DUNGEONS ALL THE WAY DOWN

CORE CONCEPTS

CONCEIT / THEMA

The Keeper has built or is building an engine. The Trespasser(s) is invading the worksite of the Keeper and trying to break the engine in one way or another. If the Keeper wins, the Trespasser can’t break the engine and is stuck with the consequences. If the Trespasser prevails, the Keeper’s engine is permanently broken.

An example would be if an “engine” was a labyrinth: if the Trespasser succeeds, the labyrinth is mapped and can be easily travelled; if the Keeper succeeds the labyrinth swallows the Trespasser and all who enter.

It is assumed in a campaign that the Keeper’s engines are connected and can amplify in power as they are activated.

STRUCTURE

• Explore / Traverse Phase
• Points of Interest (aka Rooms)
• Tableus (aka Set Piece, occasional Boss Fight)

MOVES

Trespasser Moves

• Party Moves (There is a Help or Hinder modifier for certain party moves.)
  • Delve (automatic)
  • Detect Trap!
  • Discover / Path Find (exhaustible)
  • Rest (automatic, exhaustible)
  • Search for Advantage (e.g. Friendly NPC, Secret Door, etc.)
  • Search for Treasure (exhaustible)
  • “Tag In” / Respawn
  • Flee / Run Away
• Individual Moves
  • Use Power / Special Ability
  • Use Equipment (automatic)
  • Craft / Repair
  • Relieve Stress (Dream, Commune, Entertain)
  • Scout (exhaustible)
  • Focus (i.e. gain Bonus modifier)
  • Bond / Cherish / Reveal (Once per Dungeon Level)

Keeper Moves

• Hallucinate

POINTS

• AP - Achievement Points
  • Trap Disarmed
  • Adversary Killed
  • Power / Spell Cast
  • Secret Door Discovered
  • Treasure! (1pt/50 gold or silver)
• MP - Menace Points
  • Trap Triggered
  • Player Killed
  • NPC / Retainer Killed
  • Lock a Room Door / Block Escape

STRESS / ENERVATION / BOONS

• NOTE - for later the “F/E” stats are thresholds that push and pull.

EXPLORE PHASE

Starting Conditions

The Keeper establishes the environmental conditions:

Noise (based on the Trespassers Encumberance/Load Out); Risk (based on Fatigue and Fear); Visibility (based on Location and Load Out). Modifiers based on the conditions are placed on the table for all to see, e.g. No Light = -3 Accuracy/Presence/etc. Roll on the ‘Environment/Mood’ table.

Length of Run

Trespasser chooses a die size to represent the amount of time/effort they spend before making their way into the first/next tableau. The shorter the run, the higher the Difficulty Rating for the PC’s MOVES. After choosing the die size, they roll the die to see exactly how many moves they can make before the enter the next tableau.

For resolving tests during the Roll phase - roll appropriate dX. 1 in X chance of success. Increase the range by one for each relevant bonus. Party Helpers also increase range by one each (if choosing to let an individual party member make a single roll).

The Keeper gets 1 MOVE for a d4 run, 2 for d6, 3 for d8, and 4 for d12. The Keeper can interject with their move at any point during a Player's MOVE

GLOSSARY

Help:

• The default for most Party Moves is for every player to individually try to pass a test. So, if there are four players and they choose to use the ‘Detect Trap’ Move and they have taken a d6 Length of Run, then each player rolls a d8 and aims to roll a 1 (or possibly 2 or 3 if they have a relevant skill or attribute modifier). However, players can choose to elect a single representive to pass a test and then lend attribute modifiers to the candidate.

Hinder:

• Hinder is the opposite of Help - when the Keeper imposes a test on the Trespassers, the default approach is that each individual player rolls and passes or fails for themselves. However, if a test has a Hinder keyword, the Keeper can choose a single player to test for the entire group, and the player will have the worst attribute modifier. For example the group tries to cross a rickety bridge. Instead of having the whole party roll, the Keeper has the oafish warrior with terrible dexterity roll. If the warrior fails the entire party falls into the chasm below. Importantly, the rest of the party can lend Help to the target of a Hinder test.

Exhaustible:

• An exhaustible Move can only be used once before needing to be refilled. The party must exercise a Delve Move to refresh exhausted Moves.

:hankey:

NOTES

• TPK during an encounter - there is a penalty to the Party’s accumulated Points.
• Deceased Legacies - can anything be gained from a dead player? Gear? Points? Advantage / Bond?
• Keeper’s Silent Moves - at an actual IRL table, the Keeper would place a card face down to indicate that a Move has been spent. Additionally a narrative trigger like “a creaking door; splashing water; distant groan” could indicate a Silent Move, especially in a remote video session.
• When do the Trespassers find the way DOWN to a lower LEVEL?