TEXT: A LOW LEVEL ADVENTURE FOR
  NEOCLASSICAL GEEK REVIVAL
  AND OSR ROLEPLAYING GAMES
  A
  THOUSAND 
  DEAD BABIES
  BY ZZARCHOV KOWOLSKI
  
  CORROC
  OLD 
  MACDONALD’S 
  FARM
  NEW SMITHWALD
  THE JUJU TREE
  THE GOAT’S LAIR
  THE GROVE
  OF TITIANA
  THE LUMBER
  CAMP
  THE VALE OF
  CORROC
  & THE
  THOUSAND
  ACRE
  WOOD
  SCALE : 1” = 1/2 MILE
  
  A
  THOUSAND
  DEAD BABIES
  BY ZZARCHOV KOWOLSKI
  Cover painting taken from “AQUALARRE” by FRANCISCO GOYA
  ILLUSTRATION, CARTOGRAPHY& DESIGN BY JEZ GORDON
  © ZZARCHOV KOWOLSKI 2013
  PRINTED iN CANADA
  ISBN 978-0-9920472-2-1
  
  2
  A THOUSAND DEAD BABIES
  INTRODUCTION
  T
  his is a very simple introductory 
  adventure about a small little town  
  in the grips of some religious turmoil.   
  It switched to follow the Holy Church about  
  a generation ago, throwing off their ties to the  
  Old Gods (mostly). There are some hold outs. 
  Recently however, tales of demon worship 
  and witchcraft have begun to flourish, 
  leading the young and inexperienced priest  
  to enter a panic. 
  The town is at a crossroads and the players can 
  influence what happens to the very souls of  
  the town’s inhabitants. Will they let the witches  
  and warlocks rule the night? Crush the pagans  
  once and for all? Overthrow the oppressive Holy 
  Church or perhaps just keep everyone from  
  killing each other and hopefully get along?
  The answer is probably whichever one occurs  
  as a side effect of stripping the place of  
  everything valuable that isn’t nailed down.
  THE TOWN OF CORROC
  T
  he small town of Corroc is both 
  backwater and unimportant. It is located 
  on a rolling hill that was claimed from the 
  great boundless forest to the north. It overlooks 
  fields and pastures, the bog to the east, and a small 
  river and marsh a few hours to the west. South 
  is the Thousand Acre Wood (also unoriginally 
  called the South Wood), a small lot that was kept 
  when the area was cleared and settled. The town is 
  fairly even mix of cracked field stone huts and log 
  cabins clustered together, their brushwood roofs 
  giving the hill a slight resemblance to a muskrat 
  lodge. The hill itself is surrounded by a small stone 
  fence no more than four feet in height. A single 
  limestone church juts out from the town to  
  cast a long shadow on the fields below, acting 
  almost as a sundial. The only other noticeable 
  building being a sturdy two story inn that has 
  a noticeably different construction of plaster and 
  timber. It appears to be of Bavarian design.
  THE PEOPLE OF CORROC
  T
  he people of Corroc lead a simple  
  agrarian existence and generally  
  exhibit a friendly, outgoing demeanour. 
  While Corroc is out of the way, it is not isolated.  
  A handful of visitors will pass through each  
  month and a rather large community of  
  Travellers always stops here for a couple weeks 
  during harvest season to trade. Most of the 
  townsfolk will continue with their day to day 
  routine and never interact with any of the Player 
  Characters but there are several key participants in 
  the town’s current troubles who almost certainly will.
  Non-humans in the party may receive a slightly 
  mixed welcome. The more pious individuals tend to 
  be disrespectful to halfings and wary (bordering on 
  afraid) of elves . The situation is almost reversed for 
  those who still cling to elements of the Old Gods. 
  Dwarves are regarded as a curiosity with no real 
  bias by either group. That isn’t to say Dwarves aren’t 
  associated with a whole host of bizarre stereotypes, 
  merely that they are neither reviled nor adored by 
  the townsfolk. Other less common races will also be 
  seen as curiosities, but may arouse fear depending 
  on exactly how unusual they are. 
  Should (or perhaps when) the players get into 
  trouble, there are no watchmen or police to  
  enforce order. The Reeve maintains order with  
  the backing of the peasants in a makeshift mob. 
  If things get out of hand or people are killed,  
  they may send someone to fetch the men from  
  the local lord a few hours to the north. This is  
  a last resort as the knights tend to enforce  
  order harshly and indiscriminately.
  
  3
  A THOUSAND DEAD BABIES
  ROBERT DOYLE
  The Town Reeve
  Robert Doyle (or Bobbie as the locals call him 
  when he isn’t around) is the elderly and dour faced 
  reeve of this small town. He keeps the records of 
  the turnip and barley harvest, the sheep and the 
  lumber tithes. While people rumour that he’ll 
  fudge the records in one’s favour for a split of the 
  take, it is false. He is actually impeccably loyal to 
  the local lord and wouldn’t think of cheating him. 
  He is generally unconcerned with the religious 
  goings on, but he is quite eager to find someone  
  to capture the black knight and is authorized by  
  the local lord to pay the reward for doing as such:
  • 100lbs of turnips,  
  • 2 rams,  
  • 6 ewes, and  
  • 2 acres of pasture. 
  Note that this is property ownership not mere usage 
  rights, in essence turning a simple serf into a yeoman.
  FATHER MCKENZIE 
  The Village Priest
  Father McKenzie is a young priest in his early 
  twenties. He has been in Corroc for just over a 
  year and is deeply concerned about its pagan 
  history and the rumblings of there being diabolists 
  practising in the woods. He knows there are still 
  secretly pagans in the town, and others openly in 
  New Smithwald on the other side of the Thousand 
  Acre Woods, but he hopes kindness, reason and 
  prayer can convert them. He is also unable to live 
  up to his own ideals, and he is filled with guilt.  
  He has been sneaking out at night to have an  
  illicit affair with the yeoman’s daughter, Marilyn. 
  He is gone from an hour after sunset until 
  midnight each night. Father McKenzie has  
  offered his church’s entire savings of 17 golden 
  crowns , 45 silver shillings and 112 copper pence  
  if anyone can slay whatever demonic creature  
  has been leaving bipedal hoof prints in the forest. 
  OSR: Level 1 cleric, 3 hp.
  NGR: Level 0, 2 part priest. Dogma, True Belief, Exorcism. 
  100 piety. 900xp. No milestone.
  JULIE O’RANNIGAN
  The Herbalist
  Julie O’Rannigan is an ageing spinster whose  
  fiery red hair is beginning to turn white. She is 
  independent minded, single, no children, works  
  as an herbalist, and has a black cat for a pet.  
  The townsfolk think she is a witch and more  
  than a few want to burn her at the stake. It is only  
  at the urging of Father McKenzie that they do not.  
  He is young and idealistic and sick of what he  
  sees as persecution of single women. He is of 
  course wrong, she is indeed a witch. The signs  
  are all there. She is a member of the cult of 
  Baphomet and sneaks out to frolic nude with  
  the devil’s minions and sacrifice babies unto  
  his glory. Also she sells a variety of soothing 
  ointments and herbs for 2 shillings a dose. 
  Applying a dose of her ointments before  
  sleeping will ease pain and relax muscles  
  (NGR: +2 to healing check OSR: +1d6-3 hp  
  regained overnight, minimum of 0). She has  
  45 shillings and 202 pence in her stone cottage  
  just outside of town. If the players start 
  interrogating her about witchcraft she will  
  claim to have seen a robed figure congregating  
  near the MacDonald house at night.
  OSR: Level 1 witch, chaotic evil cleric, or failing that  
  magic user who knows “charm person”
  NGR: Level 1, 1 part priest, 1 part wizard, 1 part  
  rogue. Expert (Herbalism), Familiar, Miracles.  
  Low strength (7) but high spirit (13).  
  30 piety. 1200xp.
  
