***Most of this is a copy & paste from an old blog post for our main campaign.***
Zero Level Funnel
A Zero Level Funnel is an optional mini-game in Dungeon Crawl Classics. The Funnel Adventure can be considered the final step in the character creation process. It's also a good way to learn the game. Each of you will be running four Zero Level characters at once. These characters are randomly created and will all come from the same village. The death rate is high in Funnel Adventures, so the general strategy is to protect the one character with the best stats. You want this character to survive the adventure in order to advance them to 1st level. In the unfortunate case that you lose all your characters, more random villagers will be provided.
Each character is rolled randomly; including ability scrores, equipment, and background (and more). There are 80 different backgrounds with 70% Human, 10% Dwarf, 10% Elf, 10% Halfling. The game mechanics are comparable to Basic D&D from the 1980s, but given updates and twists. This system is much simpler than 5th edition D&D, but with some significant differences. I will bring character sheets that are ready to be played. My guess is that going over your character sheets and the important game rules will take less than 15 minutes. Then we can start.
Below is a sample 4 character player sheet.
The short and to the point Background
The small, backwater town of Tasser where you come from is situated near a cursed keep. Two brothers, who were committed to a dark god, created it long ago. The brothers and their army were eventually overcome by a combined force of different kingdoms. While the keep fell to the armies of good, they did not eradicate its fell legacy. Evil still festers within the ruined walls, awaiting the day when it can emerge once more.
Two nights ago it did. Monstrosities that looked liked an unfortunate cross between a human and... well... anything swarmed into Tasser. They kidnapped or killed many of your friends and your family.
Your four characters have banded together in order to survive. Your small group found other groups and you all formed a good old fashioned mob with one thought in mind: Any hope of survival lies in finding whatever is creating those beastmen and destroy it.
Adventure Intro from book...
You stand before the ruined keep, which squats atop a low, craggy hill, its walls of toppled stone and massive granite blocks hinting at forgotten battles and the clash of mighty armies. Now the ruins seem host only to creeping vines and the foul miasma that drifts down from the keep.
The air is overrun with pestilence. Fat flies bite at you incessantly, and clouds of small black insects choke your every breath. The long-abandoned land is strangled with thorny vines that drape the sickly trees and hang from the ruined walls. There is an odor of rot and decay, as if the hill itself were decomposing from within.
A sight gives you pause: a ragged banner, depicting a crimson skull on a black field, stands high atop the ruined walls. Whatever lurks within has terrorized you and your village for far too long.
You turn to your companions and ready your meager weapons. The time for retribution has come.
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