Gameplay

The Shadowdark is like a sleeping bear. Only go near

it if you have a 10-foot pole and are prepared to die.

75
 reeg lifted his Icy fear stabbed into

C guttering torch
high. The light
danced over the stone
door looming before him.
Creeg's guts. No time.
He sucked in a breath
and pushed on the door
with all his strength, half-
expecting some hidden
A carved demon’s face scythe or stone block to
leered down from the crash down on him.
portal's moldering surface,
fangs bared. But the portal rumbled
open, and no scythe or
“You’re sure it’s safe?” he stone block fell.
whispered to Ralina, who
stood two paces behind Beyond the threshold,
him. She crouched forward heaps and piles of gold
on her toes, poised to leap and jewels glittered in the
aside. torchlight like a thousand
spider eyes.
“I checked it twice,”
she said. “No traps. The “Jiraal's Hoard,” Creeg
demon’s just for decor.” whispered, eyes wide. “The
story was true!”
Creeg raised an eyebrow.
“Then why are you “We need you, wizard!”
standing like the floor's Ralina cried.
about to drop away?”
Creeg spun to see a mob
Jorbin’s deep voice cut of slavering, gray-skinned
in from the edge of the ghouls lurching from the
torchlight. “No time! darkness, tongues lashing
They’ve caught our trail!” and claws seeking blood.

A chorus of inhuman A gust of wind caught

screams tore through the the torch, and it wavered,
cavern. threatening to go out....

76
 Adventuring
CRAWLERS Do you see a suit of armor in an
alcove? Maybe you lift the helm's
Those who dare the lost halls
visor and make sure nothing is
and caverns of the Shadowdark
looking back at you.
are called by many names.
Crawlers, delvers, explorers,
Do you hear faint voices behind
adventurers, treasure hunters.
a rotting, wooden door? Maybe
you creep up and press your
In this chapter, you'll learn how
ear against it to hear what's
to crawl with the best of them.
happening on the other side.
Whether you're exploring a
lightless barrow mound or the
Is a band of orcs chasing you
Shrouded Forest of Eld, the rules
and your companions down
herein will guide you.
a hallway? Maybe tearing the
decrepit tapestries from the
OUTSIDE THE SHEET walls will hamper their pursuit.
The first step to crawling
None of the above ideas are
is understanding your
listed on a character sheet.
environment and imagining an
Although you should use your
action you want to take.
stats, spells, gear, and talents,
Don't simply scour your don't limit yourself only to those.
character sheet for ideas and
options! Your crawling career ONWARD!
depends on your ability to "think
The next sections detail the
outside the sheet."
core rules of Shadowdark RPG.
Armed with your dice and your
Imagine what you would really
wits, you're ready to learn the
do if you were in your character's
legendary art of crawling. Stride
situation.
boldly into the darkness!

77
 Rolling the Dice
ADVANTAGE CANCELING
When you have advantage on a If you have both advantage and
roll, it means you're in a strong disadvantage on a roll, they
position to succeed. cancel each other out.

For example, you might be

NATURAL 20
attacking from the high ground,
or you might have just failed at When a d20 die roll shows a 20,
a task and now have insight into what you're doing succeeds to
how to succeed if you try again. your maximum capacity. An
attack roll automatically hits and
To roll with advantage, roll the is a critical hit (see Damage on
same die twice and use the pg. 89).
better result.
NATURAL 1
DISADVANTAGE When a d20 die roll shows a 1,
When you have disadvantage on what you're doing fails to your
a roll, it means you're in a strong maximum capacity. An attack
position to fail. roll automatically misses and
might even strike an ally.
For example, you might be
trying to strike an enemy while THE D6 DECIDER
blinded by sand, or navigating
If there's a random chance for
a maze while confused by
an outcome, such as whether a
disorienting poison.
dropped torch goes out, the GM
calls for a d6 roll. A 1-3 results
To roll with disadvantage, roll
in the worse outcome for the
the same die twice and use the
players, and a 4-6 results in the
worse result.
better one.

