Doing the Hex Crawl of The Gloaming, from Cursed Scroll 1 of Shadowdark. I like it, just started it tonight.
And Rocket Punch Press is correct, I love the word "Gloaming".
I BEGIN
First fight a giant spider, dice went my way.
Then I nearly died, TPK style, to 6 wolves (2d6 wolves is beyond scary at level 1, I had to go to level 2 on my char.s I realized to get past 2 hexes on this dang map), but reached my first pre-defined point of interest:
102. SHATTERED TOWER
A crumbling keep in a clearing choked with thorns and nettles. A heavy trapdoor in the ruins leads down to an old cistern where a dark shape slithers beneath the putrid algae.
MY VERSION: So yeah... the Cistern is like the one I just posted, it has an upside head (why not). But where the upper parts are white stone, the parts touching the water are green to black with algae... stagnant water that hasn't seen fresh rain, only drippings from cracks in the areas above or to the side.
Let's back up a sec. My 3 characters, Ranger, Wizard, Cleric, after approaching the clearing, clear of trees but choked with thorns and stinging nettles, they manage to sword chop a path through to the tower. It takes a minute, and while the ranger slashes, the other two watch their flanks. Nothing approaches from the woods... and the ranger Lamdir realizes that there are not even rabbit trails through the briars. It's like the place is cursed, mammals at least do not approach. The party presses on, sure that where there is trouble, there is also treasure.
(I rolled a max safe roll on the check for the hex, so that'll color this creature, etc.)
They find the trapdoor. They smell the dank. Lighting a torch they peer downward. It appears to be a safe set of stone steps, not too smooth as to be slippery. But old. The shattered tower has partially crumbled, but down here everything seems intact. Intact, but not right.
Do they see any movement? 1d20 on Shadowdark Oracle: 6 = No, not yet.
They step down on the floor of the place, taking in the shadowy place... massive white stone columns holding up the floor above them. Their torchlight reflecting off of slimy pools here and there. But the cistern, yes there is the thing to catch their eye. And the water ripples... now they see the dark shape slithering beneath the water. No obvious footprints or trails along the floor. A water breathing creature or monster? How big is it?
Rolling 1d6 = 4 = slightly above average. So person sized, but thinner and more serpentine. Does it have fins that poke above the water that they notice? Oracle: 19, Yes.
They decide to approach closer, and believe they are looking at a giant fish or eel of some sort. Seemingly natural and completely water bound. Do they prod it with a pole? Oracle: 3, No. Do they see any glint of metal in the water anywhere near this creature? Oracle: 17, Yes. This is the treasure of the place, they are certain. But they need to either get it carefully, or risk the hunger of this giant eel-fish. And how does this thing persist down here with no apparent food? They recall the lack of rabbit trails... is this thing truly natural?
DC12 INT check for Ranger and Wizard to determine the type of animal:
Ranger: 6+4(nature knowledge)+1 Int = 11
Wizard: 16+.. pass. It is a very large eel, apparently fresh water, though this isn't very "fresh" water.
The ranger decides to feed it to distract it, while the others use a pole and lasso combo to try to grab the metal down in the water. If it is armor or something that a lasso can hold, it might just work. If it turns out to be coins, then they just fed a big eel and lost a day's rations.
OK, the get some shiny gauntlets. Ranger wears them. Advantage rolls on Death saves, but cursed to take 50% extra on cold dmg attacks. +3 EXP.
Wizard gets a scroll of Detect Magic. Will try to Learn It. +1 EXP. LEARNED! Burned a luck token, ofcourse.
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+3 EXP for a wand.
+1 EXP for some weapon(or gold or something cant recall?) loot.
+1 EXP for potion of XYZ.
All that was for beating the hag. It was an interesting thing though, b/c she almost got away with it. The townsfolks my party spoke with didn't know she was a hag, even vehemently defended her (random rolls). Party was suspicious when they saw her though, but no proof. Left the village.
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Ran into a Unicorn at the mossy standing stones. It trotted off, but apparently it was hunting for evil signs (hag), not that the characters have any clue of that yet.
Ran into 4 bandits, rolled a TWIST, so as my guys were trying to get distance between them and the bandits, MY guys set up an ambush (role reversal with bandits). Nuked 'em with an insta-kill arrow then sleep spell. Sleep spell sure is good at low levels.
A couple of guys from the village saw us beat the bandits, they were kind of tailing us to see what we were up to. Realizing we're the hero types, they confessed that they think the nice witch is really evil (the hag we are talking about). So we decided to double back and see what's up.
Rested in town. Got to the hag's nest later, 4 from town came to help. Sure enough, she revealed her true nature... a big fight, she killed one of the villagers but we took her down. LOOT: Wand and potion, see above.
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At some point ran into the troll that is sucking poisonous juice from marrow trees... protects him from fire, so he was brave when we pulled out torch(es). But also rolled max friendly encounter reaction for him, so I figured he was sort of drunk on the juice plus not afraid of fire. GOt him talking, he admitted to being immune to fire, but did NOT admit to having some sick Loot. So my guys just waved goodbye and got out of there... how do you beat a troll that can't be hurt with fire? They'll probably go back later.
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So yeah, it is darn fun doing this solo. A little tricky being the DM and knowing too much, but it's balanceable.
