We’ve now played somewhere around six to eight sessions of Shadowdark for our Friday night game. We’ve had one character death via a bit of self-immolation, a bunch of exploration and a bunch of “Nope! We’re turning around,” and quite a bit of improvisation as we play (as in making up crap as we go). I’m going to see if I can offer up a quick summary of what has happened so far. It is highly likely that I’ll miss something as these sessions have been spread across about six weeks. First up, the player characters.
There are currently four players: Jen, Rachel, RJ, and Sky. Jen is playing Kati, a halfling thief. Rachel is playing Branwyn, an elven fighter. Rachel’s first character, Lauriel, was an elven wizard who died in one of the earliest sessions. RJ is playing Wrark, a goblin priest, and Sky is playing Spyder, a human fighter. We are doing max hit points at 1st level, but I believe that is our only house rule at the moment. Foundry (hosted by the Forge) is the virtual tabletop that we are using for the game thanks to the folks who have developed the unofficial (at least as of this writing) Shadowdark system for Foundry.
As I mentioned in my prior post, we are playing Necrotic Gnome’s Hole in the Oak adventure with, of course, our own modifications and so spoilers abound in the following. Here is an abbreviated recap of our sessions to date–I’m not sure abbreviated is being used correctly here but trust me, this could be longer. đŸ˜›
- The various player characters arrive in Oddgoat, a small mountain settlement of about four or five huts. Some of the PCs are on the run or on the move and/or have heard rumors of a Dungeon “incursion” in this area…where the underworld has created an entrance on the surface. A young girl, maybe about 7 or 8 years of age, is just hanging out near the end of the small trail that led here. She confirms that this is Oddgoat, points out the settlement’s namesake (a two-headed goat), and that a door has appeared in one of the cellar’s. She also informs the group that they aren’t the first to arrive here with an interest in the door and asks if the group has any candy.
- A dwarf, Gant, and a half-orc, Yelena, have already arrived and lets the party know that they’ve already obtained permission from the locals to go into the cellar and into the Dungeon. Negotiations lead to a 50/50 split between these two and the three player characters (Sky missed this first session). The group of five heads into the cellar and opens the door in one of the cellar walls. Inside is a small forest clearing complete with sunlight. In the center is a single large oak tree which has a large gap split down the middle of its trunk. Colorful birds are singing in the tree and a single bird, as each individual approaches the gap, flies down to whisper something negative in the character’s ear (e.g., Wrark was told that Gant really wants to kill him, Lauriel was told her magic would fail her).
- There is a tunnel leading down through the gap in the tree. Gant and Yelena insist, as they will throughout, that their “partners” take the lead. The tunnel leads to a passageway made of roots and the phrase “Nolly’s Kingdom” is carved in some of the roots. Worms are crawling through the roots and are none too happy about these newcomers traipsing across their home. Profanities are squeaked out at the characters and one worm even throws down a random glove hanging on one root.
- Moving on, the group encounters a ghostly old man who says something but his speech is glitchy and only some words can be made out. The sound of running water.can be heard farther down this particular corridor. Heading a different way, a glowing green “room” is discovered. The glow is from moss on some roots and the roots have little faces. The faces speak and say they can offer information about this place for gold. Money is handed over (the faces swallow it) and information is provided. So far at least, every bit of info has been accurate and some has warned of danger in this dungeon (e.g., the gnomes are treacherous, avoid getting the attention of the Hunter).
- Pressing on, the party comes to a group of chambers that turn out to be the home of a faun. This faun, Ramius, invites the party in for tea and crumpets and they, must to my surprise, accept. As the tea is sipped and crumpets crumpeted, Ramius shares that this place is full of danger, but that his guests will not face it. You see, he and his missuses (two of them) are quite hungry. The tea is drugged! However, Ramius must have gotten a bad batch of this tea additive enhancer because none of the party seemed to suffer any ill effects! A fight ensued. Ramius was defeated as were his various associates which included an animated chair, projectile books, and a handful of flying skulls. Further exploration turned up his “missuses,” two human corpses on a bed as well as a rather gruesome larder and some bona fide treasure (only that last bit was kept by the party).