78
 Luck Tokens
Sometimes the GM awards
a luck token to a player for
exceptional roleplaying, heroism,
or just plain coolness.

Big sacrifices, moving speeches,

or incredibly daring maneuvers
might be worthy of luck tokens,
whether or not the characters'
actions were successful.

Each player can only have one

luck token at a time.

You can cash in a luck token to

reroll any roll you just made. You
must use the new result.

You can also give your luck

token to a companion.

HOW MANY TO GIVE?

The GM might award 2-3 new
luck tokens per player during
the course of a session with a
pulpy, heroic feel.

Alternatively, the GM might not

give out any new luck tokens
during a game session that is
grim, difficult, and dark.
79
 Using Stats
Certain tasks fall under specific CONSTITUTION
stats. The following examples
• Holding your breath
illustrate common uses for each
underwater
one.
• Withstanding intense pain
The difference between • Resisting the effects of poison
Intelligence and Wisdom can
be tricky. If in doubt, remember
Wisdom is for sensory acuity
INTELLIGENCE
and instinct, while Intelligence • Giving first aid to a dying
covers knowledge and logic. character
• Recalling the path through a
STRENGTH twisting maze

• Smashing open locked doors • Finding food and water

sources in the wilderness
• Bending the bars of a prison
cell or sewer grate
• Lifting a large rock overhead
WISDOM
• Spotting a well-hidden enemy
• Stopping a runaway ship's
helm from spinning • Determining the direction of
a faint noise or smell

DEXTERITY • Deciphering the sounds on

the other side of a door
• Diving away from a trap that
flings a hail of needles
• Disabling a tripwire without
CHARISMA
activating it • Performing ventriloquism

• Scaling a sheer castle wall • Applying a disguise

• Fooling onlookers with sleight • Rallying allies who are

of hand tricks terrified by a monster

80
 Making Checks
WHEN TO ROLL? DIFFICULTY CLASS
Usually, you succeed at what The four standard DCs represent
you're trained to do without how difficult an action is.
needing to roll a check.
Easy, DC 9. Leaping a narrow
For example, a wizard is always chasm, sneaking up on an
able to read magical runes, and inattentive guard.
a thief always finds a trap if
searching in the right area. Normal, DC 12. Kicking open a
stuck door, picking a poor lock.
If you take the time to scan the
sky for threats or examine a Hard, DC 15. Swimming against
stretch of wall for a secret door, a strong current, giving first aid
you simply succeed. to stop a character from dying.

Social encounters usually rely Extreme, DC 18. Climbing

on what you say rather than a slippery cliff one-handed,
Charisma checks. Narrating a restraining a frenzied lion.
moving speech or using secret
information you gathered to CONTESTED CHECKS
influence an NPC does not
If multiple creatures are
require a check to succeed.
working against each other on
a conflicting task, a contested
The GM asks for a check when
check decides who succeeds.
the following is true:

To make a contested check, each

• The action has a negative
participant rolls one relevant stat
consequence for failure
check at the same time, even if
• The action requires skill it's not their turn. The highest
• There is time pressure result wins (reroll ties).

81
 Time
REAL TIME TIME PASSES
Time passes in the game world Every moment in the game
at the same pace it's passing in doesn't have to be accounted for
the real world. One minute or in real time.
hour of game time is equal to
one minute or hour in real time. For example, if the characters
want to spend 10 minutes
This matters for tracking light examining a room from top to
sources, because most light bottom, the GM and players can
sources only last for one hour of agree that time passes.
real time.
When time passes, the GM and
If you can't track real time in players move any timers down
your game, assume one hour is by that amount.
equal to 10 rounds.
Minutes Pass. Effects with a
duration of rounds expire. The
TURNS AND ROUNDS
GM rolls one random encounter
A turn is a player's moment to check that occurs on a 1-3 on a
describe what their character d6 while this time is passing.
does to the GM. Players act one
by one on each of their turns. Hours/Days Pass. Effects with a
duration shorter than the time
Some turns need a bit of room passed expire. The GM uses
to breathe. A character who overland travel rules to check for
is speaking with someone encounters that occur while this
can make a few reasonable time is passing (see pg. 90).
exchanges back and forth.
After resolving encounters, the
A round completes when each game world fast-forwards to the
person has taken one turn. new point in time.
82
 Turn Order
INITIATIVE GM TURN
Shadowdark RPG is played in 1. The GM counts down any
turn order right from the start. timers not tracked by players.

