Credits

Plundergrounds is made for use with Dungeon World, a fantasy role-playing

game by Sage LaTorra and Adam Koebel (www.dungeon-world.com).
Illustrations are by Cédric Plante (cover, 9, 12-13, 26), Karl Stjernberg (7, 28),
Sean Poppe (21), and Juan Ochoa (24).
The pursuing and fleeing custom moves in Chases and Races are based on
designs by Jeremy Strandberg. Bits of the Mad Bomber, especially the
Demolition Master move, are based on Joshua Burnett's Artillerist playbook
(bernietheflumph.blogspot.com). Daniel Fowler provided the winning
caption for the illustration on page 7 as part of an online contest. Additional
creative input came from Jason Cordova.
All other text and illustrations are © Ray Otus, 2017.
Plundergrounds is designed in Pages 6.2 for Macintosh and utilizes two fonts:
Troika by Joel Carrouche and Alegreya Sans by Juan Pablo del Peral. Both are
available at www.fontsquirrel.com.

Play to find out what happens.

Sage LaTorra and Adam Koebel
www.dungeon-world.com

2

 Plundergrounds #4

Rakka’s
Raiders
———————————————————

Contents
Credits ..............................................................2
Ray's Page ........................................................4
The Beast Rider ................................................5
Chases and Races ............................................8
Rakka's Raiders ................................................9
Characters (10), Illustrations (12), Race,
Alignment, & Secrets (14), Extra Riders &
Gear (15), Questions (16), Threats (17),
Impressions (18), Missions (19), Dangers –
Eyes On the Ground (20), The Manticore's
Prey (21), The Final Battle (22)
Demon Engine .................................................24
The Mad Bomber .............................................25
Podcasts and Zines .........................................28

———————————————————
Plundergrounds is a series of theme-forward
zines devoted to Dungeon World adventures.
Subscribe at www.patreon.com/rayotus. Issues
are released bi-monthly. Send your feedback
and ideas to rayotus@gmail.com.

3
Ray’s PAGE
For years, I have had a game deep in my slush pile of projects about
grunts in the army of a terrifying, capricious, evil overlord. Using
Dungeon World and Plundergrounds to pay off a mission-based,
troupe-style, military fantasy game seemed like a great idea.
However, war and the life of a military unit is an ambitious subject, as
I found out while trying to write this issue! In some ways I feel I have
just scratched the surface of what is possible and what could/should
be done to write a great Dungeon World military supplement.
The “Appendix N” of inspirational works for this issue includes:
★ Elfquest (graphic novels, 1978), Wendy & Richard Pini. Brilliantly
drawn and scripted stories featuring a pack of wolf-riding elves.
★ Volant(RPG, 2015), Clash Bowley. One of the best gaming
experiences I've had online was playing in this cool RPG about a
pack of individuals who ride giant warbirds.
★ The Uruk-Hai, The Choices of Master Samwise, and The Tower of Cirith
Ungol (chapters from The Two Towers and The Return of the King,
1954-55), J.R.R. Tolkien. These chapters are cool because they get
inside the heads of the orc cogs in Sauron's war machine. A nod
also goes to Peter Jackson's treatment of the warg riders in The
Two Towers and The Hobbit films.
★ The Black Company (novel, 1984) Glen Cook. Great, dark fantasy
stories about mercenaries serving an evil wizard. Also, Hammer's
Slammers (novel, 1979), David Drake. Great, dark military SF stories
about a mercenary tank regiment.
★ Star-Spangled War Stories: The War That Time Forgot (comics from
1960-68), Robert Kanigher and Ross Andru. Graphic tales of
soldiers fighting prehistoric beasts in the South Pacific with
machine-guns, flamethrowers, and the occasional tank!
If you take your characters to war using Rakka's Raiders, be sure to tell
me about it on Twitter, Google+ (#plundergrounds), or by email,
rayotus@gmail.com.

4
Compendium Class

THE BEAST RIDER

When you ride a remarkable and intelligent beast through great danger, the
next time you gain a level you may choose this move instead of a move from
your class:
★ Renewing Ride. When you ride to escape your worries, describe the
scenery you ride over, your thoughts and emotions, then roll+CON.
‣ On a 10+ choose 3. On a 7-9 choose 2.
- You gain an insight into your own nature or your beast's. Say what that is
and take +1 forward when acting on it for the first time.
- You heal d4 HP.
- You shed a debility.
- You find something you needed to find, but weren't actually seeking.
- You don't run into trouble.

