Shadowdark Level 1 Introductory Game

Creating your character

For first-time players, I will have pre-generated characters available for those who want to just straight into the action. Character creation is quick, so players are free to roll up characters at the start of the session if they wish. We will start as Level 1 characters, and will create the characters within the VTT environment. You are free to make a paper copy of your character if you wish, but I will keep the VTT sheet updated as we play for reference.

Preparing for the session

A Discord account will be required for communication. Players will need a mic in order to play. Webcam is preferred, but not required. Familiarity with Foundry VTT is also a plus, but not required. Players will not need to read the rules or create characters ahead of time - the rules are simple enough that we can cover them in the first few minutes of the session before starting, and we will create or receive characters together at the start of the session. Expect about 30 minutes or so at the start of the session where we will handle introductions, character creation, and any technical issues before we dive in.

What Jesse brings to the table

The main gameplay focuses on dungeon-crawling, with occasional hex-crawling. Old-school games like Shadowdark encourage players to physically map the dungeon as they explore, but in the online format a VTT offers many tools for enhancing gameplay - so, this game will use Foundry VTT, with basic maps and token to run a simple and beginner-friendly game. I like to include ambient music to set the tone of the adventure, and images for certain scenes and locations. Combat is quick and deadly, and creative and tactical gameplay will certainly improve characters' odds of survival. Because this is an introductory game for beginners, we will be trying to stick to the Rules as Written as closely as possible - however, the nature of Shadowdark, and other OSR games, is that the rules are not meant to account for every specific situation, so if it we find ourselves in a grey area, we'll lean towards GM-Player collaboration and Rule of Cool to fill in the gaps.

How Jesse creates a safe table

Before the game starts, I will send out a link to our copy of the Monte Cook RPG Consent Checklist - I find this form to be the most accessible and comprehensive list for establishing Lines and Veils for a gaming table. The form will include my own Lines and Veils as a baseline. In order to preserve privacy, I will not share these forms or how anyone responded, but I will combine and describe our results at our first meeting. You’re free to add to or modify the form in order to represent your comfort zones for the game. If you do not wish to add anything to the form, you do not need to reply to it. During our first meeting, we'll hold a Session 0 in order to go over rules, setting, game questions, and expectations for the game, including the Lines and Veils we have established as a group. Midway through the session, we will take a break in order for folks to stretch their legs, take bio breaks, or otherwise. This will also be the time to address any concerns during game, whether with the group or privately with myself. After this, we will resume the session. At the end of the session, we will hold a short debrief to talk about the session. This will be largely informal and entirely optional. This will be a welcome opportunity for feedback, though I understand that many folks (including myself) have a hard time giving feedback right after a game concludes, so I will send out feedback surveys afterwards once folks have had a chance to sit with the session.