For this session I'm using the Shadowdark RPG Quickstart Set available over at the Arcane Library (for free!). I've also taken advantage of their specific solo rules "SoloDark" also available for free.
Before we get into it, let it be known that personally, I hate the idea of doing a lot of prep in order to play a game, I'd much rather just get into it and have fun, so that's what I did. I set up a quick scenario using a setting from the ever-reliable Solo RPG GME - Fantasy "feature descriptors" table and a random event from the "Something Happens!" table available as part of the Shadowdark quickstart set. The plan is to let the world develop from that point, so let's see what happens!
My character is "Zorthank the Weasel", a small, but tough Goblin Fighter who after scraping a living by as a street urchin during childhood, now resides in the woods earning a living by preying on any weary travellers who have the misfortune to come his way.
CHARACTER SHEET (As of the end of this session):
Session 1:
Location: Spring
Event: A wild-eyed man approaches with a holy book held high.
Zorthank is washing himself in the springs, he's been living in the woods for some time living off what he pillages from weary travellers.
A wild old man approaches, book aloft.
Is he chaotic aligned (d20)?
5 - No
Does he know of Zorthank (d20)?
20 - Yes (extreme)
"Repent repent! Zorthank the Weasel, known highwayman and brigand of these woods, repent your ways or be lost to damnation!"
Zorthank eyes him, and asks how he knows who is.
"You are well known to us followers of Terragnis, you have stolen from us, and it shall not happen again"
Does he intend on attacking Zorthank (d20)?
16 - Yes
"Repent repent! Before I end your wretched life!"
The acolyte storms down the muddy bank to the spring and attacks.
Enemy: ACOLYTE
AC 12, HP 4, ATK 1 mace +1 (1d6)
or 1 spell +2, MV near, S +1, D -1, C
+0, I -1, W +2, Ch +0, AL L, LV 1
Zorthank DEX check (d20 + DEX): 22
Acolyte DEX check (d20 + DEX): 13
Zorthank goes first
Does Zorthank have his sword to hand (d20)?
15 - Yes
Zorthank strides up and out of the banks of the spring, rising his sword high and swiping at the Acolyte.
(d20 + STR) - 5 - Miss
The acolyte sidesteps the attack, and swings at his mace chanting "REPENT REPENT!"
(d20 + STR) -19 - Hit
Damage (1d6): 1
The mace smacks Zorthank in the side, he winces, luckily it is only a glancing blow.
Zorthank attempts to grab the Acolyte and pull him into the water.
Zorthank STR check (d20 + STR): 8
Acolyte STR check (d20 + STR): 16
But he's unable to and is tossed aside into the muddy bank by the Acolyte.
The acolyte continues to approach, crying "REPENT" he swings his mace down on Zorthank as he staggers up from the muddy banks.
(d20 + STR) - 16 - Hit
Damage (1d6) - 5
This time the mace connects flush against Zorthanks ribs, he lets out a cry and falls to his knees before scrambling back up.
Zorthank tries again to drag the Acloyte into the water, his short but muscled frame charges into the Acolyte.
Zorthank STR check (d20 + STR): 6
Acolyte STR check (d20 + STR): 20
Again to no avail, he's tossed aside and slips in the water as the Acolyte bears down on him, raising his mace again "I PRAY FOR YOUR SOUL"
(d20 + STR) - 14 - Hit
Damage (1d6) - 1
The mace cracks Zorthank across the skull as blood pours down into his eyes, he feels himself losing consciousness and attempts to scramble up a nearby gully, out of the spring and out of the way.
DC 12 - DEX check (d20 + DEX) - 11
Zorthank tries his best, but is unable, he loses his footing and tumbles back into the spring.
The acolyte looks down at Zorthank as he stumbles and swings at him from the edge of the water.
(d20 + STR) -19 - Hit
Damage (1d6) - 5
The mace comes crashing down on Zorthank, and split his skull open. His lifeless body floats in the spring as the water begins to turn red.
Death timer (1d4 + CON): 5 rolls till death
Roll 1: 20 (Finally a bit of luck!)
Zorthank awakes on the banks of the springs, the water lapping at his legs. His vision is blurred by blood streaming from a huge wound on his head.
Is the acolyte still here (d20)?
11 - Yes
He can hear the acolyte chanting nearby.
Is he within sight of the acolyte?
13 - Yes
Zorthank opens his eyes and can see the acolyte only a few footsteps away, hands clasped in prayer.
He decides he needs to put some distance between himself and his enemy, with a burst of energy he darts across the spring and tries to climb up the steep gully again.
DC 12 - DEX check (d20 + DEX) - 4
He slips before even grabbing the first rock, and falls back into the water.
The acolyte is surpised to see that Zorthank still alive, does he still want to attack (d20)?
1 - No (extreme)
"You...you were dead! How can this be? Who am I to argue with the will of Terragnis, I will take you back to our monastery and allow you the opportunity to recover. You must still have good to do in this world!"
The acolyte puts handcuffs on Zorthank after disarming him, and leads him away from the spring as they head to the monastery.
How long is the journey (d6)? - 3 hours.
Do they encounter anything on the journey (d6)? - 1 - Yes
Random Encounter:
Distance (d6) - 3 - Near
Activity (2d6) - 10 - Socializing
Reaction (2d6 + CHA) - 4 - Hostile
Encounter (d100) - 56 - 3 gricks shred dead giant rats and use the fur for nesting.
