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I ran this adventure at PAX AUS 2019 over the course of the three days, with a total of 18 players in three hour sessions, but time was limited. Overall, this adventure is ideal for a convention setting in that it offers both flexibility and depth for the DM, and challenges that fit well into the excitement of the convention. This module is primarily an investigation where the PCs make discoveries as they overcome various challenges. I also ran the module in the week prior to PAX AUS with a further 6 players in a three hour session.
My more personal reflections are that I love the NPCs, the mystery and the challenges in this scenario. The adventure is very well written with great humour and nuance. I definitely made modifications along the way to suit my preferences. The depth to the story provides a lot of replay value for the DM, I don't think I could ever get tired of running this adventure. The content is suitable for very young players, in fact I ran the game with quite a few younger players at the table. The theme of racism associated with Hillsfar is an important one, and is well treated in this adventure, but the DM should be careful not to overdo it.
How did it run?
Most parties leap into Episode 2. This runs very well, with discovery and mystery. None of the players discovered the small brass tag. This Episode is good for getting the players interested in the mystery. One PC KO'd in this episode.
Two parties ventured into Episode 3, and enjoyed the interaction and events there. I used the Tarokka deck to run the game at the table, and the players got quite involved in this game and its outcomes. They dealt with the events following quite well, they initially thought it would be too tough. This is the most dramatic or serious Episode. One PC KO'd in this episode.
Two parties attempted Episode 4. I created my own rules for the first puzzle but still using the provided grid and the solution. The puzzle worked well for both groups who were highly intrigued about finding the solution. One party ran out of time, so had to move on, but the other had the time available to attempt the second puzzle. This is a really fun themed puzzle for DnD, and the Monster Manual came in handy as well as some Google searches on handheld devices. The clock beat them in the end, and I asked them to guess where the solution lay. They didn't guess right, but they were very close however! Note: There is a typo in the player handout: a whole row of tokens is missing from the handout, so your players will not be able to solve the puzzle unless you adjust this handout.
Episode 5 provides a lot of opportunity for improvisation in Scene C, and it has a lot of potential for a comedic climax to the adventure. It's the DMs job here to delay or thwart the party from carrying out their objectives. Most parties were distracted at least to some degree from completing their mission, and this component was a lot of fun. The final encounter is also very enjoyable.
Finally the party is left with a moral decision. Along the way, the players gather clues that will help them resolve this situation. Most will simply go along with the most straightforward solution. One party engaged in vigorous debate over the moral issues at stake, which resulted in a majority vote to decide. An excercise that provides a satisfying conclusion for players - they have done the work, gathered the information, and the final moments of the story are entirely in their hands. A perfect ending!
Adventure Rewards
The item that appears in the story is not granted as a reward, tending to lead to some disappointment amongst the players in most of the games.
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