Forbidden Lands

A quick series of prompts designed to emulate the journey of finding and slaying a colossus in Shadow of the Colossus.

This feels more like “adaptation” than anything else, but it was a nice exercise in picking apart something I’m familiar with and trying to emulate the atmosphere it produces. I’m not sure what you’d do with these prompts, as they are now.

The Path You Follow

You hold your blade to the light. What do you see in the direction where the sunlight points? Roll 2d6 and take one result from each column.

  1. A ruined tower amidst…

  2. A ruined vault beneath…

  3. A ruined arena within…

  4. A ruined city near…

  5. Ruins too old to identify, scattered among…

  6. No ruins at all, just…

  7. Jagged cliffs

  8. A slow, sinuous river

  9. A tranquil lake

  10. Rolling dunes

  11. Winding caverns

  12. Shadowy forest

To get there, you must navigate the terrain of this long-forgotten place. What do you find on the way? Roll 2d6 and take one result from each column.

  1. A lonesome shrine

  2. Crumbling columns

  3. A moss-covered bridge

  4. A single blossoming fruit tree

  5. Skittering lizards

  6. A solitary hawk, perched

  7. …beside faded horse trails

  8. …along a precarious mountain path

  9. …in a shaded grove of trees

  10. …halfway up an arduous climb

  11. …in the shadow of a looming cliff

  12. …amid stone stairs and pathways

Soon, you spot the beast itself. It looks like nothing you’ve ever seen before. What does it look like? Roll 2d6 and take one result from each column.

  1. It stands on two legs, and

  2. It stands on four legs, and

  3. It climbs on walls, and

  4. It flies or glides above, and

  5. It swims or slithers, and

  6. It holds a weapon, and

  7. It’s small and nimble

  8. It’s vast and sprawling

  9. It’s broad and bulky

  10. It’s lithe and maneuverable

  11. It’s toweringly tall

  12. It’s slow and methodical

The beast is too large to fight, so you must climb atop it. How will you create an opening? Roll a d6.

  1. Trick it into stooping, slowing, or landing near me
  2. Attack its limbs or wings to bring it down
  3. Wait patiently for it to lose track of me
  4. Catch it moving past with a well-timed leap
  5. Climb to a better vantage point and vault off
  6. Lead it to collide with or stumble over an obstacle

Having climbed atop the beast, the final step of your grim task is at hand. Where must you plant your blade? Roll a d6.

  1. The center of its back
  2. The top of its head