As the Acolyte leads Zorthank through the woods they see a number of dead rats on the ground, when all of a sudden 3 huge worms erupt from the earth and begin to shred their flesh with their snapping beaks.
The acolyte stands back in shock, but Zorthank is prepared due to his keen goblin senses.
He tries to shoulder barge the Acolyte into the path of the gricks.
STR check vs Acolyte
Zorthank STR check (d20 + STR, advantage) - 20
Acolyte STR check (d20 + STR) - 13
As the Acolyte stands there in shock, Zorthank, still handcuffed, shoulder barges the Acolyte and forces him among the writhing worms before turning to run.
Zorthank continues to flee, he can hear the screams of the Acolyte in the distance. He rues the loss of his sword but is thankful to still be alive.
Zorthank attempts to clamber up a nearby tree whilst still handcuffed, hoping to watch from a safe distance.
DC 15 - DEX check (d20 + DEX) - 21 - Success
He swiftly climbs the tree and sits from a branch and watches as his captor is torn to pieces by the gricks.
Do the gricks leave the area (d20)?
6 - No
The acolyte's corpse and possessions are strewn apart on the ground, the gricks continue to writhe about the earth, with seemingly no intent to leave any time soon.
Zorthank knowing he's in no fit state to fight remains sat in the tree, and decides to wait them out.
Does he encounter anything else whilst waiting (d20)?
3 - No
Have the gricks left yet (d20)?
13 - Yes
After a good hour of waiting in the tree, Zorthank watches as the gricks once again burrow under the earth, dragging the remains of the Acolyte with them. He listens to them tunneling into the distance.
Did the acolyte have any treasure (d20)?
11 - Yes
Zorthank tries to break free from his handcuffs.
DC 15 - DEX check (advantage, d20 + DEX) - 17 - Success
He manages to wriggle free, leaves them on the ground and approaches the possessions of the Acolyte that were left by the gricks.
He once again takes his sword and slips it through his belt, cursing the acolyte for leaving him in this position.
He takes the Acolyte's mace and puts into his pack, before searching through the other possessions.
What treasure does he have (d100)?
57 - Pair of silvered daggers (10 gp each)
He takes the daggers and puts them into his pack.
+2 XP
He also sees the Acolytes book left on the floor and decides to check its contents.
Does it state where the monastery is (d20)?
14 - Yes
Does it state anything about Zorthank (d20)?
19 -Yes
Amongst pages and pages of religious ramblings he comes across a map where the location of the Monastery is marked. He also finds notes about himself scrawled across several pages, it appears the inhabitants of the Monastery have been aware of him for some time.
He swears to take revenge, but the day is beginning to pass and he must rest before going any further.
He searches for firewood, food and shelter.
DC 12 - WIS check (d20 + WIS) - 18 - Success
Zorthank spends the evening gathering firewood, hunting game, and finding shelter.
He approaches the shelter, carrying his gathered firewood and slain rabbit with him.
Is the shelter man-made (d20)?
8 - No
He finds a cave and hauls his firewood into it, determined to rest for the night.
Roll for cave encounter (d6) - 5 - No encounter
He thanks his god that the cave is uninhabited, and goes about starting the fire using a bow drill fashioned from the wood he has gathered since he doesn't have a flint and steel.
DC 12 - WIS check (d20 + WIS) - 6 - Fail
An hour passes struggling but he is yet to light a fire.
Roll for encounter (d6) - 2 - No encounter
He gets into his second hour of trying to light a fire...
DC12 - WIS check (d20 + WIS) - 7 - Fail
Another hour passes as the day begins to fade into darkness...
Roll for encounter (d6) - 5 - No encounter
The sun begins to go down and still he struggles with the bow, when the thought comes to him, he can tear some pages from the Acolyte's book and use this as ready-made tinder.
DC12 - WIS check (advantage, d20 + WIS) - 20
Finally the flames catch and within minutes he has a roaring fire to camp by. He cooks his rabbit upon it and settles down for the night, his head still splitting with pain from the attack earlier.
LOCATION UNSAFE - Roll for encounter every 3 hours
3 hours of sleep pass...
Roll for encounter (d6) - 3 - No encounter
Zorthank is curled up in a ball in the dark, his hands between his legs for warmth as wind whistles through the cave.
3 more hours pass...
Roll for encounter (d6) - 4 - No encounter
The twilight of morning approaches, outside the cave the landscape is a dull grey netherworld.
2 more hours pass...
Roll for encounter (d6) - 2 - No encounter
Zorthank rises in the morning, the blood from his forehead has dried around his eyes making him look more demented than ever. He flicks through the Acolyte's book and notes its location, he wants to take revenge.
RECOVER TO FULL HEALTH
SESSION END
Well there we have it, my first ever session with Shadowdark. I really, really enjoyed that and ended up playing quite a bit longer than usual. The artwork's great, the books are really well laid out so I'm not spending ages trying to find specific rules, and the rules themselves are really easy to grasp for anyone who has any prior experience with TTRPGs.
I think I can still squeeze out a good few more sessions out of these resources but if I enjoy my upcoming sessions as much as I did this, I'll be picking up the full version in no time. For anyone interested in giving Shadowdark a go, I'd highly recommend picking up the free starter kit linked earlier and getting stuck in!
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