An interlude played with Funnel World, a mod of Dungeon World
Three ordinary brothers from the Locks decide to step up and become heroes.
The Brothers Lyn
Ace, a one-handed town watchman armed with spear and lantern, somewhat egotistical
Andwyrdan (Andy), a greasy-looking cartwright with a pushcart, earthy and nurturing
Agyfen (Aggie), a big-handed, gracious swineherd with a single swine named Bacon
Bonds between the brothers:
Ace owes Aggy 3 coins
Ace protects Andy from Aggy
Aggy insults Andy by calling him names
Children have been going missing in The Locks. The latest is a young girl named Devona. Rumors swirl that something lurking in the Thornwood to the north may have taken them.
The brothers Lyn had been told monster stories about the Thornwood by their parents all their lives. But they decide to venture into the wood and save the children.
As they enter the Thornwood, the branches rustle as if warning them away.
They come across a dying hunter, with a branch growing out of his wound. Andy attempts to cut the branch with his axe, but it is instead pulled out violently and the hunter dies. The excised branch seems to keep growing, so the brothers chopped it up and burned it. As it burns the piece of wood lets out a dying screech. They pick up the hunter’s ragged bow and move on.
They are ambushed by three bush-like creatures called thornlings singing children's songs. Aggy strikes one with his crook. Andy and Ace concoct a combination spear/cart and skewer another. Aggy attempts to get Bacon to rush the third, but is entangled by the thornling’s magical roots. Ace attempts to swing off of Aggy’s crook to attack, but Aggy’s grip slips and the maneuver fails. Andy runs over the thornling with cart but his feet are damaged as he runs over the thornling’s remains. Ace pins the remaining thornling, and Aggy almost stabs it, but the creature escapes burrowing through the ground.
They move on and find a hidden entrance to large underground warren. They send Bacon ahead with the lantern as a decoy. They come upon two thornlings in a ritual, dancing around a caged Devona. Each brother tries to attack with a ranged strike. Only Ace’s spear hits true, killing one of the thornlings. Aggy is able to kill the last thornling with his swine crook.
Devona seems fine, except that one of her hands has transformed into gnarled wood. They decide to keep her in her cage just in case, and carry her back to The Locks.