At the beginning of the game, 2. The GM checks for a random

the GM establishes initiative, or encounter, if needed.
the order in which the players
act. Everyone rolls a d20 and 3. The GM takes actions
adds their DEX modifier. The GM and makes movements for
adds the highest DEX modifier any relevant creatures or
of any monsters, if relevant. environmental effects.

The person who rolled the 4. The GM describes what the

highest takes the first turn, and characters notice as a result of
the turn order moves clockwise steps 1-3.
from that individual.
ENCOUNTERS
PLAYER TURN An encounter occurs when a
1. The player counts down any challenge presents itself that
personal timers for spells and stops the characters' progress.
other effects. An encounter could include a
monster charging out of the
2. The player takes an action and darkness, a sinkhole breaking
may move up to near (split up in open in the ground, or a town
any way). The player can move guard halting the characters.
near again if skipping an action.
The GM rolls for the chance of
3. The GM describes what an encounter every few rounds
happens as a result of the depending on how dangerous
player's turn. the characters' environment is.

83
 Crawling
THE SHADOWDARK LIGHT SOURCES
The Shadowdark is any place Most light sources last for up
where darkness, danger, and to an hour of real time and
myth reign supreme. illuminate a limited area.

It could be in crumbling ruins, Players have two options when

ancient mountain strongholds, lighting more than one light
or mysterious towers. It could source at a time:
be in gloomy forests, trap-laden
pyramids, or haunted sea caves. 1. The newer light source "rides
along" on the current timer.
As long as the characters are
going into danger with swords, 2. Extinguish all old light sources.
spells, and torches ready, they're Start a new timer with the fresh
going into the Shadowdark. light source.

The GM can make rulings

CRAWLING ROUNDS
counter to the above; the
Characters are in crawling purpose is to make tracking light
rounds while not in combat. timers simple, not frustrating.
They are exploring, talking, and
engaging with the environment.
TOTAL DARKNESS
While in total darkness, a
VISION
creature who is not darkness-
All characters need light to adapted has disadvantage on
see, but that's not true for the tasks it undertakes that require
darkness-adapted beings of sight. Also, the environment
the Shadowdark. Note that any becomes deadly. The GM checks
area outside of a light source's for a random encounter every
illumination is in total darkness. crawling round.

84
MOVEMENT CONDITIONS
Distances. Distances are broken Some effects impose a condition
up into close (5 feet), near (up on a character, such as blindness
to 30 feet), and far (within sight from a blast of fungal spores
during an encounter or scene). or the inability to move while
tangled in a giant spider web.
Climbing. Strength or Dexterity
check to climb half your speed. Advantage and disadvantage
Fall if you fail by 5+ points. apply to most situations, as does
common sense.
Falling. You take 1d6 damage for
every 10 feet you fall. For example, a blinded character
has disadvantage on tasks
Moving Through. You can move requiring sight, and a character
freely through allies. You must stuck in a giant spider web can't
pass a Strength or Dexterity move until freed.
check to move through enemies.

ACTIONS
Swimming. Swim half speed
(requires a STR check in rough While crawling, characters can
water). Make a CON check each take actions that might include:
round you hold your breath. On
a failed CON check, 1d6 damage • Prying a gem from a statue
a round until you exit the hazard. • Sneaking up on a slumbering
manticore
REGROUP • Swimming to the bottom of
During crawling rounds, the GM an oily pool of water
can ask the players if they want • Tapping on a suspicious wall
to regroup. To regroup, any PCs to check for a hidden door
within eyesight or earshot of • Scanning a room for signs of
each other who are able to move hidden enemies
freely may immediately move
• Giving a rousing speech to a
within near of each other. Then,
group of fearful townsfolk
initiative continues as normal.

