The Bleak and The Pearl [SoloDark] Part 11 - On Waterfalls in the Dark, Painting the Past, and When Fighting Is Best Saved for Another Day

Room would be 30' by 20' except for the sharp angle cutting through the eastern wall. Said angle has a secret door. [ShadowDark (ShD), Room Contents = 2, Empty]. The room was once [SoloDark (SoD): Secure Dream || Acquire Secret] a measurement system for the whole Monolith. Vials and dials are upon shelves and alcoves, pipes and other conduits are built into the wall. None of the equipment functions any more [SoD: Does equipment have any spark? Disadvantage: 2, No]. 

Roughly 80' corridor. [ShD, Room Contents = 1, Empty]. There are two alcoves showing very old and decayed artwork. Just visible with some effort [SoD, Are any details still presently visible? 19, Yes, but...] (on the left) is a shows a bright scene of dragon flies flying in the foreground while in the background a wave of darkness destroys the land [Random Realities (RR): 5,1 --> image element of dragon fly + wave]. The second (on the right) shows a obelisk with a light floating over it while all around darkness presses in [RR, 4,5 --> obelisk + lightbulb]. These are the paintings of Jonias Grunkheart showing off his early understanding of the Bleak pressing in on Grunce and the whole of the Empire. 

Rance Uffolt looks around the room in clear excitement. "Ah, this is very useful. This looks like one of the rooms that was originally used to...INAR, no!" The latter shout to try and discourage the halfling shaman from pulling a pipe out of the wall. Inar Gale looks back a bit sheepishly and then pat the sensitive equipment a couple of times to show no harm done (and to hide the fact that he had pulled it slightly out of alignment).

The room the group find themselves in was once either some sort of control room or a measuring station. Mildew stained glass runs in tubes along the walls (and some are smashed upon the floor) while dials filled full of mud just barely show an arcane system of measurements. Bottles and metallic scoops and other cylinders that seems to have been used to store something lies in disarray on the floor and across the metal, rusted tables. Basins long rusted into gaping holes are connected to some of the complex clusters of the tubes and vials. 

Considering its proximity to the entrance, this room could have been either to measure the salt water flow that makes up the "blood" of this construction or instead be something that actually handled some of the energy flow into the Lighthouse, above. 

Unfortunately time (and sea water damage) have not been kind to the room. It has held up more than some of the others they have explored but only just. Rance and the Keepers will likely be able to make use of it but it will take weeks, if not months, to fully appreciate what this room did and how they can use it. Something to bring up to Cal (this being Cal Grunkheart, Jonias's descendent and the reason they are here: to save the ancient Lighthouse that has long protected this region and stopped the Bleak from spreading across the Gray Channel). 

"Check this out," says Spotted Tom as he explores a patch of wall over to one side, one now covered in roots and black mold. A few pieces of old piping are still attached to it but none of the more solid pieces. As he pushes against it, the whole bit of wall slides out. [1]

Rance comes over to explore the opening and figures that maybe some of the tubing could be run out from here into the chamber outside (where the salt water flowed) to better collection some samples. He makes note of this and recommends they spike this door open to help this room air out. He'll get Nelf and her brother to take a look (Nelf and Terk Haskins are two of the more senior Keepers handling the exploration of the Monolith). [2]

Grusk Obe, the half-orc warrior, beckons to the far door. He has been spending the last few minutes slamming his shoulder into it to try and get it open but has had no luck. "Tom, see if you can open this." With a little bit of fiddling, Tom figures out the locking system and gets it open and the adventurers go deeper into the complex. [3]

Past the room, they find themselves in a corridor with steps going up. Along the righthand wall they see a couple of alcoves and in them are large oil paintings that have just barely survived the decades of decay. 

The first seems to be an idyllic scene. A sunlit day. Only in the background a town (possibly Grunce itself) is being washed away by a dark tidal wave. 

"I can't make out the other one," Grusk says before Tom steps up and replies, "It is the Lighthouse, I think. At least an artistic rendition of it. A shining light in the dark that is consuming the rest." [4]

"These are either by Jonias himself or he had them commissioned. Like a reminder of what this Monolith was built for...why they were fighting," says Rance, walking back and forth and staring at both. 

