This Present Darkness: Refining My Shadowdark Campaign
Opening the world to more player-driven discovery and collaborative storybuilding.
Since my last post, I’ve continued refining the shape and tone of my upcoming Shadowdark campaign. I’ve pulled back from any hint of pre-scripted arcs in favor of a more collaborative, player-driven experience, where the story emerges from choice, consequence, and shared imagination. The world is still steeped in mythic dread and creeping shadow, but now it’s less about fulfilling a singular narrative and more about how you, as players, help shape what remains.
I’ve also settled on a new campaign name: This Present Darkness, an intentional homage to Frank Peretti’s 1986 novel of the same title. While the campaign doesn’t mirror the book’s plot or theology, the title resonates with the central image: a world clouded in darkness, where light endures through ordinary acts of valor.
The tone has shifted subtly as well. Rather than casting players as destined heroes, this world recognizes Torchbearers, small scattered bands of adventurers who step beyond the safety of walls to reclaim, recover, or simply survive. The result is a setting that remains atmospheric and mysterious, while becoming more open to collaborative meaning-making and the kind of persistent bravery that defines true heroism.
Here’s the latest version of the campaign overview:
This Present Darkness
When light falters, courage burns bright.
Something has changed in the world.
No one knows exactly when it began—only that the dark has grown thicker, heavier, and somehow more…alive. Light flickers where it once held. The roads are quieter. The maps mean less. Forgotten places stir.
Most people have retreated to what safety remains. Cities have sealed their gates. Hamlets fade into memory. But a few still step forward with torches lit, weapons drawn, and questions unspoken.
Torchbearers.
That’s what people have started calling them: those rare souls who leave the safety of the walls to chart the unknown, recover what’s been lost, and face what the darkness has made.
You are one of them.
Your reasons may differ, but you share a single desire: to push back against the present darkness and reclaim what the shadows have stolen.
This is a world unraveling in shadow.
What you recover, reveal, or reshape may alter what remains.
⚔️ Character Options
Ancestries: Dwarf, Elf, Halfling, Human, Half-Orc
Classes: Bard, Fighter, Priest, Ranger, Thief, Wizard
🎲 The Format
This will be a West Marches–style open table campaign. This campaign style is perfect for those with unpredictable schedules or limited time.
System: Shadowdark RPG
Sessions: 2 hours, online via voice & VTT
Tone: Atmospheric, adventurous, and heroic
Age: 18+ only
Cost: $5 per session, 4 players per session maximum
Scheduling: Players coordinate missions through Discord
Return Rule: All sessions will conclude with the players’ return to a safe haven
Hexcrawl: Entering a hex reveals terrain and features in neighboring hexes, enabling informed travel decisions. Players can fast-travel to previously explored hexes.
Shared World: Multiple factions, secrets, and mysteries unfolding over time
🧭 Player-Driven, Story-Shaped
This campaign is intentionally player-driven. You’ll choose which rumors to pursue, where to explore, and how your company grows in reputation and reach. The world will evolve based on your decisions, victories, and failures.
Collaborative worldbuilding is part of the experience. Your discoveries, ideas, and character choices will shape the tone, lore, and future of the setting. This is a shared story. One we write together.
🗝️ You’ll Love This Campaign If You…
Want to be part of a collaborative campaign that values tone and story
Enjoy mythic fantasy, exploration, and discovering ancient ruins and mysteries
Like the thrill of OSR-style danger with the camaraderie of shared victories
Prefer your heroism grounded but inspiring
🕯️ Interested in Joining?
This Present Darkness is a slow-burning, story-driven campaign that welcomes players who enjoy immersive roleplay, collaborative worldbuilding, and showing up with intention. Sessions may be occasional, but the tone and table culture matter.
If you're interested in joining this open-table Shadowdark campaign, I’d love to hear from you.
Please email me at theholyrollergm@gmail.com and take a few moments to introduce yourself and let me know:
Your experience level with Shadowdark or other TTRPGs
What draws you to a setting like this
What kind of character or playstyle you usually bring to the table
If it feels like a good fit, I’ll send you the invitation to join the campaign Discord.