Who could have guessed that a Quick Start for a game that I had never heard of (which I grabbed for free and then forgot about for months) would end up becoming my go-to system of choice?

It's obvious even from the preview images here that the quick start booklets are oozing with style, and the artwork will no doubt have you immediately captivated. Where Shadowdark truly shines though, is after you get past all of that and find that there is genuine substance in the text. The rules (or rulings, hehe) framework established here is possibly the most inspiring thing I have come across in my tabletop RPG experience as a whole. The mechanics, in everything from the character creation to the deepest delves are kept punchy, quick and rules lite, but the execution manages to carry a significant heft, still feeling purposeful and fulfilling, without letting the excitement get lost in the details.

The short of it is that there is so much content packed into this "quick start" that it could pass for an entire game on its own, and if you hadn't been told otherwise, you would probably never have known differenty. The best part though, is that we are going to get even more coming soon! I haven't looked forward to a Kickstarter as much as this!

I can't say enough about ShadowDark RPG. I love everything about this game: the simplicity of races and classes, the random class talents, and, above all, I LOVE the torch timer. I've run a few ShadowDark games this year (including a Level 10 playtest with the author) and I adore how easy it is to run. There is very little thumbing through books to look up rules; the Game Master is encouraged to focus on quick rulings to keep the game going, rather than looking up that specific rule (take that, lawyers!). Combat is quick and dangerous in ShadowDark; players must be careful and decisive if they want their characters to crawl another day. ShadowDark is a game that deserves to be on everyone's shelf and their tables. So what are you waiting for?! Smash that Add to Cart button and start playing ShadowDark today!

I am a dad who plays a lot with kids. I’ve been using the Quickstart for a couple months now, and it is far and away the best way I have found to introduce new players to fantasy roleplaying. (The ones I tried before Shadowdark were 5e, B/X and AD&D.)

The basic mechanics are similar to 5e, which means it feels familiar to those who came into the hobby through 5e. “Roll to cast” replaces cantrips to make spellcasters relevant at low levels.

Various aspects of the rules help to keep things moving even in large groups: an emphasis on random character generation, clockwise turn order (even outside of combat), one action per PC per round, omission of separate saving throws (they are resolved as in 5e through ability checks).

Really, couldn’t recommend it enough.

I was really impressed with the author's minimalist philoshopy of running RPGs. This led me to check out some of her adventures - like this one - which, in turn, made me finally pay more attention to the whole OSR way(s) of running D&D games.

What I'm saying is that Watcher in the Dark was a bit of a GM journey for me.

It's a neat little adventure combining horror and sci-fi elements with a small dungeon crawl. It can be played in a single afternoon/evening. But more importantly, it demonstrates the author's elegant, practical and minimalist approach. Every page is clearly dedicated to a single subject matter: a synopsis, an encounter, or a new area in a dungeon. It is all very readable and easy to use. While higher-production adventures always come with more bells and whistles, they tend to feel a bit... intimidating for GMing, especially if you lack patience or time to read them thoroughly. Not Watchers in the Sky, though! The adventure is clear, focused, short and sweet.

This led me to check out Kelsey Dionne's own Shadowdark RPG - currently in beta, but there are quickstart rules - that try to combine the elegant modern-day D&D mechanics with a more utilitarian old school rulesets. Again, for a GM pressed for time who nevertheless wants to run a game for his friends, this kind of approach feels like a revelation, especially since I started playing with D&D 3.0 that really tried to come up with rules for everything. Knowing that I am free to improvise the rules and use simpler game systems for same type of games I've been running for decades now feel amazing.

So, yeah, thank you for introducing me to an easier way of running things! :-)

Spell cards - Most information is there. The only thing missing is which classes can use the spell. The font size can get pretty small on some of them. I think some should have been edited down to get a bigger font. The biggest gripe here though is that I would have liked to see these arranged by class or level vs strict alphabetation as this means you will waste a lot of ink having to unnecessarily print copies of spells you don't need. This problem would come about if you wanted to print a bard and sorcerer deck or just a low level spell deck. 2 stars

Monster cards - Everything you need is there and easily readable with a few cards that have very small text due to the wide ranging abilities. Also includes lair and legendary actions on separate cards. My only gripe here is that the titles of some creatures should be better arranged for alphabetation purposes. IE Instead of "Adult Blue dragon" it should be "Blue Dragon, Adult" or "Dragon, Blue Adult" 4 stars

Item cards - All information is there. They are all arranged by item type. Same complant as the spell cards. The font size can get pretty small on some of them. I think some should have been edited down to get a bigger font. 4 stars

Spellcaster cards - Not sure how usable these are given the small size. Would have much rather seen these as quarter sheets. 2 stars

PC cards - Most information a DM would need can be entered. Would have liked a section to put in a pertenant proficiency or two of my choice but that is a minor gripe. 4 stars

The set does come with templates for all cards so you can make your own. However, after using the monster set it is apparent that you get one less line in the bottom section. I attempted to copy a dragon setup but was unable to do so due to this limitation. But worse is the tab set up. The tab button will take you from card to card rather than field to field in the same card. 3 stars

Overall - 3 of 5 stars

As with all the Arcane Library adventures (I own three of them), the layout of the adventure is exactly as advertised: amazing. You can definitely pick this up and run it without reading through it even once, and is designed for maximum usability at the table, especially if you're using a computer to DM.

