An Endzeitgeist.com review

The prologue-adventure for the "What Lies Beyond Reason"-AP clocks in at 65 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page KS-credits, 1 page ToC, 1 page SRD, 1 page back cover, leaving us with a hefty 59 pages of content, so let's take a look, shall we?

This was moved up in my review-queue due to me receiving a print copy in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

The first thing to note here would be that, generally, this module works well enough as a stand-alone offering, so if you don't want to run the whole saga, that is very much a possibility. A total of 5 sample pregens with brief notes on personality etc. are included in the deal, which is pretty nice, though scaling advice for higher or lower point-buy versions would have been nice to see for them.

Another thing one should be aware of would be the tone, for while this module is still very much a rather gritty endeavor, the campaign itself becomes a very much high fantasy saga, though one with mature themes. I will discuss what exactly that means in my forthcoming review of the campaign guide, but for now, just be aware that this module's theme could fit rather well in pretty much any fantastic context.

A thoroughly impressive component of this module, being a freshman offering for Pyromaniac Press, would be the cartography - we get full-color maps, with player-friendly for all encounters, with key-less versions provided as high-res jpgs in an attached archive, making this fully VTT-compatible. Since the main adventure site features a pronounced aspect of verticality, we even get a cross-view section of the main site's map - and a player-friendly version of that one as well. In the formal criteria, this is most definitely impressive - something further emphasized by the fact that this sports A TON of original artwork - pregen-portraits, important (and unimportant!) NPCs, wondrous caverns...this is impressively heavy on the full-color artwork, so if you and yours tend to enjoy modules supported by plenty of visuals, this delivers in that respect, impressively so.

The module also provides ample commentary in sidebars, which can help troubleshooting or just make the module run smoother and provide a glimpse behind the curtain. Finally, I should not be remiss to mention that, particularly GMs who have a hard time with read-aloud text and description-improvising, will get quite a bit out of this one - it sports impressive amounts of read-aloud text, some of which may be a bit overkill for players keen to act...but that's a catch 22-scenario. With the exception of the setting-the-stage-monologue, player actions or feelings are not prescribed by the text. (And here, the disgust exhibited by the PCs is very much justified...but more on that below.)

I mentioned a bunch of NPCs and there is a reason for that...but the most challenging aspect in this module would be that the GM has to juggle quite a few of these folks. Interestingly, while some have more levels than the PCs, they are built in a way that will not hog the spotlight from the PCs - big kudos avoiding the GM-NPC-syndrome there. The print copy is btw. a bit darker in tone than the pdf - which of the two you prefer is a matter of taste, but personally, I preferred the print copy's grimier, darker look.

In short: From a formal perspective, this looks rather interesting, so let's take a look at whether the module itself holds up, shall we? From here on out, the review will contain a ton of SPOILERS. Only potential GMs of this saga should continue reading.

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All right, so we begin during a horrible storm, at night, in a rickety, thoroughly unpleasant tavern in the middle of frickin' nowhere. One of the places that just smell bad, that are bad news, you know, the kind you only get stuck in due to the horrible weather and lack of options. All NPCs and their stats are included in the NPC gallery in the book, just fyi: We have Bob, a thoroughly unpleasant and downright nasty old man of an innkeeper, Melissa, the gorgeous barmaid, Duran the merchant, James his apprentice, Lucious Thannillar the bard, Rufus and Faldor, mercenary brothers with a bad attitude, Thorgrim Shatterstone, the dwarven cleric, Barrat the gambler and Theric, the ranger. The PCs will have ample opportunity to interact with and seize up these folks and the GM retains a surprising degree of control over how much of the module pans out due to this cast of characters: Barrat, for example, seems to be cheating at cards, but strangely doesn't seem to empty the coffers of his victims...and there is a reason for that, but one the PCs may or may not find out during the course of the adventure.

As the storm rages on outside, the PCs awaken to some shenanigans, yes, but the module itself begins once the creaking starts...and a part of the tavern, with NPCs and PCs inside, tumbles through the floor into the cavern below, clogging the exit with rubble, unceremoniously dumping the PCs in a cavern complex that retains a surprising sense of authenticity - it is evident that the author has taken the timeless advice of consulting the Dungeoneer's Survival Guide...or has at least done his research regarding spelunking. The astute reader will notice that such a fall would usually kill PCs, but the rules-justifications for not doing so actually rang sensible to me...and if you're a sadistic prick GM like yours truly, that is a great chance to start bleeding their cleric NPC's resources dry...

