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  Sour SPring Hollow
  A Zero-level Funnel Adventure
  by Michael Curtis • Editor: Reverend Dak • Art: Doug Kovacs, Stefan Poag • Layout / Art Direction: Joseph Goodman • Playtesters: 
  Bambaata Bryant, Brad Littman, Chynna Monforte, Gerardo Servin, Stevo Rood, Daniel Ryder, and Rev. Dak J. Ultimak; Jeremy Lasseigne, 
  Jeremy Ligman, Roy “Judge Luukaas the Mad” Snyder, Bill Tennyson, Jim Tinklenberg (The Alpha Gamers), David Baity, and Chris Sellers
  Copyright 2014 © Goodman Games. Published under the OGL as defined in DCC #83: The Chained Coffin.
  S
  our Spring Hollow is a zero-level funnel adventure 
  for use with Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG. It is 
  written specifically for the judge wishing to begin 
  a new campaign set in the Shudder Mountains and is in-
  tended for use with six players running three to four zero-
  level PCs each. The adventure can be adjusted to accommo-
  date as few as four players and as many as eight simply by 
  increasing or decreasing the power and number of the crea-
  tures encountered within.
  The adventure sees the party transported to a shunned vale 
  that was once home to a sinister clan of witches, conjure 
  men, and evil-doers. There, the PCs discover they’re trapped 
  outside of normal time and space and must decipher clues 
  to banish a lingering evil and return to their normal world. 
  Many are likely to fall by the wayside, but the surviving 
  characters will be ready for further exploits in the Shudder 
  Mountains.
  Background
  The Hobb clan was a family of conjure-men and witches that 
  lived deep in the backwoods of the Shudder Mountains in a 
  secluded vale known as Sour Spring Hollow. Isolated from 
  their neighbors, the Hobbs clan, led by their patriarch Byard 
  Hobb and his three boys, practiced their dark arts, venerat-
  ing spirits best left untroubled by mortal men. It was widely 
  known that the Hobbs could witch wells dry, lay a death 
  curse on those who crossed them, and inflict other troubles 
  on the Shudfolk. Greatly feared, the clan was avoided by all. 
  Twenty years back, Shuyr Rilla, a lay cleric of the Sovereign, 
  took it upon herself to test her faith against the Hobb’s evil. 
  With only her hawthorn walking stick and her holy symbol 
  to aid her, Shuyr Rilla set off for Sour Spring Hallow, deter-
  mined to cast the coven out of the mountains. 
  Arriving at the Hobb’s farm, Shuyr Rilla denounced the 
  family, quoting scripture and brandishing her holy symbol 
  at the assembled witches. The force of her words stung the 
  foul kin, but they swiftly overpowered her, bound her limbs, 
  broke her walking cane, and cast her holy symbol into the 
  spring. Gleefully, the backwoods witches hauled the strug-
  gling cleric up to the top of their corn field, lashing her to 
  a scarecrow before slitting her wrists and ankles. As Shuyr 
  Rilla’s blood streamed into the hungry earth beneath her, she 
  called out one final time for her god to cast out the Hobbs 
  and their evil from the mountains. 
  Denied her holy symbol and plagued with guilt over letting 
  it be stripped from her, Shuyr Rilla’s exorcism was not com-
  pletely successful—although it did achieve a portion of her 
  intent. Her divine invocation cast both the Hobb clan and 
  their farm outside of physical reality, stranding it in an ad-
  jacent pocket dimensional space. Her dying words cursed 
  the Hobbs to an existence as restless phantoms, imprisoned 
  in a scrape of time and space outside the real world. Both 
  the Hobbs and a metaphysical reflection of their farm have 
  remained trapped there ever since. 
  Since the casting out of the Hobb witches, Sour Spring Hol-
  low has been avoided by most of the Shudfolk. Recently, 
  however, witch liquor brewers sought out the hollow, hop-
  ing to tap into any lingering magic that might exist in the 
  Hobb’s spring to make their enchanted drink. Several jugs of 
  their witch liquor have been distributed to decadent buyers 
  in the flatlands, but one jug inadvertently ended up amongst 
  the potables intended for consumption at a Shudfolk wed-
  ding the PCs are attending! 
  During the celebration, the witch liquor jug makes its 
  rounds amongst the unsuspecting party-goers. All who 
  sample from the receptacle awake the following morning in 
  the pocket dimension, drawn there by the mystical link be-
  tween the witch brew and Sour Hollow’s spring. There, they 
  find themselves imprisoned with the phantoms of the dead 
  witches and other foul things. These castaways must find 
  the means to complete Shuyr Rilla’s banishing and return 
  back to their rightful home in the physical world.
