Episode 0.1 - The Lord's Horse

 

Episode 0.1 - The Lord's Horse Character Creation Morning Surprise Rewards Little Cave in the Woods The Hillock The Cramped Passage The Fork The Left Passage The Right Passage The Thief's Den The Chamber of the Door The Chamber of the Altar Rewards Navigator

 

This episode is fairly scripted to get the characters moving toward their new and odd life.

 

NOTE: I've made suggested XP rewards throughout this adventure. The DM can mitigate these rewards, but its intended that as the characters emerge into their new world, they are ready to level up.

 

NOTE2: I didn't bother to do a map of the Little Cave in the Woods. You can probably figure that out for yourself.

 

Character Creation

Character creation is as written in the DCC Core book. Characters are considered to be living or at least present in the same village when the adventure opens.

 

Morning Surprise

One of the 0-level characters (pick one at random, or select one) was entrusted with Lord Yarig's prime warhorse, Saint. The reasons are up to the DM, but it should be clear that if anything was to befall Saint, the Lord would not only take his anger out on the trustee, but also his or her family and possibly the entire village. Saint is a large warhorse with a black coat and snow white mane and tail -- very rare in the kingdom.

 

The adventure starts when the character comes out to the barn or corral one morning to find the horse gone. Theft should be obvious -- the rope that the horse was tied to was obviously cut, the barn door lock is broken, etc. The trustee character has run to his close friends (the rest of the 0-level party) explained the situation and brought everyone together to investigate the theft before word gets back to Lord Yarig. The first scene should be the group trying to piece together what happened.

 

The following can be determined on the outset:

• The beast was obviously stolen (broken corral/barn latch, cut lead rope, possibly a witness that remembers seeing a stranger in the area.
• Anyone with general outdoors experience that examines the area for tracks quickly realizes that the horse was led out of the area, across a field and into the nearby woods. 
• Asking around reveals that a man calling himself Stefan has been in the village for a few days working as a laborer. He seemed to be a little dodgy (no one could figure out where he was living) and he disappeared yesterday after a job and hasn't been seen since.

 

At the time the theft is discovered, the thief has several hours head start -- but it shouldn't matter much. The trail is obvious. And it appears that the thief did not ride the horse -- so he's probably walking. 

 

Give the characters time to discuss options, gather any other equipment they might need and set out to track the thief down.

 

Rewards

For this brief scene, consider rewarding the character that thinks to look for tracks (and is capable of finding them) with 1 Luck point.

 

Little Cave in the Woods

After about an hour on a game trail through the woods (clearly able to be followed -- white horse hair caught in bushes, hoof tracks, a cast off ration package, etc), the group spies a small cave opening halfway up a small hillock. Beside this opening, a man in heavy dark robes leans over something indistinguishable from this distance. The man immediately detects the party and whips around, seeming to glare at them from beneath the brim of a strange hat (his face seems to be covered with a scarf or mask or something).

 

Give the characters time to react and organize themselves, but if the man is approached or attacked, he flings something at his feet and seems to disappear in a flash of light and burst of smoke.

 

Investigating the area around the cave mouth reveals:

• The horse is here and is dead -- its throat slashed and it's long snowy white tail cut off.
• Someone with outdoors experience can determine that the same person that led the horse off likely killed it and then crawled into the small cave opening (bloody footprints, impressions as the person crawled on hands and knees into the cave, etc)
• The cave opening is natural and is very tight -- about 5' wide and 3' tall.
• A concentrated search of the nearby area (DC 20) reveals a pile of brush and leaves hidden about 30' away from the cave. 

 

The Hillock

The characters may want to explore the hillock -- if they do, it takes several hours to find the chimney opening described in Room 2. Stefan has long since left the area and destroyed the rope ladder he used to actually enter and exit the cave. He has taken the horse tail, and all of the equipment described in Room 2 with him. (See Room 2 for a full description). If the characters decided to try and build a fire at the cave entrance, the thief quickly exits, as well, and is miles away by the time the characters figure out he's gone.

 

The Cramped Passage

Beyond the cave opening is a descending passage that ranges between 3' and 5' wide and about 3' tall. For characters taller than a dwarf, movement is 1/4 speed on hands and knees. Dwarves move at 1/2 speed, while halflings are unfazed by the confines. With enough light, it is easily determined that the thief moved along this passage all the way to the fork. The passage is 40' to the fork described below.

 

The Fork

Here the passage forks left and right. The Left Passage continues on at the same elevation, while the Right Passage descends rather sharply into darkness (though easily navigable). Searching the fork reveals that the thief continued down the Left Passage. All that can be determined from the Right Passage is that cool air seems to emit from it.

 

The Left Passage

The Left Passage extends for 60' before ending at the Thief's Den. About halfway down the passage, Stefan has set up a rudimentary, but effective trap consisting of a bamboo pole bent back to the cave wall and attached to a dagger and a trip line (partially buried in the mud). A character with an appropriate background can find the trap with about ten minutes of concentrated searching (DC 15). Otherwise, the first character to cross over the trip line receives 1d4 damage from the dagger whipping into the passage. Springing the trap immediately alerts the thief to the party's presence. See the Thief's Den below for Stefan's actions.

