My Junk Drawer

I Ran This...Creep, Skrag, Creep for DCC

Welcome to a new blog series: I RAN THIS…

In this series, I’ll be reviewing modules I’ve run at my tables, both in person and virtually. Each post will start with a high-level review, followed by a deeper dive for Judges, Refs, Gamemasters, DMs, Keepers, and anyone looking to run the adventure themselves.

Creep, Skrag, Creep by Stephen Newton
Dungeon Crawl Classics Horror #5

The ship is adrift, and the crew is dead. When the passengers of the Star of Nostro awaken—drugged, bound, and alone—a desperate fight for survival begins. What was meant to be a voyage to a better life has become a floating coffin filled with dark plots, strange deaths, and a relentless horror stalking every remaining soul.

This is my favorite DCC funnel to run at conventions. It’s one of the best introductions to the DCC system and is perfect for new players, while still delivering a great time for veterans.

I’ve run this adventure seven times now, and every session has been an absolute blast.

The setting does a lot of heavy lifting. Being confined to a ship keeps players focused and engaged, especially newer ones who might otherwise wander. At the same time, the module is packed with opportunities for exploration, roleplay, and horror. There’s always something to discover,and plenty of ways for characters to meet a grisly end.

Combat is used effectively and sparingly. There are only a handful of encounters, but they are dangerous, memorable, and, especially early on, survivable and winnable with smart play.

Like any great funnel, this one excels at helping players “find” their characters. Even when I run it as a one-shot at conventions, players consistently walk away with at least one survivor and a clear idea of what their Level 1 character will become. That’s a strong indicator of how well the adventure—and the system—work together.

Bottom line: if you see this on a convention schedule, sign up. If you don’t, convince your home Judge to run it. It’s absolutely worth it.

Now onto the Judge's Review.
HERE THERE BE SPOILERS .
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The start is everything. Set the tone early, and use the rumors; they pay off throughout the session.

I write rumors and personalities on index cards and hand them out before we begin. I frame personalities as optional flavor, use them or ignore them. Most players lean into them.

Rumors are especially fun because no one has the full picture. The player in the crow’s nest might be trying to draw the sails attention while the one who knows about the pirates is stuck below deck searching for the wheel. It creates great, organic chaos.

Remember, this is essentially Alien (I mean… Star of the Nostro), so creature encounters are rare. That means you need to build tension elsewhere, lean into the mundane, and make it feel dangerous.

Area L-1

This is where I go all in on the intro.

I give each player one “dragon” and place them at separate posts. They’re already on edge from the setup, and then I hit them with: “Roll initiative.” The Death Stamp starts flying, and the table immediately comes alive.

Note: I don’t replace peasants until a player is completely out.

Area M-1: Main Deck

This is your chance to let things get messy in a good way. There are multiple paths forward (eight “doors” plus the animals), so let the party split. It makes everything more dynamic and sets up Fakin’ Bacon perfectly.

The crow’s nest is always the first move. There is only room for two, and not much to do after they get there. One usually comes down first and gets attacked. The other often stays up there the rest of the session. I’ve had players sit up there the whole session, then jump to the other ship when the pirates arrive, alive!

Monster Encounter: Fakin’ Bacon Don’t overthink it—just go for it. Lean into it. Play it big. Ham it up.

Area F-1 / P-1: Forecastle & Poopdeck

I'll tackle these at the same time. I don't feel there is a lot going on in either area. On one, the wheel is broken and needs to be fixed. On the other is the Klabautermann. The broken wheel sets the players on a wild goose chase that leads deeper into the ship. I have yet to have anyone sing to the Klabautermann. Some day.
Someone always stays to steer the ship once the wheel is fixed. The creature LOVES when someone stays behind ;)

Area M-2: Captain's Stateroom

There’s a ton of great material in this section.

Pro Tip #1: Print the Captain’s Log—don’t read it aloud. Hand it to the players. There’s a lot in there, and this lets them engage, roleplay, and control the moment.

Pro Tip #2: Stock the wardrobe. Players will search it before the desk every time. I load it with the captain’s uniform, hat, and a decorative saber that shatters the moment it’s used.

I position the desk facing the door, with the chair’s back to the window. Without fail, someone sits down to read the log. Let it happen. Let the table settle. Give them an audience. Then the Creature strikes.

Have the creature reach in through the window and attack whoever’s in the chair. I’ve seen it go both ways, rolled a 20, it’s brutal: rip out the liver and gone before anyone can react. I rolled a 1, it stumbled inside and gets mobbed while the table erupts in shouts of “SKRAG!”

And the Mermaid Knot? No one ever figures it out. One group took it and eventually forgot they even had it.

Area M-3: Galley

This is a great spot to restock.

Once one player grabs the cleaver, everyone else suddenly wants to find something too. It’s the perfect opportunity to introduce the Luck mechanic.

Go around the table, ask each player what they’re searching for, and have them make a Luck check to see what they find. You can reference the table to guide what’s available in the galley.

