Anatomy of a DCC Campaign Part One

Warning:  This post contains spoilers for Sailors on the Starless Sea

So, I gathered a group of players together to help me prep for Free RPG Day (using Harley Stroh’s impressive The Jeweller Who Dealt in Stardust, part of Goodman Games’ Free RPG Day module for 2012).  From there, I convinced them to try a 0-level funnel adventure (Sailors on the Starless Sea, also by Harley Stroh).  My love for the DCC game waxing strongly, I had to convince these guys that Joseph Goodman & crew are better game designers than I am; to wit, to switch to DCC from the Savage Tide arc I was running using my own fantasy heartbreaker, RCFG.

Of some value in this endeavour was that I had previously played The Portal Under the Stars using the Beta Playtest with my older daughter and son, and they had enjoyed it.  My daughter hadn’t played the more complex-running RCFG campaign, and didn’t care for any of the other games (including retroclones) that I had convinced her to try.  However, she was willing to play DCC again, and, moreover, she invited one of her friends to join in.  In my books, that is a massive win for DCC.

So, the game began with five players, each of whom was allowed to generate four characters.  Of the players, only my son was really “in the know” about how to create 0-lvl characters in DCC, my daughter had relatively little RPG experience, and her friend had none whatsoever.  Character creation, however, was fun, and didn’t seem to take all that long.  It is really fun to hear players excited over high stats, and groan over low stats, again.  The synthesis of random elements also generates characters that seem to be individuals.  Non-human characters, being less common, and not being there simply for the choosing, become interesting again.  Also, as most characters are human, players learn to fear the dark once more.  Torches and lanterns become important.

Following the module text, I passed out five rumours, one known to each group of four characters.  I gave them their background, and then set them at the south end of the map, facing the keep.  I created a sort of sketch map to give them an idea what they faced.

Naturally, they went up the causeway toward the front gate, and were disconcerted when the shuffling corpses of the blacksmith’s sons, animated by vile tendrils, dislodged themselves from where they hung, and attacked them.  The first casualties occurred right there.  But two creatures vs. 20 characters, however ill-trained and ill-equipped they might be, are odds that favour the mob.  Losses were minimal.   I was lucky enough to have a blacksmith in my group, so the blacksmith’s sons detail was appreciated.

One of the things I really like about DCC is the emphasis on cool effects that can happen when creatures die – in this case, an explosion of seeds that can infect nearby corpses.  You can do this with other games, of course, but the DCC book actually calls out including effects rather than just a simple death as being a good idea.  And it really is.  The PCs actually tried to clear the seeds off the causeway, dumping them to either side (coincidently, where they deposited their own dead!) and proceeded up the causeway to the gate.

As per the module, the beastmen above try to catch PCs when they pass under the portcullis.  In fact, only one PC initially does so, but he manages to evade the falling gate, and is trapped on the wrong side.  A gong is sounded, and he hears footfalls running above to the ruined tower where the beastmen are set to make their stand.  The group is therefore given time to pass through the portal, and gets into the interior of the keep, a grassy expanse with a gigantic sinkhole, an ominous well, a tower, and sinister-looking building that is barred from the outside and has the word “repent” scrawled across it.

For some reason, the players are oddly attracted to the well.  Gazing down to see how deep it is, a character almost falls in, because perspectives shift.  One of the farmers has a duck, and, tying the duck to a rope, they repeatedly put it down the well.  It comes back up more and more changed.  As they repeatedly do so, I call for several saves to see if the perspective shift drops a would-be duck-dunker into the well, but no luck.  Or too much luck.  No one falls in.  The duck is horribly mutated, but luckily also asleep with its lidless eyes open in its featherless spiny black skin.  They have to carry the now corpulently obese 50+ lb. duck with them, or leave it here, and they choose to carry it.

Nobody wants to breach the door that is barred from their side – the building seems like a bad idea – so they turn to the tower.  There are the tracks of many beastmen heading into it and out.  But, despite very minimal losses thus far, they are hesitant to try the door, and this is where we leave it that night.

Our average game session runs between 2-4 hours, with a 3 hour game being about average.  There were a lot of rules questions the first time out, especially with character creation.  Although there were few actual “happenings” in the first session, there was a lot of discussion, a lot of joking, and a lot of tension.  That the players felt their characters were frail, despite their relatively few losses, was quite clear.  The well, as I mentioned above, also ate up more session time than expected.

