TinyZine

TinyZine Issue 5
Written by Alan Bahr, Steffie De Vaan, Max Adolph, and Robert Denton III
Editor: Alan Bahr
Interior Art: Anthony Cournoyer
Graphic Design & Layout: Robert Denton III
TinyD6 Line Manager : Alan Bahr
Based on the game Tiny Dungeon by Brandon McFadden
Second Edition

Published by Gallant Knight Games, 2018

Tiny Dungeon 2e and TinyD6 are trademarks of Gallant Knight Games.

©2018 by Gallant Knight Games. All rights reserved. Reproduction without
the written permission of the publisher is expressly forbidden, except for
the purposes of reviews, and for the blank character sheets, which may be
reproduced for personal use only.

Gallant Knight Games, Ogden UT 84404

1
Letter from the Editor
Hail Loyal Gallants!
Welcome to the fifth installment of TinyZine! Tiny Supers is
wrapped up on Kickstarter and we’re hard at work! There are lots
of projects in the pipeline (TinyD6, VKC, and more!) But before
we get there, we’ve got some stuff for you here. First, we have the
first in an ongoing column by Steffie de Vaan called Roll-and-
Play, helping to present quick, easy and fun charts that GMs can
leverage to add more to their TinyD6 campaigns!
Following that, we have new and exciting Traits for Beserker
style characters! Adding some more options, we’re expanding on
the archetypes of the Barbarian!
Then, we have a new micro-setting from Max Adolph, The Green
Hell! A new pulp jungle based adventure setting for Tiny Dungeon
2e, it also works great for Tiny Frontiers: Revised!
And last, we have a giant-sized tiny adventure by Robert Denton
III called Literal Tiny Dungeon! Get ready to have your adventurers
shrunk alongside your rules!
Alan Bahr, 08/29/2018

2
 Roll-and-Play:
Roll-and-Play

Tiny Inns
Steffie de Vaan
Roll-and-Play is a monthly article by Steffie de Vaan which lets
GMs create easy, readymade locations, items, and characters for
their game. The concept is simple: grab a d6, and roll on the tables.
Whether your campaign starts with a fortuitous meeting in an
inn, or you need a place for characters to stay on their adventures,
a good inn provides both homebase for the players’ characters and
new adventure seeds. The tables below are written for our Tiny
Dungeons setting, but you can easily adapt them to any other: the
harbor becomes a spaceport, and a dwarf a stocky alien.
D6 Name & First Impression
1 The Cloud Bar once held a different name, but the
building’s pastel blue and white paint scheme quickly
gave rise to its colloquial name.
2 The Keg hosts the city’s most renowned beer bar. The
owner, a self-named connoisseur, imports ales from both
established and promising up-and-coming breweries.
3 The Lantern is named for the ironcast lantern swinging from
a rod above the door. The lantern seemingly lights itself when
dark falls, and burns until morning come wind or rain.
4 The Laughing Mermaid is marked with a wooden sign
depicting the eponymous mermaid: a hellish hybrid
from the deep with a mouth full of needle teeth.
5 The Old Firehouse occupies an old firemen’s hall. The
building is vast, tables filling the entire space, and the
innkeep must shout to have servers hear them.
6 The Wagging Dog has no official name or sign. It’s named
for the friendly stray that sits just outside the door and
performs tricks for scraps.

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 D6 Location
1 Criminal part of town: The inn is wedged between a bar
Roll-and-Play

serving as front for a thieves’ guild and an illicit opium den.

2 Destitute neighborhood: Nextdoor stands a house
with six families occupying too-small rooms, and an
abandoned run-down building on the other side.
3 Entertainment district: The inn sits between a large
revue theater and an opera house. Music comes in
through the windows.
4 Harbor: The inn sits between a sailors’ inn and casual
gambling den. The smell of sea and fish is all-pervasive.
5 Large plot of land near the city walls: The land is cheap
and the inn has no immediate neighbors, but it’s first to
burn if enemies ever breach the wall.
6 Rich neighborhood: A beautiful white building used for
parties, and a broad alley leading to horse stables round
the back sit on either side of the inn.

D6 Staff and Owner

1 Adai, the Elven owner, keeps to themself - a beautiful
androgynous presence quietly working to support their staff.
2 Innkeep Kai is a cantankerous human of few words. He’s
honest though, and never over-charges - in fact he’s apt
to evict patrons who accuse him of it.
3 Gnomish waitress Lila barely reaches above the table as she
takes orders, but she’s quick and never gets an order wrong.
4 Mira, the Dwarven innkeep, is charming and jovial with
hearty laugh that shakes her large stomach as she flirts
with customers.
5 The servers put on a smile, but they’re more quiet than
usual. One of their own, Half-Orc Niagi just suffered a
personal loss (ie death in the family, eviction).
6 Halfling owner Tressa Darefoot purchased the inn after
retiring from a life of adventuring, and has a thousand
stories to tell.

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 D6 Services & Entertainment
Roll-and-Play

1 The food at this inn is mouth-wateringly savory and

spicy. One character even recognizes a famous and hard
to get spice grown in their hometown.
2 The beds at this inn are the softest and cleanest in town,
and the characters never slept so well.
3 The room comes with a magical bath, which is self-
cleaning and remains at perfect temperature as long as the
characters want to soak.
4 This inn hires the best entertainers: renowned singers,
storytellers, and dancers. The common room quickly packs
with fans, and the characters can enjoy a great performance.
5 The inn hosts a city-sanctioned competition characters
can compete in, be it arm-wrestling, Poker, or singing.
6 The inn hired a singer and he’s awful. The patrons all
applaud though, and after asking around the characters
learn he’s the son of a someone dangerous and powerful
(ie a corrupt sheriff, master assassin).

D6 Patrons
1 The inn’s patrons are hard-working and underpaid
people, such as farmers of miners, and harbor a grudge
towards any character flaunting their riches.
2 The patrons are not all criminals themselves, but they
are certainly criminal-adjacent: they all know a guy who
knows a guy, who can do you a favor.
3 Most patrons in this bar are drunk: either the servers
overpour, or the customers are belligerently pushy for
alcohol, but few of them could walk straight.
4 The inn’s patrons are predominantly non-human, and they
saunter over to check out any human characters.
5 The patrons are very friendly, inviting the characters to join
them in game and drink, and share tales of their adventures.
6 The inn is packed, yet eerily silent. All patrons keep to
themselves, eyes front, and no one makes conversation.

