Puzzle scenarios are tough to do well. You need clever, intriguing scenarios. They can't just be variations on ones players have seen before or, at least, they must be compelling variations. We don't want to see the Tower of Hanoi ever again, or the jug filling puzzle, DND Beyond. We know them back to front and they just elicit a groan.

So hey, kudos then to The Hero of the Troll Wars. It pulls off a puzzle module generally pretty well, with only a few points of contention.

When it's all broken down, the module consists of exactly three puzzles and one fight.

• The first puzzle, involving four dead bodies, is a variation on a classic environmental storytelling puzzle; deduce the relationships between four figures based on environmental cues. It's not massively original but it does have genuine flavour, with the descriptions giving a sense of some weird tragic love story.
• The second puzzle, involving arches and a tool small door, is likewise fairly typical (it's a basic order of operations puzzle) but it has a neat sense of exploration by making players discover what all the arches do. I also appreciate that the puzzle's solution is actually fairly simple and the main trick is mostly dealing with the number of red herrings.
• The third puzzle is pretty original; essentially asking the players to visualise a scene in such a way as to imagine the solution. Unfortunately, this is also a scenario that adapts poorly to online play (which is how I did it) as the reduced capacity for conversation in such an environment heightens the need for visual aids. And with visual aids, it's a very easy puzzle to solve. If you're going to run this, find a reason to skip the map here.

My main criticisms would be that while fun, this module doesn't feel like it fits into the wider Folded Time trilogy except in that it's set in the past. What's the 'object' that wrinkles the weave here, as does the ring in Wrinkle in the Weave or the cloak in Purging the Blood? There's also a few hitches in the pacing if you don't use the bonus objectives: I'd strongly recommend just changing the number of wards from 5 to 3, excluding the two in Nimoar's Hold, unless you're using Bonus Objective A. Otherwise, the scene simply feels too perfunctory. It also would have been nice to have a combat map for the final encounter with the troll, but with only one opponent it's not too bad.

Overall, this is a pretty fun adventure and despite the structural problems of the trilogy (and oh, we'll get to those in the next module review) it's one I do recommend.

The thing I like most about Map with No Names is the way that it structures itself, but ironically it's a structural flaw (in the trilogy) that ultimately makes it an incredibly frustrating module. Rather than waste time with navigational puzzles or being too detailed in each scene, Map with No Names has a tendency to cut to the bone and get to the heart of each challenge: Find out where the next scene is, go there, and do the thing. Sometimes 'the thing' is a battle in a basement with bandits, or suddenly dealing with a lunch rush at a fancy restaurant, or navigating a razor thin alley filled with actual razors. But no matter what it is, the game doesn't waste your name messing about. It wants to be a thrilling race about the city of Waterdeep and for the entire time it's actually running, it's exactly that.

I also have to give the story some excellent praise for its clever positioning of treasure, in such a way as to reward clever players. The puzzle that gives away the module's endgame can be solved with only two of the three proffered clues... and if players skip the third clue, the only physical items they miss out on are two potions of healing (and they likely took a bunch of damage getting there anyway). While the game includes treasure for those who hunt it, they save the best treasure for when they know everyone will get there. This is a module that refutes the old saw of going down every path 'just in case you miss something' and instead gives a big thumbs up to those who use their brain and jump ahead.

There's a nice variety in the experiences. Combat shows up in most, but not all. There's a light puzzle element in each location, but it's not too tricky and if the players are smart they'll realise they don't need to even worry about them after the first. (And yet each time I've run it, nobody realises they literally are given an instant win condition in the first room for finding any hidden doors and traps in an adventure stuffed with them.)

Balancing is good, with some really intriguing scenarios for higher level players. In particular, it turns out the final fight works great at maximum strength. (Who'd have thought that particular combination of three monsters would be so compelling?) And I love that the fight has its own little twists and turns, such as being able to bring down a chandelier on an enemy's head, etc.

Unfortunately, the ending of the adventure is simply... missing. After the final fight it comes to a close and no guidance is given to the DM on how to make the story feel complete. This isn't just a fault of the adventure but actually really difficult for the DM, because the best case scenario is that the DM just abruptly ends the game, and the worst case scenario is that the DM instead tries to create a satisfying ending by borrowing something from the next module inaccurately. (And yes, I've done this.)

Overall, I actually quite like the adventure, but that lack of an ending hurts it a bunch. As such, it cannot get as many stars as I'd like to give it.

