Category Archives: one shot

Out of the Shadowdark #1

one shot, post mortem, RPG, Shadowdark

Last night was my first ever time running a Shadowdark rpg session.

As I have said in the session planning posts we were using the adventure that comes with the free Quick Start Kit, The Scarlet Minotaur. Which meant naturally we were also using the rules that come in that kit. Sadly the full rules are in Backerkit limbo at the moment.

I had hoped I would have access to the pdf version of the full rule set by the time we played. But I knew it would be cutting it close.

Not having the full rule set did not stop us having fun.

Anyway like my D&D post mortems I will be looking at what worked, what didn’t during the session.

First off I have to say I love the mechanic for torches, where they last one hour real time. It does force the players to be a bit more focused in their discussions about what to do.

Related to that I think the always on initiative order also helped and made sure everyone got to do something and had their moment.

I did think I was going to have a tpk with the very first encounter with the party. One of the party made a loud noise in the very first room that when I rolled to see if an encounter occurred, it did. Then I rolled to see what the encounter was and it was a massive centipede. Although I did give the party 2 xp at the end of the combat, as I thought they had earnt it defeating a level 4 monster.

Luckily my rolls as the GM were not good, although I did get a couple of hits in. It was getting close for one of them.

And after that first encounter roll, I never rolled another encounter all evening!

It took a while for the wizard to get used to how spell casting worked. They felt they should be doing more than just casting magic missile. But as we discussed at the end of the session there is that push your luck element to casting magic. Where if you fail the casting check you lose the spell until you have rested. Plus there is the whole issue of the natural 1 and the negative things that can happen.

If you compare the GM area for the session to the one I have for D&D I’ve never played with so little gear. But it also means the rolls, etc were in the open.

It did help having a print out of the annotated level map to refer to, whilst I had an A3 copy of the map on the table for the players.

For me the jury is still out for the movement in combat. The close,near, and far. It kinda worked for me. I think it flowed better.

My cheat sheet was useful. I did find myself referring to it more than once. But thats not a surprise whilst using a new system and still getting to grips with it.

I would like a Shadowdark version of the monster and spell cards that Kelsey did for D&D 5e. I like these as a quick reference that way I’m not forever flicking between pages.

Overall we had fun, and another session to continue further into the dungeon is on the books.

Venturing into the Shadowdark #3

one shot, RPG, session planning, Shadowdark

In less than three hours (as I write this) I will be setting up and playing Shadowdark.

My current workload (marking assignments) has made me regret planning a mid week session. But we live and learn and I’m pretty sure I’ll repeat the mistake again and again.

Waiting for me at home will be a printout of the fourth and final monster sheet that Kelsey did for the Kickstarter. That arrived earlier in the day along with a load of other printing I had done.

I did finish a preliminary GM cheat sheet for Shadowdark last night. Which I’m hoping will be useful this evening. I’ll go more into that during the post mortem.

I’ve also printed out the annotated dungeon map from the Quick Start Kits GM guide for the adventure we are playing tonight. Which will be handy. Just a shame it’s not available as a single A3 image.

As I was grabbing my stuff together for this evening first thing (so I can just get home grab everything and shoot back out) it struck me just how minimalist this session will be.

There will be a photo (shared via Instagram) this evening. But this is going to be shocking. I’ll definitely make sure the photo is in the post mortem.

I did download last night the YouTube videos from the previous post so I can listen to them in the car on the drive to and from work. It’s a shame this stuff isn’t available as a podcast. But this is the next best thing. Just a little inconvenient getting it onto the phone.

I am about as ready as I can be. A tad nervous. But as long as we have fun.

Venturing into the Shadowdark #2

one shot, RPG, session planning, Shadowdark

With Saturdays D&D session now behind me, my thoughts are now turned towards Wednesday and the Shadowdark one-shot.

As hinted in the initial post that prep involves watching some videos by Kelsey (the games designer). Which I’ve embedded below for easy reference and rewatching for me.

These videos are great as a resource for some-one looking to try Shadowdark, and particularly the Quick Start kit with it’s included adventure.

I know that one player has already created a human priest character for the session.

I’m not sure which direction the other players want to go, whether that’s using precons or roll their own. I’ll find out on the night I suppose.

In meantime I need to try and create a version of the Shadowdark GM cheat sheet that I did for D&D.

Looking forward to playing this.

Venturing into the Shadowdark #1

one shot, RPG, session planning, Shadowdark

Plans are afoot to run a one-shot using the free Shadowdark rpg QuickStart from Arcane Library (and available FREE on DriveThruRPG).

I’m a fan of Kelsey’s work. Like many others I backed her Kickstarter for the Shadowdark rpg. I went all in. That’s the rulebook, lots of additional content, GM screen. You know everything I could get basically.

Naturally I want to play Shadowdark.

Somehow Fenland Gamers has grown a small group of players interested in playing one-shots or short campaigns that are not only D&D 5e, but other systems. I think the driving interest is that they love playing RPGs however life doesn’t allow for the commitment to a regular campaign.