  4
  A THOUSAND DEAD BABIES
  “SCABS” DUNCAN
  The Lout
  “Scabs” is a short little toad of a man with beady 
  eyes and a terrible comb-over. He makes his living 
  running games of chance and (if rumour be told) 
  pinching things not nailed down. No one in the 
  town particularly likes him, but the Duncans  
  used to have a good family name so folks just  
  hope he’ll keel over one day and be a bad memory. 
  Scabs is the only person in Corroc who has a set 
  of the specialized tools needed to perform certain 
  illegal activities. He also has a set of loaded dice 
  and a deck of trick playing cards (in addition to  
  the regular variety). 
  If someone breaks into his house they would  
  find his savings of 23 gold crowns, 11 silver 
  shillings and 340 copper pence. They would  
  also find an amulet bearing the mark of  
  Baphomet, a bloodstained iron knife with  
  a bone handle, and a set of concealing robes.  
  Scabs is the current leader of the cult that  
  operates in the woods.
  OSR: Level 2 Thief, Specialist or failing that Cleric. 
  Whatever you would use for a cultist.
  NGR: Level 2, 2 part rogue, 1 part priest. Detect Traps,  
  Jack of All Trades, Parkour, True Belief, 400 piety. 2000xp. 
  Great Intelligence (16), Poor Social (7), Good Agility (13), 
  Poor Strength (7)
  ALLY MAC’OBAN
  The Berry Picker
  Ally is a young blonde waif of a girl barely past  
  sixteen. She is an orphan and has lived on her 
  own for the past 5 years. She is generally pleasant 
  but appears to be a bit slow. The townsfolk think 
  she has been touched in the head and are fairly 
  protective of her. 
  She is in fact extremely clever but merely puts  
  on a show to keep the townsfolk from accusing  
  her of witchcraft. She is the leader (and currently 
  only active human member) of the coven of 
  Titania that operates in the South Wood. 
  She lives in a fairly sparse house and has little  
  for possessions on her person beyond a cloak  
  and walking stick.
  OSR: Level 1 Druid, Cleric or Magic User as appropriate. 
  Intelligence of 18.
  NGR: Level 1, 2 part priest, 1 part wizard.  
  True Belief, Exorcism, Miracles, Vulgar Magic 
  Amazing Intelligence (20), Poor Strength (7), 
  Good Spirit (13). 750xp, 600 piety. 
  Memorized: Wall of Thorns, Bee Swarm, Faerie Sense 
  Walking stick is a Talisman with 3 benefit levels.
  HUNTER JON
  The Leatherworker
  Hunter Jon is an ill tempered man with a weather 
  beaten visage. He has a license to hunt game in the 
  South Wood in exchange for working the village’s 
  leather. He is usually found by his straw hut (the 
  only one in the village) just past the little stone wall, 
  elbow deep in entrails or faeces as he butchers meat 
  or works leather. He does not wash his hands when 
  he switches tasks. He is pretty bitter at the village 
  and no one there really likes him. When he was a 
  younger man, a bear wandered into the village and 
  he wrestled it with his bare hands before killing it 
  with a cheese knife. No one fucks with Hunter Jon.
  He knows a bit about the goings on in the South 
  Wood, he can be convinced (with difficulty) into 
  mentioning he has seen an elf in the eastern half 
  of the woods and heard the cries of infants in  
  the western half. He tries to stay closer to the 
  eastern half.
  OSR: Level 1 Ranger. 12 strength, 16 wisdom, 5 charisma.
  NGR: Level 1, 2 part rogue, 1 part warrior. Expert 
  (Hunting, Tanning), Specialist (Tracking, Hiding),  
  Jack of all trades, Weapon Specialization (Bow).  
  Great awareness (16), Good Strength (12), Shitty Social(5). 
  