So, before I begin, can we just stop to reflect what a weird trilogy of modules the ANIME trilogy is? No, really. We start with a module - aimed at levels 3-4 - in which you can't die. We continue into a module where it's absolutely possible to never enter combat and which uses that 'pacifist run' logic to deliver thematically. And we end with a module whose express theme is empathy, mostly set in a single location, and whose key scene is entirely about that theme.

That's really unusual for a set of D&D modules. And I kind of love it.

In this module, which takes place immediately after Let's Find the Sword, Go!, the players find themselves in an extra-dimensional bathhouse (or ryokan) run by a Golden Dragon. They are told the sword they're looking for is somewhere within the ryokan, that someone here has it, and they're sent on their way to find it. The key deception here is this: While this is true, interrogating people about the sword won't get them to it because the character who has it will not reveal himself to the players until he has a sense of their personality. Rather, the cleanest way to the sword is to stop paying attention to your own concerns and empathise with everyone else in the ryokan. You have to start caring about people.

Star Sword, Return! feels in many ways like the truest example of the trilogy. It doubles down on its anime theming; including characters who call their attacks with ludicrous names and spending the majority of its run time in a bathhouse. All the characters are given an 'anime type' for those who enjoy the medium and who know some of the archetypes common within it. Its key theme again ties deeply into the themes of the deity Ilmater, and it executes those themes in its NPCs. (Especially the hags, who by the end of the trilogy have gone from a full coven of evil to completely separated, lost to infighting and, eventually, self-reflection and redemption.)

If I did have to criticise it, I'd say some of the world-building tendencies in episode 1 do return in episode 3. The character of Lycidus, in particular, feels less like an integrated part of this story and more like a setup for a sequel. This can give the experience less of a tight, cohesive feel than it deserves.

None the less, I'm a fan of this module and a bigger fan of the trilogy. I want more D&D modules like this; ones driven by themes and ideas, with some courage to do new things. Great stuff.

Let's Find the Sword, Go! continues a trend that Legend of the Sword Bandit, Surprise! began in making scenarios that are heavy on characters, low on combat, and big on random words at the ends of their title separated by a comma in an attempt to affect the kinds of titles created by over-literal translation of anime.

Where it comes out far ahead of the first adventure, however, is in clarity of purpose and commitment to its low-combat approach. Where both were loaded with minor NPCs, here the NPCs don't feel just like nods to an expanded universe but rather flavour notes. The minor characters here are people like Oriel Phoenixfeather and (especially) Ashurbanipal the Tinkerer. These guys are loaded with personality; they're super fun to play as a DM and they make this adventure a joy. Even previously introduced characters like Baba Shuala are given more opportunity to be well rounded and commit to the themes of the trilogy.

And, as mentioned above, this module really commits to its non-violent approach. It's possible to go the entire adventure without entering combat once if the players are sensible, get a few good rolls, and solve its puzzles. This is not just a fun note but, I would argue, crucial to the story (and it's a shame neither of the surrounding modules are quite so brave as to allow the possibility) as the entire trilogy is not just plotted around the deity Ilmater but, I would argue, themed around him. Sacrifice is the obvious theme of the module, but the non-violent approach also adds an extra theme of taking on pain rather than giving it to others. A third approach to the theme, that of endurance, is also represented by the long trek and the rewards given to powering through it rather than taking rests. (Note: If you're using Season 8 Adventurer's League rules, you can't award bonus XP the way the module does. I would instead advise giving inspiration to all players if they choose to take no long rests.)

So with all that positivity out of the way, let's end on a nitpick. What does this trilogy have against Dragonborn? Two of the three modules feature an NPC who expressly likes everyone, except Dragonborn, and they're not the same NPC. What is going on here?

Despite the terrible Dragonborn prejudice (which I am overplaying, I promise) this is an interesting and mostly well designed adventure. The real issue is pacing, where it feels like only one scenario has truthfully been fully fleshed out (the Cave) while everything else feels a bit rushed. As a result the start can feel a little laggy and I'd imagine this is especially so of less RP focused groups, where the delightful characters won't carry as much of the experience.

However, if you're prepared to play it to the hilt, you'll have a lot of fun.

Here's a question. A module is set at APL 3. But considering its place within the trilogy it's a part of, it would be better run with players at level 4. Yet because of its design, it's a near perfect game for level 1.

Does this represent a lack of clarity, for which the module should be scored down? Or a remarkable versatility, for which it should be marked up? I went back and forth on this. So to be a bit different...