It should be noted that NPC interaction is appropriately detailed for the GM...and one can quickly surmise that the danger-level and DCs required generally is pretty low. This has a reason: The anti-optimized and rather...let's say "colorful" NPCs that are caught with the PCs can provide the edge required to triumph, yes...but they also can be a liability if not handled properly. You tell the dwarf to get rid of his armor...

The exploration of the cavern-complex should lead players to an interesting cavern illuminated by quartz-like structures where a black ring-like thing with strange runes, obviously magical, can be found. While negligible in relevance for the plot of the overall AP, this is the linchpin that holds the module together - the ring beckons and behaves very much like a well-known example of its kind. If the PCs want to get rid of it and let someone else do the heavy lifting of this burden, the module becomes a bit problematic. That's another reason you need those NPCs - to talk some sense into the PCs or to try to take the ring. It is, in short, the weakest aspect of the story and the one thing you need to make your players accept. Oh, have I mentioned that this ring actually made one NPC immortal? Calls to him? And resurrects him after days of grueling torment in the netherworld? Yeah, if you have read the module, you should find one angle or another to appeal to even the most mercenary of PCs

But before the ring becomes a true problem, the matter of escape needs to be handled and it is less simple than it should be due to the NPCs. While the DCs are low for PFRPG, getting all NPCs out alive will not be simple, considering that some serious climbing and traversing of difficult terrain awaits beyond e.g. mud oozes. If you're using this within the context of the campaign, it'll be worth it, for boons beckon...as do the options to make enemies of the NPCs. There is quite a bit of interesting foreshadowing going on here, as the PCs make their way to the surface.

As a minor complaint, on a formal level, e.g. the "Dungeoneering" skill is mentioned, which should be codified as a proper subset of Knowledge, but that, as a whole, makes up the extent of what I'd consider problematic on a formal level. Once the PCs have escaped the tunnels, they will reunite with missing folks (or their remains) and have but one logical choice - start heading towards the Eternal City, main site of the AP and massive metropolis. Whether or not and how many NPCs accompany the PCs ultimately depends on their interactions and the GM, though the immortal does head in a different direction...only to be sent to a temporary grave by a missing man.

The journey towards the legendary Eternal City is fraught with peril and several scripted encounters that employ horror-themed, classic foreshadowing and doom...and it highlights a crucial monster in the AP, so-called psychic motes that are annoying on their own, downright lethal in swarms...and it is during these mapped encounters that the visions and nightmares begin taking their toll, imposing stacking negative conditions on the PCs, while everyone grows ever more paranoid. Personally, I was a bit annoyed by the lack of a concrete traveling distance: Considering PFRPG's overland movement rules, just fixing the journey at 6 days made no sense to me and is a structural weakness. The same can be said on a narrative level by an enforced kidnapping and lavishly illustrated horrific scene, where an NPC (per default the barmaid) is strung up like a scarecrow, "Bring it Back" etched in her flesh. Considering that you want to instill the need for the PCs to bring the ring to the city, the unpreventable kidnapping and contradictory message thus sent seems not like the wisest decision and needs careful GM-handling - once again, the hopefully sympathetic NPCs can help here.

That being said, the PCs will sooner or later arrive at the Eternal City, namely at the vast tent-slum before it, dubbed "Pilgrimage" - and they will soon find folks with improvised weapons and murder in their eyes haunting their step, as they reach the city gates...where they will have to wait, where they'll be ambushed by the insane tracker that wants the ring (who doubles as the final boss) and where they will meet both the arrogant captain of the city's Seekers (more on that organization in the campaign guide review) and the helpful alchemist Damien - who presents the reliable means and candidates of whom to entrust the dangerous ring for safe-keeping...it turns out that these relics are not unknown here...

Conclusion:

Editing and formatting are impressive for a first module, but can use a bit of work - I noticed, particularly regarding hyphens and the like a couple of hiccups. While there are a few hiccups in the rules here and there and while I'm not the biggest fan of the number of attribute-checks (some Dexterity and Strength checks in the waterfall cavern, for example, should imho be Acrobatics/Climb), this generally is a solid module in these regards. Layout adheres to an impressive two-column full-color standard and the number of artworks within in impressive indeed, particularly considering their unified style and sheer number. This is, in short, a beautiful module. The pdf comes fully bookmarked for your convenience and comes with a second, more printer-friendly version. The cartography is top-notch and particularly the inclusion of player-friendly maps warrants applause. The print copy is most certainly worth owning in the bundle with the pdf - the pdf is added for free to it, so yeah, I'd go with that one.