  5
  A THOUSAND DEAD BABIES
  SIRIS MACDONALD
  The Yeoman
  Siris is both one of the least and most important 
  people in the region. On the one hand he is just 
  another farmer, and not a terribly well off one  
  at that. On the other hand he actually owns his 
  land, harvest and livestock. He is one of the few 
  people who does not have to bow to the local lord, 
  though he tends to out of respect for the late lord, 
  who made him a yeoman in exchange for bravery 
  in a petty cattle raid. Siris is actually the holder 
  (and owner) of the only cattle in Corroc; 1 bull  
  and 3 cows. He also has 20 golden crowns and  
  120 copper pence in his home.
  Sadly Siris is a widower and has no sons to 
  pass on his title to; instead he merely has three 
  increasingly beautiful daughters Grace, Sue and 
  Crushertron. I mean Marilyn. The third daughter  
  is named Marilyn. Marilyn has been having 
  a secret affair with Father McKenzie. If this is 
  brought to light Siris will disown his daughter.
  OSR: Siris is a level 1 Fighter with 16 strength.
  NGR: Level 1, 3 part warrior. Great strength (16)
  DARCY SMITH
  The Smithy
  Darcy is a young lad of 15 who has just started  
  a smithy in the town. He worked as an apprentice 
  smith for two years in the lord’s keep and is just 
  starting out on his own in Corroc. He is not skilled 
  at his trade. Anything complicated or that requires 
  a sharp edge is beyond him for the moment, but 
  he will not admit to it. He is desperate for business 
  and will tell the players anything he thinks they 
  wish to hear to try and encourage them to buy or 
  commission something from him. This includes 
  implying people may be witches, especially if  
  he thinks the players will then want to buy  
  hot irons. He can make those.
  The Inn
  T
  he inn stands in stark contrast to  
  the rest of the town. It has wooden 
  shingles, a brick chimney and a heavy 
  timber frame. The windows have shutters and  
  a lantern hangs on an iron hook by the heavy  
  oak door. The walls have a thick coating of  
  plaster, giving it a very bright and clean look.  
  Above the door is a wooden sign carved in  
  the shape of a donkey. Painted on the sign  
  is a silhouette of a rooster.
  Inside, the place appears as a dimly lit  
  German beer hall. The hearth is supplemented 
  with candles to give the place a dim amount  
  of flickering light. Several large casks are on 
  display behind the bar and the smell of roast  
  pork seems to constantly waft through the area. 
  Ale, mead, and fancy wines are available here,  
  as is food and lodging. There are five rooms 
  available, each with two single beds and a 
  washbasin. The rooms are 5 shillings  
  a week for room and board.
  The Innkeeper is Otto Van Kaus; his wife  
  Sheila works the kitchen. They are in their  
  late thirties but do not appear to have any  
  children. They moved into this area 10 years  
  ago and opened an inn, apparently having  
  had to abandon a similar inn in their last  
  home. They refuse to speak on the matter  
  but rumours spread. They are curt and distant,  
  but provide everything they promise. They  
  are honest if abrasive. The cellar is strictly  
  off limits, they store their finer wines down  
  there. Much of the town will frequent this 
  establishment, “Scabs” Duncan is known  
  to frequently run games of chance in  
  the evenings. 
  The inn’s lock box (stored under Otto  
  and Sheila’s bed) has 1278 silver shillings  
  and 532 copper pence.
  
  6
  A THOUSAND DEAD BABIES
  The Church
  T
  he church is a simple limestone building 
  consisting of an offset bell tower and 
  a large hall with an adjoining private 
  rectory. The roof has expensive lead work and  
  the windows have actual glass. The glass is a 
  bit wavy with the odd bubble, but it is still an 
  expensive sign of wealth and power. There are 
  three entrances: a large set of oaken double doors 
  on the front of the church, a small oak door off  
  the rectory that leads to the graveyard, and the 
  pine trap door in the bell tower.
  Inside, the pews are smoothly sanded pine  
  but the pulpit itself is stained oak. The rectory  
  is simply a small bed and dresser for the priest  
  to sleep in, with an extra door leading outside. 
  Behind the the altar however, lies a trapdoor 
  leading into the basement, which contains 
  catacombs and the black library.
  NGR: The Church and grounds are consecrated  
  and count as holy ground.
  THE BLACK LIBRARY
  Underneath the rusty trapdoor behind  
  the altar is a mouldy, wooden, open backed 
  staircase leading into the dark basement. 
  OSR: 1/6 chance of being heard by priest if opened 
  NGR: d6 suspicion if opened
  Following it straight will lead into a twenty foot 
  stretch of catacombs along the walls, leading to the 
  tombs. To the right however is a rickety plank wall 
  and a simple locked door with an iron cross hung 
  upon it. The key to the door is kept in the rectory.
  Inside the room is a small lead chest tied to a 
  large rock (some 400lbs) and a small cherry wood 
  writing desk covered in extinguished candles.  
  The desk drawers are locked, but inside them  
  are several dangerous artefacts. A bone dagger, 
  the book of Aarrrgh, a golden coin, a small leather 
  pouch filled with teeth (most of which are charred), 
  and a rolled manleather scroll. Inside the lead chest 
  is a stone hammer affixed to a carved ivory hilt 
  with ornate beaten copper wires. These items  
  will be described in the reference section. 
  Any forbidden artifacts (grimoires, unholy  
  items or the like) that are confiscated from  
  those in the village (or turned in willingly)  
  will probably end up here. While of little  
  use at the moment, trained monks and  
  inquisitors deconstruct these items to build  
  proper defences against these black arts.
  THE CATACOMBS  
  AND ROYAL TOMBS
  If one bypasses the sad and rickety excuse  
  for a black library this church maintains, they  
  will be forced to wander down the catacombs.  
  The passage is twenty-ish feet long and features 
  carved recesses into the wall, five high. Each  
  recess contains a withered corpse in a simple  
  linen robe that was probably once white. Each  
  one clings to a simple iron cross and wears a thin 
  gold necklace that loops through a silver ring.  
  Each set of jewelry is worth 20 silver shillings,  
  half for the necklace and half for the ring.  
  There are thirty corpses in the catacombs.  
  At the end of this small hallway is a round  
  room with two ornate stone sarcophagi and  
  a bubbling stone fountain on the back wall.
  One of the stone sarcophagi has a carved lid 
  featuring a thin woman in simple robes holding  
  a rose. The other features a man wearing wolf  
  skins adorned with a crown and holding a  
  cross with one hand and a sword in the other.
  The sarcophagus carved with the  
  image of a lady is the tomb of Lady 
  Gwyngyll, a pagan who long ago settled  
  here with her husband who was an early  
  member of the church long before it was 
  established in the region. She was a sorceress  
  in life, though she loved her husband dearly.  
  Should anyone who is not a pagan open  
  her sarcophagus she will rise up in anger.  
  Her body still clutches a strangely vibrant  
  rose (detailed in The Vibrant Rose, p.14).
  