  THe HoBB Farm
  The farm and surrounding hollow fill a small extra dimen-
  sional pocket located adjacent to the physical world. At first 
  glance, it is identical to Sour Spring Hollow at the time of 
  the Hobbs’ banishment. Four log cabins surround a com-
  mon yard in the midst of dense forest. A steep hillside rises 
  from the forest to the west.
  The sky over the hollow is sickly yellow in color and bears 
  only a few scant clouds. All the vegetation in and around the 
  farm is parched as if in the grip of a prolonged drought. The 
  air is hot and still without even the slightest hint of a breeze. 
  The cabins are mostly intact, but weathered: their wood 
  turned gray with age and the whitewashed clay chinking is 
  cracked and dirty.
  The cabins are built on the same general floor plan common 
  to the Shudfolk (use the “Typical Shudfolk Farm” cabin in-
  terior map from DCC #83 The Chained Coffin if necessary). 
  Each building contains two rooms, with one area serving as 
  a common living area and kitchen, and the second utilized 
  as a bedroom. A loft for sleeping and/or storage, and acces-
  sible by a ladder, is located beneath the roof and above the 
  bedroom. The cabins’ interiors are dusty, filthy, and ill-main-
  tained, and contain an array of typical household goods and 
  furnishings. Each cabin description below also gives a list of 
  possibly useful items and weapons that can be found inside. 
  If the PCs specifically seek an object not listed but one that 
  has a reasonable chance to be inside a farm house, the judge 
  
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  can let the PC make a Luck check to determine if the item is 
  present. For the purposes of time keeping, which is impor-
  tant with the Hobb phantoms’ ongoing attacks (see Event 
  One below), searching a cabin takes 2 turns if the party does 
  a quick investigation and four turns if they search the inside 
  top-to-bottom. As per DCC RPG p. 76, a combat lasts 1 turn.
  Escape from the hollow is impossible by normal means. PCs 
  leaving the farm to try their luck in the woods wander for 
  2d6 turns before emerging once more at the farm. It is likely 
  they also encounter the Hobb phantoms (see below) while 
  away from the flimsy security of the log cabins, possibly per-
  ishing amongst the darkened boles. 
  STarTing THe advenTure
  Sour Spring Hollow begins at a wedding, a joyous event cel-
  ebrating the new union of two Shudfolk. Each of the play-
  ers’ zero-level characters is an invited guest of the bride and 
  groom. Many of the Shudfolk are interrelated by blood or 
  marriage and it’s likely the PCs share family ties with the 
  bride or groom (or both) and potentially each other. 
  Because the characters are attending a social function, the 
  judge should limit the PCs as to what weapons and equip-
  ment they possess at the start of the adventure. Weapons 
  are restricted to belt daggers and perhaps staves in the form 
  of walking sticks. Each PC is allowed only trade goods and 
  equipment that would be suitable to bring to a party, but if 
  the player can come up with a good reason for having an un-
  usual item with them (“I was going to loan this 10’ of chain 
  to Pa Coggins to help get that stump out.”), the judge should 
  allow it. Weapons will be of little use to the party initially, 
  but they’ll have the opportunity to scavenge arms once they 
  arrive at the farm. 
  Once the party’s gear is determined, read the following:
  It was a glorious day in the mountains for a wedding. Ivy News-
  combe made a stunning bride dressed in her granddame’s white 
  lace dress and Tum Dankers, despite a nervous sweat that puts a 
  hog to shame, spoke of his love for his bride-to-be in a manner than 
  made even the old ladies sigh. When Braar Gajers announced the 
  couple husband and wife in the eyes of the Sovereign, a cheer went 
  up that echoed clear across Hardscrabble Valley.
  The party afterwards worked hard to outdo the wedding that came 
  a’fore it. Jam Ranson and his three sons reeled out song after song 
  on fiddle, fife, and drum as the guests whirled and stomped on the 
  dance field. Grammy Hopyard gave the newlyweds a good luck 
  quilt sewn from patches donated by all the families in the valley. 
  Son Carver and Clim Wills worked hard dishing out heaps of food 
  for the hungry guests and it wasn’t too long before jugs of good, 
  strong stump whiskey started making the rounds. In fact, that’s 
  where your current problem might have started.
