They Dug Too Deep

Red Eye Chasm • Hollow Queen's Kingdom • Wistful Dark
☠ Spooky
◎ Investigation
⛏ Haunted Mine

Adventure Description

Professor Galahad Gallant's expedition to unearth an ancient Calian temple has missed their scheduled check-in. Sent to investigate, the party ventures into the wicked Hollow Queen's Kingdom to find the missing crew - only to discover that something old and sinister lurks in the depths below.

Starting the Adventure

"A trip to the Hollow Queen's Kingdom is certainly no vacation, and touching down on a narrow ledge in the desolate Red Eye Chasm does little to ease your anxiety. The persistent groans of the Queen's 'Children' echo at the edge of your hearing while unnatural winds chill you to the bone. Before you lies your quarry - an excavation site theorized to contain ancient Calian texts. Professor Galahad Gallant petitioned the Archive for this dig, but when the agreed check-in date came and went with no word, you were dispatched to investigate why. There's no sign of the contracted mining crew, and worse still, the main entrance has collapsed. You'll need to find another way in - it's certainly not safe to linger out here."

Given the breadth of the Adventure Site, this adventure may comprise more than a one-shot. This is a great introduction to Exploration mechanics and a bit of the OSR roots BREAK!! has. The interior is entirely dark so emphasis sources of light.

Encourage the alternate entrances if PCs explore outside!
It doesn't have to be the standard entrance.

Given the Shadow Blight, it can be likely for a PC or two to contract it...which naturally leads to a follow-up adventure!

The Creature

This fleshy, shadow-wreathed demon is always hungry. It has poor vision but can track the scent of blood. Use the Wandering Encounter Rules [Source, pg. 236] to determine when it attacks - its chance varies by location (see Attack Chance box). If misled, it camouflages in darkness and vanishes. If defeated, it returns after 2 Areas are explored. Supposedly, the Creature can only be permanently stopped if the Bloody Tome is destroyed.
ATK +4| DEF 12| Hearts 2| Speed Average
Aptitudes: Might 8 | Deft 11 | Grit 9 | Insight 9 | Aura 11
  • Bright Weakness: +1 Heart taken from Bright Damage
  • Dark Resistance: -1 Heart taken from Dark Damage
  • Life Drain: Any Damage dealt converts to 1 Heart of Healing
  • Claws: Dual Wields Standard Weapons
  • Has Shadow Blight Host [Source, pg. 374]
Attack Chance [D20]
  • Inside the Mine: 18-20
  • The Temple: 15-20
  • Master's Room: 10-20
Creature Inspiration
Creature Inspiration. Art by margotxxrose

Quest Resolution

✦ Rewards

If the party neutralize the Creature and Bloody Tome, as well as reveal the fate of the excavation, the Archive will reward the party with 200C and let them keep any items found within.

If the party find a clever solution to contain the Bloody Tome instead, encourage it! The Archive would act concerned of the risk but anyone could easily see their thinly-veiled excitement.

Lenin Obscurity Shades [Magical Accessory]
A practical but very fashionable choice for Calian
engineers who worked on the Divine Battery Project.
Magical glasses that prevents the wearer from suffering the Obscured Condition caused by non-magical sources.
1 Slot · 25 Coins
Bloodstone Staff [Magical Staff]
A wicked cane made of Shade Iron, it looks as if it grew into its shape rather than being forged. A deep crimson stone is embedded at its tip, a viscous vile liquid swirling within.
This can be used as an augmentation to a Sage's Staff, inheriting its base Abilities, or as a dedicated spell item.
Spell - Crimson Rite:
  • As an Action, you can expend 1 Heart during Combat to summon a Crimson Demon:
  • This Crimson Demon takes the stats of a Custrel.
  • It has 10 Defense Rating and 1 Heart.
  • All of its stats are 7.
  • Its speed is Average.
  • It dual wields Standard Weapons.
  • The Crimson Demon lasts the duration of the Fight or until it reaches 0 Hearts.
  • You may only use this once every 24 Hours.
1 Slot · 2 Gems

The Mine [Adventure Map]

They Dug Too Deep Map
Map of the Mine. Art by Moira Games. (Right-click + Open in new tab for full size)

Mine Locations (1-12)

1 Mine Entrance Entrance

The entrance was blown up from the inside. Leaning on a rock is the dead professor, charred from an explosion. Journal on their body starts with disappointment before remarking a "potential breakthrough." An elevator leads to the lower floor and can hold a total of 30 Slots of weight (risk of crashing if overloaded, causing Falling Injury).

