QuestLine: Quick Play

• 1. Overview
• 2. Character Creation
• 3. Stats & Checks
• 4. Combat
• 5. Magic
• 6. Experience & Leveling
• 7. Session Structure
• 8. Backgrounds
• 9. Talents
• 10. Spell List
• 11. AI Dungeon Master
• 12. Quick Reference

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1. Overview

QuestLine Quick Play is a text-based RPG designed for one-session adventures lasting 30–60 minutes. An AI Dungeon Master runs the game — narrating the world, controlling enemies, rolling dice, and enforcing the rules. You just type what your character does.

The system is built around three principles:

• Fast. Character creation takes two minutes. Combat resolves in 3–4 rounds. No looking things up.
• Dangerous. Hit points are low, enemies hit hard, and death is permanent. Every choice matters.
• Simple. One target number per encounter. Two actions per turn. Ten inventory slots. That's the whole game.

Quick Play sessions are self-contained roguelike runs: make a character, survive a gauntlet of encounters, earn XP, level up, face the boss. If you die, you die. Start a new one.

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2. Character Creation

Building a character takes three steps and about two minutes.

Step 1: Choose a Background

Your background determines who you were before the adventure started. It gives you:

• A +1 bonus to one stat
• A signature talent (your first talent)
• Starting equipment that fills some of your inventory slots
• Your starting HP (ranges from 15 to 20)

See the full Backgrounds section for the six options.

Step 2: Assign Stats

You have four stats, each starting at 0. Distribute +4 points among them however you like. No stat can exceed +3 at character creation.

Stat	Governs
Might	Melee attacks, breaking things, feats of strength, endurance
Finesse	Ranged attacks, stealth, lockpicking, acrobatics, dodging
Wits	Magic, perception, knowledge, traps, investigation
Presence	Persuasion, intimidation, deception, leadership, performance

Remember: your background gives +1 to one stat, applied after you assign your points.

Step 3: Pick a Talent

Choose one additional talent from the Talent List. Combined with your background's signature talent, you start with two talents total. You'll earn more as you progress through encounters.

Inventory

You have 10 inventory slots. Your background fills some of these with starting gear. Everything takes a slot — weapons, armor, potions, quest items, loot. When you're full, you have to drop something to pick something up.

Small consumables like coins and keys can be bundled: a pouch of coins is 1 slot, not 47 individual slots.

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3. Stats & Checks

The Core Roll

When you attempt something risky, you roll:

That's it. One formula for everything — attacks, skill checks, saving throws, all of it.

Room Target Number

The DM sets one Target Number for each encounter. This number applies to every roll in that scene — swinging a sword, picking a lock, convincing a guard. One number, across the board.

TN	Difficulty	What It Feels Like
10	Easy	Bar fight, simple traps, nervous guards
12	Moderate	Trained soldiers, decent locks, wary NPCs
14	Hard	Elite warriors, complex puzzles, hardened criminals
16	Deadly	Boss fights, ancient wards, dragon's gaze
18	Legendary	The final boss. The impossible heist. The god's trial.

Natural 20 & Natural 1

A natural 20 always succeeds and triggers a critical — double your effort dice on attacks, or a spectacular narrative result on checks.

A natural 1 always fails. Something goes wrong beyond just missing. The DM decides what.

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4. Combat

Turn Structure

On your turn, you get 2 actions. You can use them in any combination:

Action	What It Does
Attack	Roll d20 + stat vs. TN. On hit, roll effort dice for damage.
Move	Reposition within the encounter — cross a room, take cover, close distance.
Cast	Cast a spell from the spell list. Costs mana.
Use Item	Drink a potion, throw an oil flask, pull a lever, etc.
Defend	Brace yourself. Attacks against you require TN+4 until your next turn.

You can take the same action twice (attack twice, for example). There are no bonus actions, no reactions, and no opportunity attacks. When it's not your turn, you're watching.

Effort Dice (Damage)

When you hit with an attack, roll effort dice based on your weapon type to determine damage:

Weapon Type	Effort Die	Examples
Light	d4	Dagger, dart, improvised weapon
Standard	d6	Longsword, mace, shortbow
Heavy	d8	Greatsword, warhammer, longbow (requires 2 slots)
Magic	d10	Spells that deal damage

Roll the effort die, subtract it from the enemy's HP. That's damage. No armor class, no damage reduction (unless a talent or spell says otherwise).

