Link together official DCC Horror modules to create a full-blown fantasy horror campaign!
This article is the seventh in my series putting together a zero-to-hero campaign using published Goodman Games modules. If you haven’t yet, check out the introduction to the series to get context, tips and to see the other Adventure Paths! You can also check out the introduction to this second series for even more tips and more Adventure Paths!
What started out as Halloween modules (and a great marketing strategy) has now become the DCC Horror line. There are plenty of modules in this line now, and enough that you can run a complete fantasy horror campaign from Levels 0–6!
Running DCC Horror is a bit tricky if inserted into an ongoing campaign, as it tends to either take on the tone of the campaign of the modules before it, or to weirdly disrupt that tone. Sometimes that’s a good thing, and shakes things up, and sometimes it falls flat.
As a result, I usually run the DCC Horror modules as one-shots. But I have been pondering putting together an all-horror campaign, and this article presents ideas on how to do that.
Many of these modules will be from author Stephen Newton, who is very helpful online if you have questions or need tips on running his modules!
The tricky part of running this campaign is evening out the tone — while most of Stephen’s modules are inspired by classic pre-1990 horror films, other DCC Horror modules take a more serious tone. You’ll need to decide what flavor you want, and adjust how you present things accordingly. As always, I recommend a session 0 to work that out with your players.
We begin with some spilled wine…and as it turns out, that’s how you get ants.
Level 0: They Served Brandolyn Red
I have lots of good memories of running this one — one of my son’s longest-running PCs came from this module.
The intro scene is iconic — giant ants burst up from the ground at a wedding and devour the bride and groom.
The scene where you discover the nature of Brandolyn Red still has players talking years later.
This module is definitely a great start to a horror campaign, and well-deserves its place in this Adventure Path.
There is a lot to keep track of in this adventure, both in terms of locations, events, NPCs, and PC bloodlines. I recommend making a cheat sheet with the NPC/PC info on it, and having a print out of the map for your own reference separate from the adventure text.
When you make maps for your group, you’ll want to make both an area map as well as detailed maps of the encounter locations. The adventure takes place over a large estate, rather than a single unified dungeon. I found groups want to split up in this adventure, so it helps to have an area map where you can place sticky notes as to each PCs location.
You’ll want to seed that the location of the manor is not too far from the coast, as the next two adventures both take place on the coast.
Speaking of the coast, a ship arrives from the East…
Level 1: Shadow Under Devil’s Reef
This is the ‘Cthulhu module’ of the campaign, and as a result is tonally a bit different. It runs very much like a typical Cthulhu module, as opposed to a typical DCC module.
I suggest you tweak the background of Princess Kaeko, perhaps linking her bloodline to that of the PCs. Give them some direct connection with her, so they have more reason to connect.
The final scene where the group is potentially pushing random buttons and potentially releasing Star Spawn of Cthulhu could end the PCs careers early…which is great fun in a one-shot. For campaign play, you might want to give the PCs a bit of a bonus on their investigation of that control panel, perhaps based on their bloodline. I also encourage perhaps adding a few clues along the way to assist them with figuring thing out. On the other hand, this is a horror campaign, so…maybe you end up with new PCs for the next adventure?
Coming from They Served Brandolyn Red: The PCs are visiting Black Sand Port, perhaps to receive and award from the mayor for dealing with the situation at the vineyard. Perhaps to spend money they acquired, or perhaps because they received a letter from their distant relative, Princess Kaeko.
More Level 1 Adventure: A good resource for making your own DCCthulhu adventure is the Lovecraftian Monsters for DCC from the Gen Con 2017 Program Guide (also by Jon Hook, author of this module).
Next up, the sequel to They Served Brandolyn Red…
Level 2: The Corpse that Love Built
According to author Stephen Newton, this module is the ‘sequel’ to They Served Brandolyn Red. Not directly in terms of plot, but in terms of references and bloodlines.
This is the Frankenstein module, in case that wasn’t clear. To be honest, it’s a lot more like the Young Frankenstein module.
An ancient Elf (Dr. von Geisterblut) has been working to (re)create his perfect bride, and raiding the countryside for the parts he needs to do so.
This module is just a bit on the silly side. From the art to the concept to the encounters, it’s definitely not a serious adventure, especially compared to the Cthulhu-themed adventure that precedes it on this Adventure Path.
As a result, I think it is wise to focus on the darkness of the story here, and again on the bloodline connections. I usually don’t say this about DCC modules, but I might skip showing the PCs most of the art — including the cover. I think it will help keep a more even tone with the other modules up to this point. I think the art is great, but I also think it immediately sets a more tongue-in-cheek tone. That said, if your group wants a more tongue-in-cheek evening or two, then go all in! That’s definitely my preference, rather than continuing darkness. But most groups prefer a more consistent tone.
Coming from Shadow Under Devil’s Reef: The PCs return home to lick their wounds after dealing with Devil’s Reef, but are called back to action again when a relative in a nearby village begs them to help find their missing daughter, last seen visiting a strange old Elf in an ancient castle.
