Long ago, about 3 years as of writing this (2026), I made a playlist of vaguely caved themed music from video games. I arranged the way I imagined diving into the cave. Lingering at the entrance in anticipation, going deeper and deeper, each new layer more unusual than the last. My orginal, and perhaps eventual, intention was/is to turn this into a video game. However, I realized much of what I wanted from the game- mostly a highly customizable adventure that taps into the hardcore anxieties of being deep in a magical cave.

The primary drive of that game, and this campaign is the PREPARATION STAGE. When you first delve into the cave, you will have only rumors to go off of, some vague idea of what exactly lies between each layer. Do we need more food, or more light? How much should we prepare for combat? Should we focus on things which are more broadly useful, or things which are specific but extremely effective? Should we buy something expensive, or stick with the basics?

Next of course is THE DELVE. Technically, this comes in two parts, as you both cover ground you recall, until you eventually reach a point of unfamiliarity. This is a staple of many "Rogue-like" games which require multiple playthroughs to complete and master (which isn't usually a thing in table top rpgs given the nature of roleplay and permanent death). You save your most important gear until you absolutely need it. Maybe you reach a point where progression is highly improbable without different gear, maybe your out of supplies, or perhaps you are simply on the verge of death, insanity, or both.

Lastly is the very, very underused ESCAPE stage. This is perhaps the most nerveracking and often ignored stage of THE DELVE. There will be many ways to make your return journey easier, but it is also the most lengthy. Most areas would have some sort of secret emergency exit or magical warp out-but not here or at least not without truly earning it. What matters most for the game master is a shift of perspective. Forward becomes backward, downward becomes upward,darkness becomes light. THE ESCAPE should always be more dangerous than the DELVE, as the rewards are far greater. When the party returns to the surface, with new goals, new information, and whatever treasures they may have acquired. They may even have a specific mission, perhaps to blow open a cave wall, setup up a camp or fortification, or rescue a party member that was left behind.

Then they PREPARE to DELVE again...or perhaps the old caves require TRUE MASTERY (The secret fourth stage). Only then can be ESCAPE be made easy!

Reaching 'The Bottom of The Earth' will take a long, long time- but that's okay! Everything in the cave is designed to be preserved, and this campaign is designed around legacy play. Moved and need to find a new group? Total party wipe in the depths? Simply want to pause for a bit to try something new? With (A LOT) of notetaking, let previous players leave message on the walls, keep up ropes in unexpected locations, and leave useful stashes when properly hidden away.

Preparing a NEW DELVER? START HERE!

Want to run a session as a CAVE MASTER? START HERE!