The Horrendous Hounds of Hendenburgh
by Liam Pádraig Ó Cuilleanáin
from The Merry Mushmen

“Since the arrival of the hounds, a silence has descended upon the village. Its citizens stay behind locked doors as chickens and geese meander untended through the empty, muddy streets.”

_{Hendenburgh, pg. 8}

Torchlight Score: 5/5 – Blazing

Praised as a “magnificent” and “great horror hexcrawl” for Old School Essentials and similar systems, this adventure has consistently earned top marks and a “The Best” seal of approval. Reviewers emphasize its rich detail, engaging plots, memorable NPCs that foster role-playing, and an open design that supports player freedom and multiple solutions.

Delve Deeper: 3 Sources

This horror hexcrawl for characters level 2–4 covers 48 hexes with 24 described locations, 4 factions, and 3 main dungeons.

The story centers on the village of Hendenburgh in the ancient Kryptwood forest, where demon hounds terrorize the people, dragging victims from the streets. The forest holds further threats and mysteries, including highwaymen, a coven of witches, a monster-filled silver mine, and the Tomb of the Tyrant who ruled a millennium ago.

Praised for its rich detail, interlinked plots, and memorable NPCs, the adventure encourages role-playing alongside exploration and survival. Presented as a seventy-page digest with a wraparound card cover, it features cartoonish blue-and-grey duotone art that reinforces its atmosphere of gloom and horror.