Shadowdark Shadowdark General Thread [+]

[Reynard]

Is 'shadowdarky' just more dungeon crawl to you? Would you classify Cursed Scroll 4 as Shadowdarky? Its got some weird, some grim, some dark, but also is just a cool jungle adventure.

Dunegons are definitely important, as you can see by each Cursed Scroll (since there are always dungeons in addition to the exploration stuff).

I too think its at least partially about a 'simple 5e' among other motivations, but I dont think the game is that tied to the dungeon either. I have my SD Spelljammer on the way for example.

I would be interested to hear what you think is "shadowdarky" about Spelljammer.

 

[Scribe]

Dunegons are definitely important, as you can see by each Cursed Scroll (since there are always dungeons in addition to the exploration stuff).

I would be interested to hear what you think is "shadowdarky" about Spelljammer.

Regarding Aetherdark, the SD Spelljammer, I dont really think its got that Shadowdark vibe, I will have to read it but its going elsewhere in the pulp genre.

I think we agree really, but I think SD is just kind of the Sword and Sorcery/Fantasy ideal of a basic D&D adventure RPG, but is also such a clean core, that addon's, like Aetherdark, can easily take you into another direction of tone/genre?

I just wanted to know what 'shadowdarky' means to you.

 

[Reynard]

Regarding Aetherdark, the SD Spelljammer, I dont really think its got that Shadowdark vibe, I will have to read it but its going elsewhere in the pulp genre.

I think we agree really, but I think SD is just kind of the Sword and Sorcery/Fantasy ideal of a basic D&D adventure RPG, but is also such a clean core, that addon's, like Aetherdark, can easily take you into another direction of tone/genre?

I just wanted to know what 'shadowdarky' means to you.

Just to be clear, I don't have a problem with SD being the "5E lite" it seems to be, or people hacking it in all kinds of way. That is cool.

it just occurred to me randomly that the whole "torches, darkness, death around every corner" bit is not actually the core of what makes SD popular.

 

[Scribe]

Just to be clear, I don't have a problem with SD being the "5E lite" it seems to be, or people hacking it in all kinds of way. That is cool.

it just occurred to me randomly that the whole "torches, darkness, death around every corner" bit is not actually the core of what makes SD popular.

I'd agree. The fact its so clean, allows for ease of expansion, while its very clear core of SS/Dungeons, has an appeal, its so flexible that its just a great, fun base, without Wizards/5e baggage.

 

[Reynard]

I'd agree. The fact its so clean, allows for ease of expansion, while its very clear core of SS/Dungeons, has an appeal, its so flexible that its just a great, fun base, without Wizards/5e baggage.

For my own part, I don't usually use a torch timer (though I still "attack the light") nor do I use always-on initiative (because it is a PITA). But I adore it for lots of reasons, not least is how eagerly it incorporates weird fantasy.

 

[overgeeked]

Baseball Stars

Pick a game element and add baseball. NPCs with baseball-player names, or corrupted versions of names. A rival adventuring party that's baseball themed, like one of the gangs from The Warriors. Monsters who're baseball themed. A baseball team, either of NPCs or monsters. A baseball game down in a dungeon. A Bloodbowl-like baseball game. What would Money Ball look like in Shadowdark? Point something like that analysis at an adventuring party, or a lich pointing it at their minions. Rival factions solving their problems with a baseball game. A gaggle of baseball fans wreck some place important because their team won/lost...

 

[Velderan]

Pick a game element and add baseball. NPCs with baseball-player names, or corrupted versions of names. A rival adventuring party that's baseball themed, like one of the gangs from The Warriors. Monsters who're baseball themed. A baseball team, either of NPCs or monsters. A baseball game down in a dungeon. A Bloodbowl-like baseball game. What would Money Ball look like in Shadowdark? Point something like that analysis at an adventuring party, or a lich pointing it at their minions. Rival factions solving their problems with a baseball game.

It's been awhile since I've played Baseball Stars, but I remember it being pretty ahead of its time as far as features (wow, a battery backup so you can save!). The main thing I remember was being able to use money to upgrade your players, so that might be something to steal.

A gaggle of baseball fans wreck some place important because their team won/lost...

So you're saying start the adventure in Philadelphia.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I don't intend to enter anything, but for fun I clicked the link to get 3 random NES games suggested and got Baseball Stars, Solstice, and Ghosts and Goblins. Solstice and Ghosts and Goblins would be easy to pull inspiration for Shadowdark, but I would love to see the idea someone far more creative than me pulls from Baseball Stars to mix with the other 2.

Fighting Fantasy's City of Thieves has goblins playing stickball as one encounter. Having a big rivalry game take place during the solstice seems pretty straightforward. Goblins vs. kobolds, maybe, with both sides pulling out dirty tricks, gamblers trying to cook the results, etc.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Currently waiting on the Western Reaches, which I want to use with an open table to introduce more people to RPGs and Shadowdark.
In the interim, I want to play a few sessions with my regulars. I am unsure what to bring to the table, what I am thinking about:

• Gardes of Ynn
• The Stygian Library
• The Caverns of Thracia
• Forge of Fury

Ynn and the Library have my curiousity, but I am hesitant if they will work well. Love the tone of Ynn, but seems like light and darkness, torches and so on, won't be that important.
Does anyone have some experience with Ynn/Stygian Library, especially with Shadowdark?
Any other input and insights on what to play with my friends? Also open to a couple of one-shots, if they offer a nice, fitting mood.

Stygian Library works great with Shadowdark, and the braineaters from the core book (maybe supplemented by the Monster of the Month variants) are good replacements for the mindflayers in the book (which adds cool lore to them).

Light is very much a factor in the library, and the library gets spookier and creepier, the further in you go.

That would be my recommendation, although I'd probably run it as a one-shot. Do put the ritual to create a portal to the garden in one of the books the group stumbles across, to allow themselves to dig themselves in deeper, if they want. You could do the same for the ritual to access The Vast in the Dark, if you had that/wanted to pick it up.

My other recommendation, always, is Tomb of the Serpent Kings, which is free and a great introductory adventure for new OSR groups.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I think a hack of Pirate Borg would work great for Spelljammer, given its robust support for ships, navigation and ship-to-ship combat, as well as its island generation tables.