Creation Myths Playthrough - Benjamin Garret

[WritesNaughtyStories]

Creation Myths is a solo journeying game (the author's subtitle, not mine) by gothHoblin and available on itch.io. What it really is is a character back story generator. Before beginning play it is important (though not explicitly defined in the rules) that you have some idea of what kind of a setting the character belongs to. There are several "modes" of game play described at the beginning of the book and while it was my intent to use just the base rules, the Goblin Mode that adds a collection to the creation story is too tasty to not use.

Inspired by the Cortex game I bowed out of when game creation steered a direction that didn't appeal to me, I returned to the steampunk western ideal that I had hoped for.

This is the story of Benjamin Garret's creation.

Each section requires a number of die rolls that indicate prompts to answer to uncover the character. Because I'm playing in Goblin Mode, I need to decide on what Ben collects and make a d6 die roll to see how many he collects. A 1 means zero, and that makes Ben unhappy.

Edited September 29, 2025 by WritesNaughtyStories

[WritesNaughtyStories]

Section One: Who Are You

D20, 6 rolls. Taking a cue from @IsabellaRose's Anamnesis playthrough, I'm rolling all 6 times first, and then will address the prompts in an order that seems to make sense. Ine of the first things that happened is I rolled 15 twice in a row and there's no instructions on how to handle that, beyond "do what makes sense" we'll decide when we get to the prompt.

• 12 - You dream of owning something. What is it? Why do you want this thing so much?
• 5 - You have an emotional wound. What was done to you in the past that you can't yet let go of, but wish you would heal from?
• 7 - Describe your social confidence levels. Do you suffer from social anxiety, or are you quite at home in front of a crowd?
• 15 - You think your world is mostly good. Describe the coping mechanism you use to help you when it's not.
• 15 - we might be able to do this twice, but I think we'll reroll.
• 18 - You are jealous or envious of someone in your community. Who is it? Why do you feel this way?
• 19 - Your biggest vice is something illegal, or at least socially frowned upon. What is it, and how do you indulge it?

Our Goblin roll is 2. But what do we collect?

[WritesNaughtyStories]

Ben was little more than a toddler when his father striped him from shoulders to knees with his belt for playing with his sister's dolls. That lesson, and the underlying betrayal, never left. Little soothes the itch of those long healed welts but the secret pair of porcelain headed dolls that sit atop the wardrobe - tiny guardian angels.⁵ It was years after the beating that Ben discovered the only girls he was interested in were toys and those only as an act of defiance, his passion ran to boys and boy things. He took to field and stream naturally, glad in the quiet and solitude¹⁵ where dreams of bare, broad chests and hard, strong hands seemed far less dangerous.¹⁹

Ben knew his preference for men was a problem, and kept it tightly under wraps. While, with the other kids in the area, he went to school, he acted the part - and for the most part it was easy. He could raise fence, hunt, fish, dress his game, and as long as the façade was intact, Ben moved with the confidence of a young man who had been promised the whole frontier. ⁷ However, when his eye lingered too long on the lean, hard thews of an attractive lad and Ben worried he'd been found out, he retreated to the woods with his rifle and creel.¹⁵ He would return a day or two later, dressed deer across his shoulders, rifle laying in the crook of his arm, confident grin returned.

Until James Alcorn strode past. Every bit as rugged and handsome as Ben, with a bright smile and dark, expressive eyes that amplified that impish grin. Jim was either on his way to Dorothy McGrath's family store or was chuckling happily as the walked together, Dottie's long skirts stirring the dust as the couple passed.¹⁸ Ben called what he felt for Dottie 'hate' but it wasn't. It was envy, harsh, green and cruel.

One Saturday, when Ben had gone into town to sell a ham and a smoked pork belly for his father, and use the money to bring back a roll of barbed wire, he followed Jim to McGrath's, chatting amicably and trying not to stare. As the two young men stepped up, onto the wooden sidewalk, both froze having seen the same lever action rifle in the window. It was a thing of beauty: 16 shots as fast as you could crank the lever, used the same ammo as a pistol...¹² Ben paid for the barbed wire without ever taking his eyes off that gun. He swore, one day, he'd own one.

