Dissolution: A Shadowdark Tutorial Oneshot
You wake in a pit with nothing but a dying torch. Something slithers in the dark. Escape or dissolve. Welcome to Shadowdark.
$7.00
/ Session
Details
Once / Tuesday - 12:00 AM UTC
Mar 17
Session Duration / 3–4 hours
2 / 5 Seats Filled
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Meet your party members
2/5
About the adventure
Have you heard about Shadowdark RPG and want to try it? Brand new to tabletop RPGs and looking for a fast, exciting way to learn? This oneshot is for you. Shadowdark RPG is an award-winning fantasy adventure game that blends the deadly, exploration-driven feel of old-school dungeon crawling with the simple, intuitive rules of modern games. If you've played D&D 5e, you'll feel right at home — roll a d20, add a modifier, and try to beat a number. But Shadowdark strips away the complexity and cranks up the danger. Your torch burns in real time. There are no safe spaces. And your characters can absolutely die. In this session, you'll play a Level 0 funnel — you and the other players are ordinary villagers who've been kidnapped by an ooze-worshiping cult and thrown into a dungeon with nothing but a single torch. Each player controls 2-3 villagers, and your only goal is to escape alive. No classes, no special abilities — just cleverness, teamwork, and a little luck. I'll teach you everything you need to know as we play. If your villagers survive, they graduate to Level 1 and you'll get to try out a full character with a class, spells, and gear to see what the complete Shadowdark experience looks like. No experience necessary. Dice will be provided digitally through the VTT. All you need is a sense of adventure and a willingness to watch some of your characters get dissolved by slime.
Game style
Dungeon Crawl
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(23)
3 years on StartPlaying
226 games hosted
Highly rated for: Creativity, Sets the Mood, Knows the Rules
About me
I've been a passionate D&D player since 1980, when I first discovered the game at the age of 8 through the treasured time spent playing with my father. My love for the game grew, and I began my journey as a DM at the age of 16. With over three decades of experience, I've come to appreciate the unique magic that unfolds when players take the reins and "write" their own adventures within the rich tapestry of the game world. As a DM, I strive to create an open, humorous atmosphere where players feel encouraged to explore, roleplay, and shape the story. I believe that the beauty of D&D lies in the non-linear nature of the narrative, and I take great joy in watching players craft their own paths. While I tend to focus more on roleplaying (around 70%) compared to combat (30%), I'm always happy to adapt to the preferences of my players. At my table, you'll find a welcoming environment where discussion and metagaming are not just tolerated but encouraged. I believe that open communication is key to creating a memorable and enjoyable experience for everyone involved. I do have a few house rules to keep things exciting, such as allowing Champion Fighters to crit on an 18 instead of a 19. However, I always make sure that the DM has the final say to maintain a smooth game flow. Ultimately, my goal is for players to walk away from my games with positive emotions and a desire to continue their D&D journey. I want them to feel that the time spent at my table was a worthy investment in their entertainment and a source of fond memories. If you're looking for a DM who is passionate, adaptable, and dedicated to creating an engaging and fun experience, I'd be honored to have you join one of my games
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
No prep needed — just show up and play! I'll have a set of pre-made Level 0 villagers ready for you to choose from at the start of the session. Each player will pick 2-3 of these characters to run. They're ordinary people — jewelers, fishermen, miners — with no class, no special abilities, and very little standing between them and a gruesome death by ooze. I'll teach you everything you need to know about how the game works as we play. No books, no homework, no experience necessary. Just bring yourself and a willingness to embrace the dark.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Getting set up is quick and easy — here's what you'll need before Session 1: Discord — We'll use Discord for voice chat during the session. If you don't have an account, you can create one for free at discord.com. I'll send you an invite link to my server after you book. A web browser — We'll be playing on Foundry VTT, which runs right in your browser. No downloads or purchases needed. I'll send you the connection link through Discord before we play. That's it! No books to buy, no characters to build, no rules to read. Just show up with a working mic and I'll handle the rest.
What Gabe brings to the table
I'll have everything set up and ready to go in Foundry VTT — pre-made maps, tokens, ambient music and soundscapes to set the mood, and digital handouts for the clues and journal pages scattered throughout the dungeon. Pre-made Level 0 villager characters will be ready for you to pick up and play immediately. My GM style leans toward Rules as Written for this session, since the whole point is to learn how Shadowdark works. I want you to walk away understanding how checks, combat, light management, and the death system actually function so you can carry that knowledge into future games. That said, I'm not a rules robot — if you come up with something creative and cool, I'm absolutely going to find a way to make it work. Shadowdark rewards clever thinking over min-maxing, and I love when players surprise me. Combat is fast and dangerous — just like the system intends. I keep things moving and don't let turns drag. Outside of combat, I lean into collaborative storytelling. Your ideas and decisions genuinely shape what happens. There's no single "right" way through this dungeon, and the choices you make matter — sometimes in ways that will get your villagers killed in horrible and entertaining ways. Fair warning: I do attempt NPC voices. They're not great. You've been warned.
Homebrew rules
No homebrew rules. This is a learn-to-play session, so we'll be running Shadowdark RPG as written. I want you to experience the game as designed so you can take what you learn to any Shadowdark table.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Gabe creates a safe table
Safety is a priority, especially when we are all diving into a new system together. Shadowdark can get dark — the adventure involves themes like kidnapping, body horror, and character death. Since this is a one-shot, we will integrate our safety discussion into the first few minutes of the session to ensure everyone is on the same page before the dice start rolling. Discord X-Cards: We will use Discord for our X-Card system. If at any point a scene or topic becomes uncomfortable, you can "X-Card" it by sending a message to the group or a private DM to me. We will immediately pause the action, edit the content, or skip forward—no explanation required. Open Communication: My Discord DMs are always open before, during, and after the session. If you need to "opt-out" of a specific interaction or need a break, you are always welcome to speak up or message me privately. Check-ins and Aftercare: At the end of the session, we will have a brief "Stars and Wishes" period. This is a chance to highlight what you enjoyed (Stars) and what you'd like to see more of or change in the future (Wishes), ensuring everyone leaves the table feeling good about the experience.
Content warnings
Safety tools used