Solodark

I just took a look at Solodark, the free rules for running the amazing Shadowdark RPG as a solo game. To be honest, there’s not a lot of material here, but what does exist is interesting.

Essentially the understanding is that you basically have everything in the Shadowdark core rules to run the game by yourself, so no systems other than initiative in combat have any mechanical changes. What you do lack is a GM to answer questions, which is why you are provided the details of the “Oracle Die.” This is a d20 roll with a variety of outcomes to determine yes/no questions and add twists to the responses with a random table of verb and noun prompts. The creator, Kelsey Dionne, has made several great videos showing how she’s employing these rules as an example.

When I have the opportunity I’d love to try out a Solodark campaign and I’ll put out write ups of my experiences. In the same vein I’ve been meaning to try out Ironsworn for the same reason—and a close friend recommended it.

On the larger subject of solo RPG play, I think it’s a great exercise in creativity, particularly as Kelsey demonstrates, because the player must creatively and imaginatively interpret ambiguous results. I could see it being a great creative writing exercise to get through writer’s block. It’s also just a great practice for a GM, interpreting new results and creating the story on the fly so you can nimbly respond and interpret your players’ actions in a multiplayer game. For this same reason I plan to spend some time soon looking at Ironsworn as well.

Second Shadowdark One-Shot Experience

After really enjoying my first experience with Shadowdark, but not feeling like I’d gotten the full experience yet I jumped at the chance to do another one-shot with my regular group playing through Empire of the Ghouls. It was an alternative while one player was absent.

This also marked the first time I ran combat in Shadowdark. I was cautious, because I didn’t want to simply destroy the characters and my veteran players are very capable, regardless of RPG system, so my experience was probably skewed, but I was surprised how resilient first level characters are. The fighter was rolling well, which helped when I rolled an Oni as a random encounter for them. I was very concerned that one would be a TPK, especially as it immediately used its fade ability to become invisible. The fighter managed to hit and deal 16 damage. They totally wiped the floor with level zero spiders too. So I think I’ll need to try the system a few more times to truly become comfortable with the encounter balance.

The session resulted in some interesting new information on the setting, including that the town near the Barrows is called Direfield (the adventurers needed to rest). Additionally, the King and Queen appeared to worship four elemental spirits named Terrara (Earth), Aurelia (Air), Pyron (Fire), and Aquor (Water). 

The adventurers also resolved the central tension, deciding to wheel the chair (helm that allowed the monarchs to travel to other worlds) out of the tomb and build a cart to take it to Uquance, the City of Mages to see if they can find an artificer to repair it. Looks like I have another serialized scenario if this group ever tries Shadowdark out again.

Quick Shadowdark Adventure Using Lazy GM Reference Document

I want to run a quick Shadowdark game with some members of one of my regular groups, so I’m using the steps from the Lazy GM’s resource document by Mike Shea.

Prep checklist looks like this:

• Review the characters
• Create a strong start
• Outline potential scenes
• Define secrets and clues
• Develop fantastic locations
• Outline important NPCs
• Choose relevant monsters
• Select magic item rewards

Review the Characters 

Players will practice rolling and creating their own characters.

Create a Strong Start

Cartography by Dyson Logos

The map I picked is quite linear, but serves my purposes well because this is the first time playing for some of these players and everyone’s first time with Shadowdark.

The lure of fortune and glory has brought you to the Mounds of the Barrow-Kings, ancient rulers of a forgotten age. After discovering the hidden door in a mounded barrow and digging through the wet soil you unearthed a dank passageway leading to a heavy stone door. It appears untouched for long ages, as damp mildew coats the stone walls near the earthen opening and you see the signs of insects burrowing and spider webs strung in the corners of the hallway. All that remains is for you to light your torch and descend into the Shadowdark to see if you live or die and manage to loot some treasure along the way…

Outline Potential Scenes

As players crawl through the dungeon I will check for random encounters and use them if they fit the situation.

Procedure:

1. Roll for Danger Level (pg 130)
2. Roll Room Type (pg 130)
3. Roll Tomb Random Encounter (pg 182-183)
4. Roll for Treasure if necessary depending on CR (beginning pg 270)

Lowest 

Develop Secrets & Clues

1. This tomb is for the ancient elven King Avourel and Queen Syvis.
2. The king and queen were worshipers of Caturix, the elder god of the elements.
3. The Barrow-Kings were of an ancient elven empire calling themselves the Arcanikion, or the Masters of Arcane Creation.
4. The Arcanikion possessed the secret knowledge of the mysterious travel via magical ships to other worlds.
5. The King and Queen’s advisors are buried with them.
6. The arcane contamination of a broken helm for traveling to other worlds has prevented the souls of any of the entombed from moving on to the afterlife.
7. Creatures have burrowed into the tomb over time, leading to a diverse collection of residents.
8. The King and Queen visited the legendary City of Brass upon the elemental plane of fire.

Develop Fantastic Locations

N/A. Rolling randomly regarding each room.

Outline Important NPCs

King Avourel: The ancient king is an intelligent zombie due to the mysterious power leaking from a broken magic helm preventing his soul from moving on. He is inclined to talk, but fights any intruder that takes any treasure without assisting him and his Queen in their plight. He resides in the left burial chamber on the lowest level.

Queen Syvis: The Queen, like the King, is an intelligent zombie. She is similarly willing to listen unless provoked by theft. She is in the right burial chamber on the bottom level.

Tyrael: Magical advisor to the King, Tyrael is a specter, as he has managed to leave his decayed body behind, but is unable to break his soul free of the place. Tyrael knows the source of the contamination, but can’t destroy it himself.

Meira: Long driven mad by her confinement after dead, Meira was once an advisor to the King and Queen. She has zombie stats and attacks immediately while raving regarding other worlds.

Narakles: Wight guardian in the first room of the treasure chambers.

Monsters

Done through NPC development and rolling others randomly.

Magic Item Rewards

Roll randomly for treasure except flying ship helm.

GM Reflections

While we didn’t finish the adventure, we had a good time with Shadowdark. It took a little bit to create characters, but everything worked well. I rolled randomly for encounters, we figured things out as we went. This was the first game I’ve ever run in my own setting, so I think the lore really interested my players. They discovered the mystery because of a random encounter I rolled. One player wanted to fight a wight that appeared “wreathed in holy radiant light,” while the wizard wanted to try to parley. So the wizard cast sleep on their party mates. All the players thought the situation was comical. The wizard player, used to 5e, thought it was interesting that there’s no saving throw for sleep, just the spell roll. It brought up an interesting balance thing in Shadowdark, because most monsters don’t get any way to resist these immobilizing spells.

All in all, it was interesting to see the added layers of tactics and rules that exist in Shadowdark that you really discover through play and adjudication. I still think it’s a great game and would play it again.