 

The Right Passage

The Right passage descends about 40' before leveling off and widening. At this point, the passage is about 8' wide and 10-12' tall, though still irregular. The passage twists and turns for about 60' before ending at the Chamber of the Door.

 

The Thief's Den

Stefan has a simple lodging in this 40'x30' natural chamber. In the center of the ceiling (30' above) is a natural chimney (5' diameter, about 10' long -- if Stefan detected the party, the outside opening of the chimney is covered by a pile of branches. If he is surprised in his chambers, a rope ladder hangs down beside the small pool) leading out to the hillock. Below the opening is a small pool of water. He has a large fire pit against one wall, though the coals are cold today. On the other side of the room from the entrance is a bedroll, chest and crude table cluttered with equipment.

 

Stefan is alert and careful, but not necessarily expecting pursuit. Being careful, however, he crawled into the passage up to his trap to make it look like that's how he gets in and out of his den, but then crawled back out and entered via his rope ladder attached to the chimney.

• If the characters sprung the trap or were otherwise not careful about noise have him make a Listen check (+2). (Assume that he has a chance to detect the party, since peasants crawling through the muck is not quiet business).
• If the party is detected, he immediately climbs out of the chimney hole by means of a rope ladder (and pulls the ladder out with him), proceeds to the cave opening and pushes in as much wood and brush as he can. He then sets this alight. Assume about 30 minutes to get this done (from the time he detects the party). See below for the effects.
• If cornered in his den, he grabs the horse tail and his dagger and flees up the rope ladder. If this isn't possible, he fights to the death. 
• If the party left folks outside, they will have a chance to spot Stefan as he makes his stealthy way down the wooded hillock and to his brush pile. If he is undetected, he decides to cut his losses and flees.

 

Searching the room reveals the following:

• The firepit was used in the last day, but the coals are only warm -- the fire was doused by water.
• The bedroll appears to have been used recently. 
• The chest is unlocked and contains -- a small bag of 88 sp, 4 days of rations, a silvery metal disc about the size of a man's palm (described below) and a half-full wineskin (good wine)
• The table contains -- a lantern (full of oil and unlit), 4 pots of oil, a tinderbox, a rolled up (but unsealed) parchment (described below), a bloody dagger and a long white horse's tail.

 

NOTE: If Stefan has fled the area, the only thing that remains is the silvery metal disc, forgotten on the table. If he is enacting his flaming deathtrap, everything is here but the pots of oil and the tinder box.

 

• The Letter describes what Lord Hamkin (a lord opposed to Lord Yarig) wants Stefan to do to the horse Saint -- he wants it killed and the vile lord wants the horse's tail to add to his helmet for the next tournament.
  
  NOTE: Returning the letter and the horse's tail to Lord Yarig nets the characters a year's reprieve from his oppressive taxes, though he forgets after a few months.
  
  
• The Metal Disc is of a strange silvery metal about the size of a man's palm and half and inch thick (weight 1 lb). Carved in relief on one face of the disc is a half circle with three stars opposite the flat side of the circle. This is the symbol of Indomitable Empire of the Mystic Vril -- as the characters will find out later...This disc is used to enter the Chamber of the Altar.

 

Fiery Deathtrap

Stefan supposes that with a party of pursuers trapped in the cave, he can smoke them out until the smother, wait for the smoke to clear and be on his way. He still has a few days before he's due to meet with Lord Hamkin's representative and would rather not leave his cozy hideout. Events proceed thus, unless somehow thwarted by the characters:

• Stefan climbs out of his den, pulling up the rope ladder and taking his fire making equipment -- he covers the chimney with a mound of branches that will restrict airflow, but still allow the smoke to draw into the chamber.
• He sneaks furtively down the hillock to his hidden pile of brush and begins moving it to plug up the cave mouth -- he'll get enough kindling into the cave mouth to get it started and push more in to keep the thing going.
• He spends an hour tending to the fire before moving back up to the chimney to wait for the smoke to clear (about 2 hours). 

 

The fire in the mouth of the cave draws the smoke down the main passage and the Left passage and will begin drawing out of the chimney in the Thief's Den. Any characters in the passages when the fire is lit or any in the Thief's Den that make a Spot DC 15 detect the smell of smoke. Then the situation progresses thus:

• Within a turn, the passage is filled with smoke (FORT DC 14 per round or take 1 hp of non-lethal damage -- when non-lethal damage equals the characters hit points, they fall unconscious and take 1 hp of lethal damage per round).
•  At two turns, the Thief's Den has filled up with smoke and requires a FORT DC 12 or damage progresses as above. 
• NOTE: A wet cloth over the mouth and nose provides a +4 to the FORT checks.
• At three turns, both the passage and the den are equally lethal.  
• Attempting to approach the burning brush in the cave entrance deals 1d3 points of lethal damage per round (within 20'; no save) due to the searing smoke.
• The Right Passage is clear of smoke 20' passed the fork.

