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The ghouls that haunted our childhood basements follow us well into adulthood. We may not recognize that our old fear is there until something unexplainable happens, such as the lights flickering or a door slamming when we think we’re alone.

When these things happen we remember why we shouldn’t be in dark and lonely places for long. There’s always something down there with us, feeding on our fears.

This is what’s happening to the citizens of Baerth. The fears lurking in their basements and the dark corners of the houses are coming for them, with a vengeance. It’s time to equip some level 0 adventurers with pitchforks, torches, and whatever else can be found because fighting back is the only way to make it out alive.

All the images in this adventure come from illustrator Mark Sheeres, creator of Sheer Fantasy Art on Patreon.

The following dungeon is written for Goodman Games’s Dungeon Crawl Classics, and uses resources found in the Dungeon Crawl Classics Rulebook.

The people of Baerth, a town of nearly one-hundred souls, are beginning to disappear. The town is positioned near the top of a cliff that has seen its fair share of horrors, but it has been more than a generation since anything of note has happened. At the very back of the town, nearest the cliff’s edge, is a historic cathedral. This cathedral has stood since time immemorial. One of its towers long since collapsed from an unknown issue and was never repaired, but the remaining tower and the rest of the infrastructure is home to the local friar who preaches the words of Bahrone.

Disappearances began with the Fergersun family, a week ago. All four of them were last seen around their house in the evening. The next day, they were gone. Their house lay untouched; when Friar Umelar was asked to make a house call on them a few days later, he found a meal set at the table with plates full of food. A few days later, the cantankerous farmer Old Man Jenkins vanished. Now all five members of the Trindle family have vanished without a trace. Each time the good friar goes to investigate, he sees the same scene. Empty houses that had been occupied only days earlier with no signs of struggle.

A group of concerned citizens, as well as the odd traveling adventurer, have decided to take the investigation into their own hands. Friar Umelar is losing his grip as the respected and honored leader in the town. There’s no time to waste, for who knows when the next person will disappear?

This level 0 funnel adventure takes place in Baerth. Player Characters start as either traveling adventurers or villagers. It has been three days since the disappearance of the Trindle family. Villagers will note that the disappearances seem to be related to the cathedral, as the houses of the victims have all been the ones nearest to it. The PCs should start by heading toward the cathedral to speak with Friar Umelar about the disappearances and what his investigations have uncovered.

Stats for all NPCs in this adventure can be found in Dungeon Crawl Classics by Goodman Games. Vombis leeches and Vombis zombies stats can be found on pg. 431 of Dungeon Crawl Classics. Acolyte and friar stats can both be found on pg. 432 and 433, respectively.

Vombis leeches are large, in surface area, but thin creatures that drop down on unsuspecting passersby and envelope the head of their victim. Once the host has been killed, they take over the movement of the body, becoming a Vombis zombie. If the host is eventually killed, the leech still needs to be killed separately or it will try to escape to a nice spot for it to ambush the next passerby.

The next disappearance will occur two days after the characters begin their investigation, unless they enter the freshly dug tunnels. If they’ve entered the tunnels, see Areas 10-14, they become the next intended victims and Acolyte Zayne (see below) will appear with four Vombis zombies and two Vombis leeches on her person, which she will use to try and cover the head of anyone unsuspecting, as if it were a canvas bag.

Baerth sits atop cliffs that clash with the frigid Walsthon Sea. The cathedral is known for miles around, as it has both an imposing and sad air to it. To the knowledgeable outsider, it is clear that this building was once a grand and elegant affair that has been forced into decay.

Villagers of Baerth will be quick to sing the praises of their leader Friar Umelar, but when questioned what he has done for the community or how he has helped at the cathedral and graveyard they will be slow to come up with examples or reasons for his stature.

In reality, he is an opportunist and traveled to Baerth at the right time to become their head friar, as Acolyte Zayne was their prior leader, but was not the most personable or easy to talk with.

Stats: The stats for friar can be found on pg. 433 of Dungeon Crawl Classics.

Background: Umelar has the appearance of a well meaning friar, but the position has made him soft. His sermons have recently been for show, as he is considering what he wants to do in his later years. Staying in the slowly decaying ruins of an old cathedral is not high on his list, and with the tithing chest from the villagers nearly full he is considering skipping town, their donations in hand. He’s done this in the past.

Villagers will point PCs to him, if they want to investigate the homes of the missing villagers. He will either be in his room (Area 1) drinking from a flask he keeps in his robe or in the Cathedral Nave (Area 5).

He is plump and enjoys spending nights at the tavern or in the cathedral preparing for his next message.

It will not take much to convince him to skip town. He is willing to try reasoning with Acolyte Zayne, as he has not been noticing her slow shift to a darker entity than he has ever encountered. If the two interact in the catacombs or tunnels, he will become her primary target.

On the third night the party is in town, if they have not uncovered Zayne’s tunnels, he will attempt to escape before the next attack can happen either via a window from his tower or by visiting the inn and then leaving after a drink. He’ll take the tithing box with him, if it is still in its hiding spot under his bed (see Area 1).

