By Stuart Forsyth

Background funnel adventure it is expected that a

player will have more than one character.
Don’t worry, rolling up level 0 characters is
A villainous wandering alchemist has taken very quick so don’t overthink it and don’t
up residence in the palatial crypt of a noble try and min-max the outcome. Characters
family long faded from history. They are have yet to make their mark on the world
experimenting on local flora and fauna, the and be worthy of remembering.
ultimate goal of raising an army of mind-
controlled minions with which to build
their influence and coffers. Some of the As a player you should use the free
experiments have escaped into the Shadowdark player Quickstart to roll up to
surrounding countryside terrorising nearby four level zero characters. References to
villages. the player quickstart are shown using
page numbers. An alternative resource is
the online character generator - add one
As players you are... weapon to every character.

Well frankly, nobody. You have lived and The sweet spot for this game is 16
worked in a single village your whole life characters so have more or less characters
until forced to evacuate from a flood of depending on the number of players. Use
caustic green slime from the forest. These the tables on the next page to give them a
creatures have covered your dwellings name. Remember, don’t get too attached to
scouring them down to the foundations. them yet.
You have gathered on mass in a nearby field
with your meagre possessions, your Level 0 characters have not specialised in
children, your animals. You take shifts any weapons yet. As such they can use
cutting lumbar to feed bonfires to make wield all gear until level 1. This means
hot embers. You tirelessly fill a trench regardless of what they start with, keep an
around the field with these burning coals eye out for something that fits them
to prevent the slime from reaching you. better.
You cannot persist here long. Things are
intolerable, you are exhausted, and there is
increasingly little left to save. Some of you Each character starts with:
are mutterings about a mass exodus from
your home. A few, brave and hardy, have 1. Stats (p15)
gone to confront this scourge and not 2. Choice of Ancestry (p16)
returned. You who remain sharpen the
tines on your pitchforks, gather the tools of 3. Hit points equal to the Constitution
your trade, and muster for one last push to modifier (minimum 1)
confront this threat. 4. Background (p14)
5. Choice of alignment (p28)
Your starting level is 0. You are not yet a 6. 1d4 of the starting gear items (Table 3)
hero though there is possibly as spark of
potential. You have no legendary 7. A Name. (2d12 - Table 1 & Table 2), or
equipment, no feats and skills of regular p36.
adventurers. You will likely not survive
what comes next. Your armour class is 10 + your Dexterity
modifier. This will change if you’re lucky
enough to find armour.
Character Creation
Additional weapon information can be
This game is a gauntlet designed for 16 found on p35 of the player quick start.
characters spread among the players. Like
traditional funnels, players start with
more than one level 0 character with Additional character names can be found of
random stats and starting items, and play p36 of the player quick start.
them through the adventure expecting
some, but not all, to reach the conclusion. Optional rules: for at least of your starting
characters, provide them a torch and roll
In this game, “Player” refers to you, the 1d3 items. Light is most important thing to
person at the table. “Character” refers to remember in Shadowdark. Nobody gets
the personas you play in this game. For a special see in the dark vision.
 Play suggestion:

While this adventure can be run online in a

LEGAL and Disclaimer virtual tabletop, funnel adventures lean
better to fast-paced theatre of the mind Art Placeholder
style adventures. The complexity of
running 4 characters per player in an Rather than rely on Generative AI,
online tool may detract from the this game provides placeholders.
storytelling and the experience. A
The Crypt of the Mad Alchemist suggestion is to use the online tool (or
that will be filled by the author in
future versions, or interested artists
handouts) to display a fog of war map and can contact hackrpg@proton.me
for players and GM to roll quick and
efficient manual rolls for combat. Players Style requirement for this game is
should where possible keep their B&W inked line art similar to the
characters in a group and on their turn front cover.
Writing, maps, art by Stuart Forsyth. quickly describe what each character will
be doing. Monsters should attack via group
HackRPG https://hackrpg.itch.io/ initiative and the GM can use a random
dice roll to determine who is being
targeted if the situation is not clear.

