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Free-For-All Games

Hecate’s Riddle
An adventure module for the Dungeon World RPG

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0

Unported License.

Module Version 1.4

"By Crom, I do not like this place, where dead men rise, and sleeping men
vanish into the bellies of shadows!"

– Xuthal in the Dust by Robert E. Howard

"There is a fifth dimension, beyond that which is known to man. It is a

dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is in the middle
ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition."

– Introduction to the Twilight Zone by Rod Serling

Mark Tygart
1/10/2015
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Contents
Setup ............................................................................................................................................................. 3
Rumors .......................................................................................................................................................... 3
Notes on Playing the Adventure ................................................................................................................... 4
Hecate’s Shrine ............................................................................................................................................. 4
Welcome to the Twilight Zone .................................................................................................................. 5
Monsters in the Mist................................................................................................................................. 5
The Ghost Town ........................................................................................................................................ 5
The Feasting Ghoul Inn ............................................................................................................................. 6
Monsters in the Mist Return ..................................................................................................................... 6
A Riddle in a Graveyard............................................................................................................................. 6
The Morning After..................................................................................................................................... 7
Concerning the Witch Goddess Hecate ........................................................................................................ 8
Compendium Classes .................................................................................................................................... 9
From the Underworld Returned Compendium Class (inspired by MC3’s Wraithlander) ......................... 9
Terror Pudding Infected Compendium Class (inspired by Joseph “UserClone” LeMay’s Blob
Compendium Class) ................................................................................................................................ 11
Ghoul Infected Compendium Class ......................................................................................................... 12
Riddle Master Compendium Class .......................................................................................................... 13
Monster Manual ......................................................................................................................................... 15
Centipede ................................................................................................................................................ 15
Ghoul ....................................................................................................................................................... 15
Skeleton .................................................................................................................................................. 16
Terror Pudding ........................................................................................................................................ 17
Witch ....................................................................................................................................................... 18
Zombie .................................................................................................................................................... 18
Magical Items .............................................................................................................................................. 19
Bag of Runes ........................................................................................................................................... 19
Ghoul Tainted Feast ................................................................................................................................ 19
Pint of Shoggoth’s Old Peculiar ............................................................................................................... 19
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Setup

The cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.

– Psalm 18:15

This adventure is different than most in that the players will need a reason to spend a night in a
long forgotten shrine of the witch goddess Hecate. The players may have offended the goddess
in some way, be suffering from a curse or looking to obtain a rare piece of arcane lore. It could
be that spending the night is a requirement for joining the local adventurer’s guild or a test of
courage to gain employment from a patron. The primary reward should be obtaining this boon
from the goddess

The shrine is located in a small hidden cavern very close to a small, nameless village that was
recently destroyed. The village was actually unsanctioned by local authorities and did not
appear on official local government tax records since it was placed just outside the local
marcher baron’s (Aquila) frontiers. It was sometimes called the “the Nameless Village” or “Two
Coins” since according to local lore nothing within the village was worth more than two coins. It
did have a small inn since the village was a way station on a minor trade route to a large coastal
city of dubious reputation.

The degree of knowledge the characters should have about the danger they are embracing is
something the GM should decide. In any event the stars have aligned in such a way that the
players will be spending a moonless night asleep in this particular forgotten shrine. Hecate is
waiting…

Rumors

Roll 1d12 for rumors on the table below. Each adventurer will know 1d3 rumors, while additional
rumors can be learned from buying drinks in local village taverns.

1. (?) The “Nameless Village” was destroyed by a horrible monster unleashed from the depths
by a band of reckless adventurers hunting goblins for the Baron Aquila.

2. (T) This area used to have an active cult of the witch goddess.

3. (F) Spend a moonless night in Hecate’s old shrine and she will devour your soul.

4. (F) Many around here still worship the witch goddess Hecate of the old religion.

5. (T) The Lord Kane’s slavers used to dominate these parts. No one was safe!
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6. (F) The Sleeping Dragon Inn was a fine place, too bad it destroyed.

7. (T) The evil slave lord Kane worshipped the witch goddess.

(F)She eventually devoured him!

8. (F) There is a secret entrance into Kane’s Tomb in Hecate’s old cavern shrine.

9. (T) Never mock the witch goddess! She is subtle but quick to anger…

10. (T) The evil slave lord Kane’s tomb has never been discovered.

11. (T) The entrance to the shrine is now overgrown but marked by Hecate’s symbol.

12. (F) A group of orphan boys from the terrible slums in the nearby costal city are hiding in the
old pagan shrine. The boys have gone feral.