  7
  A THOUSAND DEAD BABIES
  The other sarcophagus is that of her 
  husband St.Ysgythrog, who built the first 
  church in these lands. It didn’t take. He and his 
  followers were buried in this tomb, and later 
  his widow joined them (though she had never 
  converted). His body has not decayed at all  
  and smells faintly of flowers. He wears a silver 
  crown adorned with amethyst upon his head 
  (worth 1000 shillings) and holds the Sword  
  of St. Ysgythrog in his hands (detailed on p.14). 
  Should anyone other than a priest, paladin or 
  devout follower of his religion open  
  his sarcophagus all thirty of the corpses in 
  the walls will awaken and attempt to slay the 
  trespasser. Those of the appropriate faith will  
  see a translucent ghost animating the skeletons.
  NGR: St. Ysgtthrog was in a state of grace upon death. 
  The undead are simple 0 level undead. Lady Gwyngyll is 
  a ghost with 15 luck, +2 presence and 16 intelligence. Local 
  Legend.
  OSR: Skeletons which can be controlled by a good cleric or 
  turned by an evil. Lady Gwyngyll is a wraith.
  THE FOUNTAIN OF BAACHUS
  In the back of the room is a small and ancient 
  fountain that predates this tomb, it is about knee 
  high and two feet around. This is the only reason 
  why Lady Gwyngyll had ever stopped here. It is a 
  fountain dedicated to Baachus. The first man and 
  the first woman to drink from the fountain each 
  year receive a blessing (as per bless spell/miracle) 
  until they next have (forgive my tawdry language) 
  physical relations. They are also guaranteed to 
  conceive a child. This assumes their liaison is with 
  each other. If their liaisons are not with each other, 
  a child is still guaranteed but the magic might be a 
  bit...wonky. Who will become pregnant in such a 
  liaison is even money. This does mean that a man 
  could become pregnant.
  NGR: Destroying the fountain counts as  
  destroying a small shrine.
  The Lumber 
  Camp
  A
  t the edge of the South Wood is a motley 
  collection of shacks and tents amidst  
  a field of tree stumps. Taxes tend to be 
  paid in terms of days of labour owed to the local 
  lord, and many pay by working at the lumber  
  yard. Once the sun rises the sounds of axes on  
  trees and saws on logs will rapidly begin to fill  
  the air. The smell of boiling stews will waft along 
  the breeze. Many young men choose to sleep at  
  the camp rather then return home, so they can 
  earn a little extra in the hours when others are 
  walking back to Corroc.
  SAM
  The Cook and Foreman
  Sam is a heavyset man in his early forties.  
  He may have been a strapping young lad once,  
  but his career as both cook and foreman means  
  he has had a few too many extra portions over  
  the years. He lives in a log cabin at the edge of  
  the forest, the only truly permanent building  
  in the lumber camp. He has been awarded  
  the authority by the reeve to pass out wooden 
  tokens denoting a days labour. He awards these 
  to the workers at the end of each day (assuming 
  they showed up on time and worked hard) who  
  in turn pay them as taxes (or trade them to 
  craftsmen in the town). A wooden token can  
  be sold in town for somewhere between 5 pence 
  and 2 shillings, depending on how many people 
  have been working at the lumber camp this week. 
  Sam doesn’t work himself, but rather spends the 
  day cooking stews and soups to feed the workers. 
  He also has a bit of a side business, where he 
  lets workers get an extra hour or two in before 
  darkness, gathering sticks and tinder to sell  
  in town. They get a third, he gets a third and  
  a third is put aside for the local lord. Sam will  
  offer 50 wooden tokens if anyone can find out  
  why they hear the cries of infants at night and 
  make them stop. He is terribly troubled and 
  frightened by the matter.
  
  8
  A THOUSAND DEAD BABIES
  New Smithwald
  T
  he hamlet of New Smithwald is on  
  the southern side of the Thousand Acre 
  Wood and consists of about a dozen huts 
  with cobb walls and thatch roofs, lined up along  
  the small river that flows from the Applemarsh. 
  The only other building is a large wooden hall  
  with a sod roof. That is the home of the last 
  remaining pagan knight in the local lord’s  
  service, Sir Gallan Darnan. The village itself  
  herds a few pigs and keeps a few rabbit hutches, 
  but mostly grows vegetables and fishes in the  
  river. The village has only been here maybe two 
  years, since old Smithwald burned to the ground 
  due to an unfortunate accident. The ruins of  
  old Smithwald are a couple miles to the east,  
  away from the river.
  SIR GALLAN DARNAN
  The Bear Knight
  The banner of the Darnan line does not feature a 
  bear, nor has Sir Gallan ever slain a bear. No part  
  of either his personal history or the history of his 
  line involves a bear, yet he is known as the Bear 
  Knight. He is an immensely large man. While the 
  local lord’s father converted away from the old 
  faith late in life, Sir Gallan refused. While lesser 
  knights may have been punished, Sir Gallan’s 
  otherwise impeccable loyalty and his immense 
  value in defending the realm has allowed him to 
  remain unperturbed in his little hall with a few 
  dozen fellow pagans. In his hall Sir Gallan keeps 
  a golden goblet (worth 2500 shillings), two small 
  rubies (worth 1000 shillings each) and 670 copper 
  pence. He also has an iron helm adorned with a  
  set of antlers, a coat of scale armour and a large 
  two handed sword of exceptional quality. He has  
  a single old nag for a horse that he cannot afford  
  to replace and would not be the most suitable 
  mount in a battle. It remains as a pet and a relic  
  of his spent youth.
  OSR: Sir Gallan is a level 3 fighter with 18 strength,  
  18/00 if you use it. He has a Constitution of 13,  
  but intelligence and charisma of 7.
  NGR: Level 3, 2 part warrior, 1 part priest. Weapon 
  Specialization (greatsword), Combat Tricks, Combat 
  Awareness, Fervour. Muscle Bound Trait. Superior 
  strength(20), good health (13), great spirit (16), poor 
  intelligence (7), poor social (7) 
  Knows: Sunder, Pommel Strike, Stomp, Riposte
  The Grove  
  of Titania
  I
  f any time is spent methodically searching 
  the eastern half of the Thousand Acre 
  Wood it is possible someone may be able 
  to stumble across the hidden grove of Titania. 
  Unless they are specifically sneaking about it is 
  likely they will probably first be ambushed by its 
  three elven guardians. Two of them wield granite 
  hand-and-a-half axes and large wicker shields, 
  woven from briar. The third has a longbow and  
  a quiver of jagged obsidian arrows. All three wear 
  specially woven leaf cloaks that help them in 
  remaining hidden.
  The grove itself is a clearing maybe 40 feet in 
  radius, centred around a large pine tree growing 
  next to a bubbling spring that forms a pond.  
  The pond is surrounded by three standing stones, 
  carved with ornate runes and sigils. The area is an 
  ancient place of worship to Titania and the cones 
  from the sacred pine count as holy symbols.  
  Each of the standing stones contains a sacred  
  spell: Wall of Thorns, Bee Swarm, and Faerie Sense.
  OSR: Magic users require read magic to read any given stone
  NGR: It is consecrated holy ground, counts as a small temple.
  Should anyone enter the grove without the backing 
  of Ally Mac’Oban, the elves will attack.
  OSR: Elves are level 1 elves, or elven rangers, or elven 
  fighters as appropriate.
  NGR: Level 1, 2 part warrior, 1 part rogue. Combat 
  awareness, Weapon specialization (longbow or battle axe 
  as appropriate), Guard, Parkour. Superior Awareness(20), 
  Good Agility (13), Poor Health (7). 
  Knows: Fire Control, Feint
  
