SoloDark Pt. 9: The Realm of the Blood Moon
The Luckless make it to the next floor of the dungeon and have their first true encounter with the Blood Moon Tribe
Thanks for reading my solo Shadowdark game running The Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands. I aim to tell a story and pull the curtain back on how to run a solo TTRPG. I use footnotes for smaller rolls, mechanics, and comments, and italic blocks for larger stuff.
You can find all the prior posts here, and if you want to see more in the way of notes you can find my public Notion Notebook here.
Content Warning: Violence against children…specifically goblin children, but still children.
Previously
The Luckless had claimed the former Bandit’s tower for themselves and defeated the two creatures that guarded what was left of the Ironwolf fortune. Unfortunately it had mostly been spent by the original owners of the Keep and all that remained were leftovers. While Strika was thrilled to have found a spell book, that was by far the most valuable thing remaining in the vault and certainly wasn’t worth dealing with it’s traps and guardian monsters.
With the main floor of the keep now cleared of threats the group gathered their courage and descended into the lower levels of the keep.
Group Status: Diam and Gol’shruk are wounded, everyone else is fully ready to push forward.1
Entering the Realm of the Blood Moon
With their preparations made, the group descended the stairs to the lower levels of the keep. It had been a week since their first skirmish with the goblins in the wood and the Luckless hadn’t seen or heard any sign of the creatures since then. But they knew better than to assume the goblins were no longer a threat and slipped down the stairs as quietly as possible with Strika taking the lead.2 It wasn’t long until they heard voices further ahead.
As they reached the bottom of the stairs the edge of their torchlight illuminated a half-dozen goblins gathered around a rickety wooden table, tossing dice and arguing loudly. It was clear this group was supposed to be guarding the entrance to this level of the dungeon, but their weapons were cast aside and they seemed far more interested in arguing over the results of their game than keeping a lookout for intruders. Fortunately, this gave the Luckless a few precious moments to act before the goblins noticed the growing torchlight from the stairs. Strika quickly traced a rune in the air with his hand and murdered an incantation under his breath. The sudden sound of human speech was enough to draw the attention of one of the goblins, but it was too late. Strika’s spell was cast and the entire room of goblins slumped over in a deep sleep.
With the goblins fast asleep, the group faced somewhat of a moral quandary. Technically these goblins had not attacked them and the luckless were, in fact, invading their home. It was unlikely that the goblins were not violent, mischievous, little creatures but there were plenty of goblins in the world that were not evil.3 The group's opinions were divided on whether to kill these creatures in their sleep, without knowing their intentions.
Unable to reach a consensus the group decided to put it to a vote. Strika and Diam immediately voted to put the goblins to death. They had been attacked by a mischief of goblins in the forest and most likely they were part of the same clan. They also knew these goblins had been warring with the bandits, and it was almost certain the goblins would have no qualms about murdering them in their sleep. Quibble and Shiori argued that until they knew this clan were murderers they had no right to kill them in their own home. If the goblins had attacked them, it would be one thing, but walk into someone's house, put them to sleep, and then murder them; both nature and the spirits wouldn't approve. Gol’shruk looked at Shiori and then cast the deciding vote. The goblins would live for now, at least until they could discover their true intentions. For now the Luckless would continue exploring the dungeon and find out what else was down here.
In SD goblins have a trait that says they can’t be surprised, but the adventure gives a very clear reason they are surprised. Since two of the characters also have disadvantage on stealth I decided to give them a 3:6 chance of surprising the goblins, and they did.
The other major issue here was whether they would kill the sleeping goblins. I knew they should, but the characters hadn’t been attacked by them at all, and really didn’t know too much about them. So far the enemy had been the bandits. I let the oracle decide.
Oracle: Does the group kill the sleeping goblins? No
There were two exits from this guard room, not including the stairs leading down to the next level of the dungeon, and the group opted to turn right. They quickly moved through an empty room containing the crumbling remnants of a well, from which they could hear water below. As they moved into the next room their torchlight illuminated two large muscular creatures covered in fur who quickly grabbed swords lying nearby and leaped at the group without a word. The Luckless had encountered two armored bugbears and it was clear that there would be no chance at parlay.4
Gol’shruk and Diam held the only exit from the room, acting as a shield wall to keep the two bugbears away from their allies. Their formation worked effectively and the Luckless were able to put the two creatures down without suffering any injuries.5
This section of the dungeon ended in the bugbear's “living quarters”, if you could call at that, though Shiori most certainly could not. After the skirmish, they took a few minutes to search through the creature's belongings hoping to find something of worth. Or at least something that would tell them what the creatures were doing here. Unfortunately, they learned nothing and found nothing value. The bugbear’s equipment and camping gear were filthy, uncared for, and of no use to the group. With this small section of the dungeon explored and mapped the group doubled back to the guard room with the sleeping goblins.6
Ugh…these creatures lived here? In this? This isn’t a camp, it’s a hovel. The stench emanating from their hovel is enough to make even the hardiest of stomachs turn. How could anyone willingly call this place home? - Shiori
Perhaps the torchlight hit the walls differently, or perhaps the group felt less tense and more observant, but for whatever reason as they looked around the guard room they noticed something they had not seen on their first visit. Scrawled across the walls were crude depictions of goblins torturing and murdering what appeared to be humans and elves. Seeing this new evidence, Gul’shruk changed his vote. If this was what these creatures thought to capture in writing, they needed to put them to the sword. Shiori agreed, but for her part, Quibel still couldn't bring herself to murder the creatures while they slept. Not wanting to be unhelpful, she took watch while the rest of the Luckless drew blades and went to work.