- More exploration and at least one trap avoided before the party comes to a room with a round boulder and six levers on a wall. A plaque above the levers indicates they are for authorized personnel only. Wrark quickly pulls one of the levers and the floor tilts, causing the boulder to start rolling about. Our goblin priest leaps on the boulder and “walks” it until Kati lowers the lever again. Lauriel attempts to refresh her light spell and loses control of the magical energies. They explode within her and all nearby light is sucked into the gaping wound in the wizard’s torso, leaving the party in the dark. (Rachel rolled a critical failure, got a roll twice on Mishap table and then damaged herself–enough to go to 0 hit points–and snuffed out all nearby lights.) Sadly, in the utter darkness, the party was unable to aid Lauriel before the elf passed away. Our first Shadowdark death and it was self-inflicted.
- Rachel quickly rolled up Branwyn, an elf fighter specializing with the bow. Branwyn has heard rumors of an old organization, the White League (symbol is a white stag) who fought against lizardfolk. Two magical swords were used in this fight. One, the Argent Serpent Blade, is a silver longsword that she hopes may be down in this dungeon.
- Party does more exploration. They find a chamber with a large, ghostly lizardfolk engaged in battle with a human warrior whose shield bears the symbol of the White League. Some additional passages and a dead dwarf, apparently strangled, in a hallway with an intertwined branch bas relief design. The party said NOPE! to heading this way.
- More exploration leads to a chamber, beyond a door, that reeks of rotten fish. Fish bones are scattered about and chains hang from the ceiling, ending at about head height. There is a loud snuffling and chewing noise within. Kati closes the door and then calls out, “Hello?” The door opens and a tall fishman comes out, sniffing, and attacks. The party prevails, but they then hear more fishy croaking from deeper in the chamber. A second fishman comes out and is more resilient than the first. It (relatively) quickly tries to retreat from the fight, taking Wrark with it. Fortunately, the goblin priest is able to evade and the creature retreats alone, closing the door. The party follows shortly thereafter, but they find the chamber empty of fishmen so they press on.
- After some more exploration, they find a round chamber with a large rug on the floor. As soon as Kati steps on the rug, she disappears. In for a penny, in for a pound, the rest of the party almost steps on the rug as well. Gant and Yelena do not follow. All are teleported, lost, into a natural cavern, three doors in the wall in front of them. The first door leads to a small circular chamber with stone chairs set around a circle of melted red candles. Kati find a bowler hat with a label, “Property of Henry Slippums,” on the inner band and a key stitched into the lining.
- The second door leads to another cavern which leads to another with lots of holes in the walls. Kati reaches in one of the holes and feels something vibrating. She pulls out a small faerie creature who cusses out Kati. Reparations are offered. In another hole (after calling out to make sure no faerie is inside), a key is found. A gem in another hole. Kati, Spyder, and Wrark all reached into holes; Kati’s hand grows talons from one hole while both Spyder and Wrark pull out their arms to find them oozing a purple substance. Wrark gets a little kiss on the cheek from one of the rock faeries.
- More exploration discovers a chamber with a large nest that smells like dung, a large lizard relaxing next to an underground river, and a chamber with algae growing on the walls. The first two get a NOPE from the party while they wipe away the algae in the last of these chambers. They discover etching on the walls, “Pray for the benediction of Kezek, the blessed may pass the fall and come to the deep shrine.” Whatever the hell that means.
- A gnome is later found fishing in a river. He introduces himself as Ogbund and offers to take the party to his group. He suggests that maybe their leader, Gribble, could help the party find their way out. Ogbund also warns the party to stay away from the rock faeries and that the goblin is probably infected from the kiss. The gnomes are all pretty dirty and disheveled. The party is left in a dining room while Ogbund goes to look for Gribble. The party can hear the doors lock behind them.
That’s a summary of our first three sessions. Everyone is very much enjoying the game. I’m very much enjoying Shadowdark, the ease of running it, and The Hole in the Oak. We’ve embellished areas and I’ve already been mapping out new locations and situations for later in the campaign…that we may or may not get to depending on the direction that the party goes.
