Imperium: A Solo Roman Empire RPG Games

(Geared Towards Loner)

Alea iacta est—The die is cast.

Step into the sandals of a lone Roman and carve your path through the greatest empire the world has ever known—or die trying.

What is Imperium?

Imperium is a rules-light, tag-based solo tabletop RPG set in ancient Rome at its height, during the era of the Five Good Emperors (96–180 CE), based on Loner by Zotiquest Games. You play a single protagonist—legionary, gladiator, freedman, magistrate, merchant, or outcast—navigating a world of ambition, intrigue, survival, and spectacle under the shadow of the eagle.

Using a simple 2d6 oracle system with Chance and Risk dice, you'll test your expectations scene by scene, generating dramatic twists, unexpected conflicts, and moments where honour, status, and reputation hang in the balance. No prep. No GM. Just 4d6, paper, and your imagination.

What Makes It Different?

✦ Tag-based characters defined by evocative descriptors like Stoic Legionary, Cunning Freedman Broker, or Disgraced Former Officer—no numbers, no math

✦ Setting-specific oracles that make Roman life mechanically real: games in the arena, oratory and trials, military campaigns, slavery and manumission, patronage and social climbing, legal verdicts, and frontier diplomacy

✦ Emergent narrative driven by a Twist Counter and oracle-driven play—every roll can shift alliances, ruin reputations, or rewrite your protagonist's fate

✦ Portable and fast—designed to be played anywhere, anytime, with minimal tools and maximum drama

✦ Grounded tone—you're not a demigod, but a human shaped by Roman society, where violence is swift, honour is fragile, and every choice carries weight

What's Inside?

Core Mechanics

• Complete solo RPG rules derived from Loner by Roberto Bisceglie
• Scene-based play with Chance/Risk oracle, Advantage/Disadvantage, and Twist Counter
• Tag-based characters: Concept, Skills, Frailty, Gear, Goal, Motive, Nemesis, Luck
• Harm & Luck conflict system for blow-by-blow or single-roll resolution

Roman World Setting

• Detailed overview of the Roman Empire during the Pax Romana
• Timeline covering Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius
• Geography, daily life, religion, trade, frontiers, and cultural tensions
• Six playable themes: War & Frontiers, Politics & Power, Streets & Underworld, Temples & Cults, Trade & Exploration, Games & Spectacle

Bespoke Oracles & Procedures

Custom mechanics to handle uniquely Roman scenes:

• Games in the Arena: crowd reactions, rigged matches, gladiatorial duels, beast hunts, executions
• Oratory: speeches in forum, Senate, and court, with shifting audience mood and verdicts
• Military Campaigns: patrols, sieges, battles, morale, logistics, and frontier warfare
• Slavery & Manumission: escape attempts, harsh recapture, earning freedom, life as a freedman
• Patronage & Social Climbing: clients, patrons, obligations, missions, and dangerous ascents
• Legal Trials: charges, courts, verdicts shaped by status and rhetoric, not neutral justice
• Frontier Diplomacy: tribal alliances, succession crises, Rome's meddling beyond the limes

Ready-to-Use Content

• 10 premade factions: senators, cults, legions, gangs, power blocs
• 36 adversaries and foes: criminals, officials, soldiers, creatures, uncanny threats
• 37 tables: inspiration, names, traits, adventures, patron missions, travel complications, tribal tensions, and more

Perfect For

• Fans of historical fiction and ancient Rome
• Solo RPG players who want portable, story-rich gameplay
• Anyone seeking grounded, character-driven drama without prep or a GM
• Players of Loner or other solo RPGs looking for a Roman setting

Minimum Requirements

• 4 six-sided dice (two pairs of different colors)
• Paper and writing tools
• Your imagination

That's it. No tokens, no boards, no apps—just dramatic stories of ambition, intrigue, and survival under the eagle.

About the Game

Imperium follows three core design principles:

1. Portable: Play anywhere with just dice and paper
2. Rules-light: One core mechanic, easy to learn and memorize
3. Tag-based: Characters and situations defined by qualitative descriptors, not numbers

The game is based on Loner (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Roberto Bisceglie. Imperium is an independent production by Emelon Games and is not affiliated with Zotiquest Games.

Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International.

The physical book of this game is available on Amazon.
If you want a physical copy, you can grab one here: https://amzn.eu/d/e0UCyvU (EU) and here: https://a.co/d/94PiKPP (US). The print version has a small margin that helps support my work.

The Play is Over—But Yours is Just Beginning

Acta est fabula, plaudite!

Will you rise through the ranks of the legion? Defend the innocent in the courts of Rome? Fight for your freedom in the arena? Navigate the treacherous world of patronage and power? Or carve your name into history along the distant frontiers?

The die is cast. Your story awaits.