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 D6 Trouble
Roll-and-Play

1 False accusations: A man stands up at the next table,

and loudly accuses the characters of stealing his purse or
another valuable.
2 False lead: A woman approaches the group with
information. She knows enough about their quest to appear
trustworthy, but most of what she tells them are lies.
3 Hidden assassin: An old enemy tracked the characters, and
a hired assassin waits in the crowded inn.
4 Legal problems: Just as the characters sit down for
a drink, the Sheriff ’s men arrive to harangue and
intimidate the innkeep and servers.
5 Pick pockets: When they pull out their purse to pay, one of
the characters finds theirs slit and missing coins.
6 Unscrupulous rival: A small group of very obnoxious
patrons harass the characters. Investigation reveals they’re
hired by a rival inn to drive off patrons.

6
 New
Berserker Traits
Rage: You may Rage twice per day. When you Rage, you gain
the Strong Trait and the Tough Trait. Entering a Rage takes an
New Trait

action, and it lasts for the next six Actions you take (3 Turns.) You
may take this Trait multiple times. If you do, each time after the
first grants you +1 use of this Trait per day.
Mighty Thews: Your Melee attacks do +1 Damage. This Trait
counts as two Traits (for choosing Traits and for Experience
Mechanics).
Illiterate (DrawbackTrait): You
are Illiterate. You may never take
the Scroll-Reader or Educated
Traits, and automatically suffer
Disadvantage on any Tests
related to advanced knowledge,
education, learning or reading
and writing. (The GM will define
these in play.) This Trait does not take
up a Trait choice, and grants you one
additional Trait of your choice.

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 The Green Hell
By Max Adolph

Inspirations:
Wild West, Indiana Jones, Fallout, Monster Hunter

Introduction:
What are Delvers you ask? Well, I think I got some explaining to do there.
Micro-Setting: The Green Hell

These lands used to be fertile ground. We didn‘t always survive on

potatoes, beets and a little meat. Long ago, there used to be trees so high
you couldn‘t even see the top of them with fruits as big as my head and
sweet as beet juice. I can‘t tell you what happened, but somehow, they
just disappeared. The Trees wilted. The green covering the ground faded
and all that was left was the dirt and the burning sun.
I never saw these trees myself. I worked the potato field since i was a kid,
much like my father before me and his father before him.
All I know is that when the woods began to
fade, they built monasteries. It is said they
were working on some kind of solution. On
rejuvenating the land. By then most
of the people already got used to
working the farms and we built
great roads to trade and make the
most of what we could produce.
But then, the big fertilization
happened.
I don’t know what these people in
their secret monasteries did. They
had cut themselves off from the
rest of the world for centuries by
then. I mean it’s not like folk really
tried to keep contact either.

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 Someday it just happened. The ground began to shake
and ripped open like the baked crust of a cake. The
Quake lasted for about a week and by the end,
canyons span all over the land, ripping trade
routes, villages and farms apart. That in itself
was bad enough, but when the dust settled
and people came to look at the canyons,
all they saw was green. Treetops so
dense that you couldn’t see the ground
they stood on. We thought the woods
from old had returned and people
Micro-Setting: The Green Hell

celebrated and ventured down into

the canyons, but hardly any of them
came back and those who did told tales
of bears the size of houses and snakes
that could swallow a man whole.
These woods flourished, but they were
not meant for man.
So we stay away from them. We
try to get by on what we produce.
Since our cities where cut off from
one another, we can hardly keep
contact, much less trade with them.
There is only one thing that can cross these canyons, a delver.
These are the people that wander off into the deeps. Some try to figure out what
happened, some try to find a new place to live down there, but most of them
just hunt for whatever they can sell. Fruits that can feed a family of four for a
week. Pelts so thick and large, you can coat a house with it to have it warm in
the winter.They might bring us these things, but don’t you get it wrong.They are
not our friends. They are dangerous people who know only the laws of nature.
You never know where they really come from or what they actually
want. If you want to trade with them, pay them well and keep your
distance. Their world is the green hell below and they are more closely
related to the snake that swallows you whole than to any of us.“
- James McGavvin, Farmer from Kirnwood in the great Massaro Plains

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 Themes and Adventure
Hooks:
Walking the fences:
The land is divided, and
few information ever
crosses the dangerous
canyons, which is a
blessing for everyone
who likes to stay under
Micro-Setting: The Green Hell

the radar. Few towns

even have anything
worth stealing, but
those who do definitely
lack the resources to
protect these goods.
This is exactly the climate someone with a loose definition of morals
can thrive in. Or maybe you actually help these poor people to get rid
of cutthroats and muggers, if they provide the right amount of coin of
course.
But no matter if down in the green or up here, there is always
someone above you in the foodchain and sooner or later you will
have to take the delve.
Hunter vs. Predator:
The beasts down in the deeps are fierce and dangerous, but they
are also incredibly valuable. You can craft whole buildings from
the bones of a grown Daran-Mug or use the Shell of a Drabb
to craft yourself a weapon that will never get blunt. Preparation
and studying your prey is key, because you might see yourself as
a hunter, but these beasts see you as little more than a snack.
So advanced, it’s almost magic:
Back then, people built 11 monasteries: 10 for specific research and
an 11th one acting as a central link and database of the monasteries.
Site 11 was right where Grundaar now stands, the biggest portion

10
 of land completely swallowed by the green hell. While the depths
mostly span across the continent via canyons, Grundaar is a big
crater several hunded miles in diameter. The other sites researched
fields such as fungi-communication, neuroscience of humanoids,
the magnetic field of the planet, interactions between dead organic
matter and anorganic substances, neurochemistry and interspecies
communication and interdimensional signal transfer.
People believed the monasteries were destroyed during the
fertilization. After all, the canyons formed right around them,
which was more than a mere coincidence. But delvers report to
have found strange buildings that withstood their descend into
Micro-Setting: The Green Hell

the deeps. They seem to have been designed to withstand much

worse, which actually makes them all the more frightening.
Those lucky and brave enough to investigate these monasteries
can find strange artifacts that reach from teleportation devices
to portals into other worlds. Playing around with stuff you don’t
understand can be quite dangerous... and a lot of fun.
Raiders of the Lost... Towns and ruins and stuff:
Not every society survived being cut of from the rest of the world.
Some collapsed completely while others had to abandon their
cities to built villages out in the country more suited to surviving
on farming alone. These abandoned cities still have riches hidden
in them and are a lot less dangerous than the monasteries down
in the green hell. If you are the first one to reach them that is,
because raiding ruins seems to have become a fun activity for
every lunatic and fortune seeker out there..

