Buried Secrets of Emberdeep (One Shot, three sessions) PF1E
A sinkhole has opened up on a nearby farmer's land. what has the sinkhole unearthed and who else knows about the secrets which await below?
$15.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Tuesday - 11:30 PM UTC
Session Duration / 2.5–3.5 hours
Campaign Length / 3–4 Sessions
0 / 6 Seats Filled
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About the adventure
When the earth cracked open in the back fields of Garren Feld's Barley Farm, no one expected what lay beneath. At first it was just a sinkhole, a nuisance to fence and fill. But then came the strange lights in the nearby treeliness, the silence of birdsong, and the low, droning music that sometimes drifted across the valley at dusk. Livestock vanished. Dreams turned sour. The locals say the land is cursed from the apocalyptic downfall of the Emberdeep Dwarves, once proud scions of the five kings, but old miners speak of something deeper: that the sinkhole has uncovered a dwarven ruin, and now it’s waking up. Beneath moss-covered stone and root-choked passageways lie the remnants of an outpost of Emberdeep, a forgotten mining hold turned shrine, once proud in its worship of Torag and the sacred flame. Its halls are cracked and flooded, littered with rusted tools and collapsed tracks. But signs of recent movement abound—cleared debris, strange markings, flickers of firelight where none should be. Something else has been investigating the echoes of the Dwarven kingdom. The forest above is no less strange. Paths loop back on themselves. Trees seem to listen. Small, clever things leave offerings - or warnings. The deeper one ventures, the more the woods seem to test them: not just with claw and fang, but with riddles, illusions, and feelings hard to name. Someone, or something, is watching from between the branches. This module offers a classic descent into the unknown, balancing the grit of ancient dwarven ruins with the enchantment and trickery of a wild, living forest. It’s a story about pride, balance, and things long buried: some of them treasures, others the secrets of a King's last moments, and a few better left undisturbed. Intended for characters of levels 1–2, this adventure is perfect as a standalone mystery or a springboard into a larger campaign exploring ancient powers, shifting alliances, and the thin veil between the mortal world and the realms of the fey.
Game style
Combat Heavy
Hexcrawl / Exploration
Dungeon Crawl
Roleplay Heavy
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
4.9
(7)
Less than a year on StartPlaying
1 game hosted
Highly rated for: Storytelling, Creativity, Inclusive
About me
My style blends rich, immersive storytelling with clean, intentional mechanics - balancing evocative roleplay and tactically satisfying combat. I gravitate toward myth-rich fantasy: worlds like my own Caelmourne Setting, where forgotten empires, moral ambiguity, and flickers of fragile hope wind through every shadowed alley and sunlit glade. But I also make space for the things that make the adventure multidimensional: the campfire confessions, the inside jokes, the odd tavern cat named something regrettable. I want the world to breathe alongside your characters as they grow and evolve. I want players who are creative, collaborative and have the same quiet reverence for the experience of sharing imagination. As the designer of Essentia, a modular, classless RPG system, I bring a deep appreciation for player agency and creative problem-solving. I love watching players stretch the boundaries of a story, surprise themselves, and find their voice at the table. I’m collaborative, patient, and always rooting for your character to do something bold, clever, or heartbreakingly human. My goal is to build worlds where you feel both safe and significant; where the table becomes a shared stage for wonder, connection, and the beautiful chaos of a natural 20.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
I use PCGen, feel free to use any creator or the charactermancer within Roll20 (Limited options) to generate a Level 1 PF1E Character using 20 pt buy, average wealth by level and assigning 2 traits. Any further questions will be happily answered as received.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
You will need Discord & access to the internet A good mic and camera are HIGHLY recommended We play on Roll 20 (game will be linked when game becomes active) Please familiarize yourself with Roll20 functionality. Good video and audio preferred. I have had difficulty with players having bad audio and prefer to be able to see players and be seen.
What zer0charisma brings to the table
I'm an efficient, player-oriented GM. I will run my npcs and encounters by the book but reserve a healthy dose of rule of cool for the players. I want people enjoying themselves and contributing to the narrative. I like to keep things moving, so I can be strict at times, but mostly I am here, like you, to have fun and play my favorite game. My battlemaps are all custom, made by myself and are rich environments steeped in fantasy tropes. I use lighting and all the functionality roll20 offers to deliver a game that feels well-paced and efficient but imaginative and rich. As a writer and former actor, I think I capture narrative storytelling quite well. While I don't always do accents or play out characters, I enjoy the immersion of doing so when it is called for. Combat is fast-paced and I ask that my players have their action ready and be prepared to explicitly pass turn, remain aware of initiative and do not argue or push back during combat. I will be happy to litigate afterwards.
Homebrew rules
Aside from occasionally using rule of cool when a pc does something fun and interesting, I try to keep it by the books. My knowledge of PF1E is robust, but by no means exhaustive, so I may have to make a ruling on the fly but I promise to at least do my best to be consistent in those situations.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Webcam
Platforms used
Safety
How zer0charisma creates a safe table
I am respectful and inclusive and will do my best to balance everyone's individual needs and ensure a safe and cooperative experience. A Player can always stop the game if they are experiencing difficulty and we will work together to accommodate any issues.
Content warnings
Safety tools used