Notes on Playing the Adventure

Death will appear to the party as well as the player in the form of the Grim Reaper if any of the
characters perform the Last Breath move. Players will witness the bargaining but the Reaper will
silence them if they interfere. If the player dies both vanish. If Deth is present the Grim Reaper
will nod politely to her.

If asked where Hecate is the Grim Reaper will laugh.

The Nameless village is the same as the village in Goblin Gully Adapted for which this
adventure is possibly a sequel. The players could have unleashed the Terror Pudding on the
village or someone else did later. In any event it is likely the players will be blamed.

There is no Front for this module as it more of an episode than an adventure.

Hecate’s Shrine

“GOD IS COMING, AND IS SHE PISSED!” – Bumper sticker as quoted in My Saturnalia (1981)
by Michael Rumaker

The shrine is not difficult to find with proper directions, located on a low hill just outside of town.
The entrance is overgrown, but marked with Hecate’s moon symbol. A small stone shrine
consisting largely of a poor figure of the goddess etched on the wall at the back of the cavern
will somewhat sadly greet the party’s torchlight. The party will also be greeted by three hostile
black centipedes that have recently decided to relocate into the shrine. They will drop from the
cavern’s ceiling and aggressively attack a random party member each.

The centipedes have no treasure.

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Welcome to the Twilight Zone

That night all the party members will fall asleep and be awakened by the sound of barking dogs
and then later beautiful harp music. A young woman dressed in black has made camp just
outside the entrance to the cave. She will introduce herself as the harpist Deth and tell the
adventures that the goddess told her to come here in a dream and tell them they must go to the
Inn in the destroyed village and wait further instructions. She warns them not to re-enter the
shrine once they have left it or go anywhere off the path to the ruined village. She will tell them
“You are on the path of the goddess now and you must walk it or be destroyed.” She will bid the
party farewell and then suddenly vanish into the night.

If the players return to the shrine they will see their own sleeping forms but they will be unable to
enter their bodies.

Monsters in the Mist

“The first monster you have to scare the audience with is yourself.” –Wes Craven

Once they reach the path the players will discover they a soon surrounded by an eerie mist that
only allows them to discern a pathway to the village. Weird noises and spectral sounds can be
heard from the mist but the party will generally be safe as long as they keep to the path. If they
wander off they will find themselves in a world of endless mist attacked by a series of undead
creatures of the GM’s choice until they regain the path or awaken the next morning.

The exception to this rule is that the party will be attacked once by a group of zombies. There is
something very wrong with the appearance of these zombies: each resembles the bloated
corpse of a member of the adventuring party and will attack that member or their party until
destroyed.

The GM may possibly have to adjust the stats of the zombies to give the players a fair
challenge. There is the same number of zombies as adventures, obviously.

The Ghost Town

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or
knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going. –Ecclesiastes 9:10

The Nameless Village will appear as it did it its heyday in the early evening, but the inhabitants
are now shades, ghostly echoes of the people they used to be repeating events from their lives
and obvious to players around them. Players’ attempts to interact with the shades will fail and
the shades will simply pass through them mindlessly, running errands and doing chores like
characters in a play or movie the adventurers are watching. They seem neither sad nor happy.
They make no sound the party can hear although they seem to speak to each other.

All the water in the town outside the inn is dust.

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The Feasting Ghoul Inn

Observant players may notice that the Inn’s name has changed.

The inn is empty except for the innkeeper, a middle aged matronly woman who strongly
resembles the harpist the players met earlier. She will offer the players who are wounded pints
of Shoggoth’s Old Peculiar and all the characters meals from a Ghoul’s Tainted Feast.

Afterwards she will offer to cast runes for the adventurers to answer three yes or no questions of
their choice. If asked her name she will simply say “I’m the Innkeeper”. She is of course Deth in
another form. She will tell the players they should go to the graveyard outside of town. If she is
abused in any way she will vanish.

Monsters in the Mist Return

“I have never seen a greater monster or miracle in the world than myself.” – Michel de
Montaigne

The party will be attacked once by a group of skeletons. There once again appears to be
something very wrong with the appearance of these skeletons: each resembles the bony
remains of a member of the adventuring party. They will attack that member or their party until
destroyed.

The GM may possibly have to adjust the stats of the skeletons to give the players a fair
challenge. There is the same number of skeletons as adventures.

Adventures cannot obtain duplicate equipment items from any of these undead as their
weapons are broken, clothing ripped, etc.