This product is licensed under the ORC License held in Start

the Library of Congress and available online at
You meet on the green, amidst the
various locations including billowing smoke, a huddled rag-tag bunch
www.azoralaw.com/orclicense, www.gencon.com/ propped up by liquid courage and
orclicense and others. All warranties are disclaimed desperation. Your farewells are brief and
northern part of the fountain court.
you set off to confront the threat to your
as set forth therein. lives.
1. Fountain Court
Through the forest you go, avoiding the
slime which clings to the trees. The old Oval room. Central well. Green slime has
place of the dead is known to you though
The Crypt of the Mad Alchemist is an independent childhood stories keep most away. Old
bubbled up from below to cover the floor
preventing easy access to the stairwell to
product published under the Shadowdark RPG Third- lichen covered stone, ground down by damp the south. Slime is dormant until
Party License and is not affiliated with The Arcane and time, and one large edifice. Proud and disturbed.
central. Its copper dome collapsed in with
Library, LLC. Shadowdark RPG © 2023 The Arcane time. Large ornate metal doors with green
Library, LLC. copper inlays bar your way. Grey mists Jumping to cross the goop will require a
swirl around you mixing with the choking successful DC 15 DEX or land in the slime
wood smoke. It is in there you must go for pool causing it to be disturbed. Characters
your answers. take full damage every round in the pool +
paralysed.
Generative AI Art was not used in this production. If Crypt Exterior Disturbed: 2d6 Green Slimes will form
you are an illustrator interested in creating non-AI from the gelatinous goop and move to
generated art or illustrations for this work then Crypt. Two story, old lichen stained stone. attack the characters.
please reach out to me at hackrpg@proton.me. Shabby, overgrown graveyard. Occasional
blobs of green slime on stone surfaces.
Given the amount of AI art now posing as work by Grey mists mix with wood smoke, choking,
Ladder lies on the other side of the slime.
artists, any commission work will require 3 work-in- and oppressive. Ring bolt in the ceiling.
progress pictures as proof of an iterative creative
process. Door, Thick iron. Barred from the other Circular stairs can be seen leading
side. Bar can be lifted to allow entry. upwards to the north. (to 2. Prayer Room)
Circular stairs can be seen leading down to
Roof, Domed, green copper, partially the south to (1.0)
collapsed. Easy to climb up to the roof but
will require a DC 10 DEX to rappel or climb Well is rough cut stone and descends
down into the fountain court. (fail 1d4 through the levels below to level 3, 60 feet
falling damage). Players arrive in the below. This is a possible but risky way
down as a fall may mean certain death. For 3. Statue Room When opening a crate, or looting a body Table 8. 2d4 Magical Items
each level dropped characters take 2d6 you may find something of value 2d4 Name Description
bludgeoning damage. A 60ft rope attached
to the ring bolt (or other tie-off point) will Stone walls with large cracks in them. 2 Bag of Bag containing an inter-
Floor covered with bits of masonry and Table 6. Valuables, 2d6 You find ... Holding dimensional space holding
allow access to levels 1 and 2 via the well.
debris. Tiled mosaic flooring. DC 16 WIS to 2 A Magical item, note below up to 10 gear slots.
notice spidery cracks in the floor tiles. 3 Cloak of Once per day become
2. Prayer Room 3 2d20 gp
Concealm invisible for up to 10
Statues (3) on the far side of the room. 4 A +1 Weapon or armour Table 4 ent rounds
Repurposed lookout. Rugs, altar with dried Appear to be nobles, well dressed, one holds 5 A Weapon or armour Table 4 4 Ring of a Spider shaped onyx ring.
flowers. Wooden pews. Collection box on a musical instrument, another a weapon, spider Wearer may cast web (p65)
the altar. Murder holes let light in from the 6 A few coppers (1d10) or 1d10 bolts/ king 2x per day.
another a baby. arrows
outside. 5 Wand of Wielder may cast acid
7 Nothing. Dust, lint, sadness. Acid arrow (p58). 10 charges
Hazard: Collection box. On touching, Hazard: GM 1d6 check per turn, 1-2 the 8 An item of basic gear, roll on Table 3 Arrow
floor collapses dumping everyone in the
opening, outraged ghost Marley Cobb III room into (1-6). Each character takes 1d6 9 A Weapon or armour Table 4
6 Chalice of Water drunk from this cup
appears berating you for stealing from the healing provides cure wounds (p60)