Hunting Beasts:
Hunting is more than just finding something and sticking
your knife into it. Research is key and if the player wants to
kill something, he should research his prey on his own. That
means that only the Gamemaster should know the specifics of
the monster and it is up to the player to squeeze information out
of the environment. To give you an idea of how the outline of a
monster can look, here is an example for the Daran-Mug.

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 Daran-Mug:
A big bear-like beast, that is covered in thick fur. Its belly it furless,
but covered with thick, callused skin. The weakest spots are the
hollows of the knees and once you bring him down, the best option
is to cut open his throat, because he will bleed out in a few minutes.
Doing so is no easy feat, because his claws are covered in the
spores of the poisonous mushrooms he eats. An antidote to the
poison must be prepared, but since the specific poison depends on
the local mushrooms, research needs to be done.
The Daran-Mug has difficulties seeing things straight in front
Micro-Setting: The Green Hell

of him, because excess skin under his eyes protects his eyes from
the spores of its food. He will know you are in front of him if
you run at him, but if you can get beneath him unnoticed, you
have a massive advantage. The Daran-Mug is also heavy and if you
manage to topple him over, he will need a minute to get back up.
In a straight up fight without any
preparation, you simply have no
chance. His claws rip through
armor and poison you on contact.
The callused skin on his belly will
make any weapon lose its edge
within two strikes and once
a claw actually grabs you,
you are done for.
Once a Daran-Mug is
wounded, he will flee
towards his cave,
where his mating
partner might be
waiting. If fought
too close to his
cave, this mating
partner might
also be alarmed
by the roars of the Daran-

12
 Mug and come to his aid, so make sure you know its territory.
Steps:
• find antidote
• locate his cave and find out if he has a partner
• prepare an ambush to get beneath him unnoticed
• attack the hollow of his knees
• beware his claws, especially when he tries to grab you
• do not attack the belly
• topple him (easier when knees are wounded)
• kill him (by cutting his throat for example)
Micro-Setting: The Green Hell

• Bounty: sturdy and valuable bones, a lot of meat, poison

coated and razor sharp claws
If a player finds other solutions, go for it and reward clever thinking,
as long as he actually works with the environment.

“If you want to understand a land, you should listen to the stories of
its people.”
- Galathia Sternenschimmer
“I am looking for a man”
“What’s your type?”
“Delver. Have you seen any lately”
“ Yeah, a lizard fellow. Artesian I think.”
“No such thing as Artesia anymore. The north of it is called Marshak now.”
“There was a rip in Artesia?”
“More than one actually, but yeah, it has been divided.”
“So how did the rich folk of south Artesia like their new existence as
farmers. I take it trade has become difficult down there.”
“It has... and I guess they didn’t enjoy it. Not that one could ask them
since they all died in the great famine.”
“Man, you really don’t get any news up here.”
“Trust me, the rest of the world has it the same way. So this lizard,
you know where he went.”

13
 “Somewhere warmer I’d guess. I mean you probably lose track of
seasons down there, but winter is coming up and all you furless people
don’t wanna know what that means up here.”
“ Yeah, that pretty white fur can be quite handy.”
“The fella you looking for, why are you even interested. I don’t get a lot
of people looking for a delver. At least not anyone specific.”
“Let’s just say he broke the laws in one too many cities.”
“So you people have your own justice system now, too.”
“I do whatever I get paid for. Someone pays me to track down some
son of a bitch, I oblige.”
Micro-Setting: The Green Hell

“Real noble of you… The one you’re looking for, he had a pretty flashy
crossbow. Was mighty good with it too.”
“He killed someone?”
“No, he wounded Ordin, but he’ll get over it. Folk didn’t want
anything to do with the guy after that.”
“So he probably took the delve. Know here he could be heading?”
“I take it you come from the south. The nearest save delve would be
west of here. Two days travel if you hurry.”
“What if he went up to Tarbak?”
“There is no Tarbak anymore. We can hardly supply our villages down
here. Nobody cares about expeditions to the north anymore.”
“So you’re telling me nobody has been to the northpole for about 50
years?”
“There’s nothing up there except ice and water. I don’t know why
anyone would bother.”
“50 years ago the earth suddenly ripped open and revealed a forest
beneath our feet. I think you might wanna double check if there’s not
more than ice up there.”
“If you wanna take a look, suit yourself. I am looking to survive this
winter.”
- John “The Footprint” Lindel, famous delver
- Fenir Heygal, Barkeeper in the “Savory Bucket” in the city of Old
Norrenval

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Micro-Setting: The Green Hell

“To understand why the deeps are the way they are, we need
to understand why the trees disappeared all these centuries ago.
I think the reason was us. This world once had an intact eco-
system much like the one in the canyons. A system we are not
a part of. But we somehow bested these dangerous animals and
thereby doomed the forests.
“The scientists found a way to restore the fertility of the earth,
but they thought they would turn back the clock by a thousand
years. Instead, they restored it to the way it was maybe millions of
years ago. The ground from that age was activated and rejuvenated
and forcefully made its way to the surface. I can’t even imagine
what kind of forces were at work during that process.
“You ask me how one could fix this. I say we better learn to
accept the way it is now, because I don’t think this planet will
recover from another attempt at fixing it.”
- Travis Richards, historian and scientist

15
 “There has been an attack in Trell. They say a huge spider took three
of their men.”
“Trell is about half a mile from the edge of the deeps. You just
shouldn’t build a village that close to it.”
“ Yeah, but I’ve been thinking. What if whatever lives down there
is making its way up?”
“Why would it? For the dried out farmlands in the Massaro Plains?
For the infertile cliffs and mountains of Marshak? Or do you think
they’d like to move to the icy tundra of however they call the northern
shores these days? They have a forest with all they’d ever need down
there. You can’t even grow a tree higher than seven foot from the earth
Micro-Setting: The Green Hell

up here, because it will die if you don’t trim it.”

