Into the Belly of the Beast is a classic treasure hunt gone awry. PC's begin the adventure armed with a treasure map leading them into a fell swamp, and yes, X indeed marks the spot. Along the way they'll meet several dark and humorous NPCs with motivations all their own.
I really enjoyed the many NPCs presented within. Each is a distinctly vivid character offering ample role playing opportunity. Competing societies within the swamp stand between the adventurers and their goals, and to advance their cause the party will likely get drawn into resolving the conflicts of the local swamp residents. The beauty of the setup is that it allows for any number of potential resolutions, all dependent on the styles of the party. Clever role players may find peaceful resolutions to all issues, while hack n slasher's can murder hobo their way through the lot if so desired.
Though the treasure map the PCs possess may appear linear, the adventure is most definitely not a railroad. There are ample decision points within Belly, lending an openness not often duplicated in short, one or two session adventures. Its likely that no two runs through this adventure would be alike.
As with all of Jeff's adventures, the adventure is well written, with vivid descriptions of locations and characters. The layout, provided by Benoit de Bernardy, is beautiful. Daniel F Walthall's art offers an old school charm, and the maps by Elven Tower Cartography complete a beautiful, professional production.
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