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Adventure Generator A System-Agnostic Excerpt from ShadowDark RPG thearcanelibrary.com/pages/shadowdark
ShadowDark
Adventure Rumors ADVENTURE RUMORS d100 01 02-03
Details An armored beast the size of a ship is rampaging nearby A team of assassins is on its way to kill your group
04-05 The local ruler has placed a 2,000 gp bounty on your heads 06-07 The cult of Shune is planning a fiery coup at midnight 08-09 An ancient, stone door has been found in the castle cellar 10-11
Lizardfolk have been raiding caravans near the swamp
12-13
Armored skeletons are roaming the misty graveyard
14-15
An earthquake uncovered a ruin inside a deep rift
16-17
A warband of orcs has taken over an abandoned keep
18-19
There is a hall of golden statues underneath the well
20-21
Those who survive the Trial of the Lotus gain a strange gift
22-23
A Captain of the Guard has been taken hostage by thugs
24-25
The Crystal Caves are home to a cult of psychic sorcerers
26-27
A crocodile dragged a richly-laden mule into the sewers
28-29
A fortune-telling witch speaks true omens and portents
30-31
Every full moon, the Prancing Unicorn's larder is robbed
32-33
A famous group of crawlers hasn't returned from a delve
34-35
A glowing meteor crashed deep inside the marshlands
36-37
Fire will not light or burn within sight of the Lion Fountain
38-39
The lost Jewel of Barbalt is hidden in the Howling Caves
40-41
A dwarven mining team has uncovered a tentacled statue
42-43
The Red Owl tavern has a trapdoor to the Shadowdark
44-45 Viperian warriors guard a shrine to a medusa in the jungle 2
ADVENTURE RUMORS d100
Details
46-47 Three thieves just pulled off a gemstone heist nearby 48-49 Harpies keep watch from the cliffs around Diridia's Tomb 50-53
A gorgon stalks the ruins of the Underhill Halls
54-55
Beneath the Red Abbey is the forgotten Barrow of Ur-Din
56-57
A dying sage is calling for a mighty group of heroes
58-59
A wizard accidentally let his trio of cockatrices escape
60-61
A local lord has somehow been stranded atop a high roof
62-63
Bartomeu the Pirate Prince will be hanged at noon
64-65
Goblin spelunkers found an underground cathedral
66-67
The Kytheria Mechanism sank into the sea near Myrkhos
68-69 Rare and valuable mushrooms grow inside an old crypt 70-71
The Church of St. Terragnis will pay for the return of a relic
72-73
A volcanic eruption revealed tunnels in the caldera's walls
74-75
The cyclopean ruins of Tal-Yool lie deep within the forest
76-77
A famous gambler will bet a ruby on a Wizard Thief game
78-79
The Moon Druids will bless a sword used to slay a werewolf
80-81
Gravediggers found a chained coffin in an unmarked plot
82-83
An abandoned wizard's tower is full of clockwork creatures
84-85 The Thieves' Guild is about to attack a rival merchant lord 86-87 Windstorms uncovered a stone monolith in the desert 88-89 A rival group of crawlers found the map to Jiraal's Hoard 90-91
A monstrosity called the Oracle lurks beneath the college
92-93
The Onyx Destrier is in Ekmara's Keep in the wasteland
94-95
The princess has been kidnapped by a group of sorcerers
96-97
A Chaos Knight's tomb has been found beneath a temple
98-99
The fabled Library of Gehemna appeared outside the city
00
The dragon Ixamir has awoken from her 200-year slumber 3
Adventure Hooks ADVENTURE HOOKS d100 01 02-03
Details The ground shakes violently and a massive fissure opens An unseen foe leaps out of hiding at close range
04-05 A horrible buzzing fills the air, growing louder and louder 06-07 You catch the acrid smell of smoke and flame 08-09 A bright star appears in the sky, visible even at midday 10-11
You spot a half-open bag with gold coins glinting inside
12-13
A man slips a note and an odd potion into your hand
14-15
Someone observing you from afar steps out of sight
16-17
A dwarf in a red hat hands you a rose, bows, and leaves
18-19
A cowled stranger in a black cloak approaches you
20-21
Someone tries to pick your pocket
22-23
A strange ticking sound comes from inside your bag
24-25
A frothing, frantic horse with a saddle but no rider appears
26-27
A mound in the earth quickly burrows toward you
28-29
You sense you are being magically scryed upon
30-31
Someone tries to plant an object on your person
32-33
You are filled with a strong sense of dread and danger
34-35
A woman hands you a black cat and then runs away
36-37
A small, woodland creature jumps out of a backpack
38-39
You smell lilacs and hear faint, ghostly laughter
40-41
A note wrapped around a thin dagger lands next to you
42-43
A green-glowing meteor streaks through the sky
44-45 Someone nearby is staring at you and mouthings words 4
ADVENTURE HOOKS d100
Details
46-47 A pair of yellow eyes watches you from the darkness 48-49 An orc with an arrow in her back crashes through a door 50-53
You hear a beast cry out in pain just up ahead
54-55
A huge swarm of bats crashes over you and swirls away
56-57
A frail beggar whispers that he has a secret to tell you
58-59
An object falls from above and barely misses your head
60-61
A seagull lands on your head and coughs up an odd bottle
62-63
The smell of ozone rises, and electricity crackles in the air
64-65
You spot a trail of tiny silver coins leading around a bend
66-67
A wild-eyed man approaches with a holy book held high
68-69 Every light source suddenly extinguishes 70-71
A stampede of wild animals bursts into view
72-73
An old woman points at you and yells, "There they are!"