"That or what they lost," says Inar, an uncharacteristically downbeat proclamation from the usually mirthful halfling.

A 50' by 70' room with open archways on either side. The room's original purpose was for [SoD ==> 78 Sacrifice 62 Pain +  14 Assemble 35 Asset] training purposes. Soldier's would gather here to train and stay in physical shape. In the chance the town had evacuated into the complex, this is where they would have maintained some physical discipline. Now the training dummies are rotted and sagging and the gear is largely decayed. 

The sound of water can be heard trickling to the south. 

The room inhabited by a Giant Spinder (ShD, Room Content --> 5, Solo Monster. Spinder was rolled on the random creation table and given two mutations). The creature looks like a cross between a large spider and a porcupine. It can shoot spines from its back up to distance near. Each spine is poisonous but due the projectile state the DC to resist poison is CON 9. On a natural roll of 1-3 on a d20, the spinder has its last ready spine though it can still attempt close range attack. They hunt their pray by hiding along ceilings and getting a sneak attack. 

(Note: the Spinder is currently sleeping [ShD Random Encounters: 12 --> Sleeping].)

Giant Spinder 

AC15, HP25, ATK 2 Spines (ranged, near, on nat 3:20, it is out) +7 (1d6 + poison), MV near (climb), S +4, D +1, C +2, I-2, W +1, Ch -2, AL N, LV 7.  

Poison. DC 9 CON or paralyzed 1d2 hours.

Sensitive to Sound. The spinders many spines act to pick up sounds and can aim at targets not facing it (making it dangerous even to approach from behind) but this also means that loud sounds can confuse or disrupt the creature. It needs to make a D12 WIS check to avoid. 

Tom sees the dead body of a gar folk warrior on the floor. Desiccated with several large spines sticking out of its back. The goblin raises a fist in the air and signals the others to hold. Looking inside, he can sense something is wrong but not make out exactly what. [5]

The group backs up down the hall a good space away, slightly past the oil painting of the obelisk. In an absolute whisper, now, they talk about Tom's fear. "Something killed that gar and since it looks like said something ate his insides I don't look forward to joining them." 

Grusk grumbles, as usual: "It's easy, we send Gale in at a run and whatever chases him I will chase in return." 

Inar takes the jest in relatively good humor but says maybe they should go back the other way for now. The halfling ends up outvoted. In quick succession, Rance wraps himself in Mage Armor and Inar gets a Holy Weapon spell cast on his and Grusk's weapons. The halfling's voice might be shaky but he stays resolute in his faith. [6]

Rance hands his glowing staff to Tom who goes ahead and wedges against a wooden figure once roughly human torso shaped so the room is lit. Tom looks around the rest of the room. More of these torsos - training dummies going all the way back to this Monolith's heyday are rotted and decayed past use. Punching them now would have your hand sink inside and you'd end up with a splinter or worse. 

A few archer targets and other training gear are on the walls and floor. This area was above the main waterline so the decay (and smell) isn't as bad here. 

Tom sneaks across the room with the the plate-mailed half-orc holding back. He senses that something before he can see it but is unable to get fully back in time as a spine shoots from the back corner and stabs him in the shoulder. [7]

Seeing this Grusk runs in (along with Inar) and they square off against a large spider...thing...coming out to face them. The size of a pair of horses lashed together, its back is a series of large and dripping spines. "Do you know this one, Uffolt?" Grusk asks. 