The only thing I take issue with is this being a two to three hour adventure. I honestly can't imagine how this adventure would take this long -- it's essentially four encounter areas, and most of them push the group to keep going forward to outrun a slow-moving threat. Once in that room, there's a major final boss who is clearly such, so player characters will almost certainly go nova and use all their resources to bring it down. (Which is good, since it's pretty tough for second level characters.)

We finished the adventure in about 90 minutes.

That said, the adventure once again has plenty of creepy flavor. Since the character with the highest passive perception in my group was a druid, I described the black spots on an NPC's tongue as resembling a parasitic fungus, which was both good foreshadowing and which also ratcheted up the tension.

The only other quibble I have, other than the inaccurate length is the offered reward suggestion (a keep) is really good. I made it an overgrown keep in Golden Valley, which the player characters view as a mixed blessing, but it's a pretty major and potentially game-changing reward to drop in instead of something more traditional.

Overall, an excellent adventure, especially when you need a flavorful adventure to run on short notice.

I ran The Horror Within from this bundle and we had great fun. It has a sanity point mechanic tied to D&D 5e's Madness rules. The amount of combat is actually not that much. The final fight can potentially take a long time but my party of PCs fireballed the small fries and that simplified things a lot in my game. However, if you make effective use of the sanity loss mechanic, the adventure really shines. The casual way the madman at the beginning treated death and murder sets the tone. Midway through, once one of the PCs accumulated enough sanity loss, I described the distorted perceptions and let the players figure out which version of reality they perceive is real and which one isn't. That wasn't hard actually, since most of the party made their saves, but it got them all sufficiently weirded out that I consider the session a great success.

If you want a combat focused adventure where the PCs can shine with excellent tactical maneuvers and careful use of resources, this isn't it. This one is psychological horror where everyone knows something is wrong but they aren't sure exactly what and they start feeling there's someone behind them and they looked and there's no one. The final fight was actually a relief for them because it's something they can fight to get things back to normal.

I bought the Arcane Library- Campain Bundle Set... and I use it like crazy!

I am constantly looking for new and better ways speed up my DM interactions, and I bounce back to these cards EVERY time. My latest/greatest setup is: -my device: DM screen + notebook + story line pdf + arcane library pdfs -an organized baseball/mtg binder full of monsters/pc/items/spells cards I need -my maps, handouts, and miniatures

At start of combat, I'll notebook everyones initiative and put those cards in order. At the end of their turn, I put their card on the back of the pile and call the next card/player.

If someone picks up an item miniature or reveals hidden items, I can hand them the card on the spot because each room has it's own binder page.

If a player cant remember a spell their character uses, I can flip to it on the pdf or let them use it from my spell cards.

I've tried hundreds of sheets and forms and trackers, but cards are so much more versitile than anything else I've used.

Time.  So precious lately. I needed to be able to quickly get characters into and out of great narrative, keep it interesting and cut prep time way down.

Once I bought one first-tier module, from this author, I read it and then bought them all.  The layout of each piece with a dramatic question was perfect.  The combat cards!  Video guide!  And she then comes back with surprise content (you'll see).   So play ready.

I also have received update for them all.  Arcane keeps on giving.

The flavor of this piece is so different from a dungeon crawl and allows the GM and players to role-play the reactions to the horror, enhancing the experience.   If you want ready to play fun, try this

This module is more of an interlude than a full-on adventure, but honestly that’s perfectly desirable and, at times, necessary. The social encounter and treaty tables in this adventure are infinitely adaptable and reusable in any number of adventures where politics, negotiations, etiquette, or persuasive dinner talks are applicable. Tiger King could serve as a segue or intro to any urban adventure setting.

TotTK is a prime example of the Arcane Library’s innovative style and depth of creativity. The exotic story is fun and engaging, providing both combat and intrigue scenarios for players, but the colorful social encounters are the takeaway from this module. The usefulness and flexibility of the tables make them ready to drop into your own DM toolbox for use in session after session of tabletop role-playing.

With hooks that could plausibly lead into other Arcane Library adventures, a unique approach to table tactics and role-playing that isn’t often seen in casual games (at least in my experience), and the ever-inspiring brilliance of Kelsey Dionne’s authorship, “Treaty of the Tiger King” is a must-read for any daring DM.

This module ranks as one of my favorites—among "Delian Tomb" and "Village of Hommlet"—for starting out lower-level parties. Though built for 4th-level parties, this adventure is scalable and adaptable to any brigade of heroes.