85
 Resting
RESTING DANGER LEVEL
Injured characters can rest to Characters can rest anywhere,
recover from their wounds. To but doing so inside a dungeon
rest, a character must consume or perilous environment carries a
a ration and sleep for 8 hours. high chance of failure due to the
risk of a random encounter.
Sleep can be broken up for light
and routine tasks, such as taking While the characters are resting
a turn on watch. in a dangerous environment, the
Game Master checks for random
Interruption. Each stressful encounters using the overland
interruption of rest (including travel cadence:
combat) requires an affected
character to make a DC 12 Unsafe. Check every 3 hours.
Constitution check.
Risky. Check every 2 hours.
On a failure, the character
consumes a ration but gains no Deadly. Check every hour.
benefit from resting.
CAMPFIRE
Success. A character who
In many cases, adventurers need
successfully rests regains all
a light source while resting.
lost hit points and recovers any
Characters can combine three
stat damage (all stat damage
torches into a campfire that
is temporary unless described
can't be moved once lit.
otherwise).

A campfire lasts up to 8 hours

Additionally, some talents, spells,
while at least one character
or items regain their ability to be
remains near to it, and it casts
used after a successful rest.
light out to a near distance.

86
 Stealth and Surprise
HIDING AND DETECTING
SNEAKING Detecting a hiding or sneaking
Creatures who are hiding creature requires the searcher to
or sneaking must succeed actively look or listen.
on Dexterity checks to go
undetected by other creatures Looking in the right place
within eyesight or earshot. automatically reveals a hidden
creature. Otherwise, the
The GM determines the searcher must succeed on a
frequency and difficulty Wisdom check to perceive a
of the check based on the sneaking or hiding creature.
environment.
SURPRISE
The GM might secretly roll
A creature who begins its turn
the check for a character if
undetected has the advantage
knowledge of the outcome
of surprise. If combat hasn't
impacts the situation.
started yet, those with surprise
Hiding Limitations. Creatures take one turn before the combat
can't hide while other creatures initiative roll (see Combat
are able to see them, even at a Initiative! on pg. 88).
casual glance.
A creature has advantage on
It might also be impossible to attack rolls against surprised
hide if there's nowhere for a targets.
creature to stay out of sight.
Attacking from hiding gives
away the attacker's position
afterwards unless the GM
determines otherwise.

87
 Combat
When a fight breaks out, ACTIONS
combat rounds begin!
Melee Attack. Melee attacks
use melee weapons. Roll 1d20 +
DETERMINE your Strength modifier + talent
SURPRISE bonuses. You hit the target if
The GM determines if any your total is equal to or greater
creatures are unaware of each than its AC.
other. A creature who surprises
another takes one turn before a Ranged Attack. Ranged attacks
new initiative order is rolled. use ranged weapons. Roll 1d20 +
your Dexterity modifier + talent
bonuses. You hit the target if
COMBAT INITIATIVE! your total is equal to or greater
After surprise turns, the GM than its AC.
calls for new initiative. Everyone
makes a Dexterity check (the Cast A Spell. Casting a
GM uses the highest Dexterity spell takes one action (see
modifier of any monsters). Spellcasting on pg. 44).

The person with the highest Improvise. Do an improvised

result takes the first turn. Turns action, such as swinging across
go clockwise from that person. a ravine on a vine. The GM might
determine it requires a stat
COMBAT TURNS check or attack roll.

Characters can take one action Multitask. Characters can do

and move near on their turn, small, parallel tasks on their
splitting up the movement turns, such as standing up,
however they want. Characters speaking, activating a magic
can move near again if they item, or quaffing a potion. This
don't take an action. doesn't typically use their action.
88
DAMAGE MORALE
When you hit a target with an Enemies who are reduced to
attack or spell, you damage half their number (or half their
it. Roll your weapon or spell's HP for a solo enemy) flee if they
damage dice + relevant bonuses. fail a DC 15 Wisdom check. For
The GM subtracts that amount large groups, the GM makes one
from the target's hit points. check with the leader's modifier.