"No!" Shouts Rance while already casting the first of soon to be many magic missiles. [8]

The creature shoots out two more spines with one glancing off of Inar's armor but the other catching Grusk in the arm. It does not slow the half-orc down as he runs across the room and chops at one of hte large front legs. Inar uses the half-orc partially for cover and dives past him to bring his mace down on another leg. Loud cracks can be heard. A magical arrow flies out of Rance's hands and strikes the creature for even more damage even though Tom's aim is thrown off by the spine in his shoulder. [9]

The creature starts climbing up the wall and is able to get out of range of the adventuring party. [10]

From this position it continues to shoot its strange poisonous spines. Another strikes an enraged Grusk while the other hits Rance closer to the doorway. Grusk looks around to find something to throw and decides to throw the most obvious answer: his axe. It flies up and strikes the ceiling but does not make contact. Inar takes this time to hunker down behind one of the training dummies while Tom lets loose more arrows: still missing. "Acid Arrow!" Shouts the wizard as a green, acidic bolt shoots forth and strikes the spider. Which causes it to screech and become even more aggressive. [11]

Grusk runs and grabs up his axe and throws it again, this time missing so hard the axe - Bloodlust - embeds into the ceiling. Inar has completely gotten under cover and so Tom and Rance try and make up the difference. Tom manages to get an arrow into the spider beast and returns the earlier favor. Rance sweats as he wills the acid bolt to burn through and soon enough, it does. The creature, dying, falls from the ceiling and collapses into a twisted shape. [12]

"How the hell do I get my axe back?" 

***

While Grusk is ranting about his axe being stuck in the ceiling Tom makes a discovery in the corner near where the spider thing was resting. A collapsed marble pedestal had a large amber "egg" with a wyvern hatchling inside. Made to look the size of a wyvern egg (and roughly 50lb) this decoration is a rare survivor of the various wealths and treasures that likely once adorned this place. Tom places it in the bag of holding and then tries to help Grusk out by looping some rope around the axe. While he is able to hit the axe with the tossed rope, the blade is wedged too deep and keeps slipping out of the loop. [13]

Grusk agrees to head back to the base camp and see if Terk still has scaffolding and can help. [14]

This platform juts out a just a few feet over a underground river. Down in the water below, a number of crocodiles can be seen sleeping blindly in the dark [Room content itself = empty, but this explains where some of the crocs are coming from]. Claw marks show where occasionally one of them makes the climb but they are slow to try most days. It is nearly 30' down to the water. In the distance, another platform is visible but in the dim light it is hard to make out clearly. 

In the past this room [SoD Prompt ==> 47 Lose 12 Time + 70 Win 94 Luck] was a place to relax and enjoy the flowing water below. People would toss small trinkets and coins in, many of which have been washed away. Some remain, though. If anyone braves the crocodiles, they will find still in the gravel 25 gold pieces, 40 silver pieces, and a polished pearl worth 40gp. 

Crocodile stats are on page 203 of ShadowDark. 

[Does the river flow into the channel? [or, if "no" from the channel] ==> 10, twist. RR 3,6 Ambient Noise + 6,6 ==> reverberation of sound... so no, it flows from here into some large cavernous space, possibly notes for another day.] 

This 55' corridor ends with a door back into the main flow chamber, sloping down a few degrees at a time. This corridor is cracked and sunken and silt and mud still retains a few inches of water around halfway and a few feet of water at the far end (water that will flow out once the door is opened). The smell is poignant because an absolutely massive crocodile considers this to be home and has grown increasingly agitated as the water has drained. In another week, this behemoth will move back to the river (above). 

In the mud near the croc has bones of many victims and some washed up debris. A copper flask with an owl is covered in patina but represents an old Grunce emblem and is worth 30gp. There is 20% chance for an additional treasure on the 0-3LVL chart. 

Big Croc

AC 16, HP 30, ATK 2 bite +4 (1d8), MV near (swim), S +5, D -1, C +2, I -2, W +1, Ch -2, AL N, LV 6. 

Entering into the hallway, the four note the sound of loud water to their right and carefully walk over to investigate it. Here, the sound is much louder than before with the air feeling humid, but in a much less stagnant way. Down below, at some distance, the light of Rance's staff shows the eyes of several crocodiles lounging against the bank. 

"A...waterfall?" Rance asks, no one in particular. 

"So you are telling me there's a waterfall the goes deep...under...a large body of water?" Inar asks, as confused as everyone else. The two continue to stare into the darkness, noting another platform across the way. Considering the dangers of being lost into the darkness below and swept into some madman's dream of a functional water system if you do not get eaten by a dozen angry crocodiles, they silently and mutually decide to not worry too much about getting across for now. 