damage from falling rock and masonry and 10 A +1 Weapon or armour Table 4 once per day.
dead and desecrating the family tomb. the fall down to the next level.
Starts hostile to perceived thieves. Players 11 1d4 gems each worth 30 gp 7 The F, +1 1d6+1, 2H Ironwood
Access to (1-6) from this point is considered Infernal inlay, Instant kill on a crit
need to convince Marley they are meant to easy.
be in the tomb and are not grave-robbers. 12 A Magical Item, note below Bow of the but extinguishes all light
Marley will dissipate once characters are Wilds sources in a 20ft radius
Magical Item: GM now rolls 1d4. On a 1 roll 8 Amulet of Once per week you may
perceived as friendly.
Level 1 on the Cursed Item Table, else roll on the Resurrecti place amulet on a recently
Magical Item Table on deceased character to
Marley will require 2 successful Charisma revive them to 1 HP
checks to go from hostile to friendly. Two 1.0 Stairs
failed rolls in a row reduce how Marley Table 7. 1d4 Cursed Items Table 10. 1d8 Alchemist Weapons
feels by one degree (eg. neutral to hostile) Stairs spiral down. Corridor runs to the
He tells players he, and other souls, are 1 Bag of Leather bag with 1 Fast drying Character stuck in
east. Locked sturdy door prevents access to adhesive place. -2AC. DC 14 STR
angry because their bones have been the Armoury (1.2). Stairs continue down to Devouring drawstrings. 10 gear slots.
disturbed. He is prepared to tell the Destroys everything in 1d6 to break free.
2.0. 2 Bottle of Liquid DC 16 CON or attack
players a secret to great wealth if they rounds
return his bones (wrapped in a blue burial 2 Ring of Ornate gold ring with Rage the closest character
shroud with a red lion embroidered on the 1.1 Armoury the Void multiple dark gems. for 1d4 rounds
cloth). Marley will reappear at his Destroys everything that 3 Metallic 50% chance to attract
sarcophagus once the bones are returned. passes through it. Essence a rust slime
Large family armoury with weapons and 3 The Silver necklace inlaid with 4 Flask of Acid 1d4 + 2 splash damage
suits of armour in glass fronted cases. Choker studded rubies. Can’t be
Background: The alchemist has emptied the Smells of wood, dust, and time. Numerous 5 Exploding vial 1d6 + 1d4 splash fire
removed or destroyed. to adjacent characters
sarcophagi in 2.11 and discarded the bones rotting wood weapon racks against the Every time a character
in 2.8. Marley’s final rest is one of the 4 wall contains the wooden components of 6 Dehydrated As vial shatters slime
heals the necklace becomes Green Slime rapidly re-hydrates
northern most sarcophagi. Marley does not weapons only - stocks, handles. tighter. Asphyxiation in
know where his bones are. Ventilation holes near the door can be next to targeted
1d4+4 activations character.
seen on entry. 3 trunks line the eastern whereupon the necklace
wall. Each trunk contains 2 random rolls on 7 Bottled sun Character and
falls to the floor. adjacent blinded for 1-
Table 6. Valuables 4 Ring of Platinum ring with inlaid
Marley Cobb III wavering ruby. Boon and Curse: you
3 rounds. Character
permanently blinded
Part of the western wall is collapsed in fortunes roll critical successes on a on critical fail
DC 15 CHA check and a valid reason for revealing a natural cave system and the 18-20, and critical fail on 1- 8 Bottled Mutant Large pot shatters
being in the crypt to change Hostile to well shaft 1.2 descending into the gloom 3. Baby releasing a mutant
Neutral, check again for Neutral to below. baby
Friendly.
Table 9. 4d6 Fungi
SECRET: The northern wall is covered in a Type Colour Effect Cost
Berate. Unless friendly, the ghost will tile mosaic mural of a knight leading a
follow the character who disturbed group of peasants into battle against a 1 Slime mold Yellow Edible 2 sp
the box berating them in a haughty tentacled horror crawling from the ocean. 2 Mushroom Blood red Edible 2 gp
tone & chilling them and anyone in 3 Mildew Purple Mildly poisonous 1 HP 3 gp
10ft radius with a frigid aura (-1 ATK One DC 19 WIS per player (best character) to
rolls, -2 AC) 4 Gilled cap Translucent Deadly 1d10 HP 6 gp
notice that a medallion around the knights
neck can be depressed to reveal the secret 5 Jelly fungi Brown Upset stomach -5 move; -2 AC 1 10 gp
door to Treasure Room (1.4) If players hour
return Marley’s bones he will appear at 6 Bearded tooth fungus Speckled Healing +1d4 every 3 hours 20 gp
 Tables Table 4. 1d12 Weapons & Armour (2.11) to thank players and tell players
about the secret door, and how to open it.
Great Sword of Misdirection: a chaotic
weapon that whispers in the characters
