A Review of the Role Playing Game Supplement Dungeon Crawl Classics #86: The Hole In The Sky

Dungeon Crawl Classics #86: The Hole In The Sky by Brendan J. LaSalle is a role playing game supplement published by Goodman Games for use with Dungeon Crawl Classics. As such, it is covered by the Open Game License and some parts are considered to be Open Game Content as a result. This is an adventure for 0-level characters, or what is known as a “funnel.”

The supplement is available as a 20-page PDF from DriveThruRPG for $6.99 but was purchased at a reduced price as part of a special bundle. Two pages are the front and rear covers, one page is the front matter, half a page the Open Game License and one page is an ad.

There are two black and white maps that would be where the inside of the front and rear covers are.

The Introduction states that this is intended for use with 16-24 0-level characters who will funnel down to a much smaller group of 1st level characters.

The Background explains that a Lord of Chaos is seeking to regain allies and has been sending forth disillusioned groups of adventurers to try and free one of them. The first group failed, as did the second and so on. Eventually, the PCs become the latest group. The adventure hook has the characters, who believe that they were destined for greater things, receiving dreams and travelling to the site pictured in them. Once there, the Lady of their visions will ask them to travel through a hole in the sky to free her ally. The Lady is not telling the whole truth. There is a nearby village that characters who choose to join the adventure may get some supplies from. Those who decline will likely die.

Once through the hole, the characters will explore the prison on the other side. The guardians, for 0-level characters, are for all intents and purposes unkillable. There are some dormer adventurers from previous failed attempts still within, and these are much more within the characters’ combat range. Once successful, when the characters return to the Lady – those still living – they can roll on the Wheel of Destiny to change their fate.

Dungeon Crawl Classics #86: The Hole In The Sky in Review

The PDF is bookmarked but only has the major sections linked. Navigation could be better. The text maintains a two-column black and white format and appeared to be free of errors. There are a number of black and white illustrations, up to full page in size, that appear to be custom. Presentation is good.

Funnel adventures are designed to kill characters and this one certainly does that. Perhaps a little too well. One of the main encounters is with a creature that is effectively unstoppable that will pop up, kill a character and then leave again. However, character deaths by this are utterly random. The Judge can choose which character to kill, and whether or not to spare them. That seems a poor way of doing it; it appears players have effectively no control over what happens. Yes, these modules are designed for players to have several characters each, and get used to the idea that characters die, but that feels a little arbitrary. In addition, when the imprisoned creature is freed, they too can behave in an utterly arbitrary manner. And these are creatures that are beyond the abilities of characters to fight. This is an interesting, albeit complex, adventure, but it seems to be too arbitrary. Dungeon Crawl Classics #86: The Hole In The Sky can be found by clicking here.