Hit Points

Starting HP depends on your background (15–20). Fights are designed to be fast and dangerous — most combats resolve in 3–4 rounds. A few bad rolls can kill you.

Healing between encounters is limited to what you have: potions, spells, or the rare rest. Don't expect full heals.

Defend

Spending an action to Defend raises the Target Number for attacks against you by +4 until the start of your next turn. Useful when you're low on HP and buying time for a healer, or when you're holding a chokepoint.

Death

Character death is real. There are no death saves, no lingering.

• At 0 HP, you're down. You can't act.
• An ally can spend 1 action to stabilize you (you're alive at 1 HP but still prone).
• If nobody stabilizes you by the end of the next round, you're dead. Gone.

In Quick Play, death means you're out for the rest of the session. Watch from the sideline, or start a new run.

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5. Magic

Mana

Every character has a mana pool, regardless of background:

A character with Wits +0 has 4 mana. A character with Wits +3 has 10 mana. Spells cost 1–5 mana each. You recover all mana when you rest (which only happens between encounters if the DM allows it).

Anyone can cast spells — there are no class restrictions. But low-Wits characters have small mana pools and can't afford many casts. Spells that require a check always use Wits.

Casting in Combat

Casting a spell costs 1 action and the listed mana. Damage spells use d10 effort (the magic effort die) unless the spell says otherwise. Attack spells that target enemies require a d20 + Wits roll vs. the Room TN, just like weapon attacks.

See the full Spell List for all 20 spells.

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6. Experience & Leveling

Every player has an XP bar that fills up as you play. When it fills, you level up — right then and there, even mid-combat. No waiting for the end of the encounter. You earn upgrades by doing things, and they hit when the moment is right.

Earning XP

The AI DM tracks your XP silently in the background. You earn it from these sources:

Action	XP Earned
Successful check (beat the Room TN)	+1 XP
Deal damage to an enemy	+1 XP
Critical hit (natural 20)	+2 XP
Clever RP move (DM discretion)	+1 XP
Complete an encounter objective	+2 XP

Note: a single action can only earn XP once. If you roll a nat 20 attack that deals damage, you get +2 XP (the crit), not +2 for the crit and +1 for the hit and +1 for the damage.

The XP Bar

When the bar fills, the DM privately messages the player with 3 random upgrade options. You pick one immediately. The bar resets and starts filling toward the next level. This is a deliberate async design — level-ups are personal moments, not group announcements.

Upgrade Pool

When you level up, the DM draws 3 from this pool at random. You pick one. Every upgrade is chunky and meaningful — no decimal modifiers, no percentage buffs.

Upgrade	Effect
New Talent	Gain a talent from the talent list
Stat Boost	+1 to any stat
New Spell	Learn a spell from the spell list
Special Item	A unique item — magical weapon, enchanted ring, rare potion
HP Boost	+3 to max HP (and heal 3)
Mana Boost	+2 to max mana

Campaign Mode (Future)

For longer campaigns, QuestLine will support milestone leveling at story beats. Each level grants: +1 to a stat, +1 talent, +5 max HP, +2 max mana. Quick Play uses the XP bar system above.

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7. Session Structure

A Quick Play session has five beats. The whole thing should take 30–60 minutes of active play.

1. Character Creation (2 minutes)

Pick a background, assign your 4 stat points, choose a talent. The DM confirms your character sheet and you're ready.

2. The Hook

The DM sets the scene in 2–3 paragraphs. You get the situation, the stakes, and a clear first objective. No wandering, no shopping trips, no "you meet in a tavern and contemplate your navels." The adventure is already happening.

3. The Gauntlet (3–5 encounters)

A series of encounters — combat, traps, social confrontations, puzzles. Difficulty escalates. Resources drain. The tension builds. Your XP bar fills as you act — you might level up mid-fight, gaining a crucial upgrade right before you need it most.