 

A little reflection on this so far. This feels very Brokeback Mountain and I am, painfully, aware of it. It feels like it's a pretty natural fit, because there's not a lot that's going to be illegal or frowned upon in the setting that's going to be available.

Edited September 29, 2025 by WritesNaughtyStories

[WritesNaughtyStories]

Section Two: Your Ordinary World

D10, 4 rolls.

• 7 - You have made a powerful connection within your local community. Who are they, and what mutual benefits does this connection bring?
• 9 - There is a tradition of heroes being born in your lands. Who's the most famous of them all, and what great feat did they accomplish?
• 2 - Return to Section 1 (Who are you?), and answer question 16 if you haven't already. How are you treated by others in your society due to your social status?
• 5 - You are a part of a special interest group, religion, political movement or subculture. What does it stand for and how is it different to the mainstream? Has belonging to this given you any special skills?

The 2 goes to this prompt: Roll a d6. The result determines how wealthy you and/or your family is, with a 1 being extremely poor, and a 6 being obscenely prosperous. How did you come by your fortune, or lack of it? Roll is 2

Goblin Roll: 5

[WritesNaughtyStories]

Ben never really understood how poor they were. The frontier was always a hardscrabble existence for everyone. Some people were better at it, Others, like Ezra Garret were meaner. It was meant to be independence, but the end result was isolation. Ben was 16 when he finely added it up. People were slow to help them, but quick to help the McGraths and the Thornes. Ben's last fight with his father was about butchering the Yancey's ram that had broken through the Yancey's fence and wandered on to the Garret homestead.

Ezra knew who that ram belonged to, "It's on my land, it's mine. Meat on that will get us through 'til January at least."

"It's stealing."

"Ain't neither. Shut your bitch hole, boy. Fetch my rifle."

Ben had gone to the house, hugged his sister and packed what few things he owned.²

Spoiler

As an aside, I'm torn here. With Saha Sky Eyes, Prudence Lawton and those connections to the inspiration of the world Ben lives in, they're tempting options but I'm not sure that's what I really want to do. I love that idea, but it feels lazy. Going to stew on this for a while.

So, I've stewed and Prudence and Saha can have their own space elsewhere.

9 is kind of hard and I don't really like it in this context, but this is no country for cry-babies!

Ben took both pair of his work pants and his Sunday pants, all four shirts, his boots, knife and the old breech loader his father had sent him to retrieve. His left the pistol and all but five bullets. Fort Clayton was a three day walk. Food would be easy as rabbits and prairie dogs were plentiful. Water would be harder. He eyed the heavy flax bag by the door. Dad'd probably take it out of Ma if Ben stole it, so he left it. He rolled Sissy's dolls in his Sunday pants.

Ben knew he needed to get moving before his father came looking for him - Church had taught him well, and though he loathed the mean old snake, Ben knew he'd do Ezra no violence. He kissed his Ma again, and lied, "It's time, Ma - I'm heading to Santa Simona."

In town he committed his first crime. He stole a water bag from McGrath's. "Bitch." he seethed silently as he left.

Three days later he found his way to Fort Clayton. Tired but whole. His covering the distance by himself was enough to earn a position with the fort's scouts.⁵ There wasn't much time to acclimate before he and an older scout were sent out to locate where the Shoshone band that had raided the fort's horse pasture had holed up. Ned Skinner⁷ was a hatchet of a man, short, hard and surprisingly dangerous - but like a hatchet, widely useful in the wild. Young Ben took an immediate liking to the scout and Ned appeared to hate the boy less than he did most of humanity.

Ben had heard the stories of an Army scout who moved across the land the way the natives^a did. He tracked a dozen warbands, led others into ambushes and ended conflicts with more by simply letting them know he would lead the cavalry to them unless they surrendered to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Ned Skinner was that scout.⁹ And Ben was smart enough to make damn sure he learned everything he could.

^a I was tempted to use a racial slur here, because it feels like something Ben needs to grow out of. Sub it in for yourself - knowing that it's something I don't think Ben will hang on to.