Knockout. You can choose to

DEATH
knock a creature unconscious
instead of killing it if you reduce A character who goes to 0 HP
it to 0 hit points. falls unconscious and is dying. A
character who goes above 0 HP
Critical Hit. You deal a critical wakes up and is no longer dying.
hit if you roll a natural 20 on
an attack roll or spellcasting Death Timer. A dying character
check. For a weapon, double its rolls 1d4 + their CON modifier
damage dice on the attack. For a (minimum 1 total) on their turn.
spell, you may double one of its They die in that many rounds
numerical effects (see pg. 45). unless healed or stabilized.

On each of the character's

TERRAIN subsequent turns, that player
Attacking or casting a spell on rolls a d20. On a natural 20, the
a creature that is hiding at least character rises with 1 hit point.
half its body behind interposing
terrain has disadvantage. Stabilize. An intelligent being
can give first aid to a dying
If you can't see a creature at all creature at close range. On a
due to terrain, you can't target it. successful DC 15 Intelligence
check, the target stops dying
Creatures can only move half the (but is still unconscious).
normal distance through terrain
that hampers free movement, Death. A character who perishes
such as ice or deep mud. is retired from the game.

89
 Overland Travel
The world is still perilous for TRAVEL PER DAY
fortune-seekers outside the
PCs can travel for up to 8 hours
gloomy Shadowdark. When
a day. They must pass increasing
traveling overland, these rules
CON checks to push further.
add to the crawling rules.
Hexes are 6-miles across.

TURNS AND TIME

CROSSING HEXES
The game moves in initiative
order as normal while traveling Method Time per Hex
overland, and groups often travel Walking 4 hours
in chunks that comprise several Mounted 2 hours
hours. Use the Time Passes rules Sailing 1 hour
(pg. 82) as needed.
Difficult terrain 2x normal

Check for random encounters Arduous terrain 8 hours

using the following cadence
during overland travel:
NAVIGATION
Unsafe. Check every 3 hours. PCs in unfamiliar territory must
have their navigator make an
Risky. Check every 2 hours. INT check upon exiting a hex. On
a failure, the group moves into a
Deadly. Check every hour. random, adjacent hex.

LIGHT FOOD AND WATER

If needed, determine how much PCs can go three days without
time remains on the current consuming a ration. They take 1
light source by rolling 1d6 x 10 CON damage each day after that
minutes. There is rarely total (death at 0). A PC can forage for 1
darkness outside, even at night. ration per day with an INT check.

90
 Downtime
Between adventures, you LEARNING
can choose to undertake one
Your character may wish to learn
downtime activity.
a new skill during downtime.

CAROUSING In order to learn a new skill, you

Carousing is a way for you to must find a capable instructor
convert the coin you've earned who is willing to teach you.
into XP and other benefits.
You can't typically learn another
You'll likely come out of a class's or ancestry's unique
carousing event with a new NPC talents, but you can learn
contact, whether friend or foe. auxiliary skills. Examples include
You might even acquire a new a new language, or how to ride
magic item if you're bold and a sandworm using a harness.
lucky enough.
Learning enables you to do new
Carousing can last for several actions or gives you advantage
days of in-game time, so the GM on certain checks.
will use the Time Passes rule (pg.
82) as needed. Work with the GM to determine
what you can try to learn.
If you want to play out a Then, make an extreme (DC
gambling scene in detail, you 18) Intelligence check. If you
can use the Wizards and Thieves succeed, you learn the new skill.
game on pg. 94 to determine
who wins a bet and how many If you fail, you can try again as
valuables change hands. your next downtime activity, this
time lowering the difficulty of
See pg. 92 for more details on the Intelligence check by one
carousing. step.

91
 Carousing
When you return from the OUTCOMES
Shadowdark, you can carouse to
Each character gains the XP
celebrate your heroic exploits.
noted for their result along with
any other ill or positive effects.
To carouse, each participant
pitches in for the cost of the
If the group decides to play out
event. Then, each participant
the results of an individual roll,
rolls 1d8 + the event's bonus to
the entire carousing group is
determine their own outcome.
usually present for the events.