Your Beast
Describe and name your beast. If the beast's stats are not already
determined, start with one of the base models below. Then work with the
GM to come up with any reasonable adjustments.
Riding Beast: intelligent, large. Instinct: to protect its rider. Moves: ride
down, find the way home. Hooves (d8, close), 10 HP, 2 Armor.
Flying Beast: intelligent, large, wings. Instinct: to
protect its rider. Moves: fly out of range, swoop
and grab. Talons (d6, close), 8 HP, 0 Armor.
Once you have described your beast, write a
beast bond.
Examples: My fate is intertwined with X's. I was raised
alongside X. X saved me from certain death. I rescued X
from an abusive master. X and I are both outcasts. X and
I have both vowed to reach Y . The only time I am really
happy is when I'm riding X.


5
Advanced Moves
As a Beast Rider, you may choose one of the following moves instead of a
move from your class when you gain a level.
Battle-Trained. When you ride your beast into battle, roll+WIS.
‣ On a 10+ choose 2. On a 7-9 choose 1. All effects end after the battle.
‣ Take +1 forward to Hack-and-Slash.
‣ Take +1 forward to Defend.
‣ Take +1 forward to Volley.
‣ Add +d4 to your damage rolls.
‣ Take +1 forward to Defy Danger DEX rolls.
Improved Bond. When you call out for your beast, it will come as quickly
as it can. Roll+CHA.
‣ On a 10+ choose 2. On a 7-9 choose 1.
‣ Your beast brings something or someone helpful.
‣ Even if your beast can't possibly see or hear you, it senses your call and
knows how/where to find you.
- Your beast senses peril and approaches with caution.
Hell Ride! Replaces the Last Breath move when you or your beast reach 0 HP.
When you ride your beast into death's realm describe the nightmares you
see and roll+beast bond.
‣ On a 10+ you ride it out, passing through a portion of Death's realm!
Describe the horror Death put in your way and how you got by it.
‣ On a 7-9 Death bars your path; only one of you may leave! Death
imprisons the other until a geas is completed.


Playing out the scene in which the character and beast bond with each other for
the first time can be a powerful way to “lure” a player into the compendium class.
You could introduce the beast as a kind of sympathetic opponent or NPC. Maybe
it is attacking the party (unwillingly) under the control of an evil wizard or it is
trapped in a cage by bandits who are collecting for a zoo. If a character has
already committed to the Beast Rider class, have them recount the scene in flash
back with a loaded question, like “Tell me about the first time you met your beast;
which of you needed the other more and why?”

6
One is a bloodthirsty animal. The other is a bear!

7
Toolbox

Chases and Races

When a riding scene arises in the fiction, look to these moves as a pattern for
handling common situations and/or making them more exciting.
★ Pursuing. When you pursue your quarry, roll+DEX.
On a 10+ you catch them in the open and vulnerable.
On a 7-9 the GM chooses 1:
They wheel suddenly and attack.
They've gone to ground; it will cost you something to root them out.
You have them in your sights, but there's one last obstacle between you.
You have them cornered; they will fight desperately.
★ Fleeing. When you flee your enemies, roll+DEX.
On a 10+ you get away clean.
On a 7-9, choose 1.
They catch up to you, but only after you find a defensible position.
You've gone to ground. You're hidden but can't move without being
caught.
You escape, but only by fleeing into a more dangerous place.
★ Racing. When you push your mount to beat the clock or outpace another,
shout something encouraging to your beast and roll+CHA.
On a 10+ you reach your destination early/first.
On a 7-9 as 10+, but choose 1:
You and your beast are completely spent on arrival.
You must overcome trouble along the way.
Your arrival causes a commotion or brings you unwanted attention.
★ Riding Stunt. When you push your mount to perform some absolutely
crazy, dangerous feat, roll+DEX.
On a 12+ you impress everyone who sees or hears of it, take +1 forward.
On a 10+ you do it, but may appear foolhardy and reckless.
On a 7-9, as a 10+, but you and/or your mount is injured in the process.