  Your last clear thought was taking a swig of particularly potent 
  liquor from an odd-colored jug, a brew that burned hot on its way 
  down and left the taste of ginger in the mouth. Now you find 
  yourself lying face-down in starchy, stiff grass gone yellow from 
  drought. The raucous sounds of the party are nowhere to be heard, 
  and aside from a few groans that tell you you’re not the only one 
  suffering from hardy drink, the air is quiet and still. Raising your 
  head, you look about to find yourself in a common yard stretched 
  out before four ramshackle-looking log cabins. Deep woods sur-
  round the clearing on three sides and a hillside holding terraced 
  plots of dried, dusty corn rises up to the west. Several other people, 
  their faces familiar from the wedding, lie splayed out on the ground 
  around you, looking about with similar befuddled eyes.
  Only the PCs are present in the yard. Through sheer happen-
  stance, they were the only wedding guests to sample from 
  the spiked jug and be brought here by the witch liquor’s 
  taint. Although they feel hung-over, their condition has no 
  debilitating effects—they’re in enough trouble already. 
  Allow the PCs a few moments to get their bearings and to try 
  and reconstruct the events that led them here. If they com-
  pare their experiences at the wedding, they’ll deduce that 
  each of them drank from a maroon clay jug holding a potent 
  liquor. The judge should describe the surrounding cabins 
  at this point, perhaps sketching a quick map, as the party’s 
  about the need to know the locations of possible bastions of 
  safety. When the PCs start to split up or head towards the 
  cabins, Event One occurs.
  evenT one: THe PHanTomS
  T
  he uneasy spirits of the Hobb clan are trapped in 
  Sour Spring Hollow, hungry and hateful. They 
  observe the PCs for a few moments, intrigued by 
  their arrival, before hunger overwhelms curiosity and they 
  pounce. Read the following:
  The still air is broken by a peculiar bird cry sounding from the 
  dark forest. A shrill call of “Rack-kak-kak-kaw, rack-kak-kak-kaw” 
  echoes across the clearing followed immediately by the sound of 
  winds rushing through the boles. Strangely, the leaves stand 
  unmoving on their branches. Moments later, intangible figures, 
  swirling like mist, slither from the trees toward you. Pairs of burn-
  ing green eyes filled with hate, glare at you like emerald cinders.
  The phantoms rush amongst the PCs, attacking those with 
  the worst Luck first. The judge should describe any fatali-
  ties occurring during this initial attack with grim details, de-
  scribing how a slain PC’s flesh dries out and cracks like corn 
  husks in a drought, his blood flowing into his slayer and 
  making the phantom momentarily visible. 
  Hobb Phantoms (6): Init +4; Atk death grasp +1 melee (1d5); 
  AC 12; HD 1d8; hp 4 each; MV fly 40’; Act 1d20; SP immune 
  to normal weapons; SV Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +3; AL C.
  The Hobb phantoms are translucent, bilious patches of mist 
  assuming vaguely humanoid shapes. A pair of brilliant green 
  eyes peers from their otherwise blank visages. They consume 
  the blood of their victims, making their true forms, that of rus-
  tic, evil-seeming Shudfolk, visible for a few moments. These 
  un-dead phantoms are immune to normal weapons, but are 
  injured by silver and hawthorn implements. Although the 
  Devil’s Thorn sigil (see area 1-2 and sidebar below) served 
  the witches well in life, it repels them in death and they can-
  not enter a building protected by that sign.
  The phantoms attack for three rounds, slaying as many PCs 
  as possible. They don’t pursue characters who flee into the 
  cabins (yet), but will circle the buildings briefly, howling and 
  laughing before slinking back into the trees.
  
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  The phantoms continue to plague the party throughout their 
  time in the dimensional space, returning with 1d4+1 of their 
  number every 1d6+1 turns. The Hobbs were a large clan and 
  any phantoms destroyed are replaced by other ghostly kin-
  folk. The phantoms’ arrival is always heralded by the weird 
  bird cry, giving the PCs one round of warning before the 
  Hobbs’ restless spirits descend upon them. On subsequent 
  attacks, the phantoms will enter areas 1-4 and 1-5 to attack 
  the party, but cannot enter area 1-2 and will not go into area 
  1-1. They leave the defense of the spring cave in area 1-7 to 
  the deadfall, but if it is slain and the party attempts to hide 
  in the cavern, the phantoms descend the well to attack.
  evenT Two: THe dollS
  T
  his event is ongoing throughout the adventure, 
  starting once the first PC dies. Soon after each death, 
  the party discovers a corn-husk doll propped on a 
  dusty shelf, porch stair, or other innocuous location. These 
  dolls are the creations of Thistle Hobb’s (the daughter from 
  area 1-5) restless spirit and are potentially lethal later in the 
  adventure. When first found, read the following:
  A crude doll fashioned from dried corn husks, twine, and corn silk 
  sits seemingly forgotten here. Measuring 8” tall, the doll’s rustic 
  form seems to suggest the appearance of [insert slain PC’s name] 
  down to the deceased’s clothes and hair color. Unlike the rest of 
  the surroundings, the doll is clean and dust-free, hinting at recent 
  manufacture.