CAROUSING EVENT
Cost Event Bonus
30 gp A worthy night of drinking and festivity +0
A full day and night of revelry, gambling,
100 gp +1
and recounting your exploits
Two days of crawling dozens of taverns
300 gp +2
to sing, buy rounds, and celebrate
A three-day voyage into the finest food,
600 gp +3
drink, and gambling you can find
A hazy, weeklong bender that runs
900 gp +4
multiple well-known taverns dry
A spirited fete lasting ten days that
1,200 gp attracts hordes of revelers and takes +5
over an entire town or a city district
Two legendary weeks of drinking and
debauchery widespread enough to take
1,800 gp over a whole city. It attracts countless +6
celebrants, including famous nobles
and bards; the streets run red with wine

92
 CAROUSING OUTCOME
d8 Outcome Benefit
1 You wake up blearily in your bed Gain 2 XP
You're locked in the stocks for 1d4
2 days and fined 20% of your total Gain 2 XP
wealth for setting a building on fire
3 You wake up in a gutter with 15% of
your total wealth spent Gain 3 XP
4 You hazily remember donating 10% of
your total wealth to a glib priest Gain 3 XP and a
5 You're fined 10% of your total wealth priest ally
for starting a full-tavern brawl
Gain 3 XP and be
6 The Thieves' Guild bilked you for 5%
of your total wealth barred from a tavern
7 You led an entire tavern in a wildly
insulting song about a disliked noble Gain 4 XP
8 You survived a blindfolded knife-
throwing demonstration unscathed Gain 4 XP and a
famous bard ally
9 By talent (50%) or trickery (50%), you
beat a rival crawler in a test of skill Gain 4 XP and a luck
10 An angry wizard cast a deadly spell at token
you, but you reflected it off your cup
Gain 5 XP and an
11 You performed a humiliating prank
on a despised and corrupt merchant NPC ally or enemy
12 You defeated a noble in a highly Gain 5 XP and a luck
wagered drinking contest
token
You pulled off an ill-advised heist Gain 5 XP and an ally
in the City Watch
Gain 5 XP and a debt
owed by the noble
Gain 6 XP and an 80-
13 100 item from your
inside a feared sorcerer's tower
treasure table
You wake up deep inside the local Gain 6 XP and a 90-
ruler's stronghold holding one of 100 item from your
14+
their priceless family heirlooms. treasure table, if you
Footsteps approach escape

93
 Wizards and Thieves
In smoky gambling dens, GAMEPLAY
raucous taverns, and dim back
The active player declares wizard
alleys, the clatter of dice signals
or thief before rolling 3d6.
a game of Wizards and Thieves.

Declared thief, rolled majority

Wizards and Thieves is a fast-
thieves: The active player takes
paced betting game beloved
coins from the pot equal to
by gamblers of all stripes. Use
the lowest remaining die after
it when you want to play out a
cancellations/ignores. The active
wager using a quick system.
player goes again.

TO START Declared thief, rolled majority

To begin, the players agree to a wizards: The active player
number of coins each will bring adds coins to the pot equal to
to the game (typically 20). Each the lowest remaining die after
player adds 6 coins to the pot. cancellations/ignores. Play
passes to the next player.
All players roll 3d6. The player
with the highest result becomes Declared wizard, rolled majority
the active player. Gameplay wizards: Everyone but the active
moves clockwise from that player adds coins to the pot
person. equal to the lowest remaining
die after cancellations/ignores.
Rolls of wizards (6s) and thieves The active player goes again.
(1s) cancel each other out
on a one-to-one basis when Declared wizard, rolled majority
determining majorities. Ignore thieves: The active player adds
results of 1 and 6 when adding to coins to the pot equal to the
or taking from the pot unless no lowest remaining die after
other die type remains. cancellations/ignores. Play
passes to the next player.
94
No wizard or thief majority: Play
LOW STAKES
passes to the next player.
d4 Played For...
Rolled 3 wizards: The active 1 Copper
player takes the whole pot. The 2 Single drinks
game ends.
3 Bragging rights
4 Minor baubles
Rolled 3 thieves: The pot is split
evenly among all the remaining
players except the active player.
MID STAKES
The active player gets any
remainder that doesn’t divide d4 Played For...
evenly, a result called “honor 1 Gold
among thieves.” The game ends. 2 Drink rounds
3 A sworn favor owed
THE GAME ENDS 4 A personal trophy
The game ends when the pot
reaches 0.
HIGH STAKES
If a player runs out of coins, that d4 Played For...
player is out of the game.
1 Jewelry
2 Finest drink in the city
If all but one player loses their
last coin, the pot goes to the 3 A finger off your hand
player whose turn it would have 4 An irreplaceable item
been after the last roll.