At this time, the characters are all named, but I don’t require alignments be chosen until the character is ready for 1^st level.  Prior to that, the characters are simply too insignificant to matter much to the greater powers of Law and Chaos. 

I was very happy to have my older daughter now choosing to play on a regular basis, in part because her friend was very enthusiastic about the game (she was the duck farmer!).  At this point, the players seemed to feel that their characters were very insignificant in the world.  Certainly, they were hesitant about what to do next.  There was no clear indication (yet) who our “band” would be.  Our mass of peasants, yeomen, and ne-er-do-wells was largely an undifferentiated mob.

But that would change in the next session.

The Bone Hoard Beckons!

My first published module for the Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG, Adventure Locale 1 - Bone Hoard of the Dancing Horror, is available now on RPGnow and on Gumroad.  


This 2nd level adventure is intended to be easily slotted into any Dungeon Crawl Classics campaign, and features new monsters and new magic items. 


So, if your party has dealt with The People of the Pit and faced the Doom of the Savage Kings, uncovering the Bone Hoard is the natural next step!


Finarvyn wrote:


I ran it once for some strangers on Free RPG Day and they loved it, although we didn't quite get to finish because of time issues. I'm running it again for my gaming group in just a couple of hours.


Basically, it's a fun adventure with some neat monsters and cool treasure at the end. Lots of creepy monsters to kill, lots of rooms to explore. It's a well-written module but very compact. (Only 9 pages, I think. My first reaction was "where is the rest of the module" but the information is well organized and it doesn't need much space.)


Thumbs up from me!


The first review is also up on RPGNow!  

DCC Spell: Magic Wand

The final version of this will appear in Crawl!, but I thought I would share it here in case anyone has any comments to offer.  There is also a discussion thread on the Goodman Games boards here:  http://goodman-games.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=73&t=40986.

Without further ado, the Magic Wand spell for DCC RPG by Daniel J. Bishop (borrowing heavily from Joseph Goodman!):