A Riddle in a Graveyard

How did you dare

To trade and traffic with Macbeth
In riddles and affairs of death;
And I, the mistress of your charms,
The close contriver of all harms,
Was never call'd to bear my part,
Or show the glory of our art?

-William Shakespeare’s Macbeth Act Three, Scene Five

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The players will find Deth in the form of an elderly crone, still dressed in black seated on a
headstone in the center of the graveyard. If asked who she is she will smile and say “I’m the
grave keeper”. She tells the party that she has a riddle for them and asks if any of them can
answer it.

Some try to hide, some try to cheat, but time will show we always will meet.
Try as you might, to guess my name, I promise you’ll know, when you I do claim.

Who am I?

Riddle’s answer: Death

The crone will ask each player in turn. Each player will get one guess.

If any of the characters answers the riddle then all the surviving characters find themselves
awake in the shrine, the crone’s laughter ringing in their ears. It is sunrise.

If the players fail to answer the riddle the crone will transform into the Graveyard Ghoul and
attack the party. She will say “The ignorant are my natural prey. The offering is accepted.”

Any surviving characters will awaken in the cave once combat is concluded. They will find the
sun rising.

All damage the characters suffered will be discovered to be real and the bodies of any dead
characters will be present in the shrine.

The Morning After

"To the mistress of all true adventurers!" he whispered, choking on his own blood. "To the Lady
Death!" – The Lost Valley of Iskander by Robert E. Howard

The players will find whatever treasure or lore somehow they sought in the shrine with them
when they awake. They are all in good standing with the goddess and all curses are lifted.

There is an old campsite outside the shrine now. Near the fire is a woman’s skeleton in black
robes, a bag of runes and a masterpiece harp.
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Concerning the Witch Goddess Hecate

Hecate wasn’t originally considered an evil goddess, simply a scary goddess of the underworld.
She is often associated with moon, crossroads and dogs barking. Sometimes she appears a
three faced woman or three women (girl, women, and crone) and will act like the Fates or
Norns. She often holds two torches, a key, a dagger or a serpent or some combination thereof.

Hecate was a liminal goddess or a goddess of gateways. People kept shrines to her a city gates
and in households to keep away evil spirits. She was a sort of female Hermes of the
underworld; a herald and warden of the ghosts, demons and graveyard spirits. A creature of
the threshold, the guardian of doors and portals, and so it is appropriately associated
with the frontier between life and death, and with demons and ghosts which move across
the frontier.

As time went on her reputation became darker, the patron goddess of witches and
necromancers. Under Christianity she is a demon. Quite a step for a goddess usually described
as tender hearted. The neo-pagans have reinvented her again, but I find using her as a form of
Death and her original persona in Dungeon World most useful.
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Compendium Classes

From the Underworld Returned Compendium Class

If you have successfully completed the Hecate’s Riddle adventure (GM’s discretion) the next
time you level up you may choose this move:

From The Underworld Returned

You bear the mark of your time in underworld with the witch goddess Hecate. Choose a part of
your body that takes on the visible aspects of death while remaining fully functional:

Eye: You are completely at home in complete darkness and can see underground even at a
distance. You take a +1 on your volley rolls while firing at enemies from complete darkness.

Tongue: You may cast the cleric spell Speak with the Dead once per game session. This allows
you to awaken the slumbering spirit of a corpse. It will answer any three questions you pose to it
to the best of the knowledge it had in life and the knowledge it gained in death.

Arm: Any weapon you grasp flows into the other world. You may attack undead, non
corporeal or other planar creatures that would normally only be harmed by magic, silver
or fire without penalty or unusual difficulty. This includes the fabled terror pudding.

Legs: Your passing leaves no mark or scent as a living person would.

The superstitious often see your mark as a sign of sin. You will take a -1 to Charisma rolls
with the superstitious that see your mark.

You speak the languages of demons and the undead. Any demon or undead will understand
what you say, and you can understand them.

If you are from the underworld returned, these count as class moves for you; you can choose
from them when you level up:

Hecate Initiate

When you take your Last Breath, Hecate will always offer you a bargain, even on a 6-. If you
don't keep your end of it, you'll still live, but she will claim your soul the next time you are
reduced to 0 HP.

Mark of Hecate

The mark of the underworld shows much that may not be concealed, describe it. The undead
will not harm you unless attacked by you. Dead spirits see your mark and know you as their
own. At the GM’s discretion restless spirits of the dead will seek you out, giving you what
aid and advice they can.
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The superstitious will treat you as a leper and shun you. Villagers with pitchforks and torches
are a near certainty. You will take an increased -2 to Cha rolls with the superstitious.
Remember: No one ever expects the Spanish Inquisition!