“ You’re talking like the wilds down there would be paradise.”
“They are, just not for us.”
“But you still keep on going down there...”
“Last year, when I took the delve west of Norrenval to cross to
the mountains of Hyall, I found a tunnel made of carved stone. The
walls where covered in glowing mushrooms that were arranged in
paintings and writings of a language I couldn’t read. I found a sword
out of a metal I had never seen, that cut through wood like it was
water and supplies of cured meat and dried fruits that kept me fed for
two month and I still sold the leftovers for a small fortune. Whoever
managed to build and live down there was miles ahead from what
we call civilization right now. That’s why I go down there. Because I
want to feel the spirit of something greater than… this.”
“That’s a nice story. I pretty much had to become a delver, when I killed
that rich guy in Allo-Hou. Still don’t like it down there, but once you cross
the deeps to a new land, you might as well be born a new man.”
“From what I hear you are running out of places you can be reborn from.”
“I think I am going back to Massaro. Some place west of the canyon.
They should have forgotten about me by now.”
- Amy Lahir, alias “The Scholar”
- Oprin Jay-Lauwns, one month before his execution in Ripetown,
west-Massaro

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 Literal Tiny Dungeon
A Tiny Dungeon 2e Adventure for 3-5 players
by Robert Denton III

Introduction
The Adventurer’s Guild hands out some odd assignments to up-and-
coming adventurers, but this one might be among the oddest. A local
magician is seeking an adventuring party to help her find a missing
item, one so important that “her entire future depends on it.” When
pressed for details, she only told the recruiter that she needs adaptable,
spry, and determined warriors, and that finding his lost item might
be “a short order.” You’re not exactly sure what that means, but the pay
is supposed to be good, and it’s been weeks without an assignment. So
with only that to go on, you and your party arrive at the front step
of the magician’s abode, a small cottage near a small pond set in the
outskirts of the nearby city…
Hello, Tiny Game Master! This is a whimsical fantasy adventure
for your Tiny Dungeon 2e campaign! It is designed to be dropped
Literal Tiny Dungeon

into any high fantasy campaign with minimal changes, or as the

establishing session of your new fantasy game.
Tiny Dungeon Players, read no farther! If you do, you might
spoil some of the surprises and take some of the fun out of this
adventure. Instead, give this to your playgroup’s Game Master
and ask them to run it for you! That way, you can experience it
firsthand for yourself, and wouldn’t that be better?
In this adventure, the heroes will seek a lost treasure in a mysterious
new world filled with strange and dangerous creatures. Sounds like
a typical fantasy game, right? Well, there is one little twist. And by
“little,” we really mean “tiny…”

17
 The Tiny Hook
Are the players gone? Is it just you and me now, Game Master?
Good. You’ll want to read this entire adventure before running it
for your adventuring party. That way, you’ll know what’s coming
up and you can be ready for the inevitable curveballs the players
will throw at you. Feel free to adapt this adventure for your
existing campaign or expand upon the premise however you
wish! This document is here just to get you started.
The magician Fritzi has recently completed the graduate
program from the magic academy, and she’s proven herself to
be a talented spellweaver, if a bit absent-minded. For the past
several years, she’s been dating a forest witch (the elf of her
affections might not have considered them “dates,” but she is
fond of Fritzi), and now that she’s completed her training, she’s
ready to pop the question. She’s got the whole moment planned
out: a quiet dinner in the mangrove, the night air lit by swamp
gas and will-o-wisps, serenaded by croaks of the pond frogs…
with such a romantic setting, Fritzi just knows she’ll say yes!
The trouble is, Fritzi has lost the most important thing: the
engagement ring! She’s looked everywhere, but she’s certain that
she dropped it in the backyard, probably in the herb garden.
Such tiny things are impossible to find because they are so
Literal Tiny Dungeon

small. But if they were massive, they’d be easy to find, right? The
solution, therefore, is for everyone to shrink down to teeny tiny
size, making the ring massive by comparison! Luckily, Fritzi has
developed a spell to do just that!
Welcome to literal tiny dungeon!

18
 The Magician’s Cottage
Our adventure begins with our heroes arriving at Fritzi’s cottage
at the outskirts of the city. She opens the door just as they arrive
and, glancing at their official Adventurer’s Guild pendants,
beckons them inside!

Laying it Out
The cottage is a clean, cozy, yet cluttered space, with books stacked up to the
ceiling and all manner of trinkets and gadgets lining the living space. Fritzi
guides you through a thin pathway she’s cleared through her things and sits
everyone down at a table she’s swept of research papers. Once everyone has
a nice steamy mug of tea (only a few of which are cracked or chipped), she
explains why she reached out to the Adventuring Guild for aid.
For maximum effect, the Game Master should play this scene
out with the players. Fritzi is a scatterbrained but friendly
magician with big dreams and aspirations.
She wants to create magical solutions
for mundane problems, improving the
quality of life of everyone, no matter
their station in life. She’s enthusiastic,
idealistic, creative, and outgoing,
but she lacks self-discipline and
has a tendency toward spontaneity.
Literal Tiny Dungeon

Adopt her persona and, improvising

with player reactions and questions,
relate the following information:
• Fritzi’s been seeing the elf Dínlothe
(she calls her “Deen”) for a few years
now, and they’ve grown very close.
They’ve been on several dates (“Well
I mean… I think they were dates…
Hunting basilisk tail for stonecure
potion counts right? Cuz she was
totally into how I stunned it with a
Glimmershower!”), and now that

19
 Deen is almost done with the witches’ apprenticeship, and
since Fritzi’s finished her Magician’s Master’s (“With a B.S.
in Thaumatergical Studies”), she thinks it’s time to pop the
question. If pressed, Fritzi goes on about how awesome Deen
is, mostly focusing on how Deen makes her feel, and that she
wants to spend her life with her. She’s nervous about it, but is
sure Deen feels the same way.
• As part of her marriage proposal, Fritzi bought a very expensive
gold ring, which is adorned with “the crystalized tear of a
kirin.” It cost a fortune. She had to sell half her personal library
and risk her own life in a dungeon crawl to afford it. But it’s
worth every penny… as she says, “Once Deen sees a glimpse of
our happy future together in the enchanted facets of the ring, I just
know she’ll say yes!”
• Fritzi lost the ring. She’s turned her entire house inside out
looking for it (maybe even literally… she seems like that kind
of magician), but to no avail. After thinking it over, and after
summoning an ether demon and trading a pint of her own
blood for a demonic answer, she is certain she accidentally
dropped it while she was tending her herb garden out back.
But even after looking, she couldn’t find it. It’s just too small!
That’s why she invoked the Adventurer’s Guild. She needs
the heroes to find the lost engagement ring. There isn’t a
moment to lose… she wants to propose tonight!
Literal Tiny Dungeon

After this, Fritzi leans in.

