What the Party… RANDOM ENCOUNTERS

d4 Details
Sees. Natural cave formations, carved stone halls. 1 2d6 darkmantles drift from the ceiling
2 A patrol of 1d6 salmon-men appears
Hears. Flowing water and echoing, gurgling chants. 3 The two survivors from Area 5,
Smells. Rotting fish, algae, and pure water. attempting to escape
4 1d4 bat swarms flutter out from a
Feels. Slimy stone, damp air. crevice

2.
Entrance
NPC NAMES
d6 Name
1 Finley 1.
2 Gillbert 4.
3 Perchival
4 Pike
5 Ron Spawnson
6 Shad

3.

Far upriver in the

mountains rests a temple
to an ancient river deity,
once erected to ensure a
bountiful fish harvest. Now
it lies abandoned, and as
the fishermen come back 8. 5.
empty-handed and
desperate, they send a
party of brave adventurers
to make an offering at the
shrine, promising 25 gold
6.
pieces each, and any
treasure to be found
therein. Little do the
heroes know of the horrors
T
awaiting them in the
echoing caves and ruined
halls of… 7.

The Hidden Shrine of the A dungeon designed

Salmon-Men for Shadowdark RPG

By Mythic Moth
Gaming
1. Pictograph Gallery. Ancient cave art of 6. Salmon Temple. This large, vaulted shrine
salmon moving upstream adorns the walls of reeks of old fish and algae. A still reflecting
this large grotto. A fast-flowing stream pool houses several ancient fish. On the far
rushes into a deeper chamber. Crossing it by side of the room stands a massive totem,
foot or following the water upstream to Area with five salmon-men facing it as well as the
2 requires a DC15 STR check or be swept salmon shaman, all chanting in worship.
over the waterfall into Area 3 (3d6).
• Water’s Call. The sound of rushing
2. Smuggler’s Cache. A tucked-away cavern water echoes here, beckoning one to
hides a small, locked chest (DC15 untrained). accept a piscine existence. At the start
Inside are two bottles of Dwarven Firebrand of each round, DC12 CON check or
and one random treasure from table 0-3 take 1d4 CON damage. When CON
(Core Book 270-271). reaches 0, the creature devolves into a
salmon-man.
3. Waterfall Chamber. A 30-foot cliff
• Fish. Blind, bony, primordial salmon.
separates this lower chamber from Area 1
1:6 chance of healing 1d4 when eaten,
above, and a roaring waterfall flows into a
otherwise triggers Water’s Call.
pool housing numerous salmon. One huge,
• Totem (T). 20-foot tall carved statue of
hungry Brown Bear sleeps nearby. A hidden
white stone, depicting salmon
lever opens a false wall, revealing a tunnel to
swimming up a waterfall. Several
Area 8.
empty slots lie along the pillar. Placing
• Salmon. Large, healthy fish attempting the fish icon found in Area 4 in the
to swim up the massive falls. Heal 1d4 highest slot at the top of the waterfall
hp when cooked properly. unlocks a hidden room behind the
totem. Placing it in any other slot
4. Dilapidated Oratory. Formerly a place of
triggers Water’s Call. Making a suitable
prayer, this large room is filled with
offering of fish to the statue quiets
humanoid skeletons, bones partially gnawed.
Water’s Call for 1 week.
The walls are carved with a bas-relief of
villagers offering fish to the totem in Area 6. 7. Hidden Vault. A secret chamber unlocked
Two gelatinous cubes silently wander about. by solving the puzzle of the totem in Area 6.
Buried within the bones is a fish icon and 50 Contains 250 gp, two random treasures from
gp in loose coins. table 4-6 (Core Book 272-273), and the
Salmon-Scale Mail.
• Fish Icon. A small, white stone carving
of a salmon. Can be returned to the 8. Sleeping Quarters. Two salmon-men rest
totem in Area 6 to unlock a hidden on piles of rags and old furs. A tattered
chamber. tapestry poorly hides a tunnel leading to
Area 3, and a messy pile of mundane
5. Collapsed Prison. Scantly furnished room equipment litters one corner. Contents:
used to hold captors. It houses two survivors
of another party sent by the village, bound • One set of worn plate and a longsword
and gagged. (belongs to the knight in Area 5).
• One set of leather armor and a dagger
• Survivors. One thief and one knight,
(belongs to the thief in Area 5).
disarmed and dressed in rags (AC
• One random treasure from table 0-3
10+DEX). They will do whatever they
(Core Book 270-271) and a bag of 30
can to escape.
gp in loose coins.

2
 SALMON-MAN DWARVEN FIREBRAND
Humanoids devolved into a fishlike form, Strong, dwarven spirit infused with spices
complete with greenish skin, gills, and and subtle magic. As dangerous as it can be
jagged teeth. delicious.
AC 12 (leather), HP 9, DC12 CON check or roll 1d6.The target has
ATK 2 spear (near) +1 (1d6) disadvantage on checks with the affiliated
MV near (swim), S +1, D +1, C +0, I -1, stat until next rest.
W +0, Ch -1, AL C, LV 2
1. STR 2. DEX 3. CON
Half-Amphibious. Must be submerged in 4. INT 5. WIS 6. CHA
water every 4 hours or suffocates.
On a successful check, acts as a Potion of
SALMON SHAMAN Healing (Core Book 310).
Primordial fish-folk, said to speak to the
FISHERMAN’S FRIEND
ancient spirit of a great river. Now none can
A weathered but sturdy two-pronged spear,
understand their gurgling words. Wields the
the points made of some sort of bone.
Fisherman’s Friend.
Benefit. Acts as a +1 spear that allows the
AC 15 (leather + shield), HP 19,
wielder to walk on water.
ATK 3 spear (near) +3 (1d6+1) or 1 gurgle
MV near (swim), S +2, D +2, C +0, I -1, SALMON-SCALE MAIL
W +2, Ch -1, AL C, LV 4 Intricate mail made of strange, bony scales.
Smells somewhat fishy.
Gurgle. All in double near DC12 WIS or
DISADV on checks and attacks for 1 round. Benefit. Acts as +1 chainmail, with no disadv
swim.
Half-Amphibious. Must be submerged in
water every 4 hours or suffocates. Curse. You take 2d6 damage if you eat any
meat aside from fish.

CREDITS
Writing. Written and designed by Matt Wuertzer.
Map. Map drawn by Matt Wuertzer.
Cover Art. Salmon fish from rawpixel used under Creative Commons license.

LEGAL
Fonts. JSL Blackletter by Jeffrey S. Lee used under Open Font License, Montserrat
designed by Julieta Ulanovsky, Sol Matas, Juan Pablo del Peral, Jacques Le Bailly, used
under Open Font License,
Shadowdark License. “The Hidden Shrine of the Salmon-Men” is an independent product
published under the Shadowdark RPG Third-Party License and is not affiliated with The
Arcane Library, LLC. Shadowdark RPG © The Arcane Library, LLC.