Almost anyone that’s played Dungeons & Dragons has a story about a beloved character cut down before their prime. Maybe they died because of a bad roll, or because of a hard Dungeon Master ruling, or maybe the player just couldn’t make the game anymore. First level can be a harsh mistress.
Faster, Purple Worm, Kill, Kill leans into the hard mode of Dungeons & Dragons. While most actual plays strive to craft the long form stories that many players love, the show cycles through guests and storylines as an anthology show every episode.
The folks at Beadle & Grimm’s Pandemonium Warehouse have tuned to crowdfunding to let Dungeon Masters bring the chaotic comedy of the show home. Faster, Purple Worm! Everybody Dies, Vol. 1 contains 15 first level one shot adevtures built to make short work of players by telling hard-hitting stories. These adventures are wild one shots created to make everyone at the table laugh, cry and kiss their characters goodbye.
What Is A Dungeons & Dragons One Shot?
“One shot” is the term used by D&D players for a game that’s built to be played in a single session. When many people think of the game, they think of a years spanning campaign. While this is often the most satisfying experience, like playing out a beloved TV show over several seasons, one shots offer chances to experiment.
Sometimes one shots allow players to try out new character types to test mechanics or to put on a different personality for a few hours. These stories can also be used to set up an intense challenge or even a no-win situation. Character really shines through when someone is pushed to the wall on their beliefs.
That’s what the creators of Faster, Purple Worm, Kill Kill sought in the stories they told on the show. Yes, there’s plenty of black comedy as characters realized how screwed they might be facing a dragon that’s far too powerful. But there’s also a sense of freedom to take risks by knowing a character isnt supposed to last long.
Faster, Purple Worm! Everybody Dies, Vol. 1 Contents
The book currently contains 15 adventures. Nine of them have been played on the show. Six of them are brand new to the book though they share the same style of fast setup and certain doom.
Adventures include everything from playing goblins guarding a treasure room to inflitrating a spooky circus. There are also several adventures that touch on D&D settings such as Ravenloft and Planescape. These stories make for a great way to sample all the wonderful worlds in the D&D multiverse.
While the show has a killer reputation, the designers of the book understand that Dungen Masters will use these stories in whatever way fits their campaign. Each adventure comes with advice on how to make the stories less lethal and fit into a regular D&D campaign. With this many stories to choose from there are a lot of unique ways to kick off a fresh storyline at first level.
Faster, Purple Worm! Everybody Dies, Vol. 1 is on Kickstarter until September 25th, 2024. Backer rewards include limited edition covers and autographed editions signed by the Beadle & Grimm’s team. The book is currently slated for a June 2025 release.