Stats: The stats for acolyte can be found on pg. 432 of Dungeon Crawl Classics.

Special Power: While in the catacombs or tunnels, Zayne is able to control the movements of any Vombis leeches or Vombis zombies within her sight. She will sacrifice them to save herself and flee, if she is able. During battle, she can also cast a spell to summon 1d4+1 new Vombis leeches that appear on the ceiling directly above her, as if crawling from the very rocks and stone itself. It takes one turn to cast and then the new leeches enter combat on her next turn. She can only cast this once per day. Her spell can only be cast if she is in a basement or other underground structure.

Background: Acolyte Zayne is tired of living in the shadow of Friar Umelar. Where most of the town sees a plump and kind friar she sees a fat and slovenly man who has lost his way. She has pilfered from his ‘hidden’ tithing chest to pay for small odds and ends, like a new shovel and a pickaxe, as well as some smaller items to help her search the catacombs. While searching a long forgotten tomb, a voice reached out to her and told her to kneel and, as she did, she saw several Vombis leeches falling from the ceiling. They awaited her command. She cannot understand them or what their greater purpose is, but she can issue simple commands to attack, move, or defend.

Zayne will attempt to flee if the battle begins to turn sour for her. If she successfully escapes, she’ll spend one day in the nearby wilderness before returning to the village and taking shelter in one of the nearest un-invaded basements, see map of Areas 10-14. She will then try to increase the number of zombies under her control by going to a house and ambushing its occupants, before summoning more leeches that will turn their victims into zombies. Once she has a new batch of at least four zombies, as well as leeches, she will return to the catacomb either through a house already connected or via the cathedral.

If Zayne returns to the catacomb, after fleeing once, she will stand her ground and fight to the death.

Recommended PC Level: 0

Number of Players: 3-4

Sessions: 1-2

Lighting: Inside the cathedral (Areas 1-5) torches are embedded in the walls every 10 feet (3 m). They cannot be removed. Newly excavated tunnels, Areas 10-14 have no natural light.

Doors: Wooden and unlocked, unless otherwise specified.

Floor to Ceiling Height: The descent into the catacombs takes the characters down 70 ft. (21 m). The ceiling in the catacombs is 35 ft. (11 m) high. Some of the ceiling tiles that were originally placed have started to fall out and the natural earth is showing through, allowing stalactites to form. The height of the hand dug tunnels is 10 ft. (3 m).

The wooden door to this room is locked. It requires a DC 15 Agility check to pick the lock. It can be broken down with a DC 20 Strength check.

The first thing seen, when entering Friar Umelar’s chamber, is the large, wooden bed frame. He may not live a life of luxury, but from the pristine condition of his wooden furniture, not to mention the fine craftsmanship, it is easy to see that he wants for very little.

The mattress he sleeps on is made of straw. Beneath the bed frame is a wooden tithing chest, see Tithing Chest.

The dresser, which also includes fine engravings, contains two sets of commoner clothes and one extra set of friar robes, for leading church worship. If PCs search the wall or around the torches, they also find the secret oil source of the cathedral’s ever-burning torches, see Cathedral and Catacomb Oil Supply.

The exits are out the window to Area 10 or back down the stone spiral staircase to Area 5.

This simple, wooden chest is locked. A DC 15 Agility check is required to pick it. It can also be smashed open with a DC 10 Strength check. The chest contains 25 gold pieces.

There is a small hole, accessed by a hidden panel in the friar’s dresser, that serves as a means of replenishing the oil stock in the walls of the cathedral. It is accessed via a side compartment in the dresser where there are three small flasks of oil. There is a small oil reservoir under the floorboards of this room. The floorboards need to be removed to access it. It holds up to a full barrel of oil, but would be hard to siphon from.

Trying to access the oil in the wall, anywhere in the cathedral or down in the catacombs, requires a DC 20 Strength check to get far enough to access the oil duct.

If the reserves have not been replenished after a week, the torches flicker out and die.

If the players attempt to go up the western stairwell, they will find that large piles of rubble block their path. It is clear that removing any of the rubble will cause severe injury and it’s apparent that a large team of skilled workers would be required to safely remove all the rubble and regain access to the upper room, which is empty.

If the rubble is disturbed, the player at the front of the party (nearest the largest pieces of rubble) should make a Luck check to see if any large pieces of stone or lumber fall toward the characters. On a failure, the rubble has been disturbed too much and the character who rolled takes 1d4 damage, as a large piece of timber or stone hits them.

The only exit is back down the stone spiral staircase to Area 3.

This stone spiral staircase leads from a small side room in the nave of the cathedral, see Area 5. There are torches that light the way down. The stairs leading up to Area 2 are blocked.

Exits are to Area 2, Area 5, and Area 6.

This staircase can be accessed from a small side room in the nave of the cathedral, see Area 5. There are torches that light the ways both up and down.

Exits are to Areas 1, 5, and 6.

The nave contains rows of wooden benches that all look well aged. These pews can accommodate up to sixty congregants. Torches line the walls that burn day and night.