The game's winner is the person EPIC STAKES

who ends with the most coins. d4 Played For...
1 Diamonds
2 Rarest drink in world
3 Your life
4 A magic item

95
 Example of Play
In this gameplay example, a GM: The stone door in front of
group of 1st-level crawlers are you is about six feet tall and
exploring a damp tomb they covered in slimy chunks of moss.
discovered beneath the ruins of
Myre Castle. PC (Iraga): I'm holding my torch
up so Jorbin can see.
The players are playing Jorbin
(dwarf fighter), Ralina (halfling PC (Jorbin): Thanks, Iraga. No
thief), Iraga (half-orc priest), and time to waste — I'm going to
Creeg (human wizard). kick the door wide open!

For more gameplay demos, visit PC (Ralina): So much for a

youtube.com/thearcanelibrary. stealthy entrance...

GM: Alright, crawlers. Let's start GM: Give me a hard Strength

off with initiative! check, Jorbin. You get advantage
because of your Grit talent.
Everyone rolls a d20 and adds
their Dexterity modifier. The Jorbin rolls two d20s, and the
GM doesn't add anything since highest one shows a 14. With his
there are no active monsters. Strength modifier of +3, he has a
total of 17, beating the DC of 15.
GM: Did anyone beat my 14?
PC (Jorbin): Success! I knock
PC (Jorbin): I did! I got an 18. that thing off its moldy hinges!
Alright, that's my turn.
GM: Then you're up first, Jorbin.
We're going clockwise from you, The GM secretly makes a
so Ralina, you're on deck. random encounter check due to
the noise but rolls a 3 on the d6.
PC (Jorbin): How big is the door? No encounter for now.

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GM: You're up, Ralina. Everyone rolls a d20 and adds
their Dexterity modifier.
PC (Ralina): I peek my head in
past the door. Do I see anything GM: Woohoo, natural 20! None of
dangerous... or valuable? you beat that, so I'm up.

GM: You see a circular chamber PC (Creeg): We are so dead.

with a cracked, stone floor. Rusty
torch sconces line the walls, and GM: Iraga, one tendril whips out
a shallow pool of green, murky at you. Let's see, an 11 on the
water stands at the center. d20 plus its attack bonus of +3...
What's your armor class?
PC (Ralina): Ew. I'll tiptoe into
the room around the pool. Is PC (Iraga): It's 16! I'm safe!
there anything unusual about it?
GM: Ralina, a second tendril
GM: Now that you asked, you lashes out at you, but with
notice the water trembling and disadvantage because you
wobbling, almost like a jelly prepared to jump out of the way.
rather than a liquid. A natural 4 on the lowest d20 —
surely a miss, since that's only a
PC (Ralina): Weird! I prepare 7 total. Creeg, it's your turn!
to jump out of the way if
something comes out of it. Iraga, PC (Creeg): Not a moment too
you're tougher than me — do soon. I hobble into the chamber
you want to check out the pond? and point my fingers at the
pool, chanting the words of my
PC (Iraga): Definitely! I step into favorite spell. Burning hands!
the room and free up my sword
hand by placing the torch in one Creeg rolls a DC 11 spellcasting
of the old sconces. Then I draw check and gets a total of 18.
my blade and prod the water.
PC (Creeg): Got it! Take [rolls a
GM: A long, slimy tendril lashes d6] 4 damage, you filthy pond
back at you! Combat initiative! scum. That's my turn!