8
Dungeon Starter

Rakka’s Raiders
Day after cold, mucking day of riding in service of The Necromancer. “Go there,” He
says, and there it is we goes. Death on four claws, is we! Killing to keep what's ours, is
we! And then, “Go there!” He says again, and off again are we. Without even a bit o’
meat to settle the belly! And all the time, His sneaks and His lieutenants just
watchin’ and waitin’ for us to make a mistake…

Rakka's Raiders is a different kind of dungeon starter. Players take on the

role of demihuman riders in a mobile infantry unit under the command of an
evil overlord. The characters themselves aren't necessarily evil, but evil
surrounds them and is a fact of their daily life, as is the seemingly endless
war in which they fight. First players make characters, then the group
answers some questions (in character) to build up the world. Finally, a series
of dangers serve as missions for the characters to complete.

9
Characters
The raiders come from a tribe of hairy, long-limbed hobgoblins. They are
intelligent, dextrous, and fierce-natured.
Pick a playbook and one of the raider illustrations on the following pages.
Each character comes with a short description and a question to answer
(either right away or in play).
As you fill out your playbook, ignore the race and alignment moves and use
the ones below (following the illustrations) instead.
You also choose a secret that may put your character in grave danger. Other
players know your secret, but their characters won't until you reveal it in play.

Raiders
1. Rakka is the current alpha of the pack. Her cunning and devotion to the
tribe's cause inspires loyalty. She is, however, caught between those who
would have her defy The Necromancer and those who want the unit to be
servile and escape The Necromancer's notice (and therefore
punishment). 

Who or what does Rakka see as the greatest threat to her leadership?
2. “Knives” makes everyone in the pack nervous. She is often called upon
to sneak into enemy camps and take out a key leader or use the chaos of
battle to accomplish the same end with an opportunistic, sneaky blow.

What unusual thing did Knives do for a living before the war?
3. Rundle is the scout and sometimes leads a few others in harrying
actions – shooting at the enemy from an advantageous, out-of-reach
position. She likes traveling ahead of the group, alone.

Why has Rundle considered defecting and disappearing into the wilderness?
4. Shazmi is the tribe's mage, learned in the ancient arts. Her magic isn't
all combat-focused; she can summon and consult with ancestral spirits
and demons, an act which greatly unsettles everyone in the pack.

What once went very wrong when Shazmé performed a summoning?
5. Karilla was recently transferred to the raiders from an infantry unit. She
is skilled with maps and a keen observer. She seems eager to please but
the others don't yet fully trust her. She has a spyglass (see Gear).

What does Karilla really think of her pack mates, in general? What must she do
to earn their trust?

10
6. Teegra is a bit feral and has a wicked sense of humor, though others
seem not to mind her pranks and uncouth behavior. She nearly always
sleeps among the mounts and is one of the tribe's best riders.

Which of Teegra's strange mannerism do her pack mates find disgusting?
7. Franki is devoted to the craft of being a soldier. She is absolutely lethal
in combat, but kind of one-dimensional in that respect. For this reason,
she only really feels alive and useful when in battle and tends to
undervalue other skills/pursuits.

What is the biggest enemy Franki ever took out, personally? What scar does she
still carry from that encounter?
8. Doberk has authority issues; there's no way around it. Her reaction to
the tyranny around her is to lash out at anyone or anything that tries to
make decisions for her.

What has Dolbert done (or what is she willing to do) to try and move up in the
pack hierarchy?
9. Grunhil is a mad genius. (This character illustration seems to suggest
the Mad Bomber compendium class that appears later in this zine!) She is
often coming up with strange ideas; some pay off and some are a disaster.
She loves fire and keeps a flame slug as a pet. Grunhil has 3 uses of
Trollblood (see Gear).

What was Grunhil's ‘greatest and/or most disastrous creation?’
10. Skralla is regular army. She is all about following orders and believes
that the greatest wisdom is the collective will of those in power. 

What would it take to shake Skralla's belief in the current power structure?
11. Gorm is a fanatic, devoted to Skeewa, the bat-god of fertility and
slaughter. Her uncompromising nature is often a burden to others, but
she is a virtual beast in combat and an indispensable part of the unit. 

What regular sacrifice must Gorm make to keep Skeewa happy?

11
1 
 2

5
4

12

 7 8

10 11

13
Race (choose 1)
Once per session the GM may ask you for some detail about the ways of
your tribe. If you answer, mark XP.
You are in tune with the wild. When you pay full attention to your senses
the GM will tell you something useful about your natural surroundings.
You are a naturally wary folk, you can ask the GM at any time if mortal
danger is near and they will answer truthfully.
You are a berserker! When you fight with abandon take +1 to Hack and
Slash if you also take 1 damage each time.
You are remarkably flexible, take +1 when you attempt to escape bonds.

