the subway shooter

Investigate Upjohn's brokerage office

Investigate Upjohn's home

Question Upjohn himself

Return to Titans' Tower (day ends)

Voting ended onFeb 19, 2025

[letsplaydcttrpg]

City of Fear pt 13 - Interlude: Investigation pt 1

Start this module here!

Previous part here!

Links to all posts for this module in the pinned post!

Time to put our Detective skill to the test and see what we can learn!

So here's the deal: the better we roll, the more information we get. We do have 40 Hero Points available that we can use to boost our rolls to get more information! But those are points we won't have later to use in other confrontations. So!

For this first investigation, we're going to try and get some basic info about the bomber. On a 9 or better, we will get at least some information. On a 13 or better we will get the maximum amount of information from this roll. If we spend 1 Hero Point we get maximum info on an 11 or better. If we spend 2 Hero Points we get maximum info on a 9 or better.

Roll Investigation

Roll with no Hero Points (9 for info, 13 for maximum info)

Spend 1 Hero Point (7 for info, 11 for maximum info)

Spend 2 Hero Points (7 for info, 9 for maximum info)

Spend even more points?

Voting ended onFeb 18, 2025

[letsplaydcttrpg]

City of Fear pt 12 - The Market Bomb pt 5

Start this module here!

Previous part here!

Links to all posts for this module in the pinned post!

Screw trying to disarm it, we just grab the bomb, run to the river and chuck it in. There's probably some dead fish who don't love that, but hey, no people were injured!

We now have some time to do some investigating, if we want to, and try to gather some clues as to what's going on. So, options!

What should we investigate first?

Question the other suspects at the bomb scene

Investigate the identity of the bomber

Investigate the identity of the subway shooter

Return to Titans' Tower (end the day)

Voting ended onFeb 16, 2025