“You see, the thing about losing small objects is that they’re impossible to
find. Because of their size, you see? We’re always overlooking what’s small.
But the counter to that is that we can’t help but notice what’s big. If only
the ring was massive, then it would be easy to find!” Fritzi leans forward,
a peculiar glimmer in her eye. “I’m afraid it’s beyond my abilities to make
the ring bigger, especially if I cannot find it. And besides, the kirin’s tear
would reject any enchantment cast on it. But, what I can do is make you
smaller!” With that, she produces a scroll and pops it from its case. “I have
the spell right here! It’ll make you micro-sized for about a few hours! Well,
let’s go outside and get this show on the road…”

20
 If players are reluctant to Aren’t You Coming Too?
be shrunk down to tiny size
and go on a scavenger hunt If players ask if Fritzi is coming,
through Fritzi’s garden, then she bursts out laughing. “Yeah
congratulations: you have sane right, like I’m gonna shrink
players. However, we need myself dow-I mean, it’s better
them to go along with this. So that someone stays behind
offer the heroes the following and keeps an eye on things.
spoils and reassurances: You know. Just in case.” Then,
“Look, I’m paying you guys to
• In addition to payment from go. Okay? You want the money
the Guild (it should be a or not?
decent sum for each), Fritzi
will allow characters to keep
any other items they should find in her garden. She just wants
the engagement ring. Anything else is theirs.
• The shrink spell will only last for a few hours. It wears off
naturally. Even so, since it is woven from her own mana,
Fritzi can dispel the enchantment at will. She will do so if
things get too rough; she gives one hero a little rocket that
will signal her if the party needs to “grow up.”
• If the heroes need more, offer them each a special item in
addition to the regular payment.

Honey, I Shrunk The Heroes

Literal Tiny Dungeon

Once they are ready, Fritzi leads the party

into the garden to work the spell.
Perceptive heroes may take note
of the surroundings: the herb
garden is about twelve paces
from the back stoop, and is only
about seven feet by seven feet.
The rest of the yard is a grassy
meadow, unkempt and littered
with dandelions. At the far
side of the property is a small

21
 pond. Beyond the fence bisecting the pond, the meadow rolls
over short hills and grows wild.
With everyone ready to go, Fritzi casts her patented shrinking spell.
Fritzi begins her enchantment several times, stopping now and
again to squint at the scroll, furrow her brow, and re-pronounce a
difficult incantation. You can tell she finally cast it correctly when her
words echo with a force that shakes your teeth, and the lines she traces
in the air glow like falling embers.
The stalks of grass grow thicker. The air grows denser. It is as if the
world is inflating around you. Fritzi rises slowly, growing taller and
taller. From her rapidly deepening voice come quick words:
“Okay, that should do it! Be careful! Watch out for bugs and things,
they might think you’re a predator or something. Once you find the
ring, set off that rocket I gave you, and I’ll bring you back to normal
size. And if you find anything else I’ve dropped, keep it. Just get me
the ring! That’s all I care about!
“Oh, and before I forget, don’t go splitting any atoms! You’ll know one
when you see it! I think. And even more important, and I can’t stress
this enough, whatever you do, absolutely do not…”
Her voice is too deep to understand. It only registers as thunder.
The heroes now average about two inches tall.
What was once a quiet if overgrown yard now
teems with sound and movement. The grass has
Literal Tiny Dungeon

become a jungle of thick stalks, their grassy

fragrance overwhelming. The herb garden
is like a redwood forest, the rosemary like
massive pine evergreens, the basil casting a
sprawling shadow, and all the other
medicinal and magical herbs
stretching beyond the horizon.
Nowhere to go but forward!

22
 The Herb Garden
The Herb Garden is now like a sparse forest, but it’s not as thick or
foreboding as the grassy jungle. It smells better, too. Heroes should
begin searching for the lost engagement ring, but they should also
be careful, since they could become lost in the vegetation.
If the Heroes split up, have them each roll a Test to determine
if they find anything among the massive herbs. Heroes that are
successful search the entire garden without incident. Heroes that
fail are each attacked by 1d3 Garden Ants! Oh no! Heroes that
were successful may assist those who weren’t, joining the fight to
fend off the colonial invaders!
If they stay together, let one of them roll the same Test. If successful,
the group searches the entire garden as one without incident. If the
test fails, they are attacked by 1d6 Garden Ants! Yikes!
Garden Ant
HP: 1 (Fodder)
Description: Raising its elbowed antennae and staring with
textured orb-like eyes, the massive ant charges forward on six legs,
threatening to trample and gore you on its razor-sharp mandibles!
Smile And Tell The Players: “This creature is Level One.”
Traits:
• Strong
Literal Tiny Dungeon

• Teamwork: When a melee attack against a Garden Ant

fails, an adjacent (different) Garden Ant may immediately
make an attack with Disadvantage against the target that
missed. Each Garden Ant may only do this once per Round.
Notes:
• The ants each leave a trail of stinky pheromones behind them
as they skuttle along. These musky pathways seem to influence
how the ants cooperate. As an Action, a Hero may attempt to
disrupt the pheromone trails via any valid method they invent.
If they do, it takes up their entire turn, but the ants become
confused, unable to use their Teamwork Trait, and attacks
against them are made with Advantage.
• The ants will flee when they are outnumbered two to one.