  The judge must keep track of the fate of these dolls, as any 
  that are destroyed won’t plague the party later, while those 
  PCs carrying them will be the first to be attacked when they 
  animate.
  Once the PCs acquire Shuyr Rilla’s holy symbol from the 
  well and begin moving through the corn field (area 1-8), 
  each doll becomes possessed by a fragment of Hobb undead 
  energy and they attack the party. Although relatively weak, 
  they band together to kill one or more PCs in turn, using 
  their numbers to overwhelm their victim.
  Animated Corn Husk Doll (equal to # of slain PCs): Init -3; 
  Atk slashing corn husk limbs +0 melee (1 point of damage); 
  AC 8; HD 1d3; hp 2 each; MV 10’ (but see SP); Act 1d20; SP 
  sudden appearance (doll can instantaneously appear adja-
  cent to or even on an opponent for maximum terror), im-
  mune to mind-affecting magic, fire inflicts double damage; 
  SV Fort -3, Ref +1, Will -2; AL C.
  The corn husk dolls slice their victims with stiff, sharp limbs, 
  using their sudden appearance movement power to mani-
  fest around their enemies if left behind. Those carried by a 
  PC automatically surprise their bearer, gaining a free round 
  to attack. A PC carrying a number of these dolls when they 
  animate is in grave danger.
  Area 1-1—The Gardinel: A decayed-looking cabin lacking a 
  porch stands at this point overlooking the yard. A pair of shuttered 
  windows flank an open doorway leading into the gloomy interior. 
  The split shake roof and chinked log walls hold a slight green tinge 
  as if moss clings to the exterior.
  This “building” was once Byard Hobb’s witch’s gardinel, 
  conjured up by black magic. Since the casting out of the farm 
  and Byard’s transformation into a restless phantom, the gar-
  dinel has devolved into its more primitive form—a mind-
  less, carnivorous plant that mimics a log cabin to catch its 
  prey. PCs trapped inside the plant are doomed.
  Gardinel (1): Init -3; Atk tongue tendril +8 melee (grapple); 
  AC 10; HD 20d12; hp 130; MV none; Act 1d20; SP camou-
  flage, digestive juices (DC 15 Fort save each round or suf-
  fer 4d8 damage), immune to most mind-affecting spells, fire 
  resistance (as if spellcheck 20), fails all Reflex saves; SV Fort 
  +16, Ref -, Will -5; AL N.
  During the phantoms’ initial attack it is possible some of the 
  PCs rush to the gardinel, mistaking it for safe refuge. These 
  unlucky souls flee directly into the plant and it closes its 
  “door” behind them before flooding its stomach with diges-
  tive juices. Zero-level PCs are certainly killed immediately 
  and devoured.
  If the entire group of PCs decides to seek shelter in the gar-
  dinel, the adventure could come to an abrupt end. In this 
  case, allow the first 1d4+1 PCs to enter the gardinel before it 
  closes its mouth, leaving the rest of the party outside while 
  it digests the unlucky. The PCs that avoid this fate can seek 
  shelter elsewhere, but may have to survive another round of 
  phantom attacks to reach safety.
  Area 1-2—Oza’s Cabin: A slant-roofed log cabin with rough-
  formed porch looks upon the yard from this place. The roof is 
  saddle-backed with age and the shake roof shingles are split and 
  cracked, but it otherwise seems intact. A hewn-wood door blocks 
  entrance, its exterior face marred by a weird glyph in fading paint.
  This cabin was home to Oza, oldest of Byard Hobb’s sons 
  and the second-most powerful conjure man in the clan. Oza 
  regularly dealt with dark spirits in the backwoods and pro-
  tected his home with an old symbol known as the Devil’s 
  Thorn (see sidebar). This special glyph warded off restless 
  spirits during Oza’s life, but now stymies the Hobb clan. 
  None of the phantoms can enter this cabin, making it the 
  safest place for the PCs to seek shelter during the initial at-
  tack and as they explore the farm.