It’s that group of players that I’m arranging a session or two of Shadowdark.

I’ve had the fore-mentioned QuickStart guide printed out, along with the first three monsters Kelsey did as part of the Kickstarter, blank character sheets, and the precons. Oh and I nearly forgot an A3 copy of the map from the included adventure.

Now I’m busy reading the rules, and adventure. Plus watching the videos Kelsey did during the kickstarter.

I’m sure there will be another post (or two) before we get Shadowdark to the table. I’ll share initial impressions about the QuickStart then.

D&D Grp 2 Session 11 Planning #7

con DM/GM, D&D, D&D Grp2, DM/GM Tips, flgs DM/GM, one shot, RPG, session planning, taster

SPOILER ALERT TO MY ADVENTURERS! The following post contains spoilers for the up and coming campaign/session. You may want to avoid this post and join me in a future one. REMEMBER you have been warned.

Ok technically this isn’t for session 11, but then again the Bagman stuff isn’t possibly either. But these are notes for me to look back on when planning future sessions in the campaign so I don’t forget.

So there I was watching a YouTube about what other DM’s have in their DM kit and I came across the this one by Wally DM.

In it he mentioned that along with the Monster Manual he also includes a copy of his book Wally DM’s Journal of Puzzle Encounters.

“That sounds interesting”, I thought to myself.

So I googled it.

Which lead me to DriveThruRPG (which did not like me trying to log in using my Facebook details, which is how I normally do it!)

After watching the review embedded on the books page I purchased the pdf of the book (I’ll get a printed copy payday).

What sold me was the very first puzzle mentioned in the review using a stone statue of an owl and gems. It reminded me very much of puzzles from an early fps. I wanted to use this.

The Prismatic Owl puzzle (depicted on the cover) as it’s called in the book is one I will be printing out and adding to my folder for new players! It won’t work with Matt Colville’s The Lost Tomb of the Delian Order. But it could work with Frank Mentzer’s Dungeon, or some other maps I have in my DM folder ready to be called upon (you might like this Sly Flourish article on the subject), even maps generated on the fly using the cards/geomorphs I have would work with it.

It’s also something you could use when running a one shot at a con or FLGS.

I will definitely be using it at the first opportunity with my current campaign.

As I work my way through the book I’m pretty sure there will be more than a few puzzles I’ll want to use in the campaign.

Hope’s Last Day – An Alien RPG Taster Session Prep #2

Alien, Alien RPG, one shot, RPG, session planning

SPOILER ALERT TO MY ADVENTURERS! The following post contains spoilers for the up and coming Alien RPG cinematic adventure Hope’s Last Day. You may want to avoid this post and join me in a future one. REMEMBER you have been warned.

We have a date for when we are going to get round the table to play the cinematic introductory adventure Hope’s Last Day.

Which should be a day or two before the D&D campaign happens. Yeah some lessons I just never learn.

As part of my prep I’m rewatching the movies again. Plus watching the odd actual plays on YouTube to get an idea how to run a year zero (the engine the Alien RPG is based on) adventure. They are definitely presented differently to the D&D 5e adventures I am used to.

If memory does not let me down I have the maps for this already without a need to print them out for the players. I just need GM annotated copies for myself.

So still lots to do, and I’ll keep you updated as I go along.

Hope’s Last Day – An Alien RPG Taster Session Prep #1

Alien, Alien RPG, one shot, RPG, session planning

Plans are afoot to run the cinematic one shot from the Alien RPG core rulebook, Hope’s Last Day.

I floated the idea soon after the D&D taster session. It’s amazing what you’ll do whilst on the high of a “successful” session.

No date has been set yet. But all those that took part in that taster session are keen to try it. So once I have my work schedule that covers December I’ll suggest some dates. Obviously learning from our mistakes we won’t be choosing a night that there is an open mic session going on.

This will be a very different experience for all of us. None of us have played the Alien RPG, nor run it. So it will basically be a learning game, most definitely mistakes will be made, but as long as we have fun.

Two of us have the core rulebook. Plus I also have the starter set cut down rulebook. So it won’t be the group sharing a single rulebook.

I’ll be rewatching (I watched this video ages ago) the Seth Skorkowskys review of Hope’s Last Day (see below). Not only does Seth review the adventure itself, but you also get useful tips/advice from his experience from running it.

I was hoping that Free League had the pre-filled character sheets ready to download and print for use. But they don’t.

I will try to produce a GM cheat sheet for the game similar to my D&D one. They are handy for quick reference. And I think will really be needed this time.

Tonely Hope’s Last Day or any Alien RPG adventure is going to be be much darker than a D&D adventure (unless you are doing something based on a realm of dread).

There will need to be a session zero discussion before the actual play. Particularly warning the players of the darker theme, use of body horror (we’ll look into this more in another post). Plus get in place a safety system for when playing, and what subjects etc to avoid.

That’s about it for now. Lots to do. So you bet there will be more posts.

