Cult of Scragg

A level 1 puzzle adventure for pissing off murder hobos

Intro

“Hello ladies and gentlemen! Boys and girls! One and all! WELCOME to the weird, wonderful cult of Scragg! I’m Scragg, and you’re my happy, first, PREMIERE initiates into the cuuuult of Scragg!”

The party wakes up in a strange, bare room to a ratty looking guy (hooded with only a long ratty nose visible) who tells them his name is Scragg. Scragg asks them to join his cult which he hasn't started yet but really he thinks the PCs would really enjoy being in it. He tries to convince them to start a cult worshipping him. They're magically locked in the room with him.

Any level 1 characters in any system can suffice.

If they kill him and escape the room, the room leads into another, identical room. There's another Scragg in this room, except this time he's a level (or CR) stronger. And he's like, "Thaaaaaaat wasn't very NICE. Let ME, SCRAGG, tell you more about why you should start the cult of Scragg with me".

Suggested ways to escape Scragg

• Kill 5 versions of Scragg (or really just the 5th level Scragg)
• When attacking a low-level Scragg for the first time: “No! No! The time for ritual warfare is NOT upon us. The affirmations must come first!”
• If the party is defeated: “WRONG order. Affirmations!!”
• Scragg will try to get them to participate in joining the cult, so he will not kill party members if they attack him and he defeats them
• However, if they kill him during the ritual warfare phase by turning on him instead of themselves (see further down), the Scragg from the next door over will open the door and insist they kill each other.
• Players don't level up, so the fights with the Scraggs should become increasingly harder. He should be impossible to take in straight combat by the 5^th iteration without incredible luck or tactics
• I don’t have stats written up for Scragg but if there is popular demand, I will write them up. The one consistency between the 5 Scraggs in combat is the lack of consistency. Each Scragg should have different combat stats, tactics, and abilities.
• There’s actually infinite Scraggs but I imagine both players and DMs will run out of patience by the 5^th one
• Steal the keys on his waist and sneak out past the Scraggs
• Alternatively, they can magically unlock the door and introduce him to lower or higher level Scraggs, which may confuse him for long enough that you can escape
• The Scraggs don’t really understand each other – they kinda fizz in and out of existence when they encounter/see each other. A Scragg who has left his room to enter the other room will disappear and reappear into his own room.
• Join the cult, sacrifice Scragg to himself
• “The tttthree steps to making a cult!!”
• Affirmations
• Telling Scragg and each other nice things
• Everyone has to give everyone else a compliment
• Scragg blushes as he receives the compliments. His compliments are surprisingly thoughtful
• Ritual warfare
• Divide the PCs into teams, must fight the others to the death
• Yes, permadeath
• Sacrificial rites
• Sacrificing Scragg to himself
• “Ssstand in a circle around me! Now! Repeat after me. HUgaWAckINTOear REsoTU”
• Once they repeat that back, Scragg’s favorite of the players (the most emotionally sensitive one) will be called upon to murder him
• "SAY my name and SACRIFICE ME! To myself!”
• Convince Scragg to let them leave
• Make a pity party out of yourselves
• Offend Scragg greatly
• Some examples include unfavorably comparing Scragg’s cult to other cults or insulting his booming, radio presenter/carnival voice
• Guide Scragg through therapy
• Scragg will give up his aim of becoming a cult if you discuss how that’s attention seeking behavior and that he doesn’t have to be special or worshipped to be loved. He is worthy of love the way he is.

Beyond the Rooms

Whatever you want, but one option is a vast expanse of nothingness.