1 Chain mail 2 gear slot, AC15, Disadv mind on touching it. Tells the character
Table 1. Adventurer Name on stealth and swim
2 Club C, 1d4 Hazard:Cases can be easily opened about their great destiny. Character will
d12 Option 1 Option 2 releasing a Strong metal smell. Weapons be unwilling to part with it at any price.
3 Crossbow F, 1d6, 2H, L are in good condition. Characters have a Every attack a character will have a 1 in 10
1 Drogan Lyra chance of entering a battle frenzy, and see
4 Dagger C/N, 1d4, Fi one-time 1/6 chance of finding a +1 version
of their own weapon type at each case. the nearest friendly character as an enemy,
2 Garrick Elara 5 Great Axe C, 1d8/1d10, V, 2 slots attacking them instead.
Characters can find basic weapons of less
3 Thorn Seraphine 6 Longsword C, 1d8 than 10 gp (p35).
7 Mace C, 1d6 Shield of Blinding: Kite shield with the
4 Elben Althea inscription ‘my faith in the light’ written
8 Rusted plate 3 gear slots, AC14, no Ventilation holes - fist sized holes in the
wall near the door can be seen on entry. The in runes on the inside. Saying these words
5 Bronn Isadora swim, disadv stealth. causes a blinding flash from the shield face
9 Short bow F, 1d4, 2H faint movement of stale air can be felt.
6 Kael Aria causing all nearby creatures to be blinded
10 Short sword C, 1d6 for 1d6 rounds. 3 uses per day.
7 Balis Thali Metal Smell of metal attracts (1d6+3) rust
11 Spear C/N, 1d6, Th slimes from ventilation holes above door.
8 Magnus Roween 12 Warhammer C, 1d10, 2H Slimes gurgle through the ventilation holes 1.4 Cave Chasm
to form on the floor near the door and
9 Soren Calantha 2H - Two handed. C - close range. F - far cutting off escape back to (1.0). High dark cavern above, cold, draft of air
range. Fi - Finesse uses STR or Dex mods. L - from large cracks in the rock. A 20ft chasm
10 Lucian Erilis Loading means you forego a movement. N -
1.2 Well bisects the room. There are no natural rope
near range. Th - can be thrown using STR or points and the columns are the only way to
11 Gale Celeste DEX. V - versatile 1 handed/2 handed. cross safely.
12 Talnus Davesh The well ascents up to the fountain court
(1) and down to (2.2). There is access to the
East (1.1) via a collapsed wall. A passage Hazard: The floor has collapsed into a
The crypt is full of angry undead and the chasm revealing stone columns that can be
Table 2. Adventurer Last Name foul experiments of the alchemist. You will leads to the west to (1.4)
used to navigate across. These are roughly
likely encounter ... arranged in threes every 5 ft. Characters
d12 Hazard: The well is 10ft across. Jumping navigating across will need to select 4
1 Blackwood 7 Dainthern across the well will require a DC 10 STR. numbers highlighting which columns they
Table 5. 1d10 random encounters Falling in the well will require a DC 12 DEX
Encounter LV Number will use to cross the chasm. GM will roll a
2 Stormcaller 8 Driscol to grab the edge. random 1d12 to see if that character is
1 Rust Slime 2 1d4 targeted by a cave fisher.
3 Weaver 9 Stonesterm
2 Cave Creeper 4 1d4 1.3 Treasure Room
4 Baker 10 Mercer 3 Animated Armour 2 1d4
5 Ironclad 11 Tanner 4 Spider 0 2d6 treasure: 25 ft square room of finely cut NEAR
stone that fit together like a puzzle. In the
5 Skeleton Noble 2 2d6 far end of the room is a small stone dais 1 2 3
6 Trusk 12 Mills
6 Green Slime 1 1d4+4 with another gold statue of the knight 4 5 6
(60gp and 1 slot) on a stone plinth. A chest
7 Turned Villager 1 1d6 contains: 7 8 9
Table 3. Starting 8 Shrieker Bats 4 1d4
10 11 12
Gear 9 Crypt Ghoul 2 2d6 • 1d12 x10 gp
d12 Gear 10 Hell dog 2 1d4 • 1s20 x10 sp FAR
1 Torch 7 Crowbar • 3 large rubies (60gp)
2 Dagger 8 Iron spikes (10) For example a character could choose 1, 5, 7,
12 as their way across. GM rolls a 4 and the
3 Pole 9 Flint and steel In addition the room contains: character makes their way across without
incident.
4 Shortbow (5 10 Grappling hook • Great Sword of Misdirection: C, V, 2
arrows) slots, 1 ATK +1 , 1d10+1 damage, requires
5 Rope (60ft) 11 Club The next character chooses 2,4,7,11 and the
STR +2 to wield. GM rolls 2. This character is plucked off the
6 Oil, flask 12 Caltrops (1 bag) • Shield of Blinding first column (2) by a cave fisher.
• Random paintings (10gp), 1 slot per
painting.
1.5 Floors of patterned mosaic tiles. Three
statues stand on the east wall. Three
offering bowls are on the west wall.
Crossroads, sounds of conflict can be heard Opening N to 2.2 and E to a long corridor
coming from the direction of (1.7) running N to S.