  9
  A THOUSAND DEAD BABIES
  The JuJu Tree
  D
  eep in the western half of the forest lies  
  a desolate grove of sandy, lifeless earth 
  with the dead and grey husk of a once 
  mighty oak overlooking it. A great stone slab  
  that is stained with blood sits at the base of the  
  oak tree, and five fire pits filled with ash and 
  charcoal line the perimeter of the clearing. 
  Every night for weeks cultists have crawled out  
  to this dead grove to celebrate their dark rites.  
  The fires burn, the cultists dance naked but  
  for a sack that covers their head, and the black  
  knight holds court with the goatman while  
  the high priest sacrifices a new born baby  
  to the dark lord Baphomet. During the day 
  however, the clearing is empty. 
  NGR: This is unholy ground, counts as a small temple  
  to Baphomet.
  The roots under the JuJu tree lead to a small 
  fungus-riddled cavern system (detailed in The Rot 
  on the Roots on p.11). Clearing out this “dungeon” 
  should act as a way to cleanse the JuJu Tree of the 
  corrupting influence of Baphomet.
  The pagans would love to reclaim this sacred  
  grove and reconsecrate it, while the church would 
  love to see it set aflame (and the grove of Titania 
  while you are at it). Of course to truly stop the  
  cult requires exposing and killing them all.
  Julie and Scabs are the leadership in town, there are 
  also 8 other male and 2 female followers who make 
  their way here for the dark rites. Outside of the 
  townsfolk, there is also the Black Knight who rides in 
  each night, and of course the Goat in the Woods, who 
  brings with him a fresh newborn infant each night. 
  THE BLACK KNIGHT
  The Black Knight has never been seen outside  
  of his armour. He simply rode in one day, burned 
  a couple huts and has otherwise remained a bogey 
  man to the locals. He wears a full suit of heavy 
  mail, a bucket shaped great helm, and rides upon  
  a large black stallion. His shield and tabard are  
  both black save for a red inverted pentagram.  
  He has a lance, but does not bring it into the  
  woods, keeping only his broadsword as a  
  weapon. He almost never speaks except to  
  utter single word commands with a deep and 
  somewhat distorted voice. He moves constantly 
  across the fields and moors, the only consistent 
  place he can be found is in the presence of  
  the JuJu tree when the cultists congregate.
  OSR: Level 4 Cavalier, Anti-Paladin or Fighter with  
  16 strength and maximum hit points.
  NGR: Level 4, 2 part warrior, 1 part priest. Guard,  
  Weapon specialization (broadsword), Combat Tricks, 
  Fervour. Great Strength (16), Good Agility (13),  
  Poor Awareness (7), Good Luck (13) 
  Knows: Riposte, Shield Punch, Coup De Gras, Feint
  
  10
  A THOUSAND DEAD BABIES
  THE GOAT IN THE WOODS
  The so called “Goat in the Woods” is a fearsome 
  creature, to call it half man and half goat would  
  be to understate matters. It has the head  
  of an enormous black goat with a glossy 
   ebony mane, that is true. However its  
  maw is filled with fangs and razor sharp  
  teeth of a dull ashen grey, with a great  
  black tongue that writhes and twirls  
  as it lets out its unnaturally deep  
  and throaty bleats. Its upper  
  body is similar to that  
  of a man, but with  
  massive rippling  
  muscles and  
  massive hands;  
  with its matte  
  black skin a gorilla  
  might be a more apt  
  comparison. Its lower  
  limbs are covered  
  in more shiny black  
  fur, ending with cloven  
  hooves for feet. 
  This creature lives a short  
  distance away in a small  
  earthen cave under the roots  
  of a long collapsed tree in  
  the southern portion of  
  the Thousand Acre Woods.  
   
   
  The cave is filled to the brim with the bones of  
  small infants, the only other item of note is a 
  wicker bassinet containing  a small blanket. If one 
  roots through it they will also find a folded and blood- 
  stained slip of paper containing the following 
  words in a foreign (though still modern) tongue:
  “I could not handle the responsibility any more, 
  tonight I take my life. I only hope whoever takes the 
  burden after me has a pure heart and a stronger will”.
  If anyone grabs the bassinet after the goat is slain,   
          make note of it (even if they put it down) for it  
                     is cursed. Nearby there is a palanquin chair  
                      buried under a pile of pine boughs and grass.
  OSR: 3 hit dice, AC as leather, Attack as weapon  
  or gore for d6.
                    NGR: Skin is as tough as light armour, horns  
                           count as helmet. Incredibly strong and  
                            healthy (20),  quick reflexes (agility 13)  
                             but low intelligence and easily lead  
                                                        (7 intelligence, 7 social).  
                                                                             Local Legend.
  