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 When the Ants are Grassblades
defeated, or if the Heroes
The fibrous grass has a cutting edge,
searched the garden
which may be of use to our Heroes.
without incident, they
At any time, a Hero may pull a
come upon a large ring-
“grassblade” from the ground, wielding
shaped depression in the
the grassy shoot as one would wield a
ground. It seems the ring
sword. Such improvised weapons are
fell here! But the ring
considered Light Melee Weapons.
isn’t here anymore. The
most observant heroes Heroes can use the giant fibrous grass
spot tiny pawprints in to make other useful things too, like
the dirt. Some small backpacks, pouches, nets, and other
creatures must have such things. Let players invent and
taken it! Heroes with create whatever they wish out of the
relevant Traits, Family grass, but remind them that they only
Trades, or backgrounds have so much inventory space.
may Test to identify
them; they are mouse tracks, and judging from their number, there
were several of them.
Following the tracks reveals several places where the ring was
dropped and then picked up again, winding this way and that,
around the basil and through the vervain, until at least the trail
leads to the edge of the garden and into the grassy jungle beyond.
If the ring is to be recovered, players will have to continue
Literal Tiny Dungeon

following the trail into the untamed wild grasses.

The Winding Path Through The Meadow

At this size, the grassy yard is virtually indistinguishable from a
verdant forest. The sun peeks in only through tiny cracks in the
canopy of grass blades and clover, making the path seem dark and
foreboding. Heroes must literally press through the thick grasses;
a character with a bladed weapon may take the lead, hacking a
trail as if wielding a machete. Beyond, heroes hear all manner of
strange noises, buzzes and chirps, low growls and echoing keens.

24
 Following the trail of pawprints is easier said than done! Choose
one Hero to be the “Pathfinder.” Ask for volunteers. That Hero
must roll three Tests to determine if the party becomes lost. Each
Test is made with Advantage if that Hero possesses a Trait that
would be helpful in finding one’s way in the wilds.
For each failure, the party has an encounter. The Game Master
chooses one of the Encounters below, or rolls one randomly. If the
same result shows up, roll again or pick another.
• Encounter 1: 1d6 Garden Ants. Oh no! (Refer to the above profile.)
• Encounter 2: A Garden Snail, apparently one of the few
carnivorous species.
• Encounter 3: A Garden Snake, apparently also hunting mice
but happy to settle for adventurers...
• Encounter 4: A freak thunderstorm, complete with massive
drops of rain! Run for cover!
• Encounter 5: A Spider. Eek! Horrible!
In addition, Heroes will have one more Encounter from the
above list as they forge their path, even if they suffer no failures.
Garden Snail
HP: 3 (Medium)
Description: A gigantic snail rears its slime-coated head, extending
two tentacles capped with bulbous eyes. Its featureless face splits,
Literal Tiny Dungeon

and it extends a gaping maw on a dripping stalk!

Smile And Tell The Players: “This creature is Level One.”
Traits:
• Reach: The snail may make Melee attacks to any targets
within 10 (relative) feet.
• Shell: Attacks against the Garden Snail are only successful
on a 6, or if the enemy Focuses, a 5 or a 6.
Notes:
• If a Hero happens to have some table salt, applying it to the
snail immediately inflicts 2 damage to it. Players may attempt
to outrun the snail by making a Test with Advantage. If they
do, they leave the snail behind.

25
 Garden Snake
HP: 5 (Medium)
Description: A massive ribbon snake
darts from the underbrush, moving so fast
you can barely react! It unhinges its gaping
jaw and unfurls two dripping fangs of death!
Smile And Tell The Players: “This
creature is Level One.”
Traits:
• Snek Constrict (Melee Attack): “i am darkness.” Test against
an enemy within 10 (relative) feet. If successful, the enemy
must roll a Save Test to avoid being grappled. Each round
an enemy is grappled, it suffers two damage. On its turn, a
grappled foe can attempt a Save or Evade Test to escape. If
this snake is successfully attacked while it grapples a foe, it
releases that foe from the grapple.
Notes:
• He sneec. He attac. But if reduced to 2 HPs or less, he pull bac.

Freak Thunderstorm
A thunderous boom resounds, followed by the unmistakable sound
of falling rain. A giant orb of water breaks through the grass and
explodes on the ground, showering the area. These droplets are so
Literal Tiny Dungeon

big, they might cause a concussion! The Heroes run for cover!
Each Hero must make an Evade Test to find cover and avoid the
falling rain. Those who fail are struck by a water orb, which knocks
them over and inflicts 1 point of damage. Allow players to invent
feats that might grant Advantage for the test.
After everyone has tested, they must wait out the storm. It only
lasts a few minutes, but during this time, let each player tell the
group what they are doing to pass the time. Are they exploring
their hiding place? Weaving something out of the nearby grasses?
Wondering how they got themselves into this mess? This is our
chance to find out a bit more about them.
When the storm finally passes, our heroes can move on.

26
 Cucumber Green Spider
Without saying what just happened, have our Heroes each make
a Save Test; Traits that represent the ability to pay attention to
surroundings grant Advantage for this Test. Each Hero that fails
becomes trapped in a sticky web; they literally just walked into it.
Within moments, a giant green spider crawls down from a nearby
grassblade, but it doesn’t attack. Instead, it hovers just out of reach.
Then, comes a surprisingly deep voice: “Hey! What are you squishies
doin’ in me web?!”
This garden spider is known as Spindle-
Legs. He’s been in the
garden for a long time,
nearly two years! He prefers prey that
won’t fight back, and that doesn’t include
the adventurers. But neither will he
release them. You’ve got weapons, hack
yourself free!
If asked, he’s seen a ring matching
the one the heroes are searching
for. But he won’t just tell them;
what’s in it for ol’ Spindle-
Legs, eh? If coaxed, either with
something he’d like or with the threat
Literal Tiny Dungeon

of violence, he’ll tell the party that a group of field mice went past
carrying it (with some trouble). “Probably an offering to the Lilly Pad
King, I’d venture! That bloke’s obsessed with anything shiny!”
Heroes may attack Spindle-Legs if they wish. He doesn’t want to
fight, but will if he must. Use the Giant Spider profile on page 51 of
Tiny Dungeon 2e, but only give him eight Hps.