1.6 Cavern Offering: Each bowl required 1 gold piece

which falls into a small slot in the base and
Small natural cavern with a few stone disappears. If an offering is not made then
columns connected to a flat roof 15ft above. all 3 suits of animate armour attack the
Players may be able to see fine cracks in characters.
the roof.
2.2
Hazard: If players knock out the columns
the floor will collapse dealing 1d4 damage Small square room containing the well
to anyone in the room but thereafter shaft. Access above to (1.2) and below
providing easy access to Statue Room (3) drops down to (3.6).

1.7 Conflict in the Dark 2.3

Cavern. Large natural cavern with floor to Rusty hatch can be pried open with a
ceiling natural columns. Ceiling is 20 ft combined DC 22 STR. Below a ladder leading
above the ground. down to (3.1)
Conflict. Two groups of natural denizens of
the crypts have bumped into one another 2.4 Lift Shaft
and are currently fighting. Roll twice on
the random encounter (table 5) and have A service lift used to move heavy objects
these two groups locked in conflict. like sarcophagi down to level 3. Door in the
Characters will need to cross the room to east wall is hidden from the outside DC 18
reach the chest. WIS to spot. Doors can be easily seen and
opened from the inside.
Chest, A chest can be seen across the
cavern provided one of the factions, or 2.5 Cells
characters is using torchlight.
Full of ragged prisoners. Stripped down to
Treasure: Roll 3 times on the Valuables their underclothes. Dirty straw covers the
(table 6) to discover what’s in the chest. cell floor. Sturdy metal cell doors. DC 20
DEX to pick the locks. A master key can be
found on the body of the Listener (2.6)
1.8 A Way Down
Renew your party: Players who have lost
A narrow path descends down a series of characters can roll new characters from
steep rocky ledges to a hole in the cavern those rescued. A nearby crate contains all
floor leading down onto large roots in the captured villager’s possessions so roll
room (2.9). for normal equipment.

Level 2 Villagers who don’t form part of a player

party will escape by following the stairs at
(2.0) up and out.
2.0
2.6 Lair of the Listener
Spiral stairs lead up to (1.0) and down to
(3.0)
Listener: Lone figure sitting in the centre
of a large round stone room surrounded by
2.1 broken cages. Head grossly swollen and
expanded. Eyeless. Ears over-developed.
Level 3
 Bodies of turned villagers (number of
players x 4) lie cuddled up around it. DC 14 Art Placeholder
DEX to approach or cross the room without
making noise. Rather than rely on Generative AI,
this game provides placeholders.
Noise Listener turns its head actively that will be filled by the author in
listening. All bodies sit up and mimic future versions, or interested artists
movement. If players have torch lit can contact hackrpg@proton.me
villagers turned villagers will stand and
attack. Style requirement for this game is
B&W inked line art similar to the
Broken empty cages line the walls. front cover.

Listener has a master key for the cells in

(2.5)

2.7 Chasm
Chasm yawns overhead disappearing up to
(1.4). A series of sturdy planks board over
the chasm providing easy access across the
gulf. 2.10
2.8 Roots and Coffins Body of escaped villager. Contains 3
starting items (table 3) and 1 valuable item
Terrain in this cavern is difficult due to (table 6). Hole in the floor drops into the
the mud and the roots (half normal dark water of a flooded tunnel to (3.3).
movement speed). Floor is is muddy
quagmire littered with discarded coffins, 2.11
bones, and refuse. Drag marks and heavy
foot traffic can be seen leading from (2.7).
If players return Marley’s bones he will
appear here to thank players and tell them
Walls are large rocks and mud with huge about the secret room at (1.3), and how to
tree roots growing into the cavern. open it.

