One Christmas, years ago, I received a PC game bundle from a cousin, containing the dual games Bioshock and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. At the time, I didn't question which marketing executive decided to blend these two dissimilar games, but gleefully accepted my gift.
I attempted to play Bioshock, but within ten minutes of gameplay I had spooked myself by the eerie corridors of Rapture, and quickly turned the game off. Oblivion, on the other hand, occupied many hours of my adolescence, and quickly became one of my favourite games — although I'm not convinced I ever actually finished the main story, too distracted by wandering around the Imperial City.
Cue almost twenty years later, and Bethesda finally decide to re-release Oblivion for modern consoles. Having spent most of 2025 slowly inching my way through Cyberpunk 2077, I decided to start the new year with a project befitting the game's anniversary: a fully written, role-play adventure from the point of view of my character.
The Legend of Ripeheart the Red
Ripeheart the Red, previously known as Sylvian Malvalis, was once a proud Breton mage — ambitious as he was curious, with a tendency to tinker in the arcane arts far beyond his meagre skill. One fateful evening, while Sylvian was experimenting with a dusty scroll purchased from an Argonian merchant, his clumsy son barged into his summoning quarters, spilling a handful of tomatoes into the circle as he cast the final incantation.
The mage was suddenly enveloped in a swirl of red light as the spell misfired, transforming him irrevocably into a plump, sentient tomato. His family, horrified by the transformation, cast him from their home. Now, having taken the mantle of Ripeheart, he wanders the world of Cyrodiil, searching for a way to undo the accident.
The Rules of the Road
- Days Each post will comprise approximately one in-game day. This will vary depending on word count, but remains the guiding principle.
- Travel No fast travel. Our hero must journey through the world on foot or by magical means.
- Armour None. As a giant tomato, armour would deform and crush his sagging skin. Ripeheart must face the world bare.
- Death No reloads. Death may end a day, but otherwise, our story is continuous.
- Difficulty Tomatoes are known to be quite thin-skinned; combat difficulty is set to Master for both enemies and the player.
Let us begin.