Why this module is perfect for a first level party. Because you can't die in it. No, really! Any combats in the second act don't kill you, you just fail the mission. The boss fight in act 3 pointedly KOs you rather than kills you. Think about how great that is. You can run through a whole party of level ones, that level where dying is so easy from one bad crit, and at the end of it everyone's levelled up and at the far more survivable level 2. It's great!

Edit: Under season 8 rules, of course, this is no longer true. But clearly that was at least partly the original intent.

Why this module is kind of a problem for a first level party. The first bit isn't a big problem; act 2 can be done without any combat, so smart players will not miss any story. It's just... you're going to get destroyed by the boss fight. Even if it doesn't kill you, there's no real way to downscale it and it's just going to be insanely disheartening.

Also, you then have to earn another three levels before you can play this storyline again!

Why this module is great for a third level party. Well, that's where it's balanced for. The encounters are clearly targeted at this level and they're pretty well put together for it. If I were to criticise I might suggest making the lower level attacks in level a little stronger, but nothing too dramatic. It's a fun act 2 in particular with a neat gimmick. It's not too hard to ace the whole section if you pay even a little attention, but I've run this for groups who failed even that modicum of care.

Why it's kind of a problem for a third level party. It's just kind of a no-man's land. It doesn't flow naturally into its story like it would with a party at level 4. But flip side, the safety features that help it work for a first level party feel redundant and negate the threat and danger at level 3. Nothing here feels designed for level 3... even though it's designated at APL 3.

Why this module is great for a fourth level party. The story starts here in first tier, then transitions to second tier for parts 2 & 3. That's a great way to bridge the two tiers, raising the stakes while keeping a consistent story between the tiers. Really nice!

Why this module is kind of a problem for a fourth level party. It's way too easy here. They won't have a problem with the second act even if they're careless, there's no penalty to being careless, and the final fight (with them rested and fresh) is likely to be pretty easy as well.

But then... All this is very mechanical talk. What about the story?

It's... fine. It's fine. But it's got a bad case of the world buildings. In addition to having to set up its two direct sequels, it's also busy building in (at least!) three direct extra storylines and referencing a fourth. Nothing in it feels whole or complete, and while the trilogy as a whole fares better, not everybody (especially those at lower levels!) will get to do the whole trilogy. Every module, I firmly believe, should stand alone. And this one only sort of does that, though I've seen worse in this regard.

In the end, while I love some of the weirdness of this module (no dying! Weird time travel goodness!) the mechanical issues and the clunkiness of the story are enough to put me off it, and I can't give it the high rating I want to.

Also the module uses the word 'tuff' instead of 'tough' at one point and honestly I considered docking it a point for that alone.

Winter's Splendor is a fun little module for the holiday season that has the advantage and disadvantage of being a holiday module and therefore feeling a bit out of place at any other time. However, it is a fun module and one with a few really standout moments, but also some issues that are a bit more difficult and perplexing to deal with.

First, let's talk about the good stuff. The setup has a wonderful mix of playful and sinister that works well together and the 'little child tricked by the devil' plot line is a classic story trope that players can easily lean into. It has great synergy with one season of Dragon Heist, really allowing you to get the players emotionally invested in some highly important NPCs, enough so that I'd be tempted to somehow integrate it into a play through of any Dragon Heist run I did with that season.

The tone here is great. Everything is a mix of creepy and cute, exemplified by the image of an imp in a Nutcracker outfit. Better yet, it builds well. The opening scene is pure holiday cheer. The performance is lovely until it isn't. The children's room is a scene of cuteness mixed with horrifying wrongness. (You can really do a lot with the imps going invisible here; have them manipulate toys and play it like a horror movie.) And then the graveyard scene is pure horror film aesthetic with no holiday spirit at all. Everything is placed well.

Bonus objective 1 is mostly a positive as well. It's a really fun, inventive scenario and certainly original. There is a drawback as well, though, which I'll get to later.

Finally, the puzzles are mostly very clear and well designed.

However, there are enough drawbacks here to cost it a star.

First, while not a huge deal, the first bonus objective is very dependent on a confident and performative DM. Are you prepared to sing at the table? Because while it's great, it only really comes alive if someone is prepared to sing. It can be a player or a DM, but it's really something you want to have happen, and not every table will have that. Bonus objective 2 doesn't have this problem but also feels very much like just a sequence of ability checks.