Micah Watt's first module is quite a gamble: It is a very narrative module that hinges on the GM juggling several NPCs, on social interaction, on players behaving in a certain way...and the module makes some risky gambles that look like they can push the PCs of the railroad. In short, it is not the easiest module to run, but when it works, it does so in a rather rewarding manner. While the plentiful read-aloud text makes this task manageable for even novice GMs, it still is a module that does require being capable of making NPCs likeable. So, form a structural point of view, I am not that impressed. The premise doesn't sound like too much either...BUT. The prose is actually really good. While there are a couple of hyphen-glitches and affect/effect-style hiccups, the writing itself manages to convey a surprisingly dense atmosphere that begins with grit and slowly builds up unease: Particularly what should look like a doomed hustle to the final destination would be a visual representation I haven't seen done well in a rather long while. There is also a handout-page, where short, unsettling descriptions can be printed out and then given to a player, helping immersion further - kudos for that!

In short: This is a module worth getting. It is not perfect and doesn't reinvent the wheel and it is a rather thinly-veiled railroad, but as far as spelunking, interaction and atmosphere go, you can do much, much worse than this! Much of the draw of this comes, ultimately, from the NPC-interaction. Oh, and, minor SPOILER: It's worth getting, in particular for the things to come, for the things set up here...but we'll talk about that in another review!

The verdict, right...so, honestly, I really love the map-support, the art-density and the atmosphere this creates, but the structural issues and cinematic conveniences stick out a bit, particularly due to the rather linear structure - the first adventure in the city handled that better, but we'll talk about that in that one's review. As a whole, this is a nice prologue for a fair price with very good production values and I have to take the freshman bonus into account - hence, my final verdict will clock in at 4.5 stars, though I can't round up for it. If you're interested in the AP, this is very much a must-have, though!

Endzeitgeist out.

Presentation: 5/5 This is a well put together adventure that looks polished. Art, maps, author’s notes and the different sections (including the index) are all intelligently laid out and, I believe most importantly, functional. The Adventure Background provides an informative, relevant and quick summary of what has gone before. Enough for the basic elements of the tale to make sense but not so as to overwhelm the reader/GM. Following this is the Adventure Summary which outlines the course of the module – again concise and easy to understand. Following these are commentary/discussion on Advancement Track, Challenges and NPCs. All of which are pertinent to the upcoming adventure. Then the adventure proper is presented in the classic adventure format with art interspersed at GM “appropriate” intervals. This includes the maps. And adventure notes in classic “scrolls” that highlight them for what they are. Finally, we have the NPC gallery, New Magic Item, Bestiary and provided pregenerated characters. All of which are welcome entries and logically located. From my perspective, and given that it is one of the first from a small start-up publisher, this is an amazing effort and shows a strong level of professionalism.

Art and Maps: 4/5 For the most part the art is well completed – some of the portrait pieces have less detail than the bigger items however nothing is lost as a result of this as they are small pieces. The remainder of the art is impressive to say the least with the psychic motes, “scarecrow”, waterfall and ledge representation being of note and worth mentioning here. The maps are well rendered and are both clear and functional.

Design and Plot: 5/5 This is one, if not the most, important facets of the adventure. And what has been done works superbly. The module starts off, unashamedly, using the tavern cliché with some flair that gives the GM opportunity for both roleplaying as well as a minigame that players can indulge in. We then move quickly into the adventure proper which is a well balanced mix of combat, skill challenges and roleplaying throughout the cavern complex and on the surface. The variety of these encounters means that most character classes and concepts have an opportunity to shine. The end of the module leads into the next instalment of the What Lies Beyond Reason epic adventure however does also tie up the adventure sufficiently as to provide a satisfaction conclusion. In terms of the module you could easily run this as a stand alone adventure, the lead-in for the Pyromaniac Press campaign or another lead in for a different adventure.

Playability: Not rated I was unable to run through the adventure however the monsters, NPCs and magical item presented in the module appear to have been well thought out and technically sound. The skill challenges, which play a strong part of this module, are appropriate for the adventure and the trial being tested. There are certainly other skills you could use, but the author has picked a good range of statistics and skills to cover the expertise being faced. Worth mentioning is that every encounter includes well designed read aloud text – always invaluable (for me) as a GM when running an adventure and, in this case, expertly crafted together in such as fashion as to create both an entertaining read as well as being functional for the purpose it was created for.