After the party has stumbled their way through the grasses, they
come to a clearing, where the grass is shorter. The trail continues
onward, but after their ordeal, they are exhausted, and they sit down
to rest for a moment by a large dandelion stalk.

27
 The Dandelion Dryad
Resting beneath a massive dandelion stalk as the cool air relaxes your
sore bones, a small timid voice reaches your ears. “Who’s there? Hey!
Are you guys mortals?”
It came from above! There, perched on the fluffy dandelion flower, is
a lithe humanoid girl! She is pale green, wearing a tunic of leaves,
and with a thick messy puff of golden hair. Her eyes shimmer as she
looks from one of you to the next. “ You guys can see me, right?” Her
grin widens. “Wow! I didn’t think any of the giants could see me!
Then again, I guess you’re not very ‘giant’ anymore, are you?”
The girl is Blowball, the dryad of this dandelion. Like most
dryads, she is a nymph, a nature spirit inhabiting and bound to
a living plant. In this case, the plant is a dandelion. Heroes with
appropriate backgrounds will know that dryads share the fate of
their plant and are generally shy and harmless magical creatures.
Blowball is extremely curious about the heroes. She’s never
spoken with a giant before, and when she sees the heroes a r e
friendly, immediately leaps down from her perch to interact
with them. She wants to know everything about the giant
world. How do people live there? What do they
do? Are there plants there too? The questions are
endless, but if heroes are patient
and explain that they are on a
Literal Tiny Dungeon

mission, she will reluctantly relent.

If the heroes are injured, Blowball
with tend to their wounds, healing them
completely. If asked about the ring, Blowball’s
eyes light up. “Why, I’ve seen the ring you’re talking
about! The field mice took it! I watched them drag
it for about five minutes before they finally
figured out they could roll it if they put it on
its side. They’re taking it to their fortress at
the pond, probably to throw into their
big stack of treasure there.” Blowball
sighs. “Oh, I wish I could go with
you. It’s so dull here.”

28
 If they entertain at least some of her questions, or they
otherwise charm her, Blowball will pluck three seeds from her
dandelion. These are special seeds imbued with her power, she
says. Throwing them will cause dandelion stalks to grow from
the ground, providing cover, platforms, or other such useful things.
She gives them to the heroes and asks that they be careful.
If for some reason the heroes are not friendly, she dives into
the puff of the dandelion and does not reappear.

The Fortress By The Pond

As heroes approach the pond, they spot the so-called “fortress” of
the field mice. At a glance, especially if one were of “normal size,”
this fortress would merely be an unusually large mouse nest. But
from this vantage, our heroes can clearly see this structure was
skillfully woven from hundreds of grass blades by tiny hands. At
its base is a round door set into the earth, like a trap door. The
true warren will be underground!
If heroes approach, they are immediately attacked by a group of
1d3+1 mouse warriors, and as the fight begins, three other mice
leap down into the hole. The entire fortress is now warned!
Cautious heroes might foresee this and try to sneak into the
fortress. If so, let them Test to do so, and remember they Test with
Advantage if they are Sneaky! Successful heroes can infiltrate the
Literal Tiny Dungeon

fortress without being noticed by the hidden mouse guards. Those

who fail trigger the above encounter. If a hero infiltrates alone,
they can quietly “knock out” the guards and let the other heroes in.
Heroes might also try something more drastic. If they are able
to light the dry, grassy fortress on fire, 1d3+1 mouse warriors
attempt to put out the flames, flinging little water droplets from
grass slings! This allows the heroes to get the jump on them, or
rush past and into the warren.

29
 Warrior Mouse
HP: 3 (Medium)
Description: Technically, this would be a “Wood Mouse,” as
identified by the round ears, fluffy brown fur, and-holy jingles it
has a sword!!
Smile And Tell The Players: “This creature is Level One.”
Traits:
• Weapons: The mouse either has a toothpick that it wields as a
sword (melee), or a grass sling that hurls cherry pits (ranged).
• Defender or Fleet of Foot (Choose one).
Notes:
• When reduced to 1 HP, a Warrior Mouse cries out and falls
over, lying still. It might take a while for the mouse to realize
it’s not dead. In any case, the mouse is defeated at 1 HP.

The Chase Through The Warren

The warren is a series of tunnels and rooms dug out of the earth,
padded underfoot with dry grasses, straw, and cloth fibers. There
are all manner of things scavenged from Fritzi’s home: lint,
buttons, little coins, toothpicks, sewing needles, broken glass, ink
vials, seeds, dried fruits, bits of paper, a reconstructed skeleton of a
fruit bat, and even a love poem (written in Fritzi’s handwriting…
Literal Tiny Dungeon

it’s not very good). Much of the bedding seems to be sheets torn
from knightly adventure epics. The rooms are dark, but shafts
of light peek in through the cracks of the grass-woven vaulted
ceiling. Three hallways extend from the massive entrance room.
Upon entering, the heroes are attacked by three Mouse
Warriors (use the profile above). If the Warren was alerted, they
are instead attacked by eight! Yikes!
Heroes can try to run from mouse warrior encounters, but
they are chased throughout the warrens if they do. By ducking
into different rooms and hiding, sneaking around, or inventing
swashbuckling-style feats with the surrounding junk, they can
try to evade capture as they seek the treasure room. Or they can

30
 just fight the mice directly, although this will likely just wear
them down (and there’s no harm in saying so). Even if they are
running, they will have to cross swords (or toothpicks, or grass
blades, or whatever) with a Mouse Warrior now and again.
Whenever heroes move from one room to the next, roll a Test
to see how far they get. On each success, they found another large
room with more junk, which gets progressively more “grand” as
they proceed, with things like little mouse tapestries, little mouse
paintings, furniture, chandeliers with tiny candles, little bottles
made into manually-worked elevators… oh how cute, it’s like a little
castle! Ahem. On each failure, they find a hall with several exits, and
you get to add another d3+1 mouse warriors to the chase! Yay!
When the heroes have succeeded three times, they find
themselves in a “grand hall.” It is a long and narrow room with
a huge banquet table at the center. On this table is a feast of
cooked insects. It reeks. Within moments, every mouse warrior
that has been chasing them pours into the room. And you know
what? Throw in ten more for good measure. Why not?
Against such impressive numbers, there’s no way to win. Urge
your heroes to “strategically withdraw” through the unguarded
door at the back of the room…

The Pond and the King

Literal Tiny Dungeon

The door opens to the outside! The heroes are standing before the
small pond in Fritzi’s back yard. Sunlight glints off the still waters,
upon which float massive lilly pads. Thick grass stalks protrude
from the waters, and above dragonflies rest dangerously on their
perches. The mouse warriors freeze in the doorway. Their little
bulging eyes are fearful, and none dare move beyond the threshold.
The waters suddenly break, and with a triumphant croak,
a gigantic frog lands on the ground with a wet slap. This frog
towers over the heroes. Gold bands encircle the frog’s limbs, and
a tattered cloak of stained silk is draped around its shoulders.
Perched around one of its massive bulbous eyes, glinting in the
sun, is the engagement ring.

