OKAY, I know this is about the hundredth incarnation of Cavern Crawl (
eh?), but will you stop yelling and throwing stuff if I promise that this
is the final revision prior to 'proper' publication? Since 2.5 came out
back in January I have been corresponding with a number of fledgling crawlers who have been quizzing me hard over various aspects of the rules. This scrutiny plus lessons learned from personal experience has led to a number of significant edits and revisions. Please understand that if you already have some affinity with 2.5, then 2.8 shouldn't come as too great a shock: it's the same basic system, just fine-tuned for a smoother ride! Incidentally, 2.5 has been downloaded 494 times according to my mediafire account. That's quite impressive not to mention encouraging.
As I wrote 2.8 represents the CC system pretty-much in it's finished state. Of course there're probably still some typos and garbled explanations, but they should (hopefully) be scarce and will be dealt with before the final edition surfaces. Likewise the layout is far from finished and there are aspects that certainly need to be dealt with prior to an official release. Still, it is serviceable for the time being.
I mentioned original artwork previously and this is still underway. My friend is not a professional artist and is kindly working around real life: still, he has got much done and a release date of late summer/early autumn is not unrealistic. Being an inveterate tease he's only allowed me to see wip pieces thus far, but what I've seen has pleased me greatly. As a teaser of my own, here is one of the unfinished pieces:
His style is simple and unadorned and I think it compliments the 'generic fantasy' nature of CC perfectly. Again, bear in mind this is a concept sketch and not the finished item.
I suppose I should probably cease my waffling now and furnish you with a link to the new version. Here you go:
As usual, if there are any access issues then please contact me at funghyfipps AT aol DOT com and I will message you the pdf directly.
Given the interest previous versions of CC have elicited I thought it might be an idea to start a dedicated forum. Now I'm quite prepared for this to fall flat on its face, but I thought that rather than email me directly regarding rules queries etcetera using the forum to air questions and opinions instead might be helpful to other crawlers in that it will force me to clarify unclear rules publicly. I am also inviting users to communicate any house rules and other modifications they might have made and to also relate any deeds of derring-do they may have whilst playing CC. If you are interested then please join up and get posting:
To celebrate the release of 2.8, I thought I would relate thee a recent tale of epic battle and heroic deed from one of my own group's crawls. For those who take their fantasy seriously I apologise in advance for the ridiculous nature of the names with which the intrepid heroes have been christened...
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The quest begins. Human Mage 'Debbie McGee', Human Knight
'Ser Gareth the Gay', Elf Ranger 'Nigel' and Human
Barbarian 'Jakkov the Red' gird their collective loins for battle. |
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Kicking in the first door catches a trio of Orcish guards, erm,
off-guard. Without hesitation the gang wade in and start
redecorating the chamber with Orc's guts. Debs vaporises an
unfortunate greenskin with a successful casting of Wrath of
Taranis. |
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After clearing out the guardroom of a measly 9 gs, the party
investigate the next door, which gives on to a large room. Nigel
detects a falling block trap, which the ever-impetuous Jakkov
insists on disarming. He duly fails and is struck by
half-a-tonne of falling stone. The hapless oaf loses 3 Vitality. |
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In the following corridor Debbie and Nigel exchange arrows
and lighting bolts with a couple of Goblin Warriors, slaying
one of them. |
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Feeling rather left out, Jakkov and Ser Gareth charge
hell-for-leather down the corridor to close with the remaining
archer. On the way in Jakkov falls into a pit trap and requires
Debbie's healing skills. |
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With the Goblins sent to meet their maker the party proceed
through a nearby doorway. The locked door gives egress to
a dusty nook alive with rodents. These are soon eradicated.
A moldering bookshelf gives up a Healing Potion, which
everyone agrees should be given to Jakkov. |
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Backtracking, our fearless adventurers ramble through empty
catacombs before disturbing a couple of Cave Maggots. No-
one is impressed. |
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Returning to the scene of their struggle with the Goblin archers
the quartet try an unopened door and disturb an unwelcome
party. Four Orcs and a Cave Troll fill the space between a
yawning chasm and the entrance. Undeterred, the heroes charge. |
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Typically Jakkov bites off rather more than he can chew by
launching a solo attack on the Troll. Things hang in the
balance for several turns in which Jakkov makes good use of
that Healing Potion. With a little help from Debs, Jakkov smites
his foe. The battle is won. |
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Crossing the chasm proves easy for Nigel and Debbie (who
casts Teleport on herself); even Jakkov makes it across
unscathed. Poor Ser Gareth rolls a 1 and plummets into the
abyss. Fortunately Nigel possesses a rope and is able to
haul the wounded knight up from the inky depths. |
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The next room contains another nasty surprise: Orcs and an
Owlbear. With numbers favouring the heroes the fight is less
intense, though Nigel is badly hurt by the Owlbear. |
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A roughly-hewn passage leads into a corridor presenting the
usual choice of exits. |
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A fell Minotaur patrols a large room and the party fight hard to
best it. Jakkov's Vitality becomes grievously reduced and the
struggle doesn't end a minute too soon. |
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Moving onward a secret door gives on to a forgotten crypt
haunted by two Crypt Wights. A tremendous battle ensues,
with Jakkov being reduced to an unconscious state, revived
only by Debbie's fortuitous casting of Touch of Belenos.
After the battle a search of the tomb reveals the Circlet of
Incantation, a powerful magic item that allows mages to
attempt two spells per turn. |
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The finale sees the band face off against the depraved ruler
of this subterranean hell: archimage Athok the Obsidian. His
undead Skeleton guards and Gargoyle attack! |
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| Blows are traded in a desperate fight to the death. |
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Slowly the party push their way onto the dais and the demented
archimage. Jakkov provides a rearguard against the the nigh-
indestructible Gargoyle whilst Ser Gareth sets about Athok
with his Great Sword. Debbie alternately fires off Touch of
Belenos and Wrath of Taranis. |
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Finally the Gargoyle crumbles to dust, as Jakkov reels from
multiple wounds. Once again Debbie rushes to his aid. In the
opposite corner Nigel and Ser Gareth hack Athok down, the
mad sorcerer perishing with a mad cackle on his blood-
flecked lips. |
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| To the victors, the spoils! |
