A Shadowdark Hexcrawl for Levels 2–4
The Shimmering Vale was once a thriving mining community tucked away in a forested valley. Over time, their good fortune soured into greed, and their sacrilege drew the attention of the Prince of Avarice, Gapobaga. He fell upon the town with his serpent’s tongue, ensorcelling the townsfolk and turning them away from their gods. Blinded by promises of greater riches, they cast their possessions down into the caverns where the devil lurked, offering tribute for wealth that would never come
Angered by this betrayal, the gods laid a curse upon them, twisting their bodies into the very symbol of their sin—the magpie. Their beloved temple was toppled by divine wrath, its stones reused to build a prison over the devil they had idolized. Now, the few untainted souls remain above, toiling endlessly in ritual and repentance, striving to keep their cursed kin—and their prince—bound below.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
A Hex Map with multiple locations of interest, and lore to expand play.
A multi-level dungeon centered around a corrupted temple.
Faction-driven gameplay featuring cultists, lycanthropic magpies, and more.
A living environment shaped by black ichor, orange mold, and infernal corruption
A final confrontation with Gapobaga, Archdevil of Avarice.
High quality maps of the region, and each temple floor.
A VTT ready token for the Treasure Goblins.
DESIGNED FOR
Written for Shadowdark RPG (levels 2–4)
Fast, table-ready room keys with strong visual identity
Built for player choice, risk, and emergent problem-solving
Minimal prep required—drop it into any campaign
THEMES
Corruption of faith
Greed versus devotion
Power offered… and its price
FUTURE ADDITIONS
This module is a work in progress. The current version is table ready, but there is more I want to add, such as:
A Hex Map with places to explore, and are receptive to what happens.
Meaningful endings that reshape the region and future play.
Updates to the dungeon map to highlight orange mold.
Add art by some awesome artists.
FREE MODULE
This adventure is provided free of charge.
If you enjoy it, consider following or supporting future work.
When the Shimmer Fades is an independent product published under the Shadowdark RPG Third-Party License and is not affiliated with The Arcane Library, LLC. Shadowdark RPG © 2023 The Arcane Library, LLC
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://rpgtrader.com/products/390/when-the-shimmer-fades