More of a problem is the ending. The shift to the location for the finale is somewhat poorly telegraphed and can easily slip by a party, requiring a fair amount of nudging from the DM. (Two groups I ran this for both came to the same wrong conclusion of where to go.) And the item required in the ending puzzle isn't in the adventure anywhere, meaning the DM needs to improvise a solution at the end. There's a few ways this could be done (make it easier by creating a quick location to purchase it, or make it hard by forcing the players into multiple fights as the time stretches on) with neither being wrong but both being sub-optimal.

Overall, I really like this module, but can't deny the ending lets it down a lot.

Blue Alley is self-consciously a throwback to second edition style D&D. In the words of Alan Patrick: "Whole lotta saving throws." He's not wrong, and that's not a bad thing. The adventure feels very classically a dungeon crawl with minimal social interaction, modest combat, and maximum exploration and traps. What saves it from being dull even for a dyed-in-the-wool theatre kid role-player like me is the it does not skimp on the flavour. Having to sign in the guest book at the start, the way that the various rooms are decoratively themed to the challenge (see the minotaur 'pasture') and the hilarious comic touch of the boggles. (Who just cry out to be played as a bunch of mischief making twerps yelling, "Woo! Yeah!" as they steal items to be taken to the incinerator.)

I'd also consider the timing of the adventure near perfect. It's very easy to achieve two of the three major goals of the dungeon in four hours, but a third will be very difficult indeed. I'd definitely try to push your players to think of the time. (Consider adding a detail of the setting sun overhead and implying bad things happen when the sun goes down... even if they don't, it might motivate your players to hit the four hour mark.) With that four hour time limit it feels harried and tricky.

If I did have to criticise this adventure, it's that it's quite possible to just beeline for the finish almost by accident. (Which indeed, my players achieved.) While the adventure along the way is fun with interesting traps and intriguing gimmicks, it very strongly depends on some good will from players and a curiosity about the alley if they choose to keep exploring.

Still, overall it's great fun and worth the time. If your players don't have much to do in chapter 2 of Dragon Heist, this is an excellent alternative.

Needs good prep to run, but still one of the most fun modules I've found

Are you looking for hardened, dark and gritty noir on the streets of Waterdeep? That’s not what this is. Are you looking for goofy fun noir pastiche set against the backdrop of Waterdeep? Good, because that is exactly what you’ll get.

Rats of Waterdeep is D&D high on its goofier edge, complete with an airheaded tiefling detective narrating the entire story (unless the players choose to let him die to get rid of his narration), a body-horror plague that managed to lean more to hilarious results than genuine horror (a tail ‘with a mind of its own’, rat ears, and hands that drop your weapon on a one), and a terrific, hammy appearance of everyone’s favourite beholder crime-lord. You could choose easily to play this down to a grittier level, but it seems written toward comedy rather than tragedy.

That’s not to say there’s not some emotive content here. While I don’t think anyone’s going to get choked up about it, the entire story wraps around a quite tender love story and the principle characters are written with an eye to their humanity. Overall, the story of this module is a real high point and is what earns it most of its marks.

The puzzles are entertaining and well designed if somewhat shoehorned into the plot (A bank requires word scrambles for security verification? Really?) but the comedic tone means it doesn’t feel too absurd. If any players object, a batty owner of the bank makes for an excellent explanation to the bizarre scenario.

The technical work is also excellent. The fights are better balanced than I’d have expected (an opening conflict that at first blush seemed overly difficult is actually intense but overall pretty winnable, and has contingencies if it isn’t) but if I had to criticise a little I’d note that the most interesting fights are also the two avoidable ones. Also, the final battle in the bonus objective can be quite messy courtesy of three different enemy NPC types, as well as two allied NPCs and almost certainly a third allied monster type. Managing six different NPC stat blocks in one fight was a challenge for me.

More of a problem is that there are no maps for the module, meaning that a DM who wishes to use miniatures is on their own for the entire module. Coupled with that above final fight (which due to its complexity is a poor choice for a theatre of the mind delivery), I’m forced to ding it a star.

That said, I do not want to end this on a down note. This is a tremendously entertaining module that would make a terrific introduction to Dragon Heist or any campaign set in Waterdeep. I’d definitely recommend it for Adventurer’s League as well, but stress that someone needs to make maps for it ahead of time. However, once they’re made it’s pretty easy to run and would adapt well to an AL environment. Highly recommended.

An misguided mess in a poorly considered effort.

So, I hate being negative. I really do. I’ve worked in this industry as a freelancer, and I know how harsh and frankly malicious a lot of the criticism can be. I’ve always tried to be something of a counterweight. But, here I can’t do that. A Wrinkle in the Weave is a failure on almost every level, in its conception to its execution.