"The crocodiles climb up here," Tom says noting where parts of the platform have broken off and form a steep but relatively gentle slope (only 50 or so degrees instead of the normal 80-90). 

"Then let's not tarry before you three end up lecturing me about the morality of eating croc eggs, again," says Grusk, already heading south. 

***

"This way," says Rance, looking at the rough map and the updated notes he has been taken," should head back towards the central artery." 

A gentle slope down in this place means that like the staircase from the previous day, mud and muck and debris have had time to build and the smell of the stagnant and fungal water is pretty strong. There is something...else. 

Grusk tells the others to stay behind him. He has had this smell in his nose before. "Croc," he says. Moving forward he prods the water in front of him with his axe. Then raises his fist in the air to stop the others. 

"There." Where he points is the largest crocodile they have seen. 

"It's not far from the others, maybe we can...I don't know...bonk it on the nose and then lead it back." Tom makes a smacking sound on his own nose by way of demonstration.

"Bonk...the giant crocodile?" Asks Inar. 

The four begin having a debate while the crocodile stares on, suspiciously. Mouth open as a threat, but also not approaching the four strange things.  [15]

After a few minutes the party makes plans to leave some food at the end of the tunnel, double back and leave some more food near the edge, and then maybe check on the croc in a few days once they have cleared other parts of the complex out. [16]

MECHANICAL NOTES

1. Tom got an 18 on spotting the door. 
2. This room will be +5 to the check of getting the sea water flow working more properly. 
3. Have been rolling 1:6 to see if the doors are locked. That one was. Grusk whiffed a few times to get it unstuck using STR but Tom got through with a pick locks. 
4. Kind of minor but I did DC15 checks for the characters to see if they could make out the paintings. Grusk + Inar only passed the first painting. Tom only passed the second painting. Rance passed both.
5. Goblins cannot be surprised. However, I rolled an INT check by the spinder and got 19-2 = 17 and neither of Tom's "Spot Hidden" rolls hit 17. So...the spinder has hidden itself well. Still, he can sense something. 
6. Took a couple of rolls on the Vote Dice but eventually all BUT Inar decided to push forward. Inar rolled a 16 and 19 for the spell checks so he is well good. By the way, a "hearing check" on the spinder came back with a 7 total so the spinder is not hearing them and is well asleep. 
7. Even giving the sleeping spinder disadvantage versus waking up at Tom's sneaking, the spinder rolled a 19 and a 20. Then, again, at disadvantage to shoot the war goblin, two high enough rolls landed. Tom takes 4 points of damage but makes the save to resist the weaker poison. 
8. Rance studies the creatures of the Bleak a lot and so gets DC[N] rolls based on how common. In this case it would be DC18 and he did not make it. 
9. Spinder wins imitative. Missed Inar but got a hit on Grusk. Only did 1hp of damage and Grusk saved the poison. Grusk and Inar both hit doing a total of 15 points of damage and taking the spinder down to below half health in a single burst. 
10. I did a weighted d3. 1:6 = 10', 2-5:6 = 20', 6:6 = 30'. Got a 3 so 20'.
11. Spinder wins initiative and makes its morale check. Goes up high and keeps picking away. Keeps getting hits but rolling crap for damage. Tom and Rance the ranged attackers but Tom misses. "Can Grusk use anything on the floor as a weapon?" No. Throws axe. Treat it as a dex based roll AND at disadvantage. It misses. Inar cannot do much but hide and wait to cast some healing magic. 
12. Heroes won the init roll. Grusk made another throw but this time got a Nat 1 so it's funny to imagine a magically sharp axe being able to chop through stone. Inar got a 18 on his hide roll so I think he'd be good if the fight went on. Tom finally landed a shot and that left the spider with 1hp overall which Rance won by spending a luck point to maintain the acid arrow. 
13. Got the wyvern egg out of the 7-9 treasure table. At first thought it was too big for the bag and then realized that it should be roughly a 1 slot item, just a chunky one. Tom made the roll to toss the rope but I asked the oracle "Can they get the axe back without help?" and got a no. 
14. Can they get Terk's scaffolding into position? Yes. In fact, Nat 20 so very yes. It's quite portable and might be used in other places. This was taking some time so I skipped head about an hour and rolled 3 wandering monster checks. All were "no." Rance re-ups his light spell. 
15. Reaction Roll = 7, Suspicious. The team generally has tended to lean towards trying to minimize chaos when the creature isn't outright attacking them so I figured I'd play it down to a reaction roll. 
16. Made a somewhat collective INT roll and in the way I've been doing used the highest (i.e. Rance's) to see if they could hit DC12. No. Even spent a precious Luck token. So, they don't really have a plan. However, an oracle test of "Will the crocodile leave the tunnel and go back to the others?" ended up with a 20. So, very much so yes. And, in general, that giant croc will actually be somewhat "neutral" to the party. Basically as silly as it sounds I'll give the crocs +2 reaction rolls to them. The dumb dumbs earned it.