Alignment (choose 1)
Chaotic. If you can't have it, no one can! Spoil something so that it is no
longer usable by the Empire … or anyone.
Lawful. Restore something of your tribe's past so that it exists again in
reality or in the memory of others.
Neutral. Act out of self-preservation, giving one of the Necromancer's
lieutenants or spies something they demand or need.

Secret (choose 1)
The Necromancer has some kind of hold on you that you don't want
revealed. He will occasionally ask you to do something, directly or
indirectly. If you do it, mark XP.
You have one or more friends among the humans. If you manage to make
contact with them without being found out, mark XP.
You know something about The Necromancer, a weakness or a bit of his
past that he doesn't want anyone to know. If you vouchsafe it to someone,
risking that they will betray you, mark XP.
You know where some ancestral monuments or relics lie hidden and
unsullied. Both the Empire and The Necromancer want them. If you
successfully protect their location, mark XP.
You once betrayed your tribe to either the Empire or The Necromancer. 

If you confess it and accept the consequences, mark XP.


14
Extra Rider Generator
Generate some ‘extras’ to help fill out the unit; 9-12 total characters
(including PCs) is a good number. Roll 3d6 and assign a value to each column
to describe the extra and give her a name. The players control these extras as
a group, or they can be divided up. The GM can also say what they are doing.
If a player's character dies, the player should “jump into the skin” of one of
these extras. (Obviously this means the extra is no longer under the control
of other players.) Until the player has time to fill out a playbook for the
character, take +1 forward to any action that is specifically within the
wheelhouse of the character's role.

d6 Nature (choose 1) d6 Seasoning d6 Role*

Wiley/Jokester Raw Recruit Scout/Tracker

Jaded/Glum Inexperienced Healer

Naive/Oafish Battle Tested Cook/Supply Master
Zealous/Rebellious Old Campaigner Beast Handler/Healer
Nervous/Broken Cold Blooded Killer Mender/Armorer

Brave/Reckless Former Pack Leader Informant/Toady

* Each character is also obviously called upon to ride and fight.

Gear
❖ Spyglass. 1 weight. When you Discern Realities you may ask the GM an
additional question related to what you can see through the glass.
❖ Trollblood. Consumed, foul tasting/smelling, 1 weight. This cloudy green
liquid smells like equal parts sour milk and urine. Roll+CON to keep it
down.
‣ On a 10+ you keep it down. Roll d4 and heal that many hp; keep rolling
unless/until you roll a 1.
‣ On a 7-9, roll d4 and heal that many hp before vomiting. If you rolled a
4, you are Sick (-1 CON ongoing).
‣ On a 6-, as a 7-9, but you also manifest a minor but permanent trollish
mutation; the GM says what.
15
Questions
War is your life. Some days it is all you believe in, whether you are glorying in the
heat of battle or falling asleep in the saddle. And yet the world was different once…
Answer some or all of these questions as a group during the first session.

The Empire
When humans first arrived from over the boundless sea in the days of your
grandmothers, your tribe did not believe the rumors of their cruelty. The newcomers
were many days’ ride to the west and the stories seemed like ridiculous
exaggerations. In just two generations “the Empire” has spread across your world.
They took your tribe's land while you were still a girl, barely able to ride on your own,
forcing you deep into the wasteland with other survivors.
✤ What was your homeland like; why was it beautiful and/or desirable?
✤ What does your homeland look like now?
✤ What lies did the humans tell you before they took your land?
✤ What else did the Empire take from you?
✤ How did they desecrate the monuments of your ancestors?
✤ What tribal ritual requires the monuments to be restored and what will
your people never again experience until the ritual is performed?

The Necromancer
When Lord Strygax emerged from the long sleep of his kind to unite the tribes
against the Empire, it seemed logical to join him despite his unsavory reputation.
Promises were made; oaths were sworn. But Strygax soon showed his true colors. He
titled himself The Necromancer and swelled the ranks of his army with foul undead.
Now you endure a living hell, going on mission after mission at the command of his
bloodthirsty lieutenants and always under the scrutiny of his insidious spies.
Once you imagined yourself freedom fighters, out to reclaim your homeland. That
dream has turned to ashes. Still, there is hope as long as your people survive.
✤ What do you know of the ancient race to which Strygax belongs?
✤ For what disgusting deeds or indulgences was Lord Strygax known even
before he revealed himself as The Necromancer.
✤ What unusual form of undead does The Necromancer employ?
✤ What other races are commonly found in the Necromancer's ranks?

