19. Are there any 'Must See' sites?
The "must see" sites are probably the same as the "Where would we go to find 'adventure'?" sites. They might be better categorized as "Ought Not to See" sites.
[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]
18. Forgot to ask: How do we get around?
"Most people travel according to their own natural method of mobility or motility—walking, swimming, climbing, swinging, flying. Croxen, however, can be ridden on land or on water, or used to pull carts or barges. They are slow, but reliable. Canoes are also commonplace. The chiefs and priests of some tribes travel by palanquin on land or ceremonial barge on water.
"According to legend, there are those who ride terrordaks or even firestorks, but I have never seen it."
—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null
[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]
17. Can you tell us about any famous battles or wars?
"The history of the wars of the Ancients is lost to us except as myth and folklore. There has been nothing as calamitous in living beastmemory. Plantmemory is longer, but it is slower to recall. There have been skirmishes, raids, and uprisings, but tribes rarely walk the path of war. War wizards, however, are an obvious exception."
—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null
[Edit: I rewrote this on 17 February 2026.]
[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]
16. Are there any direct threats?
The most direct and obvious threats to the player characters and other members of the Zem tribe are the Z'Nee (mentioned here and here). Other threats may occur or be discovered through gameplay.
[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]
15. What are some things in the setting that are best avoided?
"Travellers should not venture to the southwest coast where the Z'Nee hold sway. They live in a huge fortified compound and only leave to plunder villages and take captives. It is said some captives are enslaved and others are used as sacrifices to their Undeath Cult. Periodically, they embark on "Chopping Sprees" that seem to have no purpose other than to kill living things for pleasure. For this reason, we also call them Smiling Killers. To our knowledge, they do not engage in trade with any tribe. Any encounter with the Z'Nee is redalert.
"Be aware of the difference between aggregators, aggrogators, and napalmgators. Beware of all but the first. The first are harmless and beneficial.
"There are two kinds of croxen—domesticated and wild. The former are docile if given food once; the latter are docile only after they have eaten you.
"The southern coast is said to be dominated by vast ruins and giant Mutants. To be within sight or smell of the ruins is yellolert. To be within a league of the ruins is redalert.
"The Haunted Ravine speaks for itself. The less said the safer."
—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null
[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]
14. What to order to eat like a local.
"The primary crop grown by the Zem is mez, a tall plant that glows in the dark when it is ripe. Mez can be eaten raw, grilled, boiled, fried, or as a tortilla if ground. Mez is the chief of all crops and takes the place of honor during the Harvest Festival. Mez is central to Zem culture.
"The most popular mez dishes include succotash (lymohayo beans and mez), pomezola (potato mez soup), pazzti, (a mezbread pastry of potato, rutabaga, and meat or xik peas), and meztacos (mez tortilla shell tacos).
"Several crops are grown in rotation with mez: xik peas, lymohayo beans, zing beans, viridi peas, viridi beans, soy beans, potatoes, rutabaga, bruzzils, and zeleri.
"Zem also eat much fruit, some of which are grown in orchards, some of which are gathered wild. These include limes, lemons, oranges, reds, melons, bananas, tomats, wrathberries, stareberries, sublime peppers, magenta peppers, and naphtha peppers. Many are eaten raw or used in simple dishes.
"Some popular dishes include maagshu (primarily mez and peppers) and bananahalla (a kind of banana bread).
"Any occasion is an excuse for a barbecue, and the Zem will barbecue nearly anything, especially mez, peppers, and various meats.
"The Zem trade mez, beans, and fruits for foods from other tribes, such as shrimm, fish, coconuts, pynaps, rice, and xocolat.
"Some popular intertribal dishes include zhambalai, gumboha, terrazeen, xozuwi, and xomayin. An intertribal drink known as xocofi is commonly offered on special occasions, particularly at the culmination of festivals and intertribal meetings.
"Spices are used in many dishes and are grown locally or obtained through trade. These are too numerous to name, and some are known only to a few who guard their secret."
—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null
[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]
13. Where can we get a drink and a bite to eat?
"All Zem villages practice the tradition of hospitality. Anyone who comes in peace seeking food, drink, or temporary shelter will be granted it. No payment is required, but the guest is expected to offer something in return such as labor, a small gift, or a favor. (Refugees are given special status. Their accommodations are granted by the village chief, who will offer them induction into the tribe or assistance in their journey.)
"Apart from the tribal oath of hospitality, travellers and villagers alike can get nutrition and cheer from several shops in Null: the coffee wigwam, the rum lodge, the taco stall, the smokehouse, and the aletreehouse are popular.
"During festivals, of course, there are always village barbecues."
—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null
[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]
12. What do people for entertainment around here?
"Like other Zem villages, we have the usual team sports of mob zoccer, crakkit, lacrosse, polo, badminton. We have the individual sports of archery, atl-atl, boxing, wrestling, free-for-all, running, swimming. Sitting games are also popular: chezz, goh, domi-knows, pyramids, kah-tahn. In the village center, when rituals are not held, there may be plays, concerts, dances, puppet shows. In the grove of Zhaga, there is storytelling of legendary quality. Roaming the village, you may meet wandering magicians, acrobats, and comedians. It is considered proper to offer such wanderers hospitality in the form of food, drink, lodging, or tokens of appreciation. At night, once a week, some of the villagers host a dance ritual in the caves by the glow of phospherscent fungi and glitter ore."
—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null
[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]
I do not need another role-playing game, least of all another fantasy role-playing game as I try to find time to run DCC RPG, DCC Lankhmar, DCC Dying Earth, and MCC RPG (with added DCC RPG classes), but Shadowdark RPG strongly appeals to my long-held desire for a game that straddles the line betwixt DCC RPG and Swords & Wizardry White Box. No matter what I play, there will be a few house rules (because I struggle with perfectionism), but Shadowdark RPG already does so much that is so right even down to the layout. It is one of the very few rule books that seems made for me. It's good for the way my brain works. How can I not run it? I will run Shadowdark RPG eventually, but I will not turn my back on the other games I write about on my other gaming blogs. I'll undoubtedly write about it here. Unless I start another gaming blog...
11. Where would we go to find 'adventure'?
I will pass on answering this prompt due to spoiler hazards except to say that anywhere beyond Zem tribal territory has the potential for adventure.
I could point out the Obsidian Lake, the Fortress of Quartz, the Blue Abyss, the Dreaming Mounds, and the Haunted Ravine, to name just a few, but that would be telling.
[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]