  In the woodpile beside the hearth is a hawthorn walking 
  stick broken in two. It has been sanded smooth and is easily 
  distinguished from the other gathered kindling (DC 5 Intel-
  ligence check to notice). While not magical, hawthorn has 
  power against restless spirits and both of the broken pieces 
  inflict damage on the phantoms as clubs. A successful DC 10 
  Intelligence check allows a PC to recall the purported occult 
  properties of hawthorn wood. The walking stick was owned 
  by Shuyr Rilla and broken by the Hobbs when she was cap-
  tured. It was meant for the fire, but the casting out occurred 
  before it could be burned.
  Useful/Interesting Items in area 1-2
  • 
  Hatchet (as hand axe)
  • 
  Frying pan (as club)
  • 
  1d6 Knives (as daggers)
  • 
  Clothing
  • 
  Lantern and 3 flasks of oil
  • 
  Herbs, salt, and corn meal
  • 
  2 hoes and a shovel (as staff)
  • 
  Firewood (as club)
  
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  Area 1-3—Burying Ground: A number of chiseled stones and 
  rotting posts protrude from the dry soil and rank grass here. The 
  ground is uneven with several oblong depressions in the earth in-
  dicating the presence of ancient graves.
  The Hobbs buried their dead in this neglected patch of 
  ground. Although the depressions in the ground are a natu-
  ral side effect of the rotted caskets below, the party need not 
  know this and wild speculation is encouraged. The real dan-
  ger here is the trio of extremely hungry earth hounds who’ve 
  been denied a meal since the hollow’s casting out and survive 
  only due to the magical nature of the place. The earth hounds 
  ravenously attack any living creatures entering the burying 
  ground, bursting from the earth to surprise the party.
  Earth Hound (3): Init +2; Atk tusks +2 melee (1d5) or bite +1 
  melee (1d4); AC 11; HD 1d6; hp 3; MV 30’, burrow 10’; Act 
  1d20; SP keen nose (+10 to detect hidden creatures and can 
  smell dead bodies from 300’ away); SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will 
  +1; AL N.
  An inspection of the grave markers discovers most are un-
  adorned and bear only the weatherworn names of long-
  dead Hobb kin. One wooden marker, however, is inscribed 
  with a faded carving of a Devil’s Thorn. This marker affects 
  the Hobb phantoms and can be wielded as a club or bran-
  dished at the un-dead spirits to drive them away. If used in 
  this manner, the wielder may turn un-holy as a cleric, but 
  uses a d16+Personality modifier to determine success.
  Area 1-4—Esco’s Cabin: A cabin in a state of ongoing collapse 
  stands away from the rest. Holes pierce its roof and one of its walls 
  leans ominously, bringing to mind a cringing dog awaiting the 
  next blow. Lacking shutters, ratty, badly tanned hides cover the 
  windows facing the yard and a crumbling stone stoop leads to its 
  closed front door.
  This cabin was home to Esco Hobb, third son of Byard Hobb 
  and a slob even by the backwoods clan’s standards. Pallid 
  light shining through the holes in the roof provide illumina-
  tion, making its interior the brightest of all the cabins. 
  If the party has not yet encountered the earth hounds in area 
  1-3 when they enter this cabin, the ghoulish animals smell 
  the PCs next door and seek them out. The party hears scrap-
  ing coming from beneath the cabin’s floorboards and the 
  earth hounds burst through the rotting timbers to attack the 
  following round. This encounter does not occur if the earth 
  hounds have been slain.
  On a shelf in the main bedroom is a leather-bound book, 
  its cover stained with sweat and blood, and a tattered rib-
  bon sewn to the binding as a bookmark. The book’s title, 
  The Wayward Companion, is written on the cover in worn gilt 
  lettering. This witch book contains the formula for a random 
  1st level wizard’s spell, the spell patron bond, and two grama-
  ree rituals (see The Chained Coffin Companion, page 6) of the 
  judge’s choosing.
  Useful/Interesting Items in area 1-4
  • 
  50’ rope
  • 
  Short bow and 12 arrows
  • 
  1d4 Knives (as daggers)
  • 
  Clothing
  • 
  Lantern and 2 flasks of oil
  • 
  Dried meat and pickled vegetables in crockery jars
  • 
  Tarot deck
  • 
  1 sp, 8 cp
  • 
  Firewood (as club)
  Area 1-5—Burel’s Cabin: Another weather-beaten log cabin oc-
  cupies this end of the common yard. A roofed porch spans the front 
  of the cabin, granting some protection against the sun and the 
  rain. The front door hangs askew on a single hinge and a crudely-
  fashioned child’s rocking horse stands beside the short flight of log 
  steps leading to the portico.
