Continuing from Stonehell Solo 2 : The Hobgoblin War, the Stonehell actual play adventuring parties get to the second book (well, 1 of them).
Stonehell is available on lulu. Old School Essentials and Dolmenwood are available on DriveThruRPG. Rand Roll is a drivethrurpg affiliate.
stonehell solo: 1 - into stonehell | 2 - hobgoblin war | 3 - delving deeper | 4 - heart of hell | 5 - endgame
Chapter 3: Delving Deeper
My Stonehell solo campaign is a solo rpg campaign started in Summer 2025, using multiple adventuring parties to explore the megadungeon of Stonehell. After starting with OSE (Old School Essentials) I switched in chapter 3 to Dolmenwood rules using the classes, spells, races and magic items of OSE.
Chapter 3 was more of the same with 10-ish delves using five parties (down from seven in chapter 2), and then becoming 4 during play. Most delves are run using the full rules, concentrating on Stonehell. For a couple adventures in Stonehell and any outside of it I resolve them with a few rolls on random tables I call the "Autodelver" (I'll share these when they're in a good enough state to publish)
The nature of the adventuring changed, as groups became more powerful in magic, magic items and organisation, with frequent uses of invisible scouts and bless buffs. The unfortunate ogres faced the first party using haste (Stalwart Souls) and at the end of Chapter 3 one of the parties finally gained fireball.
Many strands of the first book were resolved and focus has switched to things in the Second Book as all the parties now have reasons to explore deeper into Stonehell. (Stonehell is split into two books of 5 dungeon levels each, using the traditional method of deeper levels having stronger inhabitants and more treasure).
Running a Delve
I'm running the delves (adventuring party exploring SH) using Dolmenwood & OSE rules, but the solo emulator I'm using is my own Chaos Solo Engine. Each adventuring party has it's own list of Threads (current plotlines) and Extras (NPCs, factions, groups). This keeps the world of each adventuring party separate. The Stone Birds may know who Rakin Brighthammer is, but the Stalwart Souls certainly don't.
After reviewing what the party wants to attempt for the delve, they hire any mercenaries or new retainers. Then I'll write down on an index card spells memorised and other abilities to track, a marching order and any spells active on characters. The same index card is used for current hit points, enemy hit points and treasure found.
Then the party heads to Stonehell. Usually this includes encounter rolls for going from the Demon Cow Malthouse to Stonehell. They choose the entrance they want to use (between them they've found four entrances and know of a couple others).
Once inside it's using usual dungeon exploration rules, tracking Turns, light sources and encounter rolls. They might be able to use safe havens (the Stone Birds have allied with the lizardfolk) to rest.
When it's time to leave there's encounter rolls to get back to civilisation (usually the Demon Cow Malthouse again). Then XP is calculated, treasure distributed, Extras and Threads updated and any other bits that need working out. I'll then work the date the party is ready for their next delve and a rough idea of what they intend to do.
Between Delves there might be campaign events triggered such as dungeon events, faction events and new potential hirelings arriving at the Cow.
Adventuring Parties
At the start of chapter 3 there were 5 parties. One chaotic party was destroyed by internal conflict mid-fight and disbanded when only 3 members made it back.
That leaves the following 4 adventuring parties, all established with their own agendas and flavour.
- The Stone Birds were the first party I ran in Stonehell, and none of the original six members are still among them. But after churning through many adventurers, the party became a large solid party of devout martial strength, lead by a paladin and with four clerics in their ranks. Each member is given a bird nickname ("magpie", "curlew", "eagle") and they aim to face the darkness in the heart of Stonehell. They spent chapter 3 finding a way down to Vrilya settlement from the Kobold Market and helping dwarf allies restore an ancient fungarium.
- The Stalwart Souls are the most powerful party, with a rounded party built around a partnership of a squabbling cleric and wizard, and lead by a bard who previously lead the Stone Birds. They explore in a methodical manner, using an invisible scout and rarely taking unnecessary risks. Although they recently looted a hoard without it's dragon, they are worried that the Lucky Sparks will overtake their explorations into the depths of Stonehell. They make common use of mercenaries and have have an excellent reputation for losing few adventurers in their delves.
- The Lucky Sparks are a mercurial party of misfits and outcasts who currently can't hire mercenaries as they've lost so many on their delves. Members must "spin the magical wheel" to gain membership and they push to explore deeper down each delve. Lead by a thief with a death wish, guided by a blind priestess, including an assassin scout, a tiefling locksmith and a fungoid illusionist from an allied Stonehell faction. Recent activities include losing longtime members in battles with fire giants, and the fence Lachesis, then being the first to explore the Vrilya snakekin settlement and buying the inn outside Stonehell most adventurers use.
