Many of the other S8 modules have set low bars, but this module runs fairly well regardless. Part of its success is via simplicity: the module is a simple 5-room dungeon crawl.

The module has been disproportionally frequently due to the DM quest that includes it, so I have played this module 4 times and run it once. It usually runs fast, but a combat-weak party might have struggle excessively, especially with multiple rooms having damage immunity to nonmagical weapons.

The final puzzle can be difficult, especially if players are not familiar with the solfage music system (and specifically the American regional variant that uses "ti"). The docked point in my rating is for the assumption of cultural knowledge on the players' part. I've also seen parties be stuck at the puzzle for the first door.

Quite a dense module, as stated in other reviews. The biggest hitch was how to include the bonus objectives in (I recommend DMs have a maguffin in either of the two side rooms to open the path forwards, I had holy symbols of Moradin and Clangeddin).

Otherwise, interesting and challenging fights, and a cautionary warning but newly minted lvl 5s might have a bit of trouble.

On the whole, certainly enjoyable!

Much like Into the Dark, Crypt of the Dark Kiss feels completely inessential. There's no firm antagonist, nothing of import, and the entire affair can be summed up with a shrug.

But, I must confess, I like it a lot more than Into the Dark for the way it rewards players who ask for perception checks. There are multiple encounters that demand asking the DM for environmental information, and that paying attention to such information creates strong chances for victory in what are otherwise fairly demanding scenarios.

However, in the end, it's a dungeon crawl, not a very inspired dungeon crawl at that, and it lacks much in the way of substance or memory. It feels, like the entire trilogy, insubstantial.

VERY DENSE module. Too much to get in for a short 2 and a half hour timeframe. But it is a ton of fun. My players didn't mind that we ran over our time limit. I condensed the last bit and they were able to beat the baddie. The mummies were a fun bit of challenge for them as well. It was less fun for me as I didn't get to play as many NPCs but I still enjoyed watching them figure things out.

DMing this module was very straight forward. The combat was enjoyable and when it came to exploration/figuring things out we had a good time. I think the bonus objectives are an interesting touch and a nice tie-in to the Undermountain, though they aren't super important for the trilogy. This is great, because I think bonus objectives should be just that, a bonus, not required to understand what is happening. The map provided was very easy to read and use when I prepped the module for my players, though it would have been even better if there was a Player map and a DM map.

I've played and run this module. I believe its essential defining characteristic is that it's extremely short, both to read and to play/run. It's also essentially exploration-free and social-encounter free for all but the most atypical of players and characters (i.e., it can probably be done, but I've never seen a table get remotely close, even when they were at least semi-inclined). When that fits your needs, this could be a good module to choose.

Important starting note: There is what amounts to a Story Item at the end of DDAL08-07 that is critical to the completion of this module. If you aren't playing in order, pay heed to the note at the start of this module and make sure your questgiver gives it to your party and you communicate to your players to remember they have it. (And if you are playing in order, make sure you emphasize it to them at the end of DDAL08-07 and remind them about it starting this).

With the Bonus Objectives, this module is basically a 4-5 room dungeon, with some traps at the front and then one combat per room (the last room could theoretically defuse the combat with skill checks with some very high knowledge rolls and determined players, or they can just kill the enemies). Without the Bonus Objectives, two of the rooms are just empty. That means that the whole module, including Bonus Content, generally clocks in around 2 hours when I've run and played it (and without any explicit effort to rush things).

Difficulty-wise, our tables have found the Bonus Objectives nearly trivial. The module tagets 8th level PCs, but confronts them with CR 1/4 Undead that a 5th level Cleric can (and will) destroy, a 6th level Cleric twice per short rest (or any PC with a sling, hammer, staff, or other bludgeoning weapon will mow down). The mummies could be slightly scary if they landed multiple hits and the party rolled really poorly on their saves (or let squishy characters get out ahead), but a party seems like it has to seriously misplay to break a sweat. I also couldn't find any plausible reason to deny the party short rests after each room, which makes them even less scary / less of a resource drain (the module explicitly says the people in the next room are battening down the hatches and hiding, so they're not going to come out).

I enjoyed the flavour and mechanics for light throughout the module, or rather lack thereof (and the dimming). The rest of my table had mixed feelings. Also, one note: Gloomstalkers punish module authors, DMs, and monsters that employ the "the only light is what the party brings" design (at least until you get to a Tier where things have blindsight or truesight).

One note: the puzzle to unlock the door hasn't landed well with the tables I've seen. They get the beer/ale part, but no one's carrying any silver drinking materials (the Season 8 austerity on gold has ended much of the random things characters at our tables had for fun). Brute force is the most common solution I've seen to both locked doors (and there's no repurcussions for the party).