Overall: 4.5/5 A professional, entertaining entry into what promises to be an epic adventure that embraces all facets of the roleplaying hobby that I enjoy. Definitely worth a look!

It's a bit startling to find my name mentioned in the author's introduction (all I did was review the Player's Guide put out for the What Lies Beyond Reason Adventure Path of which this is the first adventure!), but once over that shock, let's move on to the Adventure Background. At this point in time, it's really only for the GM as the party is going to be thrust headlong into events without the option, but these are things they will be wanting to find out as the game proceeds, which gives another reason apart from it being useful for you to know what is going on!

It all starts in an inn, but this scenario takes that rather hackneyed opening and turns it into the adventure itself... as the whole building collapses under the weight of the storm the party is taking refuge from, depositing them into some underground caves where they find far more than they had bargained for... and once they emerge they face an overland trek to a hostile city. There's quite a cast of NPCs to get your head around, and some fascinating useful notes about how to make sure that the party, not them, remain at centre stage throughout - espeically useful as this adventure is designed for first-level characters and many of them have a few more levels under their belts.

Descriptions are detailed and atmospheric, and the party is invited to join in, with the assumption being that they are a random bunch of folks sheltering from the storm rather than an already-formed adventuring group (although it works fine if they are...). The underground cave system is clearly mapped - with top-down and side elevations to help you get the picture - and there's a map pack included with the download to provide plans for combat. Another neat touch is the trouble-shooting advice. "What if the party does/doesn't do...?" with plenty of suggestions of how to get around them failing to do something quite pivotal to the adventure - without a shred of railroading, either, all manner of subtle nuances and inventive workarounds to make sure that everything required for further adventures in the Adventure Path is in place.

The trip to the city is provided with several enounters which are worth including, you can add your own or 'handwave' the rest of the journey as best suits your style. Both the cavern exploration and the journey are designed to set characters a bit on edge, give them the feeling that something is very, very wrong; and everything that transpires should heighten that feeling. It gets no better on arrival, with a fledging riot outside the gates and unhelpful guards more interested in protecting the city than maintaining the peace. A tense negotiation follows...

There's a lot packed into this adventure, with spelunking, survival, combat, opportunities for interaction and more. Characters who survive to the end are likely to reach second level and know that they have embarked on no ordinary campaign... Definitely one to watch, one to enjoy (from either side of the GM screen)... and circumstances are only going to get more difficult!

I bought a copy of this after having played it recently. I found I quite enjoyed the shift in focus the author has made from a combat heavy heroic style of play to a more role play skills based adventure. The setting starts gloomy and just gets darker from there and while it may feel as though you're led a little at times, really, what group doesn't need a nudge every now and then?

Overall as a player I thought this is definitely one of the better offerings on the market today. It is well written with some really good art work.

Having picked this up, I can say that it has a lot of features that I really like for an introductory adventure. It starts off with a very solemn tone, and begins more with a focus on survival than traditional heroics which is a nice change from some others that thrust you into the thick of battle. Instead, you end up needing to battle the environment as much as any monster, leading you into a solid travel segment.

The art and detail on the trip to your destination is quite nice for setting the scene, and the adventure does a good job of playing up the shift in tone between sections, allowing the players to immerse themselves in the setting as they travel along, giving a very tense atmosphere until the end of the book.

A few things that I didn't like were a very small amount of female NPCs included, as well as what feels like an excessive amount of flavor text, although to be fair it's quite easy to cut it down to what you need for your specific game. There's also a bit of rules looseness that can aggravate the more strict of players, and the adventure does have a clear set of rails after a point, even if there are moments where those rails are expertly hidden. There's also a bit of a mechanical drag in the later part of the book, hammering weakness into the party which can get frustrating, but the book itself has steps for how to mitigate this.

The amount of effort that goes into detailing the NPCs and setting up the world offsets this though to the point where it's still a very nice journey to take a part on, and the companion book to this does such a great job of setting up the city that it's hard not to get a sense of grand adventure coming in later installments.

There's also a lot of personality from the writer that you can sense in this (sometimes a touch too much), but overall it helps make the NPCs and setting pop in a way that will help your party members remember important facts, making this a solid starting point for what I hope to be a full adventure path!