Hecate’s Kiss

You may cast the Cure Light Wounds clerical spell three times per game session.

Hecate’s Mixed Blessing

Choose another body part for from the Underworld returned list.
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Terror Pudding Infected Compendium Class

When you drink a pint of Shoggoth’s Old Peculiar or you are wounded by a Terror Pudding
the next time you level up you may choose this move:

Terror Pudding Infected

You can turn yourself into a small terror pudding. While in this form you can squeeze and slide
like a pudding (fitting through any space a mouse could) and you gain +1 armor, but you take -1
ongoing to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.

If you have been terror pudding infected these count as class moves for you; you can choose
from them when you level up:

Pudding Disguise

When you have time (a full turn) you can create a disguise that will fool anyone into thinking
you’re another creature of about the same size and shape. Your actions can give you away but
your appearance won’t.

My Little Friend

A piece of the thing that engulfed you is now yours to command. Treat it as your character: you
say what it does and it triggers basic moves as a character would.

Terror pudding characters have +1 STR, +0 DEX, +2 Constitution, and no Intelligence, Wisdom,
or Charisma (they cannot make moves with those stats). They have d4 damage and 4 HP but if
they reach 0 HP they splatter and become inert instead of dying—scoop it together again and
it’ll be fine. They do not gain XP.

Pudding Regeneration

When you make a move in combat you may choose once to also heal 5 HP as your flesh knits
itself closed. You can heal up to 5 hp per 2 levels, recharging this ability when you make camp.
If you’re dying, you automatically make this move if able.

Underworld Iron Chef

When you make camp underground, or undertake a perilous journey underground, you do not
need to consume any rations, dining on the bugs, slime and fungi of the underworld.
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Ghoul Infected Compendium Class

When you eat from a ghoul tainted feast or are injured by a ghoul the next time you level up
you may choose this move:

Ghoul Infected

You bear the taint of your ghoulish infection. You will take a -1 to Cha rolls with the
superstitious that notice your curse.

You speak the languages the ghouls. Any ghoul will understand what you say, and you can
understand them. Ghouls will not attack you or your party unless you attack them. At the GM’s
discretion ghouls will seek you out, giving you what aid and advice they can.

After death your body will transform into a ghoul within 48 hours unless it is burned or
ritually purified. This ghoul will have no memory of your existence, and your soul will have
departed elsewhere.

If you are ghoul infected, these count as class moves for you; you can choose from them when
you level up:

Infravision

You are completely at home in complete darkness and can see underground even at a distance.
You take a +1 on your volley rolls while firing at enemies from complete darkness.

Underworld Iron Chef

When you make camp underground, or undertake a perilous journey underground, you do not
need to consume any rations, dining on the bugs, slime and fungi of the underworld.

Ghoulish Regeneration

When you make a move in combat you may choose once to also heal 5 HP as your flesh knits
itself closed. You can heal up to 5 hp per 2 levels, recharging this ability when you make camp.
If you’re dying, you automatically make this move if able.

Non Corporeal Attack

Any weapon you grasp flows into the other world. You may attack undead, non corporeal or
other planar creatures that would normally only be harmed by magic, silver or fire
without penalty or unusual difficulty.
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Riddle Master Compendium Class

If you successfully solve Hecate’s riddle the next time you level up you can choose this move:

Riddle Master

You speak the languages of creatures that love riddle games. Any dragon, sphinx, lonely
undead lich, Andy Serkis or other riddle game loving creature (GM’s discretion) will understand
what you say, and you can understand them.

You may roll and offer to play a game of riddles with these creatures:

On a 10+ the creature will play the game with and not attack your party unless attacked. It will
offer your party a riddle or useful piece of information.

On a 7+ or less the creature will the play the game and not attack your party unless attacked.

On a 6 or less the creature will attack once the game is concluded.

You may roll anytime when confronted with a riddle:

On a 10+ the GM will give you the answer.

On a 7+ the GM will give you a strong hint.

On a 6 or less the GM will not provide any help.

If you are a Riddle Master these count as class moves for you; you can choose from them
when you level up:

Riddle Games with Death

When you take your Last Breath, Death will always offer you a bargain, even on a 6-. If you
don't keep your end of it, you'll still live, but she will claim your soul the next time you are
reduced to 0 HP.

Casting the Runes

The Riddle Master has a bag with mystical runes engraved on pieces of bone on one side. The
owner may cast the runes into the air three times a game session and ask a yes or no question.
The runes will answer yes by all returning to earth on the rune side and no by all returning to
earth on the blank side. If lost the Riddle Master may construct a new bag.