Coffins, wooden, have been carried here

from other parts of the crypt and Level 3
discarded. The undead are restless and
their torment has attracted Cavern Ghouls
to the area. 3.0
Hazard: Once players have entered the Passage to the North is barred by a tunnel
room 1d4+4 Skeleton Nobles and 1d4+4 collapse. There is no access to level 3 from
Crypt Ghouls will claw their way out of here.
the earth and attack
3.1
Players looking for Marley’s bones have a 1
in 10 chance to find a blue shrouded Ladder leads up to a metal hatch overhead.
skeleton with an embroidered red lion on it Rusty hatch can be pried open with a
in one of the discarded coffins. Failing combined DC 20 STR but only one person can
that, the players can discover it wedged stand on the ladder. If characters
under the SW most set of roots. descended from (2.3) then hatch remains
open.
2.9
3.2 Cavern
Level 2 A large tree root can be climbed to a hole
in the cavern ceiling. This leads to (1.7)
Natural cave descending to the west. Half mugs. Treasure: A chest contains some
of the cave is submerged by a steep dropoff. rare spices (10gp), and a set of silver
A narrow tunnel with about 2 feet of candlesticks (20gp). DC 12 WIS to find 3
headroom can be seen to the west. Players healing potions (1d4) on the shelves.
will need to swim and once characters
reach (3.3) a Piranha Swarm attacks.
3.9 Experiment Room
3.3 Submerged Tunnel Shelves of things in jars (plant and
creature). Unmentionable, twisted,
Low flooded tunnel. Character need to warped, deformed. Stone table in the
swim. 2 ft of air in a pocket in the tunnel. centre of the room with a large jar on it.
Contains a Piranah Swarm. Piranhas will
consume the first character to die and Stone Table - plain and unadorned. Animal
ignore everyone else. The body in (2.10) can partially dissected. Huge maw, jagged
be used as bait. Characters holding a torch teeth, too many front legs, strange
can only swim. growths. Dead Hellhound
Jar filled with opaque liquid. On touch or
3.4 Fungal Caverns knock, a little pale hand appears. Contains
a deformed mutant baby with cutting
teeth and large staring eyes. Will begin to
Bio-luminescent fungi farm used by the thrash in the liquid trying to knock over
alchemist. DC 14 INT to identify up to 4 jar which falls and shatters. (DC 16 DEX to
types of fungus. Roll on Table 9 grab before it falls).

3.5 3.10
Hollowed cavern. Looks excavated by a Lift well. A lever next to the platform
large creature or other artificial means - causes it to ascend to (2.4)
roll on table 5 Random Encounters. Cages. Against the wall containing normal
villagers waiting to be turned. You will be
3.6 Well able to free them from their cages.

Renew your party: Players who have lost

Well has been boarded over with solid characters can roll new characters from
wooden beams. Green slime can be seen those rescued. A nearby crate contains all
oozing through the cracks - perhaps an the captured villager’s possessions so roll
for normal equipment. Villagers not
experiment got out of control. For this joining a party will take the platform up
adventure the studs are driven into the and escape the crypt.
stone and cannot be removed. There are
plans to extend the adventure in future 3.11 Storage Room
expansions in this direction. Light can be
seen from the ground floor well 60ft up. Short 20ft hallway of rough stone with
larger spaces beyond. Corridor is filled
with glass bottles suspended by tripwires.
3.7 Long Corridor Criss-crossed across floor and hallway.
Attached to points in the floor, wall, and
Wet stone with smell of burned torches. 2 roof. Bottles contain liquid rage.
doors in the Eastern wall, and a large
portcullis straight ahead in the northern Tiles, rough stone, unbalanced (maybe
wall. recently laid). Last line of tiles before
store room trapped. DC 12 DEX or cause
3.8 Kitchen bottles to drop.

Crates of perishable food. A stone bench Tripwires are counter balanced, cutting
and integrated cooking oven. Shelves of any wire will cause a bottle to drop.
common kitchen items, utensils, plates, Level 1
Disarm: Every 5 ft DC 10 INT to successfully
 see how to untangle and then DC 10 DEX to
dismantle. Due to the sharp bend in the Art Placeholder
corridor it is not possible to shoot out the
bottles in the first 10 ft. Rather than rely on Generative AI, this
game provides placeholders. that will
DC 18 DEX to move through 20 ft of wires be filled by the author in future
without triggering trap versions, or interested artists can
contact hackrpg@proton.me
Liquid Rage Style requirement for this game is
B&W inked line art similar to the front
DC 16 CON triggering character sees cover.
the thing that frightens them the
most in the nearest character.
Compelled to attack with everything
you have for 1d4 rounds regardless of
what others say. characters with a
combined DC 25 STR will be able to
restrain the raging character but will
not be able to hold weapons or
torches.

