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Survive the Lost Citadel & Learn to play Shadowdark
Deep in the jungle lies an ancient, dark ruin. You've heard treasure waits, ripe for the taking. Light your torches and head into the Shadowdark!
$20.00
/ Session
Details
2 players following this game
Once / Wednesday - 6:00 PM UTC
Oct 7
Session Duration / 3.5–4 hours
2 / 6 Seats Filled
Top Game Master
One of StartPlaying's top-rated GMs, a player favorite and highly recommended.
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Meet your party members
2/6
About the adventure
You have made it this far, a day’s journey through the muggy jungle, and now you stand before the doors of the Lost Citadel. The ruin looms in silence, swallowed by vines, eroded by time. Inside lies a labyrinth of chambers and traps. Its treasure and secrets are waiting for you to claim. This is a dungeon crawl and an introduction to Shadowdark RPG. Player characters begin at level 1 and will make it to level 2, maybe even level 3 over the course of the session. Now, light a torch, step into the darkness, and find out how long you can keep the light burning.
Game style
Dungeon Crawl
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(38)
2 years on StartPlaying
190 games hosted
Highly rated for: Sets the Mood, Beginner Friendly, Creativity
About me
💫 Welcome travelers! I'm Sam (he/him) Horror Aficionado | Storyteller | Filmmaker I joined SPG as a professional GM in late 2025. 🎲 The games I run are centered around you and your character's story. Drawing on my background as a filmmaker, I put a lot of care into atmosphere, using music, sound effects, and carefully curated visual backdrops to enhance the stories we shape together. My worlds are filled with characters who have their own morals and agendas, and they will react to what you do. Because your choices shape the story. 🕯️ You will enjoy my games if you like: • character-driven roleplay • atmospheric storytelling • dark fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and mystery • complex NPCs • emotional character arcs • active roleplay between players • challenging combat • beautifully illustrated maps & scenes 🌱 New to TTRPGs? You are very welcome. I explain rules as they come up, help you get comfortable with roleplay, and make sure you never have to know everything before you start. I have had a lot of good experiences introducing new players to the hobby, and the community around my games is welcoming, patient, and good at including newcomers. 🛡️🏳️🌈 I care about creating a safe, collaborative, and LGBTQIA+ friendly table. We treat each other with respect, communicate openly, and make sure everyone has the space and support to enjoy the game.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
For this quickstart adventure, you will choose 1 character from eight different pre-generated options, two options for each of the iconic classes: Wizard, Thief, Fighter, and Priest. In case everyone should perish: Character creation in Shadowdark is incredibly quick and easy, because of the game's deadlyness. So don't get too attached to your pre-generated character. If they die, creating a new one is only a couple of clicks away. Character creation already provides you with a background and a few details you can use as guidance for roleplaying, if you'd like.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
You will need: • Free accounts on The Forge, Discord • A current browser (Chrome works best with FoundryVTT) • Laptop or desktop PC with stable internet • Microphone and Headphones & quiet surroundings
What Sam brings to the table
We play using Foundry VTT and I will give you a brief introduction to the interface, your sheet, and token movement. I have prepared a map with dynamic lighting, music and ambient sounds. I will guide you through Shadowdark's core mechanics as we play.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Headphones
Platforms used
Safety
How Sam creates a safe table
This adventure is meant to be played and enjoyed comfortably by everyone. It is grimdark and may touch on intense material, but the goal is shared fun and a session we remember fondly. Content is flexible and negotiable. Please review the content warning tags on the listing and bring any concerns to the session. You can always message me privately. Lines and Veils: We define boundaries together before play. Lines are hard limits. Content placed behind a line will not appear, be referenced, or hinted at. Veils are soft limits. When veiled content arises, it may be acknowledged briefly without description, or we fade to black and move on. Open Door Policy: Anyone may step away at any time for any reason. No explanation is required. Your well-being comes first. Breaks: We schedule short breaks during sessions and can take additional breaks on request. Use this time for anything you need, from a quick bio break to a moment to process content, so everyone stays comfortable and focused.
Content warnings
Safety tools used