Sly Words

When you mislead or confuse others with technically true words, roll + Charisma:
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On a 10+, they make the assumption you were implying.

On a 7-9, they make an assumption, but not exactly the one you were hoping for.

6 or less your efforts fail.

Hedge Magician

Choose one move from the class list of a magic using class. Alternatively, choose one move
from any other class list as if you were one level lower.
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Monster Manual

Centipede

Centipede , Large Black Small

2 HP 1 armor
Mandibles (d6 damage 1 piercing)

Hand

These thick, two-foot long centipedes will drop from the ceiling of a cavern and attack viciously.

Instinct: Attack Intruders

Ghoul

Graveyard Ghoul, Always Hungry Solitary, Terrifying

12 HP 1 Armor
Talons (d8 damage, 1 piercing)

Close, Messy

You must eat! Players wounded by any type of ghoul may be eligible for the Ghoul Infected
Compendium class.

Instinct: Devour the living

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Skeleton

Skeleton, Adventurer Duplicate Group, Terrifying

Attacks with skeletal claws (d6 damage) 2 HP 1 armor

Close

Special Qualities: Resembles adventurer

There is something very wrong with the appearance of these skeletons: each resembles the
skeletal remains of a member of the adventuring party and will attack that member or their party
until destroyed.

Instinct: to destroy the adventurer it resembles

Reveals tattered clothing and ruined duplicate items of an adventurer

Mocks adventurer with their own voice
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Terror Pudding

Terror Pudding, Cthulhu Mythos Monster Solitary, Terrifying, Amorphous

15 HP 1 Armor
Corrosive touch (d10 damage, ignores armor)

Close

Special Qualities: Amorphous, Immune to normal weapons, vulnerable to fire.

Will retreat to heal if damaged by ordinary means and drops to zero HP.
Fire damage to zero HP will destroy it forever.

How do you kill a pile of goo? A pile of goo constantly forming eyes and tentacles? A great,
terrifying pile of goo that also happens to want to dissolve you and slurp you up? That is a good
question to which I have no answer. Do let us know when you find out. Players wounded by a
Terror pudding may be eligible for the Terror Pudding Infected Compendium class.

Instinct: To dissolve

Ooze into a troubling place and spread chaos

To escape and destroy mindlessly
Blocked by the Symbol of Koth or a Elder Sign
Attracts worshipful Cthulhu Mythos Cultists
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Witch

Deth , Avatar of Hecate Solitary, Magical

NA NA HP NA armor

Special Qualities: Changes appearance: youth, matron, crone

Will vanish if attacked or will transform into undead monster of GM’s choice

Avatar of the witch goddess Hecate

Instinct: To obey Hecate’s desires or instructions

Sound of barking dogs heralds appearance

Vanish if attacked and will simply remerge later with different appearance

Zombie

Zombie, Adventurer Duplicate Terrifying

Vicious bite (d4 damage) 4 HP 0 armor

Close
Special Qualities: Resembles Adventurer

There is something very wrong with the appearance of these zombies: each resembles the
bloated corpse of a member of the adventuring party and will attack that member or their party
until destroyed.

Instinct: to destroy the adventurer it resembles

Reveals tattered clothing and ruined duplicate items of an adventurer

Mocks adventurer with their own voice
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Magical Items

Bag of Runes

A bag with mystical runes engraved on pieces of bone on one side. The owner may cast the
runes into the air three times a game session and ask a yes or no question. The runes will
answer yes by all returning to earth on the rune side and no by all returning to earth on the
blank side. If the character is a Riddle Master with the Casting the Runes move he may still only
cast the runes in the air three times per game session.

Ghoul Tainted Feast

Anyone dining from this magnificent banquet can assume the Ghoul Infected Compendium
class when they next level up, but to dine on this enchanted food without great need is an evil
act as the character has become a cannibal.

Pint of Shoggoth’s Old Peculiar

A pint of Shoggoth’s Old Peculiar beer will act as a potion of healing to all who drink. It and will
also allow the character to assume the Terror Pudding Infected Compendium class once they
next level up. It is a strangely reddish beer, with an odd goatish aftertaste.
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Postscript

My Magical Items are largely inspired by the work of fantasy novelist Neil Gaiman.

Other inspirations for this module include Patricia McKillip’s Riddle Master Trilogy, J.R.R.
Tolkien’s The Hobbit, Tanith Lee’s Kill the Dead and classical Greek Mythology.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.