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PC (Jorbin): Time to meet my GM: The scum jelly barely seems
axe! I barrel into the room and to notice your dagger, almost as
chop down into the pool [rolls a if it didn't hurt it...
d20]... and roll a natural 1.
PC (Creeg): Not good. Maybe
PC (Iraga): Uh oh! stabbing attacks can't injure it?

GM: Jorbin, your foot slips on the PC (Iraga): You know what St.
slimy edge of the pool and you Terragnis says: "Kill it with fire!"
fall in! One of the tendrils tries to I sheathe my sword and spring
wrap around your neck — roll a back to grab the torch off the
normal DEX check to escape. wall. Can I lunge forward and jab
it into the jelly?
Jorbin rolls an 8 on the d20 and
adds his -1 Dexterity modifier. GM: Absolutely. Make an attack
roll with it like a melee weapon.
PC (Jorbin): A 7. Normal is DC 12,
right? Looks like it got me! Iraga rolls 1d20 plus her STR
modifier, getting a total of 14.
GM: The tendril latches on and
drags you toward the pond's PC (Iraga): Its AC is 13, so I hit!
center! Ralina, what do you do? How much damage?

PC (Ralina): We better take care GM: I'd say a lit torch does 1d4
of this thing before it eats Jorbin! damage from the flames.
I stab it with my dagger!
PC (Iraga): [Rolls] 4 damage!
Ralina rolls a 10 on a d20 and
adds +3 for her attack bonus. GM: The jelly writhes and sizzles
from the burn! Now I need you
PC (Ralina): Does a 13 hit? to roll a d6 to see if the torch
extinguishes. 1-3 is bad.
GM: That's its exact armor class,
so yes! Roll 1d4 damage! PC (Iraga): Oops. Forgot about
that. [Rolls a 2] Well... it's
PC (Ralina): [Rolls] 3, not bad! suddenly very dark in here.
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PCs (everyone): Oh no! GM: Jorbin, it'd normally be your
turn, but you're out cold. Roll a
GM: Looks like it's my turn. d4 plus your CON mod to see
Jorbin, the tendril wrapping how many rounds until you die.
around your neck constricts. You
take [rolls a d4] 2 damage. PC (Jorbin): [Rolls] 3 rounds.
Ralina, you're up next! Save us!
PC (Jorbin): No attack roll?
PC (Ralina): It's up to me! I
GM: No, that tendril already has fumble around in my backpack
you in its clutches. But the jelly and pull out a spare torch, plus
has to roll for its second tendril! flint and steel. Can I light it?
It can see in the dark and you're
off your feet, so it has advantage. GM: You're working by feel, so
[Rolls] Does an 18 hit you? make a DC 12 DEX check. Your
Thievery talent would normally
PC (Jorbin): Urk. Yes. give you advantage on this, but
the blinding darkness cancels it.
GM: [Rolls a d6] Yikes, 6 damage!
PC (Ralina): [Rolls] Success! A
PC (Jorbin): That takes me to 0 blaze of torchlight fills the room!
hit points. Dwarf down, you all!
PC (Iraga): Just in time for me
GM: Creeg, it's your turn! to plunge into the scum to cast
cure wounds on Jorbin.
PC (Creeg): This is why you
always bring a wizard. I cast the Iraga rolls a 12 on her d20 and
light spell on the end of my staff! adds her spellcasting bonus of
+2, beating the DC of 11.
Creeg rolls a 6 on his d20, plus
his spellcasting bonus of +4. PC (Iraga): Nice! Jorbin, you
wake up with [rolls a d6] 3 HP.
PC (Creeg): That was a DC 11
spell! Not enough. The magic PC (Jorbin): Thanks, Iraga! Now
fizzles out, and I can't cast light I just have to break free of this
again until we finish a rest. jelly and introduce it to my axe!
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