Grendel's Stepdad

Play Report Oct 28 2025 - DCC Keep on the Borderlands Open Table (IRL)

Introduction

And so ends Doom of the Savage Kings! The battle took most of the session, but the crew had a good amount of strategy, prep, and improvisation to take care of. Seemed like everyone had a good time, though I noticed the table seemed a little more bushed than usual by the time we wrapped up.

I noticed that the module recommends 6-12 level 1 characters, while the Ogre-whelming Force fielded one level 2 and six level 1s for this session. This felt ample, especially given that there’s only one Hound. I found using darkness early helped the monster’s chances somewhat, but even juicing the hit points somewhat and playing a little fast and loose with its actions, it stood little chance. Were I to run it again as a site-based adventure, I would probably kick it up to the next HD threshold and give it the appropriate traits, and maybe increase the action die from 3d20 to 4d20.

I may also revisit initiative; I like how some OSR rules have initiative rolled round-to-round and was thinking of taking a stab at that.

That said, the table earned their victory big time. They were careful to ensure their backups and prevented the Hound from escaping to its lair, though it almost made it! I was more than happy to see them give that wretched demon its just desserts.

As we’re hitting day 100 in game time (wow!) I’ve been planning some changes and updates to the game world, which will take the form of subsequent blog posts. I’ve been thinking a lot about what happens if the players do nothing; with real time passing between most sessions, there’s a lot to think about. I’ve mentioned the Caves of Chaos has had some time to build up, but it’s even been a month since they last encountered the rival adventurers in Quasqueton, a relatively well-trodden part of this campaign.

Report

In attendance:

With the treacherous chief and his wise man deposed, and a legendary spear held firmly in hand, the Ogre-whelming Force set about making the final preparations to face the Hound once and for all. Now under the leadership of Broegan Haverson, the villagers of Glenfarne opened their stores to the brave band. Rudy remained behind to help Glenfarne marshal its defenses.

Winifred paid a visit to her betrothed, the Mad Widow Ymae. The crone wove the hair of the band’s fallen hireling with threads of pure flame, making shackles to bind the Hound. Reminding Winifred of her vow, Ymae assured the thief that the shackles would prevent the demon from disincorporating long enough for the Force to slay it.

The sun now low in the sky, the band took the chief and the wise man to the standing stones, planning on using the criminals as bait for the Hound–a just retribution for two men who sent so many to the same fate. For his part, the chief bore it stoically, while the wise man begged and pleaded for mercy. His pleas fell on deaf ears as the band watched the dark mists roll in from the fens to the east.

The Demon Hound of Glenfarne was not to be fooled twice, however! Having been ambushed once already, the beast snuffed out the band’s torches with a fell wind. Zig the dwarf was slashed in the dark as the monster sped by, leaving the band at the stones and making straight for Glenfarne. The band left their hostages at the stones and made haste for town!

By the time they arrived, the Hound was well into its massacre. The Ogre-whelming Force interposed themselves between the Wolfspear Inn and the demon, ready to put a stop to the bloodshed. Carrick charged ahead and clapped Winifred’s shackles around the Hound’s front legs, earning a vicious wound for his efforts. Zig called in a favor from the spider-witch, touching two fingers to the arachnid brooch she had bestowed upon the Force to call one of her lesser brethren to join the fray. With the beast distracted by the dwarf and spider, Carrick withdrew.

Realizing it could not longer take flight so easily, the hound tried to slip the shackles, slashing and snapping at anyone in the way. Birdy, Heebie, Winifred, and the men-at-arms made themselves scarce by the market stalls, and Kaledar advanced with his bronze shield raised! The Hound was cowed by the frightful visage of the lion, no doubt reminded of its last defeat.

Zig then boldly charged the demon, plunging the Wolf Spear of Glenfarne into its hide. Now trapped by the spear's magic, the Hound summoned another darkness to the town square. But for the Stolen Star, Rogahn’s magic ring, those fighting the Hound toe-to-toe would have been utterly blind!

The confrontation descended into confusion.. The spider-comrade was killed by Carrick’s throw of Rogahn’s blade, and badly wounded Zig was forced to let go of the Wolf Spear so that Kaledar could drop his own and thus hold the Hound. In that critical moment, the Hound was able to wrench the Spear free and make its escape!

The band held their breath as Zig grabbed Kaledar’s spear and threw it at the Hound. When the weapon pierced its side, the monster teetered for a moment, then crumpled into a heap by the town gate! The Force watched as the Hound’s corpse dissolved into a hissing and bubbling oil. Surely, nothing would ever grow again by the gate, but it was a small price to pay–Glenfarne’s curse had been lifted!

With the nightmare ended, Chief Broegan pledged that his Woodfolk would support the party’s ally Roisin Haregetter in her ambitions to unite the clans. The band tarried for another day to lick their wounds and celebrate, then set out to find the Hound’s lair at a tip from Llore, the Wolfspear’s minstrel.

Winifred eagerly returned to the Widow to fulfill the pact, but found that she had been used! A young and rejuvenated Ymae answered the door, the flames behind her in the fireplace roaring and raging. The witch apologized and told Winifred that she had sought to inspire jealousy in her husband, the dark figure of smoke and flame lurking in the hovel. As recompense, Ymae gifted Winifred a golden chain shirt woven from the same stuff as the Hound’s shackles. The widow then vanished in a blast of smoke and heat, leaving a darkened and empty hut behind.

The fens were far less forbidding with the wretched demon gone, but nevertheless the band came upon the Hound’s lair–a boiling tar pit secluded in the wetlands. They laid claim to the material tributes the demon had accrued over the millennia while Birdy and Kaledar contemplated the dark pool. Birdy came close to stilling its ceaseless froth in his mind’s eye, though further study would be needed. Kaledar on the other hand would quickly excuse himself from the pool’s edge, lest his faith be shaken.

The last piece was the punishment of the criminals–the erstwhile chief and the wise man. It was decided that the chief would serve as blood-price for the spider Carrick had accidentally slain, while the wise man would serve as a sacrifice to Kaledar’s Horned God. The band delivered the chief to the spider-witch, who promised to not harm the disgraced lord. Kaledar made quick work of the wicked wise man.

With this last loose end tied up, the band returned to the Keep and set about planning a celebration commemorating their first hundred days of survival in the Borderlands. Fame and fortune had continued to find them, though tongues wagged that the vaunted Ogre-whelming Force shunned forays into the Caves of Chaos. Furthermore, rumors swirled of recent disappearances and burgeoning activity at Quasqueton...

#b2 #dcc #doom of the savage kings #play reports