In one abandoned hogan, Ben found five little dolls. They were hand sewn, with stitches any big-city seamstress would be proud of, from a score or more scraps of fabric, Ben kept them, telling Ned they were for his sister.

Edited September 30, 2025 by WritesNaughtyStories

[WritesNaughtyStories]

Section Three: The Call

D8, 1 roll. The game seems to push farther into the character's journey than I expected - I love surprises!

• A much loved member of your community fell gravely ill, and called for a group of brave adventurers to seek out the rare medicine required to save them. You accepted. What was required of you?

It feels like Ned could fall ill here, but I want to broaden the focus a little.

Goblin roll, 2.

[WritesNaughtyStories]

Ben had just returned from his first solo mission when Ned sent a handsome, young cavalryman to fetch him. The soldier seemed to be about Ben's age, broad-shouldered and narrow-hipped, his uniform clean and pressed. Ben thought the dark blue shirt and brass buttons might look far better hanging open over an unbuckled belt. He shoved the thought aside as best he was able and found Ned inside the barracks of the fort. In the captain's quarters, Ben found Ned standing with Doc Vraber over the captain. Captain Sanger lay, sweating and shaking, under a pile of blankets.

"Done all I can." Doc told Ned.

The old scout shook his head. "Lieutenant deGrande is taking E-Troop out to Gila Canyon to round up Calls the Thunder ans his band of raiders - I can't go find the medicine man." the scout replied as Ben joined them. "Good, yer here, boy," Ned commented gruffly. "Time to prove your worth. Out past the ruins of the old Parker place, there's a Joshua tree - looks like a hand reachin' for the clouds, Head due west for four days you'll see the outcrop o' rock if'n yer in the right place, else you'll likely die o' thirst. There's a berdache^b shaman lives up that canyon - holler, let 'im know yer there, lest he killya. Tell Two Tales I sent ye, and Capn's sick with the viper fever. Two Tales ain't gonna care, so you;ll hafta 'splain to him how much worser things'll get iffin' th Aemy sends a new guy out."

^b an Anglicization of the French (from Italian) bardache that identified a person from the First Nations who did not conform to European gender roles or identifiers.

(where the hell did he find two dolls, and why are there so many?

[WritesNaughtyStories]

Section Four: Companions

D6, 1 roll, I actually don't like this for Ben and would skip it if this wasn't my first play. I may end up just picking, but we'll see what the dice say first.

• 4 - You were getting ready to leave when three members of your community showed up at your door, prepared to help. What did you think their motivations were?

I don't like this, but we'll go with it and see if Ben can't convince them to stay here.

Goblin roll, 3. I'm beginning to hate having chosen dolls.

[WritesNaughtyStories]

Ben had hurried to the rooms at the end of the stable he and Ned used as their store room and started to put together his pack. Hard tack, pemmican whiskey to trade and a spare set of buckskins.

As he readied to leave he was met at the door by a sergeant and two corporals.

"We're coming with you, new guy."

Ben looked them over, "That may be the worst idea I've ever heard."

"Ain't up to you." The sergeant replied flatly, tapping the stripes on his sleeves.

Ben sighed, "I don't report to you. I report to Ned, who reports to the Captain."

"You fuck this up and Cap'n does. Can't risk it on a greenhorn like you."

Ben snorted, "And you all, coming with me, to negotiate with a berdache medicine man, helps how?". He shook his head, "Captain trusts me to lead you guys to where you need to be, right? Let me do my job, he's my CO too."

The trio of non-coms conferred briefly before the sergeant leaned forward, "Do not fuck this up, boy - you'll die, whimpering in the desert because your voice will have broken from screaming."

[WritesNaughtyStories]

Section 5: Into The Unknown

D10, 3 rolls.

• 8 - Exhaustion began to make you question your resolve. How did you get past it?
• 6 - Purely by chance, you came across a powerful artefact that could be of great benefit to your community. Did you take it? Was it secured, and were you successful in your attempts to retrieve it?
• 10 - At your lowest moment, you discovered a hidden sanctuary that offered respite from their journey. What form did this sanctuary take? How long did you rest here?

Number 6 may not make a lot of sense, given the setting, but for now I'm going to leave it.