Magic Wand
Level:  4	Range:  Self	Duration:  Permanent	Casting time:  1 week per caster level	Save:  N/A
General	Wands can be created and imbued with magical energy by wizards using this spell.  The material cost is 1,000 gp per caster level, plus any unusual materials (e.g., an ivory wand requires sufficient ivory), plus a minimum of 1 point of spellburn per caster level to properly bond the wand.  The wand’s efficacy is much greater at higher caster levels, and thus the time and material cost rises as the wizard progresses in power level.  Additionally, the caster must have any spells that will be placed into the wand available, and be able to utilize them during the casting period.  All costs are expended before the spell check is made, and failure means all costs are lost; a wand that is improperly enchanted can be re-enchanted to recover half of the material costs involved.  A spell with a casting time of 1 day or longer cannot be bonded to a wand. The casting period is ongoing with brief spurts of restless sleep, and the caster does not heal spellburn (or other wounds) during this time.  Each casting allows the caster to choose one wand from the eligible results of his spell check or less.  With research practice, and special materials, a wand can be created that performs a different function of equivalent power, such as a wand that locates secret doors.  These special wands and their abilities should be devised with the aid of the judge.  The judge determines whether or not a spell check was sufficiently high for any desired equivalent power to be bonded to the wand! In the descriptions below, “original caster level” refers to the level at which the wizard crafted the wand – if he advances in level after creating the wand, abilities associated with the creator of the wand’s original caster level do not increase.
Manifestation	One wand to be crafted by the caster, of any wood, metal, bone, or other material.
Corruption	Roll 1d8:  (1-2) Minor; (3-5) Major; (6-8) Greater.
Misfire	N/A
1	Lost, failure, corruption, and patron taint!
2-11	Lost.  Failure.
12-15	Failure, but spell is not lost.
16-17	The caster succeeds in creating a simple wand, which is linked to one spell that he knows and has available at the time of casting.  By focusing that spell through this wand, a spellcaster is able to gain a +2 bonus to his spell check.  A spellcaster cannot use two or more wands to increase this bonus.
18-21	The caster succeeds in creating a simple wand, which can be used to cast a single spell that he knows and has available at the time of casting.  The caster must succeed in a spell check for that spell as part of the casting; if the caster fails, the creation of the wand fails.  If the caster succeeds, the spell can be cast once per day per original caster level of the wizard (and using the spell check bonus of the wizard at the time the wand is created).  The wizard can choose a command word, which must be known and uttered to cast a spell through the wand.
22-23	The caster succeeds in creating a wand, which can be used to cast up to three spells that he knows and has available at the time of casting.  The caster must succeed in a spell check for all three spells; once a spell check has failed, the wand will accept no more spells.  If the spells are not thematically linked (Judge’s ruling), each additional spell to be placed in the wand (after the first) may suffer a cumulative -2 penalty to their spell checks.  The spells placed in the wand can be cast once per day per original caster level of the wizard, using the spell check result at the time the wand is created.  The wizard can choose a command word for each spell, which must be known and uttered to cast each spell through the wand.  If the wizard chooses to place only one spell in the wand (not as a result of a failed spell check), the wand can also be crafted to grant a spellcaster a +2 bonus to spell checks when casting that spell with the wand as a focus.  This bonus does not apply when an actual “charge” of the spell is used from the wand, and a spellcaster cannot use two or more wands to increase this bonus.
24-26	The caster succeeds in creating a wand, which can be used to cast up to three spells that he knows and has available at the time of casting.  The caster must succeed in a spell check for all three spells; once a spell check has failed, the wand will accept no more spells.  If the spells are not thematically linked (Judge’s ruling), each additional spell to be placed in the wand (after the first) may suffer a cumulative -2 penalty to their spell checks.  The spells placed in the wand can be cast once per day per original caster level of the wizard, using the spell check result at the time the wand is created.  The wizard can choose a command word for each spell, which must be known, but need not be uttered to cast each spell through the wand.  If the wizard chooses to place only one spell in the wand (not as a result of a failed spell check), the wand can also be crafted to grant a spellcaster a +2 bonus to spell checks when casting that spell with the wand as a focus.  This bonus does not apply when an actual “charge” of the spell is used from the wand, and a spellcaster cannot use two or more wands to increase this bonus.
27-31	The caster succeeds in creating a wand, which can be used to cast up to three spells that he knows and has available at the time of casting.  The caster must succeed in a spell check for all three spells; once a spell check has failed, the wand will accept no more spells.  If the spells are not thematically linked (Judge’s ruling), each additional spell to be placed in the wand (after the first) may suffer a cumulative -2 penalty to their spell checks.  The spells placed in the wand can be cast once per day per original caster level of the wizard, using the spell check result at the time the wand is created.  The wizard can choose a command word for each spell, which must be known, but need not be uttered to cast each spell through the wand.  In addition, by using the wand to focus any of the spells it contains, a spellcaster is granted a +2 bonus to related spell checks.  This bonus does not apply when an actual “charge” of the spell is used from the wand, and a spellcaster cannot use two or more wands to increase this bonus.
32-33	The caster succeeds in creating a great wand, which can be used to cast up to three spells that he knows and has available at the time of casting.  The caster must succeed in a spell check for all three spells; once a spell check has failed, the wand will accept no more spells.  If the spells are not thematically linked (Judge’s ruling), each additional spell to be placed in the wand (after the first) may suffer a cumulative -2 penalty to their spell checks.  The spells placed in the wand can be cast once per day per original caster level of the wizard, using the spell check result at the time the wand is created.  The wizard can choose a command word for each spell, which must be known, but need not be uttered to cast each spell through the wand.  In addition, by using the wand to focus any of the spells it contains, a spellcaster is granted a +4 bonus to related spell checks.  This bonus does not apply when an actual “charge” of the spell is used from the wand, and a spellcaster cannot use two or more wands to increase this bonus.
34+	The caster succeeds in creating a great wand, which can be used to cast up to three spells that he knows and has available at the time of casting.  The caster must succeed in a spell check for all three spells; once a spell check has failed, the wand will accept no more spells.  If the spells are not thematically linked (Judge’s ruling), each additional spell to be placed in the wand (after the first) may suffer a cumulative -2 penalty to their spell checks.  The spells placed in the wand can be cast once per day per original caster level of the wizard, using the spell check result at the time the wand is created.  The wizard can choose a command word for each spell, which must be known, but need not be uttered to cast each spell through the wand.  In addition, by using the wand to focus any of the spells it contains, a spellcaster is granted a +4 bonus to related spell checks.  This bonus does not apply when an actual “charge” of the spell is used from the wand, and a spellcaster cannot use two or more wands to increase this bonus. Finally, the caster may grant the wand one unique ability, which can be used through the wand as though it were a spell.  These abilities should be no more powerful than a third level spell as a rough estimate, and should be thematically tied to the spells contained by the wand.   These special powers should be determined with the aid of the judge.