  The loft of this cabin was the bedroom of Thistle Hobb, Bu-
  rel’s 6-year-old daughter. The pitched ceiling of the loft is cov-
  ered with childish pictures drawn in colored clay dust, mud, 
  and (unsettlingly) blood. In addition to crude illustrations of 
  various black magic rites conducted by the Hobbs, there is 
  THe devil’S THorn
  The symbol known in the Shudders as “The Devil’s Thorn” is a series of five intersecting lines that 
  form a vaguely dagger-shaped sigil (see illustration). According to mountain lore, the Devil’s Thorn 
  is a bit of backwoods gramaree that provides protection against evil spirits and it is commonly 
  found carved on talismans worn by the superstitious. Like most Shudfolk magic, it provides true 
  protection only when drawn by a master of gramaree. The Devil’s Thorn functions similarly to a hex 
  sign (see The Chained Coffin Companion, p. 7), but is a product of gramaree and not Hsaalian sorcery. 
  The Devil’s Thorn painted on the door of Ozra’s Cabin (area 1-2) prevents the Hobb phantoms from 
  entering the building, but only so long as the door is closed and attached to the cabin. Once the party 
  deduces the defense capability of the symbol, they may be inclined to remove the door and carry the Thorn-inscribed 
  portal with them as a shield. Unfortunately, the door-drawn Devil’s Thorn grants no supernatural protection when 
  removed from the cabin proper. In fact, removing the door allows the phantoms to freely enter area 1-2 until the door 
  is reattached and closed once more. 
  In addition to being drawn to protect a structure, a Devil’s Thorn can be inscribed on a smaller object, making the item 
  an effective defense that can be carried about. The old grave post (see area 1-3) adorned with the Devil’s Thorn is an 
  example of the Thorn’s power when decorating an item.
  
  Page 6
  a series of pictures showing the arrival of Shuyr Rilla to the 
  farm and her subsequent capture, the breaking of her walking 
  stick, Byard Hobb throwing her holy symbol down the well, 
  and her death as a sacrificial victim tied to the scarecrow pole 
  at the top of the corn field. The PCs may find these illustration 
  useful in determining the way to escape the pocket dimen-
  sion and return home before they fall victim to the phantoms.
  Useful/Interesting Items in area 1-5
  • 
  Hatchet (as hand axe)
  • 
  Crossbow and 12 quarrels
  • 
  1d5 Knives (as daggers)
  • 
  Clothing
  • 
  Lantern and 4 flasks of oil
  • 
  Corn meal and dried meat
  • 
  Clay jug of liquor (normal alcohol)
  • 
  Out-of-tune fiddle
  • 
  Firewood (as club)
  Area 1-6—The Well: A low wall of fieldstones mortared together 
  with cracked clay indicates the presence of a well at this location. 
  The well is a simple affair lacking roof, cover, or winch, and stands 
  open to the sallow sky. A tin bucket with a severed strand of rope 
  lies beside it.
  The well’s wall is 3’ high and in poor condition. Pushing 
  hard against the stones cause the clay mortar to crumble, 
  pitching the rocks down the shaft. The well shaft measures 
  20’ long and pierces the ceiling of the spring cave below (to-
  tal distance of 30’ to water’s surface). The rope tied to the 
  bucket is only 1’ long and the bucket has holes, making it 
  useless for drawing water.
  Area 1-7—Spring Cave: The quiet murmur of flowing water 
  echoes in this limestone cave. The pool of clear water fills most of 
  the cavern, flowing out of the space through a narrow point at the 
  east end. A raised, irregular patch of stone is littered with dried 
  branches and other debris, seemingly washed here by floods and 
  long-ago rains.
  A natural spring flows up from the ground, eroding the sur-
  rounding rock to form this cave. Once the spring was known 
  as “Sweet Spring” but the name changed to “Sour Spring” 
  after the Hobbs took possession of the hollow, tainting the 
  place with their presence. 
  The mass of branches and debris is inhabited by one of the 
  Hobb’s life force and can manifest as a 7’ tall humanoid-
  shaped monstrosity known as a deadfall. The deadfall de-
  fends the spring cave against intruders seeking to recover 
  the holy symbol cast here long ago. As a physical creature, 
  the deadfall is subject to harm by normal weapons, but some 
  types are more effective than others.
