[Free RPG Day 2026] The Weaver & The Redcaps

Now in its nineteenth year, Free RPG Day for 2026 took place on Saturday, June 27th. As per usual, Free RPG Day consisted of an array of new and interesting little releases, which are traditionally tasters for forthcoming games to be released at GenCon the following August, but others are support for existing RPGs or pieces of gaming ephemera or a quick-start. This included dice, miniatures, vouchers, and more. Unfortunately, due to vagaries of International Customs, Free RPG Day in the UK did not take place until Saturday, 22nd August.

This review is possible due to the generosity of Waylands Forge in Birmingham.

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Quick-starts are a means of trying out a roleplaying game before you buy. Each should provide a Game Master with sufficient background to introduce and explain the setting to her players, the rules to run the scenario included, and a set of ready-to-play, pre-generated characters that the players can pick up and understand almost as soon as they have sat down to play. The scenario itself should provide an introduction to the setting for the players as well as to the type of adventures that their characters will have and just an idea of some of the things their characters will be doing on said adventures. All of which should be packaged up in an easy-to-understand booklet whose contents, with a minimum of preparation upon the part of the Game Master, can be brought to the table and run for her gaming group in a single evening’s session—or perhaps two. And at the end of it, Game Master and players alike should ideally know whether they want to play the game again, perhaps purchasing another adventure or even the full rules for the roleplaying game.

Alternatively, if the Game Master already has the full rules for the roleplaying game the quick-start is for, then what it provides is a sample scenario that she still run as an introduction or even as part of her campaign for the roleplaying game. The ideal quick-start should entice and intrigue a playing group, but above all effectively introduce and teach the roleplaying game, as well as showcase both rules and setting.

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What is it?
The Dolmenwood Quick-Start: The Weaver & the Redcaps is the quick-start for Dolmenwood, the weird fairy tale adventure game. It is published by Necrotic Gnome, best known for Old School Essentials, the retroclone based on the 1981 revision of Basic Dungeons & Dragons by Tom Moldvay and its accompanying Expert Set by Dave Cook and Steve Marsh.

The Dolmenwood Quick-Start: The Weaver & the Redcaps is a twenty page, full colour booklet.

How long will it take to play?
The Dolmenwood Quick-Start: The Weaver & the Redcaps includes the scenario, ‘The Weaver & the Redcaps’, a short scenario which can be played through in a single session.

What else do you need to play?
The Dolmenwood Quick-Start: The Weaver & the Redcaps needs a full set of polyhedral dice per player.

Who do you play?
The Dolmenwood Quick-Start: The Weaver & the Redcaps includes six pre-generated Player Characters. They consist of a Human Cleric, a Human Fighter, a Human Friar, a Breggle Magician, an Elf Thief, and a Mossling Hunter.

How is a Player Character defined?

In Dolmenwood, a Player Character is defined by his Kindred, Class, Level and Abilties. These will help determine his Armour Class, Hit Points, Attack, Speed, Magic Resistance, Save Targets, and Skill Targets. The six Abilities are Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution, and Charisma. Of the pre-generated Player Characters in Dolmenwood Quick-Start: The Weaver & the Redcaps, Elves are fairy folk, a Breggle is a goat-headed humanoid whose folk rule part of south-west Dolmenwood, and a Mossling is a part-mortal flesh/part-plant or fungus humanoid from the dank, fungal-infested lowlands to the east.

How do the mechanics work?

Mechanically Magic works very much as other retroclones, in particular those based on Basic Dungeons & Dragons. It is Vancian in nature, meaning that each day, a spellcaster memorises spells daily and once cast, the magical imprinting of a spell on the caster’s memory dissipates.  looks any other retroclone from the Old School Renaissance, but with minor changes. Both Ability Checks and Skill Checks are rolled on a six-sided die. For Ability Checks, the Ability modifier is applied to the die roll to beat a typical target of four. For Skill Checks, the appropriate Ability modifier is applied to the die roll to beat a target. All Player Characters have the Search and Listen skills, whilst the Thief Class will have its usual range.

Saving Throws are rolled on a twenty-sided die as per other retroclones. The five Save Categories are Doom, Ray, Hold, Blast, and Spell, each representing a different type of hazard.

In addition to the Basic Rules, the Dolmenwood Quick-Start: The Weaver & the Redcaps also provides explanations of the supernatural abilities of clerics, friars, and magicians, the roleplaying game’s skills, and how to handle encounters and combat.

How does combat work?

Combat works very much as other retroclones, in particular those based on Basic Dungeons & Dragons.

How does magic work?

Magic works very much as other retroclones, in particular those based on Basic Dungeons & Dragons. It is Vancian in nature, meaning that each day, a spellcaster memorises spells daily and once cast, the magical imprinting of a spell on the caster’s memory dissipates. 

What do you play?

It is a short, whimsical encounter that is easily added to a Referee’s Dolmenwood campaign. Griselma Harrow, a weaver and embroiderer renowned for crafting magical garments for various notable figures in Dolmenwood and recently rejected a demand from the capricious fairy lord, Prince Mallowheart, craft him a new coat. In spite, the Prince has sent a quartet of Redcaps to persuade her otherwise and are causing chaos inside Griselma Harrow’s cottage, starting with making a mighty oak to grow underneath it and thrust it up into its boughs. This is when the Player Characters arrive, having been invited to afternoon tea by Griselma Harrow.

The Redcaps are not those of traditional folklore, so no dipping of caps in blood to keep their colour, but bandits who whilst sly and malicious, prefer to taunt, beat, and rob others. They are also not the brightest sparks in the forest and in many cases, the Player Characters can talk or trick their way past the Redcaps scattered about Griselma’s cottage. Thus, there is scope for roleplaying and interaction with the Redcaps rather than just fighting them, whereas the Player Characters are more likely to be confronting and fighting the consequences of the Redcaps’ causing chaos and havoc in the cottage. The result is a delightfully quaint adventure that captures the peculiarly eccentric nature of the Dolmenwood setting.

Is there anything missing?
No. The Dolmenwood Quick-Start: The Weaver & the Redcaps is complete as is.

Is it easy to prepare?
Yes. The Dolmenwood Quick-Start: The Weaver & the Redcaps is easy to grasp and prepare. The adventure requires a close read as it is quite detailed.

Is it worth it?
Yes. The Dolmenwood Quick-Start: The Weaver & the Redcapse includes everything for a great introduction to the Dolmenwood setting with a thoroughly entertaining and whimsical adventure,  whether run as a one shot or added to a campaign.

The Dolmenwood Quick-Start: The Weaver & the Redcaps is available to download here.