Thoughts and Reflections on Free RPG Day

So, as you know, I offered to run the two mini-adventures in this year’s Goodman Games Free RPG Day giveaway at Dueling Grounds in Toronto.  I ran The Jeweller Who Dealt in Stardust (by Harley Stroh) at noon, and was prepared to run The Undulating Corruption (by Michael Curtis) thereafter.  I had also printed out several reference sheet booklets, to give away to anyone who showed even the slightest interest!

Turnout was rather poor at Dueling Grounds; so much so that the Pathfinder crowd were also unable to stage their second event.  Nonetheless, I had a blast with Jeweller, met some nice people, and got to talk up Dungeon Crawl Classics to those in the store.  I think that, next year, I’ll have some form of advanced registration so that you know you’ll get to play if you make the drive.

There were some nice giveaways for Free RPG Day this year.  I tend to think that the DCC module was the cream of the crop, but the beautiful colour map of Hârn is a close second, and will certainly be the big prize in some folk’s eyes.  The Paizo module and Cosmic Patrol quickstarter from Catalyst Game Labs also looked interesting.  I am sure that everything else was pretty cool, too, even if it didn’t particularly catch my eye.

I received a pair of Forest percentile dice and a d12 for running the game (Thanks!) manufactured by Q-Workshop.  I find they are somewhat hard to read, but cool looking nonetheless.  There was a fellow there who had intended on running the 4^th Edition D&D module from Wizards of the Coast, but chose not to because there were no maps, and he could discover no information as to what map set he should purchase to get the maps.  I was somewhat disappointed that the WotC module wasn’t a 5e playtest/quickstarter….especially as events left me with the potential time to have played in it.

Overall, it was a good day on a great weekend.  Not running Corruption was a disappointment, but I feel certain I’ll have a chance to run it in my home game.  It was great being able to talk with the Pathfinder aficionados who had shown up, and it was great running Jeweller.  Admittedly, all the characters in my DCC adventure died….the gentleman from Dueling Grounds said he knew I was going to kill all the PCs because I was wearing my Gary Gygax memorial cover T-Shirt from Dragon Roots Magazine. 

But I rolled the dice in the open, and the PCs fell in the very last encounter, one die roll away from ultimate success.  And there is no doubt that my dice were rolling hot, while theirs were not to be trusted….although they did have some very timely rolls along the way!

I am going to count Free RPG Day 2012 as a provisional success, and a learning experience.  And I am going to plan on a better turn-out for 2013.

Dare You Enter the Bone Hoard

I am going to run a test of Bone Hoard of the Dancing Horror for 5-8 players on Unseen Servant (unseen servant.us).  If you are interested, PM me on the Unseen Servant boards.  2nd level characters for the adventure may be created using the Purple Sorcerer higher-level character generator at purplesorcerer.com. As soon as I have 5 characters (or 8, if enough people respond), I'll be starting....so don't hesitate!

Then, when the module becomes available from Purple Duck Games, you can run your own players through it......

Free RPG Day Reminder

Saturday June 16th is Free RPG Day!


I will be running two Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG events at Dueling Grounds in Toronto.  Each of these events is for 3-10 players.  There is no advanced seating or sign-up for these events.


If you've been following this blog, and you are in the Toronto area, I really hope to see you there!


The first adventure is The Jeweler That Dealt in Stardust, a level 3 scenario by Harley Stroh.  A jeweler and fence has gone missing, and his house of jewels now sits empty. Surely a cunning thief could make his way inside to steal the unguarded riches?  This starts at Noon, and is set to run to 3 pm (maximum extension to 3:30).


Harley Stroh is the author of Doom of the Savage Kings and Sailors on the Starless Sea, which are excellent modules for the DCC RPG, and which I cannot praise highly enough.  Jeweler is equally good!


The second adventure is The Undulating Corruption, a level 5 scenario by Michael Curtis. The characters learn of a purported Crucible that can cure their wizard's corruption...but reaching this cure is not easy!  This starts at 4 pm, and is set to run to 6 pm (maximum extension to 6:30 pm).