16
Threats
๏ Ratwolf: organized, large, telepathic. Instinct: to run down prey. Moves:
follow the scent of blood, bite through anything, incite bloodlust in
others (psionically). Bite (d8, close, +1 piercing), 10 HP, 2 Armor.

These foul and ferocious beasts serve as mounts for the Raiders. Those who are
not Beast Masters (see compendium class above) often have trouble with their
mounts outside of battle situations. In battle, the ratwolves are relentless; the
smell of blood focuses them on the singular purpose of slaughter. Stopping them
from attacking after a battle is over or keeping them from gorging themselves
into a stupor on the flesh of the dead … well, that's another thing entirely.
๏ Necromancer's Lieutenant: solitary, devious, intelligent. Instinct: to carry
out the Necromancer's will. Moves: freeze a heart with a single touch, cast
a spell of pure pain, speak with the Necromancer's voice. Two-handed
sword (b[2d10], close, reach, messy, forceful), 13 HP, 2 Armor.

The Necromancer's lieutenants are said to be 13 in number. They are his generals,
his mouthpieces, and his enforcers, delivering orders to the troops and punishing
those who fail their master. Though in the shape of tall men, they are armored
and cloaked so that their true form is unknown.
๏ Watcher: solitary, huge, stealthy, terrifying, construct, magical, wings.
Instinct: to see everything and report. Moves: terrify those below with a
bone-chilling screech, carry away a disloyal servant, bear one of the
lieutenants. Bony talons (d12, close, reach, forceful), 19 HP, 2 Armor.

These hideous flying creatures appear as large (10’+), vaguely humanoid
skeletons, with huge, bony wings draped in tanned, rune-tattooed skin. Some say
they are the remains of demons. Each has a tusked skull with a singular eye
socket. Their “eye” is a softly glowing gem through which the Necromancer
watches both the enemy and his own troops.
๏ Filea Gilbrain: solitary, cautious, intelligent. Instinct: to lead the Knights
of the Manticore. Moves: interpret and enforce imperial law, guess the
enemy's next move, show absolutely no mercy. Sword (b[2d10], close), 

12 HP, 4 Armor.

Filea and her knights are the most decorated and loyal unit among the Emperor's
vast forces. They receive orders directly from, and answer to no-one but him!
๏ Knight of the Manticore: group, cautious, intelligent, organized. Instinct:
to destroy the enemies of the Empire. Moves: fight without flinching.
Sword (b[2d10], close), 12 HP, 4 Armor.

17
Impressions: NO MAN’S LAND
Use these drop-ins to paint a picture of a war-torn region and/or to set the
scene for one of the missions.
✦ The moon suddenly finds a hole in the clouds above and floods your
camp with light. An eerie screeching from high above pierces the night
and you feel exposed!
✦ Soldiers of the Empire wander through a field of fallen friends and foes
competing with barely-visible, gossamer valkyries. Any found still alive
are carted away for healing or abruptly terminated, depending on their
allegiance. A lone piper in the middle of the field sounds a mournful tune
of seven notes in a minor key.
✦ The sun shines bright in a cloudless sky. You would be uncomfortably
warm in your armor, save that cool breezes occasionally bring you
unexpected bliss. You grow drowsy in the saddle as you ride.
✦ A makeshift barrier of stakes bars the road ahead. The bodies impaled on
it have been picked clean by scavengers and carrion. They were once
innocents: villagers and children who have no part in the war.
✦ One of the Dark Lord's massive engines of destruction lies wrecked on its
side, smoking and making ominous whirring noises, as if it will either
suddenly recover its bearings and return to its rampaging or perhaps just
explode. You wonder about the demon that you know lies bound within.
✦ Another rainy day. The wind whips the stinging drops into your face and
the roads are a slippery morass of mud and pools. Your gear is soaked.
✦ Crossing your path forward is a band of trampled grass. The soft earth
bears numerous hoofmarks and the occasional droppings are still a little
warm. Knights of the Empire are definitely in the area and they are most
likely hunting you!
✦ A hazy smear of dust on the horizon and a slight vibration in the earth
beneath you means a huge force is on the move. Trouble is, it seems to be
on a path that will converge with your own.
✦ The clanking of pots, endless squabbling of the troops, and about a
hundred different smells – all of them offensive – surround you. The only
place where you could find peace and quiet is among the Necromancer's
undead units, and walking into their camp is unthinkable. 


