Shadowdark: How Essential is the Dungeon?

[Weiley31]

Now this makes me wonder how Shadowdark plays with no Torch mechanic OR dungeons. Especially if you click the Pulp Mode toggle on.

I wouldn't mind trying it out, although I know I'd have to get the 3 cursed scrolls (classes yo) as well as Unnatural Selections.

 

[Reynard]

Session 0 tonight. The total.nunber of players is 8 or so but I don't expect more that 5 or 6 per session. We ended up with a couple fighters, a couple thieves, a couple witches and one priest.

I had each player roll for a rumor in the gloaming but let them.decide how to share those rumors. They ended up deciding to go for the bandits outside of Wardenwood and I am excited to prep that for next session. There are 30 bandits, the leader is a disgraced knight of St Ydris, and there's a demon about to hatch. I want to present the situation "fairly" so the PCs are the ones to decide whether there's violence.

Looking forward to seeing what happens.

Oh: for chargen I had them roll 3d6 and place one stat at a time. I also gave them max level 1 hp. Other than that, it's by the book.

 

[Reynard]

This KS for "The Shucked Oyster" looks interesting: https://www.kickstarter.com/project...gTlpKYjP7Kr03YMayw_aem_bLtzV32feMXMPgp4aRubmg

Note: The link is SFW but the subject is for a fantasy brothel.

Does anyone know anything about it, or the creators?

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

This KS for "The Shucked Oyster" looks interesting: https://www.kickstarter.com/project...gTlpKYjP7Kr03YMayw_aem_bLtzV32feMXMPgp4aRubmg

Note: The link is SFW but the subject is for a fantasy brothel.

Does anyone know anything about it, or the creators?

Looks good, my only reluctance is this part of the KS:

''if we reach $12,500 pledged, we will include an appendix (or AppendACKS as we like to call it) that will provide a conversion for all of the encounters, dungeons, treasures, magic items, and new monsters included in The Shucked Oyster! We've already play tested this module in ACKS II extensively, and it fits like a glove!''

Nothing major, but I try to avoid products related to this segment of creators or their entourage nowadays.

 

[S'mon]

This thread is based on a recent post by @Quickleaf in the "Let's Make Shadowdark Classes" thread, creating a mountebank class. @Whizbang Dustyboots pointed out that it would make a good class for an urban campaign.

This got me thinking: Sahdowdark is usually equated with dungeon crawling, being a version of B/X built with 5E sensibilities (or vice versa, depending on who you ask) focused particularly on the dungeon exploration part of the game. That said, I have had plenty of fun running Shadowdark in styles other than crawls, and have even mostly dispenses with the torch timer when doing so (though I still keep light as very important; I just don't do the real time torch thing).

So, what do you think as a Shadowdark fan (you ARE a Shadowdark fan, aren't you?) How versatile do you feel it is outside of dungeon crawl focused campaigns? What sorts of adventures have you played in Sahdowdark? What kind do you plan to? Do you employ additional rules, either designed for Shadowdark or cribbed from other games, to make it better for non-dungeon focused play?

My current game is dungeon focused, but SD has strong support for wilderness and especially urban settings. I will be using it for Midlands which is a sword and sorcery sandbox with lots of short varied adventures across all environments.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Just received a new Arcane Library newsletter with expanded hex crawling rules -- a preview of Cursed Scroll #4, which should be Kickstarted in March 2025, per Kelsey.

 

[Scribe]

Just received a new Arcane Library newsletter with expanded hex crawling rules -- a preview of Cursed Scroll #4, which should be Kickstarted in March 2025, per Kelsey.

checks email

Nice! March though? March?!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

checks email

Nice! March though? March?!

Pirate Borg's next Kickstarter campaign is in two weeks, how about that?

 

[Scribe]

Pirate Borg's next Kickstarter campaign is in two weeks, how about that?

The Dark Caribbean?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The Dark Caribbean?

No, they're pushing that back to next year to have more time to polish it.

This is going to be a starter box (including a new intro adventure), a hardcover adventure anthology and the Cabin Fever jam book which has a bit of everything in it. Plus dice, screen, devil's luck coins, etc.