Mannahnin
Scion of Murgen (He/Him)
My brother's birthday was over the weekend, and I got a few of our friends together to run a D&D one shot on Friday night. I decided to try out Shadowdark, and the Wavestone Monolith module which Bryce had praised and is available free online. We had a great time, and I resisted my urges to adapt time from the game's abstract turns (when a character acts) and rounds (when everyone has acted) to traditional turns (10 minutes) and rounds (6, 10, or 60 seconds, depending on the D&D edition). I did adapt the Close, Near, and Far abstract ranges to the suggested 5' and 30' (and Far from anywhere in LOS to 100' and LOS), but generally did combat fast and loose without counting squares or precise positioning.
I swiped some light expanded material for it from a reddit thread, added an albino cave crocodile I stole from 3D6 DTL's actual play, googled and adapted stat blocks for the monsters which aren't included in the quick start, and I figured I'd share those stat blocks here for anyone else who could use them. The Brain Eater I adapted from the version in The Monster Overhaul, and I highly recommend that book/entry, which has lots of other cool details and a table of cool and bizarre magic items/artifacts.
We started with a short trip up river with a couple of random encounters (from the Reddit thread) with lizardman tribes, but good reaction rolls and cautious play meant the PCs didn't waste too much time on those. The albino crocodile in the lake wound up being the first combat encounter, and my first taste of how powerful the Web spell can be. If I run this in the future I might be inclined to put rule that the web will always fill an area if it can, and/or must be centered on a monster, which will make it a bit more awkward to use. As it was, that spell just about eliminated three encounters. The players did blunder into one trap but otherwise did well, just missing encountering the Big Bad as their first encounter in the temple, but in practice coming to him as the last fight before the treasure vault, and that fight was suitably dramatic while still playing quickly. One of the mages had claimed the special treasure/artifact and as such volunteered to search the underwater vault, and there suffered a grisly fate which thankfully amused everyone rather than ending the session on a sour note.
I heard that Kelsey included this adventure in a short adventure collection as well. Has anyone else played and enjoyed it? Any interesting stories?
Nautiloid Berserkers
AC 13 (leather & mutated hides), HP 7,
ATK 1 misc weapons +2 (1d8), MV near,
S +2, D +0, C +0, I -1, W +0, Ch -1, AL C, LV 2
Rage. 1/day, immune to morale checks, +1d4 damage (3 rounds).
Black Pudding
AC 9, HP 30, ATK 3 tentacle +4 (2d6), MV near (climb),
S +2, D -1, C +3, I -4, W -3, Ch -4, AL N, LV 6
Impervious. Only damaged by fire. (I let magic spells do half damage as well)
Corrosive. Wood or metal that touches the ooze dissolves on a d6 roll of 1-3.
Brain Flayer
AC 12 (hide and robes), HP 41,
ATK see below, MV near (walk, swim)
S +1, D +2, C +2, I +4, W +3 Ch +3, AL C, LV 9
1. Tentacle Strike
The Brain Flayer makes up to 4 attacks split between up to 4 adjacent targets, +7 TH, dealing 1d6 damage on a hit. Struck targets must also Save (Con DC 12) or be stunned for 1 round.
2. Devour Brain
An adjacent living creature hit and stunned by a Tentacle Strike in the previous round must Save (Con DC 12) or die.
3. Mind Blast
All creatures in a 50' cone take damage equal to their Intelligence score or 3d6, whichever is higher. Roll once per attack. (Int DC 15 for half damage, round down). Anyone who misses the save by 5+ is Stunned and loses their next turn.
4. Mind Control
One creature within 30' and LOS must make a Wis save (DC 15) or be Charmed and do whatever the Brain Flayer asks until it directly harms them.
I swiped some light expanded material for it from a reddit thread, added an albino cave crocodile I stole from 3D6 DTL's actual play, googled and adapted stat blocks for the monsters which aren't included in the quick start, and I figured I'd share those stat blocks here for anyone else who could use them. The Brain Eater I adapted from the version in The Monster Overhaul, and I highly recommend that book/entry, which has lots of other cool details and a table of cool and bizarre magic items/artifacts.
We started with a short trip up river with a couple of random encounters (from the Reddit thread) with lizardman tribes, but good reaction rolls and cautious play meant the PCs didn't waste too much time on those. The albino crocodile in the lake wound up being the first combat encounter, and my first taste of how powerful the Web spell can be. If I run this in the future I might be inclined to put rule that the web will always fill an area if it can, and/or must be centered on a monster, which will make it a bit more awkward to use. As it was, that spell just about eliminated three encounters. The players did blunder into one trap but otherwise did well, just missing encountering the Big Bad as their first encounter in the temple, but in practice coming to him as the last fight before the treasure vault, and that fight was suitably dramatic while still playing quickly. One of the mages had claimed the special treasure/artifact and as such volunteered to search the underwater vault, and there suffered a grisly fate which thankfully amused everyone rather than ending the session on a sour note.
I heard that Kelsey included this adventure in a short adventure collection as well. Has anyone else played and enjoyed it? Any interesting stories?
Nautiloid Berserkers
AC 13 (leather & mutated hides), HP 7,
ATK 1 misc weapons +2 (1d8), MV near,
S +2, D +0, C +0, I -1, W +0, Ch -1, AL C, LV 2
Rage. 1/day, immune to morale checks, +1d4 damage (3 rounds).
Black Pudding
AC 9, HP 30, ATK 3 tentacle +4 (2d6), MV near (climb),
S +2, D -1, C +3, I -4, W -3, Ch -4, AL N, LV 6
Impervious. Only damaged by fire. (I let magic spells do half damage as well)
Corrosive. Wood or metal that touches the ooze dissolves on a d6 roll of 1-3.
Brain Flayer
AC 12 (hide and robes), HP 41,
ATK see below, MV near (walk, swim)
S +1, D +2, C +2, I +4, W +3 Ch +3, AL C, LV 9
1. Tentacle Strike
The Brain Flayer makes up to 4 attacks split between up to 4 adjacent targets, +7 TH, dealing 1d6 damage on a hit. Struck targets must also Save (Con DC 12) or be stunned for 1 round.
2. Devour Brain
An adjacent living creature hit and stunned by a Tentacle Strike in the previous round must Save (Con DC 12) or die.
3. Mind Blast
All creatures in a 50' cone take damage equal to their Intelligence score or 3d6, whichever is higher. Roll once per attack. (Int DC 15 for half damage, round down). Anyone who misses the save by 5+ is Stunned and loses their next turn.
4. Mind Control
One creature within 30' and LOS must make a Wis save (DC 15) or be Charmed and do whatever the Brain Flayer asks until it directly harms them.
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