18
Missions
Each mission below can be used as a jumping off point for a session of play.
They are roughly arranged from “bad” to “good” missions for the Raiders.
Dangers can also be developed to represent the agenda of opposing forces;
the following pages contain three examples.
A Test of Loyalty. Your unit was recalled for reconditioning and stood
before The Necromancer himself! How did he “motivate” you to serve him
fanatically? What suicidal mission has he given you as a test?
To Have and to Hold. The war isn't going well, otherwise why would they
assign a mobile unit to defend a fortified position? Will you have to stand
on a stupid wall while your beasts endure penning?!
The Tide Breaks. The Raiders are on the wing of a massive formation. You
can barely keep the beasts in check and the horns are ready to sound the
charge. What part will the Raiders play in the conflict? Will you break the
enemy on the field of battle, or be broken?
Fend for Yourself. You are stuck in hostile territory until The
Necromancer's forces push back. Raid for supplies, avoid the enemy, and
wait for reinforcements. What chance is there for glory?
Shakedown. You were sent raw recruits. You wonder, which one is the
informant? How will you test the mettle and loyalty of these greenhorns?
It's a Sabotage. The enemy has a critical asset that will ruin the Dark
Lord's plans. How will you get control of, and/or neutralize it?
On the Move. The Necromancer is shifting troops to the front and your
unit is riding point. What is the worst threat in the land you must cross?
Catch Them in the Open. The enemy is on the move. Find them and thin
out their ranks. What will you try: ambush, harrying, a night raid?
Deliver a Package. One of The Necromancer's lieutenants has given you a
sealed pouch. It must be in the hands of a certain warlord within three
days. Deliver it or suffer the consequences. What is in the pouch!?
The Dogs of War. The Necromancer wants to increase the fear of his
name. (Or does he just need a distraction?) Loot, pillage, burn, and
otherwise lay waste to anyone and anything in the area. What creative
methods of fear-mongering can you come up with to please The
Necromancer?


19
Danger: Eyes On The Ground
The emperor has developed some new kind of weapon and it is on the move. The
soaring Watchers are unable to pierce the cloud of obfuscating magic that surrounds
the weapon, so the Raiders have been charged with observing it first-hand and
reporting.
Regular pools of green goo are found in the trampled path that was
obviously made by the weapon and its guarding force. Those who touch
the goo experience increasingly violent dreams.
While following in the wake of the weapon, a grove of strangely over-
grown trees comes to life. The trees attack the Raiders, pummeling them
with massive limbs or snatching the riders off their mounts and
catapulting them through the air.
Having detected the presence of the Raiders, some of the weapon's
guards are left behind to set up an ambush.
The arcane engineers who operate the weapon unleash its full power on
the Raiders as a field test.
If the Raiders report back without sufficient detail or having failed to make
any attempt at sabotaging the weapon, they may be given the reckless
followup mission of delaying the advance of the super weapon at any cost.

The Emperor’s CabaL

The nature of the weapon is a mystery the players must solve and their
speculations should play a role in defining the weapon's powers. (Use their
worst fears or most dangerous ideas against them!) As the Raiders close in,
ask them what rumors they have heard about the Emperor's cabal of arcane
engineers and the terrible works they have created in the past.
Here are some strange sounding weapons that might be ascribed to the
cabal. Have fun describing their effects in flashback mode – from the
traumatic memories of veterans who saw them employed on the battlefield.
๏ Oscillating planar rift mines
๏ Suicide shatter golems
๏ Ablative, living armor
๏ Flesh-burrowing crystals
๏ Colossal, shudder-worms

20
Danger: The Manticore’s Prey
The Raiders are being hunted by a well-armed and well-trained cadre of knights.
You intercept a courier carrying a letter from the local garrison captain,
Filea Gilbrain, to the general Regalus Rhinehorn, who is currently leading
troops far to the south. The letter reads, “You may rely on me. I will run
Rakka's Raiders to ground and slaughter every last member of that foul
band. I will burn them atop a pile of their slain beasts for all to see!” (The
letter goes on, but it's just more of the same.)
While raiding supplies from a human village, you learn that a band of
knights rode through recently and asked pointed questions about the
Raiders. (They described your unit in detail.) The knights’ own banner
displayed a red manticore, rampant on a field of pure white.
You find one of your
scouts and his beast,
flayed and nailed to the
side of a barn. Where the
scout's head should be is
a note: “You're next,
Rakka! – Filea Gilbrain.”
You have some humans
cornered when Filea's
knights crest the
horizon. Will you linger
to get the information
you need from your
victims and risk contact
with the charging
knights?
Filea's knights catch the
Raiders in a box canyon
or other natural trap
where they cannot
maneuver or escape. It's
a fight to the death.