  11
  A THOUSAND DEAD BABIES
   The Nightly 
  Ritual 
  E
  very night as the sun goes down,  
  the cultists make their way to the JuJu 
  tree. Two men from New Smithwald,  
  two men from the Lumber camp, four men  
  and two women from Corroc proper along  
  with Julie and Scabs. Father McKenzie will  
  also head out to visit Marilyn at the same time. 
  Julie, Scabs, and the cultists from Corroc  
  will arrive first. The cultists will strip down  
  to nothing but a sack with eye-holes cut out  
  that they wear over their head. They will begin  
  to chant and dance and frolic in the nude as  
  Scabs and Julie stoke the fire pits. Scabs  
  and Julie remain in their robes. 
  The two men from Smithwald and the two  
  men from the lumber camp head to the Goat  
  in the Woods to fetch him on a palanquin chair, 
  they remain in their robes. The black knight  
  will ride into the clearing next and dismount.  
  He will stand in stern silence, watching  
  over the proceedings. 
  A few minutes later the cultists carrying  
  the Goat in the Woods upon the palanquin  
  chair will move into the clearing. 
  The goat will hand a crying newborn to Scabs,  
  who will bow and bring it over to the stone  
  slab. There he will ritually butcher it and  
  smear the blood over the altar, before  
  returning the remains to the goat. The goat  
  will eat some, and then the orgy will begin, 
  with only the black knight remaining out  
  of the festivities. 
  The goat is quite rough and indiscriminate.  
  If the players are ambushing this coven’s  
  activities though, they probably ambushed  
  earlier, with the whole baby sacrifice thing.  
  After that, the Goat is hauled back and  
  the cultists and black knight return  
  from whence they came. 
  The Rot  
  on the Roots
  AREA A: 
  T
  his is the entry. The area is an earthen 
  tunnel with long rotted roots sprawling 
  across the ground. Small mushrooms of 
  all shapes and sizes (the occasional patching being 
  phosphorescent) litter the area. The tunnel forms  
  a ring around where the JuJu tree is up top, blocked 
  off by two cobblestone walls with a healthy dose 
  of crumbling clay plastered over them. The clay 
  is covered with fading cave paintings and scorch 
  marks. The only way out is back through the 
  tangled roots 7 feet above, one person at a time.
  AREA B: 
  The walls of this largely spherical room are made 
  of spongy fungus. Anyone that has recently died 
  who gets any of this fungus on their body will 
  immediately rise as a fungal zombie and burrow 
  into the spongy fungus. There are 7 zombies 
  burrowed into the floor, walls, and ceiling already. 
  If anyone either brings light into the room, digs 
  into the fungus, or starts a large fire anywhere 
  underground (such as throwing flasks of burning 
  oil) the zombies may awaken and attempt to  
  spread their contagion through murder. 
  OSR: 1/6 chance per action they will awaken.
  NGR: d6 suspicion per action 
  AREA C: 
  A pile of valuable and shiny looking material  
  is at the back of this long, narrow and cramped 
  tunnel (about two feet wide). The walls are  
  covered in a thick layer of fungal slime that  
  acts as a powerful numbing agent with slight  
  acidic properties (dissolving flesh over the  
  course of a week). Contact with the slime will  
  leave the exposed area paralyzed for several  
  hours, assuming they can remove the slime.
  OSR: Save vs paralysation. 
  NGR: d6 stun damage per round
  
  12
  A THOUSAND DEAD BABIES
  Covered in the transparent slime at the  
  end of the tunnel are 3 steel swords as well  
  as piles of gold and silver jewellery (worth  
  150 gold crowns). Two rubbery and partially 
  dissolved skeletons are also present, laying  
  on top of a giant puffball. If the puffball  
  is touched  with anything sharp or pointy  
  it will explode in a cloud of corrosive  
  enzymes for 3d6 damage.
  AREA D: 
  Getting into this sealed area requires knocking 
  down the cobblestone walls with heavy tools. 
  Unless care is taken (by someone who knows  
  about stone working or architecture carefully 
  examining the walls), this will cause a partial  
  cave in for 2d12 damage. The inside of the  
  room is full of salt lines and ash. In between  
  the salt lines are dozens of neolithic weapons  
  (such as bone clubs, flint spears, and daggers  
  made from carved antler), and hundreds of 
  puffballs. Accidentally stepping on a puffball 
  releases a cloud of corrosive spores (1d4 damage 
  to all present). Characters must make an agility/
  dexterity check for each thing they wish to  
  handle or closely inspect to avoid triggering  
  a cloud of spores. 
  In the center of the area is a stone hearth 
  containing three small clay statues of stylized  
  imps buried under a layer of ash. Each statue 
  contains the spirit of a dire animal from  
  neolithic times. Breaking one will cause the  
  spirit to attempt to posses the nearest being  
  in a burst of pent up psychic energy. 
  OSR: roll above level on d6 to possess.
  NGR: d20 stress.
  The spirits are quite mad and wish to return  
  to the sunshine above ground.
  A clay slab several inches thick and covered  
  with ancient pictograms blocks access to  
  AREA E, though it has several obvious cracks  
  in it. A sledgehammer will easily break the  
  clay slab but will also generate a lot of noise.
  NGR: d20 suspicion 
  AREA E: 
  This chamber contains the heart of the tree, 
  resembling a grey and faintly beating ox  
  heart. It is covered in toadstools and mould. 
  Scraping  it clean with a non-iron implement  
  and splashing fresh blood on the heart will get  
  it pumping again. The tree will quickly return  
  to life and release antibodies to kill off the  
  demonic fungal infection within ten minutes. 
  Stabbing it with an iron implement will kill  
  the tree . Entering this room summons the  
  slime mould from the well in AREA F.
  NGR: This counts as either building or destroying  
  a small temple as appropriate to your actions
  AREA F: 
  This region has a cobblestone well in an  
  otherwise bare area. The well looks at least  
  20 feet deep with liquid in it. That liquid  
  is a massive slime mould that can only  
  be harmed by flaming oil, acid vats and  
  similar sorts of things, requiring 100 points  
  of damage to kill and dealing 1d6 damage  
  per round to any characters in the same area  
  as it. The slime mould is demonic and is  
  possessed with a low cunning but will avoid 
  sunlight, which deals 1d12 damage per round  
  to the slime mould. 
  NGR: It may also be harmed by exorcism. 
  At the bottom of the well are literally buckets  
  full of shiny metal trinkets (bronze cloak  
  pins, silver coins, etc) worth 100 gold crowns.  
  The slime mould will head to AREA E if the  
  players break the clay slab. It flows like water  
  and will arrive in 3 rounds, pouring into any 
  opening. It will reinfect the tree heart with  
  its touch.
  