2 Abandoned Mine Encounter

Scattered 2d6 dwarf corpses, all with rotting moss and cracked forms.
If disturbed, they rise as Demons and attack the party!
3 Zones: Party | 1d6 Corpses | 1d6 Corpses.
A message hurriedly scrawled on the wall, in Under Warble:
"GET OUT. BEWARE THE..."

3 Miner's Workshop

Boxes: 2 Dynamite [Grenade], 2 Lanterns, 2 Units of Fuel.

4 Dormitory

Chests: 1d6 Standard Weapons, a Small Shield, 2d20 Coins.

5 Secret Vault

Behind secret passage: 4d20 gold, 3 Beer Barrels [Trade Goods], Distilled Axe [Mighty, Magical, +1 ATK when Drunk].

6 Bizzer Nest Encounter

Room with small tunnels on the walls: 2 Bizzer Swarms and 3 dwarf bodies with 1d4 Units of Shade Iron. The entrances are blocked.

7 Tumbled Cart

Inside the cart: 1 Dynamite [Grenade].
On the floor, a message in Under Warble: "IT COMES BACK"

8 Mining Area

Uneven lower area with Shade Iron in the rocky floor.
Mining (Location Action) grants 1d4 Units.

9 Underground Lake

All the Areas in here are Precarious, requiring Deftness Checks to Move or become Toppled. 1 old raft in good condition near the lake.

10 Mine Exit Entrance Encounter

Very deep underground lake: where does it lead?
2 Water Chompas prevent the exit.

11 Dwarf Ghosts

Ghost dwarves believe they're alive, awaiting rescue. Treat adventurers as fellow trapped dwarves. They know about the Creature.

12 Unstable Area Trap

Loud noises cause Falling Debris (CLICK!). Bodies of dwarves in skin and bone scattered around the room.

The Temple [Locations 13-18]

They Dug Too Deep Map
Map of the Mine. Art by Moira Games. (Right-click + Open in new tab for full size)

Temple Locations (13-18)

13 Temple Main Hall

Stone statues holding 4 decorative amethyst weapons (25C each).

14 Statue of the Master

Amethyst Statue [Gargoyle, Rank 3]: becomes animated and attacks when someone approaches. Sundered Magnificent Heavy Armor.

15 Old Entrance Hall Entrance

Original temple entrance. 2 amethyst idols depict cultists cutting their palms - putting blood on wall between idols opens a secret entrance.

16 Ritual Room

Dead dwarves and cultists lay near a strange symbol. On the floor are 2 Bright Damage Concealed Weapons and the Bloody Tome.

Bloody Tome [Forgotten Lore]: Notes on Fleshwarping by a wicked Sage after Calian's Fall, discussing the creation of horrific creatures via blood sacrifice and transferring life essence into magical materials.

17 Dining Room

Refined, ancient furniture: bodies of blood-dry cultists sat at the table.

18 Master's Room

Ancient Sage corpse next to Bloodstone Staff and Lenin Obscurity Shades. Shelves contain anatomy books and bottles of blood. The closet has a false back, connecting the room to a false corridor wall.

Rank 3-4 Adventure
Lower Rank: Consider reducing the Creature's
stats down a bit or remove its healing ability.
Higher Rank: For a Rank 5+ adventure, consider
creating an Ascended Demon using source rules.
PC Starting Coin: 200C

Sources & Adversaries

This is an adaptation of the one-page dungeon They Dug Too Deep by Moira Games, licensed under CC-by-SA.

  • Blighted Demon: Source, pg. 372
  • Chompa: Fast in Water. Source, pg. 368
  • Bizzer Swarm: Source, pg. 364
  • Custrel: Source, pg. 184
  • Gargoyle: by Wretched Jarrah (Homebrew)