Filea Gilbrain

21
Danger: the FINAL BATTLE
All around you the battle is raging! This day will determine the fate of the land and
possibly your tribe.
This mission starts in media res. The idea is to give the characters a huge
battle experience, as seen from the perspective of a single unit in the middle
of the fighting. It might even be the final battle of a campaign. Set the scene
with the first item in the The Necromancer's Horde list.
Each item in both lists is a potential mini-scene or vignette. Ask the
characters what they do and let the fiction flow organically until the threat is
cleared, one way or another, but don't linger too long on any one vignette.
If the scene starts to feel like a grind or if the Raiders performed poorly, the
GM should introduce the next item in the Forces of the Empire list! If the
Raiders do well and dispatch the challenge quickly, the GM should proceed
with the next item in the Necromancer's Horde list. (If the timing of either
seems off, feel free to adjust them as needed.)
When you tick off the final item in either list, that side wins the battle!

The Necromancer's Horde

Start here! The ground is covered in bloody corpses and your footing is
getting slippery. The screams of horses and dying men, shouted
commands, and countless other battle sounds hammer your senses. Your
unit has a force of heavy infantry surrounded. Only the toughest remain,
fighting back to back. Will you be able to finish them off before they break out
of your deadly circle or are reinforced by more enemy forces?
Undead giants bring forward huge, sealed urns and smash them on the
ground. From the shards emerge sinuous ribbons of purple smoke that
burrow through one enemy soldier after another before dissipating. The
unfortunate victims are transformed into drooling idiots that can barely
stand. A shout goes up and the slaughter begins! How do you take
advantage of the moment to improve the Raiders fame or chance of survival?
One of The Necromancer's demon engines crashes into the city wall,
cracking it open. You hear the weeping of the demon within, halted by
the rubble from pursuing the destruction that is its only balm. It makes
the hairs on your back stand up as you ride through the breach. 

What dread servants of the Emperor wait for you on the other side? Why are they
particular good at fighting mounted troops?
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 The fighting has gone on all day and has swept you into the throne room
ahead of the ransacking horde. The last rays of the setting sun are shining
through the palace windows, suitably tinting everything in red. The
Emperor sits on his throne, surrounded by a handful of his guard. What
final attempt does he make to escape his fate? What is there here that might
mean redemption for you and your tribe?

Forces of the Empire

The moaning of a strange horn echoes over the battlefield, then another,
and another. The fighting nearly stops for a moment as all eyes turn to
the southern ridge. There, a line of unexpected reinforcements begins to
ride down onto the field of battle, gaining momentum and leveling their
long lances! Can you disrupt their line and take the momentum out of their
deadly charge?
The fighting near the wall is intense! Arrows, rubble, and flaming oil are
taking a toll on The Necromancer's troops. Suddenly, a hidden gate opens
and imperial ogres squeeze through. Their powerful blows crush the
nearest troops, flinging bodies left and right. As you look on, a horrible
voice containing a multitude of discordant pitches commands you to
attack the ogres. It is a direct order from one of The Necromancer's
lieutenants! What is your creative plan for engaging and eliminating these
juggernauts?
A flash of light draws your attention. One of the thirteen lieutenants is
struck by an intense ray of light and explodes into flame. The light is
coming from some kind of mirror the enemy has erected atop a tall tower.
You watch as the mirror catches the rays of the sun and targets one
lieutenant after another, reducing them to ashes in seconds. No place
seems safe from its searing lance. If the lieutenants are gone, which of The
Necromancer's troops, if any will continue the fighting? Will you try and stop this
magical weapon or flee the field, yielding the day to the Empire that took your
homeland? (If the characters flee, proceed to the next item.)
The Necromancer's forces are dead or scattered, including many of the
Raiders. (Only player characters are left, all extras are dead, captured, or
missing.) The Empire is free to continue its expansion and will soon
march on the Necromancer's fortress, which was virtually emptied of
troops for the battle. What will you do now?