74-75
A passing stranger presses an ancient coin into your hand
76-77
A chorus of howls echo in the distance
78-79
Two pinching and slapping goblins tumble into sight
80-81
You realize you are not alone; something is behind you
82-83
The sudden sound of rushing water crashes toward you
84-85 You hear an ear-splitting scream that nobody else hears 86-87 A man slaps you with a glove and throws it at your feet 88-89 A violent, windy storm kicks up without warning 90-91
Lightning strikes close and leaves a glowing object behind
92-93
A multicolored orb drifts up to you and then zips away
94-95
A runaway wagon crashes toward you
96-97
An NPC throws off their disguise, revealing an enemy
98-99
A demon appears to you and presents a tempting offer
00
A radiant being appears to you with a message of warning 5
Adventure Ideas For these adventure sites and ideas, use some or all of the details and names you roll. Modify the words as needed.
For example, "Tower of the Deepwood Swamp" could also be "Tower by Deepwood Swamp" or "Deepwood Swamp Tower."
ADVENTURE IDEAS 3d20
6
Detail 1
Detail 2
Detail 3
1
Rescue the
Goblet
Of the evil wizard
2
Find the
Prisoner
Stalking the wastes
3
Destroy the
Sword
At the bottom of the river
4
Infiltrate the
Vault
In the city sewers
5
Bypass the
Cult
Under the barrow mounds
6
Return the
Spirit
Of the fallen hero
7
Defeat the
Killer
In the magical library
8
Spy on the
Demon
In the king's court
9
Bribe the
Noble
Of the ancient lineage
10
Deliver the
Hunter
In the sorcerer's tower
11
Escape the
Hostage
In the Murkwood
12
Imprison the
Thief
Hiding in the slums
13
Stop the
Spy
Of the Dwarven lord
14
Befriend the
Werewolf
In the musty tomb
15
Pacify the
Relic
Of the royal knights
16
Persuade the
High priest
Sacrificing innocents
17
Steal the
Merchant
In the catacombs
18
Escort the
Witch
Blackmailing the baron
19
Banish the
Ritual
In the Thieves' Guild
20
Free the
Vampire
Murdering townsfolk
ADVENTURING SITES 3d20
Name 1
Name 2
Name 3
1
Mines of the
Cursed
Flame
2
Abbey of the
Whispering
Ghost
3
Tower of the
Bleeding
Darkness
4
Caves of the
Shrouded
Peak
5
Barrow of the
Lost
Borderlands
6
Warrens of the
Dead
King
7
Crypt of the
Deepwood
Twilight
8
Monastery of the
Fallen
Depths
9
Ruin of the
Revenant
Jewel
10
Tunnels of the
Frozen
God
11
Citadel of the
Shimmering
Lands
12
Tomb of the
Chaos
Storm
13
Castle of the
Abandoned
Swamp
14
Temple of the
Blighted
Ravine
15
Fortress of the
Forgotten
Valley
16
Isle of the
Slumbering
Horde
17
Keep of the
Savage
Skull
18
Dungeon of the
Unholy
Queen
19
Necropolis of the
Enchanted
Waste
20
Shrine of the
Immortal
Hero
7
Random Dungeons Roll or choose a site size and type. Then, take the number of dice listed for the dungeon's size and roll them together on a blank sheet of standard paper. Note the position where each die fell. Draw an outline around the dice to form the site's shape, separating the rooms with walls and passages that match the dungeon's type. Note the number on each die to determine the type of room it is. Roll on the corresponding table for the room's contents. The site's objective or boss monster is located in the room with the highest room type roll. Finally, roll for the dungeon's overall danger level.