  Deadfall (1): Init +1; Atk slashing branches +2 melee (1d6); 
  AC 12; HD 3d8; hp 14; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP blunt and pierc-
  ing weapons inflict half damage; slashing weapons cause 
  double damage; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +1; AL N.
  The spring pool is 4’ deep and contains a thin layer of sand, 
  stones, and other debris on the bottom. Buried in the sand 
  is Shuyr Rilla’s silver holy symbol. Locating it requires a DC 
  5 Intelligence check and 1 turn of searching. The symbol is 
  worth 10 gp, but is far more valuable if returned to its owner 
  (see area 1-8).
  Area 1-8—Corn Fields: Five terraces are carved into the steep 
  hillside and reinforced with fallen logs against erosion. Like a lad-
  der, these plots ascend some 30’ feet up the embankment. Each plot 
  is filled with dense stands of tired-looking corn stalks, their ears 
  shriveled and their husks like parchment from long drought. A 
  ragged looking scarecrow peers over the heads of the dried stalks at 
  the uppermost tier, looking down on the farm like a forgotten god.
  Like many Shudfolk, the Hobbs relied on their corn crop as 
  their staple food. Unlike their distant neighbors, however, 
  the witches watered their fields with the blood of innocents, 
  binding these sacrifices to the scarecrow post and letting 
  their blood into the soil. It was here that Shuyr Rilla met her 
  death and called down the exorcism that cast the hollow out 
  of place. Her bones lie at the base of the scarecrow at the 
  topmost field.
  The hill is steep and PCs suffer a -5’ move penalty as they 
  scale the embankment. Although the corn is parched and 
  dry, firebug PCs attempting to set the field ablaze discover 
  the stalks burn poorly, producing only lambent green flames 
  that quickly extinguish without doing damage to the crops. 
  If climbing the terraces before they acquire the holy sym-
  bol in area 1-7, the party reaches the top without incident. If 
  they have found the discarded symbol, however, the phan-
  toms sense the end may soon be upon them and animate 
  the corn husk dolls (see Event Two). These magical terrors 
  strike as the PCs begin their ascent, using the dried corn and 
  their sudden appearance movement ability to strike with 
  surprise. The dolls gain a +10 bonus to hide attempts while 
  in the corn field. They continue to attack the PCs until all are 
  destroyed.
  PCs reaching the topmost plot find the scarecrow to be a 
  collection of bloodstained rags and ropes tied to a 10’ high 
  post. A Golgotha of old bones litter the ground beneath the 
  post, stained with age and half-buried in the dry ground. 
  One skeleton, although dried and dirty, seems more recent 
  than the rest. These are the remains of Shuyr Rilla. Her cleri-
  cal vestments are torn and bloodstained, but recognizable 
  
  Page 7
  as religious garb, and one of her bony hands is raised aloft, 
  its fingers half-curled as if grasping for something. Should 
  the PCs place her holy symbol in her hand, her exorcism is 
  completed, bringing about its full effect.
  Returning the holy symbol to Shuyr Rilla causes a blast of 
  thunder to echo across the hollow. Rain-laden thunderheads 
  appear in the yellow sky above and cleansing rain pours 
  down from the heavens. As the rain falls, the PCs see that 
  the cabins, well, and corn stalks begin to dissolve into noth-
  ingness, washed away by the divine-born rain. The Hobb 
  phantoms, seeing their existence at an end, make one final 
  foray against the PCs. Six of the phantoms race towards the 
  PCs, attempting to slay them before they succumb to the ex-
  orcism. If the PCs can survive three rounds of combat, the 
  Hobb phantoms ultimately are washed away, vanishing as 
  if dipped in acid. The party has triumphed over the un-dead 
  spirits!
  concluding THe advenTure
  W
  hen the last Hobb phantom is exorcised, either by 
  being destroyed by the party or cleansed by the 
  rain, the PCs find themselves back in the physical 
  world. Read the following:
  The rains wash away the last of the accursed farm, leaving you 
  standing in a verdant glen under a stormy sky. The smell of fresh 
  rain and clean forest fills the air as a cool breeze rustles the green 
  leaves in the trees. Looking about you, you spy the ruins of several 
  tumbled log homes now overgrown with kudzu. The terraced fields 
  are muddy and filled with newly-sprouted stalks of corn. There is 
  no sign of the foul phantoms who so recently plagued you. At last, 
  you are home.
