Introduction

My passion for tabletop roleplaying began when I rolled my first d20 and sent Crash the Barbarian into the Caves of Chaos. Since then, I have played through countless worlds and systems, each one opening a different kind of adventure.

Life gives, and it takes, and what it took from me was the table itself: friends, time, and the chance to play as often as I once did. The hunger never went away, so I turned to solo roleplaying and found that it was still roleplaying. Not a separate pastime, not a strange detour. Solo-first RPGs, GM-emulated play, generative tools, and solo dungeon crawls gave me adventures I genuinely enjoyed.

Still, for the kind of play I was reaching for, something was missing. I often felt caught between GM and player, shaping meaning instead of discovering it. I wanted to read an adventure and then play it solo, knowing what waited behind the door while playing someone who did not.

Lens is the tool I created to keep me on the character’s side of that door: to experience the adventure through their eyes, not simply as the reader; to let pressure build, let the dice answer back, and discover whether my characters would reach the end.

As a fellow GM and player, I offer this book as an invitation. Bring it to your favourite systems, modules, and characters. I hope it helps you find your way into the next adventure — and I look forward to hearing what happened when you opened the door.

N.

Safety First

Your well-being comes before everything else. This ruleset is designed to be used alongside a host RPG, and it defaults to that game’s established safety tools and content guidelines. In solo play, you are both player and game master, so you are ultimately responsible for checking in with yourself. Play mindfully, stay safe, and remember: the goal is a fun and meaningful solo adventure, never at the cost of your comfort or safety.