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Demon Engine
Solitary, amorphous, intelligent, terrifying, construct, planar, slow. Instinct: to
inflict pain and destruction until its demon expires or is released. Moves: roll
over enemy forces, unleash a storm of lightning, open up and swallow
something huge, carry troops on its back. Treads (b[2d12], close, forceful,
messy, ignores armor), Lightning (d12, area, ignores armor), 30 HP, 5 Armor.
———————————————————————————————
The most terrifying of all the Necromancer's creations, these rolling engines of
destruction can be as large as a small keep and are built around a trapped demon.
Binding spells keep the demon in constant pain; its only outlet is through the
construct, ensuring maximum carnage to everything in its path.


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Compendium Class

The Mad Bomber

When you blow something up, the next time you gain a level you may choose
this move instead of a move from your class:
★ Bomb Maker. When you have the appropriate materials on hand and
spend at least an hour, you may create a bomb (d6 damage, near, area,
thrown, 1 ammo, unstable, 1 weight). Roll+INT.
‣ On a 10+ hold 3. On a 7-9 hold 1. Spend 1 hold to:
‣ Make your bomb stable (remove the tag unstable).
‣ Give your bomb an additional capability: messy, forceful, +1 piercing,
loud, flaming, acid, or sticky. (You may choose this option more than
once, picking a different tag each time.)
‣ Make identical extras: +d3 ammo.
‣ Increase your bomb's potency to d8 damage. (A d10 if chosen twice; 

d12 if chosen three times.)

Advanced Moves
As a Mad Bomber, you may choose one of the following moves instead of a
move from your class when you gain a level.
Clockwork Bomber. Your bombs have a built-in safety (keyword, hidden
fuse, etc.) that only you know about. Also, you can set a time delay or even
trigger them remotely (explain how that works). Finally, you have
tinkered with a crossbow, staff sling, or other missile thrower so that you
can hurl your bombs at a longer distance (add far to your bombs’ tags).
Grenade Launcher (near, far, reload, 3 weight).
Arcane Bomber. When you make a bomb, spend 1 hold to replace the
damage with a single arcane effect: cover everything in ice, plunge the
area into darkness, flood the area with light, make targets magically
sleepy, force magic items in the area to glow, or produce a specific illusion
(described ahead of time). 


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Demolition Master. You are skilled at using bombs to destroy inanimate
objects and structures. When you use a bomb against an inanimate
target, roll+INT.
‣ On a 12+ choose 3. On a 10+ choose 2. On a 7-9 choose 1.
‣ It will harm magically-reinforced and/or very large targets.
‣ It doesn't take long.
‣ Nothing else is damaged.
‣ It isn't very loud.
‣ You can harvest useful pieces from the wreckage.


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Dungeon World

Podcasts & ZINES

๏ Comic Strip AP – this podcast features serialized actual play of various
gaming systems, including Dungeon World. Check out the tales of
Domenico Castafiel and/or Alford Soultaker on The Gauntlet YouTube
channel or www.gauntlet-rpg.com/comic-strip-ap.
๏ Discern Realities (see ad below).
๏ The Dungeon World Newsletter – a regular email by Vindexus that links you
to the latest available game material around the web.
๏ Sword Breaker – a dynamic little zine by Logan Howard, full of creative
applications and adventure seeds. Available at rpgnow.com.
๏ Session Zero – this zine by Brian Holland reimagines popular geek media
for your table. Get it at rpgnow.com or through Brian's Patreon.

An audio magazine 

for Dungeon World.
We offer play advice, rules 

hacks, custom moves & 

magic items, and our beloved
‘comic strip’ actual play.
Check us out at

gauntlet-rpg.com!

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This Issue
★ The Beast Rider compendium class, for
characters with a faithful mount
★ Chasing, fleeing, racing, and stunt moves
★ Rakka's Raiders – a military campaign in
which characters take on the role of beast
riders caught between a tyrannical overlord
and the empire that invaded their homeland
★ Demon Engines – war machines powered by bound demons
★ The Mad Bomber compendium class, an alchemical savant who loves
to blow stuff up!

Next Issue
★ A city perched atop rocky spires in the middle of the sea
★ Mysterious, scheming tritons
★ Etherships piloted by living, sentient helmstones!

www.plundergrounds.com
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