  13
  A THOUSAND DEAD BABIES
  Consequences
  C
  orroc is at a crossroads. It could be destroyed, 
  have the pagan elements finally stamped out  
  or return to the town and drive out the church.
  The Town is Destroyed
  If either Ally Mac’Oban and the Grove of Titania are 
  destroyed, or Father McKenzie is disgraced or slain, 
  without the cult of Baphomet also being routed and 
  destroyed then the town will be destroyed by a super-
  natural curse and legends will speak ill of the dark 
  monsters that now haunt its shell.
  Back to the Status Quo
  If the cult of Baphomet is destroyed and no other 
  major factions are disrupted, things will just keep 
  carrying on. Father McKenzie will inform the 
  Witchfinder he had sent for that local heroes routed 
  out the problem before he could arrive, thanking 
  him for his journey thus far but letting him  
  know he can return to other business. The players  
  may have earned the rivalry if not enmity of  
  a Witchfinder without even knowing it though.
  Pagans Driven Out
  If Ally Mac’Oban and Sir Gallan Darnan are slain  
  or driven out, and the cult of Baphomet is routed, 
  then the last remnants of the old faith will also be 
  driven out and the church will permanently take 
  hold. If Father McKenzie has not been disgraced 
  by outing his affair he will take it as a sign he has 
  divine sanction to overlook a few minor faults. This 
  line of rationalization will lead to truly dark times 
  in this village a few decades from now. Corruption 
  is like a worm that conquers the weakened heart.
  Pagan Revival
  If Ally Mac’Oban is still alive, the cult of Baphomet 
  has been routed, and Father McKenzie has been 
  disgraced then the townsfolk will throw off their ties 
  to the church and revert to following the old ways. 
  The church will be sacked. However unless the JuJu 
  tree was reclaimed without being burned (so it can 
  be reconsecrated to Titania) the Elves will have left. 
  Unless Sir Gallan Darnan is still alive and at least two 
  elves are alive, the Witchfinder that Father McKenzie 
  wrote to will arrive with his retinue and violently 
  purge the area of all pagans, which is largely the entire 
  town, due to player involvement.
  Magical Items
  THE BONE DAGGER
  T
  his is a thin bladed stiletto carved as  
  a single piece from a human femur.  
  The “handle” is carved with the smiling  
  face of a pagan huntress deity. The weapon doubles 
  as a holy symbol and counts as a +1 weapon.
  THE BOOK OF AARRRGH
  This book has a simple black leather cover  
  with heavy brass buckles and a title that seems  
  to trail off. The pages inside are crisp and fresh 
  should someone open it. The first few dozen  
  pages are two spells: Keeper of Forbidden Knowledge 
  and Screams of Anguish. After that, the book 
  continues into cursed text. Reading the text  
  will cause it to vanish from the book and  
  release a bound demon from within its pages.  
  The demon is a twelve foot tall nude woman  
  with red skin and the horns of a ram.
  OSR: 6 hit dice, AC as leather, 1 attack for d8+1 damage. 
  Requires magic to harm.
  NGR: Size modifier 2, 12 strength, 13 agility, 5 social. 
  Requires magic to harm.
  THE SCROLL OF MANLEATHER 
  This is a two foot tall rolled up piece of human 
  leather, tied shut with a bloodstained piece of 
  twine. It contains a spell to enlarge a goose into a 
  monstrous bloodthirsty... goose. The spell appears 
  to have originally been recorded as a tattoo that 
  someone decided to remove from its previous 
  owner. The spell is called Dire Goose.
  THE STRANGE GOLDEN COIN 
  This strange gold like coin features a crescent 
  moon image on one side and a full moon on the 
  other. Being near the coin gives a -2 to any health/
  constitution checks. The metal it is made out of 
  does count as magical, and it could easily be  
  forged into an arrowhead, bolt or shot.
  
  14
  A THOUSAND DEAD BABIES
  A SMALL LEATHER POUCH 
  FILLED WITH TEETH
  The teeth in this bag are all from an adult human 
  (or humanoid). There are 23 teeth in total, all but 4 
  are charred. Burning a tooth will cause a billowing 
  cloud of fog to fill the area with 75 cubic feet of fog. 
  They quickly become damaged if exposed to light.
  NGR: A sage could destroy a tooth to potentially learn 
  “Breath of the Moors” and “Bane of Mush’kar”.  
  They are power level 5 each.
  THE STONE & IVORY HAMMER
  The hammer is a smooth rounded piece of basalt 
  that is affixed to a shaft of carved mammoth ivory 
  with an intricate weaving of copper wire. The 
  hammer was a religious icon to long gone stone age 
  deity of which no one remembers the name, if ever 
  the deity had one. 
  OSR: An Intelligent +2 hammer, has an intelligence  
  of 5 and an ego of 10.
  NGR: +2 bonus from divine blessing. each point of damage 
  dealt also deals 1 point of influence to wielder. The influence 
  wears off as soon as the wielder sleeps. If the wielder is 
  under the influence they will go on a mad berserk rampage.
  THE STORK’S BASSINET
  Although it appears as a simple wicker bassinet 
  with a wool blanket, it is a cursed item. Every day 
  it teleports to its owner. It then produces a new 
  healthy baby. Every day. Forever. The bassinet can 
  only switch hands when its last owner is killed.  
  Its current owner is the Goat in the Woods. Note 
  that if it has no owner the babies simply pile up. 
  The bassinet cannot be destroyed either, it simply 
  re-appears the next morning. Perhaps there is 
  some sort of mountain where it can meet its doom, 
  but a regular fire will do nothing permanent to it.
  OSR: A remove curse will strip an individual from  
  being the basket’s owner, but it is not destroyed.
  NGR: This item cannot be reverse engineered by  
  a sage as it keeps re-appearing the next morning.
  THE SWORD OF  
  ST. YSGTTHROG
  The blade is an older style steel arming sword  
  with a simple silver cross set into the blade. 
  OSR: +2 if wielded by paladin, otherwise +0.
  NGR: This is a religious relic for the holy church,  
  with a +2 benefit.
  THE VIBRANT ROSE
  This is a long stemmed red rose that, despite the 
  obvious age it must be, appears to be freshly cut. 
  Unless destroyed or damaged (by say burning it) 
  this will always be the case. It radiates magic.
  OSR: Any magic user brandishing the rose counts as  
  2 levels higher for purpose of determining the effects  
  of a cast spell.
  NGR: This was Lady Gwyngyll’s talisman.  
  It has a+5 benefit.
  
