Delve into the Rotting Gardens | 1-shot | Dungeon Crawl

About the adventure

The stench of perfume and decay drifts through the swamp, luring the curious and the foolhardy alike. Atop a moss-covered rise, a crumbling white stone archway stands as the last remnant of a forgotten shrine—its elven inscription whispering of a goddess who blooms and rots in equal measure. The local hunters speak in hushed tones of vines that grasp like fingers, of flowers that bloom from flesh, and of something vast and rotting that coils in the darkness below. None who enter return whole… if they return at all. But fortune favors the bold, and deep within the garden’s fetid heart, treasures of an ancient age still wait to be claimed. With danger lurking around every corner, you'd be wise to have a few backup characters at the ready. The 8 unyielding truths of the Shadowdark ❖ In the dark, a torch is more precious than gold. Keep torches dry, covered, and safe; a stray gust or careless hand can doom the party. A few drops of oil can buy another minute of life. When the light fades, death follows. ❖ Time is blood; waste neither. Every moment spent lingering invites danger. The Shadowdark does not wait, and neither do its horrors. The wise crawler moves with purpose—hesitate too long, and the dark will make the choice for you. ❖ A lone delver is a dead delver. Never split the party unless the gods demand it. Trust your companions, but know them well—gold turns friend to foe. ❖ Each step is a question; the dungeon keeps its own answers. Never trust the floor beneath you. Secrets lurk in stone; hidden doors, forgotten passages, and lost chambers wait for those who seek them. The Shadowdark rewards the careful... and devours the careless. ❖ Silence is survival; loose tongues lead to tight graves. Speak only in hushed tones—noise carries far in the depths, and something always listens. If you must fight, end it quickly—lingering battles bring death, not gold. ❖ The wise crawler fights for a reason, not for sport. A fight that gains you nothing is a fight not worth having. If the goal is loot, take it and run; if the goal is to open a door, strike fast and flee. Linger too long, and the darkness will creep up on you. ❖ A fortune means nothing if you never leave with it. Know your way out before you go deeper. Resists the call of "just one more room." ❖ Truth is buried deeper than gold. Study the old maps, but never trust them completely. Riddles and runes hide both wisdom and doom—heed the warnings of the past. Module: The Rotting Gardens of Rafflesia Designer: Sam McKay Modifications by Lorelis Eathalen Crawler level: 1 or 2