The goal of the Folded Time Trilogy is simple: To give the players an excuse to go back in time, experiencing the history of Waterdeep and filling in the backstory of the city. As a concept, this is already something I’d suggest as shaky: By its nature, it puts the player characters not as drivers of a plot, but spectators to it. The only way this can work is by making the events the backdrop to the story of the player characters, so that the stakes and turns are relevant to them, and not to NPCs. And even if you pull that off, it’s a dubiously worthwhile goal at best. The players are the ones who need to be emotionally invested in the story, and the story should thus connect to the characters they have emotional investment in: Their player characters.

(In addition, it’s heavily tied into the latter events of a trilogy, depriving the module the chance to have a proper beginning, middle and (especially) end. Honestly, the story simply… stops. There is no ending. In an environment like Adventurer’s League where players are likely to drop in and out as needed, this focus on trilogies is likewise very questionable.)

A Wrinkle in the Weave fails to center the PCs. While the player characters are charged with a mission of investigation, this isn’t one that has twists and turns within the story of the module. Rather, those twists are connected to the story of the historical event: The assassination of Emperor Shoon III. It’s his assassination that creates the final act, and the plot against him that provides nearly all the texture of the encounter. The investigation into the ring is, essentially, an afterthought. Nothing about this encounter centres the PCs as the protagonists of this story. A version of this module that instead had the players being Artor Morlin and his lieutenants would be a much more interesting one, as they tried to uncover the plot against their regent’s life only to discover they were far, far too late.

Now, the one thing I do have praise for here is Ginny Loveday’s instincts: She created this module as a social/exploration encounter. That is absolutely the right approach for the material she’s been given to work with. If the goal of the module is to give players insight into Waterdeep’s past (which I feel it shouldn’t) then a social encounter is the way to do this. Let players talk to the various agents of the event, understanding their motivations and their plans. It is, in concept, a solid plan. But in execution, it’s incredibly vague and underdeveloped. This is where the current structure used for modules in this season fails it; there’s no text-box grand speeches for the villain to outline his grievances. And even if we want to avoid that in favour of more organic stories, we barely get any real explanation of the characters’ motivations. We desperately needed a bit more guidance beyond “is obviously jealous of his brother’s title and power”. Even with each section having an ‘objectives/goals’ section that describes people’s motivations, there’s just not enough here to characterise anyone interestingly, and (contributing to the problems above) nearly all of them connect to the assassination plot, not the ring plot.

The focus on social and exploration encounters also strips the module of the chance to be interesting on a combat level. The setups for the various fights are vague, and their logic is hard to discern. Guards are available for fights, but it’s not clear how these fights can or should break out. Or, for that matter, how the story should proceed if a fight did break out. At the end, there is another fight with bandits, but again, the logic is unclear, the scenarios uninteresting, and there desperately needs to be more guidance on how to make such fights memorable. (My advice: Before you spring the last encounter, make a big show of moving bandits to block the exits. Dramatic, logical, and foreboding.)

In short, nothing about this works. It’s a microcosm of the various problems that the current season of modules(1) have tended towards, along with a host of problems of its own. While I have seen talented DMs proposing fixes for it, the fixes required are substantial and require rethinking of the entire trilogy of modules at a very basic level. This to me suggests deep and fundamental problems, and I cannot give this module any recommendation.

1) Except for Once in Waterdeep, which I have nothing but praise for.

I ran this module as a Halloween game, intending to run it like a Twilight Zone thing. But it's actually really well served in that purpose, more so than I would have imagined! Dark, weird corridors underwater; weird fish men attacking from bare feet away from you, and an 'ally' with suspicious motivations from the beginning do indeed provide some really interesting horror environments.

But it's gotta be said, despite all that? This module is kind of a drag. It begins abruptly, shoves itself into a fairly mundane exploration sequence, hits its big twist and then offers you a half-hearted endgame sequence with some common magic items as rewards, one of which requires you to kill a giant shark with level 3s. (Also, it doesn't anticipate a LOT of ways the players could get out besides fighting the fish or taking the deal — Creative players won't find it too hard to escape.)

The whole thing is geared around exploration, with combat and social play taking something of a back seat. That wouldn't be too bad, except that even from an exploration standpoint, it's fairly mediocre. There's a whole heap of twisty tunnels, to be sure, but there's nothing to be found in them except for more fish men, and once you're out of the tunnels there's no actual reason to hang around beyond 'oh hey, maybe we can find some stuff'.

However, that twist...