Nothing says "Let's play some f&%ing D&D" quite like throwing a flaming ball of space dust into your players' laps and sending them to investigate. From its memorable, meaningful NPCs to its fearsome, formidable foes, this adventure sustains its impetus and thrives on thrills.

Compact design, fast-paced action, and built-in freedom for creative expression make "Watchers in the Dark" a fantastic one-shot for friends or an exciting episode for live stream. The Arcane Library never fails to deliver comprehensive material that is spine-tinglingly good, hair-raisingly delicious, and forever inspiringly curious.

13/10 it's a sin not to buy this

Another great one-shot game from Arcane Library. It screams, "Run me if you have five minutes or less to prep but still want a good time." First, the layout. It's attractive and makes it easy to extract information from each page (especially because of the bolded keywords), even if you are running this on the fly. The text itself helps, too. There's just enough information to make everything clear and easy to run, and there's not so much that you have to spend time searching. The Dramatic Questions make it easy to begin and end scenes, and the PDF itself has incredible functionality. If you DM with a tablet or laptop nearby, there are built-in links to the SRD that can make looking up a monster or item a breeze. (There are also item and monster cards included that can save you from flipping through books if you run a tech-free game.) And of course, there is a custom boss monster that will be nice to have around if you want to extend the story or drop into your own homebrew adventure. Basically, if you want something fun and easy to run, get this. Likewise, if you are thinking about publishing your own adventure, get this to see how high the bar for making DM's lives easier has been raised.

These are so great! I've been making my own item cards in Word docs to make my players' lives easier, but these cards save me from scrambling to make my own at the last minute. Literally everything is here, so I don't have to worry if I decide to roll on a random table during a game. I also love that there is a printer-friendly option. Thank you for making such a practical game aid!

In fair disclosure I received a copy of this adventure in PDF form for a fair review.

Valley of the Gilded Tower is the follow up adventure to Masque of the Worms, which resides in the Edgar Allan Poe series of adventures. This means that each adventure has coloring and themes described in these stories and poems and they are clearly presented in the first pages of the adventure and carry through the adventure.

This adventure clocks in at 16 pages including cover and OGL statement at the end.

Pros: Layout is well done double column with full color art that fits the theme and tone of the adventure well. Playable in what looks to be 2-4 hours each NPC has a block when introduced in a scene, with their Appearance, Wants, and a Secret - leaving room for trhe DM to expand on these Each encounter has a page dedicated to it and gives enough that you can shape the adventure to your tables need and your style. A new unique monster to challenge your players. The addition of Dramatic Question in each encounter and aftermath of the adventure. Makes for easy running and finishing the adventure.

Cons: Looking for a con I would go with the background for printing. If you wanted to print a copy of this to take with you to the table, it would be difficult. It would be nice if a printer friendly version was included.

comments: This adventure module is bordering on what I consider the OSR, not all situations can be resolved with combat and should be discouraged. Smart play is what will get you the most rewards. The rewards from the adventure are not just monetary and would make for a springboard into future adventures. The inclusion of what happens should you succeed or fail makes this a living adventure and will encourage future play. I look forward to future products and adventures from the Arcane Library and encourage anyone who wants something different to take a look.

What a great little one night adventure this is! A great followup to "Masque of the Worms"!

The adventure is well though out and can be played right after Masque of the Worms, as a series or really by itself. I feel my PCs had a bit more of an attachment by by playing Masque of the Worms first.

In my group, I ran ran Massque as their second adventure and then ran a few other sessions. Almost two weeks, in game time, had passed since the Masque session, and I ran this little gem. My PCs were hired for for a job on an nearby island, but had to wait a few days for their newemployer to get ready and for the boat to arrive. I slipped in this adventure in as a 'while you wait' adventure.

Baron Rennet had been putting up with his haunting for 2 weeks by this time and was paranoid and losing it mentally. The PCs had helped him before with finding his wife (in Masque of the Worms), so he call on them again to take her remains to her family buriel ground. The PCs of course said "Sure, we have a few days before we leave town anyway.."

The Module is well laid out and we played it in a 4 hour session. It can be done quicker than this, but my group roleplays a lot. You can pretty much play it as written. It is in the right order, has great descriptions and you just fluff a little with your own world setting to complete the description. This can be run in any fantasy setting, but be sure there is a place for an over grown wooded valley, where the bulk of this adventure takes place. You do need to describe the forest/brushy, unkept area with lots of wierd looking weeds/flowers, to your players very well as they get closer to the tower. Assuming they are alive at the end of the adventure, you can explain the difference thay see, for full impact of the adventure.

The adventure is well paced, has maps that you can print out, a great story and good ending. I highly recommend this adventure as a nice stand alone, plug & play adventure, or a follow up to 'Masque of the Worms'. GMs, you dont need a lot of prep at all.