- The Runesmiths are centred around arcane power, having explored the chambers of the Plated Mage and now seeking more such secrets deep in Stonehell. Their one long-term member is a dwarf runesmith who just mastered fireball, but lacks the presence to lead them. The party structure is fragile, having lost members to a white dragon attack outside Stonehell and losing their leader when she retired after looting hoard of the same dragon. They have new members and are motivated by a common greed for gold and magic, but may not survive internal politics and differences of opinion.
There's also a number of independent adventurers available to hire as mercenaries at the Demon Cow Malthouse, and in the Kobold Market / Bone Market in Stonehell. Some formerly belonged to other parties, can't find a party or don't want to be in an adventuring party. Most delves a party will hire a mercenary or two to fill in gaps.
Parties can also hire retainers (using the guidelines in OSE / Dolmenwood) from the Demon Cow Malthouse, local settlements or even the Kobold Market. For the Cow there's a list of level 0 and low-level retainers available to hire as retainers or invite as full members.
Customising Stonehell
Many rpg adventure become their own thing once they start to be run. My Stonehell is no different, adding in a fungal theme by adding some random tables, leaning into an existing faction and detailing an unexplored part of the dungeon (a old dwarven fungarium connected via 2B). If they ever get down there I've also replaced one sector on level 8 with fungi.
I've also modified the Vrilya, reskinning them into a new type of snakekin. I can keep the existing game stats and castes but make them fit into the existing gameworld lore more than the original vrilya did.
Factions Updated
Faction play continued as an important part to enjoying and co-ordination solo play with multiple adventuring parties. It's how I bring in much of the outside world into the campaign and keep some cohesion between the worlds of the different adventuring parties.
Several factions were destroyed, losing the Bonecrusher Ogres (destroyed by Stalwart Souls), Lachesis and Servants (killed by the Lucky Sparks), Fire League (scattered after leaders slain), Sanctum Gargoyles (last members fled after multiple run-ins with adventurers), Spell-Spiders (defeated by Runesmiths).
Of the surviving factions, about half are native to Stonehell and the others have become a thing during the play of the campaign.
My current factions in Stonehell are...
- The Lizardfolk (minor), slowly expanding beyond sacred halls, allied to the Stonebirds and friendly with other adventurers.
- Kobolds of the Kobold Market / Bone Market (minor), using a former adventuring party (now a faction) as their protection.
- The Enterprise of Squire Bone (minor). Former adventuring party, established bandit caves as the main entrance, protecting and running parts of the Kobold Market and providing mercenaries. Exploring trade down to the Vrilya levels.
- Spinners of Silver (minor). A sinister necromantic cult based in the dungeon with spies, bugbears and possible serpent cult legacy to follow up. Preparing to relocate deeper into Stonehell.
- Grove of Rampant Green (major). Mushroom-folk and their ruling dryad seeking to expand their realm. Allied to the Lucky Sparks and seeking to replace kobolds as caretakers in 3rd and 4th levels.
- Gentlemen Ghouls (minor). Gourmet eaters of humanoids always searching for new delicacies.
- Vrilya Snakekin (major). Ancient subterranean people who have a settlement deep in Stonehell.
Plus external ones which have become more important as the power level increases. Trying to keep them in the background as the concentration is on Stonehell itself.
- The Demon Cow Malthouse (minor). Walled inn used by most adventurers exploring Stonehell. Travellers stop here. Recently bought by the Lucky Sparks.
- Emerald Isle Company (minor). Thieves Guild of local city, spies at Demon Cow Malthouse and members among adventurers.
- Fifth Expeditionary Force (minor). Hobgoblin legionaries and allies who survived Stonehell and now thriving as they draw creatures from surrounding hills.
- Ironhill Thanes (minor). A major force in the wider area, but minor in the campaign. Now seek to avenge death of a Thane by the Fifth Expeditionary Force.
- Zeltondar Mage Houses (minor). Noble houses with arcane power who rule nearest city to Stonehell. Have ties to adventuring bands.
- Riva's Ruddy Wreckers (minor). Adventurers working for the Fifth Expeditionary Force, but not exploring Stonehell. Visit the Kobold Market in Stonehell and the Demon Cow Malthouse
And...Into the Heart of Hell
I'm excited for when I pick-up the next chapter of Stonehell, most likely sometime in the Autumn. The campaign should be more than halfway through.
The only major thing I'm intending to bring in is the Theme of Chaos, with the events of Stonehell (tied to the heart of Stonehell in the written adventure) being expanded with some more random tables, including events outside of Stonehell.
I expect the number of major adventuring parties to reduce down more as they meet some of the deeper challenges. There might be newer lower level groups, but I'll most likely resolve these with a few random table rolls.
Playing Stonehell Solo will also tie into Rolling Solo Season 4, which has the theme of Dungeons and is starting very soon...
Finishing Up
Hope you enjoy any dungeoneering you're getting to do, whether solo rpg or group play!
Happy Gaming!
Duncan
