Prologue

Legends speak of a time, eons ago, when an object of celestial origin fell from the heavens, its fiery trail visible across the sky for days. It struck the distant continent of Voltheris with cataclysmic force, shattering the tallest mountain and sending shockwaves through the very bones of the earth. The ground quaked for days, the skies darkened for weeks, and from the mountain’s shattered peak erupted a vast, unnatural mist, spreading like a living shroud encompassing the entire continent.

Ever since that fateful event, the land of Voltheris has been obscured by a perpetual mist—thick, swirling, and impenetrable. The few explorers who have ventured near its shores speak of a wall of fog so dense that ships vanish upon entering, never to be seen again. Even magic falters at its borders, as though the very fabric of reality is twisted by the unknown forces within. Voltheris has become a land lost to history, its shores forsaken and its name spoken only in whispers, a place of dread and dark fascination.

hello

Truths

The following knowledge is common among those finding themselves arriving in Voltheris.

The Gloaming is a forest filled with ancient ruins and forgotten magic. Foul demons, fey, and demigods walk among the ruins in the forest.

The Knights of Saint Ydris curse themselves so they might better battle the demons of the forest. They live secluded in the Greywall Priory.

The woodland village of Wardenwood, consists of a few dozen sagging, thatched huts surround a stone well. 80 woodcutters and trappers live here with their families. Many villagers have recently become sick and are tended to by the medicine woman, Drusilla, who lives west of the village.

Three hundred fisherfolk live in a motte-and-bailey hold where the river meets the bog. A palisade surrounds the village. The village is recovering from an attack by demons who breached the palisade and slew twenty souls.

The villagers shun the ruins of Bittermold Keep, an abandoned castle keep with tattered, crimson banners that flap atop its collapsing battlements.

Embracing the Shadowdark

Shadowdark is not a high-fantasy game. It’s a grim fantasy game. Characters can die - often. No character is special. No character is above the strength and power of others in the world. The world challenges your wits, not your natural abilities. The game is swingy. You may have 5 hit points at level 3. You may have a charisma score of 4 (not +4 but 4). You often roll for new character abilities. Character empowerment comes from how you face the challenges in the world - not your characters special abilities.

Hang onto those torches. Check those shadowy corners. Preserve your food. Count those arrows. On the edge of your torchlight, every being of darkness waits to feast on your bones.

Your Character

While others in the Gloaming have mostly succumbed to their grim existence, you seek something else.

Maybe it’s a way out. Maybe it’s to channel your anger towards the shapeless horror in the wood. Maybe it’s the escapist reward of a shining gold coin.

Above all, alongside your companions, you seek to end the evils of this accursed wood.

Character Guidelines

This campaign uses characters built with the Shadowdark RPG core book or Shadowdark RPG free Quickstart Set (available on DriveThruRPG). You can also use classes from the Cursed Scroll 1 book including the cursed Knight of St. Ydris, the Witch, and the Warlock. Do not read past page 39!

Characters begin at 1st level. We’ll generate characters and roll for abilities during our session zero. Do not roll your character up ahead of time and do not fall in love with your character idea. For this campaign, I recommend using a pencil and paper character sheet and physical dice on your table.

Content, Lines, and Veils

This campaign contains the following subject matter: body horror, psychological horror, grim lives, hopeless existence, death - lots of death.

This campaign contains the following material veiled off screen and only conducted by villains: torture, bondage, and slavery.

This campaign will not have any of the following: non-consensual sexual contact or harassment, playerinitiated torture, player-initiated racism, violence towards animals, violence towards children, misogyny, transphobia, homophobia Characters in this campaign work together to defeat the shadows of the uarkness. Characters win not steal from or fight wich engarether. Koe seektbeio fellowship of your companions to face the shadows in the darkness together.