Storeroom. Shelves, bottles, elixirs, roots,

fungi Drawers of minerals, aromatic characters (Table 10. Alchemist Weapons).
spices. Chest in the corner. GM can balance the encounter difficulty by
having the Alchemist release additional
Chest (locked, DC 12 DEX or DC 14 STR) helldogs, or have turned villagers enter the
room.
Treasure: 3 Bottles of healing (1d6) only if Treasure: Under nearby rug, trapdoor,
Dex used to open, otherwise bottles are
smashed. Also, 2 valuable items from table chest containing 3d20 Gold, Journal with
6. arcane scribbling, experiments, and
encoded formula - a tome of treasure for a
budding alchemist (200GP to the right
3.12 Alchemist Lair buyer or the start of a new quest)

Large open stone room. Torches burn on Once the alchemist is defeated and the
the wall. Blood stains on the floor. treasure is looted, characters return
Alchemist has some basic furniture in the victorious to their village. Some, perhaps
SW corner - bed, desk, chest, table. you know which ones, will now level up,
select a class, and begin their adventuring
Cages line the walls containing hell-dogs. lifestyle in earnest.
A series of raised platforms 10 ft high run
along the northern wall. There are Have fun!
multiple shelves built at this elevated level
containing elixirs and bottles.

A cloaked figure (Alchemist) is watching

from a raised platform and will flick a
switch releasing 3 helldogs as soon as the
players enter the room. They will pull the
ladder up to the platform to make it
difficult to reach the platform. DC 10 DEX
out of combat to climb up to the platform.
The alchemist will target characters
climbing up as a priority.