DANGER LEVEL
d6
Type
Dice
1-2
Small
5d8
3-5
Medium
8d8
Large
10d8
6
SITE TYPE d6
Type
1
Cave
2
Surface ruin
3
Tomb
4
Deep tunnels
5-6
Buried ruin
SITE ROOM Result
Feature
1
Trap
2
Minor hazard
3
Solo monster
4
NPC
5
Monster mob
d6
Level
6
Major hazard
1-3
Unsafe
7
Treasure
4-5
Risky
8
Boss monster
6 8
SITE SIZE
Deadly
TRAP d6
Details
1
Crude, ensnaring
2
Ranged, toxic
3-4
MONSTER MOB d6
Details
1
Stealthy hunters
2-3
Rabble warriors
Sturdy, mechanical
4
Magical weaklings
5
Ancient, magical
5
Pest swarm
6
Large, deadly
6
Elite warriors
MINOR HAZARD d6 1 2-3
MAJOR HAZARD
Details
d6
Details
Short fall
1-2
Long fall
Stuck or locked barrier
3
Toxic gas or vapors
4
Dense rubble
4
Entrapping terrain
5
Collapsing walls
5
Antimagic zone
6
Enfeebling magic
6
Drowning hazard
SOLO MONSTER d6
TREASURE
Details
d6
Details
Sneaky ambusher
1-2
Hidden
2-3
Strong brute
3-4
Guarded by monster
4-5
Magical and clever
5
Protected by trap
Vengeful outcast
6
Protected by hazard
1
6
BOSS MONSTER
NPC d6
Details
d6
1
Hiding
1
Physically strongest
2-3
Captive
2
Religious leader
4-5
Wounded
6
Rival adventurers
3-5 6
Details
Guarded by minions Supreme sorcerer 9
Traps Traps add peril and surprise to exploring. Characters typically get to make a relevant ability check to avoid a trap's effects. A Tell. Most traps should have a hint or tell. Be careful not to make traps too frequent or the game pace will suffer. Finding. Characters must search a specific area or object for a trap to find it.
TRAPS 3d12 Trap
10
Trigger
Damage, Effect
1
Crossbow
Tripwire
1d6/level
2
Hail of needles
Pressure plate
1d6/level, sleep
3
Toxic gas
Opening a door
1d6/level, paralyze
4
Barbed net
Switch or button
1d6/level, blind
5
Rolling boulder False step on stairs
1d8/level
6
Slicing blade
Closing a door
1d8/level, sleep
7
Spiked pit
Breaking a light beam
1d8/level, paralyze
8
Javelin
Pulling a lever
1d8/level, confuse
9
Magical glyph
A word is spoken
1d10/level
10
Blast of fire
Hook on a thread
1d10/level, sleep
11
Falling block
Removing an object
1d10/level, paralyze
12
Cursed statue
Casting a spell
1d10/level, petrify
Hazards Hazards add passive danger to the adventuring environment. There is often no way to defeat or permanently disable them. Unlike traps, most hazards are obvious from the start. Movement Restriction. Some hazards inhibit or prevent movement, such as quicksand pools or slippery ice. Hazards can even fully entrap characters.
Damage. Some hazards deal ongoing damage, such as toxic spores or acid rain. Weakening. Certain hazards weaken or hamper the characters. These could include antimagic zones or vapors that sap physical strength. Combining. The most insidious hazards combine one or more of these types into a single threat.
HAZARDS d12
Movement
Damage
Weaken
1
Quicksand
Acid pools
Blinding smoke
2
Caltrops
Exploding rocks
Magnetic field
3
Loose debris
Icy water
Exhausting runes
4
Tar field
Lava
Antimagic zone
5
Grasping vines
Pummeling hail
Snuffs light sources
6
Steep incline
Steam vents
Disorienting sound
7
Slippery ice
Toxic mold
Magical silence
8
Rushing water
Falling debris
Numbing cold
9
Sticky webs
Acid rain
Sickening smell
10
Gale force wind
Curtain of fire
Sleep-inducing spores
11
Greased floor
Electrified field
Confusing reflections
12
Illusory terrain
Gravity flux
Memory-stealing 11
Learn more about ShadowDark RPG: thearcanelibrary.com/pages/shadowdark
Not for resale or redistribution. Permission granted to print or copy for personal use only. Writing, design, and layout: Kelsey Dionne © 2021. Interior art: Lucas Korte © 2021, Matt Ray © 2021. Trade dress: Brandish Gilhelm, Runehammer Games. Fonts: JS Blackletter font © Jeff Lee, 1001fonts.com. Old Newspaper Types font © Manfred Klein, fontsarena.com. Montserrat font family © Julieta Ulanovsky, Sol Matas, Juan Pablo del Peral, Jacques Le Bailly. Notice of Open Game Content: This product contains Open Game Content, as defined in the Open Game License Version 1.0a, below. Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of the Open Game License version 1.0a. Designation of Open Game Content: Subject to the Product Identity Designation herein, the following material is designated as Open Game Content. (1) all game mechanics and descriptions of game-rule effects required to be Open Game Content as part of the game rules (2) all previously released Open Game Content, material required to be Open Game Content under the terms of the Open Game License, and public domain material anywhere in the text. Product Identity Designation: This Product Identity Designation includes, but is not limited to, the following items that are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e): All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (characters, artifacts, place names, new deities, monsters, organizations, etc.), dialogue, plots, story elements, locations, characters, artwork, sidebars, logos, and trade dress. These items are not Open Game Content. Elements that have previously been designated as Open Game Content are not included in this declaration. Shadowdark RPG Third-Party License: Publishers who abide by the terms of the Shadowdark RPG Third-Party License may freely reuse and reference the specified Product Identity from this text, as well as the mechanics and game rules of Shadowdark RPG.
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OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc ("Wizards"). All Rights Reserved.
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License.
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