Solo Play Report Nov 9 2025 - DCC Keep on the Borderlands
Introduction
A player at my open table recently hired some scouts to get a better idea of the current status of the Caves of Chaos. Originally I had planned to just figure it out as an offscreen happening, but I had the idea to finally give solo play a shot! It wound up being a blast and went pretty quickly.
For an oracle/engine I used the One Page Solo Engine by Inflatable Studios. It worked pretty well, though after awhile I mostly just used a tiny portion of it to drive the action along when there was a lull. Iโve read through and prepped the Caves a great deal at this point, so it was fairly easy for me to figure out how it might react to the ill-fated shenanigans of Screwtape and company.
I decided to also use this as an opportunity to introduce some companion/follower rules to my open table. In a previous Wolves Upon the Coast game run by Osse Rota over on the Brazilian Communist LGBTQ+ OSR server, companions had been a cornerstone of our partyโs strategy and our character succession. Iโm using Wolvesโs succinct companion rules wholesale, with the caveat that the follower gets 1 XP per session they see adventureโIโd like them to advance alongside the party but very slowly; befitting their status as supporting actors who may one day be PCs.
Report
Featuring:
- Screwtape, level 1 thief. A one-eyed, silver-tongued mercenary operator.
- Donncha, level 1 warrior. A burly and brash Woodfolk swordsman. Aislinn's twin.
- Aislinn, level 1 warrior. A curt and pragmatic Woodfolk archer. Donncha's twin.
Aislinnโs key takeaways in bold.
With the Ogre-whelming Forceโs gold jangling in his pocket, Screwtape retained the services of two local comrades, the Woodfolk warrior twins Aislinn and Donncha. Their combat skills and knowledge of the woods would surely serve well on the reconnaissance mission.
Day 1 - Screwtape, Donncha, and Aislinn made camp in the woods three miles from the Caves of Chaos, then entered the Caves from the southeast, using the bluff overlooking the road. Donncha noted mismatched footprints in the dirt, like the same being had one foot like a birdโs and another like a goatโs. They quickly determined that they were above the goblin cave complex, and that the goblins were preparing for raids. Several goblins and their larger hobgoblin fellows were preparing wolves for an unknown purpose. After a few hoursโ observation, Screwtape determined there were three entrances to the goblin caves, and that the hobgoblins enjoyed the upper levels.
There was some contention between Screwtape and Donncha, who disagreed about the course of action for the rest of the day. It was decided to continue observing the goblins, but the stakeout was cut short by a patrol of kobolds happening by.
The band laid in wait until one kobold straggler became separated from his fellows, allowing Screwtape to knock him out cold with blackjack to the head. The kobold was dragged back to camp for questioning.
Day 2 - At camp, the kobold mistook the trio for members of the bandit gangs running goods to the Caves. With little prompting, the kobold squealed on the weekly caravans from Nulb resupplying the canyonโwhich gave Screwtape an idea. Bushwhack one of the caravans and pose as a smuggler, then gain access to the deeper regions of the Caves!
Before dispatching the captive, Screwtape and company learned the kobold leader had embraced the religion of Cult deeper in the Caves, and the kobolds were now supported directly by clergymen of Chaos. The Caves were supposedly some kind of holy site to the cultists.
While traveling to intercept the caravan, Screwtapeโs band caught sight of a tremendous goblin with a regal mien ambling about the woods, accompanied by hobgoblin retainers and goblin courtiers. Screwtape surmised that this was certainly the Great Goblin, for he stood some twelve feet in height. Good god, hide!
After the goblins had passed, the band was spotted by a hidden watchman guarding the caravan route. Though he sounded a horn, Aislinn put an arrow through his throat. Screwtape thought quickly and donned the dead manโs cloak, noting it bore an insignia of a local gang. Donncha and Aislinn made themselves and the slain watchman scarce. When reinforcements arrived, the disguised Screwtape attributed the horn to having been startled by a goblin. The bandits seemed satisfied and slunk away.
A hail of arrows and sling bullets greeted the caravan as the band sprung the ambush! Three of the smugglers fell at once, while the other two took refuge behind the cart. Donncha rushed the caravan, plunging his sword into one of the remaining bandits. Despite the shock of Donnchaโs sudden strike, the last smuggler drove his ax into the warriorโs face and took off running. Screwtape and Aislinnโs parting shots dropped him before he could get far!
Despite Aislinnโs grief, the operation continued. While Aislinn staged the scene to hide their involvement, Screwtape confirmed the contents of the smugglersโ cartโlamp oil, a crate of wolf teeth, and many old weapons seemingly recovered from Emridy Meadowsโsome with dirt still caked on the handles.
The ruse worked; the pair gained access to the bandit camp deep within the canyon. Having completed the transaction and secured a hefty bonus, Screwtape and Aislinn learned that the oil was to go to the kobolds; the wolf teeth to the orcs; and the exhumed weapons straight to the cult, who occupied a temple complex at the rear of the Caves. One such cultist, an aged and burly warrior of Chaos clad in a bearskin, came out to personally inspect the weapons.
Returning the caravan to the site of the ambush to complete Aislinnโs frame-up of the scene, the pair observed macabre effigies hanging from the trees.
That night, Aislinn saw kobolds in the woodโit was lucky that she and Screwtape had not made a fire, for the strange little rat-men passed by without noticing.
Day 3 - The survivors now moved to survey the northern cliff overlooking the canyon. There they came across misshapen figures, surely the same who had left odd tracks noted by the late Donncha. A new faction in the Caves?
These warped beastmen were as hostile as they were insensate, wildly flailing their weapons and gibbering. Despite a malfunction of Screwtapeโs crossbow, the beastmen were undisciplined and easily scattered. Neither Screwtape nor Aislinn escaped without their lumps, however. Regrouping at the ridge, they noted that one cave in particular seemed shunned by the denizens of the canyon.
Fearing more beastmen, the pair made double time back to their camp.
Day 4 - After the tumultuous days prior, Screwtape and Aislinn conducted a quiet day of scouting. They were able to determine the location of the gnoll hideout, watching the bandits from the bivouac come by to argue with the gnolls. Some orc patrols were surveilled, and it was noted that many bore unusual mutations.
Day 5 - In the morning, several kobolds attacked the camp, but Aislinn, who slept with her bow close at hand, shot one through the eye while Screwtape readied his crossbow to kill another. The remaining kobolds fled. Aislinn expressed concern that the operation had become too dangerous, though after moving camp Screwtape elected to press on.
Screwtape and Aislinn confirmed that there were two distinct crews of orcs at odds with one another. One group appeared more heavily mutated than the other. The lot of them had assembled outside their caves, arguing and trash talking. One of them spotted the pair and they were forced to retreat!
That night, disaster struck. A pair of bugbears crept up silently while Aislinn was on watch, dragging a sleeping Screwtape from the campsite. Aislinn had only the presence of mind to grab the loot before fear took her tearing off into the woods toward home.
With Screwtapeโs last screams ringing in her ears, Aislinn ran and ran, too fast for anyone or anything to stop her. Clearing nearly a score of miles that night, she was found collapsed in Hommletโs center square the next morning with the sack of gold still clutched in hand.
Though the fine details of the report were lost with Screwtape, observant Aislinn had seen enough to deliver the Ogre-whelming Force the promised intelligence. And just maybe, they would give Aislinn a chance to have her vengeance upon the bandits and bugbears. But first, some cider to calm the nervesโฆ