As soon as the characters are in range the

alchemist begins plucking vials from the
Ground & Prayer Room shelves and throwing them at the
 Bestiary Thread can be cut by 4 slashing damage. controls their actions. Listener will
position villagers between itself and
black. Attracted to any non-magical items.
Slimes will attack non magic weapons and
Crypt Ghoul threat. If listener is killed villagers will armour. Slimes will ignore sheathed
Alchemist drop immobile and comatose. Will direct weapons or items stowed in backpack.
Gray-skinned undead with flat reptilian villagers to swarm players. Slimes will ignore characters not having
faces and whipping tongue. If possible will any exposed metal.
A robed figure and antagonist of this story. Blind, if last villager is killed. Listener gets
attack torch bearers first.
The alchemist will try to do as much -4 AC, can only track by noise. Shrieker bats
damage at range by throwing items from AC 11, HP 11, ATK 1 claw +2 (1d6 + paralyse),
Table 10. In close combat the alchemist MV near, S+2, D +1, C +2, I -3, W -1, Ch +0, AL Turn, DC 14 CON or become a turned villager
will attack as many people as possible AC 12, HP 18, ATK 1 bite +2 (1d6) and 1 shriek,
C, LV 2 MV near (fly), S -3, D +2, C +0, I -3, W +1, Ch -
waiting for the poison to do the work. Mutant Baby 3, AL N, LV 4
After a successful strike, they will attack Undead, immune to morale checks.
another character. AC 10 HP 8 ATK 1 bite +3 (1d4) + parasite. MV Shriek: Once per attack roll 1d6. On a 1 or 2
Paralyse. DC 12 CON or paralysed 1d4 rounds near, S +1, D +2, C +1, I -3, W -3, Ch -4, AL C, the piercing shriek extinguishes one flame
AC 14 HP 30 ATK 2 dagger +4 (1d4, poisoned LV 4 based light source.
blade) MV near, S+1, D+4, C +1, I +4, W +1, Ch Spider
+1, AL C, LV 4 Oversized, gills, large bulging eyes. Skeleton Nobles
AC 11, HP 1, ATK 2 bite +1 (1 + poison), MV Lamprey like mouth. Creature slithers on
Throw, 1 random object per round - Table 9 its belly in the slimy fluid from the jar.
near (climb), S -4, D+1, C +0, I -4, W +0, Ch - Bleached bones crawl and clatter toward
Poisoned Blade, DC 12 CON or 1d4 poison. 4, AL N, LV 0 Surprisingly quick and attempts to bite any you like rattling marionettes. Undead
exposed flesh. immune to morale checks.
Animated armour Poison. DC 9 CON or take 1d4 damage.
Parasite. On successful ATK 50% chance AC 13 (chainmail) HP 11 ATK 1 shortsword +1
Old suits of armour that become animated
Green Slime you notice something moving under the (1d6) or 1 shortbow (far) +0 (1d4) MV near, S
skin from the bite mark up limbs towards +1, D +0, C +2, I -2, W +0, Ch -1, AL C, LV 2
by angry wandering spirits. head. 2 rounds to cut it out (-1 HP per
AC 9 HP 8 ATK 1 pseudo-pods +2 (1d4),
paralytic. MV near. attempt) or it disappears. Thereafter, Turned Villagers
AC 15, HP 13, ATK 1 longsword +3 (1d8), MV every new zone or room, 1 in 10 chance to
near, S +3, D -1, C +2, I -1, W +1, Ch +0, AL C, S +1, D -1, C +2, I -4, W -3, Ch -4, AL N, LV 1
fall comatose. In 2 rounds, 2 mutant babies
LV 2 claw their way out of the torso. AC 7 or AC 9 (someone I know). HP 2 ATK +3
Paralytic. DC 12 CON or paralysed for 2 (bite, turn or claw 1d4) MV near
Cave creeper rounds (doesn’t stack).
Piranha Swarm S +0, D +0, C +1, I -2, W +0, Ch -2, AL C, LV 1
Split. Cut in half divide into 2 smaller Swarm, if more than 1 turned villagers is
Scuttling green centipede the size of a slimes. Divide HP. AC 12, HP 13, ATK 2 bite +2 (1d6), MV near
horse. Their front pincers inject a potent attacking a single character it has -2 AC for
(swim), S -2, D +2, C +0, I -3, W +0, Ch -3, AL every 2 villagers attacking it (rounded up).
paralytic toxin. Weak. Fire deals double damage N, LV 3
Turn, less potent than listener but still
AC1 2, HP 18, ATK 1 bite +3 (1d6) and 1 pincers Hell Dogs Savage. ADV on attacks against creatures with the ability to infect DC 8 CON or
+3 (1d8 + toxin), MV near (climb), s+2, D +2, below half their HP.
C +0, I -3, W +1, Ch -3, AL N, LV 4 become a turned villager
Large dogs with ragged maw, strange
crystalline growths growing out of the Distracted. Piranhas will focus on one dead Someone I know, 1d4 when first
Toxin. DC 12 CON or paralysed 1d4 rounds. character at a time. It takes 2 rounds for
skin. Powerful hind legs and 4x front legs, encountered, on a 1 this villager is someone
the piranhas to consume the corpse
Cave Fisher 2 end in clawed grasping hands.
whereupon they will seek out another
your character knows personally making
them hard to hit. Villager’s AC is now 9
AC HP ATK 1 bite +3 (1d6) and ATK 1 grab +3 victim.
A natural hunter in cave systems, these MV near, S +2, D +1, C +2, I -2, W -4, Ch -4, AL
predators resemble whip scorpions with a C, LV 2 Rust Slime
harpoon tail. These hunters hide in dark
crevasses waiting for larger prey to pass Grab. DC 12 DEX or grabbed, grabbed AC 9 HP 20, 3 ATK 3 pseudo-pods +2 to any
beneath whereupon they whip their tails creature has -2 ATK melee only and -2 AC. exposed metal, rust. MV near,
sending the harpoons towards their prey. DC 12 STR to break free. S +1, D -1, C +2, I -4, W -3, Ch -4, AL N, LV 2
The harpoons are attached to the fishers by
strong silk threads secreted from Listener Rust. For each successful ATK by slimes, or
spinnerets on its abdomen. hit on slimes. Non magic weapons lose 1/3
AC 14 HP 25 ATK 1 bite +3 (turn) and ATK 3 durability and damage. On 3rd hit metal
AC 12 HP 5 ATK 1 bite +1 (1d4) or 1 harpoon +3 item is destroyed.
(1d4) . MV near. S, D, C, I, W, Ch, AL N, LV 2 turned villagers MV near S+2, D -1, C +2, I -
3, W-1 , Ch -3, AL C, LV 3
Split. Cut in half divide into 2 smaller
Harpoon is barbed. Pulls characters slimes. Divide HP.
rapidly up to itself where they are snared An early experiment in mind control by the
by a pair of grasping claws. alchemist. The Listener is blind and looks
through the turned villagers eyes and Large, barrel sized. Orange with flecks of