While the group was exploring, and I was reading some of the room text, I noticed the adventure says this about the first room the group entered (the guard room), “Walls: The walls of this chamber are of dressed stone. Here and there, water oozes down the wall, and mold grows. On the drier patches of wall, goblins have scrapped and drawn lurid graffiti. Many of the scenes depict slaughter and torture.”
Between the bugbears attacking them, not sharing a language with the goblins, and the depictions of torture on the walls it would be safe to assume that the group sees the goblins as enemies. I rolled another oracle check to see if they would dispatch them.
Oracle: Does the group see the goblins as enemies and finish them off? Yes, but…Quibel refused to participate.
Small Blades
As the group dispatched the sleeping goblins, Quibel heard the patter of small feet and the sound of harsh laughter from the darkness ahead. Suddenly four goblin children wielding knives stalked into view. By the look of surprise on their faces it was clear they hadn’t expected to find the group in their dungeon but their shock only lasted for a moment. Without further hesitation three of the children snarled at the group and rushed down the hallway towards them, while the fourth turned and ran back into the dungeon, most assuredly to warn the rest of his clan.7
This time the Luckless didn’t hesitate. Even though these were children, their intent was clear. Gul’shruk and Diam charged to the front as Strika and Shiori unleased their magics upon them. It was over before it had begun.8 Despite the ease of their victory the group was unsettled, being viciously attacked by children, even if they were goblins, was shocking. What kind of monster led this clan that even their young threw themselves into combat without concern for their lives? How bloodthirsty were they?
This is…concerning. No matter the kin or creature it is only natural to protect the young. What has happened here is unnatural. Something is driving these creatures to violence and madness beyond their normal inclinations. I worry that things here are worse than they appear. - Quibel
I agree, the spirits are restless and I sense a darkness here that is…hungry. - Shiori
Into the Dark
The Luckless knew better than to rush off into the dark after the goblin that fled. Instead, they braced themselves for the inevitable counterattack by the goblin clan and slowly moved further into the dungeon checking doors as they went. After several rooms, the group came to a large empty chamber with a large empty pit in the room’s center. While the stonework of the dungeon was clearly constructed, the pit looked natural. Perhaps the builders had found it during construction and built around it, or perhaps it collapsed sometime after the complex was constructed. Strika made a mental note of the pit; it wouldn’t do to fall in if they had to retreat.
Since their “fight” with the goblin children the dungeon had been too quiet. The Luckless knew they would eventually walk into whatever was waiting for them, but they didn’t intend to turn back yet. Finally, they found what they had been waiting for. As Gol’shruk opened the next door an axe blade narrowly missed his next and two orcs, their eyes filled with rage, threw themselves at him.9 As their warcries echoed down the dungeon hallways, they were taken up by the sounds of goblins shrieking in response before a titanic roar shook the very stone in the dungeon.
The Luckless were about to be in the fight of their lives.
Things are about to get intense for the group. They’ve kicked the beehive of the goblin-infested dungeon and while they have an escape route they aren’t guaranteed to get out. Maybe they got too curious. Maybe they should have left after the goblin child escaped. We’ll have to see how this upcoming fight goes.
On another note, I’ve started trying to include more details around combat, surprise rolls, and random encounter rolls. I’d love to know if you like the new details, want to see more, or prefer the more narrative style of the first few chapters.
Minimal Rolls - Pick this if you aren’t really interested in most of the combat related rolls and all you want is the narrative.
Moderate Rolls - Pick this if you like what I did this week where I highlight the rolls that set up or lead to combat and the the important rolls.
More Rolls - Pick this is you want to see more of the round-to-round rolls in a call out box.
Diam - 3/9 hp, Gol’shruk - 6/12 hp, Quibel 9/9 hp, Shiori 4/4hp, Strika 8/8 hp
Strika is often the scout as Diam & Gol’shruk both have disadvantage on any kind of stealth checks, Shiori has 4 hp, and Quibel has -2 to Dex. Plus he can cast invisibility if needed.
Just as a general GM note, there are VERY FEW species/kin that are totally evil in any game I play. It feels both wrong and a little lazy, to just say all Orcs/Goblins/Medusa are evil.
Rolled a 4 on the reaction table (Hostile) and none of the characters share a language with the Bugbears so there wasn’t much to be done.
Combat Results: 3 rounds, no HP loss (there were a lot of misses on both sides)
Be sure that Strika is mapping everything. Let this be a lesson to anyone who has not played an old-school-style dungeon. If you don't map things you have no one but yourself to blame when you get lost while being chased by 100 kobolds.
Random Encounter - Distance: Near, Activity: Hunting (rats in the dungeon), Attitude: Hostile, Loot: Yes (a bag of pebbles)
Combat Results: 1 round, no HP loss. Between the group getting to go first, rolling a crit, and Shiori hypnotizing one of them, this was barely a fight.
I gave the enemies in this room a 3:6 chance to surprise the group and they did so. At this point, most of the enemies know there are intruders and so would be lying in wait. Fortunately, the attacks missed him.
Another great chapter!
I'm enjoying your adventures and getting ready to run some ShadowDark this weekend for my son and daughter-in-law. Thanks for lighting the path a bit.