It’s a funnel, and most players are likely new to DCC. Take the time here to teach this awesome system; this is one of those moments where it really clicks.

Area M-4: First Mate's Quarters

Pro Tip #3 See Pro Tip #1 and print out the Journal and hand it out.

Beyond the Journal, the big feature here is the tattoo machine. The needle becomes essential for rescuing Stone Dahut, and, surprisingly, players love giving their characters tattoos.

This is a great moment to give the table a breather. Let them experiment. I tell them there are patterns in the Journal and help guide their choices. It’s also a fun opportunity to hint at or assign small benefits tied to the tattoos.

And don’t forget the door to the front cabin (M-6).

Area M-5: Surgeon's Quarters

This is a good time to revisit the Creature attacks. Read that section carefully, its phases grant different abilities, and its attack pattern can be randomized. I treat the Captain’s Quarters as a scheduled encounter, then let chance take over from there.

This area also leans into DCC occupations. With the randomness and number of characters, someone will recognize how to use the supplies beyond just reading about them. When players think outside the box, reward it and give them a small edge.

The Zombie Sailor can be a great moment. It will answer three questions, so they’d better make them count. Then it attacks. In my experience, tables split evenly: half want to bring him back, the other half immediately go “Nope,” and put a cleaver in his skull.

I still haven’t quite nailed the Glass Eye, it’s a me issue, not the module. I’ll get it right eventually.

Area M-6: Stone Dahut's Stateroom

Finally, a chance for the Judge to step in as an NPC if the players choose to wake Stone Dahut.

Every table I’ve run has done so, except at GaryCon 2026, where the player with the tattoo needle read the scroll, figured it out, and promptly drove it into her own heart. Problem solved, just not the way anyone expected.

If awakened, Dahut can be a powerful ally. She provides the Hammer, essentially the only reliable way to damage the Creature in its adult form. She can also offer backstory, guide the party toward the bilge, or push them toward a more “honorable” end.

Across my tables, she’s been rescued, sacrificed to the Creature, and more than once completely forgotten as the party abandons ship in the chaos.

Area C-1: Cargo and Crew's Berthing

No surprises down here. Some good searching and luck mechanics are going on in the Hold. Find the wheel to steer the ship. Watch those AGILITY checks for the search as well. Play up the sounds of the ropes and cargo shifting. Rush the search, and this can get really deadly.

The 3 Lantern Problem This is a fun rumor to play with and adds that mysticism in the absence of magic.

Area B-1: Bilge

It's dark and dank; it's the bottom of the ship. WHY would anyone go down there? As a friend once said, "If I don't stick my hand in the hole, am I really playing DCC?" They will go down, see the eggs, and do something stupid. This is the start of the endgame, especially if they destroy the eggs and cause the Creature to punch through. I always let them escape the Bilge unless they do something stupid TWICE ;)

Area H-1: Beneath The Ship - The Hull

Seriously?!?!!?!? It's DCC, but the players aren't that dumb ;) Nobody goes under the ship. If they do, with a rope tied around them, narrate the encounter from the deck: "The rope jerks three times, try as you might, you can't pull it in. Your hands burn as the rope goes deeper and deeper until it stops." Let them then pull in a rope with a frayed end and just use the death stamp on the PC that was in the water and never say what actually happened ;)

Part 2: Deus Ex Bom Homem

And this is where it all comes together, End Game.

I have the pirates board while most of the crew is below deck. The party almost always splits at this point. Some retreat inside, thinking there’s safety there. Others head below, convinced the answer lies somewhere in the depths. A few stay topside with the remaining crowd. When no one is on deck, I let them hear it first—the sounds of boarding—and build from there.

Most groups try to surrender or negotiate. There’s usually an attempt to talk their way into the pirates’ good graces. One group even offered the eggs in exchange for protection and safe passage. Even after the Pirate Captain makes it clear they’ve simply traded one prison for another, most of them are still desperate to abandon ship.

And that’s when the Creature strikes.

By now, the players understand what they’re dealing with, so I lean into it. A hulking frame, a whipping tail, that unmistakable second set of teeth. The realization hits hard. This is the moment they remember the final rule of DCC, you can always run.

And they do.

I set the scene with ropes and grappling hooks linking the two ships. If the Star of the Nostro is sinking, even better, it heightens the urgency and chaos. The players quickly grasp the reality: they can’t kill the Creature, and they can’t fight off the pirates. Their only option is escape. Watching them scramble for survival is where the tension really pays off.

In the end, most groups manage to get at least one character across. Depending on how things unfold, they’ll cut the ropes and leave the pirates and the nightmare behind. From there, I fast-forward to port and walk them through leveling up their new DCC characters. They now have a ship of their own and a future full of adventure.

But I always leave them with one final note.

If the Creature landed a hit with its tail, there’s a good chance someone failed their Fort save.

As their new crew sails into the sunrise, there’s a quiet moment. Then one of them feels it, a subtle, unsettling shift deep in their gut.