R2: The Maw of the Mountain
A downloadable game
HARK! If you have purchased Rakehell then you already have access to this dungeon and need not pay a red cent further! It is located among the downloads for the zine!
This pamphlet module is presented here as part of a jam, and is presented in this format due to it being awkward to format to our tiny zine's size!
"The Maw of the Mountain" is a short adventure for starting Knaves, taking place in a mountain within the Rift of Mar-Milloir. It pits the knaves against a slumbering wyrm who is set to awaken with each passing moment. Such scoundrels are likely only here to pilfer the filthy lucre of the Wyrm's Hoard, as dragonslaying is not a business for exiles and blaggards.
This module is written to compliment Rakehell, which will provide you with the means to make the Wyrm unique and specifically terrifying. It is the second attempt at writing in this format for the writer, and frankly he thinks this one is more fun than R1: The Bandit's Manse, but is perhaps less useful...
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Ran this for two players using Cairn 2e! Great simple adventure location. The treasure tables for almost every space was super helpful for my players to search around and good fodder for storytelling. They engaged with the broodlings, fought the Wyrm, got treasure, and got out of dodge!
The hook I used was that they were condemned slaves brought to the Maw to appease the Wyrm. Their slaver told them, "Die, that's fine. Get enough loot to pay off your debts, better. Kill the Wyrm? Best."
The map was good as well since it included what I interpreted as cave squeezes. Made a lot of interesting choices for the characters in how to manage their inventory and navigate. 7/10, would use it again.
I'm glad you enjoyed it! This was my first real attempt at making a 'gimmick dungeon' and it is certainly rough (or at least not as intricate) as things I experiment with now. I should give it some polish down the line, or at least better put together a map for use at the table (as yes, those were meant to be cave squeezes, hard for the Wyrm to get through but fun to visualize in a very Dragonslayer kind of way!)
I honestly ought to give it that polish sooner rather than later, because working on this for Rakehell originally kind of got me on this whole other wavelength with regards to design thinking. Usually when I run sessions, my players don't enjoy dungeoneering. It is often too eclectic, with a lot of various rulings to adapt to (versus field rulings); so Maw of the Mountain as well as Bandit's Manse were me trying to put together one-shots that focused primarily on a single mechanism of play (loot tables, dungeon turns, etc.) It was a good place for my mind to be while designing it, tighter focus but things will get lost along the wayside. I'm more than happy that something from six or so years ago is a 7/10 and an enjoyable time which you'd use again.
All the best,
- Brian