Final thought: I wish there were more guidance (or more guidance I could figure out) on running the final room as anything other than a combat. It seems like the defenders basically attack when the party comes in, and they're not threatening enough for parties to look for a mid-combat way to stop them. It's also likely a caster (or careless melee character) will provoke the golem, which seems fine (from a combat perspective), but less inspired than if I had a way to run it that rewarded efforts to be smart instead.

This module is a combat module plain and simple with the traps being a token afterthought. The puzzle at the end was impressive but requires a level of understanding of musical theory that your average person wouldn't have. It also makes bonus objective B almost required to give the players a chance without flat out telling them. The plot has the feel of an overall starting point for a trilogy about vampires rather than a part 2.

Not particularly awful, but it does fall into the bad category due to a disjoined storyline, and terrible application of season 8's formatting- which is not really the author's fault, as much as that decision rests elsewhere. It is far more difficult to get the pacing of this mod than it should be.

Your classic dungeon crawl at its best. I nice mix of encounters including varied traps and enemies to overcome. Well done Author! Sloppy publishing is a real issue. So many spelling, grammatical and typesetting errors bring this and other AL publishing into the sewers.

I had a chance to finally run this module this weekend. My players had a good time. If I could critique it I would say that there could be some type of other check involved for players to learn the clue about the proper sucession of the notes to bring forth the portal. I did not have the giant dwarven statues attack the party because rather than strike the crystal to shatter them, the bard in the party wanted to strike them lightly to set off their tone, as the dwarf in the group hummed the writing in a song; I used the dwarven statues to scare them (they were hurt already in the crypt before the room). They really didn't say what races the vampire spawn were, so I used dwarves. Probably should have used bullywugs given their master is reavealed in the next module to be one.

I thought the persistent element of the unnatural dimming of light was a great touch.

In my opinion, DMs should read the module before and after this one to get a fuller transition into this adventure. The adventure hooks (relevant) seemed a little flat. I believe this season's design style challenges DMs to "come up with the rest" (which I enjoy thouroughly), so for those that do not do so may find small plot holes that they will need to fill.

Overall, good run so far. Going to run this maybe one or two more time before I shelve it (for now). It is worth the purchase and your players should find it enjoyable (especially dwarven characters.. good dwarven themes here).

I ran this with 6 players, Average level of 8. Paladin, Warlock, Druid, Monk, Fighter, Bard. (Strong Party according to the module) They were almost overpowered. Fights took way too long and as a result to complete all objectives It took 6 hours. The ending was anticlimatic and seemed way too rushed. Other reviews and discussions talked about some of the vampires being Bullywugs, bbut there was no mention of this anywhere in the module.

Pros: Well edited, no major discrepancies in the story, some interesting ideas Cons: There are essentially 5 rooms in this dungeon crawl that are supposed to constitute 4 hours of gameplay, primarily in combat. If your characters are lvl 5, the combats may be appropriate, but any other T2 characters will easily overcome the monsters, even with encounter adjustments. The combats are what are intended to take the majority of the time so, if they go by quickly, the adventure will be very short. The ending involves opening a door, which then leads to the next adventure in the series. This is very unsatisfying as an ending for characters, since they obviously will want to go through the door and can't. There's no climactic battle or RP encounter, so the ending doesn't feel sufficient. Overall, there just isn't enough content for this to be a 4 hour mod or to really justify the $5 pricetag.

A good dungeon crawl. Depending on the party make up, this will either be fast for the party or can be VERY hard and deadly. Not sure why others felt this was disjointed from the trilogy. It seems to fit just fine to me, though I do still find the overall premise (Artor is looking to move) a bit weird since he shouldn't need the adventurers to do this.

There's a lot of info about Shar having been involved, but little payoff during the adveture. It should have been clearer that some of the vampire spawn were bullywugs. Also, one of the bonus objectives with the forge feels too important to have been a bonus objective. Otherwise, good adventure.

Incidentally, I used an online virtual piano to play the musical notes for the players.

Finally some combat. How well this module goes will definately depend greatly on party composition. If you have a wizard with fireball the mummy fight would be a cakewalk, if you don't you will be in for a rather difficult time of things. However, with someone fluent in Ignan and with a high enough Dispel Magic, you can recruit a trio of firesnakes that will eviserate the combat for you as you stand back and watch. I was going to say this module has absolutely no connection to parts 1 or 3, but part 3 also uses the "get the enemies to fight for you" tactic. As a stand alone this is awesome, but as a trilogy it's rather disjointed.

This product felt very incomplete. Descriptions were lacking and directionw as also lacking. It felt as if connections that were drawn were just left out or assumed to be known. I think with some good editing it could be brought together much better. It was hard to understand the side objectives, as they did not have clear goals, and the final intent of the module does not wrap up well.