  15
  A THOUSAND DEAD BABIES
  SPELLS 
  BANE OF MUSH’KAR
  NGR
  Template: Spell Storage
  Difficulty: +1 per power level
  Cost: +1 per power level
  Range: Touch
  Memory: 1 memory slot
  Effect: This spell allows the caster to store another 
  spell into the removed tooth of a (currently) still 
  living person. The stored spell will be activated when 
  the item is burned under a flame or when a trigger 
  (see trigger spell) is activated (if it was attached at the 
  tooth’s creation). The spell will treat the person who 
  burned the tooth as both the ‘caster’ and the target. 
  The spell stored in the tooth will weaken by 1 power 
  level for every 10 minutes the tooth is exposed to 
  light. If the caster chooses not to store a spell, the 
  cost paid may be converted into mana, which can be 
  gained when the tooth is burned.
  BREATH OF THE MOORS
  NGR
  Template: Obfuscation
  Difficulty: 1 per power level
  Cost: 1 per power level
  Range: 5(cumulative) cubic feet per power level
  Memory: 1 memory slot
  Effect: This spell creates a billowing bank of thick fog 
  to fill the area. This causes no breathing difficulties but 
  blocks normal vision. Strong winds or other similar 
  actions can quickly dissipate the effects of this spell.
  BEE SWARM
  OSR
  Magic User Level 1
  Duration: Instantaneous
  Range: 5 feet/level
  The caster emits a horrendous swarm of bees from her 
  mouth in a devastating cone with a radius at any given 
  point equal to the distance from the caster. Anything 
  living takes 1d4 + the caster’s level in damage from  
  bee stings. They may  save for half damage. 
  NGR
  Template: Cone
  Difficulty: 3 per power level
  Cost: 3 per power level
  Range:5 feet per power level
  Memory: 1 memory slot
  Effect: Using the rules in ‘Cone’ deals 1d4 damage 
  per power level with a sharpness of 1, decreasing in 
  damage by 1d4 every 5 feet and expanding outward 
  to have a width equal to its length at any given point. 
  DIRE GOOSE
  OSR
  Magic User Level 3
  Duration: Permanent
  Range: 5 feet/level
  The caster causes a target goose to grow into a primal 
  250lb dire goose, an enraged monster with 3 hit dice, 
  AC as leather, and two wing attacks for d6 damage
  NGR
  Template: Embiggen 
  Difficulty: 4(cumulative) per power level
  Cost: 5(cumulative) per power level
  Range: Short Missile Range
  Memory: 1 memory slot
  Effect: This spell causes a target goose to grow to be 
  at least a size modifier equal to the power level of the 
  spell and suffer 5 stress per power level of the spell. 
  The stress will drive the goose into a violent rage.
  FAERIE SENSE
  OSR
  Magic User Level 1
  Duration: 1 minute/level
  Range: Olfactory
  The caster gains the ability to smell magical  
  items, beings and effects for the spell’s duration. 
  They will give the odour of cinnamon. 
  
  16
  A THOUSAND DEAD BABIES
  NGR
  Template: View Veil
  Difficulty: 1 per power level
  Cost: 1 
  Range: Visual
  Memory: 1 memory slot
  Effect: This spell allows the caster to detect  
  magical auras and pierce the veil over the mundane 
  world. The caster will detect any magical beings 
  (including other wizards) items or spells. Creatures  
  or items that currently lack mana or magical power 
  will not be detectable by this spell. The caster is able to 
  detect through the power of smell. Anything magical 
  will have the strong odour of cinnamon. This spell will 
  last for 1 (cumulative) minute per power level.
  KEEPER OF FORBIDDEN 
  KNOWLEDGE
  OSR
  Magic User Level 5
  Duration: Permanent
  Range: 10 feet
  The caster marks an extra-planar or ethereal being.  
  If that being fails a saving throw they are trapped 
  inside an empty tome (a required spell component) 
  which instantly fills with cursed text. The creature  
  will be bound there until the book is either read  
  or destroyed. 
  NGR
  Template: Imprison
  Difficulty: 5 per power level
  Cost: 10 
  Range: Touch
  Memory: 4 memory slots
  Effect: This spell potentially locks a mystical or 
  incorporeal creature (such as a ghost, demon, 
  djinn or dryad) into a blank tome, which will fill 
  itself with cursed text. The being is trapped and 
  powerless in the item until the book is destroyed 
  or the cursed text is read. To be bound, the creature 
  must be defeated within 1 (cumulative) round  
  per power level of being touched.
  SCREAMS OF ANGUISH
  OSR
  Magic User Level 1
  Duration: Instantaneous
  Range: 100 feet/level
  The caster summons a disembodied scream that 
  echoes from somewhere in the spell’s area. 
  NGR
  Template: Cantrip
  Difficulty: +0
  Cost: +1
  Range: N/A
  Memory: 0 memory slots
  Effect: This spell creates a disembodied scream 
  somewhere off in the distance. This can be cast 
  alongside another spell by increasing that  
  spells difficulty by 1.
  WALL OF THORNS
  OSR
  Magic User Level 2
  Duration: Permanent 
  Range: 5 feet/level
  The caster summons a tangled mass of briars to 
  form a wall. It takes 10 points of slashing damage 
  to hack through a five foot chunk of briars. Anyone 
  not wearing metal armour that attacks the briar 
  must save each round or take d4 damage.
  NGR
  Template: Barrier
  Difficulty: 2 per power level
  Cost: 6 per power level
  Range: Short Missile
  Memory: 1 memory slot
  Effect: Creates a wall of briars and brambles with 
  a length of up to 5 cumulative feet per power level 
  and a height of 5 feet per power level. Can absorb 
  10 damage per power level with a DR of 1 per 3 
  power levels. Attempting to climb or handle the 
  razor sharp thorns deals 1d4 damage. This spell 
  has a duration of 15 cumulative minutes per power 
  level, after which point the wall remains as normal 
  thorns (and may tip over).
  
  ROT THE
  ROOTS
  SCALE : 1 SQ = 5 FT
  on
  A
  B
  C
  D
  THE PATH TO  
  THE GOAT’S LAIR  
  & NEW SMITHWALD
  THE PATH  
  TO CORROC
  E
  F
  THE
  JUJU
  TREE
  SCALE : 1 SQ = 5 FT
  
  © ZZARCHOV KOWOLSKI 2013
  ISBN 978-0-9920472-2-1
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Neoclassical Geek Revival (osr)/Neoclassical Geek Revival Adventures/A Thousand Dead Babies (NeoGeekRev).pdf