  The surviving PCs should have enough experience points 
  to advance to 1st level following their adventure on the 
  Hobb farm. They’ve survived just the first of many terrors 
  and wonders awaiting them in the Shudder Mountains, and 
  their experiences in the pocket dimension will serve them 
  well as they explore the pine-haunted hills and hollows of 
  the backwoods.
  Depending on how the judge wishes to proceed, he can be-
  gin the next phase of the campaign by playing through the 
  party’s journey from Sour Spring Hollow to safe ground 
  or skip ahead to a time where the PCs are now trained and 
  equipped, and ready for their next sojourn into the Shud-
  der Mountains. The party’s next adventure might see them 
  searching for the witch liquor bootleggers whose wares sent 
  them to the Hobb farm (either to learn their secrets or extract 
  revenge) or perhaps using the magics found in The Wayward 
  Companion to contact a patron who will inevitably have tasks 
  for his new servants to perform. Regardless of where their 
  adventures lead, a wealth of excitement, horror, and danger 
  awaits the party in a Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG campaign 
  set in the Shudder Mountains!
  aPPendix: SHudder 
  mounTain occuPaTionS
  L
  ife in the Shudder Mountains is rustic and the resi-
  dents are largely self-reliant. As such, PCs starting 
  in the backwoods have access to a limited variety 
  of occupations. A judge beginning a Shudder Mountain 
  campaign should have each PC roll on the following table to 
  determine his zero-level occupation.
  Roll
  Occupation
  Trained Weapon
  Trade Goods
  01
  Astrologer
  Staff
  Oil, 1 flask
  02
  Blacksmith
  Hammer (as club)
  Steel tongs
  03
  Bounty hunter
  Longsword
  Hide armor
  04
  Butcher
  Cleaver (as axe)
  Side of pork
  05-06
  Carpenter
  Hammer (as club)
  Wood, 10 lbs.
  07
  Cobbler
  Awl (as dagger)
  Shoehorn
  08
  Deputy constable
  Longsword
  Steel helmet
  09-10
  Dwarven black-
  smith#
  Hammer (as club)
  Iron, 10 lbs.
  11-15
  Dwarven prospec-
  tor#
  Pick (as club)
  Lantern
  16-18
  Dwarven stonema-
  son#
  Hammer
  Fine stone, 10 lbs.
  19-21
  Elven forester#
  Staff`
  Herbs, 1 lb.
  22-25
  Elven musician#
  Dagger
  Flute
  26-28
  Elven sage#
  Dagger
  Parchment and 
  quill pen
  29-46
  Farmer
  Pitchfork (as 
  spear)
  Hen
  47-49
  Halfling brewer#
  Dagger
  Barrel
  50-54
  Halfling farmer#
  Pitchfork (as 
  spear)
  Hen
  55-56
  Halfling trader#
  Short sword
  20 sp
  57
  Healer
  Club
  Holy water, 1 oz.
  58-59
  Herbalist
  Club
  Herbs, 1 lb.
  60-61
  Herder
  Staff
  Herding dog
  62-65
  Hunter
  Shortbow
  Deer pelt
  66
  Lay clergy
  Staff
  Holy water, 1 oz.
  67-68
  Merchant
  Dagger
  4 gp, 14 sp, 27 cp
  69-70
  Miller/baker
  Club
  Flour, 1 lb.
  71-74
  Musician
  Dagger
  Fiddle
  75-76
  Orphan
  Club
  Rag doll
  77
  Ostler
  Staff
  Bridle
  78
  Outlaw
  Short sword
  Leather armor
  79-81
  Potter
  Club
  Clay, 1 lb.
  82-84
  Prospector
  Shovel (as staff)
  Sifting basket
  85
  Rope maker
  Knife (as dagger)
  Rope, 100’
  86
  Smuggler/bootleg-
  ger
  Sling
  Waterproof sack
  87-88
  Tanner
  Staff
  Cow hide
  89
  Wainwright
  Club
  Pushcart
  90
  Witch’s apprentice
  Dagger
  Black grimoire
  91-92
  Witch liquor boot-
  legger’s assistant
  Club
  Clay jug
  93-96
  Woodcutter
  Handaxe
  Bundle of wood
  97-00
  Woodworker
  Chisel (as dagger)
  Wood, 10 lbs.
  # If the judge wishes to run a strictly human PC campaign, simply 
  remove the racial description of these occupations (e.g. “Halfling 
  brewer” becomes “Brewer”).
  
  Page 8
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeon Crawl Classics/DCC Adventures & Settings/DCC 83 The Chained Coffin Box Set (DCC)/DCC83A Sour Spring Hollow.pdf