Shadowdark Finally Played Shadowdark

[Scribe]

Page 113. Core Book.

 

[Retreater]

Page 113. Core Book.

So the Reaction Rolls are only for random encounters that aren't connected to the existing faction motivations, right? In the adventure, the salamanders (devoted to their leader) and duergar (magically enchanted) encountered on the random rolls have reasons to be hostile immediately.

 

[Scribe]

So the Reaction Rolls are only for random encounters that aren't connected to the existing faction motivations, right? In the adventure, the salamanders (devoted to their leader) and duergar (magically enchanted) encountered on the random rolls have reasons to be hostile immediately.

Unless outright told, I don't see why. Faction interaction is a core aspect. If every faction encountered was automatically hostile, then yes you are going to get attacked, a lot.

On the other hand, it sure seems that the adventure has an expectation of playing the sides against each other.

 

[NN]

But that cuts both ways. Would you have the scheming factions attack because the dice say so?

I think the root might be that nobodys written a sophisticated showcase adventure for Shadowdark yet.

 

[Scribe]

But that cuts both ways. Would you have the scheming factions attack because the dice say so?

I think the root might be that nobodys written a sophisticated showcase adventure for Shadowdark yet.

If the dice say so upon first encounter? I mean if the dice come up 'Hostile' then yes, they are hostile.

2D6 + Cha > 6? Not hostile. Bring a Bard, or my Barbarian.

 

[Aldarc]

@TwoSix @Whizbang Dustyboots That actually sounds neat!

I don't know if I'd have all my game use this, but it's an interesting middle ground between a classic character creation and a pregen. I might give it a try in the future!

It's worth just grabbing the basic game to read through the way it generates player groups and starting towns. And all of the Flatland Games have a great zero-prep way to run adventures which is really impressive -- and they generate consistently good adventures in my experience.

It's a piece of character generation "tech" that I wish was included in more games.

 

[Retreater]

I think the root might be that nobodys written a sophisticated showcase adventure for Shadowdark yet.

In my experience (and I think I've demonstrated plenty in this thread why it is atypical and full of bad takes), I think that exemplifying 40+ year-old adventures from the days of TSR has been a detriment to the OSR and Shadowdark. They don't play as well as we remember and may not convert as cleanly as we're led to believe.

Just curious, what would people consider a "sophisticated showcase adventure" for any other system? Are we talking Night Below for 2E? Masks of Nyarlahotep for Call of Cthulhu? The Enemy Within for Warhammer Fantasy?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I think the root might be that nobodys written a sophisticated showcase adventure for Shadowdark yet.

We are definitely in the enthusiastic early days with third party content. A lot of "yeah, I think we call could have produced something similar" products so far.

 

[mamba]

Doesn’t the quickstart come with an adventure? That would be a good place for Kelsey’s showcase adventure

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Doesn’t the quickstart come with an adventure? That would be a good place for Kelsey’s showcase adventure

Yep. Lost Citadel of the Scarlet Minotaur. It's getting a hardcover version for physical backers in the new Kickstarter.