One Shot Taster Session Planning #3

D&D, one shot, RPG, session planning

Decided that I really should be starting these posts with a similar warning as my campaign session planning posts. Just on the off chance that one of the folks planning to take part in the taster session wants to not have the twists and turns of whichever adventure we play ruined.

SPOILER ALERT TO MY ADVENTURERS! The following post contains spoilers for the up and coming one shot/taster session. You may want to avoid this post and join me in a future one. REMEMBER you have been warned.

I decided to create a separate DM folder for running one shots and taster sessions.

Compared to my campaign DM folder it’s very sparse.

The aim obviously is use it when running a one shot or taster session. So there is a lot of stuff in my DM folder that I just don’t need.

Some bits I will have to move between folders, such as the magic spell area of effect template, or the odd monster/NPC card. Plus my laminated DM cheat sheet.

I’ve decided to tweak the Matt Colville The Lost Tomb of the Delian Order! WTF! Who am I to change the great MC’s design? How dare I?

It’s not a big change. In the original if the party discovers the secret room, defeat the skeletons, their reward is a magic sword. And that’s my tweak. Using the notes from the other days post on creating magic items. That magical sword now becomes an ancient divine longsword that allows the barer to cast Word of Radiance (Xanathar’s Guide to Everything) once a day, and gives +1 to attack rolls.

I think that makes the sword seem more special for whoever gets it. I might even give the sword a name.

Btw this should not in anyway be seen as me saying this is the adventure I’m going with.

I’m also liking the idea of running The Goblin Ambush (from Lost Mines of Phandelver) and then have the goblin trail lead up to The Lost Tomb of the Delian Order (by Matt Colville). That’d be a nice little mashup I think.

But I think the Goblin Ambush could also be modified so it’s cultists instead of goblins, and lead into The Obsidian Skull (from the City of Arches).

Either way I think works. Plus they have the advantage of being more player friendly than going into the Cragmaw Hideout.

For better or worse I’ve decided we’ll be using the official WotC Starter Set pregen characters. Mainly because there is less for me to print off and costs me less.

The stats have been copied to the blank player cards from Arcane Library for me to reference during the session and printed out.

One Shot Taster Session Planning #2

D&D, one shot, RPG, session planning

Time to share some more musings for the upcoming one shot taster session that I’ll be running on the 15th November.

More details are firming up about the session like the number of players. It has grown from an initial three interested people to five that should be coming along.

The plan is that this taster session will be about three hours.

Three hours seems about the ideal length to aim for. Especially considering that this session is a week night, and not starting before 7pm.

I’m still undecided about the adventure to run.

However back when I was preparing my first session for my current D&D group I looked into, and did use aid on the party in that first sessions dungeon.

This is something I plan to do again in this one shot. Along side making sure that if needed healing potions may be discovered. Hopefully this will avoid a tpk.

I’m also going to try out a time tracker to track the use of torches, spell duration, etc.

I have printed out an A4 copy of the dungeon map that is part of the Sly Flourish 1st Level Adventure Generator from his Uncovered Secrets Volume 2. It’s a handy little map to have in a DM folder anyway. But for now it’s ready for if I decide to go down the route of using the generator to create the adventure for the session.

That’s it for now more soon I’m sure.

One Shot Taster Session Planning #1

D&D, one shot, RPG, session planning, taster

Yesterday my good mate Gavin expressed an interest in trying D&D.

Today along with Diego via messenger we arranged a date to hold a one shot taster session.

Naturally that means along side my regularly D&D planning I now have a second session to prep for (hence this and possibly other posts).

The first thing I have to decide is what to run for a session that ideally is going to run for about three hours.

The options I’m considering are the following:

  • The Lost Tomb of the Delian Order (by Matt Colville)
  • The Obsidian Skull (from the City of Arches)
  • The Goblin Ambush (from Lost Mines of Phandelver)
  • 1st Level Adventure Generator (from Sly Flourish’s Uncovered Secrets Volume 2)

The last option will involve a little bit more work for me, requiring me to roll against tables to come up with something.

The Goblin Ambush might be too short, unless it then runs into the Cragmaw Caves. Which would then be too long.

I will use pre-gen character sheets, most likely the official D&D ones. But which?

I could use the ones intended for Lost Mines of Phandelver, or the new ones intended for Dragons of Stormwreck Isle.

But I am tempted to try the pre-gen characters for Sly Flourish’s Fantastic Adventures, or (iirc) a pack of pre-gen character sheets I got off the DMsGuild that were recommended by Mike Shea in a video or blog post at one time or the other in the past.

These alternatives to the official pre-gens in many ways are better as they have more info on them such as spell details. Which cuts down on the need for a players handbook or having to constantly refer to it.

Along side which ever pre-gen sheets I go with I’ll be using the Wizkids 2D miniatures that just arrived. I should try and match up the character sheets to the minis in advance!

Well that’s my initial thoughts on this upcoming taster session. I’m sure there will be others over the coming days that I’ll feel compelled to share on here.