My own Shadowdark Oracle!

Building the Codex Gigas solo Shadowdark engine

To start this post i want to define what is a TTRPG oracle?

A solo TTRPG oracle is a tool designed to facilitate solo role-playing game (RPG) experiences. These oracles provide prompts, guidance, and random events to help a player create and navigate a narrative on their own, without the need for a Game Master (GM). They serve as a mechanism to introduce unpredictability and creativity, allowing a single player to experience the dynamic storytelling typically found in multi-player RPGs.

Oracle for Shadowdark

When Shadowdark lunched and i got the digital version, i had in mind to start playing a solo DnD campaign, because my group was getting difficult to make time together. Shadowdark got so much into my mind, that i started turning into starting a solo Shadowdark campaign to try the rules by my own. I actually started a campaign using the known Mythic Game Master Emulator. I really enjoyed the experience of Shadowdark using Mythic, but i felt it was too much too manage for just and oracle, do not misunderstand me, Mythic is one of the most complete oracles, but also one of the most complex ones. It was a good experience but i was looking for a more simplier oracle and using the main d20 dice.

Taking inspiration

I really loved the meaning tables in Mythic, some actions and descriptor tables that helped me to start an idea for a specific random event, having 100 options for those is amazing, so much variability. I also participated in some Discord discussions on The Arcane Library server, when Kelsey was working on making the Solo Dark Rules, on one iteration i really loved the super easy oracle (1-9 No, 10 Twist, 11-20 Yes), but i get that the Yes option was more probable than the No. I also really enjoyed the Twist idea on the oracle roll, giving the random event (Twist) a specific number in our oracle roll. Its a great addition to consider when something is highly probable that you roll with advantage and when is highly improbable you roll with disadvantage. The final version of the Solo Dark rules uses some verbs and nouns to start a prompt for the Twist or random event, which is a very nice mechanic overall, but sometimes i just needed something more, lot of times i got the prompt verb and noun and didn’t get on what i should focus to create something.

I realized that one of the core mechanics in Shadowdark is the torch timer, and the oracle didn’t take this point in consideration, i just pictured some random event with a sudden thing affecting my source of light, and i got excited, the core mechanic being affected by some oracle roll sounds perfect to me. I also though that the core rules in Shadowdark got soo many resources for GMs and soloist, and also the oracles didnt got that into use. Using this ideas i got hands into work to create my own oracle, gettin a more equal spread on the rolls and also having some added tables to work with the main oracle.

The Codex Gigas Shadowdark Oracle

Ask a question and D20 roll:

• 1: No, And + Twist

• 2 - 9: No

• 10: No, But + Twist

• 11: Yes, But + Twist

• 12 - 19: Yes

• 20: Yes, And + Twist

Unlikely event: roll with Disadvantage

Even chance event: normal roll

Likely or certain event: roll with Advantage

Twist: Random event occurs!

• Link the random event with the oracle answer.

• Roll on the Twist Event Focus Table

Twist event / Random Event

On a rolled Twist, roll a D20 again:

• 1: Light Mishaps (pag 110 Shadowdark Core Rule Book)

• 2-5: Monster / Encounter (random encounter tables depending on the zone or dungeon, pag 142 Shadowdark Core Rule Book)

• 6-10: NPC (new or existing, could be bad, good, enemy, rivals, etc, pag 124 and 128 Shadowdark Core Rule Book)

• 11-15: Thread (roll on the action and descriptor tables, those affects the current thread)

• 16-19: Sudden Obstacle (in dungeon or environment, hazards table pag 115 Shadowdark Core Rule Book)

• 20: Something happens table (pag 118 Shadowdark Core Rule Book)

Event Action / Descriptor

Action 1d20

1. Seek

2. Oppose

3. Communicate

4. Move

5. Harm

6. Create

7. Reveal

8. Comand

9. Take

10. Protect

11. Transform

12. Deceive

13. Convince

14. Manipulate

15. Fight

16. Travel

17. Return

18. Inspect

19. Escape

20. Betray

Descriptor 1d20

1. Abnormal

2. Average

3. Bizarre

4. Boring

5. Creepy

6. Damaged

7. Dark

8. Extraordinary

9. Fancy

10. Hard

11. Horrible

12. Interesting

13. Lethal

14. Lovely

15. Messy

16. Mysterious

17. Rare

18. Rough

19. Shocking

20. Unpleasant

Torch Mechanic

2d6 rounds for every torch instead a real timer (60 minutes).

Closing Thoughts

I am currently continue testing this oracle, most of the times the oracle work amazing, but the random spread could get improved managing the probabilities a little bit better. I think the main oracle table could also be used with the prompts made in the SoloDark Rules by Kelsey and works pretty good too. I really love that the main rolls are all using the d20, not changing into d100. Im open to any feedback and ideas, im currently testing a lot with different solo campaigns, so i can test pretty easy and fast. Wish this oracle helps someone out and get some fun Twist into your solo campaigns!