There's no denying it, the twist here is nuts. It provoked stunned laughter from my entire table when I ran it, and I feel that twist overpowered any ill will otherwise engaged. And that goes a long way.

Pros

Solid atmosphere. Environmental description advice is on point and goes a great way to establishing the game's eerie, bizarre mood. Twist is a genuine killer. For Adventurer's League players, this is a rare module that allows both pre-gens and regular characters and can be a great way to catch up a player or two who's fallen behind the regular group.

Cons

Awkward and unhelpful double-scale map that creates for difficult explanations to players. The 'you can see 10 feet in front of you' limitation is a great idea for horror but frustrating in actual play. (Why would you include this limitation for a scenario with an Arcane Archer pregen?) The introduction is way too brief and truncated. Honestly, this adventure is a lot shorter than the 3-4 hour advertised runtime.

Overall

I hate being negative, so let me finish on a positive note. I think you can do fun things with this module, but I'd beef up the initial sequence a lot. Don't just skip to the beach scene; let the players hunt around, role-play out the investigation, and really surprise them with when they vanish. (E.G. Create a very obviously trapped door down an alleyway and vanish them with a rune on the ground before they get even close to the door.) Subvert their expectations, work hard to make the tunnels eerie and alien and in hindsight obviously a fake environment, and play it up for all its horror potential.

And don't even try to pretend Dawn's Beacon is anything other than a deal with the devil from the outset. It's way more fun making him very unsettling.

The 2000-2010 "Forge" indie RPG boom was one of the most influential periods of RPG design. Drawing inspiration from earlier games such as Pendragon and Over the Edge, this period pushed RPG design in ways that de-emphasised the role of the game master, urged more collaborative responsibility for world-building, and moved mechanics away from simulationist design into narrativist or even thematic roles. It went on to inform works by publishers both large and small such as White Wolf, Hogshead Games and Atlas Games. The one game it never seemed like it could touch was, of course, the one that both preceeded and outlived it: Dungeons & Dragons.

Which is why it's such a blast to see a module like this that draws clear inspiration from that era: Once in Waterdeep is steeped in the tricks and traps of that era of design. Its use of non-standard props like poker chips & index cards and its use of a "Story workshop" to create allow players to inform the game's plot is absolutely inspired by these games (I'm particularly reminded of My Life With Master and its collaborative villain design) and provides not only a varied and replayable module, but also one of the best launching pads for a hardcover there could possibly be. Players are encouraged to create interesting supporting characters and villains here and those villains (not just the ones selected but also the ones rejected!) can be used as springboards for the Dragon Heist campaign. It's a fantastic jumping off point and in that regards accomplishes its goal as an introductory adventure perfectly.

To be clear, this influence is minor. Once the game begins, the actual play is very classic D&D, drawing heavily on the three pillars of play. Indeed, each of the paths of play roughly correlates to one of those three pillars. (Traitor to social; Mastermind to exploration; Brute to combat.) Nonetheless, the use of such devices is unexpected and delightful and I hope to see more of this sort of design in the future.

Pros

In addition to the interesting start and clear setup design, the actual paths themselves are well supported and considered to the three pillars of play. Brute style emphasises combat and provides a lurid pulpy tone that fits in well with 5e's streamlined combat style. (Players may be forgiven for quipping, "Again?" or "Can we just leave that wall down now?") The mastermind path offers tangible props and well considered puzzle design. The traitor path's 'let's put on a show!' mid-game is both surprising and offers clear guidance on how to turn such an encounter into a pass-fail scenario beyond simple dice rolls. The various chapters 2 are the clear highlight of the game's design and where the most love was placed.

Cons

By contrast, the ending can be a little difficult to parse. While the Brute's introduction in the final act makes perfect (and indeed, brutal) sense; the traitor's final play is somewhat nonsensical, and the mastermind's final reveal is very difficult to pace and understand. This last case in particular really makes this worthy of being considered a 4/5 rather than a 5/5 adventure, but the boldness of the premise is enough to see this be forgivable.

In addition to this, the game is not well adapted for online play. Online, the story workshop is slow and difficult to execute. I would highly recommend, if you choose to run this online, making the villain/NPC/challenge selection something done in a forum or online chat ahead of the game, and simply launch into the game proper when you're ready to meet at the same time. In addition, physical props do not translate to online settings.

Overall

I love, love, love this module. It's adventurous and creative in a way I don't usually expect D&D modules to be. 5 stars from me, and I do hope this isn't the last time we see a story workshop.