The Adventures of Bridge 9: A Stormlight RPG Playtest [Feat. Donald!]

GenCon is always an exciting time for tabletop RPG fans, but this year is special for us at Dragonsteel. 

We have the unique opportunity to showcase the Stormlight RPG, an upcoming game set in Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere universe. Brotherwise Games worked closely with Dragonsteel to create an amazing tabletop roleplaying experience, and we couldn’t be more proud of how it turned out.

Our Marketing and Publicity team flew to GenCon to interact with fans and hear their first impressions of the game.

Before we came, I pitched a story idea to the rest of my team. The idea was to follow our video production assistant, Donald, a seasoned RPG and tabletop gaming enthusiast, through one of the premade adventures in the game.

Today, I had the pleasure of sitting in to document the playtest experience.

The adventure you’ll follow in this post is The Adventures of Bridge 9. It’s a level one module, which means you can jump in no matter your experience level and get a proper introduction to the world of Roshar. 

Without further ado, here's a firsthand look at the adventure, filled with twists, tension, and the rich lore of the Stormlight Archive.

Setting the Stage

The game began with a simple but engaging premise: a research mission on the Shattered Plains. 

Our game master asked, "Who here is a Stormlight fan?" We had a mix of responses, including one participant who admitted, "I'm a fan who hasn't read the books!" Other players shared their adoration for the series and expressed their enthusiasm for this experience, as they prepared to become a protagonist of this story.

Donald dove into his character sheet. He took on the role of Palinor, a champion who would unite his crew and grow as a leader. 

"Palinor feels like a character that's going to move things forward," he said. "Both in terms of gameplay and narrative, he seems like the kind of character that's going to bring people together. I think players are going to love characters like this. You still feel like a hero within the story, but can be a strong team player as well.”

Other players at the table began to take on their roles and dive into their sheets. We had a bridgeman, a scholar, an ardent, and a thief, which made for a dynamic crew! 

With this full cast of characters, it was time to begin. I turned to Donald and asked if he was ready and he nodded enthusiastically, giving me a thumbs up.

The Journey Begins

Our adventure starts with our brave crew embarking on their research mission across the Shattered Plains. The ardent is close with the brightlady, who is leading this mission to find ancient ruins and uncover the secrets there. They’re sitting in the caravan. Donald is in front with his guards and the bridgemen, who are continuously laying down bridge after bridge for the caravan to cross. 

At last, they reach the final chasm.

You stand on the edge of the plateau, the blistering sun beating down as you prepare to cross the treacherous chasm. Sweat trickles down your back as you hear the distant, ominous clicking.

As the group reaches the edge of a plateau, they prepare to cross. But unfortunately, the chull that's pulling the caravan stops midway through the bridge, becoming agitated, preventing from moving forward. Donald, playing Palinor, immediately showcases his leadership by checking on the group and rolling a deduction test to understand the situation.

You can feel the oppressive heat of the Shattered Plains bearing down on you, sweat trickling down your back.

Then, the game master jumps tells Donald to roll the plot die—a die that adds more narrative emphasis to the gameplay. That was a huge initiative between Brotherwise and Dragonsteel—bringing the character development and worldbuilding from the series to the game.

Donald rolls a complication, raising the stakes. Everyone holds their breath. The tension at the table is high. 

Donald’s roll of the plot die reveals that the usually calm chull was anxious due to a predator, indicating a lurking danger.

The tension heightens as scraping and clicking sounds echo from the darkness below. "It sounds like it might be a chasmfiend," Donald says, his eyes widening with anticipation. 

The game master confirmed his suspicion, sending chills down the players' spines. "You can hear it scraping and clicking closer," the game master described, painting a vivid picture of the unseen menace.

You peer over the edge, the darkness below seeming to come alive with the ominous sounds of a chasmfiend. The hairs on the back of your neck stand up as the danger becomes palpable.

The ground beneath your feet feels unstable as the weight of the caravan presses down on the bridge. You hold your breath, hoping it will hold just a little longer.

The Attack

The chasmfiend's appearance was a dramatic moment. It exploded onto the scene, grabbing a fleeing scout in it's claws.

Another roll of the dice. A moment of decision. 

The game master’s eyes are on Donald. So are all of his comrades. He taps his pen on the table and says, “Full retreat!”  

To determine if the command was successful, Donald rolls the dice again according to his leadership trait. This moment shows how characters are built using talent trees instead of confining them to a specific path, allowing players to be more like the protagonists in the books. 