Michael Curtis is author of The Dungeon Alphabet and Stonehell Dungeon: Down Night-Haunted Halls.  His excellent offering for this Free RPG Day is not for the squeamish....and promises to be great fun!


Pregenerated characters will be provided for both scenarios (both those provided by Goodman Games, and additional characters created using Purple Sorcerer's excellent generators).  You are strongly urged to bring your own dice.  The game can be played with standard rpg dice plus 1d30 (and I have several d30s!).


Drinks are sold in store.  Please note that no food or food garbage is allowed; there are local places to eat in the area, so plan accordingly.


http://www.goodman-games.com/FRPGD12preview.html

DCC Adventures

Interested in Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG?

My first for-publication adventure for the system, Bone Hoard of the Dancing Horror, is currently with the editor at Purple Duck Games.  I have to say that I am really excited about this, and I hope that you will enjoy playing through it as much as I enjoyed writing it.  There is at least one truly nasty encounter in the adventure that, with luck, your players will not soon forget!

I am now working on a second adventure, Through the Cotillion of Hours, for characters of any level.  If anything, I am even more excited about this adventure than I am about Bone Hoard!

It takes a while to go from writer to editor through approval to release, but if you are interested in these adventures, please let the good folks at Purple Duck Games know!

DCC House Rule: Learning the Hard Way

In Dungeon Crawl Classics, a character’s skill set is very much determined by his starting occupation as a 0-level character.  A character is trained in anything that his occupation would have him know, and makes related skill checks using 1d20.  If the character’s background doesn’t support a task, he uses 1d10 instead.  If the Judge is uncertain, the character uses 1d10 and gains a +2 bonus.

I find it desirable to sometimes reflect changes in skill level.  For example, a character who was a scribe might tutor his herder friend so that the herder could read a little better.  Or a barbarian from Cimmeria might spend time in the Thieves’ Quarter of Shadizar the Wicked and gain some small level of skill thereby.  Conversely, a beadle who hasn’t set foot in a church for many years might be somewhat rusty.

The Dice Chain can be used to simulate growth of skill, or atrophy of skills that are never used.  Basically, if the Judge feels that an untrained skill is being used repeatedly in important circumstances, with serious consequences for failure, he can allow the character to make checks against that skill one step up the dice chain.  For example, a gong-farmer who spends three adventures on a caravan might learn to handle camels using a d12 instead of a d10. 

Conversely, if that same gong farmer avoids examining dung, even when it is relevant, the Judge may eventually have him roll checks to do so using a d16 instead of a d20.  Atrophy of skills should reverse up the die chain with any success, as old habits are remembered.

It is important to keep a short leash on this idea, because, while simulating character growth is desirable, growing to the unwieldy mass of skills some other games list is not.   No skill should ever surpass rolling on a d20, or fall below rolling on a d10, as a result of using this method.   This should be used to add flavour only – if it becomes a headache, or a bookkeeping exercise, simply drop it!

Weapon Training

If a character relies on a weapon she is not trained in over the course of three adventures, the Judge may, but does not have to, allow that weapon to be included in her list of trained weapons.  This rule should be used more so that the Judge can introduce new, esoteric weapons to the game milieu than to allow player characters to “get around” current class restrictions.  The Judge is strongly advised to determine, before the weapon is introduced, which classes may benefit from training.  The Judge need not communicate this information to the players.

Free RPG Day

On Saturday, June 16th, I will be running two Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG events at Dueling Grounds in Toronto.  Each of these events is for 3-10 players.  There is no advanced seating or sign-up for these events.


The first adventure is The Jeweler That Dealt in Stardust, a level 3 scenario by Harley Stroh. A jeweler and fence has gone missing, and his house of jewels now sits empty. Surely a cunning thief could make his way inside to steal the unguarded riches?  This starts at Noon, and is set to run to 3 pm (maximum extension to 3:30).


The second adventure is The Undulating Corruption, a level 5 scenario by Michael Curtis. The characters learn of a purported Crucible that can cure their wizard's corruption...but reaching this cure is not easy!  This starts at 4 pm, and is set to run to 6 pm (maximum extension to 6:30 pm).


Pregenerated characters will be provided for both scenarios.


Drinks are sold in store.  


No food or food garbage allowed; there are local places to eat in the area.


http://www.goodman-games.com/FRPGD12preview.html