DOUG'S NOTES

Fun fact, I have 100% been calling Rance Uffolt "Uffort" in the last couple of sessions. Ah, well. I'll fix that in post sometime. 

Real life got a bit in the way of me making this any longer but it's a decent spot to end it for today.

I realized some of my frustrations I talked about in the past session were due to an interesting aspect of this campaign. For most of my campaigns and one-shots, the scenery is simply an extension of the characters. A temple or a school yard or a old factory are set pieces for a campaign mostly about what the characters do and in principle the flavor might shift if the characters were in a different place but I can add in just enough flavor to make it interesting for myself and maybe others. 

While I love world building, during actual play I tend to like to world build in the context of characters. 

With this campaign, the place the adventure takes place in is another character especially in the context of this complex/Monolith. Some rooms are empty. Some are full of stuff. Some had an important role in the old days. Some have an important role now. The method of making up the rooms as the characters are in the room while also properly building up a narrative  and just dealing with a sense that the dungeon is too full of things in order to have something to write and do kept itching at me. My usual approach of "just focus on the characters, everything else is background" ended up with me having the weird stuff like the gar folk encounter get kind of out of hand. 

Thus, I have decided this campaign will try a dual approach. I'll take a moment to build up a few rooms and be in full GM mode working out oracles and tables to make interesting encounters and background information for 1-3 areas and then I will swap into player mode to lead the characters through it and do it in such a way that GM-Doug and Player-Doug are not necessarily seeing eye-to-eye even if they both want to tell an interesting story. 

The GM-mode flavors the Player-mode for sure but it gives me time to work out the mechanics and the ideas and the history without having to essentially do both. The dungeon gets to be a fully fledged character which has improved my mood greatly. It takes more time but it enables me to make a better world and that better world enables me to tell a better tale. 

I like it because in potential I could build a dungeon in this method, strip out the stuff I did as the characters, and still have something like an adventure: albeit one built by oracles and madness. 

As it should be. 

CREDITS AND RESOURCES

This game is played using Shadowdark and SoloDark, both by Arcane Library and Kelsey Dionne (et al). The map in this delve is "The Halls of Amon-Gorloth II" by Dyson Logos with added annotations and colors by me.


Other resources used in this campaign are
Knave 2nd Edition by Ben Milton
Random Realities by Cezar Capacle
The Monster Overhaul by Skerples
Bestial Ecosystem Created by Monster Inhabitation by Courtney C. Campbell and others.
The Book of Random Tables: Dungeons, The Great Book of Random Tables, and The Great Book of Random Tables: Quests by Matt & Erin Davids.
The Solo Adventurer's Toolkit One & Two by Paul Bimler
GM's Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing by Raging Swan Press.
The illustrations for this delve are a mix of elements from the game/map as credited above, Pixabay stock art (often used more for effect than precision), elements made by me, modifications of maps using Gimp, and various pieces generated using ChatGPT4o [or some combination of multiple of these things].