 

The Chamber of the Door

 

The Right Passage finally opens into a chamber about 20' wide and 30' long. The far end of the room appears to have had the stone worked and in this is set a massive stone door (15' wide, 8' tall). Carved on the face is the Symbol of the Indomitable Empire of the Mystic Vril - though this carving is the negative of the disc (big surprise).

• The door is immovable other than the procedure described below.
• On the right side of the door where it meets the wall is a curved hole big enough for a hand. If a hand is inserted and the door pulled before inserting the disc into the symbol on the door, a blade slices off the fingers (1d2 points of damage, but that hand is crippled). 
• If the disc is pressed into the symbol on the door, it adheres there and cannot be removed. A loud stoney "click" is heard and the door can be opened by simply pulling on it with the curved hole described above. 

 

Beyond the door is a 10' wide, 30' long ledge overlooking the Chamber of the Altar (the floor of which is 30' below). 

 

The Chamber of the Altar

From the vantage of the ledge, this room is lighted by a phosphorescent glow emitting from the large pool of water in the back if this large natural chamber. What can be seen from the ledge: 

• A large natural chamber -- irregularly shaped, but about 50' wide and 120' long, sloping down to a large (50'x60') pool of blue glowing liquid.
• In the near center of the chamber is what appears to be an altar (4'tall, 6' wide, 3' deep metal box with two metal poles sticking out of the top)
• A stone statue or idol fallen across the top of the altar. 

 

The climb down is actually easier than it appears. A simple STR check DC 5 gets someone down within a turn of careful climbing -- anything faster adds 5 to the check. On a natural 1, the climber falls from 10'- 15' (1d6 to 1d6+3 damage).

 

After about a turn, the stone door at the top slides silently shut and cannot be opened by any means (until the events below).

 

The Idol

What appeared to be a statue or idol from the ledge is actually a bulkier than man-sized humanoid figure composed of a malleable stone-like substance. It is slumped over the altar. The following can be determined when examined:

• The "helmet" of the humanoid is caved in on one side and breached. Within the breach are clusters of "strings" that flow faintly. If the strings are cut or otherwise damaged, they grow dark, though clusters of the strange things fill the "skull" of the stone man. Extracted strings just feel strange to the examiner -- not like anything they've seen or heard of before.
• In the back of the stone man's "armor" is a hinged panel that can be easily opened. Inside is a small but exact replica of the "altar" attached by clusters of the same strings that fill the thing's head. The thing is easily removed, but the faintly glowing strings grow dark when the thing is removed. 
• The creature is very heavy (about 900 lbs) and seemingly indestructible (no effect from fire, blades, blunt objects, etc.)

 

If the "mini-altar" is removed from the creature and then re-attached, the strings glow brighter than before and the thing begins to moan and then speak in the Common Tongue, though strangely accented. If the thing is removed and replaced up to 4 times, the creature speaks one of the following phrases (roll 1d4 and they can be repeated): 

1 - Bathing in the effluvia of the Mindhead protects from the wrath of the Vril masters.

2 - Touching the traveling stone otherwise is doom.

3 - The plains of Fhere are on the other side of the door.
4 - The Traveling Stone will bring us all the Mindhead.

 

The Glowing Pool

The pool contains water into which billions of microscopic phosphorescent creatures live. Approaching and examining pool with a light source reveals some sparkling substance dissolved in the water. The pool is tied to the altar, described below.

 

NOTE: The character that bathes in the water is coated with the phosphorescent creatures and glows as bright as a torch for two hours. Additionally, this character automatically receives an automatic "Special" result when the characters receive their special abilities upon exiting Mindhead's cavern (described later).

 

The Altar

The altar is composed of near stainless steel -- the two poles that jut from its top (about 2' apart) are of solid iron. This is the traveling stone and these are its particulars:

• If the two poles are touched at the same time by anyone that has not bathed in the pool, he or she is immediately disintegrated (no save) in a flash of light. Their equipment and clothing fall to the ground in a pile of dust.
• If the two poles are touched at the same time by anyone that has bathed in the pool, there is an incredible flash of light and everyone not touching the altar is knocked unconscious. A sleeping gas emits from the traveling stone and those that touched the poles quickly drift off to a dreamless sleep.

 

Rewards

For completing the Little Cave in the Woods section, consider these XP rewards: 

• Detecting/Disarming the trap -- 1 XP (one character only)
• Recovering the letter and horse tail -- 1 Luck point (each)
• Escaping the fiery death trap -- 1 XP (each that escaped without losing consciousness)
• Figuring out the Chamber of the Door -- 1 XP (one character)
• Figuring out how to make the stone man talk -- 1 Luck point (one character)
• Figuring out the Traveling Stone --2 XP (one character)

 

 

Navigator

 

Planet of Fear - DCC

Episode 0.1 - The Lord's Horse

Episode 0.2 - In the Vault of the Mindhead

Monsters of Fhere