4. The Climax

The final encounter: a boss fight, a critical decision, or both. This is where everything you've built towards pays off (or doesn't). The TN is high. The stakes are real.

5. Resolution

If you survive, the DM narrates an epilogue. You get a final score based on encounters cleared, enemies defeated, allies saved, and style points for memorable moments. Then it's over. Start a new run or walk away victorious.

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8. Backgrounds

Your background is who you were before the adventure. Each one gives a stat bonus, a signature talent, starting equipment, and starting HP.

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9. Talents

Talents are special abilities that break or bend the rules. You start with two (one from your background, one chosen freely). You can earn more through leveling up. No talent can be taken twice.

Combat Talents

Magic Talents

Utility Talents

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10. Spell List

Every spell fits in one sentence. Damage spells use the d10 magic effort die unless noted otherwise. Spells that target enemies require a d20 + Wits roll vs. the Room TN.

Damage

• Inferno 3 mana — d10 effort to all enemies in the room.
• Thunderstrike 4 mana — d10+2 effort to one target.
• Thunderclap 2 mana — d6 effort to one target + they lose their next action.
• Earthquake 5 mana — d8 effort to all enemies; terrain becomes difficult (Move costs 2 actions) for the rest of the encounter.

Defense & Healing

• Heal 2 mana — Restore d8 HP to one ally you can see.
• Shield 1 mana — One ally gets +2 to TN against attacks until your next turn.
• Frost Armor 2 mana — Reduce the next damage you take by d6.
• Barrier 4 mana — Block one doorway or path completely for 3 rounds; nothing passes.
• Resurrect 5 mana — Bring back a dead ally with 1 HP; usable once per adventure.

Control

• Slumber 3 mana — Wits check; put one non-boss enemy to sleep until they take damage.
• Beguile 2 mana — Wits check; make one NPC friendly for the rest of the scene.
• Darkness 2 mana — All enemies get −3 to their checks for one round.
• Quicken 3 mana — One ally gets +1 action on their next turn (3 actions total).
• Unravel 2 mana — Remove one magical effect currently in play.

Utility

• Blink 1 mana — Teleport a short distance; automatically avoid one incoming attack.
• Fade 3 mana — Become invisible; auto-succeed your next Finesse check.
• Detect Magic 1 mana — The DM reveals one hidden magical element in the current area.
• Mindgrip 2 mana — Move one object or creature; Wits check if it resists.
• Illusion 2 mana — Create a convincing false image; Wits check to maintain if questioned.
• Summon Familiar 3 mana — Gain a small magical ally that can scout ahead or distract enemies in combat.

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11. AI Dungeon Master

The AI DM runs your Quick Play session according to these principles:

Pacing

• Aggressive forward momentum. Every scene has a clear objective. No wandering, no filler.
• Punchy narration. 2–3 paragraphs max per DM turn. Enough to set the scene, not enough to bore you.
• Immediate consequences. Your choices matter right now, not three scenes later.

Transparency

• Dice are visible. The DM shows every roll and the math behind it: d20(14) + Might(+3) = 17 vs TN 14 → Hit!
• HP and mana are tracked openly. You always know where you stand.
• The Room TN is announced at the start of each encounter.

Fairness

• The DM follows the rules as written. No fudging rolls, no invisible bonuses.
• Enemies play smart but not omniscient. Goblins ambush. Dragons use breath weapons. But they don't metagame.
• If a rule edge case comes up, the DM makes a ruling, states it, and moves on. Speed over precision.

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12. Quick Reference

Stat Quick List

Stat	Attack With	Also Used For
Might	Melee weapons	Breaking, lifting, resisting
Finesse	Ranged weapons	Stealth, lockpicking, dodging
Wits	Spells	Perception, traps, knowledge
Presence	—	Persuasion, intimidation, leadership

Healing Items

Item	Effect	Slots
Healing Herb	Restore d4 HP	1 (stackable ×3)
Healing Potion	Restore d8 HP	1
Mana Potion	Restore 4 mana	1
Bandages	Stabilize a downed ally (no action cost)	1
Mana Crystal	Restore 4 mana (one use)	1

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QuestLine is a Corn Collective production. All shucks, no bucks.
Rules version 0.1 — Quick Play. February 2026.