And… a success!

Despite a positive leadership roll that allows two soldiers to escape to safety, the weight of the group causes the bridge to collapse, sending everyone plummeting into the chasm. "The bridge is stuck. It's too much weight!" the game master says as the ground gives way beneath them.

As the bridge collapses beneath you, you feel the world drop out from under your feet. You plummet into the chasm, the screams of your companions echoing around you.

Survival and Strategy

Surviving the fall, the group found themselves in a lush, hidden world at the bottom of the chasm, filled with glowing lifespren and verdant vines.

You look around in awe at the hidden world at the bottom of the chasm. The air is cool and damp, a stark contrast to the blistering heat above. Lifespren float gently around you, casting a soft glow.

The immediate priority was to assess injuries and gather resources.

I look at Donald, trying to gauge his initial impression. He’s wide eyed, raising his eyebrows and giving me a nod that says, This is a blast.

As the leader, Donald's character instructs the group to tend to wounds and salvage supplies.

The other surviving NPCs include a captain, a brightlady, two guards with spears, and three other bridgemen. 

The captain has a strangely glassy look in his eyes. The brightlady seems disoriented. 

One of the bridgeman is an older man—someone who’s been part of the crew for decades. He seems like he’s broken his leg, moaning in pain on the ground.

Are… are the captain's eyes… are they glowing red?

The captain steps forward, hovering over the man on the ground, clutching his leg close to his chest. The captain's threat to kill a helpless bridgeman is a turning point. 

"Captain, if it comes down to a fight, we need every last man. Killing one man is not going to help," Donald argues, rolling for advantage. Through a series of tense exchanges and successful rolls, Donald and his fellow players manage to de-escalate the situation, saving the bridgeman and preserving the group's morale.

You find yourself caught between the beauty of this secret place and the harsh reality of survival, every decision weighted with consequence.

Later that evening, the team finds a cave to spend the night. The game’s unique socialization mechanics come in handy and players share their backstories around a fire. As a cozy game lover when it comes to video games, I think this was another one of my favorite parts. The vibes were perfect.

Exploring the Ruins

The adventure continues as the group navigates through the chasm, following a scholar's map. Despite some complications, the group displays remarkable teamwork. They encounter ancient ruins, hinting at a deep history linked to the Desolations and the lost Radiants. One level of the ruins appears to be entirely on its side, as if it dropped from the plateau above to be encased in the chasm wall.

As you step into the ancient ruins, the air feels thick with history. Murals of lost Radiants line the walls, their stories waiting to be uncovered by keen eyes and sharp minds.

Inside the ruins, the group faces challenges requiring deduction and lore knowledge. They discover murals depicting ancient Radiants, decipher glyphs, and draw the attention of strange spren. 

Your heart races as you uncover a hidden Soulcaster, a relic of immense power.

This discovery adds a layer of excitement and purpose to their mission, emphasizing the game's deep connection to Sanderson's lore.

During this part of the adventure, one of my favorite moments occurred. The player who had not read any Sanderson books got to decipher glyphs that spelled out a phrase we all know and love—Life before death. Strength before weakness. Journey before destination.

All the other players remain quiet and still, watching as this player is introduced to these iconic words for the first time. The air was charged. Even as an observer, I felt like I was standing in those same rooms, feeling the dry air of Roshar on my skin.

It was pretty magical.

Climactic Battle

After this, the players explore further, climbing staircases, escaping cremlings, and more. Eventually, they find their way to a wide crack in the ceiling. Donald’s character lifts himself up over the edge to take a peek at the surface.

You find yourself crouching behind a crumbling wall. You can feel your heart pounding in your chest. Beat… beat… beat… beat. The Parshendi warriors are close, their rhythmic voices echoing off the stone. It’s now or never—time for a sneak attack.

You hold your breath, muscles coiled, ready to spring into action.

The final challenge is a confrontation with Parshendi warriors. Donald's strategic mind coordinates a sneak attack. (Turns out, he’s a pro at more than just editing our YouTube vidoes!)

The group's teamwork and Donald's decisive actions lead to victory.

Join the Adventure

This GenCon session of the Stormlight RPG was a thrilling demonstration of the game's potential. It stayed true to the spirit of Brandon Sanderson's books, blending narrative depth with engaging mechanics. 

We can't wait for more fans to experience this incredible journey in the Stormlight Archive. Be sure to join the pre-order campaign so you can be ready when the Kickstarter goes live on Tuesday, August 6th.