More Level 2 Adventure: If you prefer The Mummy to Frankenstein, you can slot in Tomb of the Savage Kings instead. If you really want extra play at Level 2, you can run both of them! I like the idea that you can start Tomb of the Savage Kings from Black Sand Port, right after Shadow Under Devil’s Reef, and then continue on to this one.
Level 3: The Web of All-Torment
Author Brendan LaSalle brings forth a true horror adventure here, and we’ll use it to set the stage for the rest of the campaign to come.
The PCs have found their way to the Kozy Kobweb, a lovely little inn. They hung up their swords and spells to start slinging ale.
But why? They can’t quite remember.
It turns out a town-sized spider has trapped them here, and has been forcing them to do horrible things without them knowing it. For a long time. It’s only now that their memories are starting to return.
I was really not sure about the setup of this adventure before I ran it. I was sure that the PCs would not handle this well. I was so concerned, I wrote to Brendan and asked for ideas on how to tone it down. Sadly, he is a busy man and wasn’t able to answer before I had to run it.
As a result I decided to make it a one-shot, so that the players had no real prior attachment to these characters. It turns out, they really just…went with it? They realized it was a horror adventure and that bad things were going to happen. I had warned them ahead of time it was going to be rough, and they rolled with the setup. The power of a session 0, where you set expectations before you start play!
But for this horror campaign, I think it makes sense to have our PCs encounter this horrifying situation directly. But because it’s such a true horror premise, I think it pays to set it up carefully with the PCs, warning them that the setup of this module is less campy than the last one.
There are a few situations in this adventure that can be fairly annoying. For example, Brendan likes ‘marathon’ encounters (e.g. you are on a bridge walking for days at a time as in Hole in the Sky, or as in this module, on a ladder that goes down for hundreds and hundreds of feet). I would like some thoughts from him at some point about how to make these ‘grind’ encounters more interesting. I tend to gloss over them in the interest of time, but I’m sure there is a better way.
Coming from The Corpse That Love Built: The PCs left von Geisterblut’s castle to head back home, and the main road was out (suspiciously). They took a detour, and ended up in the Kozy Kobweb, where our adventure begins.
More Level 3 Adventure: The Thing That Should Not Be from the Gen Con 2017 Program Guide. Back to that Cthulhu feel! I like the idea of inserting it before Web of All-Torment, where they end up in Nythoga’s woods on their way home after The Corpse That Love Built. Another option is Bride of the Black Manse, although I’m not a huge fan of that adventure.
Escaping alive, but with tainted souls, the PCs seek a way to end the nightmares that won’t go away…
Level 5: The Undulating Corruption
There isn’t a DCC Horror line module at Level 5 yet, so I am slotting in The Undulating Corruption from Chaos Rising.
This adventure has you getting swallowed by a giant worm that can purge you of any corruptions that you have gained. While aimed at Wizards and Elves, I quite like the idea of the PCs wanting to purge themselves of all the horrible things they did at the Kozy Kobweb, and that the worm offers them that succor.
It isn’t a terribly long adventure, but I think it can be easily expanded into a longer role-playing scenario where you have an old sage inside the worm that interviews each of the PCs about their lives, and perhaps tells them something about their bloodlines. I think you could also slot in mini-adventures inside the worm, such as the The Jewel quest from The Making of the Ghost Ring. You could insert all of that module inside the worm if you really want to expand it. Just notch up the horror on the first quest — who knows what the Sinister Syndicate has been collecting in their disgusting warehouse! That adventure already has a ghost giving you instructions, so it’s not much of a stretch. The Making of the Ghost Ring is only Level 4, so I like the idea of combining it with The Undulating Corruption into a quest to cleanse the PCs souls.
Coming from the Web of All-Torment: The PCs are having nightmares about their actions when living at the Kozy Kobweb that prevent them from getting good sleep. They are strung out an unable to function. Finally, they consult with the wisest local sage about how to cure their nightmares. He tells of a great sage that lives inside a worm on the other side of a distant mountain. It’s their only chance to regain their lives!
And now for our finale; where dreams become reality…
Level 6: The Sinister Sutures of the Sempstress
Our finale has the PCs all asleep in their homes, cozy and reveling in their guilt-free existence, having purged themselves of all corruptions in the previous adventure.
But perhaps not all of their corruptions.
They are pulled into a dreamworld by the Sempstress, and wander through a nightmare manor until they can free themselves.
I like the idea that perhaps their bloodline has guilt that was not able to be purged, or some relative of a victim of the Kozy Kobweb set them up as targets of the Sempstress.
Since this is the finale, the adventure can conclude with them feeling truly free, and perhaps — just perhaps — living happily ever after…
Coming from The Undulating Corruption: The PCs have returned home, thinking themselves free of all their horrible deeds. And yet, a dreamworld pulls them in…
Conclusion
I’ve run all the adventures here individually, and I think this would make quite a satisfying campaign if you set expectations and manage tone well.
I really like the idea of leaning in to the bloodlines from They Served Brandolyn Red, and having that be a continuing theme throughout.
Let me know if you run this as a campaign, and how it turns out!
Cheers,
Tim
Check out Adventure Path #8: Moons and Planets for more ideas!
