Session 2 - A deeper descent and mechanics analysis

 Session 2: Deeper into the Dream Dungeon

Fifteen days after our first session, we gathered for the second, this time extending the playtime to four hours. As established, whenever the party enters a new room or a significant amount of time passes, we secretly draw a card from the Meatgrinder encounter table. During the last session, upon entering a new area, I drew card #21, which indicated that the event should provide a clue about their quest. This was perfect, as the players had been feeling like they were opening doors at random without clear direction.

To fulfill this, I placed an ethereal gnome selling potions at the entrance of the corridor where they stood. These creatures, foreign to the dungeon, remain unaffected by the Worm’s magic due to their magical nature. They take advantage of this to live here, primarily engaging in the trade of dreams, potions, and gems. The players seized the opportunity to purchase some healing ointments. They also inquired about the gnome’s community and the prophetic tree they were seeking. In response, the gnome offered to sell them herbs that would provide insight into their quest. The dark elf ingested the leaves and sensed an aroma of earth, sandalwood, and forest humidity to the southeast, prompting the group to follow this lead.

The Thieves’ Toll

Following a street south, they found a door. Using a mirror, they peeked beneath it and saw several human figures, a campfire, and the scent of stew. After a brief debate, they knocked. The door opened to reveal six members of the Thieves’ Syndicate—armed, tattooed, and bald. The thieves invited them inside, offering no other option, and demanded an exorbitant toll far beyond what the party could afford.

The party’s Priestess member decided to compliment the thieves’ tattoos and ask about their workout routine. Flattered, the thieves warmed up to the group. Seizing the opportunity, the rogue slipped away into an adjacent room, which turned out to be a strange shrine filled with the scent of incense. Enchanted by the woman’s charm, the thieves settled for a mere handful of coins and let the rest of the party proceed.

The Children of Dreams

Inside the shrine, the group encountered strange children with faces eerily similar to their own, pleading for food. After debating whether they were malicious spirits, the party decided to offer rations. Upon receiving the food, the children vanished.

The Chamber of Shadows

Pressing forward, they reached a chamber bathed in intense light from a burning orb on the ceiling. Four dragon statues cast deep, pronounced shadows across the room, and at the far end stood a bronze door engraved with serpent motifs. Several adventurers wanted to head directly for the door, but the priestess, fortunately, used her three-meter pole to probe the statues' shadows. Hidden within lurked four Dream Spiders—the first major combat encounter was about to begin.

These creatures had 4 HP each and a special attack that drained experience points, which were only restored upon their destruction. According to the rules, they were equivalent to 4HD monsters in retroclone systems—an impossible encounter for a newly-formed party. I feared for my players’ survival, assuming they would fight for a couple of rounds before retreating.

Two spiders attacked first with an initiative of 3, draining XP from the orc warrior, while the others closed in. As initiative also serves as a creature’s defense in HMTW, the players used their actions to strike first. In this game all weapons deal 1 damage, but each has unique properties. The party wielded hammers, which deal 2 damage if the card used doubles the creature’s initiative. Since I had set a low initiative, all attacks dealt double damage, eliminating two spiders in the first round. In the second round, I drew low cards, causing the spiders to miss, and once again, the party’s hammers quickly wiped them out.

The Throne of the Dream Serpent

In the next room, they found a throne made of a cloud-like, spongey material in the shape of a serpent. The team’s elven leader sat on it, and her mind was transported to a dark void where she encountered a massive, coiling serpent. The entity inquired about her desires. She asked for guidance to the prophetic tree and rolled a Wands check to determine the outcome. A critical failure. The serpent responded laughing that she must wait.

Back in the chamber, the party watched in horror as her motionless body fused with the throne. In desperation, the orc attempted to sever the connection using a knife, but another critical failure resulted in merely injuring the elf’s arm. Accepting the situation, the group camped by the throne, tending to their few wounds from the spider battle. Hours later, the elf regained consciousness, and a door materialized on the southern wall.

Beyond the door, they found a vast lake. On the opposite shore, a lighthouse flickered.

The Dungeon’s Malediction

At this point, an interesting mechanic came into play. As established, HMTW uses a deck of cards instead of dice. Cards are drawn until the Fool appears, reshuffling the deck. Following the battle and various checks, only a few cards remained—most of them low values. The players realized that their chances of failing any upcoming checks were extremely high. It felt as if the dungeon’s god had cursed them.

The orc warrior, having been a sailor in his past, attempted to cross the lake using ropes for safety. However, the ropes did not reach all the way, requiring him to swim the final stretch unassisted. I called for a Strength check due to the lake’s enchantment, which made swimmers feel unbearably heavy. He drew a failure.

In HMTW, success requires a total of 14 between the card value and the character’s attribute. A +3 bonus applies if circumstances make the task easier. If the check fails, a player can draw another card to try again, but failing after this results in a critical failure. I informed the player that without a safety rope, failing would likely mean drowning with little chance of rescue. Knowing the deck was filled with low-value cards, he abandoned the attempt.

As the session came to an end, the group devised a new plan: they would tear down a door and use it as a raft in the next session.

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System Mechanics Analysis

• HMTW characters are significantly stronger than those in traditional retroclones. They withstand more attacks, and since multiple actions per round are possible, they often strike multiple times in a turn, speeding up combat. This requires me to redesign enemies. The dream spiders were meant to be terrifying and resilient, but their XP-draining ability had little impact on combat, and they felt too fragile. I may increase their durability and change their ability to drain cards from players instead.

• I had to reread the combat rules and realized we misapplied some minor actions. I’m still unsure if I like this system entirely. My more tactical players enjoy it as a mini-game, but those unfamiliar with TTRPGs or complex games struggle with it. A simpler approach, like Old-School Essentials, might make gameplay more fluid and intuitive.

• Counting cards and gauging success probabilities was fascinating. It feels as if the dungeon master is manipulating fate, which adds to the game’s tension. A definite plus.

• This session saw players engaging more with character bonds, leading to compelling and entertaining roleplay moments. It enhanced group dynamics and relationships. Another plus.

• Sometimes, exploring the megadungeon feels like fumbling in the dark, with no clear destination. Choosing which door to open or which direction to take can feel somewhat arbitrary. I’ve experienced this before when running similar dungeon-crawling campaigns.

  One good thing about the system is that players always have a quest, which gives them a purpose within the dungeon. Still, exploration can feel uncertain. Elements like the herbs that pointed them in the right direction or the serpent that opened the door helped guide them, but I think I should add more of these or include clues hinting at key locations.

  That said, we’re only two sessions in. I’ll have to see how things unfold.