31
 As soon as it appears, the Frog attacks!
Pond Frog / The Lillypad King!
HP: 12 (Heroic)
Description: This horrific frog rises at several times your height,
towering above you with merciless bulbous eyes. Its slick, glistening
skin is thick and hardy, seeded with bony plates. Within its abyssal
maw rest two sets of jaws and a coiled tongue! This is the dragon
of the gardens! Without warning, it is upon you!
Smile And Tell The Players: “This creature is Level One.”
Traits:
• Strong
• Stomp: Test 2d6. On a success, all enemies within 5 feet are
knocked prone. Oh no!
• Tongue-Lashing (Melee Attack): The frog can unleash its
sticky tongue at a target up to 15 (relative) feet away. That
target must immediately Save Test; failure means they are
caught and whipped into the frog’s maw, where they are
grappled. Each round the enemy is grappled, they suffer
two damage. On its turn, a grappled enemy can make a
Save or Evade test to escape. If the Frog suffers three or
more damage in a round, it releases its grappled foe.
• The Ring!: Thanks to the ring around its eyeball (ew!), spells
Literal Tiny Dungeon

flung forward this feisty frog fizzle! By which I mean, spells

cast on the frog automatically fail. Better just buff your allies…
Notes:
• When the Pond Frog’s HPs are reduced to 6 or less, the
engagement ring becomes visibly looser. Heroes may Test
to remove the ring, although they cannot do this and
also Attack or Evade. Success means the ring falls off.
Alternatively, they can attack the ring directly; if the ring
is successfully struck three times, it falls off. If the ring is
separated from the frog, it immediately suffers 3 HPs of
damage and loses its “The Ring” Trait.
• The Frog attempts to retreat when it is reduced to 2 HPs or less.

32
 When the Pond Frog is slain, it lets out one final croak and
then collapses into the waters with a massive splash. The ring falls
from around its eye and lands with a thud, just barely missing
one of our heroes (who stands, unharmed, in the ring’s center).
Congratulate our heroes, for they have found the engagement
ring and saved Fritzi’s proposal! Just then, the mice rush from
their fortress and surround the heroes…
...and as one, they bow.
Encircled by dozens of humbly bowing mice, you watch dumbfounded
as the tallest among them approaches, head lowered, offering you all
a slender sword. It is a blade crafted from a sewing needle, the guard
made from a piece of cork, a tiny glass bead adorning the handle. The
mouse extends this with both hands and kneels before you. Suddenly
he speaks, his voice rich and noble!
“The Kingdom of Thistle-Hollow thanks you, noble heroes! Long
have we suffered beneath the yoke of the cruel Lillypad King, for he
forced us to do his bidding and rendered us powerless beneath his
slimy, unblinking gaze! Were it not for you, we would have toiled
beneath him for several more generations, surrendering unto him our
precious treasures and appeasing him with trinkets dropped by the
giants of the Larger-World. The word of our sacred law is clear: you
are now our rulers! We bow to you! Hail, saviors of Thistle-Hollow!
Long live the vanquishers!”
Literal Tiny Dungeon

Three mighty cheers rise from the pond!

After the sword is accepted, the tall mouse rises, a fire in his eyes.
“But our woes are not over, gentle lords! We beseech thee aid us again,
and if you do, we will shower you with our most precious treasures
and our bards will sing your names in song! For now, our kingdom
is assailed by our ancient enemy: the evil bunny Fu-Fu, who has long
been scooping us up and bopping us on the head-”
There is a loud pop. In the span of three seconds, you grow to normal
size. The horrified screams of the mice rapidly fade. The last you see of
them is their tails as they scatter away.
Fritzi chuckles nervously as she wraps up the magic scroll. “Oops! Didn’t
mean to do that! Oh well. Find my ring?”

33
 Epilogue
If the heroes manage to retrieve the ring,Fritzi is overjoyed.
But she’s also in a hurry; she’s supposed to meet Dínlothe
at the mangrove dock within the hour. She thanks the
heroes and pays them their gold, along with anything else
she promised to give them. Furthermore, she also gives them
a number of potions and a bottle of dandelion wine, which
she says was made from dandelions picked right
from her own backyard! Yummy!
If a character managed to hold on to that mouse sword at the
moment the shrinking spell broke, then it grew to large size with
them. They now have a rather peculiar sword… one might even
call it “homemade.” It counts as a Light Melee Weapon. Not a
bad take home!
Heroes who remember and wish to find Blowball will find that hard
to do as normal-sized individuals. At the GM’s discretion, a hero
seeking her may Test with Disadvantage to check the dandelions in
the yard. If successful, she appears on the top of her flower-stalk. If
characters transplant her flower, maybe they can take her with them.
She’s always wanted to see the world of the giants, after all!
Heroes may want to tag along for the proposal. Fritzi will allow that,
so long as they stay out of sight. Dínlothe is a lot different from Fritzi,
Literal Tiny Dungeon

a very calm, almost icey personality, far more reserved and practical-
minded. The forest witch seems rather amused by Fritzi’s bumbling
manner and rambling, nervous speech. When Fritzi shows her the
ring, her eyes widen, and for a long moment, perhaps too long, she
says nothing. Just as it grows awkward, Fritzi begins to say, “Ah,
nevermind,” as if to save face.
But she is interrupted by Dínlothe’s quiet reply: “Yes. I will.”
Heroes should expect “save the date” letters within a few months.

34