Summary of [BONUS] Shadowdark One Shot - Trial of the Slime Lord

Overview of Dungeons and Daddies — [BONUS] Shadowdark One Shot: Trial of the Slime Lord

This bonus episode is a one‑shot of the old‑school renaissance TTRPG Shadowdark (design by Kelsey Dion; the one‑shot module Trial of the Slime Lord by Jordan Rudd), run by Will for the Dungeons and Daddies crew (Anthony, Freddy, Beth). The group runs a high‑lethality level‑zero “gauntlet” crawl: stripped‑down OSR rules, initiative for every round (even during exploration), a one‑hour torch/light timer, lots of traps/puzzles, random gear/encounters, and disposable characters. The session leans hard into dark comedy, chaotic roleplay, and brutal OSR deaths — the party encounters slime, weird statues/puzzles, a translucent ooze, and finally the Slime Lord (a gelatinous cube–style boss), with predictable and messy results. They had a blast and plan to run more Shadowdark on Patreon.

Key takeaways / main points

• Format: Level‑zero Shadowdark gauntlet — start with several expendable, random low‑level NPCs; survivors become ongoing PCs.
• Mechanics to remember:
  • Initiative governs everything (exploration included).
  • Light is a consumable resource (1 hour real time on the torch).
  • Random gear and encounter tables drive unpredictability and high lethality.
• Tone: Old‑school ruthless dungeon crawl — short life expectancy for characters; lots of improvised, chaotic roleplay.
• Outcome: The one‑shot ends with the party encountering the Slime Lord and being consumed — a classic OSR “you will die” gauntlet result.
• They enjoyed it and will run more Shadowdark sessions (Patreon subscribers get priority).

Characters / players (quick list)

• Remar — Anthony’s elf livestock farmer (level‑zero PC; lawful, one HP on several characters).
• SA (pronounced “essay”) — Freddy’s human street urchin.
• Uthrog — Beth’s half‑orc influencer/streamer (uses props, tripod, rope, chair leg).
• Rorgrog — Half‑orc influencer introduced late as another survivor.
• GM: Will — runs Shadowdark, map, fog of war, and reads prologue/clues.

Setting & system notes

• Shadowdark: OSR‑inspired modern product with minimal rules, emphasis on lethal encounters and resource scarcity.
• Gauntlet design: Players run several level‑zero NPCs through a short dungeon; survivors can be “promoted” to actual player characters.
• Map & VTT: GM used a fog‑of‑war virtual tabletop; exploration revealed rooms incrementally.
• Light mechanic: Torches have limited real‑time duration; running out means pitch darkness — bad things happen.
• Randomization: Pre‑rolled random gear (e.g., 60 ft rope, chair leg) and random encounters (rats, oozes, etc.).

Episode highlights (chronological)

• Prologue: Will reads a pulpy, gross prologue setting the mood — crawlers, spiders, demon statues, and a menacing “Shadow Dog” tease.
• Entry: PCs wake in a slime‑slick round chamber. An arch reads: “Welcome to disillusion. Escape or feed Raka’uku.”
• Early exploration:
  • Trash room with sticky footprints and a multicolored slime puddle (ASMR slime jokes).
  • Random gear rolls: Uthrog finds 60 ft rope and a chair leg.
• Statues puzzle: Three statues with plaques:
  • “The first offering is flesh.”
  • “The second offering is bone.”
  • “The final offering is all.”
  • The players attempt literal sacrifices (hangnails, flesh) — nothing immediate happens.
• Pool & drain: A knee‑deep cool pool with a grate and current; following the water leads deeper.
• Combat/encounters:
  • Translucent ooze emerges — Uthrog is hit and falls to dying condition; torch falls into water → darkness.
  • In the dark, the Slime Lord / Raka’uku (gelatinous cube–style) arrives and breathes/sizzles.
  • Attempts to flee fail; Remar and SA get engulfed and are consumed (highly lethal outcome).
  • Rorgrog appears briefly as another survivor; the session finishes with more failed checks and more consumptions — party wiped.
• Aftermath: Joke wraps about survivors, possible future sessions, and teasing other characters (Eric, Joram) for next time.

Puzzles & encounters (succinct)

• Sticky footprints & slime puddle — flavor + clue to slime presence.
• Three statues and plaques — puzzle requiring the right “offerings” (flesh / bone / all), but party handled it literally and prematurely.
• Cool pool & grate — location of the translucent ooze.
• Random encounters used frequently (rats, translucent ooze).
• Boss: Raka’uku — described/played like a gelatinous cube that engulfs and auto‑damages. Engulfed characters faced quick death.

Notable quotes / lines

• “Welcome to disillusion. Escape or feed Raka’uku.” — inscription that sets tone.
• The statue plaques: “The first offering is flesh… the second offering is bone… the final offering is all.”
• Will’s frequent OSR descriptions and comedic flourishes: (examples) “glutes are flexing” and “this is a nasty sweaty little old school dungeon crawler.”

Content warnings

• Adult language, sexual humor/innuendo, body horror (dissolving flesh, being consumed), death and gore, drug/alcohol product mentions in ads.
• The hosts note content warnings are in the episode description.

Sponsors, calls‑to‑action & production notes

• Ads read during the episode include Royal Kingdom (game), eBay, Squarespace, Mint Mobile, Soul gummies, Smith’s (in Spanish), Breathe Right, Chime, and promo cross‑ads.
• Patreon: They plan to run more Shadowdark one‑shots on Patreon (patreon.com/dungeonsanddads) — subscribers get early access.
• Tease: They’ll likely run more and may include Matt next time; next characters teased: Eric, Joram, a “Thakdur” chaotic noble idea.

Who should listen / why

• Fans of Dungeons and Daddies who want a bonus, short‑form OSR one‑shot with lots of improvisation and comedy.
• Players/DMs curious about Shadowdark’s gauntlet structure, light mechanics, and running lethal, old‑school dungeons.
• Listeners who enjoy chaotic roleplay, dark humor, and pub‑style group improv.

Quick followups (how to keep up)

• Join Patreon (patreon.com/dungeonsanddads) for more Shadowdark one‑shots and early episodes.
• Watch for future bonus episodes teasered at the end (more level‑zero runs; possibly Matt joining).