In the northern alcove, opposite the main doors, there is a plain stone altar to Bahrone, god of law and justice. If a character prays at the altar, they are given +1 to any one roll against Acolyte Zayne. If the PCs have already defeated Zayne, they will instead have 1d8 HP restored and hear a voice in their mind thanking them. Either of these outcomes can only happen once per player.

Exits are to the main road into town, via Area 6, and the Western and Eastern Stairwells, see Areas 3 and 4.

Exiting the main cathedral doors leads to looking out on the town from its high point. A single road winds into town that branches at several nearby houses, the oldest looking ones, and continues straight to the inn and then out of town. On close inspection, it can be seen that the cathedral doors are finely engraved and show that this house of worship was built with reverence and no funds held back. It hasn’t been maintained to this standard, however. While the doors appear to be in decent shape, it’s clear that the harshness of the salty sea water air has taken its toll.

The cliff’s edge is treacherous and careless PCs are likely to fall to the bottom of the 164 ft. (50 m) plunge. If a PC approaches within 3 ft. (1 m) of the cliff’s edge they should make a Luck check. If they fail, they must make an DC 5 Agility check or fall to their death into the unforgiving sea.

There is a graveyard attached to the cathedral, surrounded by a short wrought iron fence, that houses the recently lost as well as those from generations long forgotten. Many of the names on the tombstones reflect family names that can still be found in town.

Exits are into the town of Baerth or back into the cathedral, see Area 5.

Going down either stone spiral staircase, see Areas 3 and 4, leads to the catacombs via a single hallway. There are two Vombis zombies (Dungeon Crawl Classics, pg. 431) in plain sight guarding the catacombs near the torch in the entryway to Area 8.

Exits are to Areas 3, 4, and 8.

The main hall is a sight to behold. At least, it used to be. Solid chunks of stone lie scattered around, and the catacombs have long since been pillaged of anything valuable.

In the center of the main room, there are four large pillars and a well in the middle of them. If PCs get within a foot of the well, they will have to make a DC 10 Agility check to avoid being grabbed by a Vombis leech that is attached to the northern side of the well. Characters looking in the well will notice shimmering coins at the bottom. The characters best be wary, however, because the walls are smooth and would be impossible for someone inside the well to climb up, without help. The coins are 10 ft. (3 m) down and, if all coins are retrieved, they add to 25 gp.

There are three Vombis zombies that roam around the main hall, weaving in and out of some of the individual tombs and two Vombis leeches that are attached to the ceiling, in addition to the leech in the well.

Exits are to Areas 7 and 9.

The catacomb extends beyond the main hall, Area 8 via a wide stairwell that leads toward what looks like more recently dug earth and disturbed rocks. A solo Vombis zombie stands guard. Residents of Baerth would recognize this zombie as Old Man Jenkins.

A large drop in the ceiling height occurs here from the catacombs to the freshly dug tunnels. Characters don’t have to crouch to enter but, as they move forward, they will notice the ceiling continues to drop lower and lower, until it scrapes the heads of most human-sized creatures.

Old Man Jenkins carries 3 gp in his pockets and a scythe in his left hand.

Exits are to Areas 8 and 10.

This tunnel moves from the exit of the catacombs to a more mine-like and recently dug tunnel system. The tunnel runs 50 ft. (15 m) before the first split. To the left is the home of the Fergersun family and to the right is the home of the Trindles.

This is where the PCs are likely to first encounter Acolyte Zayne. She is guarded by two Vombis zombies and a Vombis leech hangs above her.

Zayne has a small pouch containing 5 gp.

After Acolyte Zane has been slain, the last person leaving the mines will hear a small and sinister voice whispering to them. It says: “The earth can’t wait to hold you in her sweet embrace.”

Exits to Areas 10 and 12.

Two Vombis zombies are excavating toward new houses. If they hear commotion coming from Area 11, they will begin making their way toward the noise. If they aren’t disturbed, they will remain separated with one in the left branch and one in the right branch of the tunnel.

They have no treasure, other than a rusty shovel and a pickaxe.

Exits to Area 11.

Entering into this basement from the tunnels requires pushing a large wooden chest that is full of dirt aside and crawling on hands and knees through the small opening. A DC 10 Strength check is required to push the chest aside.

The room contains sparse furniture. Characters searching through the furniture are likely to find some food lying around enough for a single day’s rations for one character. There is nothing else of value.

Exits to Area 10.

Entering into the basement from the tunnel requires pushing a large wooden wardrobe out of the way, which requires a DC 10 Strength check. Going through the unlocked doors allows access to the rest of the house.

A Vombis zombie is stuck in this basement. Any residents of Baerth will recognize the zombie as being the reanimated corpse of the youngest member of the Trindle family. It is slow moving and of small stature. The zombie possesses 1 gp in a pocket.

The furniture in this room contains nothing more than a few sets of commoner clothes and some simple farming equipment.

Exits to Area 10.

We hope you and your players enjoyed this dungeon adventure! What are your favorite monsters to populate catacombs or tombs with? What are the scariest monsters you enjoy throwing at your players? Please send your feedback to feedback@shatteredlabspress.com or message us on social media.

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